New Setup Discussion thread

[Adam H]

just interested in how other members find the changes to Acorn?

It seem's extremely quiet, maybe its me but there doesnt seem to be much of a flow

I was looking at that this morning, new threads, conversation messages, users registering all remain consistent, users actively logging in is higher than normal but posts are down considerably. Basically meaning people are not replying to threads like they have been over the last 12 months, if people are still logging in, still private messaging and still starting threads it has to be a matter of the threads being started at the moment are not motivating debate quite as much which id say is pretty accurate as I can only recall a handful of discussions which have actually sparked my interest enough to read and reply.

3 weeks isnt ideal to base anything off of currently given the easter break etc but there is an noticeable difference in replies this month, user perception of change is often a motivator for some not to post as much aswell.

 

[PaulK]

points taken...............but the site just seems lifeless, no one's post in the wanted section, fixed price and even bargain basement listings are down.

I personally think change has done damage, i understand progression but to be honest ive not noticed a change in functionality or any benfit at all from moving to a new platform.

anyone else?

 

[martin-s]

Is it possible that people who were automatically logged in before the site update, but then couldn't remember/be bothered to find their credentials to login to the new site

And therefore posting for the first time with the new look is too much hassle?

 

[Adam H]

I personally think change has done damage, i understand progression but to be honest ive not noticed a change in functionality or any benfit at all from moving to a new platform.

Ive highlighted a key point of your post. User perception of change, not noticing the difference as a user is good to hear because the idea was to retain as much familiarity as possible but still upgrading the architecture allowing the site to move on and improve going forward. There was never plans to bring in big sparkles and new stuff from the outset incase it caused too much of a culture shock, which is much more of a killer than how we've done it.

Is it possible that people who were automatically logged in before the site update, but then couldn't remember/be bothered to find their credentials to login to the new site

And therefore posting for the first time with the new look is too much hassle?

Well no because there are more people logging in than there was previously, with everything else being consistent apart from post replies. I would say next month will be the best judge as to there being a problem, but even so if no one is highlighting they have an issue....... they are still logging in, private messaging, creating sales threads but are simply not replying as much.........we cant force people to reply to a thread lol.

 

[PaulK]

Is it possible that people who were automatically logged in before the site update, but then couldn't remember/be bothered to find their credentials to login to the new site

And therefore posting for the first time with the new look is too much hassle?

very much doubt it.

 

[PaulK]

Ive highlighted a key point of your post. User perception of change, not noticing the difference as a user is good to hear because the idea was to retain as much familiarity as possible but still upgrading the architecture allowing the site to move on and improve going forward. There was never plans to bring in big sparkles and new stuff from the outset incase it caused too much of a culture shock, which is much more of a killer than how we've done it.

The trouble is a lot did change and it made a difference.

To be truthful Adam, i appreciate you've done a good job but this thread wasn't for you (respectfully), i was just interested in the regular members opinions.

 

[Adam H]

The trouble is a lot did change and it made a difference.

To be truthful Adam, i appreciate you've done a good job but this thread wasn't for you (respectfully), i was just interested in the regular members opinions.

I am regular member, just with the knowledge of the stats before and after the migration, if I hadn't given my opinion based on facts to what you've outlined it could have turned in to a misconception or over exaggeration of what reality actually is.

Overly Dramatic comments like "Shame to see the site floundering" really doesnt add anything, its an opinion based on 2/3 weeks with the only real difference is replies to posts, not threads created, registrations, daily online users. Its early days, if there are issues and people step up and explain them admin will talk to me and we'll find a solution but like your self, there was no feedback from you what so ever until today which I feel might be the case with alot of people.

I will as requested bow out of this thread now though, admin can feed anything back to me that needs looking at.

 

[PaulK]

well i woudnt say the comments are overly dramatic at all, are you telling me you'd rather have feedback via pm than in a thread?

my comments were'nt directed at you so do me a favour will you stop trying to justify things - ive already said the site looks good and functions well so your jobs done.

what i want to hear is other members opinions not that of the management

 

[ian]

The industry itself seems quieter in my view; I doubt the change here has anything to do with it. Have to say I'm posting less also, but that is through lack of motivation and time rather than anything else; maybe the same for others.

 

[spiderspider]

what i want to hear is other members opinions

Its April, and it will be quiet until mid may, IMHO. Every forum I'm on is quieter at the moment. Get May bank holiday out the way, and things will start to pick up again. Tax and VAT returns have been due etc.

As for no one posting in the wanted section....... maybe those who want have realised that all that gets offered is a trough of crap, by people who don't bother to read what the brief is, and send domains with such a tedious link to what the OP wants. Just look at the recent one wanting removals domains with links, classic example.

I see the less threads being started as a good thing. There were so many that were started, and everyone knew the sole purpose was to get a sig link (why???!!!?? and not just accelerator), now that has gone, unless you pay, surprise surprise they stop posting. Just goes to show how much they really earn

 

[Adam H]

I see the less threads being started as a good thing. There were so many that were started, and everyone knew the sole purpose was to get a sig link (why???!!!?? and not just accelerator), now that has gone, unless you pay, surprise surprise they stop posting. Just goes to show how much they really earn

I bet no ones realised how many replies/debates and general boost in activity some members generated as a result of their drunken, annoying or speculative posts ( some for signatures ) which gave the forum an appearance of more activity and general banter which although was irritating...it was entertaining in some parts. Those members were "dealt" with so to speak by the request of many of the community through frustration and now they don't post as much/if at all its dammed as quiet. Cant win them all

 

[scottmccloud]

I for one always enjoyed the more colourful members of Acorn and its a shame some of them aren't on here now.

I think ultimately it's always going to be a thin line to tread for a forum like Acorn as the need for it to be a 'discussion' forum doesn't always go hand in hand with the need for people to sell domains on it. I suppose it is finding the right balance somehow.

 

[invincible]

I like the change of platform although I'd become accustomed to the old one even using a mobile. Xenforo is much easier to use when mobile. I rarely login from a desktop browser nowadays. I wish the mobile theme showed the name of the last last poster within a thread and not just who started the thread.

It seems evident to me, and has seemed for a while now, that a very sizeable number of threads are what I've come to call "zeros and ones". These are predominantly sales threads so don't attract much comment, hence have zero or one reply most of the time. I've estimated that 90%+ of threads fall into this category.

Although some people don't like change, frankly I feel the forum needed it (whether it was improved, as it has been, or ultimately closed). I said this two days prior to the former admin and founder sold it (July 2015 I believe). A good sort out was required and I'm glad it has occurred. Nethertheless in more recent times I've been busy doing other things and will admit to gravitating more towards a much larger international domain name forum which I won't name. Even though that other forum has its fair share of clueless people I also find there are more people discussing more domain name related topics that I am or can become interested in than anywhere else including here.

I usually have little interest in anything that is posted in "The Bar" here although I get drawn in and sometimes contribute to off topic threads! I don't wish to pay to become a member because I feel I've contributed, and contribute, enough which I don't get compensated for doing but do for enjoyment.

Aesthetically I'm not keen on the Ads between posts (screams of desperation to generate income) or the size of the logo on the mobile theme and I'd probably have retired the "acorn" reference and named the forum something else because I've never understood why it was chosen or has stuck around this long.

I think the key to any future success will be good content writing generating interesting and useful posts that coax discussion, and less of those that post a vague subject line and one link in the post body adding little. How that's done I'm unsure. Probably further investment.

I feel it would be good to see (new) posters generating good content at a fairly advanced level without risk of others jumping on them because they're unknown/new members. At the moment I feel that's lacking and I'm not quite sure I know what this forum is trying to be given there's a significant amount of non domain name content on it and quite a few basic questions that could reasonably be answered with a Google search.

 

[Adam H]

I wish the mobile theme showed the name of the last last poster within a thread and not just who started the thread.

Aesthetically I'm not keen on the Ads between posts (screams of desperation to generate income) or the size of the logo on the mobile theme and I'd probably have retired the "acorn" reference and named the forum something else because I've never understood why it was chosen or has stuck around this long.

Last poster - Done

Adjusted the logo slightly for mobile as I agree its too in your face, the rest is in admins court

 

[invincible]

Last poster - Done

Adjusted the logo slightly for mobile as I agree its too in your face, the rest is in admins court

Last Poster already makes a difference on mobile. Much more preferable. I can't really noticed a logo size change on mobile. There's also quite a lot of white space surrounding it. Could you try dropping it to 50% of its current size and reducing white space for now, and perhaps having a different logo (without the "acorn" graphic or the slogan underneath) for the mobile version?

 

[spiderspider]

Have spotted this on a couple of new post, where the poster is making their first post:

I can't have a sig link as I have to upgrade my account for that.

However, I can link here there and everywhere like this:

http://bbc.co.uk or
http://google.com .... you get the idea.

Did spot they're No Follow.

So I can't have a sig, however I could fill all my posts with links to my sites, auctions, or else where.

 

[Admin]

Feel free to report anything you feel is posted purely for gaining a nofollow link and I will deal with it. I don't want to restrict posting of urls in posts.

 

[invincible]

Feel free to report anything you feel is posted purely for gaining a nofollow link and I will deal with it. I don't want to restrict posting of urls in posts.

Given this is supposed to be a forum for predominantly discussing domain names it would be irritating to new users to be unable to list actual domain names without doing something such as example(.)co(.)uk to "break" the automatic URLisation.

 

[Admin]

Given this is supposed to be a forum for predominantly discussing domain names it would be irritating to new users to be unable to list actual domain names without doing something such as example(.)co(.)uk to "break" the automatic URLisation.

Exactly..which is why it is as it is

 

[ian]

With the removal of the PM content in the email notifications, can you add in an option to convert a 'conversation' to basic text for saving? As some transactions are carried out using this facility (instead of moving away to email), it would be handy to keep records.