RCS AND A RETURN TO IT'S FORMER GLORY

Ole Willie posted "I was not participating in any online forums for a while but decided to return. Upon returning to RCS, I found that it was very slow compared to what it was like a few years ago. So I checked out some other sites..."

I constantly think about how it used to be before a series of bad decisions messed it all up. I used to pay my Brother, 'CoffeeShop Frank' to read through it all everyday, and it took him all day! Now I can read through the posts in less than an hour.

Although there are other forums I think it's really social media that is occupying everyone's attention. Different groups have conversations on Linked In that seems like a forum, The RCS Facebook reached 16,000 in a week two weeks ago. So, do you think that Social Media has replaced the Forum?

We are all sentimental about the RCS good ole days. I think the true beauty of the Forum was really loving the industry we work in, the willingness to support each other and the feeling of camaraderie. It's weird caring so much about people that in come cases I have never met.

Any suggestions on how to rebuild it?

bump

Seen-it-all, that's called having the last word!

I always thought I was a "threadkiller" as I am in the Pacific Time Zone and often posted late at night and in the morning a lot of new topics were either started or replied to and as a result I was often the last reply on some topics.

I hope I'm not the thread killer?

I love all of your pontificating. I love the knowledge and wit that goes into it and it's all worth reading. There was only one guy that ate up all of my patience and he is no longer with us, MayGRHS. I don't think much moderation is needed. I just read until it's beyond my technical experience and make sure it's not ugly. I love d the guys that are trying to sell something. I act all indignant at the Nerve! You are all big boys and don't need 2-cents from the peanut gallery. I really would like to thank the people that never gave up on this forum. As far as the advertisers go I have limited spots to advertise and the companies that are advertising really want to be here, they understand who is in here. Remember I have another whole audience that comes to the site for the Classified ads.

Well, I don't think "threadkiller" needs to be used. It's the nature of the forum. I'm on one forum where there are about 100,000 participants every day, and of that bunch perhaps about 20-30 really know what they are talking about - so much of the conversation is people asking newbie questions and being told to a) RTFM (read the fine manual) or b) SEARCH for the same topic which has been asked (and answered) at least 50 fifty times in the past week, or c) get some education (tutoring, class, reading, etc.). Social banter and thread hijacking probably accounts for much of the rest, and there is the occasional substantiative thread that usually dies an undeserved early death. The website, incidentally, seems to make money by selling advertising for cheap products for the uninformed masses. Moderation on this site is about keeping the newcomers welcome.

On another forum, with somewhat less participation, there is a long-standing clique that really drills anyone who doesn't think like they do. There is a lot of knowledge there, but unfortunately not enough social skills to pass on that knowledge to new members. Advertising on this site is more geared to advanced users. Moderation of the site is mostly to keep threads resulting from bent egos from blowing up into warfare.

And then there is a forum like this one, where many/most participants are extremely knowledgeable and skilled. Members are motivated by quality, the desire to solve a customer's problem in the best way, and by pride in the work done. That, however, describes a very thin demographic in our overall business (roofing and contracting). As well, I suspect most of the posters here are operator/owners. Vicki participates but there is not much moderation probably because it is not needed - we're a reasonably respectful bunch. On the other hand, if I look at the advertising that is showing on this site, the target market is somewhat different from the group here, at least to my mind.

So we have a forum of pretty good individuals, all of whom are busy earning a living, taking care of customers, and generally not sitting in front of a computer shooting the breeze with the internet brethren. So the volume of posts will be, by the nature of the participants, relatively limited and responses may take a day or even a week to be made. I think we just have to accept that as our reality. Much as I like the Roofer's Coffee Shop, I'm not likely to be checking my Blackberry every five minutes for the latest post from Gerry, Darryl, Mike or Eric. Not because you/they are not worth the attention - but because you/they too will be busy actually doing stuff.

Hi Paul, glad you decided to drop in.

This thread took off like a wildfire for a week, and died just as quickly.

Someone needs a new knickname, like ThreadKiller, but I'm not sure who to tag it to.

Vickie the Boss Said: This is my favorite thread ever! What a reunion. Pgriz, How wonderful to hear from you. I have a copy of your RCSer of the Month. I want to send it to you. You wrote some pretty great stuff. I would love to re-run it. Email me at vickie@rooferscoffeeshop.com and I will send it to you.

Welcome back all!

Hi Vicki, I sent you a reply much earlier, but the internet gremlins decided to snack on it instead. Thank you for the offer - but being here is actually almost like "coming home". Thank you and the "regulars" for a warm welcome back. Just remember, I did get called the "pompous pontificator", and I'm not sure my writings have gotten any sparser.

This is my favorite thread ever! What a reunion. Pgriz, How wonderful to hear from you. I have a copy of your RCS'er of the Month. I want to send it to you. You wrote some pretty great stuff. I would love to re-run it. Email me at vickie@rooferscoffeeshop.com and I will send it to you.

Welcome back all!

spudder Said: Pgriz, hello from Florida how that Canadian weather

Just great right now! Temperatures in the 65-70 (F) range, so that's balmy. Had a few sprinkles pass through, but otherwise good roofing weather. Had a long and cold spring, which held up the start of the season, but the bugs, flowers, and scam artists are working hard to make up for lost time!

Pgriz, hello from Florida how that Canadian weather

Pgriz, hello from Florida how that Canadian weather

This is pretty cool Vickie! A lot of the former participants who played major roles and had a high amount of participation are returning. :)

Yo! I'm not dead... yet.

Mike kindly sent me an e-mail to see if the bones were already shiny or just stinky, and I had to disappoint him by being still alive. It's been a while. I recognize many of the names, and yes, I'm still in the roofing trade.

Whether I have lots of time to participate... is still to be determined. I thought I knew stuff, and then stuff shows me how little I knew. So it's back to the basics, rebuilding, roofing 2.0. (or maybe it's 9.8 and I've lost count).

However, Vicki, I promise to come back more often.

Going into archives brought back some memorys mac roofer for one! LOL

Peter1 Said:

A pleasure as always to be subjected to the writings of Egg and Mike H.

Now if only Pgriz would poke his head in here, the Quadfecta could be complete. :)