Where's the Forum gone?

[Hostage_Negotiator]

Wow' Its like a graveyard in here now! All the old faces have disappeared and its back to kids asking how they can become snipers straight from the AFCO or how to join SF with a gammy leg and a weight problem!

This is really quite sad, this place used to jumping with hundreds of posts per day, sometimes per hour!

Jay' any chance of rounding up some of the old faces and putting this place back in it's rightful place on the cyber map?

I'll try and look in a bit more often myself!

[Beast]

Heyup oppo.

Snap! Was thinking exactly the same last night when it dawned on me after speaking to Wholley yesterday and totally agree with what your saying mate.

Too many good faces have been and gone and I for one have lost contact with alot.

Was seriously thinking of reviving the category for the mentally insane that once was.

Unless you have any good ideas bud??? But have certainly got my thinking cap on...

[Hostage_Negotiator]

Hi Jay'
Just a suggestion but if you've still got the secret access lists you could bring back the Retreat and the Bunker, try and get in touch with some of the old squad and get some of them posting and Modding on the boards! (Old school modding! bring back standards and jump on tossers early!)
Maybe give new new avatar status like: "Civvy" / "Reservist" / "Serving" / "Veteran" and try something different like a Rank Structure for Post Count ( with Mods that will identify those who are spamming their post count and delete crap!).
I don't think there's an instant fix, to be honest I reckon it will take a while to get back on track, if its possible but the 1st step has to be getting some of the old school back and appointing some new Mods/Admin ....as I've said to you before...nothing quite like a new Marshal in town to shake things up!
I know you've heard all this before mate but you're paying the bills and the forum is sliding..what is there to lose now by trying something else. The only way to save this now is to get serving and ex serving posting gen knowledge on here rather than kids regurgitating what they've read or heard from some bloke!
Cheers
H_N

[gunner75]

I wholeheartedly agree. that sounds like a good idea or two. Iv not been on here too often of late and i must admit iv seen posts which are plain bone idle in terms of what they are asking, sometimes to the point of 'is he avin a laff' (in the style of ray stokes from when the whistle blows... google it)

[Beast]

@Hostage_Negotiator, thinking along the same lines mate... thanks for the input.

[Rover]

The demise of the Retreat and the Bunker saw the exodus of a fair few.
With the loss of these 'closed' areas the forum just became an attraction of various idiot posters. The two 'closed' areas at least gave those of us certified insane to converse at a known level.
At the same time posting intelligent replies to those seeking information on just about all things military.

Would be a start attracting old members back by returning to the Retreat and the Bunker.
Some I understand are still in the same place regarding the days of the Dakar Rally!!

Only looked back in over the last month or so myself, cannot even get people 'bitting' these days.

Rover

[Hostage_Negotiator]

Rover ' you old bandit! Nice to see your callsign still active, hope this finds you well!
Like you I miss the Bunker it's return would be a great start to enticing back the old and the bold!

[MSI64]

Have to agree with the comments on here.
All I seem to read now are questions that only need one google search to find.
Also the same question asked in different threads bug me.
Now whilst I dont mind giving advice, it is infuriating that the same questions get asked time after time.
The NAAFI is now dead and I dont see any of the backbiting/sniping/winding up and threats that used to make this place interesting.

[Rover]

Hello HN,

Good to see you are still around, take it you are still with the same travel agent?

Popped in about a month ago for a look, as you say few of the older ones around.
Marina was around looking for a good book.
The odd older member just seems to look and leave.
The only ones that seem to be fixed are the Mods.
I have a mental image of Wholley in his rocking chair covered in cobwebs.

Agree fully MS164, same questions with no thought of using the search function.

Will try and drop in more often if only to stir things up.

Rover

[Beast]

Good to see you here Rover, hope all is well mate?

Thanks for the ideas chaps, been thinking the same route for a while now...

[Wholley]

I have a mental image of Wholley in his rocking chair covered in cobwebs.



Rover

You don't know how close you are.I really must get to Woolworths and update to Windows 3.1.

I'm still in contact with some of the old and bold but a lot of people have moved on or just dropped off the radar for one reason or another.
I'm not sure we could go back in time nor that we should though the return of the Bunker would be a good thing IMHO.

Keep Low and Stay Safe,

The Mod who would'nt Die

[Hostage_Negotiator]

I'm still in contact with some of the old and bold but a lot of people have moved on or just dropped off the radar for one reason or another.
I'm not sure we could go back in time nor that we should though the return of the Bunker would be a good thing IMHO.

Maybe going back in time is the wrong phrase, the situation may not even be fixable but it must be worth trying.....I think people could be encouraged back if they were to see that changes were taking place and that the issues that caused them to leave were being addressed. (I accept that not all left because of "issues" before anybody jumps on that!).
If those who are still in contact with lost members were to push out news of any changes and attempt to encourage people to return the word would go round!
I'm no expert but some changes I'd like to see might include:

a./ Bring back the Retreat & Bunker to offer a place away from the kids for those who previously had entry!

b./ I know they're there to generate revenue but the ads after every couple of posts are a pain in the arse! I'm not saying get rid but cut back!

c./ There are too many categories to post in now...many could be absorbed into main categories or binned completely! They also make the boards look even more unpopulated due to less and less people posting now!

d./ The appointment of Mods / Admin needs looking at closely. To be a Mod on a Military Forum you must have a military service background end of! A whole new Mod/Admin team to be appointed..there's too much has gone on for some of the members to have faith in some of the Mods and I reckon we've got Mods who haven't posted let alone moderated in far too long for their appointment to remain viable. People have to trust their Mods and their fairness & impartiality! Some have done a great job over the years but some haven't! Not pointing elbows just stating a commonly held opinion!

e./ We need to encourage more currently serving personnel to get involved, there are a multitude of ways to go about this, it'll just involve a bit of time and effort!


Not saying I've got all the answers, but we have to start somewhere and the above are just my opinions on how I'd like to see the forum progress, no time machine, no instant fix just progress!

At your target in front......go on!

[Hostage_Negotiator]

I've just noticed that the Retreat and Bunker have re-appeared!
They are listed as "archived" and when I click on them it say I don't have sufficient privileges to access them so I presuming they're locked as I had full membership to both prior to their closure...
Come on Jay don't keep us in suspenders mate...what going on..? :multi: :multi: :multi: :multi: :multi:

[Rover]

Same here, tried the doors and the coded knock but no response.

Noted DellBoy having a quick look at 0600hrs..

Rover

[MSI64]

How do we get into the retreat and the Bunker then??