How does Forestry Forum's format work for you?

[John-NY]

I signed up as a new member just the other day after seeing a reference to this valuable site in www.yesterdaystractors.com .  I visit the other site daily and particularly like it's format.  New topics are posted daily at the top of the discussion forum and replies are listed individually below the topic.  They progress through the cycle until they are eventually removed.  Maybe I haven't given this format enough time to become comfortable with it, but I find it more difficult to use.

I grew up on the first certified Tree Farm in our county.  I have a portable mill and work in the woods regularly so I am very interested in this site.  

I hope I don't offend anyone.  That's certainly not my intent.  I would just love to see the site be a bit more user friendly.  If another format works better, remember the adage "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery".

[Tom]

John,

Of all the sites I have visited, this one is the most user friendly and the most friendly.  The #1 tool is to become a member so you can log in and benefit from the "new" tags on the posts.  I think you hit the nail on the head when you suggested that you give it a little more time.  As you learn the site, the people, the subjects and the "atmosphere" you will appreciate the way Jeff has put it together.

Unlike many other sites on the Web, this one is not designed on a scheme of "underlings" coming to the guru on the mountain.  It should be looked upon more in the light of sitting around a pot bellied stove in a general store where old timers and visitors alike are welcomed and invited to have a seat.  Although Guests are welcomed, it is advantagous to have members do the posting so that you don't get that old "consultant" syndrome.  You know, the one where he "messes" (insert another verb here :D) in your nest and flies off. :D

Navigating this site is just scrolling through the thread.  You will notice that threads with multiple pages can be opened on any page by clicking the  page number beside the thread name.  Opening one on its last page and scrolling to the bottom will get you to the latest post.  This is quick but not always the best way to open an unfamiliar thread.  Most of these threads have a history and should be read from front to back to get the jist and the " rest of the story".  It helps to understand the site but more importantly introduces you to the other members and their dispositions.

Really......this isn't just a question and answer session.....we're having a lot of fun and when you join in it is great entertainment.

I'm interested in your experiences on your county's first tree farm.  I'll bet you have some stories to tell. ;D

[Frank_Pender]

  Tom, I admire your analagy with the "pot bellied stove".  We could add the second item, and that is the cracker barrell.  I was a bit slow when I first was introduced to this site, myself.   However,  with the humor and wit that was being thrown in from time to time I found that I just had to learn the trails and leave a few hatchet sign myself as I trudged about this forest of tree related sites.  I also learned some things about what my puter can do.   I was "learning all the while".  Yes, guys even an old retired teacher can learn inspite of himself.  The old addage from the 30's bothers some, but I use it anyway:  "Those that can't do, teach." :D    I have found that there are some very skilled persons using and sharing their talents on this forum.  It has always been a pleaseure for me to share that with which I have been blessed, be it an invention or a new way of creating something.  I have had several people ask why I have not put a patent on some of my machinery.  My response has been, "It was a gift to me and I feel that it would not be right to harvest that which I did not really sow. 8) 8) 8)

[Gordon]

Well John I can see your point at first, about being harder to use that is. It was for me as well, but after a couple times coming here I really think that you will begin to hate that single thread looking style of the tractors site as compared to the style of posts here.. Don't get me wrong I'm not putting down the other board, just give this one a chance before you make your final judgement.  :-/

You can compare it to an automatic versus a manual transmission I guess. Single thread always shifting gears. Forum is like an automatic,,never have to lift off the gas just keep on gettin it. ;)

As far as offending, not a bit. Just give it a fair shake and then repost with an honest answer. That is all one can ask is to be honest and that is at the time of your post you were being---honest...but were you being fair?

So having said that, I hope that you do give it a fair shake. Pull a seat up to the stove and share some of your knowledge with us and hopefully you can learn something as well. ;D

Look forward to reading your posts
Gordon

[Kevin]

John,
You can`t offend anyone here.
I gave up trying a long time ago.  ;D

runs a  tight ship but he`s pretty tolerant.

[Texas Ranger]

Tom, consulting syndrome?  Messing in your nest?

I resemble that remark, look for my next delivery to your nest!
 :

[stickbilt]

 I have been on other forums that have been a little bit easier to use. The one thing that comes to mind is when there is a new post, you have to go from the first page to the last and then scroll down. Another forum I have visited is set up so when you open the thread you are right at the new post.
 I would like to add that you'd be hard pressed to find a nicer bunch of guys than you will find here. It's pretty hard to beat first hand knowledge and this forum has quite a diverse crew that are more than willing to share their craft.

[Ron Wenrich]

I've been on some sites that would take you right to the first unread post in a topic.  The only problem is that quite often you have to bring up past posts if you don't remember quite how the topic was running.

I would say  that this forum is quite similar to a number of others I have looked at on various topics.  Some tell you about new posts, some don't.

The best part is that things have been broken down into several categories.  Some will be of interest, others won't

Don't forget to look at a few other things at this site.  Most notable is the Knowledge Base above the time and temp.  

Another area is http://www.timberbuyer.net   That is the sister (or should I say mother) site.  There you will find some handy calculators that were developed by members of this forum.

[Jeff]

This site works basically the same way John. The topic with the newest post goes to the top. you then click on it and before you is the whole thread. "The other site" makes you open each message. The only thing here that may confuse someone is that the posts are in order. The last post is at the end of the thread. I could change that around but I won't and here is why.

This forum is not just here to entertain. It is also here to inform those that are looking for information that our members can provide. If a guest comes in that is not acquainted with message boards, all they have to do is click on a category and look through till they find what they are looking for. Then they can start reading from the beginning. How would they know to go to the end to start? As members, we already know that.  Books are not written backwards. You read a chapter and bookmark the page. When your ready you go back to where you left off. This has worked for centuries and unless your Arabic who read right to left it should not be a problem.

Does that other forum have private messaging? Did you notice ours? I left a message for you the day you signed in to say that if you needed any help getting around just to holler. I visited the other forum and tried to search out where this forum was mentioned and could not find it. Their search was limited to archived messages and was not very functional. This site has a very intricate search function that allows someone that needs info to search it out, back to day one.

We all get set in our ways on how we do things. But believe me this forum is not. If I am persuaded for the need to change then we do. This forum has evolved tremendously since it's conception. I am glad you have chosen to join and evolve along with us!

Ron, thanks for the reminder to put a link on for the Timber Toolbox.  

Kevin, Where did you get that picture. Do you know I have a hat just like that one? I'll prove it one day.

 Oh, by the way John, can you easily upload and post pictures on that other forum? Does it have a spell check?

[John-NY]

I tried to send an following instant message to Jeff B, but I don't know whether it went or not.  I know that the first attempt didn't when I typed in "Jeff B" so I left it as "admin".  Was that correct?  I'm trying!!!!  It's a good thing I copied it before I "sent" it so I could use the paste feature to re-do it.

This is what I sent:

I hope this ends up as a private post as I intended.

I tried to review my first post and it posted it in the forum instead.  I had to go into the forum and delete one of the two identical posts.  I tried to use the spelling check on the second post, but it said that the service had expired in December of 2001.  Don't think I'm complaining, those things happen and after you experience them you adapt.  That's OK!

I want to be a contributing member and certainly appreciate all of the work that you've put into this site for all of our sakes.

Give me some time to adjust.  I guess I just wish that some of those that post would just be a little more particular in picking out a title for their post so that I could understand what topic they're talking about - without having to open the thread first.  I have a slow ISP hookup (Never over 32,000bps) and I end up having to wait for things to download.  That may contribute to some of my frustration.

Thanks for everything Jeff!

John

[Kevin]

John, What Browser and which version are you using?
Netscape 4.7 is slow and sometimes impossible with this site as well as others.

[Tom]

Whoops !  No personal offense intended Don. :-[

[woodmills1]

personally i really like this forum for it's info and how any topic can morph instantly into some discussion on grits or peas. :D  if i were to complain, though i am not, it would be about the small picture size. i do understand the need to conserve space :P

[timberbeast]

Netscape doesn't cut it on this forum,  at least not for me.  I use Internet Explorer now,  and find it a great improvement.  That was via a suggestion from Jeff.  Netscape works fine for lots of other forums,  but Explorer is my ticket here.

[DanG]

Hey, John!  I'm gonna take credit for draggin' you over here. ;D   Glad you found your way. I think you posted a question on Kountry Talk (offshoot of YTmag) about pruning pine trees. Well, we've got some regular pine tree pruning fools in this place, so, go ahead and lay it on them.  

As far as the format is concerned, it is one of my favorites. There is so much more information at your fingertips with this format.  One of the things I dislike on the other forum is the fact that once something moves down the board, a new post in a thread isn't likely to be seen. Here, it comes to the top, no matter how old it is. Hang in here with it, and you'll come to like it, too.

DanG
Crown Prince of Soganofla :D

[Bud Man]

 :P

[Bruce]

Best Forum on the net for content, member respect,  and compared to other forums that don't have editing ability, its nice to be able to fix my mistakes.

It is difficult to remember where every topic is when you got 15 pages.

Is it likely that one day we might have access to a summary page telling us which topic is on which page?

Bruce

[woodman]

     Bruce I don't know how i did it but one night on this forum I found a page with the last 50 or  100 posts on it. Would like to get back to it but I don't know how.  :-[ :(

[Jeff]

go to main page www.forestryforum.com and there is a link to show last 100 posts. If you are loged in it will say new next to the ones you have not seen

[woodmills1]

hey woodman, don't I know you? :D :D :D :D

[Bud Man]

 :--EGG--LARVAE--PUPAE--ADULT--SYNTHESIS COMPLETE---LEARNING IS FUN---SHARING IS COMFORTING AND WARM WITH PEOPLE OF SIMILAR INTEREST

[woodman]

     :D :D :D Mr. James yes you do :D 8) I am just 25 min. south, you have been to my place plenty of times. 8) :

[woodmills1]

yep thought that was you.  just so the rest of the forum knows woodman used to get me to cut for him, but he liked my woodmizer so much, he went out and got one too       :D 8) :D

[woodman]

      :O yea and rember Springfield, Wood Mizer tent ,12:00 saterday everyone whos anyone will be there.