RCS AND A RETURN TO IT'S FORMER GLORY

Ole Willie posted "I was not participating in any online forums for a while but decided to return. Upon returning to RCS, I found that it was very slow compared to what it was like a few years ago. So I checked out some other sites..."

I constantly think about how it used to be before a series of bad decisions messed it all up. I used to pay my Brother, 'CoffeeShop Frank' to read through it all everyday, and it took him all day! Now I can read through the posts in less than an hour.

Although there are other forums I think it's really social media that is occupying everyone's attention. Different groups have conversations on Linked In that seems like a forum, The RCS Facebook reached 16,000 in a week two weeks ago. So, do you think that Social Media has replaced the Forum?

We are all sentimental about the RCS good ole days. I think the true beauty of the Forum was really loving the industry we work in, the willingness to support each other and the feeling of camaraderie. It's weird caring so much about people that in come cases I have never met.

Any suggestions on how to rebuild it?

No, I don't think it has. We have really talked about everything we can about roofing throughout the years prior. now a new topic will come up from time to time. But more important, I think the guys and gals are respectful to RCS and are not filling the board up with off topic threads.

If you notice, when a new "real" topic comes up, most do jump in and comment.

I think also, some of the original posters don't have the patience for new people with the same old problems we have disscussed years ago many times over.

thats my 2 cents. :)

I think Sean has some of it. I also think thar if more of the guys would post pictures of the jobs they are working on, we would get a lot more comments. Questions about certain details and the advantages of doing things one way as opposed to another. Ther are "lurkers" too and I think that would teach them a lot and maybe get them to log on and comment too. I am thankful that Mike from NZ has gotten back on. He always posts pictures and if you notice, they get a lot of comments. he is just good at what he does too.

No doubt about it, toes were stepped on and feelings were hurt. No avoiding that fact.

One blowup in particular was Tom and I going at each others' throats. Friends chose sides, the insults escalated to personal attacks and outright slander. I decided I wanted no part of that and I guess the other side did, too.

Nowadays I'm careful not to venture too deep into the weeds on issues, especially given that one of my customers has chosen to directly compete with me in my own backyard. Not gonna be giving out too much info to the competition.

Well Vickie...........we'd all like to return to our former glory B)

Haven't had enough airplane threads.

Things wax and wane in everything.

A lot of us were just getting used to the internet so that fed interest. A wide range of personalities were at work figuring out where they fit, so that fed interest.

Social networking might have called away a few, but this place was the de facto social networking for many of us, at least to a significant degree. (I've had a Facebook account for ages, but every time I think it might be time to check in there I get an image in my mind of that kid's Artificial Intelligence face and remember when they ripped down my own handiwork there and stuffed it full of timelines and stuff they though would be cooler than cool. My son likes it but I find it shallow and empty-headed.)

A number of the people with fire, both good and bad, are now out of the business. A number of us are older and don't sit at the computer when we have grandkids to entertain us now.

All it takes is a mutual interest in what we are all doing and thinking to generate a greater interest. It could return in a flash, with or without the old group of personalities. I used to spend a steadily increasing time on the computer and now I try to do it all in small blocks.

I still drive around every day, though, with a small green stone on my keychain that I got from answering a lot of quiz questions several years ago. Once in awhile I'll let someone use the keys, but I make it clear they are not to harm that stone. Million dollars worth of happy memories regularly evoked by one little trinket. All y'all are with me forever.

Doing a lot of reading at night these days, time I used to spend on the web. Most recently the complete writings of Thomas Paine, published in 1945 and a history of Europe from 1600 to 1830 published originally in 1913. I read the 800 page revision re-published in 1930. Got a lot of old books when we went through my mom's library after she died a year ago. Had a lot of catching up to do and gearing up to write a family history, such as I can. It has already been consuming a lot of energy.

Working steadily as usual. (Use it or lose it.) I'm sure it would be harder if I didn't love the work, but I just plain do and that's the truth. 65 and still rockin'. Thank you, God, for another day.

Vickie, I still remember when I received the news from you that I had been chosen as the RCSer of the month. While I understand thats not exactly the same as winning an Oscar, it was still an honor to me. As roofers, we don't get a lot of praise, especially considering what we put into it. I still have the coffee mug and other things that you sent. Thank You!

PS If it makes you feel any better, I tried 3 other sites, 2 are just as slow and the only site that has any traffic to speak of is the one I mentioned in that thread. It's just a bunch of storm chasers rambling on and on about how the insurance company won't roll over and play dead! :woohoo:

I find FaceBook and social media annoying too. Rather vapid and pointless.

Some funny / good stuff is posted. . But only after digging through a lot of nonsense ( watch twill look at a hamburger!) and spam (Guns are GREAT!/ guns are BAD!) who really cares? (read twill's comment about the lettuce!)

I hope it goes away, or becomes more intelligent.

Of course, we expected the same thing from TV 60 yrs ago too...... :dry:

Vickie, I think Sean is right. When we all first found this place so many years ago it was such a great thing to know that you weren't alone out there in the world and we could come on and converse with other roofing company owners about anything that we wanted to. As time went by it got more difficult to keep from rehashing stuff we had already gone over. Also new posters would come on and a few were very annoying and obnoxious and it took some of the fun out of it. There is not as much traffic as in the old days but it's still the best forum site that I know of and you can see that although there are fewer topics started that there are still alot of people visiting the topics. Maybe we need some kind of incentive to get the lurkers to join in more. I know for myself it is hard to find the time to post as much as I did and I am sure that's the case for a lot of us. I doubt it will ever be what it was 10 years ago but it's still great. imho

Thank You all for your insightful answers. I actually feel a little better. Perhaps it might have run it's course without my forum killing interference. I think that it might comeback strong when we are all senile and forgot what we wrote. Then we'll be hopping again!

I really do think a huge plus is the photos of projects that people post. I love them! Old School is my hero and I was thrilled to see Mike NZ/VAA's post the other day.

I'll just keep plugging along, keeping it online and promoted and let it do what it is supposed to do.

Thanks Friends!

Hi Vickie,

Whatever decisions you made way back then were the right decisions for that day, don't go back unless there is something to be learned from the past.

I remember when Frank left, he was probably what would be called a moderator on the new type sites, the Guys are right we all were new to the internet and the topics discussed were not really what the family wanted to hear about because they didn't understand what we actually did all day.

RCS was one of the first and I reckon the longest running forum, one things for sure there never was and never will be another like it.

Personally I don't like Facebook, far too invasive for my liking.

Hi Mike,

I still have the prize you put up for a whole lot of questions, now that I think about it I'm old enough to wear it on a gold chain.

Some people might want to hear a long story about where it originated from and how I got it, boy does that open possibilities :)

Others might look shake their heads and mumble "There goes another one in mid life crisis" LOL

Say Hello to Marlene for me.

Mike, they might not have their mastic asphalt samples, but I assure you I still have mine. It has a tiny piece of mother-of-pearl embedded in the top surface and hasn't aged a day. I also have some square-cut copper slate nails Peter sent me. I've got an HRI jacket but I ate the maple candy a long old time ago. And of course, I have the RCS coffee mug.

I'll have to take a picture of that set of keys. Along with the greenstone and the keys I've got an old flat Sears pocket screwdriver on it from one of my grandfathers.

Of course I also have the Thos. Jefferson two-dollar bill my dad gave me when I came of age. What I do not have is a Dick Tracy two-way wrist radio, but I'm ready for pretty much any other emergency so long as nobody tries to off me with one of those new drones when I'm least expecting it.

Vaa, I am about to try and post some photos like that instead of having it on a seperate link. That doesn't sound good. =%$&-2@!() Really!

OS

If you want to put images from picasas in the forum just right click on the image then click on properties. Then high lite the image url and click Ctrl + C on your keyboard to copy it to your clipboard then Ctrl + V to paste it into the forum the high lite the url in the forum form and click the Image button