Are the shortfalls due to the forum software or lack of participation?

@drtyler 

For me the huge shortfall was the "process" of moving over to and getting on to the new site.

I finally got here after several failed attempts, and still don't know what I did different when I finally succeeded.

Once here, everything seemed to work as easily for me as the old site.

So, I could be wrong but, I suspect it was the process of moving that lost us most of the regulars form the old site.

I should have been more clear. The shortfalls are mainly on the administrative side. For example there are currently two posts waiting to be reviewed and approved or deleted by Mods. The problem is, the software won't let anyone other than an Administrator find them short of looking through every single thread on the site, one at a time. I have spent literally hours looking for a post needing moderated only to come up empty. If it's a new thread, it shows up in the Recent Posts list and is easy to find. If it's a post in an existing thread it's almost impossible for a Moderator to find. Peter says it's the way the software is written. The folks who own the rights to the software have been less than helpful in finding a solution.

@tiny 

Aaaah...

I hadn't really thought about the problems you would be seeing from your position with the site that we wouldn't see.

My condolences so to speak, and appreciation for what you do.

I too was not in favor of the previously proposed migration to AACA.  Still not, but the reality seems to be efforts here are circling the drain.  We are a small fraction of the frequent participants size and interaction we were even 10 years ago.  So, like so many other changes necessary, best to just get on with it.

Yes, the software change has IMO been a major contributing factor.  The system migration and subsequent use of it was, is and continues to be disappointing.

Well, Here we go again. Additional evidence that club leadership does not give a crap about the forums or the people who use them. When was the last time you saw anyone on the forums who would be considered a "Heavy Hitter" in the club? I think it was sometime around the 12th of Never. 

These guys have projects, I assume, but they never drop down to our level to ask a question or chime in to help someone who asks a question here. They would not want to soil their fingers on the keyboard while responding to the unwashed likes of us.

In my two tenures as a VCCA member, I have, at various times, corresponded to a club president, a regional director and a G & D editor without ever receiving a response. I have sent messages to judging officials and technical advisors and gotten only condescending replies or answers to questions that I had not asked.

I will continue to be a member for the relationships I have forged with other members and to provide help to those who ask questions for which I have the answers. If you think the leadership of this club cares anything about you, other than that your dues arrive on time, you are mistaken.

Tiny, you have almost singlehandedly kept this site alive since the move. Thank You.

I am not familiar with the AACA site but it will almost certainly be better than this one.

Mike Russell

Here's my $.02.

As much as all of us hate to admit this, (myself included) the days of multiple forums for every niche "old car group" is most likely going to become fewer and further between. Us boomers have dominated every industry coming and going ever since WW2. We've been the majority for way longer than I can remember. But we're dying off and there aren't the same numbers of kids come in behind us. The university's are seeing it. The Social Security Administration and the IRS are seeing it. And for that matter the rest of the world is seeing it as well. The point I'm trying to make. Yeah it sucks that this forum (and probably a lot of others) will surely soon cease to exist. But at least if we can consolidate all our individual loves into one larger group of loves forum, then when it's all said and done it's probably for the best anyway. Me personally, I'm fine with all of us in one big room instead of our own individual (and kinda lonely) smaller rooms. It's never easy. It's never fun. And it's certainly never comfortable. But it is what it is. Might as well embrace it.

P.S. All anyone has to do is attend any of the many Cars & Coffee events around the country (and even now around the world) to realize very quickly... We all love our cars... and that's all that really matters.

Cheers everyone

I agree with Mike and have had similar experiences in emailing VCCA board members about issues and getting nothing but crickets. Moving to the AACA site may be cost effective but I doubt it will increase traffic.  Mike, Tiny and a few others have been doing the heavy lifting on this site and I very much appreciate their efforts.

@dunfire If the move is made I suggest the Facebook Group acct be closed. We need to be in ONE spot and not all over the place.

@steve-d In discussions with our regions members, about 15 of them, more are aware of the Facebook site than this Chat site.  I think that part of that is that more members may not be as technically inclined and Facebook gives them a venue to post pictures and make comments.  Just a thought.  For many years, this site, the Stovebolt site and the Old GMC truck site has provided lots of technical advice for my restoration and maintenance of my truck

The opinions below are mine and mine alone as an individual and have nothing to do with my position as a Moderator.

Facebook is a cancer. Admittedly I participate on FB but it's wild west attitude of allowing virtually anything in the name of profit makes it a place where participants need to be very cautious and those wearing rose colored glasses are in real danger. It's a place of 'feed your biases at all costs' to keep you coming back. I realize the club must have a presence there in this day and age but, doing so harms this forum. I'm deeply disappointed in the folks who participated in the old forum but refuse to participate now. I suspect ego plays a large part in their decision.

A few discussions with leadership leaves me thinking that leadership is ignorant of the benefit of the forum because they don't participate. I don't believe the neglect is intentional but most of them live in the world of instant gratification that is the model of sites like FB and Twitter (X-cuse me but I refuse to honor the corrupt trillionaire by using his preferred name for the site). The FB page is not officially part of the VCCA. It needs to be either wholly in the club, directing forum type information/question to the forum or stop using the club's name AND the old time members who participate on FB but won't here need to grow up.

I agree Tiny, Facebook is a cancer, but I am addicted to it. Every day I look at it and I cannot believe some of the lies posted on it.  Whoever runs it only sends out about 12 to 15 of my friends.  I have hundred that when I post something I want it to go to all of them.  As many of you know, I have been blessed with Parkinson's disease.  Two years ago, I had "Deep Drain Surgery" to address my shaking.  Well, it has worked somewhat, I can carry a plate of food now without spilling it, but I still have to drink through a straw.  I guess it was from all the clean living that I have done. Even in this forum my computer puts things that I haven't wanted included in my responses just like the last 4 sentences.  If you open and look at or love something like a 58 Impala, then you get a bunch old pictures of 58 Impalas. I can go on and on about how I feel about Facebook, but I am hooked.

As far as the VCCA migrating to the AACA I think that is a reality that is coming.  The question is are we going to be a subdivision, do we pay dues to the AACA and the VCCA, and what would happen to the G&D magazine?  I love this forum and all you guys who post different things about Chevrolets.  I look at this forum every day like Tiny, And I really miss some of the "old timers" that haven't or refuse to make the switch.  Tell Charlie I am talking about him.  Lol 

@john-schildberg @tiny @dunfire @steve-d @skidplate @lee @ole-olson @drtyler

I don't think stubbornness played into the loss of participation when this forum changed. All of us understand that change is a part of life. The fact is that this version of the forum is very unfriendly, when compared to the old site. Sending a Private Message, Responding to a classified ad, You name it and it is more cumbersome. Maybe this is all the club could afford. Maybe someone was lazy and this was the first thing that came along. 

To me, the change was bad enough but the lack of any explanation as to why we had to settle for this was the worst part. If someone just had the stones to say "this is the best we can do with the resources available" it would have made things better. Instead, their silence said "this is what you get, we don't participate anyway so we don't give a crap". In other words "you are the club, but we are THE CLUB so take what you get and don't bother us any more". Why would they care about the forum when NONE OF THEM ever participate. 

Mike

Tiny and Mike, I couldn't agree more, all the social media sites are cesspools of misinformation, intentional and unintentional.  I do what I can with our regions' members and encourage them to use this site but as Mike noted, not the most user friendly site.  The VCCA hypes the TA's in the G&D but I would suggest that that having a TA section on this site  may garner more interest.  I regularly email the other Area 9 region directors, I will email them and see if I can push some buttons to maybe get them to push  and improve this site.