Website looking a bit tired?

[Oops]

I've just started getting back into RC after quite a break.  I'm sorry
to see the website like it is, I'm sure this has been discussed already,
but it's generally looking a bit tired.

 

If I go into the review section eg, in the from the readers area, the
first review I saw was from 2012, then I tried the magainze reviews area,
first review I see is from 2013.  

 

Is the website tested well, for eaxmple when I go into subscriptions on my
tablet all I can see is a big advert for Carp magaine and nothing else, there's
no mention of flying at all.  Something fishy going on.

 

The forums are a lot better, quite a few recent messages, but some problem
areas, no-one interested in Jets and Turbines to say anything for 6 months?

I hope the magaine and website aren't in danger of folding. 

[kevin b]

Interesting comments by someone new to the website.

Maybe this new "improved" website isn't quite "there" yet.

Personally I don't find it as user friendly as the old one, but I suppose once you are used to something changing can be quite alien.

Particularly when you get to "certain age". 

 

[EarlyBird]

Oh dear I find my enthusiasm waning can someone please show some optimism, just to keep me continuing with this hobby.  

[Ron Gray]

Maybe it’s more a comment on content rather than design and if there aren’t many posts in the forum then that’s down to us, not the designers!

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Summer is on the horizon, the vaccination program has been a rip-roaring success, lots of new models have been built during lockdown. Pubs and restaurants are able to Invite their customers inside from Monday and I’ll be able to visit my dear old Mum for the first time in 18 months. 
 

Positive enough EB?

[SIMON CRAGG]

More positivity...................

 

The weather WILL improve eventually.

We have several newbies waiting in the wings.

The flying patch / caravan and infrastructure are as good as we can get them.

I have converted all 18 of my models to electric............and sold EVERYTHING IC related!.

We have a club BBQ on the horizon.

Our Landlords have given us an extra day and a £400 rent reduction.

Great friends, fresh air, gossip, bants.............whats not to like?. 

[Dave S.]

This is the busiest UK R/C model flying there is now - RCMF has closed, Flying Sites is struggling on but often no posts from one to the next. People's habits have changed, unfortunately.

I think this forum does a good job, there are usually quite a few new posts every time I look in (several times a day). 

I've just converted a couple of electric models to I/C and sold all of my electric stuff. I feel so much better for it. (to counter the negativity in the post above!).

[kevin b]

I don't think it was meant as negative comment.

I saw it as more of a newbie's first impression.

Let's face it. Compared to the previous site the appearance is dull and boring, and the navigation is not that good.

How do we find the classifieds again ?

 

This is only my personal opinion of course. 

[Phil McCavity]

1 hour ago, Dave S. said:

This is the busiest UK R/C model flying there is now - RCMF has closed.......

Oh dear, what will that pompous ass PDR do with his time now he hasn't got his acolytes hanging on every word he posts?

The OP wasn't criticising the forum, he was giving his opinion on the website in general and as a first time poster with a fresh view on it all I think it's hard to disagree with the points he's raised. It may be that the focus is mainly on the forum now at the expense of other content or that MTM has just dropped the ball on the rest of it?

Edited May 15, 2021 by Phil McCavity

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

I much prefer the new forum,  find it much easier to use than the old un, I don't know if number of build blogs has increased, but it feels that way and they're much easier to do with not having to load albums first, soul destroying task that was. I like the likes as well, bloggers get encouraged by knowing people are reading their stuff.

[leccyflyer]

2 hours ago, Dave S. said:

This is the busiest UK R/C model flying there is now - RCMF has closed, Flying Sites is struggling on but often no posts from one to the next. People's habits have changed, unfortunately.

I think this forum does a good job, there are usually quite a few new posts every time I look in (several times a day). 

I've just converted a couple of electric models to I/C and sold all of my electric stuff. I feel so much better for it. (to counter the negativity in the post above!).

Hi Dave

 

RCMF has been dead in the water for several  years - it's demise was entirely self inflicted. Flying Sites has been a wasteland for even longer. This forum has been the #1 and busiest UK forum for quite some time -and for that matter in general it is the friendliest UK forum, with no small number of genuine modelling experts, IMO

[Phil McCavity]

The OP wasn't giving criticism of the forum, he was giving his opinion of the other site facilities.

[Dave S.]

10 hours ago, Phil McCavity said:

The OP wasn't giving criticism of the forum, he was giving his opinion of the other site facilities.

I didn't read it that way, probably because the forum is the only part of this site that I use. To the best of my knowledge (which may well incomplete) this is the only active UK model flying forum that covers the full spectrum of the subject. There may well be others that specialise in niche interests such as gliding only, or electric power only, but I have not sought them out.

[leccyflyer]

I read the OP's criticism as being of the RCM&E website in general. It's a matter of opinion, but as regards this forum it is well off beam. Since the revamp this forum is hugely improved, with more traffic, better illustrations and more active participation. The old forum was beyond tired, it was obsolete and this new layout hit the ground running, with many improvements.

[Phil McCavity]

1 hour ago, Dave S. said:

I didn't read it that way, probably because the forum is the only part of this site that I use. 

He headed the topic with and referred in his opening reply to the "Website" which is the whole RCME online presence in it's entirety and then gave examples of areas on the site which have not been updated since 2012 to clarify his observations. He then closed by clearly stating that "the forums are a lot better" so no criticism there. I can't see the confusion in honesty.

[EarlyBird]

23 hours ago, Oops said:

I hope the magaine and website aren't in danger of folding. 

? Hmm.

[alan p]

Hi EB 

And I thought I was a pessamist, ?, not in your league ?

Live long and prosper

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

The forum is open to all model flying interests although of course it's main interest is in radio controlled model flying (of all types).  No posts of a modelling nature would be disallowed as long as they comply with the code of conduct...let's hope that the fringe interests take a more active part - they'd be very welcome.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

3 hours ago, Cassandra said:

 

IMHO, this forum is just as much dominated by balsa bashers who mostly fly at private sites as BARCS is by competitive glider guiders. It may be the most active UK forum at the moment, but that is a pretty low bar.

 

Feel free to Raise the bar, easy to complain and requires little effort. The only ones Dominating are those doing the posting, long may it continue.

[Phil McCavity]

1 hour ago, john stones 1 Moderator said:

 

Feel free to Raise the bar, easy to complain and requires little effort. The only ones Dominating are those doing the posting, long may it continue.

I'm pretty sure that what Cassandra meant by a low bar is that there are now virtually no UK forums left and that the ones remaining are very poorly attended.

[leccyflyer]

2 hours ago, john stones 1 Moderator said:

 

Feel free to Raise the bar, easy to complain and requires little effort. The only ones Dominating are those doing the posting, long may it continue.

Muttering and complaining from the wings is what killed RCMF- of that there is no doubt. Part of the problem was complaints by people who virtually never posted, complaining that the content on the site was provided by a relatively small number of prolific posters and that was putting off others from posting. Of course not a single one of those phantom posters ever actually showed up with any posts, even after the prolific posters had been actively discouraged from posting.

 

This forum, over that time period, has gone from strength to strength and provides far and away the best UK forum, with loads of interesting content. It has done so for several years.  It arguably might have come on even faster if not held back somewhat by the archaic, clunky forum interface. As it stands now it's a fantastic, lively forum and long may that continue.

[kevin b]

The original OP was aimed at the website, not the Forum.

I think the problem is that the publishers wanted a corporate website that could be tweaked to its individual publications.

Unfortunately one size does not fit all.

[Ron Gray]

16 minutes ago, Cassandra said:

 

As @Phil McCavity has pointed out, raising the bar would mean posting elsewhere. 

 

 

Please explain.

 

[Phil McCavity]

24 minutes ago, Cassandra said:

IMHO failing to have decent backups, perennial problems with photos disappearing, some awful decisions by the owner and poor moderation was what killed RCMF.

An opinion I also share Cassandra.........and allowing selected members to roam freely without being kept in check to become beyond the control of moderation. Time and time again I saw comments from former members saying that they were never to return whilst particular members were still there......looks like the site reaped what it didn't sow.

[Phil McCavity]

37 minutes ago, Ron Gray said:

 

Please explain.

 

Because the bar is set for the arena of the particular competition, so raising that bar would mean contributing elsewhere to make others more competitive.