Rog’s analogy about Airstream Life is not as apt as it could be either.
The real question is: what if your favorite Airstream magazine suddenly seemed to feature a puzzle on every other page?
Sergei
That’s an easy question. I’d stop buying it. However, if it was furnished to me totally free of charge, as are these forums, I’d still read the parts I find interesting and skip over the rest.
I just don’t have a problem with logging on to these forums, browsing through the new posts and selecting only what I want to read. I’ve been doing that for the past 5 years and I’ve learned more about Airstreams here than anywhere else on the Internet. I have also shared a lot of tall tales and grins with many fellow Airstreamers.
If a “no clutter” rule is imposed on these forums, I would think that this thread would have to be among the first to be deleted since there is no pertinence to Airstreams, Towing and Camping as put forth in post #1.
__________________ Rog
May you camp where wind won’t hit you, where snakes won’t bite and bears won’t git you.
It’s good for the site owner that people feel this is a community. But for Andy R it is also a business built on advertising revenues.
Being an astute businessman he already knows that The New York Times and the National Enquirer both have large circulations but very different ad rates and profits.
Almost all of the jokes and puzzles here have nothing to do with Airstreaming and they waste the time and space of people that are interested in that subject.
A good owner will always act to protect his franchise.
Sergei
If you eliminate the social component to this forum (a component that is already well-established, I must add), you turn it into a technical information forum only. I can guarantee that user volume will decline and visits will be less frequent. I see this on a couple of Volvo forums I belong to. Technical discourse only, very dry and low user volume. Now, translate that to a site like this where the owner is using it to generate income, chances are revenues will drop. Why? Because user volume drops and advertisers get reduced exposure. People who are no longer looking for restoration or purchasing advice may no longer sign on to share camping locations or boondocking stories because, well, it's "pap" and of no interest to those looking for technical information. May as well just post a link to PDF's of all the service manuals and close the option of any discussion at all.
I don't really understand the whole issue about what is on the Portal page. Since joining, I've never used it. I'm familiar with all of the topic areas that specifically interest me and go directly to them. I spent some time working from the Portal page last night and found that virtually nothing on there had any interest to me. Does it bother me? Absolutely not! It's just a few mouse clicks away to the index page and whatever topics I'm interested in.
Another trick is to simply subscribe to those posts that interest you. What could be easier? Click CP and there are all the topics of interest customized for your access.
Personally, I think the site works just fine the way it is. If functionality evolves to where individuals can customize the portal page, great. It's not the sort of thing that's going to cause me to lose any sleep.
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Cameron & the Labradors
Kai & Samm
North Vancouver, BC
Canada
This forum like all things in private industry come down to $$$.
The more members the more sponsors. Sponsors $$$ pay the frieght so this forum can exist. No sponsors. No forums.
So you have your wish and the only threads allowed are all about you repairing your airstream and camping. You have limited the membership, sponsorship and the $$$ the Owner here can make.
What is happening here is a prudent business model that has places for technical information, camping, organizations and social interaction. Guess what? Lots of members and lots of advertisers. Which equals $$$. Now what has the capitalist fiend who owns this forum done with that loot? Why he keeps improving it and making it better so you have the ability to learn more from or to easily socialize with even more people.
This forum is designed so as many people as possible can find something they enjoy here. Why not just let all enjoy what they wish? Because unless your the owner you don't get to decide what others can enjoy.
When I google Airsrteam around entry 33 comes up Airstream tralier and motorhome community. That link leads here.
No offense intended. As penance I will go read a 40 page thread on Window sealant pros and cons.
I have noticed something very telling about the word game threads. The views per post ratio is very low, something like 5 to 1 or less.
One could also say that's because everybody that "looks" also posts ~ yes, alot of them may be from the same people...but the same is true with most threads - the same people checking in and posting, just not as many posting each time they check-in.
Shari
__________________
Vintage Airstream Club - Past President 2007/2008
WBCCI #1824 - DenCO Unit Past President (2005)
AIR #30 - Join Date: 2-25-2002
As usual, I learned something while reading this thread. The "new posts" feature is great. I read more posts than I did before. If it sounds interesting, which is often the case, I read it. If not, I skip it. Those with limited interests should find this feature helpful, too.
All this clatter about clutter and I could hardly find my axle thread dramas on the portal page.
We have a solution for that, too. In the search tab, simply enter the word "axle", or "polishing", or Tow vehicles". If you really want axle overload, you can enter all those words at once. If you do that, though,
may The Force be with you...
I don't think we have any threads about polishing the axles on our tow vehicles--yet.
__________________
Terry Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine
AIR#2611
Thanks Terry but all the juicy posts are for private viewing only in the vault. Hmmm do you think I should document and time test my toothpaste vs jewelry precious metal cleaner results? I have found that an emery board and nail buffer can be quite effective tools for fine sanding before applying the nail polish recommended by Airstream on corrosion.
Hmmm do you think I should document and time test my toothpaste vs jewelry precious metal cleaner results? I have found that an emery board and nail buffer can be quite effective tools for fine sanding before applying the nail polish recommended by Airstream on corrosion.
Sorry to be so long on my documentation but after reading about Airstreamers Pamela and Paris I was inspired to take my nail polish and work on my toenails post haste.
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Hmmm do you think I should document and time test my toothpaste vs jewelry precious metal cleaner results? I have found that an emery board and nail buffer can be quite effective tools for fine sanding before applying the nail polish recommended by Airstream on corrosion.
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