Is the old gal dying?

Is the old gal dying? (Full Version)

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Marc2b -> Is the old gal dying? (6/11/2015 7:39:41 PM)
By old gal I mean Collarme . . . Collarspace . . . whatever. We seem to have come a long way from the glory days when there were several lively debates - debates of wit and profundity argued by intelligent and interesting personalities - going on at the same time. Now, after the civil war and the attempted coup, the steam seems to have gone out of the site. Most threads are of the liberals are stupid/conservatives are stupid variety. Participation is way down. The powers that be can't seem to fix the photo uploading problem - or perhaps they can't be bothered. I get a ' the best lack all conviction, the worst are filled with passionate intensity' vibe every time I'm on. So . . . Is the old gal winding down toward extinction? Is a renaissance, a rebounding, of the site possible? What would it take to turn things around?

shiftyw -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/11/2015 8:03:44 PM)
The site has been running like crap since they started trying to fix the photo problem. Sometimes I can't even get it to load. I think it's dying. If they can't fix the problem faster than they are...then at some point it just isn't a site I'll go to because it's a hassle and who knows if I'll be able to get on. There are a great many personalities I miss on here- some left when mod gate happened. Some were banned, seemingly of the permanent variety. Others seem to have just moved on. I don't know what it would take? I think people just got sick of the bullshit and then for it to be followed by how poorly the site has been running- idk.

Wayward5oul -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/11/2015 8:08:42 PM)
What is this mod gate? I have seen it hinted at a few times before.

shiftyw -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/11/2015 8:11:59 PM)
All the old mods got the axe. New mods came. Bans were issued. I don't want to risk one myself and since it was such a sore subject I don't want to muddy the waters too much further.

Wayward5oul -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/11/2015 8:41:42 PM)
So now I must dig...challenge accepted lol.

Spiritedsub2 -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/11/2015 9:31:59 PM)
I agree with Shifty. It's been over a year since modgate and the hoped-for reanimation has not come to pass. Too many interesting people were banned or driven away. I don't even care anymore that I can't get onto the site half the time; I just click over to the other one. I don't like the set-up there much but it is quickly becoming the only game in town. Things need to be changed to bring this site back to life but I don't believe that is going to happen.

igor2003 -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/11/2015 9:36:36 PM)
While I believe there was improvement over all after mod gate, I think the political section went straight downhill with the so-called "feisty" section. People said they wanted it so they could carry on "adult" discussions, but what we got was people hurling names and insults like second graders. I agree with shifty about the site becoming harder to get into and to navigate, and so I'm spending less and less time here. The benefit and enjoyment are getting to be less and less worth the hassles and frustrations. And it is just my opinion, but all the findommes swarming in unrestricted really irks me. Is there a fix? I don't know. Kind of depends on the owners and whether they WANT to make improvements or not. I don't know that there is anything that we, the users, can do other than to let our dissatisfaction be known. After that it is out of our hands.

stef -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/12/2015 12:22:37 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Marc2b Is the old gal winding down toward extinction? I think circling the drain is probably the most accurate description of it's present condition. quote: What would it take to turn things around? Nuking it from orbit?

Kirata -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/12/2015 1:02:52 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: igor2003 I think the political section went straight downhill with the so-called "feisty" section. Then why is Current Affairs, the moderated political section, a graveyard? K.

ownedslavejulia -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/12/2015 3:36:24 AM)
Personally I think it's dying. The amount of ads on the site has dropped off to near nothing so the owners can't be making much in revenue to run it and with the existing set of problems no one will want to put ads here because there is the chance that the ads just won't be seen as the site is down. It's going to take a lot to turn that around and yes, I know they are working on it but they've been working on it for a month and there is just no information coming out about what is actually going on, even a little banner at the top of the site stating that problems are being looked into would be good. In short, there doesn't seem to be the care that there once was. I know nothing about modgate but presumably the bans were for a good reason and not just spite, if it's spite then that's just silly and petulant. Hopefully the staff will communicate a bit more as at the moment all the comms seem to be from mod 3 only so I'm wondering if Mod 3 IS all that CS has to offer in terms of staff but if the comms improve and if they solve the technical issues they then need to have a bit of a drive to get people back and they need to make the forums integrate a little cleaner with the main site because most people don't even know this part exists.

MariaB -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/12/2015 3:48:47 AM)
Its a shame but it is what it is. Competing with the other side is like competing with Facebook. CM/S has held its head up and scraped its way through many a mess. Whilst other sites failed and crumbled, CM/S plodded on like the old reliable war horse that she is. Personally I think the old CM became stagnated in a mixture of malicious gossip, bitchy members and cliquey moderators. I left CM before its doors closed and came back when CS re-launched itself and to begin with, and for quite some time, it appeared to pick up and get back on track. It was more friendly than before and just as busy, at least for a while. The problem I see is, its a very dated looking site and not nearly as attractive as its bigger cousin. You could spend all day on the other side and never read the same thing twice. Whilst the site design isn't everyone's cup of tea, it a hub of activity and spills out an exciting energy. Most importantly it attracts new members and those new members go to their selective groups where acceptance is more likely. How can a site like this compete? it can't and so it has to be different...which of course it is, but its differences are far too subtle. The site needs to be updated with a fresher, more modern appeal to attract new members. Whatever happens, I will be here till the end, not because I'm thoroughly enjoying the site in its present state but because when CM was snatched the owner and the people who stood by him could of just thrown their hands in the air and said 'feck it'. All these years they have given us endless amounts of entertainment for free and I for one appreciate their efforts.

keptinchains -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/12/2015 3:56:57 AM)
The old site, collarme.com was basically the same, and if you go there you can read one side of the arguments as to why things changed. Personally, I thought it was pretty stupid to put what was basically a matrimonial argument online to affect so many people, but there you go.... Since the change to collarspace.com nothing much seems to have changed and there are, as ever, the few who live in the forums (fora?) and really need to get a life. The quality of the discussions, as far as I can see has neither worsened, nor improved, most are the childish rants of right or left wingers, and not only in the political forum. I ddn't even know the mods had changed, they do a pretty shit job if you ask me. Just a few cents worth, and for free. Now I will probably be banned...

DaddySatyr -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/12/2015 4:27:08 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: keptinchains The old site, collarme.com was basically the same, and if you go there you can read one side of the arguments as to why things changed. Personally, I thought it was pretty stupid to put what was basically a matrimonial argument online to affect so many people, but there you go.... Since the change to collarspace.com nothing much seems to have changed and there are, as ever, the few who live in the forums (fora?) and really need to get a life. The quality of the discussions, as far as I can see has neither worsened, nor improved, most are the childish rants of right or left wingers, and not only in the political forum. I ddn't even know the mods had changed, they do a pretty shit job if you ask me. Just a few cents worth, and for free. Now I will probably be banned... WE can always live in hope. Re: P & R: So few people actually understand the art of debate. For as many years as I've been here, P & R has been a joke, in those terms. I have put forth the idea that any moderation should be based upon the rules of debate. Name calling - take four weeks off. Ad hominem - Three weeks. Etc. The issue, across the boards, is that for too long, there were a bunch of people that were used to riding rough-shod over everyone else and they can no longer do that, anymore. Many of those people are gone, thankfully but the few that are left are bound and determined to show everyone that their way is the won-twue-way. Michael

Marc2b -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/12/2015 5:04:25 AM)
Thanks to everyone who responded. So more thoughts on my part: I've been with Collarme going on nine years now. Wow. I've stuck with it mostly out of habit but also out of genuine loyalty in exchange for the role that it has played in my life - namely, connecting me with fascinating (occasionally exasperating) minds from around the world, giving me moments of gut busting laughter and mind blowing deep thoughts. I don't know what the future holds but as long as the site is still here, I will be rooting for it. Which doesn't mean I won't criticize it. The technical issues must be dealt with first. I know next to nothing about how such things are done but I do know that such things can be done. I can see no excuse for them not being done. As for the design of the site - it is one of the things that I have always liked most about Collarme. The display is streamlined, easy on the eyes and - when working - easy to navigate. I wouldn't really want to see anything change in that aspect. Okay, maybe retire the - burnt umber? - in exchange for a snappy looking blue . . . or turquoise would be cool. Overall, I don't see much to be gained by an overhaul in appearance. Moderation is the bugaboo of every message board (as wild, weird and wicked as our virtual civil war was - it was nothing compared to the shit flinging cluster-fuck known as gamergate). Overall, I have never had a problem with the Moderation of the site. Sure, I've got the occasional gold letter which I usually regarded the same way I regard the police officer pulling me over for speeding. In other words it was completely and thoroughly unjustified! But since a gold letter never cost me any money - I didn't stay huffed about it nearly as long. Over the years I have seen the site's moderation swing back and forth between permissive and authoritarian (and I'll admit that I poked the beast - strictly out of curiosity - once or twice) but most of the problems seem to have stemmed from personality issues. I have no complaints against the current regime, Mod 3 seems to be striking a good balance. I do believe in occasionally practicing radical forgiveness so maybe the Admins might consider undoing some of the permabans and inviting some old timers back - but that won't help if the site continues to be buggy. The bottom line is that if the quality is there, the people will return. There may be some difficulty in overcoming an image of being an outdated site but in the long run quality - quality of functionality and quality of people - will overcome that. Will Collarspace ever seen a return to its glory days? I don't know. But like I said - I'm rooting for it.

focalss -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/12/2015 7:40:11 AM)
The bugginess is really not being explained or I can't find out why things are so slow. I personally never liked the other site FL although I am on it sometimes. This is really the only site you can search to look for people but the same problems as with all internet sites are here namely fakers. The main feature I would like would be to filter out pros and people in relationships to help find someone or make it clear there aren't people who are a match (for me).

ownedslavejulia -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/12/2015 11:25:45 AM)
Every now and then it seems to be absolutely fine but right now it's just unusable. Just going to the site took a staggering 2 minutes and 32 seconds before it loaded up with my browser hanging on "waiting on www.collarspace.com". The forums here seem to be unaffected though so is that just traffic or something else?

stef -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/12/2015 12:50:48 PM)
Don't worry. I have it on good authority that there are professionals involved; a few of them.

Spiritedsub2 -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/12/2015 2:44:50 PM)
Perfect new signature line ^.

ResidentSadist -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/12/2015 3:12:05 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Marc2b ............What would it take to turn things around? New software to enhance the user experience and maybe some new features might bring the fresh blood and revive the passion to post in some of the old blood. In particular, I mean software that supports voting for author credibility instead of a flat post count that endorses and gives fools or trolls the appearance of credentials. Also, a thread vote/like system that brings good threads to the top instead of a flat reply count that ups visibility of asinine flame wars putting them at the top while good topic threads fade to page two. When we share our perspective or experience and the offbeat or insane replies from 100k post count trolls get taken seriously by newcomers and spur what appears to be serious conversations . . . or they explode into flame wars, it gets discouraging. Many of my favorite post authors have left or gone silent because the newcomers we would have been sharing our experience with view the tourist's or trolls' replies with credibility. So starting a good topic is quite often futile and the mods go crazy trying to juggle the TOS and freedom of speech against some attention seeking numb chuck posing as an expert that always has the answer to everything even if they have never done it before... If feels like our voices and time spent posting is wasted and that we are just providing fodder for the emotionally disturbed. A forum w/o voting, likes or currency to validate a post or an author cannot survive under TOS used for this forum. I was a mod at a forum w/o those things and it only worked because we did not believe in trolls or idiots having free speech on our boards. I banned trolls and posted their dead accounts in a sticky. Our members knew we were sincere about posts having relevant content, remaining on topic and no flames. Anyway, new software would help.

tj444 -> RE: Is the old gal dying? (6/12/2015 3:27:22 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: stef quote: ORIGINAL: Marc2b Is the old gal winding down toward extinction? I think circling the drain is probably the most accurate description of it's present condition. ^^ This ^^ Imo, it went to crap right after the fight over the collarme website & it hasnt come back, everyone either abandoned ship or when the site was changed, they didnt know the new site addy (or didnt care).. and few have come back.. which means the chats have become boring with the same few actors.. same stuff repeated over and over and over.. (yawn)

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