What is going on here?

I have another suggestion: One thing that might have turned off newcomers in the past has been the "teasing" by members when someone finds a relevant topic in an old thread, & adds their question or comments to it, only to be met with "dead thread" comments from us, instead of answers. I think we all need to remember that some of these folks are just finding their way around here & posted where they thought their topic fit the best. This happens fairly often, so IMO there's a few things we could (& should) do about it.

For one thing, old threads are valuable reading, but maybe we should lock them at some point, so no further comments are added & a new thread on that topic must be started? That would eliminate the chance of anyone reopening an old thread. If someone really has relevant information later on, they can always post a link to the old thread & continue with a new thread, right? (I participate in another forum- a political one- and on that platform, once there are no replies for 15 days following the last comment, it's automatically locked. Would that work here? Not necessarily 15 days though, but maybe after several -3 to 6- months?- since many topics here are health issues that takes time to change or resolve.)

Second, maybe we could all be more aware of the way "dead thread" comments might be backfiring on us here- it's not exactly a "welcome mat" is it? It seems to me that many of the new members that were met with jeers of "dead thread" disappeared & posted no more after that? Perhaps they thought "here it goes again" -meaning the hostility found on other social media sites? If we're really here to be of help, I think we've been sending to wrong message at times. If we start locking old threads, that will eliminate the problem easily.

Since we're still billing ourselves as "the friendliest online community for all your herping needs", I think this is one easy way we could improve. What do you all think?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I have another suggestion: One thing that might have turned off newcomers in the past has been the "teasing" by members when someone finds a relevant topic in an old thread, & adds their question or comments to it, only to be met with "dead thread" comments from us, instead of answers. I think we all need to remember that some of these folks are just finding their way around here & posted where they thought their topic fit the best. This happens fairly often, so IMO there's a few things we could (& should) do about it.

For one thing, old threads are valuable reading, but maybe we should lock them at some point, so no further comments are added & a new thread on that topic must be started? That would eliminate the chance of anyone reopening an old thread. If someone really has relevant information later on, they can always post a link to the old thread & continue with a new thread, right? (I participate in another forum- a political one- and on that platform, once there are no replies for 15 days following the last comment, it's automatically locked. Would that work here? Not necessarily 15 days though, but maybe after several -3 to 6- months?- since many topics here are health issues that takes time to change or resolve.)

Second, maybe we could all be more aware of the way "dead thread" comments might be backfiring on us here- it's not exactly a "welcome mat" is it? It seems to me that many of the new members that were met with jeers of "dead thread" disappeared & posted no more after that? Perhaps they thought "here it goes again" -meaning the hostility found on other social media sites? If we're really here to be of help, I think we've been sending to wrong message at times. If we start locking old threads, that will eliminate the problem easily.

Since we're still billing ourselves as "the friendliest online community for all your herping needs", I think this is one easy way we could improve. What do you all think?

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I agree totally !


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I am not sure that there is any way to have the forum software automatically close threads after a certain time frame.

I do agree on being kind to those that bump up old threads with new questions. We can ask them to start a new thread for their question in order to get more attention (and then close the old, bumped thread). Sometimes new users don't actually know how to start a new thread--that is a common question that comes through via the Contact Us form. So they might just need a little guidance.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mlededee

I am not sure that there is any way to have the forum software automatically close threads after a certain time frame.

I do agree on being kind to those that bump up old threads with new questions. We can ask them to start a new thread for their question in order to get more attention (and then close the old, bumped thread). Sometimes new users don't actually know how to start a new thread--that is a common question that comes through via the Contact Us form. So they might just need a little guidance.

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But threads can be manually closed, right? Forgive me, I have no idea how much hassle that might be, just asking.

My usual response is to answer the question when an old "necro" thread is revived, & then suggest that opening a new thread is usually more effective, or words to that effect. But it's been a tradition here (I was reminded today in one thread*) for members to make a little 'fun' of old threads being revived, & it occurred to me that it's probably perceived as unfriendly to a newcomer. No one really means anything by it, but new people who are shy about posting to begin with don't know that.

*https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...fect-your-bill

> > > https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...=1#post2750138

Yes, threads can be manually closed by a staff member. :)

If there is relevant new content to be added or discussed in an old thread I see no problem with that. When someone posts on a really old thread, it means they probably used the search function to find that old content (or did a fair amount of looking around to get there). Which is great! That is how people find answers without asking repetitive questions.

Thread necromancy is not something that is even a known concept to people that are new to forums. So we should be nice to them while they learn. :gj:

I've been on websites where the hammering for resurrecting dead threads was merciless and downright cruel. I haven't seen that on this site.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I have another suggestion: One thing that might have turned off newcomers in the past has been the "teasing" by members when someone finds a relevant topic in an old thread, & adds their question or comments to it, only to be met with "dead thread" comments from us, instead of answers. I think we all need to remember that some of these folks are just finding their way around here & posted where they thought their topic fit the best. This happens fairly often, so IMO there's a few things we could (& should) do about it.

For one thing, old threads are valuable reading, but maybe we should lock them at some point, so no further comments are added & a new thread on that topic must be started? That would eliminate the chance of anyone reopening an old thread. If someone really has relevant information later on, they can always post a link to the old thread & continue with a new thread, right? (I participate in another forum- a political one- and on that platform, once there are no replies for 15 days following the last comment, it's automatically locked. Would that work here? Not necessarily 15 days though, but maybe after several -3 to 6- months?- since many topics here are health issues that takes time to change or resolve.)

Second, maybe we could all be more aware of the way "dead thread" comments might be backfiring on us here- it's not exactly a "welcome mat" is it? It seems to me that many of the new members that were met with jeers of "dead thread" disappeared & posted no more after that? Perhaps they thought "here it goes again" -meaning the hostility found on other social media sites? If we're really here to be of help, I think we've been sending to wrong message at times. If we start locking old threads, that will eliminate the problem easily.

Since we're still billing ourselves as "the friendliest online community for all your herping needs", I think this is one easy way we could improve. What do you all think?

---

I agree with the necro thread situation. It's a little aggravating because I've seen members complain about all the "my BP won't eat" newbie threads, but in the necro thread situation, people are searching and finding posts that answer their questions, and posting with additional questions. So I guess my question to those users would be, would you rather see these new guys searching and exhausting their options before posting in an old thread, or continue to see the "help he won't eat" new threads?

For one I'm happy to see someone using the search function before posting.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hugsplox

I agree with the necro thread situation. It's a little aggravating because I've seen members complain about all the "my BP won't eat" newbie threads, but in the necro thread situation, people are searching and finding posts that answer their questions, and posting with additional questions. So I guess my question to those users would be, would you rather see these new guys searching and exhausting their options before posting in an old thread, or continue to see the "help he won't eat" new threads?

For one I'm happy to see someone using the search function before posting.

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Same here. I'm glad they're searching & reading up, and if we lock the old threads so they cannot add to them, they'll soon figure out (or ask) how to post a new thread. This seems the best "solution" to me, & certainly the most welcoming way? We have to remember that new members may be young & may have previously been "bullied" (as some have privately told me).

I understand that the world is a brutal place that reinforces "survival of the fittest" but I don't see how that helps the pet snakes that belong to owners needing help if they're too intimidated to get answers & help from us here. If their first post is met with derision for adding to an old thread, is it likely they'll make a second? Some will, but I also fear that too many won't.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Same here. I'm glad they're searching & reading up, and if we lock the old threads so they cannot add to them, they'll soon figure out (or ask) how to post a new thread. This seems the best "solution" to me, & certainly the most welcoming way? We have to remember that new members may be young & may have previously been "bullied" (as some have privately told me).

I understand that the world is a brutal place that reinforces "survival of the fittest" but I don't see how that helps the pet snakes that belong to owners needing help if they're too intimidated to get answers & help from us here. If their first post is met with derision for adding to an old thread, is it likely they'll make a second? Some will, but I also fear that too many won't.

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Right, I've said a couple of times that there's a reason I left a nameless other site to come here. The community is just better. I like to think we're all firm when we need to be, and forgiving when it's warranted. I've seen a lot of people display a level of patience with new keepers on here that you just won't get anywhere else.

We can really sell this community if we all just put the effort in.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Same here. I'm glad they're searching & reading up, and if we lock the old threads so they cannot add to them, they'll soon figure out (or ask) how to post a new thread. This seems the best "solution" to me, & certainly the most welcoming way? We have to remember that new members may be young & may have previously been "bullied" (as some have privately told me).

I understand that the world is a brutal place that reinforces "survival of the fittest" but I don't see how that helps the pet snakes that belong to owners needing help if they're too intimidated to get answers & help from us here. If their first post is met with derision for adding to an old thread, is it likely they'll make a second? Some will, but I also fear that too many won't.

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Yes ... this is the perfect solution.. people can still view and learn from old threads but they won’t be able to ask for photos and the seller’s location for a for a ‘for sale’ thread from 12 years ago ... it will save a fair bit of embarrassment as well

:)


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I guess I'll share a little feedback if it's OK. I've been an admin on a variety of message boards since message boards were a new thing...and that's roughly when dinosaurs walked the earth. There's no escaping the reality that overall usage of traditional message boards like this one is declining; that's just a function of the fact that change is inevitable. But it's also not time to give up entirely on message boards - they can definitely remain active even through the onslaught of other social media options, and can continue to serve a valuable purpose.

But they have to be handled a bit differently than they were in the past. Just as an example here (and please don't take this as being negative; I love this site), if I were Empress of Everything (lol) I'd remove all guides that are more than just a few years old and threads that haven't been used for a couple of years, lock them, tuck them into a separate 'archive' section at the bottom of the home page, and post updated guides - EVEN IF the updated information is largely the same as in older guides. I'll be blunt - when I go to a reptile site, I typically won't bother to read guides or FAQs that were posted more than maybe three years ago. Even if basic parameters like humidity and temperature obviously haven't changed, if the main guide itself was posted in 2015, you're not going to get much interest. Why would I read/comment on a guide when the author hasn't bothered to update it or post additions or new comments in years? Users want to be sure that they are getting the most current information. And multiple guides/FAQs that were posted years ago give the whole site a dated vibe.

Some guides or FAQs are no longer as helpful as they could be, and that can be a turn-off. For example, a lot of new keepers start out with glass tanks. The 'How to set up a glass tank - with pictures!' guide looks really appealing. Until you click on it and see that the pictures are mostly gone now. Culling or updating guides like that would help a lot.

You have an entire section (BP.net's guide to ball python morphs) that hasn't had a new post since 2011. Once a user understands that the entire section is simply meant to illustrate morphs and explain basic genetics, then the 2011 post dates make sense. But to a new user, seeing a whole section that at first glance seems unused gives the whole site an out-of-date look. If there's a way to make it clear at first glance that you have a section dedicated to photographs and explanations of various morphs, that'd help. And I am most definitely not a BP person, so I'm not sure about this - but if there have been additional morphs developed since 2011, then the section needs to be updated.

So that's my main point - that doing whatever you can to promote the fact that this site represents the best and most current information will help. I hope you take this in the supportive spirit in which it's intended. I'm a relatively new user here but I recommend the site all the time and would like to continue my participation for a long time.

Very helpful & well-thought out post, Caitlin. :gj: Your experience is very relevant.

This is probably a good place if any to post this...

I cannot figure out how to get any kind of notification to threads that have new posts. I tried "subscribing" to the threads I post in or just want to follow, and with some digging found a section that is supposed to show those threads which have new posts, but they do not. "Subscribed Threads with New Posts: (0)" I know for a fact some of those I have not clicked on before checking that, and clicked the threads themselves and there is new replies. Is there something I am doing wrong maybe?

Not being able to stay engaged in conversations as easy certainly isn't helping people stay active imho. I have to just check the Home- Recent Threads, and even that appears to be a little iffy what shows as unread.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nikkubus

This is probably a good place if any to post this...

I cannot figure out how to get any kind of notification to threads that have new posts. I tried "subscribing" to the threads I post in or just want to follow, and with some digging found a section that is supposed to show those threads which have new posts, but they do not. "Subscribed Threads with New Posts: (0)" I know for a fact some of those I have not clicked on before checking that, and clicked the threads themselves and there is new replies. Is there something I am doing wrong maybe?

Not being able to stay engaged in conversations as easy certainly isn't helping people stay active imho. I have to just check the Home- Recent Threads, and even that appears to be a little iffy what shows as unread.

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Good point- I read this before & got side-tracked before I could respond, but since I don't know the answer, you didn't miss anything. ;) I've used other forums that notify me, but this one never has.

Probably should have posted here as well, but we got the subscription issue resolved in a PM:

Make sure you have selected the thread subscription method that you prefer in your User Control Panel: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/prof...do=editoptions

Scroll down to Messaging & Notifications. In the Default Thread Subscription Mode menu choose the option you want.

Your subscribed threads are here: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/subscription.php

With the email notification option, I will say that you get one notification when something new is posted to a thread you are subscribed to. You don't get a notification for each new post, only the first one. It's a limitation of the software unfortunately.

You will see all threads that you have posted to or started in your subscription list. Also any threads that you have chosen to subscribe to via the Thread Tools>Subscribe to this Thread option.

Aha.. Hi, of course I'm one of the new 'worried noobies' [to this forum at least] but I do have to say that I really hope this place survives. Even with some prior knowledge on snakes, this place has taught me more in almost a week than anything else in all the years I've lived. Thank you to everyone on here that makes that happen for us. As a worried noob, I really appreciate it, and I say thank you 😊 God bless you all 🙏

Well I’ve said this before ( more than once lol) ... but I frequent this quite a few forums and I use the free app called TapaTalk .


It’s a one stop place for all your favourite forums and also has a fabulous one click photo upload option .


Anyways you can see all your threads or all your posts for all your forums.

You can set it to notify you of any responses...




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