Suggestion Feedback on keeping ScubaBoard members

[gypsyjim]

This question is directed at all members, new and old. It is actually a multiple part question, and is designed to get us all thinking about what ScubaBoard is, or could be for someone just discovering us today or tomorrow.

Two weeks ago on Utila Colleen and I were part of 4 couples with no previous contact who were diving on the same boat for a week, so we had lots of time to chat. It turned out that 5 (6 including myself) of the 9 divers including the DM, were all members of ScubaBoard at one time or another, but I was the only actively participating SM user.

A subsequent conversation with a friend who is also a moderator, has had me thinking about this, so here are my questions:

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1) What attracted you to ScubaBoard in the first place?

2) Are you satisfied that the board addresses your needs adequately? And if not what would you change, if you could to make it do so

3) Why do you think other folks who have joined, have not stayed around?

4) Do you have ideas on what the board either did not provide well, or what might have done to scare them away, without becoming participating members?

5) Do you have ideas or suggestions of new ways to both attract and keep new members, new divers involved, and satisfied with this forum?
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---------- Post added March 3rd, 2014 at 08:30 AM ----------

I will start by adding my own 2 cents.

I discovered SB while researching a dive trip back in '05, and was not a terribly active member for some time. I did though, find the info I was seeking.

I did soon after that did make some friends on the board, as both DeputyDan and Herman offered advice and invited my family to join their group for a trip to Bonaire.

I also later asked for underwater photography advice, and got a lot of help from such diverse members as ScubaSteve and DandyDon, who were more than willing to help a struggling novice.

I had a few conflicts in some of the threads along the way, especially early on, with some of the more vocal know it alls, but while that slowed me down a bit and kept me quiet, it did not scare me off. I just spent more time lurking till I became more comfortable standing up for my beliefs, and not afraid of the loud mouths. It just took me time to realize by lurking that they were a small minority, and not particularly as well respected universally as they might have thought, which made me feel less the outsider.

(Note) I think a lot of that 'know it all' attitude seems to have disappeared from the boards, or at least become far less of an issue. I heard a lot of feedback from non member divers between '95 and about 2000 that this "slamming of 'stupid questions' " was a big turn off, but I do not sense this same complaint from my more recent contactsd, when discussing SB. Now it seems more like SB is not supplying what divers are seeking, and they are just moving on to other sources of info.

I know many folks have moved on to FB, but while I enjoy FB a lot myself, I have never seen it as having the potential to reach as many divers, or to serve as a useful search base for dive related questions.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Diver0001 I'd swear you deleted me the other day and I didn't get your note. In any event the way I noticed was because had gone back to delete myself. Then I waited for your note to me . . .and waited and waited . . .

 

[Diver0001]

Diver0001 I'd swear you deleted me the other day and I didn't get your note. In any event the way I noticed was because had gone back to delete myself. The I waited for your note to me . . .and waited and waited . . .

The only post of yours I recall deleting lately was related to a thread started by a member when he had been banned for several weeks due to a severe case of cyber bullying. He was given an infraction and managed to start a thread containing severe moaning about moderator actions after having been told that cyber bullying was something that we would not accept on this board and that he had been added to short list of "zero tolerance" offenders who we would prefer to be rid of than to tolerate. This was done not due to the one incident but due to a pattern of behavior over many months.

Frankly, I don't see how "normal" users like yourself wold be willing to tolerate cyber bullies. I also see no reason why scubaboard should tolerate cyber bullying as a "normal" mode of interaction on the board.

After his first post, you asked "what happened" and I deleted the entire thread, including your post. Perhaps I should have PM'd you with an explanation, but I assumed that by deleting the entire thread that you would understand that it was his post, and not yours that caused me to intervene.

R..

 

[TSandM]

And regarding the question of "thin-skinned" people who get offended easily . . . Believe me, we know who they are! When people report posts, the first thing we do is go and look at whether any of the moderators think the post in question is offensive. You'd be amazed at how often we conclude that it isn't, and write to the reporter and tell them that.

The vast majority of the time, if something is removed from the board, it's because there is consensus among multiple moderators that it shouldn't be here.

 

[The Chairman]

You'd be amazed at how often we conclude that it isn't, and write to the reporter and tell them that.

They often suggest that reporting the post doesn't do anything. When you report a post, it alerts us to a potential problem. All reported posts are looked at. If we agree with your assessment, we act, but we may not tell you how if it involves another user. Privacy is key here. If we don't agree we will usually tell you why.

Biggest reason to not report a post: You simply disagree with the content.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

1) What attracted you to ScubaBoard in the first place?

Uncle Pug.

2) Are you satisfied that the board addresses your needs adequately? And if not what would you change, if you could to make it do so

I'm satisfied ... which is why I'm still here 12 years later. The board's gone through a lot of changes during those years. Most of them are positive, to my concern.

3) Why do you think other folks who have joined, have not stayed around?

Life happens.

4) Do you have ideas on what the board either did not provide well, or what might have done to scare them away, without becoming participating members?

The reasons could be numerous, and it probably wouldn't be practical to try to address them all. But I don't think the board ... if by that you mean either the function or staff ... scares people away. I think members do that. Making certain forums "flame free" I think went a long way toward cleaning up some of that problem.

5) Do you have ideas or suggestions of new ways to both attract and keep new members, new divers involved, and satisfied with this forum?

Not really sure any "new" ways are needed. This board's successful, and has been since I've been a member. No, it's not perfect, but it works ... and if it works, don't fix it.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[NAM001]

1) What attracted you to ScubaBoard in the first place?
Recommendation of another diver, large population of members that should produce a large population of ideas.

2) Are you satisfied that the board addresses your needs adequately? And if not what would you change, if you could to make it do so
Yes over all. I would change the post area such that each post id's the pster as far as qualification or agenda. IE. DIR advocate, Instructor Cave ect.

3) Why do you think other folks who have joined, have not stayed around?
This may dig up old woulds but the past behaviors of some in regards to the DIR supremacy and perceieved looking down on those who are not.

4) Do you have ideas on what the board either did not provide well, or what might have done to scare them away, without becoming participating members?
It seams that the board was primarily populated and controlled by Cavers and DIR enthusiest's. Bad pherasing but . Those people post from thier perspective and save the world ideals. This ends up discrediting the OP's or thier lack of knowledge. Ends up as beat me up once shame on you but twice shame on me. This is too often reflected in such things, as an OP of which computer is better brand x or y. And responded with Why do you need one, you will die with one. Examples of how they dive ,when the diving is not the same. CAVE ANSWERS TO SWIMMING POOL QUESTIONS.

5) Do you have ideas or suggestions of new ways to both attract and keep new members, new divers involved, and satisfied with this forum?
SB has come a long way since its conceptiion and USERS relations with each other. Im not suggesting that we all share a virtual hug but non BP/W users are neither wanna be divers or dirt bags. Unfortunately it only takes a few comments by the right folks to brand the reamaining frequent users as arrogant supremists. Those who have problems with user comments have either thin skin or genuinely do not like being looked down upon when tryng to improve theselves. So much for the comments I have been confronted with. We have at some time all been guilty of these things. Credit is due to the majority of users that have given up on the parent child aproach to questions and moved on to adult to adult on topic responses.
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[danvolker]

You have to be kidding.. We make a DIR boast, and we get reamed!!!

 

[chillyinCanada]

Boast? More like roast.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

You have to be kidding.. We make a DIR boast, and we get reamed!!!

... then stop making them ...

Real DIR divers don't need to boast ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[lionfish-eater]

You have to be kidding.. We make a DIR boast, and we get reamed!!!