The Fall of the Online Reptile Forum?

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Re: The Fall of the Online Reptile Forum?

Postby Docmorrie » Wed Aug 20, 2014 11:23 pm

Hi everyone. Personally I find the forum's picture upload functionality very annoying. Too much of a schleb to edit, crop and to reduce the resolution in order to upload a pic. Bushviper is right by saying that Facebook made thát function much more easy and convenient. Maybe the forum's webmaster should look at this. People tend to seek the path of least resistance... Anyway, breeding season is comming up for the geckos, so I will be posting pics again like in the past. ;-)
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Re: The Fall of the Online Reptile Forum?

Postby Ruan Stander » Thu Aug 21, 2014 11:59 am

I agree on the photo uploads being a hassle, I've let very many posts slip because I didn't have the will to put in some extra time.
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Re: The Fall of the Online Reptile Forum?

Postby froot » Thu Aug 21, 2014 2:46 pm

This topic has been on my mind for some time now too.
Most websites in general are having to compete with facebook these days. If I make a product to sell it's easier to setup a facebook website than it is to have a domain reserved and a website built for me.
It's the trends of today and we need to find the best way as an online community to move with it. I remember when Bushviper for example totally dispelled the notion of posting on facebook and now he is there quite often. The same can be said for myself and many of us here. Discussion forums have their advantages and they will always be around.
I say that we will never give up on this website and we will keep going. What we need to do is figure out ways to dovetail our forum with social media so that access and posting is just as simple.
If you have ideas please do share them with us.
For one if we can somehow merge our member authentication and registration process with our facebook page so that once you're logged into facebook you're automatically able to access the forum.
If we can somehow adopt facebook's image posting functionality into the forum's software then more people will post.
We also need social media share buttons on each post.
We desperately need a mobile version of this website to improve it's 'finger browsability', I already have ideas for that.

By making these an other improvements we will be moving with the times and our website and it's community will be timeless. The problem is, the income from the advertising we have barely pays the hosting bills, nevermind development costs. That's where we stand now, I'm trying to teach myself PHP, Java, mobile scripting but I don't see myself being able to make changes like these anytime soon.
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Re: The Fall of the Online Reptile Forum?

Postby TTricolors » Sat Aug 23, 2014 1:43 am

Interesting to see all the comments about this story. I wrote the piece to interject discussion within the "community" about forums (like this one) and many others. I have come across many educational discussions with in forums which if posted on Facebook will never show up on a Google search. I applaud all forum members for their continued support to each forum. I think it is a great way to state successes and failures throughout herpetoculture and keep it in searchable content. The one thing is, G+, Facebook's closest competitor is owned by the largest search engine. Google does and will make G+ group posts searchable. This may be where we as herpetoculturists will lead to in order to secure our progress within the hobby. Thanks to the many for reading the story and I grateful to read a discussion about said article. ~ James Tintle
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Re: The Fall of the Online Reptile Forum?

Postby SABOAMAN » Wed Aug 27, 2014 7:14 am

Since this post was started there has been a lift in posts and views on the forum........strange that at the same time the views and post pick up the kombuis adverts pop up again. For the last couple of weeks they were quiet and then two kombuis posts this morning. I check the forum early mornings daily and and report as needed. Seems they also check forum activity to post their spam
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Re: The Fall of the Online Reptile Forum?

Postby Ruan Stander » Wed Aug 27, 2014 9:47 am

Yes, I for one have decided to increase my activity dramatically, especially in response to new members.
I am sure they do that yes, I just find it quite surprising that they get any views. Most likely new members who have not dealt with them.
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Re: The Fall of the Online Reptile Forum?

Postby Bushviper » Thu Aug 28, 2014 12:15 pm

I have read that possibly the fights on the forums have also chased people away. We have enough problems in our daily lives so we do not want them on the forums. When members who have been "blued" and then eventually "blocked" were the most active we had a drop in member contributions as well as new members. The recent leopard gecko controversy for example left a bad taste on the forum.

In future we are not going to be nice. If we risk turning the forum into a clique then so be it too. If you start arguments here and attack any members you will be blocked. Its that simple. The well being of the forum far out rates the "rights" of any individual member. Its like being black balled at a fraternity. The newest member will more than likely be the one sent on his way. Freedom of speech might be in the constitution but not in our rules so any two admin or moderators can decide to boot you and then its done.

I would also like to ask members to encourage the new members who join as we were all beginners at some stage. That does not mean you have to spoon feed them but be polite and point them in the right direction.
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Re: The Fall of the Online Reptile Forum?

Postby moe » Wed Sep 24, 2014 10:43 pm

Apologies for digging up a old post

I for one actually live on S.Areptiles haha its has rekindled my passion for reptiles and made me fall inlove once again with herping after getting married i had to get out of it but due to the simple act of joining this forum.

I speak for myself but i am sure many members who use facebook etc including myself who are always wanting to gain more knowledge will always return to this forum no matter what

I personally thank the gentlemen/ladies who have made this possible for us all to enjoy and constantly learn from

Thanks a million for bringing that passion back.
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Re: The Fall of the Online Reptile Forum?

Postby Jacquesvw » Sat Feb 07, 2015 8:14 am

The reason less people, including myself are using this forum is because it's stuck in 2007. I have asked numerous times that the admin install the Tapatalk plugin, so that this forum can go mobile. Installing Tapatalk is free for the forum owner and I see NO reason not to do it, unless you want your forum to die.

I believe the mods don't like the "posted from Tapatalk" signature, but that can be turned off by the forum owner, so what is the problem?

I absulutely hate posting from a browser on a phone and I'm sure everyone else does as well. We are in the mobile age now and the sooner websites adapt the better or they should die a slow painful death.
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Re: The Fall of the Online Reptile Forum?

Postby tobiasf » Sat Feb 07, 2015 1:22 pm

Hi All,

The thing I miss or hope to see more is when its season for hatchlings why aren't there any pictures of snake circulating on the forums there is here and there but that is the most interesting times for me as you can then see whats going around and so on.
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Re: The Fall of the Online Reptile Forum?

Postby Savu » Sat Feb 07, 2015 2:12 pm

I've often wanted to post pics. But you have to be a IT specialist to do it on the forum.No,seriously its probably just me,I'm not too much into technology,but it seems very easy on FB.
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Re: The Fall of the Online Reptile Forum?

Postby tobiasf » Sat Feb 07, 2015 10:31 pm

On that I can agree as I posted the other night a bit of a mission but once i got the hang it was easy
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Re: The Fall of the Online Reptile Forum?

Postby Shaun » Tue Mar 17, 2015 5:18 pm

On forums there are those who enjoy governing with absolute overbearing control and power so to keep all in line. In reality a forum is a closed controlled group or a captive audience were open mildness is generally ostracized and blocked.
Social media is not generally tolerant to dictatorship and encourage freedom of expression and opinion

Any good dictatorship needs an aggressive following who are unreceptive to the bigger picture and will find comfort and protection in the BIG BROTHER house.

In my humble opinion I believe social media (Face Book) is more transparent allowing a wide variety of input and encouraging critical thinking.
Rumors are carried by haters, spread by fools and accepted by idiots.
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Re: The Fall of the Online Reptile Forum?

Postby Westley Price » Wed Mar 18, 2015 7:36 am

Shaun, you are right to a certain extent, but with the freedom that social media offers come BUCKET LOADS of rubbish and filth.

Forums like this one is controlled because it is intended firstly as a knowledge sharing platform and secondly for socialising with like-minded folks.

All the older members of the forum will know you have a bit of a rocky past and you have some personal vendettas with forum members, but please dont aim your rants at an entire community when your problem is with a handful of members.
"I am dying by inches from not having anybody to talk to about insects." - Charles Darwin
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Re: The Fall of the Online Reptile Forum?

Postby Sico » Wed Mar 18, 2015 10:18 am

@ Savu, posting images on the forum is as easy as typing a word message from your computer. Open yourself an Imgur account, resize your pictures (for fast uploading) in microsoft office picture editor (or whatever programme you choose), drag and drop them onto the imgur screen, they will auto upload. Once they are loaded you click on the image and a side panel opens up with all your different formats to post on various sites. Click on the "Message boards and BB forums" link (ctrl+A, ctrl+C) then in your post on the SA Reptiles site click ctrl+V. Its literally that easy, and it cuts out a lot of time in having to choose the correct SARep folder to load into as well as key words etc etc (all there for a very good reason btw), but if you're lazy like I am, and have limited bandwdth and unreliable upload speeds a lot of the time, Imgur is the way to go.
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