Forum Ramblings

[Smoothebore]

As usual, I missed something on this thread, early on.

Dave

[Bindlestiff]

You made a reasonable post, why you pulled it is not obvious to me and in my opinion, pulling it was unreasonable. I didn't see anything about any of the questions that your post generated that warranted it being deleted. I would assume that if the thread was "out of control" it would be pulled in total by administrators.

Your post was good, it generated a good exchange of valuable comments. It was only after you pulled the original post that things got confused.

Posting on any forum is like pulling the trigger, after the bullet (or post) leaves the barrel, you can't take it back.

Just my $.02 worth; but with inflation it isn't worth that much anymore.

Originally Posted by Bruce Day

I asked four questions intended to spark thoughtful discussion among non forum lookers, forum members and pgca members

Would it be possible to have dealer members post parkers for sale here like we used to do in the Parker pages

How do we move lookers into becoming forum members

How do we move forum members into becoming pgca members

I commented that it seemed to me that this forum had become the pre eminant shotguN collecting site and I asked if there was any way to measure that


For those questions I got what I felt were inappropriate comments so I withdrew the question.

I am presently out in the hill sending this on a cell phone so - apologize if this post is not up to grammatical standards.i

[AmarilloMike]

Since the OP has recreated his first post can we now take this thread back to the discussion items he listed?

Best,

Mike

[John D.]

Originally Posted by Robin Lewis

....why you pulled it is not obvious to me and in my opinion, pulling it was unreasonable....

Except for the facts that....

1) I sent a confidential document to the BOD and Staff as an overview of the Website. Many of the stats are alluded to in the OPs initial post, yet diluted in the subsequent post. In fact - and in short - the first post in this forum began with "Hey John". I presume I was that "John".

2) The OP asked a question - which was my idea and a discussion point I had IN PRIVATE to a few of the BOD and other interested parties (Dealers posting in the for sale area) - which again, were private conversations and frankly - had anyone asked - are contingent upon tertiary action items which would have to occur well before that plan is in place (things like Sponsorship, advertising rates, whatever. Without THOSE - the Dealer for sale really doesn't make a whole lot of sense in growing PGCA, becuase we will be either shortchanging ourselves OR those same dealers.).

3) Thank Gawd I didn't discuss other ideas I have had in the making - as again - they would have appeared in this thread as well.

In short - when my private conversations are blasted across the General Forum without remorse or consideration to those of us who have the day to day task of delivering this forum, then something is broken.


4) Dean was/is correct. This conversation belongs in the PGCA Member forum - but you know what? I'm all done caring.

So you folks carry on.

Soon enough, my guess is - you folks will soon have a new Admin, on-line Membership guy, web hosting service (I do that too), new PHP and SQL programmer, a new guy to pay for the code, the servers, the circuits, hardware each and every day - and shucks - just a new guy...

When folks don't give a crap about what they post - I lose interest.

But....

I won't lose my professionalism.

When I have private conversations, I expect them to remain so - until I have something to announce.

I don't need others to do it on my behalf.

John

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

Bruce,

Concerning your first two questions concerning how to convert lookers into forum members and forum members into PGCA members, I think that we are doing that by being a very knowledgable body of members who also share their knowledge. I copied your prodding forum members by suggesting they become PGCA members in my answers to them. Perhaps that method would be more effective it every PCGA member ended their answers to forum members with something like what you suggest: Please considering joining the PGCA.

Another idea is to add a link to an entire Parker Pages from a year or so ago. Let the forum member see what they are missing. That could be followed with a link to the cover and at least one full story and the opening paragraphs to several stories in each current Parker Pages.

"...this forum had become the pre eminant shotgun collecting site and I asked if there was any way to measure that" Well Bruce there is. There are websites that track the activity on the top 100 websites of many different subjects. Maybe our magnificiant webmaster Mr. John Dunkle would create a (for profit to John) Top 100 Gun Collecting Sites? I mentioned gun collecting sites because there is a cost to starting and running something like this. Would we be as popular as the Colt SSA or Winchester Lever Action forums?

Just my thoughts for now,
Mark

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by John Dunkle

Soon enough, my guess is - you folks will soon have a new Admin, on-line Membership guy, web hosting service (I do that too), new PHP and SQL programmer, a new guy to pay for the code, the servers, the circuits, hardware each and every day - and shucks - just a new guy...
John

John, please don't. Your efforts, your words... all you do are so appreciated by the vast majority of those who use this forum. I know how you feel and what you're thinking... we've spoken privately and I understand. Just know that you are appreciated and are such an integral part of "who we are" and how we appear to those who come to this forum for knowledge and comeradship. You're the glue, man - the bonding agent. Dean

[charlie cleveland]

john what ever i am on this forem you are one super guy...got the best thing going as far as im concerned...i watch this forem with a passion has reallygiven me something to look foreward to each day i get up...i know im not a member but i say parker forem is it.... charlie

[John D.]

...i watch this forem with a passion has reallygiven me something to look foreward to each day i get up...i know im not a member but i say parker forem is it.... charlie

Charlie....

Thank you... You got it... Let me explain...

You see - when you, and others wake up excited to see what is new - new posts, new threads, new users, new ideas, new pictures - well, in my world - what you are talking about is making a new community. Each day - every day. You are that community, Charlie. You are a huge part of making that community. You see....

I don't write the posts. I don't post all the pictures. I don't add much knowledge. All I do - is be sure that you - and many others - have a place to go to each day which is different, welcoming and well - a "community"?

I don't care much Charlie, if you are a PGCA Member or not (I know - I'm running against the original grain of this thread - but, I'm a little aghast at the original context of this thread anyway, so - I'll continue). Yea, sure - Membership has its privileges, and that's neat - but for some - they contribute just by virtue of sharing in this same community. And that's equally as cool. Why?

Because - like you - they just get up everyday and WANT to login and read and learn and post and contribute...

Yea - that's my world....

What my world is NOT about is forcing folks to become PGCA Members by excluding something? Something in that same community that they are excited about.

You see - in my world, Charlie - if I can improve my end of the forum - the technology to improve the community and give the members (all members, not just PGCA Members) a different experience - better than any other experience in any other website, then, well - you will become a PGCA Member, because you WANT to, not because we say YOU HAVE TO.

I've done these communities for over 15 years, Charlie. The largest I started is now almost over 100,000. My ideals in making this the single best community is the culmination of years of experience, BUT....

Without you Charlie, and folks like Linn, Richard, Eric, Dean, Dave, John Davis, Mark (just to name a few I've heard from in the past few minutes) - none of this would make much sense.

I can tell you what this forum and PGCA is NOT about though? I can tell you it's NOT about forcing anyone to become a PGCA member by virtue of threads like these.

That much I'm pretty sure of...

I'm also as sure, if you see the value of Membership - you, Charlie - and thousands of folks like you, will become Members - as long as "we", who are PGCA Members - continue to just "do what we do".

And for that - you have my promise - that's exactly what we will continue to do...

So you wake up every day and continue to get excited to get on the forum...

And for me?

When you do - I'll be here along with the rest of the community.

Charlie, thank you for your post, support and enthusiasm...

You, Sir - are what this forum is all about.

If it were not, I would have told you so...

John D.

[CHE]

John D let me second what Charlie said and add that you are doing a heck of a great job!
We sometimes take all the work that people like you for granted and I am glad you cleared up the mess this thread generated. I'm am with you in that anything discused in private should stay PRIVATE. A good friend/gentlman always practices this.
Thank you for all you do.

[ch]

John I don't think anybody could fill your shoes. Seems to me your the charles parker of this great thing. If somebody was to do your job they would have to work in the trenches a long time to learn what you know. Just like all the parker's and king did before they got management jobs. a big ol thank you from ch! And if somebody wants to just b a fourm member thats super with me! they'll get no hastle from me. and a big thank you to all who do all for PGCA.