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154 Posts |
Posted - 09/12/2004 : 11:31 PM
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To have an idea on how participative the Club Tread forum is, I put together a few numbers on site usage:
There are (were) 75,308 postings, 80% of them (application of Pareto's Law) were posted by only 125 members.
There are (were) 4339 members, 2,869 (66.12%) have never posted, another 480 (11.06%) have posted only once and 365 (8.41%) 2 or 3 times. In other words, approximately 85% of members have posted 3 or less times.
I would think that the site would benefit from having some new posters and not just new signups.
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"All great truths begin as blasphemies." George Bernard Shaw |
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 opinionated-stove huggin'-fleece wearin'-arse burnin' hill virgin
Here
Canada
4641 Posts |
Posted - 09/12/2004 : 11:40 PM
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There is nothing unusual about the amount of active users compared to those who lurk. Personally, I think that CT would be considerably better without a dcongrav ?contributing?.....errrr I mean posting.
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"My favorite recreational drug is Ibuprofen" |
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Trail running, bike hucking, fast packing, beer drinking collector of pine cones on a day pass
AKA
Dances with Trees
Forest Gnome Cabin
Canada
13015 Posts |
Posted - 09/12/2004 : 11:50 PM
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| Interesting,so what would stop a person from posting?Really that is a personal decision,and more participation would be great.Any ideas on how that might be accomplished/encouraged,DCongrav?Oh yeah,also,what's Pareto's Law? |
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Ladner, BC
Canada
1176 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2004 : 12:38 AM
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quote:
There are (were) 4339 members
as with most forums, this should actually read as 4339 registrations.
but then again... I know of several people that visit the forums but aren't registered. I only registered cuz I like to push buttons err I mean comment on trail stuff. 
On another forum that I sometimes moderate, we boot people that aren't active for long periods of time...but that's just us...we like our steel toed boots.
I just don't like that LONG list of member names that my poor old cpu has to load up when you click the search function. I'd use the search function a lot more if the page script was faster for me. (or if I had a faster CPU)
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The tougher the climb, the better the food tastes. -Lupin- |
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Outdoors addicted flyfishing, skiing, snowshoeing, hiking car crooner and resident motormouth
Da'Wack, BC
Canada
5368 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2004 : 12:51 AM
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Good point Lupin! I know Jim's been quite busy so I imagine CT cleanup has not been high on the to do list.
quote:
To have an idea on how participative the Club Tread forum is, I put together a few numbers on site usage
Actually one has only to browse other hiking forums to see how "participative" the Club Tread forum is. I'm guessing that is why you keep returning D'con? You do tend to get immediate responses to your posts for attention.....
I've often signed up for forums and then lost interest. Simply because what was being discussed was not of particular interest to me or because I did not find what I thought I might, so I chose to leave.
There's nothing wrong with that |
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154 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2004 : 06:41 AM
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First off, there is no message between the lines. I have no knowledge of whether the participation rate is high or low compared to other sites.
As to Hiker Boy's comment, he could be off this site for two years and still have more postings than anyone else.
Mick, I don't KNOW why some post and others don't. Perhaps they need encouragement and not get scared off.
Paretos Law is used in statistics especially when it relates to Marketing and Management. It's been pretty well proven that: 20% of the population owns 80% of the riches. 20% of errors cost 80% of the total. 20% of your customers give you 80% of your revenue etc. It's used quite often to focus energies and not get lost in lots of numbers.
Regards - David
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"All great truths begin as blasphemies." George Bernard Shaw |
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Outdoors addicted flyfishing, skiing, snowshoeing, hiking car crooner and resident motormouth
Da'Wack, BC
Canada
5368 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2004 : 08:38 AM
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First off, there is no message between the lines.
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Mick, I don't KNOW why some post and others don't. Perhaps they need encouragement and not get scared off.
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I would think that the site would benefit from having some new posters and not just new signups.
Just double checking my perception of what you're trying to say here.
1. We would benefit the site by bringing more people here to participate. Should it matter if they "subscribe" to this site's reason for being?
2. The site would also benefit if we encourage all posters to feel completely free to post whatever it is they want regardless of whether it's about hiking or "saving the African elephants from poachers" or "this is what I had for breakfast this morning." (?)
quote:
And who defines quality control? The Thought Police (reference to 1984-George Orwell for those who don't know it)
FYI - in the publishing world the person who does the quality control is called an editor. Even your friend George in writing his outstanding works of fiction had one. Forum sites are essentially a form of free publishing where in some cases moderators play the role of editor. On CT we have survived for quite some time with very little of this because there has been very little need. But when you have a group of adults on the same page - perhaps there is very little need.
What happens to a forum when the focus is lost in the vain pursuit of freedom of speech without respect or reponsibility? |
Edited by - exscape on 09/13/2004 08:45 AM |
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Trail running, bike hucking, fast packing, beer drinking collector of pine cones on a day pass
AKA
Dances with Trees
Forest Gnome Cabin
Canada
13015 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2004 : 11:38 AM
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Thanks for the info,David.It is a curious fact,as far as the percentage of posters/members.Is it societally reflective in that a great majority of people in this world do not actively participate,or are we alienating would be posters?I can only speak from my own perspective,which is that I try to be positive,and maybe then more will post and participate.Let me ask you that as far as the site goes,what is your own major focus of interest?Do you hope to trek in Nepal,climb Judge Howay,etc?Your posts reflect an aptitude for analyzing social behaviours,so I'll also ask you if this is your field of interest(had to ask,as at one time I was a psych major myself,which explains my own confused behaviour )? |
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Ladner, BC
Canada
1176 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2004 : 12:11 PM
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My psych prof was an expert in dog behaviour and also wrote a book on why left handed people will die sooner (Dr.Stanley.Coren).
This can explain my confused behaviour too.
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The tougher the climb, the better the food tastes. -Lupin- |
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Trail running, bike hucking, fast packing, beer drinking collector of pine cones on a day pass
AKA
Dances with Trees
Forest Gnome Cabin
Canada
13015 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2004 : 1:10 PM
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| Good one LupinWhat is the meaning of life,anyway? |
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 yukon hankerin' intrepid dog lovin' fleet footed adventure racing pie packing poet who is ever keen to cave hunt, route find, night hike, and has finally introduced Bishop to Mt. Bishop
Whitehorse, Yukon
Canada
934 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2004 : 1:15 PM
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Hiker Boy and I already had a deep discussion on this - I mistakenly said 49, but thankgoodess he corrected me with the true answer 42.
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Fleece thong wearin, Buntzen Lurkin, mystic poet mountain man and international spokesman of the friends of the white squirrel society
Port Moody, B.C.
Canada
5877 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2004 : 1:20 PM
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| No it was not Hiker Boy it twas me! AND yes 42 is the answer to everything. |
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Trail running, bike hucking, fast packing, beer drinking collector of pine cones on a day pass
AKA
Dances with Trees
Forest Gnome Cabin
Canada
13015 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2004 : 1:21 PM
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LOL,I happen to be ambidextrous,so will only half of me die soonerNow I'm really confused...
Sorry,DC,on derailing the subject,maybe you(or anyone,I guess) can start a post calling for more of us to post-kind of a call to arms-I've never thought of doing that before...By the way,do you still live in Mexico?I've always wondered about the hiking there,as I've never been there before.... |
Edited by - mick range on 09/13/2004 1:26 PM |
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Fleece thong wearin, Buntzen Lurkin, mystic poet mountain man and international spokesman of the friends of the white squirrel society
Port Moody, B.C.
Canada
5877 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2004 : 1:42 PM
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I think we asked that before of him and never got an answer.
Or trip reports,or pictures of hikes, or backpacking trips, camping spots, car camping, bike riding (God Forbid) ,.... walking 
Well you get the picture don't you.
Maybe I should send one of my tean down for an interview
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Montreal, Quebec
Canada
328 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2004 : 2:27 PM
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I'm sure many people use the site for reference as I often do. I log on and look up a topic I'm interested in. No post, reply or comment required. This is participation is it not? Cuase if no one read any of these posts, well what then?
I'm in living in Montreal now, and still active on the site, lurking in the shadows mostly, but here just the same.
Just my 2 bits,
Keep on Treking
PS BC Mounaineering Course Pics coming soon |
Edited by - FOXTROTS on 09/13/2004 2:31 PM |
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Outdoors addicted flyfishing, skiing, snowshoeing, hiking car crooner and resident motormouth
Da'Wack, BC
Canada
5368 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2004 : 2:34 PM
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| Thank you for that bit of insight Foxtrots |
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154 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2004 : 3:04 PM
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Thank you for the kind words Mick.
It should be abundantly clear why I don't talk about my "focus" of interest nor anything else related to me. It would just be more fodder for this group of rednecks that follow me around from thread to thread criticizing me. No thanks.
Isn't it amazing that I post on this thread regarding Club Stats and aside from criticizing me (not what I wrote), there are posts on the meaning of life etc. And I'm criticized for being irrelevant???
Did you notice that even my reference to George Orwell from another thread popped up here with his being involved in fiction being italicized as though it were some kind of sin. As you can see, it's clearly an issue of "do what I say and not what I do"
Now back to your comments, a virtual group (club) like CT will in the end behave similarly to real groups and the phenomenum: "that a great majority of people in this world do not actively participate". Quite often to their detriment. Think of all the examples in ancient and recent history: How could a civilized nation like Germany become a country that set up concentration camps? Because the majority did nothing when they could. How about Cambodia and the killing fields? Again no one did anything inside or outside the country. And the millions killed in Ruanda in deliberate acts of genocide? and on and on.
There is a vocal and militant minority, an even smaller group of resisters who are ridiculed and minimized and a vast majority that do not want to get involved. Human nature?
Just look at voter turnout. Even worse voter participation in matters that can affect them.
The only thought that comes to me to improve upon the situation is look for a leader who could motivate the quiet majority and control the "in group" so these would not scare away the majority with snide comments, in jokes, and unjustified preening with their self proclaimed superiority. Longshadow is well respected but very often absent. Unlike some of us, he works for a living. His is the only one that comes to mind that could fill the void. I'd like to see a weekly or biweekly "column" on the front page (not among the hundreds of messages on the forum) that deals with important issues related to outdoor activities. He could even have credible guest "columnists". Hell, it's his site, he can do what he wants. Hopefully he isn't too modest to come out front and lead this "club". He made it.
Thanks again Mick for your mature responses. I'd enjoy reading more of your postings.
- David
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"All great truths begin as blasphemies." George Bernard Shaw |
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yukon hankerin' intrepid dog lovin' fleet footed adventure racing pie packing poet who is ever keen to cave hunt, route find, night hike, and has finally introduced Bishop to Mt. Bishop
Whitehorse, Yukon
Canada
934 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2004 : 3:14 PM
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This is crazy, crazy, crazy... I thought we were all friends here? Or why are we here?
Your points will be taken in a rational,respectful way if they are written that way. Just reread your post before you 'post new reply'... not to censor yourself, but to avoid agitating members. Or don't be surprised if you get some emails back from this bunch of rednecks... Truth be told none of them are rednecks - that is a derogatory word that will stir the pot unecessarily.
Some stats about myself... I come to this website to learn more about hiking and make some buddies 99% of the time. The other one percent was used to write this email and I am regretting it already. |
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Trail running, bike hucking, fast packing, beer drinking collector of pine cones on a day pass
AKA
Dances with Trees
Forest Gnome Cabin
Canada
13015 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2004 : 3:34 PM
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Up until relatively recent times,Jim had a larger presence on the site,but of late he has indeed been working too hard to do so.
On the topic of those who simply use the site as a reference,there is certainly nothing wrong with that,because that's what it's for.Posting,after all,is optional.
As far as being ridiculed for one's opinions,it's my thought that as long as you're true to your own ideals,that is what really counts.Sometimes if you're willing to reveal some of your more personal qualities,good,bad,or indifferent,it's easier to gain trust and acceptance.I have made some great friends on the site,from diverse backgrounds,and I'm sure you will be able to do the same.
Some of the crazy,irrelevant chatter will always be there too,but where would the world be without humour?On the topic of employment,I haven't yet met anyone through this site who doesn't work for a living.As for those in the "in group"who need to be controlled,who would that be?I think we all need to spend time in the penalty box once in a while-I'll sure include myself in that number,bro' |
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18 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2004 : 5:51 PM
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| Uh huh,an' now back to the important stuff.What kinda camera you got DCongrav? |
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New Westminster, BC
Canada
183 Posts |
Posted - 09/13/2004 : 6:34 PM
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I have to admit that lately I have been feeling a bit hesitant about posting sometimes and I wonder if others feel the same way, especially newcomers? There has been a lot of negativity on this site aimed at certain posters, topics, and opinions. One of the reasons I am feeling hesitant is because I agree with what dcongrav has been posting and truly can't figure out why there's such bashing going on against him? Now hopefully I won't be the bad guy.
I have truly enjoyed Club Tread in the past two years and hope to continue enjoying it both as a reader and a poster. |
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Some Club Tread Stats
