[Cinderhills]

McR - you have hit the nail on the head and put that beautifully. 

[doganjo]

I'm really shocked to think that people might be put off from joining or posting because they think the "hub" is in Scotland. Yes a lot of members are Scottish- but not everyone! I have been using forums since 2002, and I have to say this is one of the best and friendliest forum's I have ever come across. I have seen the Karma/Thanks thing before, and to be honest on that forum it didn't work because people abused it and thought it was funny to do that- but I know that wouldn't happen here.


Beth

So am I, Beth.  I think this is a great forum and I've made lots of friends through it - including you, Ally and your Mum, and also others outwith Scotland.  I've seen the Karma thing on other forums too and it didn't work there either.  But I've given you a thank you for this posting as it's exactly how I feel.

[SallyintNorth]

There is a new version of the forum software coming this month that has been in development for 3 years and has lots of extra features. Once it's out I'll be working on joining it up to the new website, then we'll have a sound platform to build lots more community stuff. Can't say much more yet, but we'll be looking for testers this summer

Volunteer tester here!

[Dan]

There is a new version of the forum software coming this month that has been in development for 3 years and has lots of extra features. Once it's out I'll be working on joining it up to the new website, then we'll have a sound platform to build lots more community stuff. Can't say much more yet, but we'll be looking for testers this summer

Volunteer tester here!

Great, thanks, have added you to the list.

[Sudanpan]

There is a new version of the forum software coming this month that has been in development for 3 years and has lots of extra features. Once it's out I'll be working on joining it up to the new website, then we'll have a sound platform to build lots more community stuff. Can't say much more yet, but we'll be looking for testers this summer

Volunteer tester here!

Great, thanks, have added you to the list.

Me too 

Also it never even occurred to me to think that the forum might be geared towards the scottish contingent - as far as I was concerned there was a wonderful set of individuals who had decided to administrate a HUGELY helpful forum from which I have gleaned so much help and advice that I felt much more able to put my toes into the water regarding smallholding/livestock/rural living
And I'm LOVING it 

[Dan]

Me too 

Thank you!

Anyone else interested please don't post here, but see this thread: http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=15196.0

[Hilarysmum]

I use/visit several sites intermittently this is the only one I am loyal to, due to all of the people who make up the site and to Rosemary and Dan for making it such a great one. 

[Tudful Tamworths]

At the risk of sounding a complete simpleton, I only recently noticed there were quite a few Scottish forumers! I honestly hadn't considered where the site was run from, and certainly never thought of it as being biased towards one end of the UK or another.

Maybe I'm naive, but when I discovered this website a few years back (I think via www.acountrylife.co.uk) I decided to visit on a regular basis because I found it friendly, welcoming, and a good place to ask questions and get a quick response - or, in some cases, simply to share some dreadful experiences and receive some advice and sympathy when no-one else was around to give it.

Dan, I think you're doing a cracking job, and if the River Cottage website had moderators like you it would be a thousand times better than it is at present. Keep up the good work.

[Womble]

Dan, Just a thought. I used to use another forum where you could assign stars to threads (i.e. not individual posts). This was a much busier forum than TAS, so it really helped the really good threads to rise to the top of a search etc.

Don't know if the TAS forum software will allow it, but if so, it could be worth a try.

[OhLaLa]

Good idea womble.

Instead of 'thanks' against a user name - which doesn't really mean anything - an option to add a 'helpful' mark (e.g. 'thumbs up' icon) against a reply would be better. I like the idea of a good helpful post going to the top of a search rather than something, say, by date, or which may wander off topic......

 

[jaykay]

This forum is certainly great! So helpful and friendly 

Not sure about the 'helpfulness' rating on posts. I'm guessing people always reply intending to be helpful and what's incredibly useful to a beginner in a particular area might be less so to the more experienced?

[OhLaLa]

Not sure about the 'helpfulness' rating on posts. I'm guessing people always reply intending to be helpful and what's incredibly useful to a beginner in a particular area might be less so to the more experienced?

Yes if the reply is on topic, but, sometimes replies wander off topic - if someone needs help fast finding an answer to a problem it's better they find a post with good replies to the question, rather than one that wandered off topic (for example, with 'hello's' or replies not related to subject etc).

[Fleecewife]

So have we now decided not to have the 'thanks' option?  I was just getting the hang of it 

[SallyintNorth]

So have we now decided not to have the 'thanks' option?  I was just getting the hang of it 

You certainly were - none of us could catch you!   

[Fleecewife]

    It was a bit of an embarrassment..........  Back to my little gold star