New Discussion Board Format

[mike cobine]

I know it is a lot of work to run one of these, but I'm not crazy about the new message format. I like the old one better.

[Mike Yager]

Re: New Discussion Board Format

Mike:

Have you tried changing your preferences for how messages will be displayed?

[Todd H 26112]

Re: New Discussion Board Format

Well if it makes you feel any better I don't care for either. Honestly it's a bit of an anachronistic throwback to the venerable internet of the 90s - but it's a $40 shareware package and delivers the basics for the price. But then since we talk about even older cars here - I guess it fits eh?!

Perhaps more anachonistic is the inability to share inline photos (hosted elsewhere) as part of technical discussions. I would think the very nature and point of this forum is one that would be tremendously enhanced by shooting pix and sharing them about various aspects of originality or restorations or whatever... The no-photo sharing thing went out w/ 2400 baud modems I thought.

[Andrew Strauss]

On that same note

Why are parts,cars for sale and info wanted not online?By the time i get my Driveline all the good stuff is sold!It would be nice to have a members only section for this stuff instead of waiting for the driveline only to find all the good items are gone

[Gary S.]

Re: On that same note

Andrew, give up this arguement. It has been made many times. It falls on deaf ears. Put your time and energies into something that has a remote chance of seeing something productive.

Imho, naw, never mind - don't want to go there. Where is good old Dale when you want hime to speak up. RIP

Gary

[mike cobine]

Hey, who turned off my frames?

That worked. My frames were turned off. They had been working a few hours earlier, but then they were gone.

I guess someone updated the database and glitched the switches.

[Todd H 26112]

Re: On that same note

Good point. You know I vaguely recall some blurb on this very topic some years ago perhaps in Driveline? The rationale was so bass ackwards as to leave my jaw on the floor. That's about all I remember about it. The logic was something to the tune of 'everybody gets it at the same time approximately via snail mail but not everybody is online???'. Yes, that's right but don't quote me on it verbatim. Now that I think about it, I do recall thinking that such myopic decision making would only leave NCRS behind. Well sure enough... Now w/ ebay and onlne forums you even see pictures too. Nor do you waste your time w/ already sold items or LD calls. Driveline is definately no longer a reason for me to renew at this point like it was back in the pre-web era. I'm not exagering when I say that 4 out of 5 times I toss driveline away and the 5th time I may check a few announcements or make a quick skim but invariable get bored with such manual searches on stale information. I'll just stick w/ my quarterly Restorer magazine for $24/yr.

[Terry D.]

Re: On that same note

Is this a democracy? If so why not let the membership vote on it. I for one would like to see a members only online sale.

Terry

[Roy B.]

Re: New Discussion Board Format

A newer post on this page I asked what happened with NCRS swap meets. I feel strange in the last years selling parts at NCRS meets being the only one selling C! parts. Parts being dirty and not pretty like Repro's are junk to day I guess.

[Larry Clain]

Here is a good "parts for sale board" example

This is a great example of a good working forum setup for parts for sale or wanted.

NOTE:!!!!= This is not for Corvette parts for sale = but is only for Honda Valkyrie motorcycles and their parts. But for format and ease of use it would be a wonderful addition to NCRS in my opinion.

I am a new member and was very disapointed with the lack of parts for sale/wanted forum. The other thing I think would be a huge improvment is a "by year and S/N" searchable database that is up to each member if his Personal information was disclosed (name) is posted. One good thing about it is that at least someone could know if a S/N of a certain car was ever registered. That way you would know if it was missing or not.

Those that were confident enought could post or opt out. I have lots of old sales records and or pic's of cars that I sold over the years. I would love to know where some of them went. I bet the present owners would love to have old pics of a car in the past.

Guys this is bigger than us if we will stop to think about it we are not going to live forever but our cars are going to be around a hell of a lot longer than we will. Just think if this had been done back when the NCRS first started?

I would give anything to find who now owns my first Corvette a '61 Black/red HT only big tank, 315 hp with metalic brakes and a 4:11 Posi. It was a back up race car for a local Race driver. If you ever saw one with a Dodge Charger pop open gas cap instead of the ugly 54 chev Pickup single neck sticking through the side of the body with a rubber gasket around it and a 67 hood scoop on it with lace where it should have a stripe. PLEASSSSSSE let me know? The guy I sold it to, claims he took the injector off and pushed it in a Strip Pit. (Frown...!!!)




Parts for sale forum

[Todd H 26112]

Re: On that same note

Nope. Nor are there competitive pressures applied to stimulate leadership beyond maintaining status quo. That's why I spend most of my time, energy and whatever talents I can offer elsewhere in the Corvette community which I freely admit and understand is probably to the relief of most here. Most folks are appointed but you can vote for president and you're regional director FWIW. When I voted it was always for non-incumbants but now I grouse - same results but more personal gratification

But the mind does boggle at the possibilities that have been passed up for years now doesn't it? Just look at the state of the relatively non-centralized and non-organized Corvette community online. THen look at the highly organized NCRS and it's online presence such as it is - the difference is telling.

Imagine listing parts for sale w/ lengthy descriptions and color photos and an email address to save on phone calls, paper and printing costs to the membership. Imagine the time savings w/ online searches vs manual scanning.

Imagine technical discussions on this very forum sharing detailed photos of nitpicky parts being debated. Heck the macro capabilities of a cheap $100 digital camera are just fine.

Heck we could have had a virtual judging meet w/ folks photographing each section of a car in detail and letting members view and debate and discuss. Just imagine how inclusive this could have been for members in remote areas or outside of N. America.

In fact I want to say this very forum is largely the result of a backwater low-ball effort by an NCRS member some years back using share-ware and was simply or essentially adopted by NCRS (though I think it's now outgrown the usage by most contemporary web community standards and lack of photo sharing is increasingly apparent to me) - again an example of a rogue effort by an individual - NOT something sanctioned or initiated by NCRS just adopted.

That such basic things are even debatable is well, ... That's our situation regardless. To be fair - there are IT development costs, bandwidth issues, security issues, design issues and technical hurdles that may be beyond the sophistication and budget of our current infrastructure. Remember - we are currently discussing all of this using a $40 shareware BBS package and we can't even share images online at this point - things like searchable interactive photo classifieds for Corvette stuff may not realistically be around the corner in this particular neck of the online world. Besides the thunder is long since stolen - even the slickest parts exchange site by NCRS would have to contend w/ the fact that most have long ago moved on to ebay and a slew of slick Corvette, Chevy and Automotive websites. I suppose the low ball solution would be to simply publish the Driveline issues online simultaneously.

[Terry D.]

Re: New Discussion Board Format

Roy

I don't know where you live, but as a member who has got back into the hobby, I e-mailed this forum before Carlisle and asked members for their booth numbers. I stopped and chatted with quite a few. Also checked to see if they had any C1 parts. Theory being I would rather buy from fellow member for obvious reasons. Maybe those of you with parts for sale should say so and at what swap meet you will be, I for one will be there if I can.

As for the NCRS, any orginization is sloooow to change and as with most of them their is a hand full of people who do most of the work, therefor they get to dictate policy. However if enough of us voice an opinion on something and a few new people step up to do the work, maybe change can be accomplished. Let's face it E-Bay has been a necessary evil. It has certainly helped the person who lives out in the remotes to find parts, but it has taken the fun out of a lot of the hobby. Prices have skyrocketed and lots of people don't even bother to take things to meets because of the cost and hassle, when they can sit at home and let their fingers do the walking.

Should the driveline go online? I for one would love it, but what about the people without computers? Can't imagine there are many but still. As for the argument of not being able to ind that hard to find part, I have found that if you ask the right questions on this forum someone will step up and help you out, not only with advice but also with help in finding THAT part you need. I have found that most members are more than willing to help out. If you don't get my drift e-mail me and I will explainhow to do this.
Just my two cents.

Terry

[Todd H 26112]

Re: New Discussion Board Format

"any orginization is sloooow to change and as with most of them their is a hand full of people who do most of the work" Terry I can think of many organizations that are exceptions to that rule but in this case I full agree that is probably VERY true and accurate statement regarding NCRS. THe very core and essence fo NCRS is one regarding status quo - not just cars but everything. For that matter NCRS is under no competitive pressure to 'keep up' and can thus get away w/ languishing far behind in embracing technology like what the internet offers. I don't sense there is any interest in NCRS desiring to grow it's membership ranks beyond the per capita size it is at in comparison to the overall Corvette population. Nor do I see sense any desire to change it's demographics. I suspect NCRS can maintain it's current demographics and per capita membership at current levels and not expand or improve the service currently being provided. Not saying that's good or bad - just an observation.

Your observation about ebay is very accurately put. However I have observed in the last 5 years, MANY small or hobby level organizations and groups of folks w/ far less resources than NCRS got more actively involved in the internet and embraced it rather than ignore it - as a result there are other sectors that have developed very solid options to ebay ebay ebay. Someone on this forum posted a motorcycle example but that's just the tip of the iceberg for success stories. Usually I'm not this way but at this point and based on NCRS's current efforts and interests online - I'm afraid any online Driveline would not have anywhere near the succes it could have had even a couple few years ago making the discussion somewhat academic. Hope I'm wrong but the short sighted decisions of the past will haunt the future.

Ebay is DEFINATELY going to have some unscrupulous buyers and sellers. Hopefully the population is smaller but given a 24K member population - they DO exist within NCRS as well - difference being they paid $20 or so a year is all. Interestingly enough you probably have more protections in purchases via ebay but 'hopefully' you have less need for protection via Driveline.

"but what about the people without computers?"
I seem to recall that was the official logic behind originally nixing the idea in the past. But by that same logic, this very BBS should NOT exist should it? Then again NCRS does not have a problem w/ setting double standards. I wonder when NCRS decided everyone had telephones and they could be canonized as an official method of communication? - Just kidding!

[Dick W.]

Re: New Discussion Board Format

Some may not realize that the cost of doing business is subsidized by the commercial ads in the DriveLine. The advertisers want to reach as many potential customers as possible. If the ads were to be on the web, a lot of would be customers would not read the print copy, and therefore not see the ads.

It is a catch 22 situation. At first thought to put the Driveline on the web is a very good idea, but if you look at the potential loss of revenue, it ain't necessarily such a good idea. No one wants another dues increase.

[Rick A.]

Re: New Discussion Board Format

ads can be "digitalized", etc. so the "loss of revenue" whine is a COP OUT - yes, there will be some cost involved in going "on-line" with the DRIVELINE, but I believe the NCRS to stay viable MUST look at coming into the modern age

just my $.02 centavos worth