Does FerrariChat.com need to do anything to minimize user "burnout"?

I just ban myself or place a move order with Pacific Bell and have them shut off my home DSL service 3 weeks early and then wait 5 weeks at the new place to have them install it.

 

Good points!

I'm not sure I would suggest limiting posts per day, something about that just strikes me wrong, but I applaud Rob for posing the question which started this thread.

I agree there are a lot of threads, and that once your knowledge reaches a certain level you tend to read and participate less. The solution?

I would suggest a regular feature should be a quality automotive article get posted regularily! Something like you would read in Forza or another automotive publication. Perhaps accessing this "area" would be limited to subscribers and would be a cross promotion between the two parties. So then, in this "area" I could see the latest articles from Forza or maybe Sports Car International, and discuss them. Maybe not even the latest article!

So that's my suggestion: Post a new magazine article every Monday. Leave it in an area only accessible to subscribers, and allow us to discuss it there as well.

Hope that helps!

Wes

 

I really dont think it is possible to control an addiction to FChat. I was once addicted, and all my friends called me an FChat Fiend...but there come certain times in my life where I just simply dont have time to be on the computer, so once I go long enough without being here...I get used to it. Then when I do go on the computer, its not FChat that I'm visiting. I love it here though, its so entertaining to read everything and gain more Ferrari knowledge.

Doug

 

Unfortunately for you, your attempted insult doesn't lower my self esteem.

You can probably tell by the way I write that I am intelligent enough to have gone to college, where abstract thinking is part of every day life.

Some advice for you: as others did, you can express your disagreement with one's opinions without being confrontational and insolent.

 

Good grief! It's up to the "user". Nobody is responsible for their own actions but themselves. If they drink too much or do too many drugs then they need to make the decision to do something about it. Nobody else can do it for them!.

What the H*LL happened to ACCOUNTABILITY for one's own actions?

I can just see it, another money wasting government/big brother program for internet addicted unfortunates.

Instead of reading about Ferraris and what is wrong with them, how to fix them, how to drive them I go work on one or go for a drive. If I can't do that I have a million other things that need my attention. Too much of anything is bad but sometimes Fchat is the only thing that helps me make it through another day at the "Flying Aluminum Tube Company". There is plenty of entertainment here to keep me coming back.

I take what I need and leave the rest. If there is something worthy to contribute I try to do that as well, mostly.

DJ

 

Yes, Fchat needs to offer us the use of an F40 for one week upon reaching our 601st post.

 

Hey, if all else fails, you can bash me.

 

That's a benefit of Rossa membership, well worth the $50

 

Dave (348SStb) has it exactly right.

Way too many useless replies and personal banter.

I would like to see "number of posts" removed, in case this is responsible for some of the useless posts, and mods should notify users of messages that should be pm's or private emails.

I try to post when I have something usefull to add......

.

 

I think keeping a post count is actually bad for the overall usefulness of FChat. I suspect that many posts are lacking for useful content since they are just intended to add to the count.

Many other sites have ways of rating postings according to usefulness and this should be used for FChat. Each posting should have a "voting" mechanism for usefulness or insight. Instead of a gross post count, users should be striving to achieve and maintain a high average post "value".

That would dramatically reduce the noise level of the forums.

 

That will just start more flame wars. Personally, I LIKE lots of posts from various points of view. I like the humor, the technical stuff, the "gee wizz, cars are fun" stuff, and the Ferrari vs. Yugo stuff.

I can't believe that "too many posts" is an issue. You will lose too much of the charm of this group by cutting off access.

Ken

 

No.

This site is about cars, first and foremost, but how long can anyone talk about the same subject without getting a bit bored? The "personal banter and useless replies", especially in the OT and regional forums, is what makes this more than just a car site. This is a community, a bar, a meeting ground for fellow lunatics.

 

I like the idea, Rob. I'm not the money man but you could have a prize for thread and/or post of the month. i.e a silver subscription. Up to you how to choose. Just an idea. It may even increase the quality of posts/threads. Of course, that means I'll have to post less frequently ...Dane

 

I nominate that for post of the month! A monthly recognition would be FUN! If anyone wanted to spend the time, you could do one from each major catagory and maybe the best of the lot gets the prize?

Ken

 

From my perspective it's not number of posts but the number of Forums. I appreciate the number of posts is huge and has to be broken down in some way but by diversifying it so much I think some value has been lost

Perhaps a good example is I owned a 328 for 4 years but never visit the Classic forum so although I may be able to give advice to a new or existing owner, I don't because I'm not there!

I find myself stuck in the UK section (IMHO we should have stayed in Europe but that's another matter) and with the breakdown I miss out on being part of the larger, worldwide community and miss the regular contributions/ discussions of others such as Martin, Wax, NNO, Ernie, Ton, Wolfgang etc, I know I can go to their areas but that's not really the same as their discussions are now more focused on their areas not the Ferrari world at large

What I think we've ended up with is lots of different communities, admittedly with a common passion but sadly we only really come together when there is a tragedy either within the Ferrari/Car world or the world at large


Perhaps if the number of forum areas were reduced and therefore more contributors per forum the posts would be more focused?

 

Rob,

First, I’d like to thank you for the community you have created. Unfortunately, we all lose control of the cultures we create (businesses are similar) as the community grows, and when the entry cost is web access…..essentially zero.

Even though I’m a relative newcomer and only “Karting” there are days where I question whether I fit into the FerrariChat community. I enjoy being part of the community when I have the opportunity to exchange ideas, tips, information, and opinions on technical topics, automobile markets, racing etc. I truly consider removing FerrariChat from my browser favorites, “burning-out” if you like, when benign inquiries result in confrontation, or when I recently stumbled into an overtly racist thread in the off topic board.

If the Ferrari Owners discussion board had 5% of FerrariChat’s activity, I’d leave FerrariChat.

Thanks for asking, and thanks for your hard work.

 

I agree with your whole post!

Wes

 

Thanks for the words, Ken, but this is my nomination; courtesy of Marc Henretta:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64112&page=1&pp=20

Dane

 

Rob, I know we disagree on this, but you asked… I used to post quite a bit on many of the forums. However, I quickly grew tired of looking at an interesting subject and finding every other post beginning or ending with, “you are a f-ing moron”. Nobody wants to read that crap. The mods never take the obvious trolls to task – all in the spirit of, “open communication, we hate the big brother approach on other Chat sites”, and gosh forbid one of us do it. Heck, it might be someone’s buddy or a sponsor. What is done is behind the scenes and nobody knows the score. I mod another site with quite a bit of activity and there are only three of us. Everyone knows the rules and the idiot’s posts are pulled and they are banned. And all we get are compliments on such a nice site with nice people. Maybe I’m the minority here. That’s why I spend less time here.

I find the local forums nice. It’s amazing that when people know each other, the whole atmosphere is different. It’s easy to be a brave troll in anonymity. Collectables is nice. They are nice places to visit and I never grow tired of checking in. The Technical Q&A is one of the most revered services you provide and I can’t thank you enough. But lately even your contributing experts are getting harassed.

People go places where they feel welcome and part of something. There are many die hard fans here that are freaks about the marquee. Unfortunately many seem to have just gone away. I think I know why.

Just my .02
Jim

 

If somebody burns out who cares? Life is full of changes.

 

My first thought on this question was NO, people do what people do and you have no control over burnout. Then I read all the responses and got to thinking.

I like it here, and feel that I have made many e-friends (for lack of a better term) here, some of whom have become friends that I hang out with in person. I'll bet I could drive across the country and stop in each major city along the way and have a beer with an Fchatter I like. That's just cool. (I have been thinking of an event like this, but that's for another thread.)

I find that there are three things that bring me here.

1. Chatting Fcars with other nutcases like myself just for fun.
2. Learning about Fcars from experts here.
3. Sharing my knowledge with the people who know less than me about them.

I could be wrong, but I expect that a lot of people feel the same way. You can't do much to help burnout with the first two, but "Giving back" to the community is a big part of the experience here. I find it rewarding when I am able to help someone out and they say "hey thanks, that helped!"

In a way, you could encourage more satisfaction in users by rewarding them in some way for "helpful" participation, such as the "thread of the month," or "user of the month," or something, as has already been suggested. I think it's a great idea. I would go so far as to do a thread of the month in several major categories (tech Q&A for sure, plus several others, though certainly not all major categories, that would be too much work). Then you should also have a user of the month, featured in velostrada with a little bio or something. I know I would be honored to be selected as a thread of the month, so I'm sure others would as well.

The point is to recognize the people who bring a lot to Fchat. I post mostly in Tech Q & A, and in that category, I think of people like Verell, rifledriver, spasso, snj5, etc. Post count might not indicate usefulness, as others have suggested, but it does indicate longevity and give "e-cred" (as oppsed to street cred!) so I don't think I would eliminate that. Sure, some people abuse it, posting tons of silly things to run up the post count, but they generally don't fool anyone.

OK, I rambled, and added another useless post to my count. I'll shut up now!

Birdman

 

how do you not burnout in your car... apply lower revs or use better quality rubber. interpret as thou wilt.

 

An official FChat sponsored event bi-annually would probably be a step in the right direction.

Considering how well it went with Matteo meeting Tillman, I think a lot of people get burnt out by pounding the keys and arguing with someone that they only assume to know. Getting a group of 150-200 in the same room for dinner and a few rounds would probably even out a lot of the tempers here. We all do it regionally, why not nationally?

C.