What's Happening on the Forum, worth?

[MrEarl]

Would like input from the "choir" as to if you think the monthly "What's Happening on the Forum" Bugle feature is basically worth continuing. I realize that a page in the Bugle is some valuable real estate and don't want to continue squatting on it if it might be better used for something else.

 

One reason for starting it 2 years ago was to introduce all readers of the Bugle  to us here. So I guess a good indicator of whether it has paid off would be to ask "Is there anyone here who learned about the Forum and joined us from reading about us in the Bugle?"

 

Another reason I do it is that I know everybody likes to see their car, words or name in print and especially in such a great publication as the Bugle. To date however I have only seen two or three mentions on here of anyone having seen their threads featured.

 

My foremost reason for doing it however is to share with as many in the Buick community as possible the great tech tips, pictures and comradeship that takes place here. And I guess that is why I have continued to do it regardless of the above.

 

I typically spend 2-3+ hours each month selecting threads, pulling and transferring text and pictures and emailing back and forth with Cindy (who is great to work with btw) and I don't mind continuing that.  However as I stated already, I consider that page in the Bugle to be very valuable and feel privileged to have been granted the use of it. I just need to know if it is worth my continued effort and  the space in the Bugle to continue. Or if it has possibly served it's purpose and is time to let it go.

 

Honest thoughts and opinions appreciated. And don't worry, words don't hurt me (I'm a heartless tough skinned moderator remember).

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2016 by MrEarl
spelled choir quire, I'm loosin it I tell ya (see edit history)

[JohnD1956]

Please note that I was very proud when you featured the Autumn Buick thread. Especially, to see my 56 in the Bugle was a highlight of my BCA time.  But I am not accustomed to talking about myself, which is the main reason I do not participate in Facebook. 

I like the page in the Bugle, and I watch for it each month.  I am always wondering what you'll find, and love the look of the page with it's powerful design.  I do wonder how many people will click on the link however.  Some folks need a live link to click on to get somewhere, and you can't get that through the hard copy Bugle.  I don't know if the  e bugle has a live link, because the few times I tried to read the on line version of the Bugle, I found my PC ( the only one I have) does not display the printed pages clearly and it's difficult to read.

In addition, I think a lot of people have not found what they want on this site.  The trend seems to be to section off a particular brand, year, and even a model vehicle and develop a forum around that.  This draws people away from this site, which is brand specific but encompasses all the years of Buick production.  The second thing that I think turns people off was the constant bickering in several prominent threads. Although a lot of that may be entertaining to watch, I think folks grow tired of that real fast.

[SpecialEducation]

To tell you the truth, page five has been my favorite for several months running.  I guess someone found the back of my head particularly interesting...

 

That said, I specifically looked for Speedo's column in the February issue, and was kinda sad to see it wasn't there.

 

Not everyone is into this 'internet thing' so I think the column gives the rest of the world a chance to see what's going on over here.  I think the most recent issue is a great example as there's probably considerable interest in Mr. Laurance's collection among the members, and it deserves a full write-up in the pages of the Bugle.  It's not like there's a team of Bugle reporters traveling the country to write a feature like this, so it would have been entirely up to Brian to pen something for print if not for the column.

Those who participate in the forums aren't the target audience of the column, it's those who browse the forums vicariously through the column.  That said, as internet savvy as I am, I can unequivocally say I read the column before joining the forum.  I had a specific question that I needed to have addressed by a large number of experts & enthusiasts, and I knew this existed because of the Bugle.

By the way, I am a member at a few other automotive forums and have been for years (j-body.org says I've been there since 2003), but most aren't as much fun as this one.

[ol' yeller]

I was the editor for our Chapter's monthly newsletter.  I agree that everyone likes to see their car, their name, in something published. When I held that position I instituted a feature called "Car of The Month".  I came out to the owner's garage and photographed their car and interviewed them about their ownership for the article.  In the beginning I had to feature my own cars for a couple of months running before everyone got on board.  As our membership was around 60 or so and many had multiple cars, I was able to run the feature the whole time I was editor.  It was also a great way to greet new members and to make them feel welcome and included. 

 

That was back when the internet was in its infancy.  Probably only half of our members had computers let alone access to the internet.  Nowadays, I'd bet that most, if not all, do have Internet.  For me, I don't have too much interest in the article because I have already read it here.  Others may have differing opinions. 

[Brian_Heil]

I think your article has been, and is, a great idea and well done, thank you!

 

If you have to reduce space, then maybe post some 'teaser' titles and always the link to the Forum.

 

Any new member would be delighted to find/know about the Forum and we need to always make members aware of its existence IMHO.

 

Too much good stuff goes on here to be missed.

[lancemb]

SpecialEducation brings up a great point.  Even if one does not make the leap to the forum, it is a great way to share information and tech tips that they would otherwise not be exposed to.  I say, great idea on your part, and keep it up! 

[jscheib]

I think you are doing a terrific job, Lamar.  I know, there was some talk of getting a page for division on a rotating basis which may mean a reduction on your space.  But my feeling I would like to see both, but could also be that these should be alternated.

 

John

[Terry Wiegand]

Since it is an easier job of extracting teeth than getting the current BCA management to acknowledge 100 year old vehicles in this organization, why couldn't there be a single page devoted to these old vehicles in each and every issue of the Bugle?  Pete could put Lamar in charge of this since he really doesn't have all that much to do these days.  The more I think about that the more I like that idea - don't you too, Lamar?  Larry and Joyce Schramm had their 1915 Buick Truck in the latest issue of The Horseless Carriage Club Gazette.  I know that Pete would love to do something like this for the Century Old Buicks, but he does not have permission to do something like that - it has to be all about 1970's to 1990's stuff.  Not that there is anything wrong with that!  Just sayin'

 

Terry Wiegand

South Hutchinson, Kansas  aka a VERY WINDY Doo Dah

[Dandy Dave]

Us guys with early and unusual cars do get in print more often it seems than other later cars. Keep up the good work Mr. Earl. You never know who is looking or where it leads. I vote to keep it. Dandy Dave!

[JZRIV]

I like the feature and think it should stay. On a couple occasions your selection for print was a thread that I had missed on the forum and I'm on here quite a bit. I know it can be a difficult task but if you could post a keyword search instruction and or titles that would help readers quickly find the thread online that might be useful. As we know using the search function to locate a specific post can be a challenge.

Or maybe it would be useless info. Just food for thought. Thanks for your efforts

[g-g-g0]

Keep it going! I look forward to it each month. I was mentioned a month or two back. 

[Larry Schramm]

15 hours ago, Terry Wiegand said:

Since it is an easier job of extracting teeth than getting the current BCA management to acknowledge 100 year old vehicles in this organization, why couldn't there be a single page devoted to these old vehicles in each and every issue of the Bugle?  Pete could put Lamar in charge of this since he really doesn't have all that much to do these days.  The more I think about that the more I like that idea - don't you too, Lamar?  Larry and Joyce Schramm had their 1915 Buick Truck in the latest issue of The Horseless Carriage Club Gazette.  I know that Pete would love to do something like this for the Century Old Buicks, but he does not have permission to do something like that - it has to be all about 1970's to 1990's stuff.  Not that there is anything wrong with that!  Just sayin'

 

Terry Wiegand

South Hutchinson, Kansas  aka a VERY WINDY Doo Dah

 

I did not even know that Joyce and I had made the HCCA Gazette until Brian Heil told me and then I have had a few others call and email me. 

Also, the picture in the Gazette was taken at the Greenfield Village/ Henry Ford Old Car Festival.

[BUICK RACER]

I have liked it helps to also see stuff I missed too! KUTGW( I just created a new acronym) Keep up the good work, LOL!

 

[SpecialEducation]

Hey Speedo, what gives?  The April issue just showed today, and someone dropped your column AGAIN!

[Red Dawn]

I think the forum is great and want to see it continue in its entirety. Keep up the good work.

[NTX5467]

Thanks for the great job you do with that page, Mr. Earl!!  It CAN help to attract Buick enthusiasts to the Forums to see what's there, when they might not otherwise even care . . . an "awareness" issue as those copies of the magazines are getting to people who might not otherwise come to the Forums, in some cases.

 

NTX5467

[old-tank]

Sorry Lamar, we are not going to allow you to quit.

 

[buick5563]

19 hours ago, old-tank said:

Sorry Lamar, we are not going to allow you to quit.

 

 

 

This^^^.

[MrEarl]

So in summary: I can't quit even if I wanted to. 

Thanks all for taking the time to respond and I am happy to reciprocate to each.

 

On 3/23/2016 at 10:22 AM, JohnD1956 said:

Please note that I was very proud when you featured the Autumn Buick thread. Especially, to see my 56 in the Bugle was a highlight of my BCA time.  But I am not accustomed to talking about myself, which is the main reason I do not participate in Facebook. 

I like the page in the Bugle, and I watch for it each month.  I am always wondering what you'll find, and love the look of the page with it's powerful design.  I do wonder how many people will click on the link however.  Some folks need a live link to click on to get somewhere, and you can't get that through the hard copy Bugle.  I don't know if the  e bugle has a live link, because the few times I tried to read the on line version of the Bugle, I found my PC ( the only one I have) does not display the printed pages clearly and it's difficult to read.

In addition, I think a lot of people have not found what they want on this site.  The trend seems to be to section off a particular brand, year, and even a model vehicle and develop a forum around that.  This draws people away from this site, which is brand specific but encompasses all the years of Buick production.  The second thing that I think turns people off was the constant bickering in several prominent threads. Although a lot of that may be entertaining to watch, I think folks grow tired of that real fast.

 

Thanks JD, the Autumn Buick thread was an easy one to pick and I will try to get it back next fall. The only problem with using it and what happened last fall is that I have to submit content 2 months prior to publishing so by the time those threads are shared here and published, it is mid winter, no longer "Autumn". Same with Christmas, Spring Buicks etc, etc.  I may try to submit last years in time for it to fall in the fall.   Regarding "The trend seems to be to section off a particular brand, year, and even a model vehicle and develop a forum around that.  This draws people away from this site, which is brand specific but encompasses all the years of Buick production"  Don't know that that is necessarily the case John. I have seen several of the Brand/Year specific forums fizzle out over the years, As you know I am the moderator the 54 Buick Highway also but spend way more time here. 

 

On 3/23/2016 at 11:02 AM, SpecialEducation said:

To tell you the truth, page five has been my favorite for several months running.  I guess someone found the back of my head particularly interesting...

 

That said, I specifically looked for Speedo's column in the February issue, and was kinda sad to see it wasn't there.

 

Not everyone is into this 'internet thing' so I think the column gives the rest of the world a chance to see what's going on over here.  I think the most recent issue is a great example as there's probably considerable interest in Mr. Laurance's collection among the members, and it deserves a full write-up in the pages of the Bugle.  It's not like there's a team of Bugle reporters traveling the country to write a feature like this, so it would have been entirely up to Brian to pen something for print if not for the column.

Those who participate in the forums aren't the target audience of the column, it's those who browse the forums vicariously through the column.  That said, as internet savvy as I am, I can unequivocally say I read the column before joining the forum.  I had a specific question that I needed to have addressed by a large number of experts & enthusiasts, and I knew this existed because of the Bugle.

By the way, I am a member at a few other automotive forums and have been for years (j-body.org says I've been there since 2003), but most aren't as much fun as this one.

 

It appears from the responses to my  question "Is there anyone here who learned about the Forum and joined us from reading about us in the Bugle?"  you are the only reader who WHOTF attracted to the forum. And considering your contributions so far to the forum, that'll do. Thanks for all your great contributions thus far here SpecialEducation and what you are working on toward bettering the BCA at your Chapter level!!! 

 

 

On 3/23/2016 at 11:45 AM, ol' yeller said:

I was the editor for our Chapter's monthly newsletter.  I agree that everyone likes to see their car, their name, in something published. When I held that position I instituted a feature called "Car of The Month".  I came out to the owner's garage and photographed their car and interviewed them about their ownership for the article.  In the beginning I had to feature my own cars for a couple of months running before everyone got on board.  As our membership was around 60 or so and many had multiple cars, I was able to run the feature the whole time I was editor.  It was also a great way to greet new members and to make them feel welcome and included. 

 

That was back when the internet was in its infancy.  Probably only half of our members had computers let alone access to the internet.  Nowadays, I'd bet that most, if not all, do have Internet.  For me, I don't have too much interest in the article because I have already read it here.  Others may have differing opinions. 

 

Thanks for your input ol' yeller. Sounds like you were really dedicated to your Car of the Month feature. Lots of work involved. 

 

On 3/23/2016 at 0:35 PM, Brian_Heil said:

I think your article has been, and is, a great idea and well done, thank you!

 

If you have to reduce space, then maybe post some 'teaser' titles and always the link to the Forum.

 

Any new member would be delighted to find/know about the Forum and we need to always make members aware of its existence IMHO.

 

Too much good stuff goes on here to be missed.

 

Thanks Brian. I considered teaser titles or cliff hangers when I first thought of doing the feature but did not feel that it would be fair to those who possibly don't do the internet thing or have access to a computer. I generally try to ensure each thread is more or less a complete read but with an encouraging "for more great pictures and fun reading join us on the forum" note at the end.

 

On 3/23/2016 at 0:38 PM, lancemb said:

SpecialEducation brings up a great point.  Even if one does not make the leap to the forum, it is a great way to share information and tech tips that they would otherwise not be exposed to.  I say, great idea on your part, and keep it up! 

 

Thanks lancemb, hopefully the threads I choose achieve that.

 

On 3/24/2016 at 10:31 PM, jscheib said:

I think you are doing a terrific job, Lamar.  I know, there was some talk of getting a page for division on a rotating basis which may mean a reduction on your space.  But my feeling I would like to see both, but could also be that these should be alternated.

 

John

 

Have not heard that talk John and sounds like possibly a good idea if committed to by the divisions and it is well

ORGANIZED

On 3/24/2016 at 11:42 PM, Terry Wiegand said:

Since it is an easier job of extracting teeth than getting the current BCA management to acknowledge 100 year old vehicles in this organization, why couldn't there be a single page devoted to these old vehicles in each and every issue of the Bugle?  Pete could put Lamar in charge of this since he really doesn't have all that much to do these days.  The more I think about that the more I like that idea - don't you too, Lamar?  Larry and Joyce Schramm had their 1915 Buick Truck in the latest issue of The Horseless Carriage Club Gazette.  I know that Pete would love to do something like this for the Century Old Buicks, but he does not have permission to do something like that - it has to be all about 1970's to 1990's stuff.  Not that there is anything wrong with that!  Just sayin'

 

Terry Wiegand

South Hutchinson, Kansas  aka a VERY WINDY Doo Dah

 

and your thoughts re the subject of my thread are?

 

On 3/24/2016 at 9:05 AM, Dandy Dave said:

Us guys with early and unusual cars do get in print more often it seems than other later cars. Keep up the good work Mr. Earl. You never know who is looking or where it leads. I vote to keep it. Dandy Dave!

 

Thanks for your vote of confidence Dave

On 3/24/2016 at 9:54 AM, JZRIV said:

I like the feature and think it should stay. On a couple occasions your selection for print was a thread that I had missed on the forum and I'm on here quite a bit. I know it can be a difficult task but if you could post a keyword search instruction and or titles that would help readers quickly find the thread online that might be useful. As we know using the search function to locate a specific post can be a challenge.

Or maybe it would be useless info. Just food for thought. Thanks for your efforts

 

The intro use to include text to the effect of using the search feature but the intro was shortened in order to provide more room for the actual threads. I still give the exact title so it can be searched for. Maybe I can reinsert that search feature comment in the future. Thanks  

 

On 3/24/2016 at 11:59 AM, g-g-g0 said:

Keep it going! I look forward to it each month. I was mentioned a month or two back. 

 

Thanks Gary!

On 3/24/2016 at 4:32 PM, BUICK RACER said:

I have liked it helps to also see stuff I missed too! KUTGW( I just created a new acronym) Keep up the good work, LOL!

 

TYVMR I didn't think you missed ANYTHING though.

On 3/26/2016 at 3:49 PM, SpecialEducation said:

Hey Speedo, what gives?  The April issue just showed today, and someone dropped your column AGAIN!

 

There's only so many pages in the Bugle, sometimes I get asked to sit one or two out. Also when I asked Cindy her thoughts on the subject if WHOTF is worthwhile and the readers appreciated it she commented that you generally don't hear from the reader if all is well, but if it goes bad, look out. Maybe a couple months absence will bring up the question Where is MrEarl.

On 3/26/2016 at 4:36 PM, super00z1 said:

I think the forum is great and want to see it continue in its entirety. Keep up the good work.

 

Thanks for the good words super00z1

On 3/27/2016 at 9:33 PM, NTX5467 said:

Thanks for the great job you do with that page, Mr. Earl!!  It CAN help to attract Buick enthusiasts to the Forums to see what's there, when they might not otherwise even care . . . an "awareness" issue as those copies of the magazines are getting to people who might not otherwise come to the Forums, in some cases.

 

NTX5467

 

On 3/27/2016 at 10:43 PM, old-tank said:

Sorry Lamar, we are not going to allow you to quit.

 

 

On 3/27/2016 at 6:36 PM, buick5563 said:

 

 

This^^^.

 

Triple Texas tag teaming eh? OK you can let go of my arm, I give....

 

[Brian_Heil]

Agree.  I hate the teaser idea, it was only if you got chopped down to nothing for space.

 

Thanks again for all you do!

[MrEarl]

22 hours ago, Brian_Heil said:

Agree.  I hate the teaser idea, it was only if you got chopped down to nothing for space.

 

Thanks again for all you do!

I figured that was what you were hittin at Brian, no problem... and Pete and Cindy aren't really choppin, it's just that a couple of high priority things have come up that needed to take precedent. Such as NINE bios of members running for office, cool...

By the way folks, because I am such a procrastinator and wait til the last minute to do the WHOTF drafts to send Cindy, I was trying to do the month of May while the site pictures weren't appearing so failed to get it to her in a timely manner. But since I will have been on a 3 month vacay by next month,  be sure to check out Junes article, it should be pretty grand.

edit) and the acronym WHOTF stands for What's Happening on the Forum, not what some of your dirty minds read it as. Jus sayin

[Joseph P. Indusi]

Both the Bugle and the Forum are both very important to the BCA membership.  Lamar provides the much needed service of linking these two elements for the current and new members of the BCA.   I think it must continue as long as Lamar wants to do it.

Joe, BCA 33493

[Ronnie]

I like your WHOTF section in the Bugle. Keep up the good work Lamar!

[Dandy Dave]

WHOTF Cares? We do!  LOL.. I could not help it. . The Devil made me do it. Dandy Dave! 

[SpecialEducation]

See that.  I didn't even know that thread existed.  I've got a pedal car I was working on for Springfield.  I ran out of time and the project got parked.  Now my compressor is down, so I can't do any sandblasting, but when I get it wrapped up I know where to post the pix!