Future of the Forum

[falcon999]

i do the same view unread posts..

I don't like to block someone completely although i have done it for one person, but not you al ...

I just wish I could do the same thing as block a person, as blocking a thread, but that being said I might eliminate most of the traffic on here

[Common Sense Al]

I also 'bookmark' the unread post URL. If you're not already doing this, then I highly recommend it...

Go here (in a new browser window or tab):
search.php?search_id=unreadposts

And bookmark it.

As for some of the requested features, it's always possible they may be added in a future update of the forum software. I agree an 'ignore topic' option would be nice.

By the way, when you block someone, it doesn't show their posts, but you can still read them by clicking on an extra link to show their post.

[Pipeline]

I don't do book face either. Forum traffic has died a little due to, not so many "hot topics". Recently, no gas well drilling, no hotly contested elections, and now more "coffee talk". Need more liberals on here to stir the pot. I wouldn't change much. This forum needs more clueless Roadkills and Sandy Brakes.

No, this forum needs more personal attacks. Personal attacks lead to flame wars, and flame wars generate unbelievable amounts of traffic. Thank you for doing your part, Pipeline.

BTW, the fact that you think I'm a liberal brings a smile to my face. On boards not populated by generic Texas bubbas, I'm considered one of the more conservative posters, probably because when I vote I vote straight line Republican. I suppose being able to rationally consider other viewpoints invokes disdain from those who are falling off the edge of the political spectrum to one side or the other.

Reread the post, RK. I didn't call YOU a liberal. I merely made a statement that more libs were needed. Plus a few more CLUELESS posters. I have always appreciated your "rational".

Signed
Bubba

[CopperCanyonResident]

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Shut it down,

Thanks for the venue while it lasted.

CCR

[love Lantana]

How about a campaign to advertise Lantanalinks to people who don't know about it. Maybe a big banner on Lantana trail and some sort of contest to generate site visits.

[scvsop]

How about a campaign to advertise Lantanalinks to people who don't know about it. Maybe a big banner on Lantana trail and some sort of contest to generate site visits.

A lofty, costly goal. To be sure, CTG should do whats in its best interest with respect to resources, revenue and time. The medium known as a forum is mostly dead being replaced with 140 character soundbite/link sharing. When your audience isn't really growing anymore such as the time when the area known as Lantana went from 700 residents to 2000 residents very quickly the site known as Lantanalinks.com experienced its most robust growth. Since that time and with the acquisition of the CTG, the population growth has steadily declined and although still growing, at a much slower rate, so has the target audience for this forum.

I know from personal experience that some members who used this forum extensively have issued a steady barrage of opinions which have lead to a decline in usage. Mostly due to the extreme left or right. It makes for an uncomfortable feeling that some users don't enjoy or get over easily so the best way to deal is simply to not return. Then with the creation of "The Big Picture" it somewhat kept those opinions to the side.

I still enjoy the forum and use it for information. Not everyone does. I'll continue to be loyal in a limited role.

[txbonfire]

I love the info. I don't need the drama. Remove Women's Web and The Kitchen and even Pop Culture.
- Angela @ Navarro

[Uther]

On the off chance that you really care - but I doubt it, since I think you're an aspiring right-wing politician using a cheapo journalistic jump-off to make your point.

Politics and religion are no-no's if you want to have a growing civil community.

You should have moderators that don't have strong one-sided political and religious beliefs. Nor who use your boards to expound their theological and political dogma.

The role of moderators is to shut down discussions that run off on a tangent and alienate the middle-of-the road posters who come here to exchange bits of local information. Moderators should not act as the biggest instigators of flame wars and threads that devolve into meaningless rhetoric.

And above all, don't publish those moronic "big picture" threads in your other online pages or in Google search results.

TL;DR: Ax "Big Picture" discussions over 5 pages, halt frequent posters in the same threads. Knock off the lunatics and see if you can carry it with local exchanges of newsworthy tidbits, restaurant reviews, etc....

[Al-La-Mod]

Great news for those who don't want to see or read "The Big Picture".

1. Go to your User Control Panel and the Usergroups tab.
2. In "Edit Membership", join the "No Big Picture" group.

That's it. You can resign from the group at any time and see "The Big Picture" again.

[love Lantana]

just did...wonder how many others are tired of the politics and religion fighting.

[falcon999]

i just did that al, can't wait to see if that works.

[JKTex]

i feel like when i come here, it's just to see fighting on a few issues over and over, and the people on each side won't change their mind... personally if i could block a topic so i would never see messages on that thread I wouldn't mind...

but it does seem like the vast amount of messages are on a few topics... the severely controversial ones...

i do remember when we first started you didn't have to have an account and topics were very lively but certainly less civil.

I have moved, but i still come back here for info and entertainment and actually this doesn't exist in coppell where I moved, so i do wish it existed...

I wouldn't post on facebook anything, the only thing I write on facebook is pictures of my kids.

I agree completely about the controversial topic issue. It's used, a lot, to drive more traffic and hits on forums and often driven by a plan with shill like tactics just to get people taking. It becomes a gridlock when it ends up like the Bog Picture has in many regards, when it's the same people looking horns. Depending on the draw, I'd say most people don't want to get involved with it so it ends up not working, just stirring up dust. Of course I'm sure NCS AL would never do such a thing....but it's funny to watch, and entertaining.

I'd been involved for several years with a site that was at one time very profitable and very active, but most members would never had known it. A previous owner was asked to come back and become more involved with an expectation of stirring up people and topics. It's success this time wasn't near what it used to be. It's not an easy thing to do and can blow up on you. The fact is, Facebook really put a hurt on a lot of forum's like this in the last 2-3 years.

[JKTex]

Great news for those who don't want to see or read "The Big Picture".

1. Go to your User Control Panel and the Usergroups tab.
2. In "Edit Membership", join the "No Big Picture" group.

That's it. You can resign from the group at any time and see "The Big Picture" again.

Whoo hoo! You joined, right?

[falcon999]

i joined and it's better.

[Al-La-Mod]

Whoo hoo! You joined, right?

No. There's some really good stuff in The Big Picture. Common Sense Al always posts good messages. I haven't seen a bad one from him yet, even though he's posted thousands. You'd think out of thousands he might have a dud but I haven't seen any duds yet. The other posts just make me laugh and provide great entertainment.

So far, only 4 people have joined the group to eliminate The Big Picture.