IHN and my time (Please read, everyone)

[BlackHawkPaul]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Pounder" data-cid="212261" data-time="1382751760">
<div>


It's probably been a year since I last posted here but I've read the site from time to time.  I want to share with you an outsider's opinion here:</p>


 </p>


1) This site needs new blood - you don't have any.  You have about 20 users here.  Regardless of what the user count says you have about 20 active posters and it's the same 20 or so names I saw last year here. </p>


2) I joined this site all excited and got turned off after a couple posts cause anyone with a different opinion is attacked mercilessly here.  Variable was a respected member here but reading through this thread he is now the whipping boy and you guys are starting to eat your own.  Does that sound like a long-term business model to you?  Think of the other good people you have lost over time - Bri, eRuns come to mind.  When someone like Bri exits that tells you something.</p>


3) Some of you are only happy if you have someone to call a troll and name call.  You chase them off the board and then move on to the next one while never realizing your membership numbers continue to decline.  As someone mentioned in another post in this thread, when everyone here that is left are only here cause they sing the same hymn then it does start to sound like an echo chamber and gets boring.  To spice things up it appears a member is chosen from the group, called a troll, and chased off.  Then we rinse and repeat. </p>


4) I am not surprised to see this board collapsing as I never felt welcome here when I joined and quickly left.  Ton needs to take some responsibility for the collapse here as he has the highest control of the board, and set the rules (or lack thereof) of civility towards others.  When you run your board like crap you end up with the result you have now.  Remember a fish stinks from the top down and this board is seriously in need of a regime change. </p>
</div>
</blockquote>


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hfYJsQAhl0</p>

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

There are times I (gasp) agree with Variable.</p>


Yup.</p>


It happens.</p>


 </p>


Either you fall into our dysfunctional family, or go to another community.

I honestly can't recall a post by Pounder.</p>


 </p>


If the place fails, oh well.  It's been a pretty good run, plus fresh blood is always welcome.  They just have to be as crazy as the rest of us.</p>

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

By the way, I was probably being too harsh on Variable.

Here's a picture of a banana as a peace offering.

</p>

 

[winos5]

My advice to anyone thinking about joining is lurk awhile get a feel for the board before you decide to post your hockey manifesto.   Probably sound advice before joining any board.  </p>

 

[R K]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="BlackhawkPaul" data-cid="212263" data-time="1382753122">
<div>


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hfYJsQAhl0</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


 </p>


 </p>


Now that was fucking funny!</p>

 

[mcatoms]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Pounder" data-cid="212261" data-time="1382751760">
<div>


It's probably been a year since I last posted here but I've read the site from time to time.  I want to share with you an outsider's opinion here:</p>


 </p>


1) This site needs new blood - you don't have any.  You have about 20 users here.  Regardless of what the user count says you have about 20 active posters and it's the same 20 or so names I saw last year here. </p>


2) I joined this site all excited and got turned off after a couple posts cause anyone with a different opinion is attacked mercilessly here.  Variable was a respected member here but reading through this thread he is now the whipping boy and you guys are starting to eat your own.  Does that sound like a long-term business model to you?  Think of the other good people you have lost over time - Bri, eRuns come to mind.  When someone like Bri exits that tells you something.</p>


3) Some of you are only happy if you have someone to call a troll and name call.  You chase them off the board and then move on to the next one while never realizing your membership numbers continue to decline.  As someone mentioned in another post in this thread, when everyone here that is left are only here cause they sing the same hymn then it does start to sound like an echo chamber and gets boring.  To spice things up it appears a member is chosen from the group, called a troll, and chased off.  Then we rinse and repeat. </p>


4) I am not surprised to see this board collapsing as I never felt welcome here when I joined and quickly left.  Ton needs to take some responsibility for the collapse here as he has the highest control of the board, and set the rules (or lack thereof) of civility towards others.  When you run your board like crap you end up with the result you have now.  Remember a fish stinks from the top down and this board is seriously in need of a regime change. </p>
</div>
</blockquote>


 </p>


While I don't know if I agree with all of this it's all a valid POV.</p>


 </p>


If this is what non-regulars think, how they feel or how they perceive this forum then the future of IHN is very limited. If new people don't feel like they can participate for fear of being berated and ridiculed then this place will die.</p>


 </p>


Just because we built this place doesn't mean we should rule it with sarcastically iron fists.</p>

 

[Ton]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mcatoms" data-cid="212279" data-time="1382801489">
<div>


While I don't know if I agree with all of this it's all a valid POV.</p>


 </p>


If this is what non-regulars think, how they feel or how they perceive this forum then the future of IHN is very limited. If new people don't feel like they can participate for fear of being berated and ridiculed then this place will die.</p>


 </p>


Just because we built this place doesn't mean we should rule it with sarcastically iron fists.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


 </p>


Pounder isn't the only one who feels that way. I know plenty of people outside of the site that told me they registered, but didn't want to post for these exact reasons.</p>


 </p>


For the most part, I think you need thick skin to post on any message board and should expect to get your butt handed to you from time to time. But sometimes I do wonder, when people tell me why they don't post here, if it's a little too rough around IHN.</p>

 

[R K]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Ton DeFrancesco" data-cid="212280" data-time="1382806351">
<div>


Pounder isn't the only one who feels that way. I know plenty of people outside of the site that told me they registered, but didn't want to post for these exact reasons.</p>


 </p>


For the most part, I think you need thick skin to post on any message board and should expect to get your butt handed to you from time to time. But sometimes I do wonder, when people tell me why they don't post here, if it's a little too rough around IHN.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


 </p>


 </p>


I can't find any of "Ponders" posts but if I remember correctly they were the reason.  I suppose if it was someone that hadn't made ignorant posts to get the return comments then it adds validity.</p>


 </p>


You post something ignorant, the community is going to reply.  That happens on every board, everywhere.</p>

 

[R K]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Ton DeFrancesco" data-cid="212280" data-time="1382806351">
<div>


Pounder isn't the only one who feels that way. I know plenty of people outside of the site that told me they registered, but didn't want to post for these exact reasons.</p>


 </p>


For the most part, I think you need thick skin to post on any message board and should expect to get your butt handed to you from time to time. But sometimes I do wonder, when people tell me why they don't post here, if it's a little too rough around IHN.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


 </p>


 </p>


He said you stink!  I suggest a shower before you get rolled on the 9th.</p>

 

[R K]

Funny I don't see the 300 level having these issues and they have some of the brashest posters I can think of on ANY board.</p>


 </p>


Next we'll take the opinion of Shwenn and use it as a Marker of what "others" think.</p>

 

[Ton]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="R K" data-cid="212284" data-time="1382808715">
<div>


Funny I don't see the 300 level having these issues and they have some of the brashest posters I can think of on ANY board.</p>


 </p>


Next we'll take the opinion of Shwenn and use it as a Marker of what "others" think.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


 </p>


The 300 level doesn't have issues recruiting new members? Lol, ok.</p>


 </p>


They've been around longer than us, and they still haven't hit 250 members.</p>


 </p>


Come on man. I have respect for anyone who starts an independent community, but get real. We've grown much quicker than all of them combined. BlackhawkZone has 600 members, they've been around since 2002. Even with all those members, averages 13 posts per day... 13 in the whole day. We reach 13 posts by the time 7 AM rolls around. I can't access 300 level, because I don't have an account... but I can't imagine it is much busier when you can't even read the boards as a guest. Who's going to join if they can't even read the content?</p>


 </p>


Those sites ARE the definition of an echo chamber. At some point, they all gave up on building a growing community and were content with the 10 people that posted every day. I'm not doing that. You can do that on Facebook and Twitter. This place wasn't built to be exclusive for 10 people, it was built to create a better atmosphere with more freedom than CBH.com — a place that all fans can state their opinion without censorship... no matter how dumb or stupid you, or anyone else, thinks that opinion may be.</p>


 </p>


If we stay here, or merge somewhere else, there will always be some posters that you just don't like, which is why I put in the ignore feature so that we don't stunt our growth with people leaving due to a specific poster. Call it growing pains, but it's the reality of what will happen and it's just a matter of how we adapt.</p>

 

[R K]

They are the same community they were.  There is no desire to be some great fan site over there.  They close registration for the most part as to not get the Shwenns/Ponders of the world.</p>


 </p>


I was pointing out they don't seem to have this problem, and they dont.  They are the same users who originally started at Blackhawk Zone before Frank, decided to call it quits.</p>

 

[Ton]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="R K" data-cid="212287" data-time="1382812354">
<div>


They are the same community they were.  There is no desire to be some great fan site over there.  They close registration for the most part as to not get the Shwenns/Ponders of the world.</p>


 </p>


I was pointing out they don't seem to have this problem, and they dont.  They are the same users who originally started at Blackhawk Zone before Frank, decided to call it quits.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


 </p>


Pretty backwards if you ask me. If that's the case, what's the purpose of a message board if they don't want anyone else to join? Just create a Facebook group then and close it for the 10 people that they just want to talk to.</p>


 </p>


What is "this problem" you are referring to?</p>

 

[R K]

Eh, works for them, and they probably have 40-50 usual users.  They appear to like it.  Stuy doesn't have much of a problem.</p>


 </p>


 </p>


I'm not arguing either way, just not putting much validity into ponders comment above.  Other than maybe you stink.</p>

 

[R K]

This team has won two Cups in 4 years.  The fan base is all over the place.  The creating of Twitter, Facebook, and other forms of Medium also contribute to people moving on.</p>


 </p>


AOL once had a community of  1000's of users using their chat, in 10 years it was probably 100's.  Times change.  The "Officials" get constant traffic, it's the officials.  Each of these sites, BHZ, 300 level, and here are what they are.</p>


 </p>


You incorporate into another some will leave, some will stay, but overall most will not care either way in the scheme of things.  </p>

 

[Ton]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="R K" data-cid="212289" data-time="1382813012">
<div>


Eh, works for them, and they probably have 40-50 usual users.  They appear to like it.  Stuy doesn't have much of a problem.</p>


 </p>


 </p>


I'm not arguing either way, just not putting much validity into ponders comment above.  Other than maybe you stink.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


 </p>


It's not just him. There's plenty of people that I've talked to face-to-face that have said similar things. I don't really know the answer to that problem, but it's worth noting that it's not just 1 or 2 people that experience that when they come here. Most don't even bother to post.</p>


 </p>


Didn't your mother teach you: "Now Ron, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all."</p>


 </p>


LOL!</p>

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

Look at the O's pre-WWWs death.

Some of those people have moved on to the 300 level, BHZ, and here.


Some have never resurfaced. 

Once in a blue moon I'll see a Shusto, Planz, or Massivegoonery post.  Very seldom.

Where's Killer Carlson?</p>


 </p>


Some people move on.

RK isn't pissing everyone off.   bscene-sexualvlick:</p>

 

[R K]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="BlackhawkPaul" data-cid="212292" data-time="1382813558">
<div>


Look at the O's pre-WWWs death.

Some of those people have moved on to the 300 level, BHZ, and here.


Some have never resurfaced. 

Once in a blue moon I'll see a Shusto, Planz, or Massivegoonery post.  Very seldom.

Where's Killer Carlson?</p>


 </p>


Some people move on.

RK isn't pissing everyone off.   bscene-sexualvlick:</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


 </p>


 </p>


Yup.</p>


 </p>


Tony let me agree with Ponder, this place stinks from the TOP down.  LOL</p>

 

[Ton]

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="BlackhawkPaul" data-cid="212292" data-time="1382813558">
<div>


Look at the O's pre-WWWs death.

Some of those people have moved on to the 300 level, BHZ, and here.


Some have never resurfaced. 

Once in a blue moon I'll see a Shusto, Planz, or Massivegoonery post.  Very seldom.

Where's Killer Carlson?</p>


 </p>


Some people move on.

RK isn't pissing everyone off.   bscene-sexualvlick:</p>
</div>
</blockquote>


 </p>


I'm not talking about those people. Of course people just move on. I'm talking about people I've met outside of the site, people that registered and never even bothered to post.</p>


 </p>


I'm not blaming anyone specifically, but it's something to keep in mind.</p>

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

Regardless, I'd rather worry aboot the site moving forward.

If certain people don't want to post here, so be it.

Ton has a good resource on social media to drive people here.  A few posts here and there could easily pick up traffic on this site.


Most people with a computer at work are dicking off, we just need to grab a few of those folks and point them here.


Ton obviously runs those pages-- throw the people on facebook a bone and have them participate in a few of the threads.

Promote HASB on social media.  Throw the video in there.  It's a positive promotion.</p>


 </p>


[edit]

Hell, give me some admin controls on those sites.  </p>