Can the owners of this site make it a better resource? Please? If they don't have the time then perhaps hand it over to someone who does. It could be a useful place for the community but seems really neglected. Neighbouring forums covering Herne Hill (http://www.hernehillforum.org.uk/) and Forest Hill (http://www.se23.com) are much more lively to give two examples. Then there's something like the SE1 site which is good enough to attract enough advertising that the owners make a living from it. Why are there no blogs, what's-on listings, relevant Twitter feeds, local news sections, list of local doctors and dentists, opening times of shops, etc.?

Thoughts?

While I'm sure it can be improved, I suspect the East Dulwich Forum ends up hoovering most posters. I’m sure some additional effort would improve matters, but equally, those who manage the forum probably think it’s the users that ultimately determine whether it’s a success or not.

John if there are ways in which you think the site can better reflect what you would like to see please share. As John247 has said it ought to be the posters who contribute and create the discussions and debates that make the site. And as he also said the EDF does attract a number of those who wish to converse more whereas the posters on this forum are insterested in West Dulwich specific issues.

downsouth Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> if there are ways in which you think the site
> can better reflect what you would like to see
> please share.

Hmmm, like I suggested above; blogs, what's-on listings, relevant Twitter feeds, local news sections, list of local doctors and dentists, opening times of shops, etc. People need a reason to visit, and seldom used message boards aren't a crowd puller.
Reading back my first post it comes across as a bit harsh, which wasn't my attention. I'd just like a better local resource really.

If someone has the time to get any of these things going on this site then please send me a Private Message and I'll give them access to this site so they can set it all up. I run the East Dulwich Forum and don't have time to input to this site, there is a moderator on here who helps the place run smoothly but if you want to add to it then please get in touch.

I mentioned this on a thread in the news section, but seems silly to delete posts 'on West Norwood' as the two neighbourhoods overlap. I know it won't make a huge difference to the forum activity but ...

> If someone has the time to get any of these things
> going on this site then please send me a Private
> Message and I'll give them access to this site so
> they can set it all up.

*sniggers mischievously*

My thought is that it's a bit rich for a poster who registered here a year ago and posted 9 times to complain about this not being a local resource. The EDF for example is a useful local resource due to a large extent, the input from its posters.

Agreed Aslan, but I think the way Mark runs it has a lot to do with its success too. And succcessful it is.

Aslan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My thought is that it's a bit rich for a poster
> who registered here a year ago and posted 9 times

How long do posters have to have registered for/how many posts do they have to make before they can offer opinion?


Aslan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> to complain about this not being a local resource.

I didn't say that. Of course it's a 'local' resource, that's not the issue. I asked why isn't it a *better* resource and then offered suggestions as to how it could be improved and gave some successful examples.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/2011 18:33 by Jonathan.

Jonathan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Aslan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > My thought is that it's a bit rich for a poster
> > who registered here a year ago and posted 9
> times
>
> How long do posters have to have registered
> for/how many posts do they have to make before
> they can offer opinion?
>
>
That's not my point. My point is you only posted 9 times. Perhaps if you posted more often others would too and the forum would develop into more of a resource.

OK - but it isn't it almost always the case that successful web sites are successful because the owners make it a great place and then the visitors come, rather than the owners sitting back and waiting for the visitors to make it a success?

It's a FREE local resource. The owners are not sitting back and waiting for it to be a 'success' to make visitors come along. They have done their bit, and more, in my view. I wonder how many people donate towards the forum? Perhaps they'd visit it (use it) more if so?

In my opinion, its up to the local people to contribute to make it fun, intelligent, interesting, useful. People who have local news, or are setting up events, those who want to share their experience of local restaurants, businesses - they are the ones who need to come on here and it will gain momentum from that.

I always tell people "This was recommended to me by someone on the West Dulwich Forum" and so spreads the word.

All the best.

Algy.

Hear Hear Major Algy-Wotsit! *knocks back another gin*

Aslan also makes a valid point: vis a vis posting more regularly.

I myself have attempted to liven up the Lounge. Others have too. However, many WD forumites appear to be posting relatively little compared with EDeffers. Why is that WDeffers? Not interested in discourse? Too busy? Also, the recent removal of harmless posts together with the banning of a couple of posters (including myself) for no apparent reason strikes me as bizarre - not to mention a little heavy-handed. I should add that the posters have happily now been re-activated (thank you Admin). But, perhaps Admin. could shed some light on this please? (I would be interested in learning the reasoning behind your decisions).

It's a pity that such obstacles should obstruct the dynamics of this forum. It could be so different.

In short I find this forum hard work. It feels, to me, as though a few are expected by the majority to keep it ticking over. Well, the few are only human and it will only be a matter of time before they - too - give up.

Regarding donations, I certainly would donate: if I got more out of it.

Having said all of the above, I'm still pleased the WDF is here.

Major Algy Wymondham Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's a FREE local resource. The owners are not
> sitting back and waiting for it to be a 'success'
> to make visitors come along. They have done their
> bit, and more, in my view. I wonder how many
> people donate towards the forum? Perhaps they'd
> visit it (use it) more if so?
>
> In my opinion, its up to the local people to
> contribute to make it fun, intelligent,
> interesting, useful. People who have local news,
> or are setting up events, those who want to share
> their experience of local restaurants, businesses
> - they are the ones who need to come on here and
> it will gain momentum from that.
>
> I always tell people "This was recommended to me
> by someone on the West Dulwich Forum" and so
> spreads the word.
>
> All the best.
>
> Algy.

I don't see what being free has to do with it really, Twitter, Facebook, Gmail are free too. Those sites like this one, are advertising supported. More visitors = more advertising revenue = no need for donations.

I have a web site for my company and I could take your suggestion that "its up to the local people to contribute to make it fun, intelligent, interesting, useful" or I could make it as useful as I possibly can. I've chosen the latter option!

What's your personal view? Could this place be improved? How? Or is everything fine?

This is a good discussion and I'm glad to see views being debated, after all that's what forums are for! As I mentioned above let's get your views. Some of the things you have mentioned sound good to me and I will look into them with the main Admin and see what scope there is. But it is a two way street and to suggest this site is dull or serves no purpose isn't true. Lots of people have used this a resource to seek advice, promote events, new businesses, buy & sell items and connect with new people.

downsouth Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is a good discussion and I'm glad to see
> views being debated, after all that's what forums
> are for! As I mentioned above let's get your
> views. Some of the things you have mentioned sound
> good to me and I will look into them with the main
> Admin and see what scope there is. But it is a two
> way street and to suggest this site is dull or
> serves no purpose isn't true. Lots of people have
> used this a resource to seek advice, promote
> events, new businesses, buy & sell items and
> connect with new people.

Great! I did apologise for the tone of my initial post in this thread...

Hello downsouth,

Am I right in thinking that you are one of the WDF moderators?

If so, would you mind answering my question(s) above?

Thanks.

downsouth, do you see this site as having the same potential as the East DF? Do a lot more people live in ED than WD?

Maam yes that's right. Which question are you referring to? Donations? If so, I would say that is premature. Some time needs to be taken to look at the site and how to make it more interesting and relevant. Perhaps afterwards some options can be put forward..

Aslan - I don't think so for the reasons I mentioned before. WD is wedged in between Norwood (Virtual Norwood), Herne Heill (Herne Hill Forum), Sydenham (I don't remember their forum) and Dulwich (read EDF) so in comparison it is a much smaller area with a much lower popultation. Also there are no grand regenration projects to keep tongues wagging or changing population. My personal view is that this site will best serve the area provided it is releavant. But in terms of the critical mass it would only come about if there are enough subjects which resonate with people - see the burglary or council tax threads. Some of the busiest ever.

Thank you for getting back, downsouth. I just wondered why I was banned, and on what grounds.

I mean, do you know who I am?

*grins cheekily*

Maybe for disturbing the peace by posting too often? Actually, really good to see the activity levels finally picking up.

John247 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Maybe for disturbing the peace by posting too
> often?

*lobs rotten tomato at John247 and legs it*

Jonathan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't see what being free has to do with it
> really, Twitter, Facebook, Gmail are free too.
> Those sites like this one, are advertising
> supported. More visitors = more advertising
> revenue = no need for donations.

Good Afternoon Jonathan,

All good points but I'd beg to differ on your point about Twitter, FB and Gmail being free too. I think what I was trying to say was that this forum is far more localised than those other (equally fabulous) free resources we have at our virtual disposal.

I do think that locals need to be aware of this resource in the first place and make use of it (rather than the other way around you are suggesting). Once there is a core group of interesting posters with valuable information for the local community (be it serious information or local banter), I feel the forum will progress. Then perhaps the site owners may feel they can put the time/resources etc into developing the site further, in similar ways that you have done for your own business?

> I have a web site for my company and I could take
> your suggestion that "its up to the local people
> to contribute to make it fun, intelligent,
> interesting, useful" or I could make it as useful
> as I possibly can. I've chosen the latter option!
>
> What's your personal view? Could this place be
> improved? How? Or is everything fine?

I hope that I have answered that in my paragraph above but I do take your points about making your own business website attractive to visitors, I just thing its a different thing to this forum, akin to comparing apples with organges.

All the best,

Algy

P.S. Is my old eyesight failing me (I am getting on a bit y'know) but has anyone else noticed the new dinky features on this forum yet? Or have they always been here? :-S

Thanks :)

Dinky features? Do you mean the pink bits? Just noticed those...doesn't mean they haven't always been there though...

The Lounge area is meant to be for local people to chat about non-local matters, when it gets taken over by outsiders it's unfair on those it's designed for.

Maam, because you and another user asked for your accounts to be closed on the East Dulwich Forum, then appeared here and with both of you having previous 'form' of being mischievously disruptive you were temporarily banned. But now you're back, from outer space, let's all get along now and take that sad look off your face.

Well!

I am mortified. Mortified, I tell you...

But I thank you for taking the time to respond.



*clears orrff East, tail between legs*

'Maam, because you and another user asked for your accounts to be closed on the East Dulwich Forum, then appeared here and with both of you having previous 'form' of being mischievously disruptive you were temporarily banned'

What 'form' is that Admin and why wasn't I banned too? As for taking over the Lounge.........there's more life in a coffin!

Administrator Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
But now you're back,
> from outer space, let's all get along now and take
> that sad look off your face.

I should have changed my stupid lock, I should have made you leave your key.
If I had known for just one second, you'd be back to bother me ...

(who says this web site is dull) B)

Why not merge this site with the East Dulwich forum, and just have a Dulwich forum?

i think it is getting worse- better to ask to be a seperate tag on east dulwich forum- equally sane/mad people on each - just more of them in east dulwich.

i like wdf as it is - if i want to know about east dulwich, then i'll go on the edf... it's quiet at the moment, people away, exams etc... it's interesting to see how lively the edf posters get later in the day!!

I do like wdf as it is, but wouldn't mind if it were a bit more lively. Like LadyN though, if I want to know about ED I go to the EDF, which is why it is a particular pet hate of mine that we get posts in our Events section about things happening in ED - or worse, Nunhead and Forest Hill??? -- Not sure why those are slipping past the admin's radars.

I'm pretty relaxed about events from the surrounding area appearing on the WDF. Don't see any real harm.

What does concern me is that on the 'Wanted Offered' page, the link that says 'this is the place' takes you straight to the EDF.....

Jonathan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why not merge this site with the East Dulwich
> forum, and just have a Dulwich forum?

I understand that people like having their own forum, but it is Dulwich after all and you could miss out on some interesting stuff by separating the two.

Not posted here for a year, but it's got a lot worse. Main forum here is now clogged up with spam.

The forum either needs some care and attention from those who run, or putting humanely to sleep and then set up a sub-forum on the East Dulwich forum for us West Dulwichians.

It probably just needs more traffic. A working RSS feed would help!
Not sure if email notifications are working, but all these things need to be in place (twitter and facebook might be useful too).

Dull as in Dulwich!! Seriously, I live on the Dulwich wood estate, my postcode is SE19 and within five minutes walk I can be in five different boroughs. Southwark, Lambeth, Lewisham, Bromley and Croydon! Where does that leave me? I am active on EDF as you've all pointed out it sees more action, I would tend to agree to integrate the two and be done with it and call it........ The All Dulwich Forum. As for local activities Forget West Dulwich! I grew up on Croxted road and believe me there has never been anything "going on" The Lords at The Dulwich Estate/Collage have made sure that this area remains dead as a doornail and will go to great lengths to ensure the peace and serenity of the Village remains intact. If anyone is old enough to remember the Prisoner TV show it's a bit like that !! I am not a number

Just enjoy it, all will be well.///

I think this forum is a great resource & thanks to the moderators. I didn't know EDF part of it. It is up to users to post more on here, there are things going on in West Norwood @ Portico Gallery etc. Hope ok to post? In fact I wish I had posted after 2 horrible events that we have been involved in, in West Dulwich with shooting & knifings so have to be aware..Seen another 1 by WD station. All bit traumatic & have to be aware. Otherwise lovely area compared to other parts of London. Take care

Hi all

I enjoyed reading the post of the posters about the dullness of a forum in my view a forum come alive by its community if people post regularly and participate in topic and reply to threads the forum will come alive like everything in life if it is nurtured it comes to fruition.

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The services we would like to make people aware of is Website Design, Business Support, Marketing Services, Business Planning, start-up and Grow your business.

If you are interested in any of the services mentioned above contact me, Trisha, to discuss your requirements.

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