Why am I getting this message?

Mack Cameron

In Memorium
Hi Mack Cameron! Looks like it's been a while since you posted. Forums like ours rely on having active conversations, and we encourage you to be part of the activity. It doesn't matter if you're a seasoned woodworker or a complete newbie. Feel free to ask a question, tell us how you would tackle a problem, or just join a discussion in any one of our forums! If you have problems posting, please send a note to our Webmaster so we can help you!

I've sent a message but to no avail!
 
mail doesnt go on sundays Mack but i sent you a pm instead:)

not to change subject but, have you had trouble with purple heart wood bleeding the color to other woods nearby?
 
Do you get it from this forum Mack? I've been disconnected for a while I didn't get anything like that. I find it quite pushy, and if I would get anything similar, it would make me not to post or participate again in such forum.
I do not know whose idea was to program those automatic messages but some people may not post due to many different problems personal and serious ones at a times, it makes one feel as if posting was some sort of obligation.
 
Toni (and others), the message is something the Mods and Admins wanted to try to see if we could encourage more folks to post. I can see that it might not be causing the desired effect. I'm sure there will be more discussion in the Mod Lounge about it. ;)
 
Bear with us folks. This was an initial test and Toni, you can blame me for the idea. We are trying to encourage some of our lurkers to join us and this is a test of the message which we set to pop up after one week. Obviously that's too short a time. If we decide to implement it, it will probably be set to pop up if you have been absent for over a month or more. I saw it on one of the other forums where I usually just lurk and it prompted me to get off my duff and join in. My hope was that it would do the same here. Maybe we can change the language to be a less pushy and more gentle reminder. Any suggestions for achieving the same purpose would be appreciated.
 
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As a part time Family member I can say that Family is a nice forum. I lurk and post occasionally. I am not sure why I don't participate all of the time, but for some reason, I don't.

I don't mind a PM or a email, but a form email is not cool.

If you want to come across as a friendly forum and you want to encourage members like "me" that are not here all the time - or post only occasionally, I would encourage you to form a "group" - "committee" - or formulate a plan of longer, or more senior, or "steady posters" to make a "personal" encouragement plan.

Have your committee make personal contact through PM or EMAIL to have meaningful connection with prospective lurkers, or new posters, or occasional posters. NOT a form message.

Make REAL messages - from "you" ---- to "me". Interact --- bi-directional - dialog - recognize the person you send a message to - talk to them - don't send an impersonal form.

Make it REAL.

Actually ----- I received a *REAL* PM from one of the Family members recently about a couple of recent posts I made. Nearly brought tears to my eyes that the member sending the PM even recognized me. Trust me - this place - Family - is a tight knit group. The way you all interact with each other makes it obvious that you are all "together".

Someone from the outside - like me - comes in and makes a post - you all post in response to each other and the outsider is not acknowledged. His post is all but ignored. It's as though they do not exist.

Picture a store front porch on an old country store. Townsfolk are on the front porch having coffee on rocking chairs and chewing the fat, having a good old time. A stranger comes up and grabs a coffee. Sits in the empty chair and says hi. One of the townsfolk says hi, but resumes the conversation. The outsider "maybe" finishes his coffee, feels awkward - then leaves. This is a lot of how Family feels.

So - they just don't come back - they don't feel welcome. In the whole scheme of things - it's natural. Sooooooo - when I received a PM - here - on this tight knit - family - I was flabbergasted. WOW - one of the - family - members recognized ---- me. I thought that was just sooooo cool.

Anyway - that is my 2 cents on the subject.
 
Hi Jim Niemi! Looks like it's been a while since you posted. Forums like ours rely on having active conversations, and we encourage you to be part of the activity. It doesn't matter if you're a seasoned woodworker or a complete newbie. Feel free to ask a question, tell us how you would tackle a problem, or just join a discussion in any one of our forums! If you have problems posting, please send a note to our Webmaster so we can help you!
I get this also Mac
 
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.... make a "personal" encouragement plan.don't send an impersonal form...
OK everybody...group hug for Leo. Leo if you don't make a post for the next six weeks and see the little blurb pop up at the top of your screen wondering where you've been, consider it a big group hug encouraging you back. Honestly I can't see why anyone would take umbrage at such an innocuous notice. You want us to send a handwritten personalized invitation to all the people who sign up here and rarely or never post? Really??
 
Actually ----- I received a *REAL* PM from one of the Family members recently about a couple of recent posts I made. Nearly brought tears to my eyes that the member sending the PM even recognized me. Trust me - this place - Family - is a tight knit group. The way you all interact with each other makes it obvious that you are all "together".

Someone from the outside - like me - comes in and makes a post - you all post in response to each other and the outsider is not acknowledged. His post is all but ignored. It's as though they do not exist.

Picture a store front porch on an old country store. Townsfolk are on the front porch having coffee on rocking chairs and chewing the fat, having a good old time. A stranger comes up and grabs a coffee. Sits in the empty chair and says hi. One of the townsfolk says hi, but resumes the conversation. The outsider "maybe" finishes his coffee, feels awkward - then leaves. This is a lot of how Family feels.

So - they just don't come back - they don't feel welcome. In the whole scheme of things - it's natural.

well leo, this is news to me. i didnt realize we were so mean and dis-respective to others here. i have personally met several of them new and old members and never heard this statement. so if there are others out there that feel this way like leo does please tell us either by publicly announcing it or threw any other means email , pm or a phone call its in the book.
 
I'm always surprised when someone takes the time to join and then never posts or comes back. I don't see a problem with sending a message to folks that haven't posted in awhile but I would be quite annoyed if I got one after just a week of being inactive.

Also, I don't think folks like Leo who obviously has a lot to offer the forum deserves snippy responses to his heartfelt post.
 
It's not a PM, It's not an email. Just a little blurb at the top of the page as a gentle suggestion.
It worked quite the opposite on me!

I'm of the opinion it is better to keep one's mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.

I post/lurk on 7 different woodworking & pen turning forums as well as administer on 4 FB pen turning groups. And I do have another life instead of sitting in front of the screen all day!:)
 
I have the reminder notice at the top of the page, too. I post periodically when I feel like I have something to add to the conversation. I tend not to add one more "good looking bowl" or "nice pen" posting to a line of the same. I check the forum every morning while I'm drinking my coffee before breakfast. I probably post something once a month. My Dad taught me that if I have nothing to say, I shouldn't say it anyway.
 
Wow, a gentle question that evidently touched a nerve on some mods. You evidently discussed it, where is the compassion? Geez, you tried something to create more traffic great. But when it becomes a negative discussion and shoot from the hip answers are thrown at members, it might be time to step back and rethink. Don't shoot your current members in the trying of gaining new or more active members please. Leo, I'll apologize to you for the sarcastic comments even though I didn't make them. I think the comments sent you you and Mack were in poor taste and probably not well thought out. I for one greatly appreciate all that all contribute to this site.
 
I got a notice to, didn't bother me, like some others said " I post if I have something to say" . Most of the time I just lurk. I see several members here on other forums that I visit and am sure they see me. I have known Leo for several years from other forums and he is a talented woodworker, cnc guru and is a fine gentleman. He has no problem speaking his mind either.
 
The mod and admins team were simply trying to create activity on the forum. You all have elected them to represent you and they do their best to try to do what is best for the forum. They appreciate the feed back from everyone. We can either turn off the message or simply add an option for you to dismiss it, but again, thank you for the feedback. :wave:
 
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Hi Jim Niemi! Looks like it's been a while since you posted. Forums like ours rely on having active conversations, and we encourage you to be part of the activity. It doesn't matter if you're a seasoned woodworker or a complete newbie. Feel free to ask a question, tell us how you would tackle a problem, or just join a discussion in any one of our forums! If you have problems posting, please send a note to our Webmaster so we can help you!
I get this also Mac

Cool Jim. Thanks for posting. Did the notice go away?
 
One of the hazards of the internet, you never know how someone is going to react to something written. Makes it very difficult. No eye contact, no body language or voice inflection. So, I never take anything I read too seriously, unless it is helpful advice on something I've posted. I appreciate the fact that the monitors are trying to increase participation and would love to have more active members. Please don't take offense to what they are trying to do. Good positive input on it, I am sure is appreciated and should be taken as that. I have often wondered why there are so few real active member out of the great number of members listed. This is a great forum and certainly has a lot less friction than most others I visit.

I don't even know where I am going with this, just rambling, but I am certainly hoping no offense is taken by those that received that message, I know none was intended. I received it after returning from an absence and took no offense to it. I just appreciated the fact that someone realized I had been away.:)
 
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