What do you want to have on Bushcraft UK?

[William_Montgomery]

How do people feel about the 'like' button? A useful feature, or something which could prevent actual discussion? Or a bit of both?

I think perhaps a bit of both. I didn't used to use it, but nowadays I like to use it to acknowledge someone's post. It's useful to say a quick 'thanks', 'good idea' or 'I agree'. Seems to take the place of a casual nod or other non-verbal gestures.

I'm not a fan of the whole 'liking' things culture. But perhaps in the case of BCUK it can add more nuance to a conversation rather than less.... maybe.

I 'liked' your post, because I get why you asked the question.

 

[William_Montgomery]

I also see it as a bit of a diffusion feature, where a disagreement has started I find liking the opponents post shows it’s been read and not taken personally.

Good point.

 

[Chris]

I don’t find people are shy with opinions here, so I quite like it as an ‘I agree’ without just rewording the same thing they said.

 

[William_Montgomery]

.

 

[RonW]

I’d be cautious opening up the photo option to all, full member status is not expensive and shows a degree of commitment and allows a bit of vetting too.

I’m liking this current trend of linking older posts that are on the same topic, saves a lot of repetition.

I still think BCUK is awesome and accounts for the majority of my non work internet usage.

On the other hand, it also adds a hinder for non-full members to add content to this place, limiting interaction and interest. It makes it less attractive , which might lead to people being less inclined to stick around and become paying members.

 

[JonathanD]

On the other hand, it also adds a hinder for non-full members to add content to this place, limiting interaction and interest. It makes it less attractive , which might lead to people being less inclined to stick around and become paying members.

Exactly. That’s what we need to overcome.

 

[Wayland]

I have been guilty of checking in less than I used to.

For a while the conversations started to be dominated by an individual that I didn’t much like and as people like me drifted away because of him, the place just wasn’t as interesting.

Even when he had gone, there are only so many knife threads that I could be bothered to read and that seemed to be all that was going on at times.

Looking at things now those problems seem to have gone away but many of the old guard have gone away as well.

HillBill gave me a much needed kick in the pants that made me look in again and I cannot help but wonder if that is what is needed for a few others to come back and take another look.

I miss the old days when I didn’t know what I would learn from day to day because the conversations were so diverse.

My interests may have changed a bit but they are still often related so I will make some effort to post more. ( Prepare to be bombarded with lantern posts for a while. )

Go out and give all your old friends a prod. Ultimately it is up to us to put this place back where it was in our hearts.

 

[Foogs]

Is the videos section something that could be reinstated?

I haven't been a member that long, but I don't think it's been populated with videos since I joined.

How did it used to work?

 

[Broch]

I feel guilty I've not contributed to this discussion, especially as someone that tries to drop in most days. I don't quite understand why there are not more 'last night's camp meal' type posts or 'our weekend meet' reports - are the majority of us not doing stuff or is it just we don't think people would be interested? I'm guilty as charged - I just assume my every day activities in the wood and around the countryside are just that 'every day'.

I wonder if a small improvement to the search function would help a little. We can currently select a search in titles only or all posts. I tend to click all posts because the title often doesn't contain 'the' key word or, sometimes, it's misspelt. So, could we have a search all posts function but with a 'go to first post of thread' option? Then, we'd only get one result for a thread that contained many posts containing the key word. It would also mean that the list of matches would contain a list of different threads not lots of matches for one thread.

 

[Glow_worm]

I'm a complete newcomer but will add my thoughts, which may or may not be useful!

The most valuable thing for me would be the ability to upload photos, so I can join in a little more. I don't ave an account on a hosting site and am not going to open one- I don't want the hassle, some ofthem are scams, the few good ones are liable to go bankrupt or start charging and I don't want more emails to unsubscribe to.

I'm not going to subscribe to the site just yet- I fully appreciate what a wonderful resource it is, and understand the management and hosting costs (especially those photos ) but firstly I am genuinely skint- yes I know almost everybody claims not to have much money but I'll readily admit my cashflow is chaotic. I have health issues at the moment which liit the useful work I can do, and I have to balance that time between earning money and a colossal house restoration which takes everything I earn and then some.

I also have far too many hobbies/interests, if I joined a club or paid a subscription for every one of them it would probably equal my annual living costs! My fault, just too fascinated by almost everything.

 

[Broch]

I hate some of the hosting sites - I take exception to side-bar adverts for 'Asian Babes' and the like and cannot understand anyone's morals in using sites with such adverts.

But, images, videos, and indeed any other 'file based' media costs money to host. So, unless anyone has a better idea about how Tony can fund this without a) taking up a great deal more of his time, and b) without adverts - then I suggest we need incentives for people paying £1.25per month for membership, and uploading photos is one.

 

[Herman30]

I have used postimage for years and so far nothing to complain about.

www.postimage.org

 

[Glow_worm]

then I suggest we need incentives for people paying £1.25per month for membership, and uploading photos is one.

Unless that has the negative effect of people using other platforms like facebook or youtube which have a wider audience, and are free (or even make small amounts of money).

 

[Broch]

I’m trying to think out of the box – but I confess coming up with new ideas is proving difficult. So, here’s an idea that may encourage members to participate a little more.

@Tony messages (email I would suggest to make sure it gets through) all full and life members asking if they want to participate (I believe this will be fine under GPDR rules). If they do, they either email or PM the organiser to say they do.

One participant is selected each week (I suggest, in alphabetical order of their avatar name to keep things simple). That person is then required to start a thread titled <Members’ Weekly Thought - ******> (where ****** is the avatar name). People will have to open the post to see what the content is; there’s no clue in the title.

The post could be anything, within the rules of the forum, but the more ‘bushcrafty’/wilderness skills based the better. It could be short or long, a tutorial on something, an account of a walk or a trip, a review of a book or a video, a description of seasonal foraging, a recipe for foraged food – anything related to the forum. I know many of you do post these kinds of things but we want to encourage/persuade members who don't do so very frequently.

I would suggest we would need at least 20+ members to participate to make it work so people aren’t being asked too frequently.

Putting my money where my mouth is, if no-one is particularly keen to do it, I will volunteer to organise it. I would suggest I’ll send out a roster for the month ahead to the relevant people and then remind each person the week before. If, for any reason someone can’t make it that week, they need to let me know, then I can swap people around within reason.

If you think it’s dead in the water, just say so

 

[Stew]

I'm a complete newcomer but will add my thoughts, which may or may not be useful!

The most valuable thing for me would be the ability to upload photos, so I can join in a little more. I don't ave an account on a hosting site and am not going to open one- I don't want the hassle, some ofthem are scams, the few good ones are liable to go bankrupt or start charging and I don't want more emails to unsubscribe to.

I'm not going to subscribe to the site just yet- I fully appreciate what a wonderful resource it is, and understand the management and hosting costs (especially those photos ) but firstly I am genuinely skint- yes I know almost everybody claims not to have much money but I'll readily admit my cashflow is chaotic. I have health issues at the moment which liit the useful work I can do, and I have to balance that time between earning money and a colossal house restoration which takes everything I earn and then some.

I also have far too many hobbies/interests, if I joined a club or paid a subscription for every one of them it would probably equal my annual living costs! My fault, just too fascinated by almost everything.

I appreciate that you've already decided that they're bad but just to say, postimages is no hassle, I have never seen a scam and also don't need to sign up so they have no email to send to. If it goes bankrupt and loses the picture then (to paraphrapse) is it better to have posted a picture and have lost it or never to have posted it at all?

 

[Glow_worm]

I for one find it thoroughly annoying finding an interesting, detailed forum thread which appears to be a great resource, only to discover that the images disappeared 12 years ago and the poster left the forum or died in the meantime....

That's two votes for postimage though, maybe I'll give it a go after all, thank you!

 

[Stew]

I for one find it thoroughly annoying finding an interesting, detailed forum thread which appears to be a great resource, only to discover that the images disappeared 12 years ago and the poster left the forum or died in the meantime....

That's two votes for postimage though, maybe I'll give it a go after all, thank you!

So the alternative you're suggesting is never to have posted the thread at all.

 

[Tengu]

I’m trying to think out of the box – but I confess coming up with new ideas is proving difficult. So, here’s an idea that may encourage members to participate a little more.

@Tony messages (email I would suggest to make sure it gets through) all full and life members asking if they want to participate (I believe this will be fine under GPDR rules). If they do, they either email or PM the organiser to say they do.

One participant is selected each week (I suggest, in alphabetical order of their avatar name to keep things simple). That person is then required to start a thread titled <Members’ Weekly Thought - ******> (where ****** is the avatar name). People will have to open the post to see what the content is; there’s no clue in the title.

The post could be anything, within the rules of the forum, but the more ‘bushcrafty’/wilderness skills based the better. It could be short or long, a tutorial on something, an account of a walk or a trip, a review of a book or a video, a description of seasonal foraging, a recipe for foraged food – anything related to the forum. I know many of you do post these kinds of things but we want to encourage/persuade members who don't do so very frequently.

I would suggest we would need at least 20+ members to participate to make it work so people aren’t being asked too frequently.

Putting my money where my mouth is, if no-one is particularly keen to do it, I will volunteer to organise it. I would suggest I’ll send out a roster for the month ahead to the relevant people and then remind each person the week before. If, for any reason someone can’t make it that week, they need to let me know, then I can swap people around within reason.

If you think it’s dead in the water, just say so

I like that.

Though these days I am quite busy in the Iron Age

 

[Broch]

I like that.

Though these days I am quite busy in the Iron Age

Don't worry Tengu - 'T' is 20 weeks away

Edit - actually could be a lot more as there are many members in most alphabet letters

 

[Wildgoose]

I like that.

Though these days I am quite busy in the Iron Age

Perfect, tell us a bit about that, your work, how the centre works, what kit you are using etc