Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: Maggi Young on November 14, 2006, 04:25:36 PM

Title: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Maggi Young on November 14, 2006, 04:25:36 PM: Hello Everyone, Welcome to the new SRGC Forum pages. We have taken the opportunity afforded by a breakdown in the old Forum software to initiate these new Forum System. The old Forum will be "live" for a little while yet, though you will have to re-register to post on it: Why not register now and make all your posts on these new pages? The old forum will be archived in a short while so new posts will not be posssible but it will be available to be read and studied to your hearts' content. We will try to contact as many of the original Forumists as possible to let you know what the situation is.
We are sorry for any inconvenience but hope you will soon be joining us once more.So, while we have had a "little local difficulty" we can assure you that "there is light at the end of the tunnel".... and it is not just an oncoming train!

Thank you for all your support in the past, and a Warm Welcome to the NEW SRGC Forum!
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: David Nicholson on November 14, 2006, 07:18:18 PM: Hi Maggi and everyone, takes a bit of getting used to with all the bells and whistles (what on earth is "Marquee" 6th button on top row) but this will at least tell me if I have done anything right so far. ??? ???
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: David Shaw on November 14, 2006, 07:57:36 PM: God, Maggie, this is as bad as being at work :'(
As the other posters as have said so far, come next week we will start getting used to the improvements.
Bets wishers and thanks to all the Moderators, God bless them.
:)
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: admin on November 14, 2006, 07:59:13 PM: Quote from: deesen on November 14, 2006, 07:18:18 PM
Hi Maggi and everyone, takes a bit of getting used to with all the bells and whistles (what on earth is "Marquee" 6th button on top row) but this will at least tell me if I have done anything right so far. ??? ???

It’s a gimmick you can ignore

In fact it’s a bit annoying
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: mark smyth on November 14, 2006, 08:14:42 PM: oooh it's lovely in here. Can I gripe?! I hate nick names. sorry!

ahhh it's a rolling marquee
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Susan on November 14, 2006, 08:35:56 PM: Oh dear, I'm sorry. I replied to the wrong forum. Totally off topic. It is a bit frightening to realise the amount of time I have been logged in. I'm not sure that's a good idea having it in full view! I shall justify it by blaming it on slow dial-up.

Susan.
Sunny Dunedin, New Zealand.
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Anthony Darby on November 14, 2006, 09:34:30 PM: Can we get a British calendar? :(
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: admin on November 14, 2006, 10:05:44 PM: Quote from: adarby on November 14, 2006, 09:34:30 PM
Can we get a British calendar? :(

I think that's all the American stuff removed.
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Maggi Young on November 14, 2006, 10:26:06 PM: Mark, I have just posted this onthe admin page: Hi, Folks! We're delighted that you are all making the effort to join or re-join the SRGC Forumists.
It seems that since the new set up only shows your "username" whereas the old system showed both that and your "actual" name that it would be a good idea if those of you with more quirky user names would go into your profiles and add your "actual" name and location as a courtesy to readers: for instance, your username might be Piglet, but most of us would hesitate to address you as such: so add a "signature" to your profile, to let us know that you are, in fact, Abigail Anderson from Anstruther in Fife, East Scotland.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who wondered what the blazes a marquee button was for. It's just a big tent to me, so I would never have worked that out by myself and I've asked Fred forty thousand questions today already.....so now you know where his ID image comes from! Actually, I learned that an ID image, be it a graphic or a photo, is called an "avatar"...go figure... and to think I gave up Gaelic and Russian because it was too pesky! Ho, Hum!! Happy Days!
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: alpines on November 14, 2006, 11:13:50 PM: Here's some more 'Americanism' !!!! Greetings Ian & Maggie and everyone at the SRGC from the Kentuckians.
Good luck with the new forum....may it be even more successful than the old one.
We just moved into our new 'garden' in Berea, (if anyone wants the address, send us a personal e-mail to thealpinegarden@mac.com), so wish us luck with our new plantings. Can't even begin to imagine what alpines will grow here but we're going to have great fun trying.
Love to everyone
Alan & Sherba
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Maggi Young on November 14, 2006, 11:28:59 PM: Thank you for your kind words, Mr and Mrs Grainger ! ("alpines") I can assure you that many things American are more than welcome here! May I wish you health and much happiness in your new home. Hope we'll get the odd photo of your progress on these pages to inspire us and make you seem closer in miles! Fondest best wishes from us all!
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Lesley Cox on November 15, 2006, 04:06:28 AM: I HATE the new Forum. I hate the gimmicks, the nicknames and the moving stuff. Sorry but I'm getting too old for all that. Hate the fact that I'm not getting posts as emails any more. Have to go to favourites then Forum then log in etc. Much easier before. Also, can't find where to start a new thread so I probably will back away now. Pity, it was good fun before.

That was on the 15th, see how many posts Lesley has made since then!!!
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: mark smyth on November 15, 2006, 08:07:51 AM: Lesley it will be like driving a new car until you get used to the feel of the brake and clutch
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Maggi Young on November 15, 2006, 08:14:02 AM: To LCOX : Is that you, Lesley? You are being a grump today! Take a minute, look around, enjoy!

The reason that theseNICKNAMES appear so prevalent is that now your username is the only one displayed (unless you enter a name/location strip to the end of your profile). Previously, each post showed your actual name as well as your username, so it was clearer who everybody was. I have already suggested that we all add a signature line, i.e. Margaret Young, Aberdeen, North East Scotland, and this is easily done by entering one's own profile.
There was plenty "MOVING STUFF" on the old pages, you,know, they just moved without you making them,do it, so they were less obvious !
As to EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS, although the method is slightly different the same result can still be acheived.
Emails to you of posts can be activated by the "Notification" button at the top of each page.
If you look at the buttons at the top of each board (when opened) there is a notify button. Click that and you will be notified of all posts to topics on the board. You can also do it with individual topics.
there is also a button giving option to send replies to any post you make, even if you haven't already activated that page for email notices: it is an option given under "additional options", below the message text box.
To START A NEW THREAD: From the Title page of any given subject, e.g. Flowers and Foliage Now, there is, to the right of the Notify button, a NEW TOPIC button: click it and you can start a new page.

As the number of posts to the new pages increase, you will see that each thread is divided into sub-pages; this means that you will be able to either start reading a thread from the beginning, or, if you just want to seethe latest posts, you click on the highest page number shown in the subject box. For instance, you are in the home page of the forum... you click to Flowers and Foliage Now,you can see the different threads listed...you will also see that November 2006 has three pages listed, to view the latest, click the "3".. and there you go. Or you can click the highlighte last post note in the right hand column to go straight there. How handy is that? On both the home page of the forum and on each subject page there is a note telling when a post was last made and who made it. Lots of people who didn't like lots of emails coming through will appreciate that feature since it is so easy to see where any new stuff can be found. Also instead of new threads being added at the bottom of a long list, the last thread posted to in each subject goes to the top of the pile, so to speak, so it is easier to find the most topical threads.

I know that lots of us, me included, prefer not to have to fiddle with new "stuff" on our computers and that is one reason why we stuck with the old Forum format for so long... the adage of " it ain't, broke so don't fix it" was very much in play. But now the old system has failed us, so we are embracing the opportunity to move forward. I am learning about the new set up just as the rest of you are... I am finding my way around pretty well and I am confident that we will all be using it just as happily as the old sytem very soon. There were quite a few folks who found the old system very tricky, that's for sure!

Anyhow, Lesley, we certainly don't want you or anyone else, "backing off"... you are a valued member of the Gang and, with us all starting from scratch on our post rating numbers, think of all the new cakes that will need to be baked in the coming months!!
Please stick with us! I think Mark's analogy is correct, though I myself am one of the last pedestrians! Can't drive a car, though I can drive a carriage with four in hand (horses).
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on November 15, 2006, 08:48:48 AM: Actually, I learned that an ID image, be it a graphic or a photo, is called an "avatar"...go figure... and to think I gave up Gaelic and Russian because it was too pesky! Ho, Hum!! Happy Days!
[/quote]

Hi Maggi,
Thorough research has led me to believe that "Avatars" are neighbours of the "Klingons"
:o
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on November 15, 2006, 08:52:03 AM: :-\

Oops - I haven't got to grips with this "quotes" system yet...
Well, we all have to learn don't we...
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Susan Band on November 15, 2006, 08:56:41 AM: Hi Maggie,
The new forum has finally pulled me out of the lurking woodwork. Thought the meconopsis looked better then myself, have a shortage of self portraits :)
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Maggi Young on November 15, 2006, 09:01:29 AM: Sings: Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow..........

Thanks, Luc, that has to be the wierdest thing I learn today... new forum page workings notwithstanding!
I just found from other sites that the id things were called avatars, I had never heard the name and thought it was just computer speak of some kind. I'm not very good with jargon... and my Klingon is non-existant...... I would like to send this greeting to you all, however... "Live long and prosper!"
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Maggi Young on November 15, 2006, 09:05:08 AM: Susan, SO GOOD to have you here, even if the blue poppy has nothing on the real thing! We need a photo of wee Heather the border terrier, too, in case Tony is watching!
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Greenmanplants on November 15, 2006, 09:13:12 AM: Had some fun trying to modify my profile so this is really just a test to see whether it has worked. I have the settings on my PC locked down tight so as to prevent all the unsavoury things getting in, mostly while the kids are doing "Homework". Unfortunately means that Active-X and other stuff won't run and the modify profile just sits inert. The backlash on that is that I've no media editing on this one and very few pics, so will have to do some fiddling with the memory stick.
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Heather Smith on November 15, 2006, 04:35:23 PM: I think the 'separate pages' is good but I really would like the e-mail to show the text of the posting and whether or not there are pictures. I will never like the small pictures that need to be clicked to see them properly: OK if there is only one but if there are eight, for instance, it takes longer.

Don't go Lesley, you'll be very much missed! :'(
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: admin on November 15, 2006, 04:41:11 PM: Quote from: Heather Smith on November 15, 2006, 04:35:23 PM
but I really would like the e-mail to show the text of the posting

You can set this in your profile
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Lesley Cox on November 15, 2006, 07:42:08 PM: First of all, an abject apology for being horrid and churlish. I really want to congratulate Maggie, Ian and Fred for doing the almost impossible and in such a very short time. An amazing feat when the problem came out of the blue, apparently. From down here the old Forum was gone for an extra half day while you up there were sleeping and I was trying to start a new thread but being told "your usuername/password is invalid or you do not have permission to post to this Forum" and not able to figure out why. So felt thoroughly dumped. I re-registered but that was valid for only a single post.

Anyway, I DON'T want to back off altogether so will persevere but like a few others am not good when faced with new computer problems so maybe it will be a slow process.

Thanks for your support and practical help Maggie.
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: admin on November 15, 2006, 07:45:49 PM: It is now possible to rate Topics (threads) although not individual posts

See top bar of each topic
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Maggi Young on November 15, 2006, 07:53:15 PM: Attagirl, Lesley, I knew you weren't a quitter! Welcome aboard!! You'll get on fine with it soon... I am learning everything as I go, real-time and I'm managing.... just about, Fred may have other opinions!!

Admin Fred : A topic rating facility, that could be a useful idea. Will let visitors know what the current feeling is about a page.... and highlight really interesting stuff.
Well done, Fred, thanks ... as ever
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: admin on November 15, 2006, 08:02:12 PM: Quote from: Lesley Cox on November 15, 2006, 07:42:08 PM
Anyway, I DON'T want to back off altogether so will persevere ....................

Glad to hear it. If I ever get down to NZ for some of that great trout fishing I'll be in for a cup of tea :)
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: David Nicholson on November 15, 2006, 08:11:08 PM: Lesley,

Stick at it girl-you really must stay. All your thoughts and pictures from New Zealand are a joy and I thoroughly enjoy them as well as learning a lot from them.
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: David Nicholson on November 15, 2006, 08:26:34 PM: Maggi,

where did you you get your little clip art thingies from I like 'em
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Martin Baxendale on November 15, 2006, 09:33:03 PM: Like Heather and Lesley, I liked getting the text of the post in the email notification. I've now found the box to tick to switch this on on my profile - great!

Still finding it a bit awkward having to click 'notify' (to get email notifications) in every individual thread. It would be nice to be able to just click 'notify' for a whole board and get emails for all the threads on that board (or have a list of boxes for the boards to tick which boards you want) as for the old forum. But I can't see any way of doing that. Pity. It means you have to remember to go and tick every new thread in each board. Unless I'm being a bit dense.
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Maggi Young on November 15, 2006, 09:38:29 PM: David, I collect the clipart images from all over the place... I just pick 'em up as I find them, but there are some free websites. When I get a minute I'll email you some info. Busy now giving support to Forumists who are stuck with new system !!
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: canyoncreekman on November 16, 2006, 01:47:24 AM: Thanks to those who have risen to the challenge and kept this great discusion group thriving. We were at Alpine Club conference for a couple days and was I disappointed when upon returning I couldn't get my 'fix' on the previous site. It's a tribute to the admins and moderators that the 'new seeds' have sprouted so quickly. Your efforts are appreciated.

I was relatively new to the previous forum so this one isn't such a tidal change. I can undertand, however, how some long termers will need a time for adjustment. The fingers just get used to automatically hitting the right keys and now they have to learn a new tune. I've been on other forums when there has be major changes and I felt like a fish out of water and wanted the 'old format' back but eventually appreciate the new.

My hope is that the superflous bells and whisles are used in moderation. I find it 'buggy' when someone uses moving gizmos and such. Perhaps if I was part of the Sesame Street generation I'd not suffer old-guy-syndrome from spinning smilies, aggravating icons and coloured text. I'll skip over messages in which personal avatars can't keep still but insist on aggravating repetitive action. I can tolerate the admins having a moving avatar as it catches our attention for site info, but other fidgety avatars remind me of ill-behaved children.

Congrats on the new format. I'm sure that within a couple weeks we'll be tapping the right keys without effort to get at all the great new happenings. There was a comment on 'Americanisms'...fortunately we Canadians are versed in both British and American standards and I'd say that ......is better (wouldn't touch this one for all the tea in China).
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Andrew on November 16, 2006, 04:57:29 PM: Lets try this new system out. :o

Quote from: Martinb on November 15, 2006, 09:33:03 PM
Like Heather and Lesley, I liked getting the text of the post in the email notification. I've now found the box to tick to switch this on on my profile - great!

Martin, could you enlighten us all (inventing the wheel etc)

Quote from: Martinb on November 15, 2006, 09:33:03 PM
Still finding it a bit awkward having to click 'notify' (to get email notifications) in every individual thread. It would be nice to be able to just click 'notify' for a whole board and get emails for all the threads on that board (or have a list of boxes for the boards to tick which boards you want) as for the old forum. But I can't see any way of doing that. Pity. It means you have to remember to go and tick every new thread in each board. Unless I'm being a bit dense.

Martin, I'm just going through adding the notifications and my understanding is that you can add a 'board' as in 'General Forum' or 'Plants Wanted'. I'll see what happens when I download my emails tommorrow.

True a notification button for the whole forum would be the easiest way.
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Andrew on November 16, 2006, 05:01:33 PM: Well that seemed to work quite well. ::)

I'll carry on with the AGS Greece thread shortly.
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Martin Baxendale on November 16, 2006, 05:27:07 PM: Andrew, the box to tick to get the text of posts in your email notifications is located as follows: Click 'profile', go to where it says 'modify profile', click on 'notifications and email', in the 'profile' box that appears, tick the bottom of the 4 boxes for email preferences, the one that says 'When sending notification of a reply to a topic, send the post in the email'. That does the trick. You'll then see the text of the posts in your email notifications.

I also found your could tick 'notify' for boards, but didn't always seem to work for existing threads on that board. I foumd it safest to go through and click 'notify' on each thread, and I'm doing that when a new thread appears, as well as having ticked notify on all boards. Your list of threads and boards clicke to notify appears in your profile section under 'notifications and emails' as above. There you can un-click ones you change your mind about.

I agree something like the last forum would be good - where you just had a list of boards you could click on and tick, that said you would get all notifications from all threads, and a single box for 'all forum' notifications (the n you could fiddle around with the details later. I just worry that I'm missing stuff, cos some of the notifiaction instructions seem a bit complicated!
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Martin Baxendale on November 16, 2006, 05:50:41 PM: Andrew, I've also found that you need to un-tick the box in profile notifications and emails that says 'receive reply notification for the first unread reply only' otherwise the email tell you that you won't get any further notifications of posts unless you go to the forum and read the one you've just been sent (even if you've read it in your email)!

It would have been great if the system had allowed everyone to start out receiving everything that's posted, and then gradually fine-tune it themselves by cutting out what they don't want (with the option to re-instate stuff later).
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Andrew on November 17, 2006, 05:09:38 PM: Thank you for that Martin.

I found the fourth tick box after the various comments and did get the text in the two emails I received when a new subject was created (one 'testing' seems to have been deleted and Marks 'Wildlife Autumn 2006' only has one post at the moment).

I know more than two messages have been posted so have now unticked the second box and will see if I receive posts of old subjects.

The tracking at the top of the page says 'Show unread posts since last visit' but when clicked 'No unread topics found...' !!

Looks like I will have to go by the 'new' icon next to the threads while getting sorted out.
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Lesley Cox on November 18, 2006, 10:44:09 PM: Notification by email of EVERY posting works well for me, A) because I'm interested in everything and B) because I can delete all the irrelevant postings that say stuff like " I absolutely agree" or "could you send me the info please" without actually entering the thread and just enter those threads with something of interest to read or pictures of course.

But Martin, I'm sure you are perpetually stressed with that gun to your head all the time. That would make ANYONE a bit uneasy.
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: mark smyth on November 21, 2006, 02:22:51 PM: Might be an age thing but please, please, please add your details to the bottom of your profile ie fully name, town and country. I personally would like see, now that we have a chance, an image of the person posting. Mark a grumpy, for today anyway, 46
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Maggi Young on November 24, 2006, 10:34:25 PM: Having urged you all to get going and join or re-join the SRGC forum, after the problem with the old Forum, I thought that I should really take a little of my own advice and register for another forum myself! I duly tootled off to the newish Alpine Garden Society Discussion pages to register there: Some very interesting stuff, as you might imagine, and lots from very familiar people on these pages. Guess who I found posting there, only a little ahead of me? Lesley Cox, talking about "traumatic events" at the SRGC forum !! Goodness me, I know we lost postings for a day or so, and it is true that Lesley was initially rather put off by the new set up, but in the last few days she has been posting good-oh, much to the delight of us all, I may say.
Poor Lesley, I am sorry that we seem to have been the cause of such drama in your week, we didn't intend it to be so! Good that the two of us have taken the chance to join in with the AGS forum, though, isn't it? We should get out more, I suppose, though I think you do better than I; you contribute elsewhere and I tend to be a lurker rather than any kind of Elf!
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: David Shaw on November 25, 2006, 09:14:35 AM: You must have been digging deep in the archives to find that avatar for me Maggie ;). Madeira, winter 2004.
This is how all good botanising trips should be achieved.
Thank you.

David, my friend, you must remember that an elephant never forgets! M
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: admin on November 25, 2006, 09:27:48 AM: If losing the ability to post for 24 hours and having to learn to use something new and better is the most traumatic thing that ever happens to any us I guess we can count ourselves most fortunate. Examples of trauma might be witnessed daily in Iraq, Darfur, Lebanon etc. Not being able to post on a forum for 24 hours may be better described as a minor irritation? It is satisfying to learn that the AGS have a forum now; good news indeed for plant lovers everywhere that they are, like us, adopting these newer technologies.
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Lesley Cox on November 27, 2006, 10:03:51 PM: So pleased Maggi that you are active too on the newer (than SRGC) AGS Forum. I registered months ago but hadn't done anything about it until our "minor irritaton" (you're so right Admin) but was encouraged to, by John Humphries who took pity on my misery that first day. As he remarked, the AGS version is perhaps more formal than here with maybe fewer jokes and less teasing among good friends, but hey, we'll change all that won't we?
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Maggi Young on November 27, 2006, 11:10:02 PM: Lesley, I wouldn't even try! It will be great if it gets as busy as SRGC: we are most fortunate in having such an involved and enthusiastic membership/readership. It's terrific that well over one hundred forumists are signed up to the new SRGC forum, already, in only two weeks. We will soon be back at the "lost" figures at this rate.; around six hundred were registered to the old forum, you know, and, of course, that takes no account of the "watchers" (sounds better than lurker, don't you think?) and with the figures of something around thirty thousand individual visits to the rest of the SRGC site every week, there must be a goodly number of those people watching these pages too. And very welcome they ...YOU...all are!! Especially the 528 of you who have read this page atthe time of posting!!
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Maggi Young on November 27, 2006, 11:36:08 PM: Okay, I'll give it some more thought and try to come up with something universally appealing!
Why can't they just be "readers"... you know better than most how valuable readers are, Martin!
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: admin on November 28, 2006, 10:10:36 AM: Quote from: Maggi Young on November 27, 2006, 11:10:02 PM
It will be great if it gets as busy as SRGC

Their big mistake is that you have to be an AGS member to use their forum. I also note that they intend to close off areas of their main web site to non-members. Another great mistake that will ensure the site remains marginal.
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: mark smyth on November 28, 2006, 10:23:47 AM: I didnt know they have a forum
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Lesley Cox on November 28, 2006, 08:41:51 PM: They do indeed Mark.

It would be interesting (if impossible) to know how many new members SRGC has gained over the last few years as a result of their interest in this (i.e. the old) Forum. Surely there have been some. Well, Paul Tyerman is one for instance. (Hi Paul, are you out there?) If there has been a good bunch, it would show what an opportunity AGS is missing by having their Forum closed to non-members.
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Anthony Darby on November 28, 2006, 08:47:53 PM: I have to draw the line somewhere and limit myself to the SRGC. What more could I need? When you've got the best :P ......!
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: admin on November 28, 2006, 09:07:03 PM: We Scots have a long tradition of free, responsible access that has, by and large, served us well.

Usually

;)
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: admin on November 28, 2006, 10:43:32 PM: Quote from: Lesley Cox on November 28, 2006, 08:41:51 PM
It would be interesting (if impossible) to know how many new members SRGC has gained over the last few years as a result of their interest in this (i.e. the old) Forum. Surely there have been some.

Lesley,

The web site as a whole has helped draw in many new members as well as making it much easier for overseas members to renew – hopefully helping to keep them on-board!

Bells, whistles and gizmos are fine, but what really makes the site work is not technology – it's the contributors efforts, the openness and friendliness of the whole thing. It is an online manifestation of the SRGC – a totally non-elitist down to earth organisation.

I'm just the janitor here, the real workers are the likes of Ian Young, Sandy Leven and others - and of course the members of this forum.

In the best janitor tradition it is my solemn duty to be a grumpy old bugger for at least some of the time. ;)
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Maggi Young on November 29, 2006, 11:49:28 AM: I heartily endorse all that Mr Admin has said.
The accessiblity of the SRGC site is always mentioned in correspondence with members and visitors alike. It is gratifying that many people, finding the forum and enjoying it, have gone on to join the club. Some after registering as forumists, taking part and getting to know us better.
That's all fine by us... we are here to provide a contact point for not only SRGC Members from around the world but as a focal point for all enthusiasts of the alpine plants and wildflowers of the world to find information and contact with eachother.
I, for one, am delighted by the opportunity the forum gives me to make friends with other gardeners and to see what they grow, whether alpine plants or otherwise and to learn about all sorts of things, from fabulous fauna to virtual mountain trips, to gossip over cup of tea and a piece of cake: It is like conversing with friends, and learning something new every day...I believe the mix is a great part of our appeal.
This website and forum is surely one of the most immediate and widespread manifestations of our stated aims that "the SRGC exists to foster an interest in Rock and Peat Graden plants, to provide education about and spread knowledge of such plants and encourage their cultivation."
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Maggi Young on November 29, 2006, 01:36:24 PM: Thanks, Anthony, that's you firmly on the Christmas card list!!
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Ian Y on November 29, 2006, 02:46:51 PM: [attach=1] [attach=2] [attach=3] [attach=4] [attach=5]
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Paul T on December 01, 2006, 08:13:34 PM: Lesley,

As you have probably seen by now in the other threads..... Yep, I'm still here. Yes I am one of those who found the SRGC via this forum, and ended up joining the SRGC itself. I realised recently though that I think somewhere along the line I forgot to renew my membership, because I don't get anything in the mail any more (and rightly so if I haven't rejoined! ;D), so I must do something about that I feel. I have had a great deal of enjoyment from the SRGC site pages, and joining the society itself was my way of "paying them back" for providing this forum. I've heard of the AGS forum, but obviously as I am not an AGS member I will never take part there. If the SRGC forums had been closed to non-members then there never would have been anything posted here/there by me either. (OK, those of you who are sick of hearing me yabber on can STOP cheering at the thought! :P)

One thing you can take heart from though Lesley, is that this is far more of a "standard" forum type than the previous one. If you find other forums elsewhere on the internet you may find that the work you put into learning to use this new one will be useful for using them as well.

So glad to be back here, and apologies to all for my recent disappearance from the other forum. Has been a chaotic month and it just got too much to go and try to catch up on the forum (it gets that way at times!) so I kept putting it off, which of course made the job even bigger etc. One feature I like with this new forum is that the link to new postings in a thread stays current, even if you leave and come back again (you had to check everything within an hour or so on the old one or they would reset to "no new posts") and the pages system is so much better. I too don't like the thumbnails as they are small enough it isn't easy to tell whether you want to make them bigger or not! ;) I do notice that there are ways of bypassing this so that pics posted come out full sized in your own post, but I realise that this then can become a problem for those on dialup as they would automatically load the larger pics. When I get my act together and post some pics I might experiment a bit. It will be niec to be able to load pics again given the larger limit in size. I still intend to aim for 100K pics or less, but the 80k just made it too icky when shrinking the pics from my camera. Will be so nice to take part again!!

Thanks to all of those who have made this new forum possible. Great stuff guys!! (and gals!) ;D ;D
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: Maggi Young on December 01, 2006, 11:08:53 PM: Cheers to you, too, Paul!

Can I make a request to all forumists to edit their profiles to add their "normal" name and location in the signature box on the Forum Profile Information Section (where it says : Signature:
Signatures are displayed at the bottom of each post or personal message. ) All the posts on this page have that added, you will see. Except Admin, of course, there's no point in him telling us where he's hiding!
Many Thanks,
M
Title: Re: Calling Forumists, old and new: Please Register for the New Forum
Post by: ichristie on December 18, 2006, 06:18:35 PM: Hi to all, everyone out in the big wide world Scottish Rockers and friends everywhere, I send very best wishes for Christmas and New year, enjoy a dram or two or whatever takes your fancy, don't get carried away now and keep posting so we know what you are all up to in the New Year, Cheers, President Ian or Ian the Christie kind.