Today on Facebook...

[tiefighterboy]

I love aged Platforms.

 

[edd_jedi]

Here's the last four years worth of visits. The big spike near the beginning is when this website broke the Toy Toni scandal. As you can see, it's growing healthily thank you very much.

Feel free to share your groups stats. Oh that's right, you don't have any...

 

[naughtyjedi]

pubs are aged platforms, but I still go in them.

I use echo to sell any beaters I have spare, to pick up the odd ship part or gun. And occasionally be an ****** when I feel the need. its a good place to visit.

swfuk for me is home.

 

[wrighty]

swfuk for me is home.

Says it all!

 

[steve obi wan]

I love a good debate !

 

[momike]

"As somebody else has said, FB will never replace forums and other types of website as it's simply not designed for anything other than throw-away chat"

Says it all to me too

 

[Mr-shifter]

think about this:

In this hobby:

Forums can exist without Facebook groups.

Facebook groups cannot exist beyond the most basic buying and selling without the resources of the forums.

There is ten years worth of content here. To just dismiss forums in the way that you are is so disrespectful to the people who trod this path before Facebook groups.

case in point, the toy Toni scandal broke here. The research was done here. Mr palitoy built his guide, that you all use and quote on a daily basis, from information that broke here.

Let's say forums die and Facebook takes over.

That thread couldn't have happened on Facebook.

 

[spoons]

Here's the last four years worth of visits. The big spike near the beginning is when this website broke the Toy Toni scandal. As you can see, it's growing healthily thank you very much.

swfuk-stats.png

Feel free to share your groups stats. Oh that's right, you don't have any...

That's really interesting Edd. Essentially current usage is on a par with the Toni scandal on a daily basis

I wonder if the more knowledge seeking members of Facebook groups are seeking the forum out, or if there is a general spike because of the TFA etc, or a bit of both

Could it be that FB is increasing membership here

Either way I'm with Pete. SWFUK is home

A lot of the FB group members presumably feel the same about their groups but I prefer my home to theirs

 

[naughtyjedi]

there must be a thesis out there somewhere about online communities. Facebook, I thought, was going to be the replacement of forums in natural migration due to it having the resources to adapt to hardware and software demands. But I was completely wrong (thank the lordy). Forums are the place for shared knowledge with social engagement. I don't feel like writing much of my waffle on a facebook group because most people see the link to read more and probably move on. On a forum, its more likely people will use their time to take each post in context and read it all. (cue the abuse)

Apple, BT, etc are all using forums to gather knowledge. It saves them customer service time and makes sense that us the people who use the products will hold in our brains that vital user experience a call centre person may take 5 years to even touch the base of that fountain. When I can be arsed to do research for the podcast its forum posts on here, RS, TIG that repeatedly appear in my searches. For this hobby its VITAL these places are kept alive.

We probably take for granted the utter amazing job Edd and Joe and spoons and Jason etc put into keeping online knowledge bases alive. Thank the maker...

 

[xbomber]

I think it's all been said. I use both forums and Facebook groups as they serve two different purposes.

There are cringe-making David Bent-style antics on Echo (see my signature for a recent example) and a bit too much backslapping for my taste ("Hey everyone, I sent Bob this figure for free because that's the Echo way")... BUT it's great for buying and selling and introducing people to this fine passtime.

Hopefully the prices they're stoking will settle down a little soon.

 

[RetroDan16]

Feel free to share your groups stats. Oh that's right, you don't have any...

Wow. Continue to condescend all you like, however I won't retaliate.
Here's some stats 'that I don't have'. These are from the last 30 days.

As I say, my original gripe was not about stats, numbers etc, but you keep on as if numbers are important. They're not. Make of these what you will, they prove nothing either way.
I don't give a toss about numbers. All I stated was that forum use has seen a steady decline over the last few years and will continue to do so. That's not sniping at this forum, it's just how the internet is evolving. I would imagine Reddit will replace forums before Facebook does.

 

[Grant_C]

Average 9 words per comment really sticks out. ****, I need another word. Done it. :?

Interesting seeing both stats. Even though I always say I don't care about stats. :?

 

[tiefighterboy]

i know feel fully educated thanks.

 

[RetroDan16]

I think it's all been said. I use both forums and Facebook groups as they serve two different purposes.

There are cringe-making David Bent-style antics on Echo (see my signature for a recent example) and a bit too much backslapping for my taste ("Hey everyone, I sent Bob this figure for free because that's the Echo way")... BUT it's great for buying and selling and introducing people to this fine passtime.

Hopefully the prices they're stoking will settle down a little soon.

Your signature and its usage sums up the attitude of this thread perfectly. Mocking. Belittling. Elitism.

 

[RetroDan16]

i know feel fully educated thanks.

Edd alleged I couldn't provide stats, I provided stats. As I say, they mean nothing.

 

[tiefighterboy]

i know feel fully educated thanks.

Edd alleged I couldn't provide stats, I provided stats. As I say, they mean nothing.

Well they are pretty and made me slightly horny.

 

[RetroDan16]

i know feel fully educated thanks.

Edd alleged I couldn't provide stats, I provided stats. As I say, they mean nothing.

Well they are pretty and made me slightly horny.

If I'd put the pie charts up, you might have had an accident then!

I'm not going to bang on that forums are dating badly, but I noticed there was an option to add my ICQ handle in the profile...

 

[Mr-shifter]

Dan,

Could you answer my point about the toy Toni scandal, and how, if as you suggest, facebooks take over from forums, how something like that could ever happen again but on Facebook?

What I mean is a community driven investigation into one of the biggest issues to come to the fore of collecting in recent years, that resulted in exposure on national television. Tell me how that could happen using an average of nine words per post?

 

[Mr-shifter]

Plus, while I think about it, if you took my posts of your site, along with a couple of similar minded people the word count per post would probably go down to about six.

Stop banging the the drum about elitism. You won't even let other people mention other groups or sites on echo. If that isn't elitism I don't know what is. In fact, the only site you will let them mention is tusken traders, and why is that? So you can, as a group, belittle them. It's narrow minded views like that drive threads like this.

You guys are really nothing more than a giant car boot sale. Beyond that, there is nothing there. Its a good car boot sale, as it has so many people through the door but beyond that, there is no substance.

 

[Lom]

Wow. Continue to condescend all you like, however I won't retaliate. Here's some stats 'that I don't have'. These are from the last 30 days.

Your signature and its usage sums up the attitude of this thread perfectly. Mocking. Belittling. Elitism.

I'm not going to bang on that forums are dating badly, but I noticed there was an option to add my ICQ handle in the profile...

An attempt to condescend, mock and belittle whilst coming across as elitist in that final quote - care to add hypocrisy to your growing list of traits?

 

[lejackal]

Out of interest Paul, Adam and Dan........who owns "your" group?
Who maintains it?
Who decides on the format?
And who can change or take it away at any given point, with no notice leaving you with sweet FA?

Facebook, that's who.

Who owns, maintains and pays for this forum?
Who listens to it's members even when he may not agree with them?

Edd, that's who.

Remind us all again oh mighty and revered Admin of Echo what exactly you've got?

 

[SublevelStudios]

You won't even let other people mention other groups or sites on echo. If that isn't elitism I don't know what is.

I've never understood this stance, surely if helping collectors and educating them is a driving force behind Echo like you say, then pointing them in the direction of other sites with more of a focus can be of great benefit.

If another group approaches you for permission to post a link to their site and they do likewise, I don't see the harm in it at all.

 

[edd_jedi]

All I stated was that forum use has seen a steady decline over the last few years and will continue to do so. That's not sniping at this forum, it's just how the internet is evolving. I would imagine Reddit will replace forums before Facebook does.

Yes, and that's the statement I completely blew out the water with stats. You are simply wrong, end of discussion. Numbers do matter when you say something that is bollocks and numbers can prove it.

Glad to see somebody has finally come up with a basic stat plugin For Facebook. That brings the platform right up to 2005. By the way, interesting stat on active members. Might want to correct that misleading "10,000 members" claim.

 

[edd_jedi]

Wow. Continue to condescend all you like, however I won't retaliate. Here's some stats 'that I don't have'. These are from the last 30 days.

Your signature and its usage sums up the attitude of this thread perfectly. Mocking. Belittling. Elitism.

I'm not going to bang on that forums are dating badly, but I noticed there was an option to add my ICQ handle in the profile...

An attempt to condescend, mock and belittle whilst coming across as elitist in that final quote - care to add hypocrisy to your growing list of traits?

Agreed, the irony of calling me condescending and elitist :lol:

 

[edd_jedi]

I'm not going to bang on that forums are dating badly, but I noticed there was an option to add my ICQ handle in the profile...

Facebook asks for your phone number. Now that's cutting edge! Please tell us more about how you maintain and update the software on "your" website, you seem very happy to take the credit for it.

 

[Mr-shifter]

Out of interest Paul, Adam and Dan........who owns "your" group?
Who maintains it?
Who decides on the format?
And who can change or take it away at any given point, with no notice leaving you with sweet FA?

Facebook, that's who.

Who owns, maintains and pays for this forum?
Who listens to it's members even when he may not agree with them?

Edd, that's who.

Remind us all again oh mighty and revered Admin of Echo what exactly you've got?

Now carl raises a really important point here. Facebook as a selling platform has only really happened over the past couple of years. Now since then Facebook has developed the Facebook sales component, as well as a payment system. Having spent all this time and effort developing this, do you think it is going to let you have it for free?

So far all of its money is generated through targeted advertising. How long do you think they are going to let £1000000s of pounds of sales take place on their site without wanting a small slice of the action? And when that does happen none of your sales rules will apply. It will be facebooks rules and facebooks format and if you don't like it they will close you down.

So when this day comes, you are going to be nothing more than eBay. 10000 members suddenly pales into insignificance when you look at eBay's selling base.

 

[edd_jedi]

Yep, Facebook's days in its current format are numbered. MySpace was the most valuable website in the world once, now it doesn't exist. Contrary to Dan's arrogant claim this website will still be here long after the Facebook groups are all gone, purely because I have control over that and they don't.

 

[edd_jedi]

Your signature and its usage sums up the attitude of this thread perfectly. Mocking. Belittling. Elitism.

Actually it is your group that is solely responsible for these ill-informed people. Because you selfishly go to such great lengths to stop your members finding out about eBay, other groups and other forums, they have no clue about the wider world of collecting beyond basic loose figures. So rather than criticise the people pointing out your members short comings, why don't you do something about it? Ego and greed, that's why.

 

[edd_jedi]

By the way, has anybody else noticed that despite the fact Jason's group has almost double the amount of members of Echo Base, it rarely if ever gets mentioned in this Facebook thread? I wonder why that is.

 

[Hooch]

You won't even let other people mention other groups or sites on echo. If that isn't elitism I don't know what is.

I've never understood this stance, surely if helping collectors and educating them is a driving force behind Echo like you say, then pointing them in the direction of other sites with more of a focus can be of great benefit.

If another group approaches you for permission to post a link to their site and they do likewise, I don't see the harm in it at all.

I always thought the same. It should go both ways and rules should apply for all, including admins
Only a week ago one of the admins was promoting EB Australia on another aussie page, his first and only post so that should mean others could post on Echo or does it only work when it suits?
Same as the 'no pm dealing' rule but that's for another time :lol: