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tonyv

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  1. Haha
    tonyv got a reaction from Matt in A call to arms for community leaders   
    LIKE and a 4-star rating on this entry because
    a.) it's sincere/heartfelt, and
    b.)  it's Matt.
     
  2. Like
    tonyv got a reaction from Matt in Happy New Year to the IPS Community   
    Hohoho Happy New Year! ©️
  3. Like
    tonyv got a reaction from Maxxius in How to Build an Audience with CHIP   
    The forum where I and much of my core group were active had automatic registration enabled. The admin became an absentee, and the forum became overrun with spam. No one could reach the admin, and even when someone successfully did get through to him, nothing got resolved. He didn't want to do anything; he held onto the forum yet he wouldn't relinquish any control. Very strange. I think he was trying to run the community through the web-site/portal thingy with comments enabled there, and he just didn't care about the forums. The website/portal wasn't really conducive to interaction. The spam situation in the forums was horrific. Most of us migrated. Some stayed and kept trying with that admin. By the time he finally relinquished some moderation/admin control most had moved on to my current community. Only stragglers were left behind. Some of my current members would post in both places, I think just to support those few who had made a go of it there, but soon that fizzled out, too. I've maintained my community for longer than a decade. 
  4. Like
    tonyv got a reaction from Joel R in How to Build an Audience with CHIP   
    The forum where I and much of my core group were active had automatic registration enabled. The admin became an absentee, and the forum became overrun with spam. No one could reach the admin, and even when someone successfully did get through to him, nothing got resolved. He didn't want to do anything; he held onto the forum yet he wouldn't relinquish any control. Very strange. I think he was trying to run the community through the web-site/portal thingy with comments enabled there, and he just didn't care about the forums. The website/portal wasn't really conducive to interaction. The spam situation in the forums was horrific. Most of us migrated. Some stayed and kept trying with that admin. By the time he finally relinquished some moderation/admin control most had moved on to my current community. Only stragglers were left behind. Some of my current members would post in both places, I think just to support those few who had made a go of it there, but soon that fizzled out, too. I've maintained my community for longer than a decade. 
  5. Like
    tonyv got a reaction from Marianne dubouloz in How to deal with negativity and toxicity in your community   
    I have rules, but I'm not heavy-handed with them. It's pretty much anything goes, with a caveat: if you post something that could generally be considered too intense for all audiences (like with swear words and all), then use a content warning in the title. An [R} (like for an R rated movie) is all that I require, but I find that many members will add more like "language" or "religious" in the title line. There have also been members who haven't used the R, and I've had to put it in myself. I'll usually reply to their topics and include that I added the required content warning to the title line. Hopefully they learn from it. Also, in the rules, I specify a few things which are not allowed like porn, political endorsements, advertisements (unless approved by me), and since it is an artistic community, I state clearly that I, in my sole discretion, am the one who determines what constitutes porn, political endorsements, etc. In the words of "W," "I'm the decider!" 
    I generally try to lead by example. My members will often post poems about subjects they feel strongly about, and I always let it ride even when I don't agree. I'll post a reply that addresses the qualities of the poem itself, not so much the content. I did have a member who recently posted a long anti-gun rant (er, poem). I had to clean it up, because he just copied/pasted from another site where he had posted it, and it was riddled with garbage links like [edit], [follow], [472 followers], [830 following], etc. I had to waste my time cleaning that up, so I was already in a bad mood. I happen to like guns, so I used the topic as an excuse to post some opinions of my own under the guise of inciting that member to post more poems.  A few days later I posted a provocative piece of my own. 😉 But generally, I have a good group and haven't detected any outright hostility.
  6. Like
    tonyv got a reaction from Matt in How to deal with negativity and toxicity in your community   
    I have rules, but I'm not heavy-handed with them. It's pretty much anything goes, with a caveat: if you post something that could generally be considered too intense for all audiences (like with swear words and all), then use a content warning in the title. An [R} (like for an R rated movie) is all that I require, but I find that many members will add more like "language" or "religious" in the title line. There have also been members who haven't used the R, and I've had to put it in myself. I'll usually reply to their topics and include that I added the required content warning to the title line. Hopefully they learn from it. Also, in the rules, I specify a few things which are not allowed like porn, political endorsements, advertisements (unless approved by me), and since it is an artistic community, I state clearly that I, in my sole discretion, am the one who determines what constitutes porn, political endorsements, etc. In the words of "W," "I'm the decider!" 
    I generally try to lead by example. My members will often post poems about subjects they feel strongly about, and I always let it ride even when I don't agree. I'll post a reply that addresses the qualities of the poem itself, not so much the content. I did have a member who recently posted a long anti-gun rant (er, poem). I had to clean it up, because he just copied/pasted from another site where he had posted it, and it was riddled with garbage links like [edit], [follow], [472 followers], [830 following], etc. I had to waste my time cleaning that up, so I was already in a bad mood. I happen to like guns, so I used the topic as an excuse to post some opinions of my own under the guise of inciting that member to post more poems.  A few days later I posted a provocative piece of my own. 😉 But generally, I have a good group and haven't detected any outright hostility.
  7. Like
    tonyv got a reaction from Matt in Audience or community?   
    Mine is both, but the community is what counts. I do have a lot of people who visit the site for information; I have heard from university professors who have told me that they instruct their students to make use of the reference section of my forum, but the intent of the site has always been to serve an online community, as a place where members can showcase, discuss, and archive their works. There are plenty of options online for the ephemeral, but longevity is what I need. I don't publish my own works anywhere other than in my own forums. 
  8. Like
    tonyv reacted to Matt in Audience or community?   
    Hey, they use great forum software too!
  9. Like
    tonyv reacted to Matt in 4x4 What Do Visitors See When They Visit?   
    You can make a homepage in a few minutes with Pages, like IG.com have: https://community.ig.com
  10. Like
    tonyv reacted to Joel R in The 3 things your community needs to succeed   
    To provide some added perspective on content, which is key to attracting and retaining members, not all content is the same.  And you want to be strategic in your content.  
    You can have content that is functional, emotional, professional, or social.  
    If you're a community in the Inception stage, you need a lot of functional content. These are "hard knowledge" articles such as how to's, guides, expert advice, and other authoritative content.  Search engines and visitors love functional content.  But it doesn't keep the people.  That's when you want to start thinking about content that is emotionally disclosing (eg. "what was your biggest challenge?  How did you feel when X happened? What was your most embarrassing moment? Welcome new members this week, etc").  Emotional content is what makes people stay.  There's a psychology and strategy behind content, so you want to choose the right mix for your community's lifecycle.  
  11. Like
    tonyv reacted to Joel R in 2019 Year of Community   
    Hey @tonyv thanks for sharing! I totally get everything that you're saying because I've been there - some of your emotions were what I was thinking even just this weekend, ha.  
    In general, I think users AND admins fall into the "engagement trap." We keep wanting more views, clicks, and reactions.  Some suggestions:
    1. Consolidate.  Focus on a few things that your site does very well to sustain a level of activity.  I think having "core activity" is an important part for a community for survive, and that may mean re-focusing or eliminating empty sections.  I see a lot of new sites try to do everything for everybody, which spreads out the activity.  Users get excited over one great experience, not a bunch of mediocre ones.  
    I personally have a "rule of 12" for new categories or sections on my board.  There must be 12 users who would use it on a recurring basis for it to make sense.  
    2. Users seek  engagement feedback because ... That's the only thing they know to ask about! Really! 
    They need to change the paradigm in how they understand or evaluate their posting.  And that means you, as admin, need to change the goalposts.  You must change how theyre rewarded.  
    You run a poetry site, right? Here are some examples and how it ties to a totally different reward system:
    1. Create a series of poetry challenges where users need to create a different kind of poem (eg. limerick, sonnet, haiku, etc) over one of their existing poems.  The challenge and new knowledge is the reward.  
    2. Ask your valued users to host peer reviews.  This can be a roundtable discussion or peer critiques.  Social acceptance and personal improvement is the reward.  
    3. Host a community theme for everyone.  This build tribal identity and brings everyone together.  Shared experience is the reward.  
    If you notice, not a single one of these goals leads to clicks or reactions or more engagement as the reward.  It's a completely different set of values where members feel accepted, rewarded, and embraced, and challenged.  But you've mapped your tactics to community objectives, and you're able to create a richer and deeper experience for users (regardless of how many views or comments they get!). 
  12. Like
    tonyv got a reaction from Joel R in 2019 Year of Community   
    Yes, I agree with this. I and one or two others are in that 1%. About 9% participate regularly and meaningfully. The rest lurk and participate from time to time or joined and have never done anything. I see no need to cull inactive members. I have joined forums in the past for whatever reason and never participate yet appreciate being a member on those forums so that I may have the option to participate if/when I choose.
    I believe in leading by example and have found that users are inspired and participate more when I am active. I am inactive often for complex reasons of my own, but I am not an absentee. I am always available if a member needs help, and I am always watching/monitoring all activity that does take place. This means that even if I am not visibly active I am active behind the scenes.
    My users are free to participate as much or as little as they choose. I tell them this. At the same time, the same goes for me, and anyone who grumbles about my lack of participation (or anything else) can **** off. His admission fee of $0.00 will be refunded at the door. I couldn't care less about his clicks, and I'm not kissing anyone's ***. I provide an outlet, my forum, for which I have my own vision. Those who find it fits their needs are welcome to use my forum (in accordance with the rules) to fit their own needs and vision even when theirs is not completely in line with my own. I see myself like a trustee of the site; I manage it, I curate its content, and I pay for it month after month, year after year. While I'm excited when someone joins and/or participates meaningfully -- I tell them this! -- I couldn't care less if he prefers to focus his attention elsewhere whether IRL or on the net. Whenever I have had members complain about lack of activity, I tell them to create it; they are the source of the activity. I have found that often the complainers tend to be people who expect from others yet don't give in return. I and others who participate in meaningful ways will not be constrained to serve as sources of narcissistic supply for these members. Then there is the other type of member who joins and hits it hot and heavy expecting others to match his enthusiasm. Again, I am excited by his initial enthusiasm, but I don't expect others to match it, nor do I see the need to do the same. After all, I have plenty of things in my life that "deserve more attention" than some newcomer's expectations. I don't have any guarantee that he will always be there just because he shows up guns blazing. It's entirely possible that that type of new member would happier elsewhere, and that's okay, too. 
    All that said, when the forum has been slow and valued members have expressed sincere concern about it, I tell them that the point is to get their content (their writing) out there. It's not only about the number of immediate replies one gets. The number of reads/views counts, too. Someone could read a member's submission a year (or five years) from now and be prompted to reply then. I am in it for the long haul.
  13. Like
    tonyv got a reaction from Matt in Team Talk: What's your favourite movie?   
    Of course, like many people, I have numerous "favorite" movies (in my top 10 or top 100!), mostly horror, thrillers, and drama, but if I had to narrow it down to one movie out of any category/genre it would be that one.
  14. Like
    tonyv got a reaction from Matt in Team Talk: What's your favourite movie?   
    Yes, I've watched some of the series, but I'm referring to the 1994 movie:
    Fargo

  15. Like
    tonyv got a reaction from Matt in Team Talk: What's your favourite movie?   
    "Fargo" is at the top of my list. I like the setting and the desparation portrayed ...
  16. Like
    tonyv reacted to Midnight Modding in Team Talk: What's your favourite movie?   
    I never got around to watching Fargo (the movie) until either this year or last year and I liked it a lot.
    What's weird is I used to never watch movies.... I bet I went over a decade watching no movie. Yet now in the past 7 years I've watched over 1,000, I think. (I actually started keeping records of them to remind myself what I've seen, but I accidentally lost the file with a couple hundred of them in it...)
  17. Like
    tonyv got a reaction from Faqole in Team Talk: What's your favourite movie?   
    It has elements of a dark comedy. But I seem to recall reading about a real life event that the movie might have been based on.
  18. Like
    tonyv reacted to Faqole in Team Talk: What's your favourite movie?   
    Fargo is a serie/show and not a movie afaik. I have been watching it on Netfix this week and it quickly jumped on my top list of tv shows that I was/am watching btw. 
  19. Like
    tonyv got a reaction from Faqole in Team Talk: What's your favourite movie?   
    "Fargo" is at the top of my list. I like the setting and the desparation portrayed ...
  20. Like
    tonyv got a reaction from media in Team Talk: What's your favourite movie?   
    "Fargo" is at the top of my list. I like the setting and the desparation portrayed ...
  21. Like
    tonyv reacted to Wolfie in GDPR updates for Invision Community 4.3.3   
    With all due respect, the highest courts in Europe can only decide for Europe. Also, anyone who truly understands networking knows that an IP address isn't personal information, regardless of the opinion of a court.
  22. Like
    tonyv got a reaction from filtelo in 6 reasons why you shouldn't just settle for a Facebook group community   
    I haven't even finished reading this article -- I will! -- but I'll jump right in and say that the points raised about the data are of the utmost importance. I'm not even on facebook. My online activities started before the social network stuff took over, when most online interactions took place on forums/message boards, instant messaging, and of course email. I was saddened when contacts began to eschew the personal communication and meaningful discussion afforded by those methods in favor of the impersonal broadcast communication of social networks that to me resembles advertisement. Advertisement is of course communication, too; it's just not the type of communication I prefer, enjoy or aspire to, rather I avoid it as much as possible.
    My forum is a poetry site. It's small and obscure, but that's where I self-publish. I would be careful about any forum I post my work on -- they're not all of as good quality as my forum! -- never mind facebook. I would never post my art on facebook and never knowingly let facebook benefit from it. It's imperative that forums continue to develop and thrive, because that's where the elegance lies, where the good stuff is possible. Facebook is junk.
    Another very important thing people should realize is that when it's free, there's no accountability and no recourse. That goes not only for facebook but for the free forum options out there. When the forum that my long time members and I first met on became overrun and pretty much destroyed by spam due to an absentee site admin, we migrated to a mirror site we created at a free forum host. It was going great for a while until one day a group of sites including ours disappeared. The stated reason was a database crash, but who knows what it really was. It could have been just that the host decided there weren't enough clicks on the banner ads on those sites. No matter, it was free so there really didn't have to be a reason. We started again on another host. The forum went along well for a while until it became apparent from support forum topics that the databases of all the forums at that host were held hostage! Site admins who wanted to leave couldn't even buy the databases to their sites. They asked all the time, and the answer was always no, they're not for sale. It was scary; there were people there whose forums had hundreds of thousand of posts, and there was nothing they could do but be stuck there at that host's mercy. I concluded that the only practical answer was to migrate to paid forum hosting at a solid, reputable host, and that's why we're at Invision today. Because we couldn't get the 30mb file that contained our data, my partner in the forum at that time and I began the painstaking process of creating a user account for each of our members and manually transferring by copy/paste in excess of 7,500 posts, in chronological order, signing in as one member and pasting a post, signing out, signing back in as another member to paste the next post until the entire site was transferred. We then had everyone migrate to the new site, and I deleted the free forum; the host wouldn't release your database but allowed you to delete your forum, as if that made any sense! I can't stress enough that it's insane of anyone who is trying to build something meaningful and is in it for the long haul to consider using a free forum much less facebook.
  23. Thanks
    tonyv reacted to O9C4 in New: Fluid Forum View   
    While signed in, but not for Guests.
  24. Thanks
    tonyv got a reaction from O9C4 in New: Fluid Forum View   
    I thought my mobile experience was borked, but I found it. Here it is:
     


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