Webmaster comments - "Period Images to relieve some of the stress"

[Peter Gariepy]

As webmaster of the AACA forums I love to see the huge participation in the "Period Images To Relieve Some Of The Stress".  Thanks to Walk G for starting it!

 

Question:  Would it be advantageous to start an entirely NEW category called "Period Images" and allow people to make individual post there?

 

One of my issues (which doesn't seem to be shared) is that post is SO LONG!  350 pages... and 1000s of posts. Thats both its strong point, and its weak point. 

 

Weak meaning it's hard to to find and respond to each posting, without it getting lost in all the other posts.  If each photo (or set of photos) got its own thread then all the related comments would stay together.   Creating a new category would allow a new post for each image or set of images.

 

We had a similar thread year ago that I tried to organize and clean up, and people saw my efforts as controlling and unproductive when my efforts were an attempt to make it better for EVERYONE.

 

FEEDBACK?

 

 

[JACK M]

That thread got so big that I quit looking at it.

[zepher]

Some organization would be a big help.

[Peter Gariepy]

8 minutes ago, JACK M said:

That thread got so big that I quit looking at it.

 

Kinda my issue too and the reason for asking for feedback.

[28 Chrysler]

Sounds good to me Peter.

[Lebowski]

A new category called Period Images sounds like a good idea to me.... 

[keiser31]

Love the idea Peter. I would not know how to sort it all, but it sounds great.

[JD in CA]

First of all, absolutely love the thread, and have watched it from the beginning, saving favorites along the way.  One reason I noticed it gets so long is folks copying and reposting photo(s) that another member just posted.  Not sure if that can be prevented.

 

another suggestion coming from someone with limited knowledge on all the different makes, is to tell us what year, make and model it is when you initially post it, so others don’t ask, therefore making the thread longer.

 

either way, just one of the best things on the internet IMO..  thank you

[Peter Gariepy]

3 minutes ago, JD in CA said:

1. One reason I noticed it gets so long is folks copying and reposting photo(s) that another member just posted.  Not sure if that can be prevented.

 

2. ....tell us what year, make and model it is when you initially post it, so others don’t ask, therefore making the thread longer.

 

POINT ONE:  No way to prevent.

 

POINT TWO:  The concept of a new category would allow each to stand alone. To allow people to identify the cars for example and the data not to get lost.

[Walt G]

I agree with Keiser - if it can be sorted out and made easier to navigate to find something GREAT, I just do not want to lose anything that all of you have been so generous to share with all of us. This has turned into  a history lesson for all - and worldwide as well because we have so many excellent contributions from outside the USA.  I am not the computer guru - still think it is great to write with a fountain pen and type on a manual Underwood type writer that my good friend"twinsix" gave me years ago. Yes, I am a Luddite. But a happy one!

Thanks to all who have put up with this and me. ( I am also the historian for the village I reside in for decades  so have a lot of kind people putting up with me there as well )

Walt

[ply33]

I wouldn't try to edit or organize the current thread. . .

 

But adding a new category for period images, along with a suggestion for the category to include make, year, etc. (if known) would probably be a good thing.

[Peter Gariepy]

38 minutes ago, ply33 said:

I wouldn't try to edit or organize the current thread. . .

 

Agreed.

[58L-Y8]

This thread is a daily favorite, has been the venue for some truly amazing images.   It has become unwieldy, which calls for a new organized start.

 

Suggested: 

Pre-WWII Period Images I  

Postwar Period Image I 

 

As each thread signified by a Roman numeral reaches a predetermined number of individual post, that thread would be locked.  Immediately a new thread titled Pre-WWII Period Images II would start repeating the cycle again into III, IV, V, etc.

 

Because further comments refer to a particular image, repeated images would be allowed but conditional on the pertinent comments requiring the image for reference.  Pertinent information should be included when the image is posted.  This would be the posting person's responsibility to do so on the honor system.

 

A separate thread purely for identification would be useful, though the Forum already has one in the 'What is it?" section, though that is not exclusively cars.  Because many early images have faded badly, I use a free shareware from www.Irfanview.com to improve those posted.  Discretion has to be exercised, which would also be the responsibility of those posting.

 

Hope some of these suggestions are useful.  

[DLynskey]

This has been a great thread, but has become too large. I've read and studied every post as it was made, but some organization would be helpful.

 

The thing I would most like to see most is some identification of each vehicle if it is known. I recognize maybe 25% of them and I've been an antiquer for six decades. I wonder how many of the younger guys can identify. The ID would also be useful in the future for folks searching for a specific make or custom builder. 

 

Don

[capngrog]

2 hours ago, JACK M said:

That thread got so big that I quit looking at it.

 

That's the way I feel about the thread as well.  I haven't looked at it in quite a while. 

 

Cheers,

Grog

[wayne sheldon]

Tough choices. Tough decisions. I love the thread just the way it is! However, I think I could love it even more with a few changes? I will comment more with my thoughts later when I have some time to write it.

[Jim Bollman]

The advantage of one list, it is easy to skim through. If it is 1000s of separate posts you would never look at them all and how would you label the threads since many of the photos are not identified. Breaking up into post war and pre war would be ok or even a few more categories like commercial and military but not too many.

[Peter Gariepy]

4 hours ago, Jim Bollman said:

The advantage of one list, it is easy to skim through. If it is 1000s of separate posts you would never look at them all and how would you label the threads since many of the photos are not identified. Breaking up into post war and pre war would be ok or even a few more categories like commercial and military but not too many.

 

Jim,

 

We fundamentally disagree on "...it is easy to skim through". I personally simply don't enjoy randomly scrolling through 350 screens, over 8,700 posts. I think there is a better way.

 

This is how i see it:

1. Imagine having a book with 8750 pieces of information in random order.  Some have labels. Some don't. Many refer to other pieces of information, but your not entirely sure which ones.
2. Now imagine a bookshelf on many different subjects, but with notes written in each pertaining to that books topic. Read any book your like. Or read them all.

#2 is how the AACA forum works overall.  Post a topic, respond to that topic. I simply propose we create a new "category" called "Period Images" that follow the normal flow and function of this forum.

 

Again. Im simply looking for feedback.

[Jim Bollman]

I was just giving my opinion. I check in most every day and skim what has been added and read or look at what is interesting. To use your example if I had 8750 books on the shelf and they were all only a page or 2 long and labeled Car #1, Car at Gas Station, Street Scene, etc I probably would not look at very many because every book would have to be opened to see if it was interesting. Now one big book that I can flip through after opening it once, that is enjoyable. It's title is Period Images. Now a dozen or so books is ok but I don't see how that can be done on the fly. If a moderator wanted to pull out photos that fit in a category after they have been identified to make things more orderly that would be great but a lot of work. 

[Gary_Ash]

Maybe there is a way to take a lesson from Facebook. There, you can add a comment and there are nested levels.  When a picture is posted without identification on this forum, it would be helpful to be able to add a nested comment directly linked to the photo, rather than what would be a seemingly random comment in some later post.  The current image collection is fantastically good, but the identification of the cars isn't well linked to the original post. It’s a tough problem. 

[1937hd45]

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is the MAIN FAULT of the whole webside. MICRO MANAGING EVERYTHING. If the members were so dumb to need a green Mustang with black wall tires and six cylinder automatics to sit on an island away from every other Mustang why bother having a "Club" 

[Peter Gariepy]

3 hours ago, Gary_Ash said:

Maybe there is a way to take a lesson from Facebook. There, you can add a comment and there are nested levels.  When a picture is posted without identification on this forum, it would be helpful to be able to add a nested comment directly linked to the photo, rather than what would be a seemingly random comment in some later post.  The current image collection is fantastically good, but the identification of the cars isn't well linked to the original post. It’s a tough problem. 

 

My proposal does exactly that.  To use the forum as it was intended and to create a new thread for each topic. Instead of appending it to the end of 1 HUGE topic.

 

360 pages * 25 posts per page is almost 9000 responses. I get it. Many of you love it. But has gotten the point were it's simply not appealing to someone to scroll thought 9000 posts. There is a better way. I've proposed it. Just looking for feedback.

[Ozstatman]

12 hours ago, JD in CA said:

  One reason I noticed it gets so long is folks copying and reposting photo(s) that another member just posted.  Not sure if that can be prevented.

That can be prevented. But to do so it needs the poster quoting the post, like I've done above, to delete the extraneous words or PHOTOS when they click on the 
"Quote" field when replying. If you don't know about being able to do this, or ignore it, then the original post gets quoted in full.

 

But, back to Peter's question.

 

The original thread is looooong, but I tend to only look at the unread posts in the thread each time I want to access it. On that basis, from my viewpoint, the original thread could continue ad infinitum.

 

But, also see the need for threads limited in their application which would make them easier to access for enquiry purposes.

 

2 bob each way or sitting on the fence! 😉

[wayne sheldon]

Well,we'll see if this works. Our internet connection has been off and on and VERY slow, and off again all afternoon and evening. Life on the side of the Sierras in Califunny.

 

Gary Ash mentioned facebook. I can't say much about them, our internet connection even when it s working reasonably well is awfully slow. My computer usually cannot load or display facebook, and I have similar issues with many other websites overloaded with glitz and dancing googaws. I have personal issues, reasons I do not like facebook, which I would prefer at this point to not go into. So I really cannot compare their service myself. Just needed to tell some of where I stand and why.

 

Just a thought. To me, at least, I don't see much difference between an individual thread under "General Discussion" with nearly ten thousand replies? And a separate forum heading with ten thousand different posts on it? Not saying a separate listing area would be wrong, just questioning whether it would achieve the desired goal?

Certainly, the reposting of a single photo numerous times does add confusion, and takes up data space. And I know I am guilty of doing that a few times myself. From a history study standpoint, I think discussion of details of the cars and other things of interest is important. That shared knowledge is how we all (those of us that want to) learn more. Often, when I see an item I want to comment on, I will try to post soon enough that a simple few words can lead the reader to the nearby photograph, no "quote" needed. But if the thread has expanded much, that becomes impractical. And sometimes, a couple pages can go by. Sometimes, I decide to not comment on items I would like to because of that. And, sometimes, I do partial quotes without the photo, or full quotes with the photo so someone that may be interested in my comments doesn't have to go back through a few pages trying to find the photo in question.

 

I have visited and commented on other websites that had the capability to "reply" to either individual posts or the original post. Replies are either in line on down for the original post, or inserted after the individual post to answer a question or comment about their comment. One site I comment on occasionally that does that, does not allow viewer's to post photos, so that situation is a bit different.

One site a couple years back (no longer active), allowed individual comments under photos, however they limited comment to some number of characters (500 if I recall correctly?) I a few times had enough to say that I had to post two or three separate posts. I thought that worked well enough.

 

You may like to take a look at the mtfca forum and their photo galleries area. I am not sure if it is a good example of possibilities, or an excellent example of something that has not worked out the way it was hoped to. It has many different sections, everything from member's cars, broken down into year model sections, to old era photos (my favorite!), and specialty headings for TT trucks, artwork, humor, the great war, among several others. 

Unfortunately, not enough people chose to use it. Two other people and myself probably posted half the total era photographs on there. Other people mostly participated in other sections. I commented on details for a lot of the era photos, and probably by myself did most of the comments. Frankly, I don't want to be the only one. I like to ask questions almost as much as I like to answer them. I would like to see healthy discussions of the era photos, historic details, and accessories. 

Several forum members there post wonderful era photos in the general discussion area. Why they won't post into the galleries where the pictures can be found for years to come is something I haven't figured out.

Frankly, I got a little disgusted with the lack of participation there, and backed away from it for too long. I think I need to go back in there and repost another couple hundred photos from "General Discussion" and put them into the albums. Sort of a "somebody needs to do that" thing. However, I expect the result would repeat itself.

 

I fear a similar section here could have a similar result. I certainly would hope it would work better here.

 

So, just some thoughts and concerns from me. Hopefully, some food for thought for you.

And while I am at it. THANK YOU for all you do here!

Edited August 29, 2020 by wayne sheldon
Changed to the correct word. (see edit history)

[1937hd45]

Wayne, I always find your posts interesting, how does one find the Model T site you referred to?

 

Bob

[John_S_in_Penna]

22 hours ago, JACK M said:

That thread got so big that I quit looking at it.

 

Me, too.  The idea is great, but I haven't kept up

with it, and it's far too big to catch up now.

 

If future cars each had their own headings as

separate threads, it would be much better for

future perusal and research:  A reader could go

specifically to a car he wanted to see.

Edited August 29, 2020 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[SC38dls]

Peter my iPhone says 225 pages!  I’m missing 75 pages!  I really enjoy that thread and want those 75 pages to view.  
LOL 

it’s easy to follow with just going to last page each day and checking out new post. It’s a bear trying to find something you really liked to check out again. My personal thought is your idea merits further study and implication if more give you positive results. 
dave s 

[PeteO]

A plexiglass 1940 Pontiac.  It sold at the time at auction for $305K.

[Billy Kingsley]

I'm all for a new section. Each brand of car gets a post, with the photos of thst brand in the post, and a thread for "help, what is this" and one for photos that show multiple brands of car as well. 

[Peter Gariepy]

1 hour ago, SC38DLS said:

Peter my iPhone says 225 pages!  I’m missing 75 pages!  I really enjoy that thread and want those 75 pages to view.  
LOL 

it’s easy to follow with just going to last page each day and checking out new post. It’s a bear trying to find something you really liked to check out again. My personal thought is your idea merits further study and implication if more give you positive results. 
dave s 

 

NO POSTS ARE MISSING!

 

Page count is lower because I increased the number of posts per page from 25 to 40.

[Peter Gariepy]

1 hour ago, PeteO said:

A plexiglass 1940 Pontiac.  It sold at the time at auction for $305K

 

WRONG PLACE FOR YOUR POST!

[John_S_in_Penna]

1 hour ago, PeteO said:

A plexiglass 1940 Pontiac.  It sold at the time at auction for $305K.

 

40 minutes ago, Peter Gariepy said:

WRONG PLACE FOR YOUR POST!

 

Pete O. must have thought this was the original

"period image" thread, not a discussion on length of

that thread.

 

This actually helps prove Peter G's point:  that long

threads are nearly impossible to read in their entirety.

Pete may have thought it daunting to read the

preceding posts, which would have made clear the

purpose of this short thread.

[MrEarl]

21 hours ago, Ben P. said:

Well, in a way we’ve had exactly this all along (or at least as long as I’ve ghosted this site) in the photos/videos section but it’s not really used and a lot of “what is it” inquires get confused into it even though they have their own section⬇️
 

https://forums.aaca.org/forum/107-pre-wwii-photos/

 

The Buick section has its own photos section which has been quite successful though nothing labeled specifically ‘period’ except by default.

 

 

I'm with Ben P on that. Not sure why the current Photo and Video forum has never received as much attention as did the single Period Photo thread in the General Forum but suspect it may have something to do with the "extra effort" required to click onto and shuffle to one of the sub-title/sub-forums Pre War or Post War.

Maybe consider just having a category/forum of Photos and Videos and then pin the following Topics into it.

1900-1920

1921-1940

1940-1960

1960- (whatever the cut off of AACA allowed participation year

(or instead of 20 year increments, perhaps minimize the year span of some to a decade to limit the length of the Topic)

 

Doing this would also allow users to post other unpinned Topics such as has been posted in the similar Buick Forum "Photo and Video Forum" such as Dealerships, Factory Photos, Old Cars in Movies, Deserted and Abandoned, Old Car Crashes and one of my favorites started here by @Steve Moskowitz   Race Cars

 

Just a suggestion 🙂.  Really liking the new forum format Pete, THANKS. Especially like the "Expand" function on quotes which will greatly help in reducing the repetition of posts especially with pictures, and hence the length of thread having to be scrolled through!!!! Yaayyyyy

 

 

[John_Mereness]

It was basically a data dump of period photos - the largest data dump of its kind on the planet (something not found in any other place) - aka just leave it alone 

 

But it would help to add some comments on page one about how to post a permanent image that sticks over time.

 

And, not sure the abbreviated pictures serves a purpose as to something dedicated to photos.

[John_Mereness]

By the way, if you put the make in as well as model and ... - not only is it find-able in the search function, but it is find-able via a Google search as well. 

[1937hd45]

57 minutes ago, MrEarl said:

 

 

I'm with Ben P on that. Not sure why the current Photo and Video forum has never received as much attention as did the single Period Photo thread in the General Forum but suspect it may have something to do with the "extra effort" required to click onto and shuffle to one of the sub-title/sub-forums Pre War or Post War.

Maybe consider just having a category/forum of Photos and Videos and then pin the following Topics into it.

1900-1920

1921-1940

1940-1960

1960- (whatever the cut off of AACA allowed participation year

(or instead of 20 year increments, perhaps minimize the year span of some to a decade to limit the length of the Topic)

 

Doing this would also allow users to post other unpinned Topics such as has been posted in the similar Buick Forum "Photo and Video Forum" such as Dealerships, Factory Photos, Old Cars in Movies, Deserted and Abandoned, Old Car Crashes and one of my favorites started here by @Steve Moskowitz   Race Cars

 

Just a suggestion 🙂.  Really liking the new forum format Pete, THANKS. Especially like the "Expand" function on quotes which will greatly help in reducing the repetition of posts especially with pictures, and hence the length of thread having to be scrolled through!!!! Yaayyyyy

 

 

 

OK, So were should I post this photo, in Walts Pre WWII  make you happy collection, or scroll down to the Buick thread? Will there be a Buick dealerships out side the USA photo thread, how about dealership photos on the west side of streets? Were does the over indexing stop? 

Edited August 29, 2020 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[Fossil]

  I was late in finding that thread but when I did I went back to page one and started there and thoroughly enjoyed the time it took to catch up. I check it each day and more than one time a day. I still enjoy it very much, especially if the photos include cars with people. It's nice to be able to go to one thread and enjoy the variety. BUT trying to find an earlier post is not something I do so leaving it the way it is is fine with me. If it is broken up into more categories I'm not sure I would follow them all. The old race car thread is fun too. 

Thank you for a great site!

Edited August 29, 2020 by Fossil (see edit history)

[MrEarl]

17 hours ago, 1937hd45 said:

OK, So were should I post this photo, in Walts Pre WWII  make you happy collection, or scroll down to the Buick thread? Will there be a Buick dealerships out side the USA photo thread, how about dealership photos on the west side of streets? Were does the over indexing stop?

 

Mom and my Marine Corp drill instructor didn't call it "indexing", but rather "a place for everything and everything in its place"

Twas just a suggestion sir, that's all.

Hope you don't mind that I used your photo...

 

[ojh]

As it is, right now, the thread would be considered 'organic' where a person can pick any starting point and continue it forward and get a sense of how it all unfolded, the story within other stories and the reader in involved.  If you break it into seperate catagories the reader will loose all sense of how it unfolded, it'll become 'inorganic' like an public notice posted for your convenience.

I vote for 'organic'.

One of the greatest threads of all time was on the HAMB about a girl and her boyfriend taking their '32 Roadster to El Mirage and she had a scrapbook with little notes about the cars, the pictures were from 1949 thru 1952, her son would post 2 or 3 pictures at a time and the members would dissect each picture as if it were the Holy Grail.  It took almost 2 years to make it all the way thru her scrapbook and it ended showing their car as it looks today at the Passadena Roadster Club Annual Show.  A reader can start at any page in that thread, be totally captivated and see how it all unfolds to become a story.  The same is true here when you get the back and forth discussion about an esoteric detail a normal person would be oblivious to.

[1937hd45]

ojh, Do you remember the title to that HAMB feature? Sounds familiar, need to read or reread it. Bob