This use to be a wonderful forum. It has turned into garage sale. What happened?

I must admit i totally agree with you,was a great forum,but i fear its going like many other great forums and they are closing because of FaceBook.

On FB can get about every form of information about specific detectors and equipment or detecting in general and the forum owner does not have all the expense of server or usage charges and that i feel is the main reason why alot of what was at one time forums with huge amount of members but also had high server cost as well and many have gone over to FaceBook.

The old detecting forum days are over and in a few years time only a few will be left.

All the public forums are dying and that is sad. Now people seem to be spread out over thousands of FB pages many of which are private. Maybe it's because more people are accessing the internet with their smartphones these days and are no longer using computers. I don't own a smartphone and refuse to join Facebook. With every new technology, there are always drawbacks and the death of forums might be one of them. I will always have a computer. You can't do proper research on a tiny screen. I know a lot of people who have thrown away their computers. They have no desire to learn things.



Edited 7 time(s). Last edit at 07/24/2021 01:29PM by Badger in NH.

I don't use facebook and like the forums.

I have put a TON of blood (time, labor, effort) into many of my last few years of posts........ and no one seems to be interested. Maybe folks are less interested in technical stuff........ but/rather....... more interested in photos of finds.....and videos.

Yes..... I'm seeing this forum being used heavily for selling stuff.

I also think folks are having a hard time registering on this forum (including old members). I hardly see any new members // new blood. THAT'S scary!!!

NASA-Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have put a TON of blood (time, labor, effort) in
> to many of my last few years of posts........ and
> no one seems to be interested. Maybe folks are les
> s interested in technical stuff........ but/rather
> ....... more interested in photos of finds.....and
> videos.
>
> Yes..... I'm seeing this forum being used heavily
> for selling stuff.
>
> I also think folks are having a hard time register
> ing on this forum (including old members). I hard
> ly see any new members // new blood. THAT'S scary!
> !!

You have a great forum here Tom, hope it doesn't die out completely!
Do you moderate and do all the "tech" stuff running it on your own?
I think those of us of a certain age are more comfortable on forums versus Facebook.

Tom your posts are the main reason I check this forum everyday. Your technical break down thought process of detectors is invaluable. I don't really have anything to add to the posts usually they are above my pay grade so to speak but they help me understand what's going on with what I'm swinging. So don't ever feel as if your posts aren't appreciated, people just may not be able to add anything to the thread. So keep posting please! I also wish keith would start posting again

And as far as I am concerned and I think there are others like me I do not have a Facebook account and will NEVER have one. So once the regular forum sites shutdown I'm done with reading about detecting. And I like pictures and videos of great finds but they don't do squat for helping me learn to detect better or help me learn how to research spots better. So I for one love the informative posts on breaking down signals in Iron or general construction practices from different time periods to better be able to determine site age or where buildings would be more likely to be on a site. Just my opinions

SeaBeeRon....... Would you believe: I'm just a regular forum member. Just a 'poster'. WildWally is the entire forum owner/moderator! Thanks for the appreciation!
Pedlar mills....... thanks for the appreciation and kind words also!

NASA-Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SeaBeeRon....... Would you believe: I'm just a reg
> ular forum member. Just a 'poster'. WildWally is t
> he entire forum owner/moderator! Thanks for the ap
> preciation!
> Pedlar mills....... thanks for the appreciation an
> d kind words also!


Ha!! I thought he "worked" for you!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/24/2021 05:47PM by SeabeeRon.

One of our forum friends seems to spread the wealth of information away from this site. Re-directing you away to other places. I have no beef with this member. Just don't care for it.

texkinzee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> One of our forum friends seems to spread the wealt
> h of information away from this site. Re-directing
> you away to other places. I have no beef with thi
> s member. Just don't care for it.


I'm not sure what you are referring to. There is nothing wrong with sharing links to other forums as long as it is relevant to the topic being discussed. The great thing about forums is the sharing of information. I would not want to belong to any forum that discourages posting links to other forums or does not allow honest reviews or opinions.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/24/2021 06:38PM by Badger in NH.

NASA-Tom, I agree with Pedlar Mills -- one main reason I am a member here, is for the information you share. Please do not underestimate that; it would be a great loss for many of us.

However, I CAN vouch for the fact that there are issues with new members joining, etc. Something is going wrong somewhere, when new members try to join...

I much prefer to read forums, as opposed to Facebook. Forums offer a record/searchable database of prior information/posts. A much better platform, in my opinion, than Facebook groups.

Steve

Badger in NH Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> texkinzee Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > One of our forum friends seems to spread the wea
> lt
> > h of information away from this site. Re-directi
> ng
> > you away to other places. I have no beef with t
> hi
> > s member. Just don't care for it.
>
>
> I'm not sure what you are referring to. There is
> nothing wrong with sharing links to other forums a
> s long as it is relevant to the topic being discus
> sed. The great thing about forums is the sharing o
> f information. I would not want to belong to any f
> orum that discourages posting links to other forum
> s or does not allow honest reviews or opinions.
Not a problem.

Tom,

I do not have an account on FB and never will. I do not post much but I certainly read your articles. Compared to other forums I have been on, this one (by far) has the most usable technical information. When I want to learn about metal detectors, this website is my # 1 destination. I know I do not add much to discussions however let it be known, your words do not fall on deaf ears. When you write, I take notes. I sincerely appreciate all your time, labor and effort. If you had never written technical articles on the Equinox and how to set it up for deep coins, I would have walked over and left many great finds in the ground. Again, thank you for your technical expertise! - Jim




NASA-Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have put a TON of blood (time, labor, effort) in
> to many of my last few years of posts........ and
> no one seems to be interested. Maybe folks are les
> s interested in technical stuff........ but/rather
> ....... more interested in photos of finds.....and
> videos.
>
> Yes..... I'm seeing this forum being used heavily
> for selling stuff.
>
> I also think folks are having a hard time register
> ing on this forum (including old members). I hard
> ly see any new members // new blood. THAT'S scary!
> !!

I have a few hobbies. Detecting being one of them. I consider myself to be web savvy. If I need information on something I usually find it. I have never posted on Facebook. My wife has an account for friends and family, but I have never bothered with it. That being said...Facebook seems to be the king of communication for many. Even though most of that information is wrong or just BS. I would rather be here on this forum. I miss Keith. The forum took a hit with him leaving. If life and detecting trips ever return to normal I myself would have more to contribute to the forum.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/24/2021 10:52PM by goodmore.

Question (for anyone): Why did Keith leave?-----I miss him to goodmore.

Rick, N. MI Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't use facebook and like the forums.


Same here Rick. If it's only on facebook I will never see it. I like the forums as well.

A couple of sour apples..... chased Keith away. (((They are happy now))). Hundreds of folks gleaned tons of info from Keith.

Searching (back-searching) on FB can be a bit cumbersome (and occasionally impossible). Forums have less of that issue.

goodmore...... is California starting to go back into total lockdown again?

Jim & Steve........ thanks!

texkinzee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> One of our forum friends seems to spread the wealt
> h of information away from this site. Re-directing
> you away to other places. I have no beef with thi
> s member. Just don't care for it.


I know the one you are talking about and agree with you. I have come to just ignore his threads completely even tho he is someone i think has knowledge to share (when he cares to).

I too will never have a FB account but it is for privacy reasons. The political leanings of the site, censorship, tracking/selling of members personal data isnt for me.

And while i really support 'to each his own', i dont understand at all the attraction of watching sports(or any vid) on a tiny 1" screen. Give me one of those cheap(!) big TVs anytime.

I think part of it for Me anyway is it is such a PIA anymore to post a comment?
I have to send and resend it 4 or 5 times. I thought I was blocked at first.
Anyone else have this problem?

I have to join the choir and say without this forum I would have moved on down the road. What you get here is not only technical info but the insight into it so layman like me can understand and use it to help increase quality of finds. I feel most can take a md and go to a virgin or lightly hunted site and get a nice find. Its finding the one that got missed because of masking, a hard hunted site or took a skilled interpenetration of that weird soft signal is what I got here. Not to mention the down to earth people I have met with from here. Haven't even looked at the others sites I followed at one time.
Its my hope Keith will come back. He and others have endured the know it all's that show up and ruin it for us all. I follow Keith on FB but haven't looked lately for posts..
I have had a FB page for 9 years and I have never been a big on posting or reading wall posts but keep it for my other hobbies as well as it has been great for friends to reconnect. I learned from day one what not to use it for. I have seen it effect and even ruin business and personal worlds. While I'm really unhappy with what they are censoring lately I find the only response that I can have is just not buy a thing they push on my wall. Have come close to closing my account in the last year but several good things have come from it i feel would not have happen otherwise. Thoughts of hiding ones digital footprint is almost at this time impossible. All the stuff is out there through other means thanks to the agencies that are suppose to be looking else where. lol HH JR

SN, i agree that if big gov wants to trail you, you might as well enjoy it. But with privacy oriented OSs and browsers, VPNs, MAC randomizers, changing your digital fingerprint regularly (or just leaving it at factory settings), and some self restraint, its really pretty painless to keep your personal life personal. Of course what you post on a login site like this one is visible forever so there is some self discipline involved.

If i were you, I'd keep the FB account and just let it lie. No telling if you might want to use it in the future. I have a dummy account there in a false name that i got back when they didnt require your phone # to register. Who knows what data they may require for a new account in the future.

I miss Keith to,i learned a lot from his videos, i hope he will come back

Harold,ILL. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think part of it for Me anyway is it is such a P
> IA anymore to post a comment?
> I have to send and resend it 4 or 5 times. I thoug
> ht I was blocked at first.
> Anyone else have this problem?


Posting works fine for me. Never had a problem.

Lets also take a look at companies that have went by the way side. Competition is drying up. Not a lot of discussion about the old machines..... and a good bit of info has been put out about the new. The last year or so hasnt helped either with the virus and our attention being focused else where.

After I check the river stage the first click is on here---always hoping for some TomWisdom or good data from a number of folks.
Really miss Keith and all his info.
Hate FB,twitter eyc.

Tom you are the king of unbiased technical information. Delivered like nobody else. I've been around this forum 10 + years. Pass the word to others, it's not for everybody. I tried to check daily and if you posted it's a must-read.

Keith with a completely different delivery but still get the point across. Down to earth and to the point.
Don't let them cancel you, too much of that already gone on. If they don't like to watch, they can turn it off.

NASA Tom -- Your posts are always great to read. I never commented a lot from what you post because some times to be honest, it's a bit over my head and I'm just not one of those people to jump in and make a fool of myself by acting like I know exactly what you are talking about and understand everything.

Some times though you put the cookie jar low enough that even I can get one and enjoy haha

As for technology and social media, computer vs smart phone, etc...I can actually do more with my phone than I can with a computer. Everything works together with apps now; I can do overlays, and all sorts of things on my phone...mark fishing spots that I've never even seen in person, and upload them straight to my sonar and drive the boat right on top of it. I can map out creek channels and bridges, etc that have been submerged since the 1940s and go right to them with 20 feet of water on top of them. I'm ON Facebook but don't get involved in it too big. I have actually gotten more into the native american artifacts now moreso than anything. I am a member of a bunch of groups on there but mostly just to see finds and such.

It would be nice to have a separate classifieds page.

Wouldn't mind a separate links only page for those guys that feel the need to post links everywhere.

I like the long term, on-going, single thread post format that is being used for the MDT-8000.

I read, just don't post much anymore.

HH
Mike