Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

[NOJIMMY]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

Has there ever been an automotive forum where no membership dues are required but:

-For maintenance of the site, donations are requested for more than just computer operation?
-For members wanting specific assistance, a PayPal Help line is available?
-For members wanting to address a "Member Panel", chat room times are designated with pre-submitted questions?
-For members wanting to "Trade parts for assistance, wrenching, or other for parts" a swap section is available?
-For "Out of Towners and Visitors", a National Events Calendar/Contact List is available?


While none of the above addresses folks who repeatedly refuse to use the search feature,
it does (perhaps) fill in gaps where experience members can obtain payment for their expertise and ideas.
A sort of "Menu Driven" approach to instant gratification and information sharing.

-Larry Brown
LS7 NoJimmy Typhoon

 

[ChiPhoon]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

im not totally against membership fees, heck for years in our car clubs before the internet we paid dues monthly, but something about being on the internet and a club asking for dues ( and some do ) seems more like a business maybe it was because when we had our local clubs we actually seen everyone every week so it was different and probably smaller and we got stickers or shirts as well.

bringing up the search function, seems easy for old regs to use this function, but for a new user who hasn't learned the proper identification of parts or methods the search can and does sometimes waste time with run around results. of course someone else that's been here awhile could say ok search the right wording or phrases and its easier. instead of getting upset with the person who seemingly did not search, but i search things all the times, in most the old threads i see dead links and pictures that are not loading in the threads so it doesn't help.

anyways maybe a sub thread with search tips and or keyword phrases for new people.
type " replacing heater core" in search and see what i mean.

its not the end of the world to have a current thread about fixing something with current links and pics, its not like their to many cluttering posts everyday, it keep things personal.

im being optimistic, maybe with the new surge of new owners with cheaper truck prices things could freshin up. i like stories of younger guys saying i remember when my dad or my dads friend had one, its still fun to see/hear

 

[Syclones rock]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

Has there ever been an automotive forum where no membership dues are required but:

-For maintenance of the site, donations are requested for more than just computer operation?

I've seen sites that request donations to keep servers running or to pay for operation costs. Nothing has ever been forced as far as I'm aware. Albeit, there is always ways to provide incentive to donate to the forum, like giving prizes away, bigger avatar/signature privilages, "membership upgrades", etc.

-For members wanting specific assistance, a PayPal Help line is available?

-For members wanting to address a "Member Panel", chat room times are designated with pre-submitted questions?

Never seen either of these ideas done. Might not be a bad idea depending on how you go about it.

-For members wanting to "Trade parts for assistance, wrenching, or other for parts" a swap section is available?

That is an awesome idea. Never seen it done.

-For "Out of Towners and Visitors", a National Events Calendar/Contact List is available?

Never seen this before. But it sounds like a good idea.

While none of the above addresses folks who repeatedly refuse to use the search feature,
it does (perhaps) fill in gaps where experience members can obtain payment for their expertise and ideas.
A sort of "Menu Driven" approach to instant gratification and information sharing.

-Larry Brown
LS7 NoJimmy Typhoon

If you want to stop the noobs from reposting questions that have been asked a million times, the site admins may be able to set certain forums to be "premoderated" for members of a certain usergroup. This would make it so that mods/admins would have to manually approve threads in certain (or all) sections by members in the the normal member usergroups. A way to get around this so that older members are not effected would be to create a new usergroup that a member either automatically becomes a part of at a certain amount of posts, or can request membership to when the mods/admins/senior forum members deem the person to be trustworthy enough.

As an example:

-- Admin makes it so that users in the "members" usergroup require their threads to be approved by a staff member before they become visible.

-- New member Y joins the forum and is automatically be put in the "members" usergroup. His posts are premoderated for X amount of posts.

-- He hits X amount of posts, and is trusted by members. He can now apply for senior membership, and under admin/mod approval be put in the "senior members" usergroup. In this usergroup his posts would no longer need pre-approval from mods. People who are trustworthy could be put into the "senior members" usergroup whenever an admin wants.

I should also mention that this is somewhat of a hit or miss strategy used to deal with bad threads. It doesn't always work but it may be worth a try.

This all depends on what version of vBulletin this is being run on as well. Some versions can do more than others.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

Haven't bothered posting because I haven't had the time to read though all 5 pages..... until now, so here are some of my thoughts although I have probably forgot some of the things I was going to say between pages 2 and 5.....

1. membership fees for this site/forum/community will not work. Another forum was already mentioned in this thread, personally I am a member of over 100 forums/boards, many of them have failed trying to implement something like a fee or very limited access unless you paid. Donations seem to be the least intrusive way of accomplishing the same thing, yes it does not divide out evenly when nobody chips in the same amount, but those who donate me tend to appreciate this place more, basically you get what you give.

2. forum status, I think if anything we are at a low point right now. I can't see it getting any "worse" or quieter, the regulars wont allow it and some of the OG guys who are lurkers wouldn't either.

3. "COMMUNITY", this word has been thrown around a lot. This forum as a community, no doubt, but it can never be addressed as a whole. There are certainly a large number of use who have went beyond community and have become almost family. I have owned my first Ty for over 14 years now. I have helped the forum, I have helped my regional area come closer together, I have helped with Nats, but with all that helping I have made some REALLY good friends, that alone is sometimes what kept me coming back is friendship.

Guys like Mike Renz, Eric (aka BigBadSmoosh, aka smaug), Dennis K., Aaron and Dennis Klinger, Don K, just to ramble off some local people, then guys like Adam, Ian and Gary down in Florida, these are just a small handful of people I would probably do just about anything I could to help them out. I have been to their homes for meets, I have been to their homes just to hang out, I've been to their homes for 10 mins just to say HI if I was driving down I-95 on a road trip.

There are also members who I have met just through this forum and Nats that I know if I was driving through their neck of the woods and needed a place to sleep, I could call and would be happy to help me. TJ in CO (who doesn't even own a truck anymore), the Dourtys in MO, the Grangers in MO, Rodney in NM, Dave P in CA... I could go on and on with members all over this country who I have met throughout the years that I'm friends with now, that I have met because of these trucks.

Without the SyTy Nationals, I wouldn't have met those people face to face, that extra interaction needed to make name or avatar on a screen into a real live breathing person. I for one am very grateful for these trucks and this community and I will do whatever it takes to keep this place going as well as SyTy Nats now matter how difficult it becomes.

We have 40 trucks I know of in TX alone, for the last 3 years it's been difficult getting more than 6-10 together once a year. Owners share the same enjoyment, although we are not all the same. Some of us learn from eachother, some of us stick to ourselves.

I just wanted to touch on one thing here, and I'm sure you're aware, but Texas is a BIG ASS STATE! It takes what, an entire day to drive across it? In comparison, New Jersey is a small ass state, I can drive north to south in a few hours and across the state in 45 mins. Having said that, I believe we probably have close to 40 trucks here as well, more if you include the greater Philly and NYC areas, but with that, we can get 20+ trucks together just to meet at Hooters for lunch for a few hours.

Sometimes things are what they are, geographical location, time and money play a huge factor.

I'll give my opinion on this. These trucks have been raped and exploited with all of the V8 conversions, Bowtie and other "big" setups that no one finishes, things like that. We see new people come inall the time with this hot and heavy look at me Im awesome attitude and then no one really does anything. Around here I have seen my wife's Ty sell twice in three years not including when we sold it. I just don't anyone really gives a real shit at this point. I work on 4 or 5 SYTY's a year. People seem to search me out somehow (and others I'm sure) and I used to get excited to work on other SYTY's but then I realized something, most of these guys don't have the money or the time to deal with it and I am the one that is somehow expected to balance the short comings.

It has driven me to always charge for my work and not really care as much for the "person" as they'll lose their stomach for this and disappear anyway. I am still die hard SYTY guy I just care much less for the "community" as I used to after realizing that many people are really just out for themselves. I remain very close to my locals and we all tend to agree for the most part that the community or SYTY world has changed in a very unexciting way and has faded for us. At this point, I am always looking mostly at for sale stuff and rarely look for info or to buddy up with any new comers.

Perhaps I am having a negative attitude but you can only used so many times before realizing your efforts are in vein.

As for the guys that are opposite of above description, I have all the respect in the world for you and appreciate you trucking on everyday and not giving up. :tup:

I agree with a lot of what you have to say, its tough when you, I or others are so dedicated to these trucks, then someone comes a long, stays for a while, then leaves. With all the time and effort put into befriending and encouraging someone to do things right, then they give up and sell, it basically seems intrusive in the end and discourages you from doing it again.

In a way, the same can be said in recent months with the (cough) group purchase issues we have had. First of all, we are not the only "community" to suffer from something like this, however due to the fact that we are a small forum it really deflated our sense of security and trust around here. The overall morale of this forum has dropped significantly since then, many people taking it hard not because of the money lost, because they feel there was a lack of support. It is unfortunate and I know over time wounds will heal, but its things like this that set us back as well.

Speaking of which, is there still a bug with new registration's? I remember reading something about how there was a bot invasion and it was causing problems, and then the admins closed registration because of it. Registration being closed also may turn some new members away and they lose motivation to join and this could slow down discussion/perticipation in the forum.

We have had a "temporary" email registration setup going since October 21st of last year. In that time I have personally hand entered 183 new user registrations, so I'm going to have to disagree with your comment. Based on the numbers we had before on a monthly basis and taking into account how many of them were spam accounts, we are on par in terms of membership.

 

[TNPhoon]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

Could someone make this thread into an audio book?

 

[bezerk]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

Could someone make this thread into an audio book?

lol

 

[Syclones rock]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

Could someone make this thread into an audio book?

Haha.

We have had a "temporary" email registration setup going since October 21st of last year. In that time I have personally hand entered 183 new user registrations, so I'm going to have to disagree with your comment. Based on the numbers we had before on a monthly basis and taking into account how many of them were spam accounts, we are on par in terms of membership.

If this is the case, nevermind. I was basing what I said off of posts I had seen on other forums a few months ago, where people were saying they didn't know how to register on here. If I was wrong, than I take back what I said.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

Could someone make this thread into an audio book?

only if James Earl Jones narrates it. :lol:

If this is the case, nevermind. I was basing what I said off of posts I had seen on other forums a few months ago, where people were saying they didn't know how to register on here. If I was wrong, than I take back what I said.

The only thread I have seen was on turbobuick.com and before the email thing was setup, I was PM'ing members over there and registering them that way.

This link was posted in that thread as well, http://syty.net/forums/announcement.php?f=9 all people need to do is read and follow directions. At the bottom is a list of every member that has successfully done that and been manually signed up since 10-21-13.

 

[Jimmy]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

Has there ever been an automotive forum where no membership dues are required but:

-For maintenance of the site, donations are requested for more than just computer operation?
-For members wanting specific assistance, a PayPal Help line is available?
-For members wanting to address a "Member Panel", chat room times are designated with pre-submitted questions?
-For members wanting to "Trade parts for assistance, wrenching, or other for parts" a swap section is available?
-For "Out of Towners and Visitors", a National Events Calendar/Contact List is available?


While none of the above addresses folks who repeatedly refuse to use the search feature,
it does (perhaps) fill in gaps where experience members can obtain payment for their expertise and ideas.
A sort of "Menu Driven" approach to instant gratification and information sharing.

-Larry Brown
LS7 NoJimmy Typhoon

Why would you even want that? We have free expert advice,it's called syty.net. We will help you for free.
That's how we roll :tup:

Give us info and we will figure it out.
We will try to warn you when you are getting raped.Thats all we can do. :dunno:

Holy **** Larry,I wanted to bitch smack Guy when he rolled your 10 year expired tags truck off that trailer and was all "Hey look,prototype fuel cell'

Really? :fist:

 

[Syclones rock]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

The only thread I have seen was on turbobuick.com and before the email thing was setup, I was PM'ing members over there and registering them that way.

Yea, that was one of the threads, the other was on the s10 forum.

This link was posted in that thread as well, http://syty.net/forums/announcement.php?f=9 all people need to do is read and follow directions. At the bottom is a list of every member that has successfully done that and been manually signed up since 10-21-13.

Yep, I was wrong. I'll shut up now:lol:.

 

[T-Bone]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

A house divided will not stand. Here's my "readers digest" take on the whole debacle:

1). While competition is enjoyable, purposely deriding others with regards to events is not. The animosity that exists between the HC event and the Nats event (though both are held in same general geographical local) is almost childish. As a result, many on both sides refuse to attend the other event. I do not know the details so I just submit a general "outside" view. These obstacles are gonna have to be overcome for the betterment of the SyTy community.

2). Admin personnel that move around on here with a bully-stick banning long standing members just because they can, has (and will continue to) diminish active participation on this site.

3). Blasting new members for every infraction made only drives them away.

4). Members using this site as a means to hawk on the needy without any other involvement is detestable.

Recommendations:

1). Make contact with event planners, work out differences and support each other, attending when possible. Apologies may be in order but to do nothing and let the issues fester will only result in increased failure and frustration on both sides. Also, well planned events succeed. There is a plethora of talented folks on here with great ideas but generally, the same members form the planning committees with no desire for outside help and as I predicted in 2006, the numbers have dwindled to almost high teen figures for attendees.

2). Admin personnel are best voted in by active site members. Arbitrarily choosing the hierarchy from within a clique only leads to Tyrannical rule and while that may have worked well in prehistoric ages, it won't go far in todays society. It is the reason we exercise a democratic election process in government.

3). When new members ask for help, perhaps linking them to the proper data and kindly introducing the search feature simultaneously would do much more than blasting them with a number of expletives and leaving them without their question answered.

4). Charge a % for the sale of parts through this site to support SyTy.net. To me, 5% is reasonable. Some market stuff through here without ever donating a penny to SyTy.net and when they are finished their business, they are gone. Others on here (only a few) charge almost criminal prices for goods and the only time you see them post is when someone is in need, yet they give this community NOTHING.

This is a great site and though we all have personal issues at times, we have to move beyond them for the general good of the community. Financially, times are tough for a lot of folks and this has a severe impact on participation but in the end, the folks who truly have a passion and commitment to these trucks will remain so Larry, I cast my vote as "d".

 

[randy merritt]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

4). Charge a % for the sale of parts through this site to support SyTy.net. To me, 5% is reasonable. Some market stuff through here without ever donating a penny to SyTy.net and when they are finished their business, they are gone. Others on here (only a few) charge almost criminal prices for goods and the only time you see them post is when someone is in need, yet they give this community NOTHING.

I kind of like this idea, as long as it had a cap of say $20 or so. 5% on a $20 part is a lot different than 5% on a $2000 part. It could be a voluntary thing that was a condition of being able to sell parts (unless of course, you are a vendor). This is, after all, the best place to market parts for sale that are specific to these vehicles.

Another idea would be to ask for a donation to the site when GIVING away parts. I know I have given away several parts, and I should have asked for a $10 or so donation to the site when I did it.

The only reason that I am looking to be able to raise revenue is to be able to fund events at a lower cost to the membership (i.e. track or autocross rental, even if it was with other groups).

 

[SVO]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

"""D"""

 

[Captain Morgan]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

I agree, but in all fairness Shaun did poke the hornets nest for no apparent reason. There was no calling out or any mention of administration prior to his post, at least not that I read, so apparently nobody else thinks its an issue. Why should they? I haven't seen anyone get banned in a long time and I'm on here a lot, all I see is posts getting moved :dunno:. I understand he is allowed his opinion but I think its really an isolated issue.

Well, correction, I know I have seen bickering between Dave P and someone (cant recall), as well as Shaun and Jimmy, but again I dont think Ive seen Dave P or the other guy get banned (again, I could be wrong, but it certainly wasn't noticeable), the threads/arguments just got locked or deleted to keep things on topic and/or helpful.

I think I stated before that I'm on a lot of message boards, this stuff happens all the time, you can't make everyone like each other, it just sticks out more here because we are much smaller than LS1Tech and sites of that magnitude. We will never be a site of that magnitude, and if you want to talk about strict rules, go check out some of those sites, you can't even post a part if it isnt made by a company that is a site sponsor.

I'm not saying things are perfect here, I agree with some of Shauns points, it would be nice if Nats was bigger, there wasn't drama surrounding HC, but I don't have the answer for that.

 

[IGottaSy]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

Blame Facebook. A bunch of smaller forum are casualties of such a thing in Texas.

 

[randy merritt]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

This is just my personal opinion, and I'm not taking anyone's side on this, I just believe that the mods/admin should be above this stuff. Don't take things to heart and just regulate the site. You have my trust.

I am a local elected politician and get called a liar and a crook from time to time (not true), it is just part of the job and I accept that.

 

[SyTynet Admin]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

This is just my personal opinion, and I'm not taking anyone's side on this, I just believe that the mods/admin should be above this stuff. Don't take things to heart and just regulate the site. You have my trust.

I am a local elected politician and get called a liar and a crook from time to time (not true), it is just part of the job and I accept that.

I agree, the previous replies were removed, T-Bones original post will stand on its own, that's his opinion, he is entitled to it.

 

[TNPhoon]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

IMHO, make the next Nats in Colorado, make attendance mandatory.
We will transform a 20G into a big ass hooka, everyone partake, sit around, sing Kumbaya and everyone will be one big happy family again.

Still tl;dr, but i choose D from the main post.

 

[Ry368]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

IMHO, make the next Nats in Colorado, make attendance mandatory.
We will transform a 20G into a big ass hooka, everyone partake, sit around, sing Kumbaya and everyone will be one big happy family again.

Still tl;dr, but i choose D from the main post.

Lol...:turbo:

 

[V8 Sonoma GT]

Re: Poll: Whats the future for SyTy Vehicles, Owners, and Website?

2). Admin personnel that move around on here with a bully-stick banning long standing members just because they can, has (and will continue to) diminish active participation on this site.

3). Blasting new members for every infraction made only drives them away.

Recommendations:

2). Admin personnel are best voted in by active site members. Arbitrarily choosing the hierarchy from within a clique only leads to Tyrannical rule and while that may have worked well in prehistoric ages, it won't go far in todays society. It is the reason we exercise a democratic election process in government.

3). When new members ask for help, perhaps linking them to the proper data and kindly introducing the search feature simultaneously would do much more than blasting them with a number of expletives and leaving them without their question answered.

i would have voted "D" also and agree 100% with T Bone's above statements. Lets see how long i get banned for this one. and honestly I dont give 2 shits if its permanent. MHST will be up soon