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500 Message Boards

Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 3:15 am
by Deb Porter
Hi everyone.

It has become really obvious over the last 12 months (particularly in the last few months) that having a separate message board for 500 members is really not beneficial at all. In fact, it can be counter-productive if new 500 members wander over there and find:

1. A ghost town.
2. Very loooooooooonnnnnnng waits for replies to their posts.

To be honest, the 500 message boards were a nice idea at the start, but with a very active and healthy regular message board here, the separate message board doesn't really serve any purpose. Now that there are so many special bonuses for 500 members (and there's a rather special extra bonus in the "possibility" stage at the moment), the boards are a nice, old dinosaur that only gets the occasional new 500 member visiting (and a very non-dinosaur-like Darlene to meet them more often than not).

The other problem is that as long as the 500 boards stay there, communication with the majority of 500 members about new things, the magazine, front page showcase, etc., will always be a bit of a hit and miss affair. Far better to use the more popular message boards as the main arena for 500 member communication.

So, because of that, we will be closing down the old 500 boards in the not too distant future. In their place, we will be creating a special section here on the boards devoted to 500 information. It won't be a "private" message board, but that's not really a big issue. There weren't really any private things being discussed over there anyway. Anything that does need to go to 500 members only can just as easily be sent via email.

I hope you'll find the new 500 forums here on the FaithWriters' boards an easier way to keep up to date with 500 information, while also ensuring that your 500 questions will be answered much faster.

With love, Deb

Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 11:00 am
by Deb Porter
RedBaron wrote:I know I don't pop over there very often, because I'm just SO active over here LOL
You and me both, Shari. :wink:

And that really was the reason. We have a really happy, healthy message board right here. Trying to spread things across the two boards, when the majority of people in the 500 were also regulars or semi-regulars here, was not the best use of manpower or time. Then I always felt awful when a brave soul wandered back from their first experience on the 500 boards, and was left feeling a little let down.

This should make things better all around--and like I said, it's not like we actually had secrets over there or anything. LOL!

Love, Deb

Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 11:21 am
by KarenE
Just the other day it suddenly struck me that I hadn't visited the 500 boards in about 6 months! LOL!

The plans to bring them here is a great idea Deb!

Love, :)

Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 5:12 pm
by Allison
Yay! And now we won't have to log out and in again everyt ime we change boards!

Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 4:38 am
by China rose
An excellent move. Yep -the very 'non-dinosaur-like-Darlene' was the one who pointed me to these message boards - I remember that now - and I don't think I've ever looked back ... oops. Now I WILL use the 500 stuff more because it'll be right in front of me.

THANKS, everyone (especially Deb and Scott) for constantly watching and evaluating and making things better and better!

Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 5:29 am
by Sparrow
I think I went to the 500s boards a whole three times... :| Something like that. I always felt a little bad I didn't manage more, but I only seem to be able to stay active long-term on about two boards. Especially now with school.

In other words, thanks Deb! :D I don't promise to keep up on all these forums, but at least I have a little better chance of seeing stuff. :P

Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 8:22 am
by Deb Porter
The easiest way to make sure that you are seeing any relevant new posts is to click the "View Posts Since Last Visit" link at the right hand top of the forums. I do that every time I come in, and scroll through the new posts to make sure I catch everything I need to see, regardless of the forums.

I just thought I'd mention that, because it's quite possible some people may not realize that option is there.

Love, Deb

Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:12 am
by China rose
breathfreshair wrote:I just thought I'd mention that, because it's quite possible some people may not realize that option is there.
Um, yes, it is indeed very possible......

Wow - that's really impressive!

Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2006 12:04 pm
by Deb Porter
hee hee.

I just had a feeling that there may be some who were in the dark about that little option. :wink:

Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:23 am
by Mid
I knew it!!!You know, I could whistle over there and not get yelled at....(I don't whistle very welll....kinda wheesy like, and flat)
all things work together for good in due time!!! To everything there is a season. Looks like winter has come to the old boards...snowflakes are fallin'......... whistles quietly.........

Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:38 am
by Deb Porter
It definitely makes life a bit easier for those of us who are regulars on these boards. Splitting the time between both was not easy. Darlene was a legend!

Still is. :wink:

Love, Deb

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 9:35 pm
by JLC
Is there really a need for a 500 section on the message board?

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 9:40 pm
by Deb Porter
Yes, Jim, there is. It's a good collection point for information regarding magazine submissions and other announcements from time to time. A 500 newsletter will be going out on a fairly regular basis, but a lot of people don't read things like that (from experience). So the 500 message board forums are a good base for communicating information and keeping it available for people arriving on the boards for the first time.

What we didn't need was a separate message board.

Love, Deb