''How could FM be improved''.

Derek Gibson · Jan 23, 2016

Sorry to resurrect this thorny topic, but if like me you may be feeling the site has lost its vibrance. What could we the members do to inject some vitality back into the forum. No criticism of the Mod's intended, but the management could do more I feel.

It isn't what it was, of that there's no doubt, but speak up guys, we're not sheep.

wanderer · Jan 23, 2016

Try to be less politically correct, cant moan about life issues because of the rules, most of us have views on religion , politics and other diverse topics, and you have to broach them with a sock in your mouth, having said that, i think this is the best website on the net, good articles and news as well as angler input. Tweak it, dont change it, better the devil you know.

tigger · Jan 23, 2016

Out of the several forums I visit this is still the busiest one. I know it was busier when I first joined in 2009 but I didn't post anything like as much back then as I do now due to the fact I was already a member of another very busie forum where I spent more time reading posts and posting. The number of posters and frequency that the posters actually post on the other forum has dropped right off and unfortunatly that forum is now a shadow of it's former self. There's still a nucleous of old members who continue to post but there's just not enough of them to keep the forum a bustling place.
I think forums in general have slowed right down and people use facebook plus most clubs now have their own forums which all draw people away from the other forums.
I don't think there's much anyone can do to improve this forum as it's a good one as it is there just isn't as many people frequent forums these days...jmo of course.

I suppose if the forum took us all on a fully inclusive and free of charge fishing holiday to a different country every year the number of posters and topics would shoot up!

Peter Jacobs · Jan 23, 2016

The problem with allowing political or religious or other thorny topics is that we each have our own ideas and indeed ideals.

In the past when those sort of posts were allowed we lost an awful lot of experienced anglers who used to post so much on topic contributions.

Let's be honest, this is a fishing site and associated forum, and those who wish to post politic, religion or other off-topic posts have so many other options available to them, so called social media being the obvious choice.

There is a myriad of potential fishing themed posts to be made so we really don't need to include other thorny and disruptive topics.

iannate · Jan 23, 2016

Agree with you Peter, Politics and Religion are two topics bound to cause upset where none was intended.

I would like to see the forum a little faster in terms of loading speed etc.. sometimes I just give up.

Some of the articles are plain boring with little content or often point, it's almost as though someone's been forced to come up with 500 words (just my opinion.)

Personally I think overall the forum has improved over the last year, a few posters have found their voices and give some good information and thought provoking threads; this maybe down the some other members no longer getting involved; long may it continue.

terry m · Jan 23, 2016

Keep the politics out of it.

Political correctness is a part of life these days, even though you may disagree with much or all of it (I know I do).

no-one in particular · Jan 23, 2016

I cannot see how it could be improved, every day there are some new posts and threads. Politics and religion, Peters right about that, plenty of other mediums to get that off your chest if need be.
Maybe a easier way to post pictures directly onto posts would not go amiss but apart from that I cannot think of anything.
All forums go up and down and the culture changes over time but this one is fairly consistent. And it serves everything to some degree. There is a wide choice of subjects, not hard to find something you like.

thecrow · Jan 23, 2016

Bring back the Martin Gay carp threads they attracted a lot of attention

Politics and religion are a real no no for me they cause enough trouble in the world as it is without having to put up with them on here, besides none of them tell the whole truth.

I don't think that facebook has taken lots of members from good forums (and this is one) you cant have a good debate on there most postings on the fishing sites I use are short and to be honest repetitive and boring, I think that all things are cyclical and FM is no different.

One thing that I have noticed is when a new member introduces themselves there can be a pack mentality arise from some that bites at what they have said during the introduction or the new members first posts, not conducive to keeping members that may have been nervous about posting in the first place but could have turned out to be good posters with some interesting views.

sagalout · Jan 23, 2016

I think it has improved over the last year with the cessation of the constant hostilities that a few posters had engaged in.

flightliner · Jan 23, 2016

Agree with Markg, make it easier to post piks, photoshop, cloud, whatever, urls etx I dont have the faintest idea.

no-one in particular · Jan 23, 2016

flightliner said:
Agree with Markg, make it easier to post piks, photoshop, cloud, whatever, urls etx I dont have the faintest idea.

Some forums you can just download your picture from your computer into a post. I currently use Photo Bucket but it is a bit of rig moral having to upload everything onto their site first and its just another password/log in that I have to do. Until I learned how to use Photo Bucket I was the same as you Flight, not a clue.
Binka explained how to use it somewhere on here in fairly easy language so maybe he might direct it again. I cannot remember where it was but I managed it.

Its nice to be able to show a picture now and again.

chub_on_the_block · Jan 23, 2016

When i dig up older threads even from the last few years it is apparent how many posters that formerly made a big contribution have now left, many through bans.

Most postings now come from maybe 30 or so regulars, but about 10-20 regulars have got banned or left over the last 3 or 4 years. Whilst the bickering and mud-slinging on particular contentious topics no doubt warranted the banning of many of them, some did also contribute well in other threads.

I think the site has a lot less petty squabbling nowadays. However, on reflection I wonder if there was not a better way of tackling the negative stuff as many were not Trolls only interested in the mud slinging and stirring. Some lost posters were very informative and i do miss their contributions.

daniel121 · Jan 23, 2016

I feel a little out of place telling he site how to improve, being as so I've only just joined the site. However this forum seems a friendly place so far.

My only gripe is screen loading time is worse than the forum I used to use,it would improve the site if this were speeded up. I'm not computer wizz kid and that is a massive understatement!! But.... I think the amount of advertising on the sites slows it down? However I also understand adverts pay bills so........

Regarding political subjects, I know one members knows me from the 'other' forum. I'm pretty political minded the problem is politics effects everything even fishing, so banning it kind of makes bait box a little 'limited' in my eyes. Now the thing that bothers me about that is almost everything is effected in some way by politics.

Let's take a subject "eye saw wind farm being proposed to be built near my house"

I believe to talk about that at any level above "crayon scribble" then its in the danger of becoming political. So bar weather and music or what's on the box I'll stay out there.

However having said this, I wouldn't want to see Politics, Religion and race discussed on FM, my reason is down to my experiences on the other forum I won't put on the open forum but anyone wants to know can PM me.

Ray Daywalker Clarke · Jan 23, 2016

Lets not forget, that when another forum opened after an editor left, many members went with him, and haven't returned. That forum is very poor now i am told, i got banned from it, as i told them a few home truths and told them where to poke it.

I would say FM is by far the best that there is, and over the years has changed. It goes down hill, then picks up again.

Politics ?? well your talking politics to a point, when talking about the rod licence, as the powers that be, the government will, like it or not, have a say.

Religion, its all Bollox anyway

Best left off the forum

barbelboi · Jan 23, 2016

daniel121 said:
I feel a little out of place telling he site how to improve, being as so I've only just joined the site. However this forum seems a friendly place so far.

My only gripe is screen loading time is worse than the forum I used to use,it would improve the site if this were speeded up. I'm not computer wizz kid and that is a massive understatement!! But.... I think the amount of advertising on the sites slows it down? However I also understand adverts pay bills so........

Regarding political subjects, I know one members knows me from the 'other' forum. I'm pretty political minded the problem is politics effects everything even fishing, so banning it kind of makes bait box a little 'limited' in my eyes. Now the thing that bothers me about that is almost everything is effected in some way by politics.

Let's take a subject "eye saw wind farm being proposed to be built near my house"

I believe to talk about that at any level above "crayon scribble" then its in the danger of becoming political. So bar weather and music or what's on the box I'll stay out there.

However having said this, I wouldn't want to see Politics, Religion and race discussed on FM, my reason is down to my experiences on the other forum I won't put on the open forum but anyone wants to know can PM me.

Try using THIS - or similar if you use a different SE to Chrome.

Peter Jacobs · Jan 23, 2016

Ray, we do allow and actively encourage any post that refers to "angling politics" so the recent thread regarding the license fee and changes is perfectly allowable.

steve2 · Jan 23, 2016

Having been banned from forums where my PC views did not reflect those of the moderators. Politics, religions, etc. should stay banned on this forum, if we allowed them in no time half of us would be banned.
I even got myself banned from one site for mentioning the word Carbon too often.
Must admit it is sometimes difficult to talk fishing without getting Political

tigger · Jan 23, 2016

steve2 said:
I even got myself banned from one site for mentioning the word Carbon too often.

I think nearly everyone I know has been banned from that TFF forum and usually for mentioning carbon fishing rods....daft in'it

mg:.
Set of knob's LOL.

Steve Pope · Jan 23, 2016

Easiest way is for those who post on the forum to write articles, the more the merrier.

I'll be submitting more once I have plenty to write about, I don't please all but I please enough and thats all any writer can hope for. Its all about variety and everyone has a tale to tell.

Forums just don't do it for me, Facebook has taken over now, absolutely no doubt about that and you can discuss whatever you want there without any 'trouble!'

The problem with all forums is quite simple, there's just a handful of people who participate, ok if you are part of that but not so great if you're not.

And I do believe that those who may have spent a great deal of time posting on forums in the past have realised that time is fast running out and that time is better spent..............fishing!

All the best and get those articles in so the Editor has loads for the close season!

daniel121 · Jan 23, 2016

tigger said:
I think nearly everyone I know has been banned from that TFF forum and usually for mentioning carbon fishing rods....daft in'it mg:.
Set of knob's LOL.

How the hell can you get banned for mentioning carbon??

''How could FM be improved''.

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