Efest member stats

[Wallace]

57 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

This is defo a bit of a problem at the mo, from where I'm sat.

One of the reasons that these forums have succeeded in being successful for so long - while others, sometimes much more popular, have died away - is because I've tried hard over the years to ensure that the forums remained focused on and about the festivals the forums are here for, rather than being about the people who post here. In the last year or two they've become more cliquey, and less about the festivals.

I'm currently mulling over what I might need to do to nudge things back again.

 

1 hour ago, KryziF said:

From someone who is mostly a lurker rather than a poster (it's taken me many years to get this no of posts). There's a couple of reasons i don't post more. It's difficult to keep up with the fast moving threads. Everyone seems to know each other already so I don't want to intrude on threads of what seem like banter between friends.

Would it make sense to split the glastonbury forums into further sub-categories?  I find myself finding all the decent content I'm interested in browsing the Questions forum, although I can see that most of the traffic is in Chat.  This however is a bit of a catch all and makes it very difficult to navigate and find what you're looking for.

I think there should be a separate 'Artists' forum where threads are solely artist based, and that would keep a lot of the more cliquey type chat confined to 'Chat'.  There could probably be a few other categories too, so threads like NFR NFC can stay in chat and people can get involved in that sort of thing if they wish, however it just feels very unorganised to me.

I've been more of a lurker on the forums rather than a contributor because of the very cliquey nature of the chat as mentioned above.

[Hotchilidog]

I think this is an excellent forum. Informative, funny and above all friendly. Since securing my ticket I've found this forum an ideal way to keep my Glastonbury mojo flowing.

[Wallace]

2 minutes ago, Hotchilidog said:

I think this is an excellent forum. Informative, funny and above all friendly. Since securing my ticket I've found this forum an ideal way to keep my Glastonbury mojo flowing.

I completely agree, all I'm saying is that I think there could be a few improvements to how it is structured.

[eFestivals]

2 minutes ago, WallaceHigh said:

 

Would it make sense to split the glastonbury forums into further sub-categories?  I find myself finding all the decent content I'm interested in browsing the Questions forum, although I can see that most of the traffic is in Chat.  This however is a bit of a catch all and makes it very difficult to navigate and find what you're looking for.

I think there should be a separate 'Artists' forum where threads are solely artist based, and that would keep a lot of the more cliquey type chat confined to 'Chat'.  There could probably be a few other categories too, so threads like NFR NFC can stay in chat and people can get involved in that sort of thing if they wish, however it just feels very unorganised to me.

I've been more of a lurker on the forums rather than a contributor because of the very cliquey nature of the chat as mentioned above.

Thanks. That's actually an idea that I've never considered, and it's been a long long while since I've had one of those. 

I'll think over splitting things up some more, tho not necessarily as you've suggested. And while it's a great idea in theory, the reality might work out differently with too many in one new subsection but not another - so I do need to think it thru in detail as the last thing I want to do is end up making things worse and not better.

[Glastobuddy]

1 hour ago, KryziF said:

From someone who is mostly a lurker rather than a poster (it's taken me many years to get this no of posts). There's a couple of reasons i don't post more. It's difficult to keep up with the fast moving threads. Everyone seems to know each other already so I don't want to intrude on threads of what seem like banter between friends.

Agreed,  not always easy for a newbie to break into conversations.

[Wallace]

6 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

Thanks. That's actually an idea that I've never considered, and it's been a long long while since I've had one of those. 

I'll think over splitting things up some more, tho not necessarily as you've suggested. And while it's a great idea in theory, the reality might work out differently with too many in one new subsection but not another - so I do need to think it thru in detail as the last thing I want to do is end up making things worse and not better.

You're welcome, I have other ideas too but then I'd need to start charging my day rate 

[big__phil]

Personally I rather like when threads go off on tangents, but can understand why others might not.

9 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

Thanks. That's actually an idea that I've never considered, and it's been a long long while since I've had one of those. 

I'll think over splitting things up some more, tho not necessarily as you've suggested. And while it's a great idea in theory, the reality might work out differently with too many in one new subsection but not another - so I do need to think it thru in detail as the last thing I want to do is end up making things worse and not better.

Yes, I have no idea how you'd go about doing that! It's hard to talk about festival stages without talking about bands which might play on those, and then about their music.

Just out of interest, why would you want to split it up more? Do you feel there are too many threads in Chat to keep up with?

[Waapster]

9 hours ago, SwedgeAntilles said:

The forum is massively friendly, and I suppose some people might just be hesitant to contribute. Regular posting is the way forward though.

The only criticism I have - and it's been particularly noticeable around resale time - is the amount of unnecessary multiple threads.

We have often have one thread per act, Muse, PJ Harvey, LCD etc, but multiple threads for resale took over the first page. For one thing that's not a sensible way to coordinate. I'm on another message board where it's strictly one thread for one subject, that's something I think we could benefit from here. A designated resale thread, a designated 'advice for first timers' thread, a designated clashfiner thread etc etc would mean the board wasn't clogged up as much.

Can be a nightmare to mod so I'd suggest checking for a similar thread to what you're about to post before posting.

 

I agree with this but it would help if recurring threads didn't roll over for years. So the camping bargains/equipment thread is great but massively long and mostly irrelevant. Same for some of the resales threads. 

It's not exactly keeping me awake at night but I just thought I'd mention it.

[stuartbert two hats]

7 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

Thanks. That's actually an idea that I've never considered, and it's been a long long while since I've had one of those. 

I'll think over splitting things up some more, tho not necessarily as you've suggested. And while it's a great idea in theory, the reality might work out differently with too many in one new subsection but not another - so I do need to think it thru in detail as the last thing I want to do is end up making things worse and not better.

I'd be very careful here.  Virtual Festivals was handed a silver platter of a forum when they took over the old official forums, users and all, but some over-zealous moderation about which topic should go where killed it for me.  The real kicker was when someone had the audacity to discuss a band's recorded output on the lineup sub-forum and was told to get back to the campfire chat forum!  The endless division ended up with a situation where none of the sub-forums seemed active enough to bother hanging around in.  Assuming that others felt similarly to me, then the network effect took over - nobody saw much activity in each sub-forum, so didn't post, so the overall activity dropped off.  

The combination of a light hand with topics or posts being OT, combined with a relatively small number of sub-forums is one of the reasons I've found this place enjoyable enough to stick around.

Having said that, it's possible that three threads devoted to banter in the main forum (NFR, Wibble, Campfire) is pushing it a bit, even if I personally like having them around.

[Hugh Jass]

1 minute ago, big__phil said:

Personally I rather like when threads go off on tangents, but can understand why others might not.

I like the tangents too. It's very Glastonbury - message board bimbling. 

 

[blue6field]

I understand the difficulty in the fast pace of different threads, the new site has massively helped this especially the next unread tab, allows you to scan through quickly and keep up to speed with what's going on.

[djdavejohnson]

Just to throw my thoughts out there having been a lurker over the last 3-4 years, I'm glad I've started posting a bit more since the resale. I actually wanted to post from October however having not obtained tickets I couldn't really bring myself to do it. I was still here almost daily, keeping up with all the chat / bants / info, but just felt I couldn't let myself get involved in case I didn't get the tickets in the resale! Anyways, I love the regulars on here, and don't really feel there's a clique at all.

Edited April 21, 2016 by djdavejohnson

[Alcatraz]

Nearly a 10 year veteran of these forums (christ!)

I'm sure Neil remembers the "My Festival Group", IIRC that's what it was called, section of the forum

That was certainly home to a bit more of the personal chat that some may be put off by currently. I couldn't tell you if they reduced this problem on the main forums during the short time they were around mind.

My activity has greatly reduced over the last 4 or 5 years, but there are periods I find it really easy to just jump back in and it's like it's old times again, especially in the run up to the festival. There really is no place better, I hear tell that the GlastoChat group on FB is a hell hole of fuckwittery

 

[eFestivals]

10 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

I'd be very careful here.  Virtual Festivals was handed a silver platter of a forum when they took over the old official forums, users and all, but some over-zealous moderation about which topic should go where killed it for me.  The real kicker was when someone had the audacity to discuss a band's recorded output on the lineup sub-forum and was told to get back to the campfire chat forum!  The endless division ended up with a situation where none of the sub-forums seemed active enough to bother hanging around in.  Assuming that others felt similarly to me, then the network effect took over - nobody saw much activity in each sub-forum, so didn't post, so the overall activity dropped off.  

The combination of a light hand with topics or posts being OT, combined with a relatively small number of sub-forums is one of the reasons I've found this place enjoyable enough to stick around.

Thanks. I can't remember having read anything before like that about the VF forums, tho I know of other issues.

One of which is the "why can't we all just get along?" thing that some like to post, which often isn't really about getting along and is instead about demanding that that person's take on things should be how everything is. While no one wants a row, different opinions should be welcomed and not shunned.

 

10 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

Having said that, it's possible that three threads devoted to banter in the main forum (NFR, Wibble, Campfire) is pushing it a bit, even if I personally like having them around.

Yep. Cliquey stuff is very uninteresting to read for anyone not within it, and I've always tried to discourage it to keep the talk about the festival rather than about talking about yourself ... and I know I've been slacker with that over the last few years (the hatred I get back isn't much fun from people who like to proclaim themselves as wonderful ), and it's having an effect and not necessarily a good one.

Which is the mulling over I mentioned above.

[dingbat2]

11 hours ago, Hovis said:

Iv been lurking on this forum for the last 4 years,  and everyone does seem friendly and nice I think it's more an issue that I rarely feel I have anything interesting to add.  

That's never stopped me from posting !

[shuttlep]

2 hours ago, KryziF said:

From someone who is mostly a lurker rather than a poster (it's taken me many years to get this no of posts). There's a couple of reasons i don't post more. It's difficult to keep up with the fast moving threads. Everyone seems to know each other already so I don't want to intrude on threads of what seem like banter between friends.

I don't know anyone

[eFestivals]

23 minutes ago, big__phil said:

Just out of interest, why would you want to split it up more? Do you feel there are too many threads in Chat to keep up with?

I don't 'want' to.

Some have mentioned in this thread that they might feel more able to join in if that happened. It's a valid point of view, and not one I should dismiss without proper consideration.

I want the forums to work in the best way they can, and I know that too much cliquishness ultimately leads to forum death - and these forums have got more cliquey in the last couple of years. Whether it's too much I was already thinking about.

[eFestivals]

21 minutes ago, blue6field said:

I understand the difficulty in the fast pace of different threads, the new site has massively helped this especially the next unread tab, allows you to scan through quickly and keep up to speed with what's going on.

... which was always there in the old site.

 

Edited April 21, 2016 by eFestivals

[stuartbert two hats]

1 minute ago, eFestivals said:

Thanks. I can't remember having read anything before like that about the VF forums, tho I know of other issues.

 

Well the other biggie was turning up after a few months off to find the only thread was full of moderators navel gazing about how badly they had handled 'the incident'.  Yeah, bye.

[Keithy]

26 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

I like the tangents too. It's very Glastonbury - message board bimbling. 

 

Me too. I like how threads drift off on a tangent and then eventually come back....then drift off again. I liken this forums to pub chat... you start about one topic, someone will mention that view is less popular than Corbyn, @thatcrazypenguin will leap to his defence  and then it'll drift back to the topic. Threads where you're only allowed to chat about the topic are dreadful.

[eFestivals]

16 minutes ago, Alcatraz said:

I'm sure Neil remembers the "My Festival Group", IIRC that's what it was called, section of the forum

That was certainly home to a bit more of the personal chat that some may be put off by currently. I couldn't tell you if they reduced this problem on the main forums during the short time they were around mind.

that was a forums-add-on. The difficulties with those is the development of them doesn't necessarily keep up with the main forums development, and that's precisely what happened with that add-on.

There is a similar add-on available for the updated forums, but again it might die somewhere down the line, and certainly won't be instantly in-step with other forum updates (so might cause security issues). And it's also a subscription service that costs extra every 6 months, too.

[big__phil]

9 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

I don't 'want' to.

Some have mentioned in this thread that they might feel more able to join in if that happened. It's a valid point of view, and not one I should dismiss without proper consideration.

I want the forums to work in the best way they can, and I know that too much cliquishness ultimately leads to forum death - and these forums have got more cliquey in the last couple of years. Whether it's too much I was already thinking about.

Fair enough. You've got quite the challenge here! You obviously want everyone to feel equally welcome here, from those with 15k posts and those who have just signed up. No idea how you'll do this, as it ultimately falls down to what users do and how they communicate to each other. When people have been chatting to each other for years/know each in the 'real' world they will talk about things and each other differently, and that's just human nature.

I'm another who doesn't actually know anyone else here that I'm aware of, but that hasn't stopped me from jumping in. I don't get involved in some of the more cliquey things (it took me ages to even work out what NFR meant), but that's just me. I feel welcomed (I think) in the threads I do post in, and enjoy being involved.

[Cheesey]

49 minutes ago, stuartbert two hats said:

Having said that, it's possible that three threads devoted to banter in the main forum (NFR, Wibble, Campfire) is pushing it a bit, even if I personally like having them around.

I must admit that I have absolutely zero interest in threads like NFR/Wibble/Campfire. I come here for information and discussion about Glastonbury, and those threads (the few times I've looked at them) don't seem to contain either. Not a massive issue though. Live and let live.

I don't really care about trying to break into cliques - I'm too old for that shite

[eFestivals]

4 minutes ago, big__phil said:

When people have been chatting to each other for years/know each in the 'real' world they will talk about things and each other differently, and that's just human nature.

Yep. And they also don't like being told to do it less - and often show themselves as far less of the friendly they claim of themselves -  and that's been a constant battle for all of the 18 years these forums have been running.

These forums are not about 'you', they're about the festivals that people come here to read and talk about. Some people have a problem understanding that difference.

 

[SwedgeAntilles]

I've lifted a couple of points from the rules of another forum I post on semi-regularly which I find help their message boards run smoothly. Specifically related to number/content of threads

Etiquette
We want this board to run as smoothly as possible. As such, we do enjoy many of the grown up debates and discussions that may take place; as long as they are within the guidelines set within this document. So please keep the good humour and discussion flowing, but any threads that have obviously run their course will be locked; and any that are off topic will either be moved, or deleted. Any personal abuse, racism or hate will not be tolerated. 

One Topic - One Thread
Please keep all discussion on one topic to a single thread. We find that multiple threads on the same topic only causes confusion and repetition.

Other Guidelines
Name changes will only be considered with a spectacularly valid reason. This is to avoid confusion through rapid name change. 
Please take time to post in the correct forum. If your topic is placed in the wrong forum, it may be moved. 
Your topics may be deleted or closed to keep the board organized and up to date.