FM used to be a 'Buzzing' fishing web site, what has happened to it???

[blankmeister]

When I first joined I thought it was very clicky, that feeling has gone and I hope new members see that.

This is very true. A new member can feel a bit intimidated at first with threads being hijacked or seemingly not taken seriously, or just ignored. Then another member will start a similar thread and it will go on for days with serious debate. But this is typical of any forum or club or group of people, say in the workplace etc. I think in any of these situations you have to earn the respect of fellow members and hopefully eventually begin to feel more at home. Ideally meeting members face to face would be brilliant, but that is not always possible.
As has been said, the forum is only as good as it's members (the ones that actually contribute that is!) and there is so much knowledge and information out there it's worth sticking with. Develope a thick skin, maybe bite your tongue sometimes and don't take things too personally.

 

[Tee-Cee]

First of all I would like to say that I don't know Graham M at all-or anyone else on FM for that matter.Furthemore I joined FM long after it started so by the time I joined it was(seemingly)a fairly tight knit bunch of people who were on-board from day one and consequently many had formed friendships at various functions etc(or so it seemed).

1. I chose not to become involved(at a personal level-attending functions etc)so cannot expect the same level of banter as others who do so.I accept this as a fact of life...
2. On some occasions FM has seemed like a'club'to which membership is restricted but again this is simply because I am not directly involved with other members and whilst this can make one feel isolated(or not totally'involved')I accept it cannot really be any other way.Again this is a fact of life...
3. When I first joined I have to say it took me some time(and I still don't really understand it!)to come to terms with this seemingly total hero worship of Graham Marsden.Is seemed(and remember,I don't actually know him!)as if he could do no wrong and I recall several occasions when many,many posters came to his defence when someone disagreed with a Marsden statement.......it almost seemed unhealthy.....but again,because I'm an outsider in a loose sense its always likely that I might get that impression..
However,when I read some of the posts(calling for his return as editor)it only serves to reinforce this impression-and that some people don't want things to change,that they(almost)NEED Graham to run things again otherwise the club/gang culture'has gone and life is no longer worthwhile!!

To those I say: wake up,and smell the coffee!!-life moves on and whilst change does mean upheaval and something different we just have to get used to it(or bog-off I suppose!).

I agree the posts do tend to dry up as far as new subjects are concerned but then again I don't see how anyone can expect a constant flow of new stuff-week in,week out!Similarly,I find it a pity that(seemingly)the same bunch of posters will try to put out new stuff on a fairly regular basis(but again,even this can cause even the more serious of subjects to be treated as a joke or develop into'personal banter')and perhaps this does deter some from posting-I know I have just stopped posting(in the past)when the whole thread goes in this direction and I just lose track of what going on.....but again,when personal friends are involved this is bound to happen!
....however I can well understand why a NEW poster might find this both boring or intimidating-sort of'on the outside looking in'in a way......

Anyway,its my opinion and thats what its all about,isn't it??

ps how did that little symbol find its way onto my post???

 

[The Monk]

Well for me once Graham left the site changed dramatically, and no one could ever replace Graham. so the site will never be the same in that respect. However FM has a very rich history (thanks of course to Graham), and we should be thankful that the site is still alive and kicking, as a casual user these days FM`s management do appear to be making a great effort for its members and we still have some great lads on site and some very talented anglers and writers, so long may FM live. I think the only downside is we don`t have a guitar section.

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

These days if you you get shot down it is often by one of the management, look at how the first reply to this thread was from Jeff, the editor, and shoots down anything a member tries to express.

Only if it contains inaccuracies, which Steve's initial post did, but then, as I stated in my post, a lot was MY PERSONAL FEELINGS and not those of me as an editor! Don't forget, I am a member too, just like everyone else and I have been with the site as a member since 2002, before that I too was a lurker.

As a member (as well as an editor), I am getting quite pee'd off with these continual knocks at the site that serve no useful purpose other than to disuade would-be advertisers from putting their money our way and therefore risking the very site that the posters want to keep.

Sure, people are entitled to an opinion, but to continually harp on about Graham coming back when clearly he has no intention of doing so is like beating your head against a brick wall. It just isn't going to happen.

The only way this site is going to move forward is to accept what we now have (me and Geoff included for the time being) and try to make it work. Post sensibly and make new friends and members feel welcome, bring them into the group rather than ignoring them and returning to answer existing friends. You never know, we might get a "famous, well respected, angler" joining our ranks sometime.

Oh, come to think of it - we did - Jan Porter.

 

[Stealph Viper]

Who's Jan Porter ............... :wh

Is he related to Juan Sheet .............

When i first joined FM i quickly felt as though no one liked me, i soon found out that this was not true, so i spent months annoying the **** out of everyone until they did ha ha ha

 

[slime monster]

When i first joined FM i quickly felt as though no one liked me,

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha they don't



that's not true

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

When i first joined FM i quickly felt as though no one liked me, i soon found out that this was not true, so i spent months annoying the **** out of everyone until they did ha ha ha

Yes, Stealph, but not everyone has your tenacity to stick at it.

 

[preston96]

First of all I would like to say that I don't know Graham M at all-or anyone else on FM for that matter.Furthemore I joined FM long after it started so by the time I joined it was(seemingly)a fairly tight knit bunch of people who were on-board from day one and consequently many had formed friendships at various functions etc(or so it seemed).

1. I chose not to become involved(at a personal level-attending functions etc)so cannot expect the same level of banter as others who do so.I accept this as a fact of life...
2. On some occasions FM has seemed like a'club'to which membership is restricted but again this is simply because I am not directly involved with other members and whilst this can make one feel isolated(or not totally'involved')I accept it cannot really be any other way.Again this is a fact of life...
3. When I first joined I have to say it took me some time(and I still don't really understand it!)to come to terms with this seemingly total hero worship of Graham Marsden.Is seemed(and remember,I don't actually know him!)as if he could do no wrong and I recall several occasions when many,many posters came to his defence when someone disagreed with a Marsden statement.......it almost seemed unhealthy.....but again,because I'm an outsider in a loose sense its always likely that I might get that impression..
However,when I read some of the posts(calling for his return as editor)it only serves to reinforce this impression-and that some people don't want things to change,that they(almost)NEED Graham to run things again otherwise the club/gang culture'has gone and life is no longer worthwhile!!

To those I say: wake up,and smell the coffee!!-life moves on and whilst change does mean upheaval and something different we just have to get used to it(or bog-off I suppose!).

I agree the posts do tend to dry up as far as new subjects are concerned but then again I don't see how anyone can expect a constant flow of new stuff-week in,week out!Similarly,I find it a pity that(seemingly)the same bunch of posters will try to put out new stuff on a fairly regular basis(but again,even this can cause even the more serious of subjects to be treated as a joke or develop into'personal banter')and perhaps this does deter some from posting-I know I have just stopped posting(in the past)when the whole thread goes in this direction and I just lose track of what going on.....but again,when personal friends are involved this is bound to happen!
....however I can well understand why a NEW poster might find this both boring or intimidating-sort of'on the outside looking in'in a way......

Anyway,its my opinion and thats what its all about,isn't it??

ps how did that little symbol find its way onto my post???

TeeCee..........lots disagreed with Graham, i would hardly call it hero worship if someone agreed with what he said, lets face it the years the old bu g ger has been in the world of angling writing he has to have a balanced view....and so he has!

I don't think anyone is calling for his return either?? most respect him to much to make those demands upon him even if he would consider it.

The problem is that about 75% of "old" FM users dislike Jeff and Geoff.......it's that simple!

PS.....why has Jeff Woody edited your post? :wh

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

PS.....why has Jeff Woody edited your post?

Because he had a strange emoticon in it that he didn't understand. I placed a space in it to eradicate the emoticon, that's all. I can do this when asked or to help, otherwise I leave alone these days.

PS: And I think your percentages are way out. What's 3 out of 6,000? If you don't think it's 3, count again. OK - 4.

 

[preston96]

Because he had a strange emoticon in it that he didn't understand. I placed a space in it to eradicate the emoticon, that's all. I can do this when asked or to help, otherwise I leave alone these days.

And here i was thinking you were TC

 

[The Monk]

I`ve just been speaking to a large number of ex members, most of them tell me the reason they have left is because FM has no guitar section, never has competions giving away free signiture guitars or anything, not even a miserable set of Ernie ball 10 gauge and you wonder why FM are losing members

 

[geoffmaynard]

The problem is that about 75% of "old" FM users dislike Jeff and Geoff.......it's that simple!

Uh? Do you really speak for so many thousands Paul? And yet you have never met me. I'm quite a nice bloke really, and so is Jeff if you've ever met him.

I haven't a clue what you are like because I've never met you - but - even with all my faults - I certainly would never make a claim like you just did here. It's actually a bit outrageous. Perhaps you got out of bed the wrong side?

 

[Morespiders]

Who's Jan Porter ............... :wh

Is he related to Juan Sheet .............

When i first joined FM i quickly felt as though no one liked me, i soon found out that this was not true, so i spent months annoying the **** out of everyone until they did ha ha ha

Hate you even more since you snatched 3 bream from under my nose

 

[preston96]

Uh? Do you really speak for so many thousands Paul? And yet you have never met me. I'm quite a nice bloke really, and so is Jeff if you've ever met him.

I haven't a clue what you are like because I've never met you - but - even with all my faults - I certainly would never make a claim like you just did here. It's actually a bit outrageous. Perhaps you got out of bed the wrong side?

Did you really read what i said before you replied Geoff?..........does 75% of OLD FMers add up to many thousands?

See, theres another fault of yours....you dont fcukin read and digest what is said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

I've posted something similar on another thread, so at the risk of repeating myslef repeating myself

FM has changed and we had a few rough patches when then new editors/mods took over and both the Editors and some memebers made a few posts that should have been left alone (I did)

But things have settled down - the new Edotors and Mods have found their feet IMO and the level of moderation on threads has dropped.

It takes time to get used to new management (like a pub that gets a new landlord - it's still the same pub but things are a lttle different)

The artilces are comming in again - there must be lots cos Jeff has had one I wrote about my first river session of the seasom for over a week and not used it (it can't be that it's rubbish can it?)

It will never be the same as when GM was in charge, and some members come and go and some stop posting, but the best way to get it how YOU want it is to submit articles, and post thread and on other threads, that way you shape the way FM is

 

[brian01]

The problem is that about 75% of "old" FM users dislike Jeff and Geoff.......it's that simple!

So can you let me know, as to who you got the % P.W. As I have read it (I think) the same way as the Admin.

 

[geoffmaynard]

Did you really read what i said before you replied Geoff?..........does 75% of OLD FMers add up to many thousands?

See, theres another fault of yours....you dont fcukin read and digest what is said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Paul, you said "It's that simple" so I don't think I got anything wrong.

The 'Old' FM had a little over 100,000 users at it's peak and still 58,000 when Jeff and I took over. It now has approaching 100k again. So, yes, we are talking about 1000s Paul - at any point of its history.

And why are you so angry? Surely I am the one who is being attacked and insulted here, not you.

 

[preston96]

Paul, you said "It's that simple" so I don't think I got anything wrong.

The 'Old' FM had a little over 100,000 users at it's peak and still 58,000 when Jeff and I took over. It now has approaching 100k again. So, yes, we are talking about 1000s Paul - at any point of its history.

And why are you so angry? Surely I am the one who is being attacked and insulted here, not you.

Oh dear oh dear.............but how many of the 58000 were "users" ......i said 75% of old Fm users didn't like you and Jeff, by thast i meant the % of FM'rs who posted and made comments on threads like this........about a max of 20 posters!!!

Get real Geoff!!..........oh and the "dont like" bit relates to your running of FM, not in a personal "meeting you" way.

Angry?......no, i aint angry, just laughing at the pretend world you live in!!

 

[Kevin Perkins]

Kevin has also stopped submitting his articles.

Steve et al

What should I write about? I've tried many different things over the years, sometimes tongue in cheek (really..?) sometimes I've tried really hard to be entertaining (really....?) sometimes completely off the wall (no, really...?) and sometimes I have written pieces which I have been really proud off (not very many....)

But now, who would I be writing for, and what would I write? Should I fall back on the old favourites such as Tickletackle and Donald and Damien to please the 'old' FMers, or should I try something entirely different for the 'new' FMers who probably don't know who I am due to never looking through the archives?

Vote now.........!

 

[geoffmaynard]

Oh. So there's 15 people out there who have never met me that don't like me?
I'm off to bed then to lose some sleep Night night Paul!