RichS Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 (edited) * * * UPDATE: Please see post #65 in this thread. Thank you. * * * Let me start off by saying that one of our primary goals is to foster a vibrant and enthusiastic community around all the products we've been making over the last 53 years. To that end we have decided to make a number of changes to our forum structure. While it's nice to have a place for non-automotive topics to be discussed, we would rather have it as a member-only feature rather than being visible to the general public. There are several reasons for this: The information contained in NON-Automotive Off Topic does not pertain to anything Shelby-related. Some topics in this area tend to be controversial and distract the public from our goal to foster a community as stated above. One of our other primary goals is to enhance members-only benefits. On October 1st the entire NON-Automotive Off Topic section will be moved to the Team Shelby Club category and access to it will be restricted to Team Shelby Club members. This is the first of many changes we'll be making in the near future to improve your experience with the Team Shelby forums, including steps to increase the performance of the forums and (most importantly) making pertinent information easier to find. We look forward to your continuing contributions to this and all our topics. Team Shelby Forum Administrator Edited September 30, 2015 by shelbymotorsports Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry T Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 I am excited to see the changes ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Johnston Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 Good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svtkeith Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 I am excited to see the changes ahead. Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svtkeith Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 Good idea. Why please explain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tekheavy Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 I am excited to see the changes ahead. I am appalled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shel-b001 Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 Good idea. Would like to hear your reason that it is a good idea? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperNC Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 He who owns the forum makes the rules.... Will be interesting to see the future improvements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobjshelbys Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 I'm disappointed that the method chosen of moderating is to make it "pay to play". I strongly suspect that more of the forum will be closed this way. Out of general principal I do not pay for these activities, and I get little or nothing from a general membership (even though CS promised me a "lifetime" one that was never connected). If that is what is going to happen then the number of participants will dwindle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmcmotorworks Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 My guess is the Team Shelby website costs a substantial amount to maintain and operate. Many here most likely pay substantially larger sums of money for an hour or two of entertainment, gambling, movies, and even television now. Even at $50.00 per year it is a tremendous value for the time spent intellectually, humorously, and forging lifelong friendships. Consider this, if the entire site were "pay to play", at a lower level membership fee it would be more exclusive and there might be less trolls ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
car dude Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 I am appalled. Well said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Johnston Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 I like the changes because sometimes the Forum exchanges move away from the topics about the cars and related points of interest and become a school yard brawl for anyone to chime in. This is not a problem exclusive to this forum. The conversations are easily side tracked, guilty myself, and the focus needs to be on TS and SA, not personal challenges. This modification may help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grsybtch Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 I believe all this will accomplish will be to drive away even more folks from the dwindling number of active participants. JMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shel-b001 Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 I like the changes because sometimes the Forum exchanges move away from the topics about the cars and related points of interest and become a school yard brawl for anyone to chime in. This is not a problem exclusive to this forum. The conversations are easily side tracked, guilty myself, and the focus needs to be on TS and SA, not personal challenges. This modification may help. If you were to look back at the history of the site most brawls were regarding cars (i.e Shelby KR) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
car dude Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 I like the changes because sometimes the Forum exchanges move away from the topics about the cars and related points of interest and become a school yard brawl for anyone to chime in. This is not a problem exclusive to this forum. The conversations are easily side tracked, guilty myself, and the focus needs to be on TS and SA, not personal challenges. This modification may help. It is call the non Automotive off topic fourm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmcmotorworks Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 (edited) Let's all look on the bright side ! At least it's only being moved. The "CARS Spelled Backwards" thread got removed completely ! Edited September 26, 2015 by cmcmotorworks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilmor Posted September 27, 2015 Report Share Posted September 27, 2015 I notice that the SAAC forum does not do this. I think its a bad idea. If I'm a guy who might be interested in buying a Shelby and checking out the TS Forums, I would be turned off by not being able to do so. Guy sometimes like to lurk before joining a forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuickSilverShelby Posted September 27, 2015 Report Share Posted September 27, 2015 Let's all look on the bright side ! At least it's only being moved. The "CARS Spelled Backwards" thread got removed completely ! The "girls and mustangs" thread was deleted too. So one of the best threads is deleted and other threads are gonna be hidden? Nice QSS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeCMM Posted September 27, 2015 Report Share Posted September 27, 2015 One word....SAD!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmcmotorworks Posted September 27, 2015 Report Share Posted September 27, 2015 All is not lost ! Check out the new thread under "Automotive General Discussion" ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tekheavy Posted September 27, 2015 Report Share Posted September 27, 2015 I think we should leave it up to the members to decide if this is a good idea or bad. Start a poll and let's see how everyone feels about. Then make your decision based on the results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuadCam Posted September 27, 2015 Report Share Posted September 27, 2015 (edited) My guess is the Team Shelby website costs a substantial amount to maintain and operate. Many here most likely pay substantially larger sums of money for an hour or two of entertainment, gambling, movies, and even television now. Even at $50.00 per year it is a tremendous value for the time spent intellectually, humorously, and forging lifelong friendships. Consider this, if the entire site were "pay to play", at a lower level membership fee it would be more exclusive and there might be less trolls ! You guessed wrong, Chris. This entire website was professionally created and vetted by Robert Lane. It was turned over to SA as a "turn-key" operation. Whether it be tucked away way in a dark closet somewhere, of part of a leased space in a Server Farm - there is nothing "expensive" about it (excluding fixed overhead like paid SA Site Admin employee and routine Server maintenance). Comparisons to "entertainment" (porn?), gambling, or TV & Movies (Netflix, Hulu) are like apples and oranges and are meaningless. Further, those sites have far greater overhead, paying royalties, pay-outs and however you define the cost of "entertainment." Team Shelby is an exclusive SA product advertising vehicle with a captive audience, plus more than half the content of this website is written by the Membership be it paid or unpaid members. SA would realize a profit from sustaining this website even if it was completely free...! ...assuming Admin is performing the "analytics" that show where visitors spend their time when logged on and use that marketing research wisely. Lastly, I submit if you had approached Admin with a plan to glean beneficial user/visitor analytics from visitors to your former thread, it may still be here... I notice that the SAAC forum does not do this. I think its a bad idea. If I'm a guy who might be interested in buying a Shelby and checking out the TS Forums, I would be turned off by not being able to do so. Guy sometimes like to lurk before joining a forum. Another point well made, Bob! One word....SAD!!!!!!!! Very SAD, Mike! SA needs to stop being so short sighted - Embrace the Membership, don't alienate them... Edited September 27, 2015 by QuadCam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuadCam Posted September 27, 2015 Report Share Posted September 27, 2015 (edited) I think we should leave it up to the members to decide if this is a good idea or bad. Start a poll and let's see how everyone feels about. Then make your decision based on the results. Exactly, Evan! I have been in contact with My local State and Regional TS Director(s) - I was told that the Directors knew that "THIS..." was in the works! Further, Monday evening there will be a "Conference Call" among the Directors to discuss TS issues. I asked that "THIS..." be "tabled" until a full accounting of impact these changes may cause in Membership and Loyalty. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR TS DIRECTOR IMMEDIATELY AND REGISTER YOUR OPINION - YEA or NAY Edited September 27, 2015 by QuadCam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmcmotorworks Posted September 27, 2015 Report Share Posted September 27, 2015 All is not lost ! Check out the new thread under "Automotive General Discussion" ! Never mind. The thread was immediately deleted. Wow ! This is getting silly. Some ones got too much time on their hands and is on a rampage ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twobjshelbys Posted September 27, 2015 Report Share Posted September 27, 2015 I think we should leave it up to the members to decide if this is a good idea or bad. Start a poll and let's see how everyone feels about. Then make your decision based on the results. I don't think this is a democracy. This forum does belong to Shelby American. A number of years ago a group got similarly dissatisfied and started their own forum. That one failed got similarly split and a second group split. The first forum disappeared from the planet, but the second one still goes. This one at least tries to keep on the track of Shelby material. This forum is mostly about cars with only a couple of dedicated postwhore topics. The other forum is mostly about postwhoring and has a few car topics. I drop into both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffJ Posted September 28, 2015 Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 I notice that the SAAC forum does not do this. I think its a bad idea. If I'm a guy who might be interested in buying a Shelby and checking out the TS Forums, I would be turned off by not being able to do so. Guy sometimes like to lurk before joining a forum. I'm confused by this thought pattern. If you were a guy interested in buying a Shelby, why would you care about a NON automotive topic section on the forum? You'd be turned off by not being able to do what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilmor Posted September 28, 2015 Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 I'm confused by this thought pattern. If you were a guy interested in buying a Shelby, why would you care about a NON automotive topic section on the forum? You'd be turned off by not being able to do what? Jeff, of course this is just my opinion, but If I were interested in buying a Shelby and/or simply joining or lurking on the forum, possibly as a potential customer, I'd want to know what the members were discussing in all areas of the forum and how I might (or might not) relate to them from a social or interests, i.e. "community", standpoint. In this respect the non-automotive topic becomes very important to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug_GT350 Posted September 28, 2015 Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 I'm disappointed that the method chosen of moderating is to make it "pay to play". I strongly suspect that more of the forum will be closed this way. Out of general principal I do not pay for these activities, and I get little or nothing from a general membership (even though CS promised me a "lifetime" one that was never connected). If that is what is going to happen then the number of participants will dwindle. I agree.... I have met some fantastic people on here, I even managed to participate in one Team Shelby event (Dearborn 2011) I had a blast. I was member for several years and all I got were the trinkets in the membership package most of which were discarded shortly after opening the package. I may re-enlist just to keep in touch with those I met, however I highly doubt it. Until such time as when I can use my membership for something I'll go back to my local Mustang forum. So long guys it was a hell of a run! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan19d Posted September 28, 2015 Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 I can see both sides of the arguement. From SA's perspective it makes sense. It keeps the free and open section of the site focused on the vehicles and allows paying TS members to have their section to discuss off-topic items. Many people choose to not become paying members because, essentially, everything about TS is open to them for free (they just don't get the member kit goodies). Also, from Rich's statement, the whole site isn't becoming pay-to-play; so let's try not to catastraphize the situation. This does bring up a good point though, Tracy and the rest of the TS leadership are concerned about what the Team wants, so please do contact your State and Regional Directors with input on things. That is why the Directors are ther;, Shelby wants feedback from it's Team members. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTH391 Posted September 28, 2015 Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 When it becomes even more of a ghost town, they will wonder where and why we left. Even us long timers are disappearing. No company can continue on feelings of entitlement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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