Update from FishingMagic HQ

[The Monk]

Hmmm don`t know about putting our soul into it, but we definately need to keep it rocking

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewl9z5-tnGg&feature=related]YouTube - EVH Van Halen Lessons Advanced Eruption Live[/ame]




[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2zXMR2yc8E"]YouTube - Paul Gilbert -Metal Dog...MP3 NOW AVAILABLE![/ame]

 

[Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC)]

Anyone else got any feedback on this?

Given all the comments and discussion on the forum over the last few months I would have thought people would have had more to say on this info??????

 

[Gav Barbus]

I think people are just happy still to have the site Corkers .
Speak now or forever hold your silence.

 

[Paul H]

I've kept my nose out despite feeling the desire to post on some previous threads, sometimes discretion is the better part of valour.

Whilst I have been able to see both sides of the recent arguments, and have agreed with points made by both sides, I feel that the whole business has been blown out of proportion.

We are on this planet for a short time and then a long time dead. Some people tragically before their time.

Amidst all this recent palava there are people like Mark Hewitt raising money for real issues and good causes, world events that give, or should give, some perspective on what is actually important.

Everything is relative and I can understand that this site means a hell of a lot to many people. I personally owe great deal of thanks to Graham Marsden for starting it and all those people who have contributed to it since then.

I just think it is time this was put to bed and we all crack on with making the most of FM by contributing to the forum, contributing articles (yes, I'm as guilty as the next man) and accepting that not everyone will always get along with each other because that's the way life is.

 

[kevin o connor]

Right , thats it, If everyone on this site is going to start being nice to everyone. I AM LEAVING:j:wh

 

[Ray Roberts]

Right , thats it, If everyone on this site is going to start being nice to everyone. I AM LEAVING:j:wh

Give it time mate, give it time.

 

[Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC)]

I find it interesting that after all the years FM has been running and the current level of membership there are still only (to date) 201 members that have posted 100 or more forum posts. This figure includes FM admin, Graham Marsden and a number of long standing members that have left recently or that we haven't heard from in a while.

These figures can be obtained from the members directory BTW.

I suppose my point here is that THIS REPRESENTS THE CORE MEMBERSHIP.

The members that are ACTIVELY INVOLVED with FM, posting on the forum and organising and attending events. But as I said, many of these members have gone.

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

THIS REPRESENTS THE CORE MEMBERSHIP.

Why do you think we have to have a "core membership"? Is it some sort of elitist title we award, I've never seen it in the profiles. Not everyone wants to express opinions all the time, some just like to have a bit of a read and then watch telly for the evening.

Things is, it's nothing new, it was the very same on the old FM. We had there about 50,000+ members and only a hundred or so posted - regularly. Why is this issue so important now?

And I'll bet you don't need more than two hands to count how many have gone either, as you say.

Not trying to pick a fight with you Corker, Paul's already advised me that a shoebox may be on it's way. Just want to know your answer to that point.

 

[Mark Hewitt]

May as well close the forum then........

If 'core membership' is not important to fm.

 

[Neil Maidment]

To me, FM was and is a website with an added forum. It was the website content and contributors that first attracted me back in 2003. It was quite some time before I found the forum and then even more time before I started to contribute. I think my first contribution via the forum was to thank one of the contributors for a very good and relevant article.

Within my local angling world most of my mates and acquaintances express a similar view. They are very regular viewers of the content but rarely, if ever, go near the forum. A couple have actually signed up and are members (and have been for some time) but the forum holds little or no interest for them.

It takes all sorts.

A couple of months ago a group of us had a very passionate debate about Otters, in a pub after a days fishing. All very intense and full of differing views and comments. Interestingly no-one wanted to have that debate on any forum, let alone FM! A couple of my long time friends said it was not their style to "rant and rave on-line". They were probably the most forthright with their views in the pub!

 

[Mark Hewitt]

Dictionaries and encyoclopiedas have good sales figures, most of us have them...... They are a wealth of imformation, but most of the time they sit gathering dust on the shelf......

Is that the long term plan for fishing magic?

 

[Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC)]

HAHAHAHA, I haven't sent a shoebox Jeff, I need them for Halloween!

I don't think we 'have to have' a core membership and it's no more important now than before. I just happened on the list and had a look out of interest and thought it worth mentioning on Richard's thread while statistics are topical.

Sorry if you thought that I was implying that this relatively small core (0.33% of total membership) was due to recent changes - I know it's not and this has pretty much always been the case.

0.33% represents the number of ACTIVE members I would say. By active I mean posting on the forum regularly - and this is often in response to an article or event, etc.

I think it shows there is a fine line between an active forum and one that could easily become somewhat dormant.

 

[Paul H]

I'll be honest here.

I am at a loss as to what people want. I am certain that no one wanted anyone to quit the site, but people make their own choices for their own reasons. I miss many of those who have stopped posting, and not just recent leavers.

The site is still here, articles are being written and published and the forum contains fishing related questions and discussion.

Realistically, what has changed? Graham retired (and good luck to him) and the new site software is what changed.

What surely isn't going to happen is Graham coming back to the helm or Magicalia letting Fish & Fly use their software, so the only things that changed cannot and will not be undone.

We have what we see and it is us that will make it or break it.

 

[Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC)]

I first came across FM via an article that came up in Google. It was written by Swordsy - it turned out that it was the same Swordsy that I went to scholl with and hadn't seen for years.

It was the same Swordsy that put me in touch with Jim Hinchley, who gave me some guidance on the Ribble, which resulted in a good days barbel fishing including my PB.

The forum played a big part in this and I have met and fished with many new anglers all becuase of contact via the forum.

It is invaluable and the heart of ACTIVITY on FM.

 

[Richard Hewitt]

Way Forward

Thanks for all the useful comments.

I am trying to get the message over that FM is very much alive and has a
strong team behind it to help all of the members and guests enjoy visiting. We have no intention of leaving the site to "gather dust" on a shelf like a dictionary. It's actually the opposite as the reason they are gathering dust is because of the Internet and the vast amount of information you can instantly source.

What we all have here is a fantastic history and a legacy of what Graham and the members have contributed to. Fish & Fly are now the guardians of this and we have stated clearly we are listening to what you want and will within reason try to implement that.

I would use the pub analogy again as when a popular landlord retires. Yes its different and yes there are a few changes but at the end of the day is it a decent 'pub' and can you still enjoy a pint in there? I hope the answer is yes and over the next few months perhaps we can show you that the new landlords are not so bad after all!

Keep the debate going as we do appreciate the feedback.

Richard

 

[Neil Maidment]

........The forum played a big part in this and I have met and fished with many new anglers all becuase of contact via the forum.

It is invaluable and the heart of ACTIVITY on FM.

Totally agree (and my experience parallels yours). I wish the volume of posts and posters would increase but, as in many things, there is a sort of silent majority just happy to look in now and then.

Mark's "Dictionary" comparison is interesting. The number of "original hits" (and I have little interest in such stats) would seem to indicate the FM Dictionary/Encyclopedia is incredibly well thumbed and one of the most read in the Angling Section of the virtual Library.

As has been said several times by fans and detractors, the challenge is to get more people actively involved in FM. I would suggest a major influence in that quest, lies with the existing membership to continually create and maintain an environment that will attract new members.

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

I would use the pub analogy again as when a popular landlord retires. Yes its different and yes there are a few changes but at the end of the day is it a decent 'pub' and can you still enjoy a pint in there?

And not a cold Ribeye Sandwich in sight, eh Richard?

(Private joke)


I'm all for an active forum, nowt wrong with that, and I welcome anyone who wants to organise an open (that's to all members) fish-in for whatever species they're after. I might do one myself when I get more time. I might even renew the Junior Fish-ins that we did with loads of freebies for the kids, they went down really well.

But in the end, it's largely up to you what you want to make of it. If you keep seeing it as an old dictionary that never leaves the shelf then... well, need I say more. But organise some fishing and you never know how many more we might 'pull in'.

 

[Roto Fryer]

Richard you all keep saying you have a strong team and that all is well!
Let us look at the carp forum! Carping is supposedly the most popular form of fishing in the UK at the moment yet we have around a dozen posts in a week. historically this is not at all normal and suggests something is amis.
A forum is the social interraction part of any site and if the core of the social section leaves because of the managers of that section then something is wrong. I have seen correspondence between the managers and members which again suggests that the managers have an agenda to marginalise the so called core of the site.
Let us also look at who the alleged core of the site consists of. It is a group of vastly expierence fishermen who gave their experience and knowledge for free. However, is it undeniable that fishing and friendship leads to a large ammount of banter.
If someone was really out of order the members soon made it known by PM that something was so. It happened to me in the past and all was resolved without the use of moderation.
When we get to a stage when the managers of the forum delete posts and refuse ( this is exactly the right word to use) to give a propper explanation as to why then again we have a problem.
None of this has affected me personally, however, it has affected almost everyone on this site who I would call a real friend and as such I know then are 100% genuine and honest in their reasoning for withdrawing: slightly crazy but genuine!
We have a case of everyone passing the buck and saying it was not me when it was! If the managers cannot be honest then there must be a hidden agenda.
Richard perhaps a statement with real substance would put this issue to bed! At the moment we have ostrich syndrome!

 

[Richard Hewitt]

Passing the Buck

Richard you all keep saying you have a strong team and that all is well!
Let us look at the carp forum! Carping is supposedly the most popular form of fishing in the UK at the moment yet we have around a dozen posts in a week. historically this is not at all normal and suggests something is amis.
A forum is the social interraction part of any site and if the core of the social section leaves because of the managers of that section then something is wrong. I have seen correspondence between the managers and members which again suggests that the managers have an agenda to marginalise the so called core of the site.
Let us also look at who the alleged core of the site consists of. It is a group of vastly expierence fishermen who gave their experience and knowledge for free. However, is it undeniable that fishing and friendship leads to a large ammount of banter.
If someone was really out of order the members soon made it known by PM that something was so. It happened to me in the past and all was resolved without the use of moderation.
When we get to a stage when the managers of the forum delete posts and refuse ( this is exactly the right word to use) to give a propper explanation as to why then again we have a problem.
None of this has affected me personally, however, it has affected almost everyone on this site who I would call a real friend and as such I know then are 100% genuine and honest in their reasoning for withdrawing: slightly crazy but genuine!
We have a case of everyone passing the buck and saying it was not me when it was! If the managers cannot be honest then there must be a hidden agenda.
Richard perhaps a statement with real substance would put this issue to bed! At the moment we have ostrich syndrome!

Well I suppose as in effect the owner the buck stops here and I don't think I have ever passed it to someone else. I am a very honest and transparent person and if you ask me a question I will give you a straight answer.

I am a little unclear as to what real substance you need? Perhaps someone would send me copies of what has caused offence and I will take a close look and give you my response. I would certainly like to get to a position where we all move forward if an issue is still causing a problem.

In the meantime I can give you 100% assurance that the forums are very important to me/us and I would welcome any ideas to help promote them.
I certainly agree the carp forum is quiet but I did say at the top of this thread that we are looking at that aspect and I would appreciate any ideas that may help.

In the meantime many thanks for your support.

Richard

directors@fishandfly.com

 

[Roto Fryer]

It is my understanding that the crux of this matter is a matter of moderation. All your team have denied that they are to blame them when I and others know this not to be the case.
I will not post or pass on a members communications unless asked to by that member: I'm sure you understand that.
As it stands you will lose a great many of long term seriously good contributors to this site: I do not include myself in this group as I have been nothing more than a bit part player for the last five years due to my relocating to Asia.
Please do not misunderstand my posts as attempting to stir things up. I see things are wrong in the forum and i see nobody willing to take responsibility for it. This is my main gripe.
You may also argue that forums are fluid entities and that a gradual changing of the guard is enevitable, however, when a reasonable sized group of the sites main protagonists ups and leaves it is a serious situation indeed.
Let us not forget these people have been the mainstay of a good proportion of this site for 10 years or more. They have shown loyalty for almost the entire life of this site and as such deserve a little respect insomuch as a genuine attempt to resolve issues.