FUTURE of MADMECHANICS

[Don Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Don]

All members;

As with every forum that has been around for many many years, this forum has certainly evolved and declined usage. We had some real issues with spam with the old version of the site so upgraded it and since then, the functionality has been hit and miss for some reason with some having issues with PM etc. The picture upload was enabled again but it still some having issues.

I talked with Ari as he is the owner and main Admin for the site and has been for so many years. I asked him if he was interested in continuing the site with the significant decline in the usage. He said he is fine but really doesn't have time to actively support the site any more as he now has a family and kids and work etc..... Like we all have gone through since this site has been around for over 20 years.... I am only a couple years away from retirement myself and I was a pretty young fella when I found this site.....


Please respond to the poll and I will keep an eye on it over the next several weeks. I tried to add a text for things you would want improved but that did not work. Very simple poll functionality here... If you vote yes on the poll, also add items in the reply that you would like to see updated on the site to have more usage.

Thanks all
Don

Do you want to have this site continued?

[Saul goodman Active Users Find all posts View Profile Close Saul goodman]

I'd like to see this updated... I've been around since 2002, old account locked out but its such a shame of the decline. would love to see the builds being updated regularly like back in the day.

[Kent50 Active Users Find all posts View Profile Close Kent50]

Hi Don,

I have been around for a long time now and really enjoy the site. Unfortunately I do not have anything to contribute but am getting close to retirement which might afford me time to start a project. I don't follow any other kit car sites so my question would be are they seeing a similar decline?

[LP700-4 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close LP700-4]

Hey Don... it has been a while. Hope all is well with you.

Back in the day (now I am sounding old...) when the F355 was the kit of choice and "funny wheels" was the build to watch, you could come on to this site and spend an hour or so just catching up on the new post. Now it seems like days goes by without anything being posted.

I would like to see the bugs fixed as I still can not message people as I get the "you are not authorized...." message. I have not tried to post photos here in a long time so I am not sure if that works or not....

I am also a member on Lamboclone and I am seeing the same decline over there. You might get a couple post in a day and then nothing for several days...

Where is everyone posting their builds??? maybe on facebook or through youtube videos? Anyway, I am planning to start a new build diary for the OEM paneled Aventador build sometime soon but not sure which site to set the build diary up.

update - I am not even authorized to view my own profile.


-Glenn

[TDW Active Users Find all posts View Profile Close TDW]

This is probably going to sound like a very dumb question....at least it does to me....but WHERE exactly can one access one's "profile"? I cannot locate the page with my stats, etc.? More than likely, it's right in front of me...but I've looked repeatedly...and still can't locate it!
Anybody?

[TDW Active Users Find all posts View Profile Close TDW]

I've clicked on my user name and I just get a message that says I'm not authorized to view that information! ......but it does show my join date as being Jan 2013....so I've been here for a while....even before I had a kit to work on! Too much valuable information contained on this board for it to disappear into obscurity.....anything any of us can do to keep it going?

[Saul goodman Active Users Find all posts View Profile Close Saul goodman]

This is probably going to sound like a very dumb question....at least it does to me....but WHERE exactly can one access one's "profile"? I cannot locate the page with my stats, etc.? More than likely, it's right in front of me...but I've looked repeatedly...and still can't locate it!
Anybody?

Top page u should see your user name click on it drop down box should say my profile.

It appears I get the not authorized msg as well tho..

But hey at least I can pm

[Dangerrous Active Users Find all posts View Profile Close Dangerrous]

I've been a member for years and had the pleasure of reading some epic builds as they have progressed, there's been some big upsets and controversy along the way, the numerous posts drew my attention and I looked up MM everyday, I still do, but there's hardly anything that interests me now, the UK has suffered a massive replica clamp down, loads of kit producers have gone to the wall, it seems to be the same story in the US. With the emergance of FACEBOOK member sites, owners clubs seem to swerve to a facebook site instead. Is MM just hanging onto the inevitable, I'm not sure if t has a realistic future in the ever changing media climate

[Bloozberry Active Users Find all posts View Profile Close Bloozberry]

I've been a member since around 2014... I think. But I'll have to wait until I post this reply to see for sure since I can't access my own profile either. And that's the problem. The Admin doesn't care that it's full of bugs, difficult to post photos, and was flooded with spam. Forums can't run on auto-pilot.

When I left PFF in 2014 I had hoped that MM would be the site to continue my build thread. But that didn't happen because the all-important feature of any forum, posting photos, was (and still is) cumbersome to say the least. A build thread without photos isn't going to attract anyone. I also won't invest the time to document anything I'm doing with the threat of the forum disappearing constantly looming overhead.

I voted yes to keep the forum running, but not if it's going to be on life-support. In my opinion no one is going to add new material, MM will continue it's decline, and it will be shelved unless the bugs are fixed, the Admin shows renewed interest in keeping the site functioning, and photo-hosting on the forum is a reality.

[Hemidodge Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hemidodge]

Don,

I personally would like to see the site continue, but I think in the end it is up to you and Ari if you want to putting in all the time and effort to keep it running. This is one of the last web based sites where ideas and builds can be exchanges with out have to give up all your personal information. I have only been logged in as a member the last several years but have lurked since the early 2000's. Never really contributed as I really didn't have build going on at the time. I have always liked the idea of having all the build information located in one place instead of chasing to every ones FB looking for ever ones page. I guess every one just wants their 15 minutes of fame and how many likes they can get from around the world.

Now if there was a way to lure old members back to the site

Bob

[Don Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Don]

Good responses all and thanks for the feedback. I like the different ideas and do agree with those that say the access and functionality is off since the upgrade. Wil chat with Ari about how he wants to proceed and update here afterward.

Cheers
Don

[murcie-me Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close murcie-me]

Any updates on this topic?

[Don Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Don]

I have not heard back from Admin on his thoughts so continuing to moderate and post as I work on my projects. I don't have the access to the back end to see about PM and other users issues folks have reported so up to Admin to get time to have a look. Sorry folks.