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Thread: Spicing up the place ...

  1. #1
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    Default Spicing up the place ...

    Hey y'all,
    With the change in ownership of e-budo coming, there has been talk about how to enliven the place as it has become a bit stagnant of late. This thread is to hear any and all ideas that the hard-core, still hanging around membership may have about how to a) lure new posters to participating, and b) any changes that the current membership may feel are worth considering.

    Bear in mind that none, some, or all of the suggestions made may be implemented eventually. This will ultimately be determined by the site owners and the moderators. However, I thought it was important to see what the current membership had to say as far as desired changes and/or ideas for increasing posting and membership.

    So, let's hear it folks ...
    Paul Smith
    "Always keep the sharp side and the pointy end between you and your opponent"

  2. #2
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    Part of it, I expect, is that most folks today probably access stuff via smart phones rather than laptop/desktop computers. Different ways of looking at the world.

  3. #3
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    I admit it's been a LONG time since I've visited e-budo. A decade ago I was an active user, but changes along the way, to the Internet and the site, encouraged me to drift away. I chanced to come back tonight and started reading some of the old threads. This place was pretty neat in it's day. Let's grab some of that energy again!

    My recommendation is to streamline the forums. I think the site suffered from over-reach for awhile. Case in point, the Firearms forum. I never felt it was in keeping with the rest of the site. It seemed that e-budo went from being very deep to "an inch deep and mile wide" with the addition of too many sections.

    Glad to back. I'll keep checking in.

  4. #4
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    I see a couple of issues. First, the easy one:

    As Mr. Svinth says, a lot of web content these days is accessed via handheld. This site is not set up to detect and deliver mobile versions, and using it on an iPhone is a challenge. Solving this might be as easy as setting it up as an option in the forum's administration interface.

    The biggest hurdle, though, is the lack of traffic in the form of people asking questions, and present "experts" answering them. The way I see things, most of the active conversation has segregated itself off and moved to groups on Facebook. It's much easier to engage with one site than with multiple, and people are on FB anyway, so they don't take the additional steps to go someplace else. The chief problem with this is that the content of these conversations -- here, at Sword Forum, etc. -- was once indexed by web crawlers, and interested folks used to be able to do a search and actually find these conversations. Google can't index Facebook. This effectively gates the conversation.

    I see two possibilities, which are not mutually exclusive. Clearly, fresh content is needed here. Regular posts, yes, but perhaps some folks might be inspired to write some longer informational pieces.

    Second, perhaps a foray into "enemy territory" is in order, and some outpost in popular social media would help drive traffic here. I think of the way that other groups with things to say will maintain a presence at, say, Facebook and Twitter, where they post links to things that are going on at their external website. If this was implemented, I would suggest not allowing regular users to post on the Facebook page, in order to keep the conversation here.

    Ultimately, I think the horse has already left the barn. The question is, can we keep it in the corral?

    -Beth
    Beth's Buki
    Walk softly and carry a big stick.

  5. #5
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    Some great suggestions right off the bat. I agree that E-Budo needs to update itself to the new technology. We can't be a dinosaur in light of the increasing compact and mobile ways communications are done now. Re-tooling to make E-Budo compatible with handhelds should be a priority, definitely.
    Cady Goldfield

  6. #6
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    Excellent insight Joe. Not being a smartphone user, I had no idea how they look at the internet. Makes sense when you think about it.

    I agree with Geoff that things should be pruned back a bit. Overspecializing is too much of a good thing in my opinion.
    Paul Smith
    "Always keep the sharp side and the pointy end between you and your opponent"

  7. #7
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    Another thing to think about--in going back over the archives its pretty clear that formerly e-budo was known for rigorous examination of various peoples claims.

    People in the know weighed in on all sorts of sketchy schools and even sketcher claims.

    Viewership leveled off and declined when people stopped doing it.

    On the one hand it I always viewed it a valuable service. People generally don't know much about the MA prior to starting training.

    On the other nobody (that I know of) wants a "fight site."

    But it might be worth a conversation about what role--if any--e-budo wants to take as a kind of "fact-checker" the way it was back in the day.
    Chris Thomas

    "While people are entitled to their illusions, they are not entitled to a limitless enjoyment of them and they are not entitled to impose them upon others."

    "Team Cynicism" MVP 2005-2006
    Currently on "Injured/Reserve" list due to a scathing Sarcasm pile-up.

  8. #8
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    Bullshido pretty well took over the role of checking bogus claims.

    Train wrecks definitely generate excitement. But I would rather be known for saying something useful.

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