Has this forum lost its way

[okie]

My dear fellow AW forum members . I am writing this post with the intention to hopefully assist in keeping this forum going , for it to prevail as a useful site for various likeminded people to continue with the furtherance of nature conservation , and continued assistance for interested persons in getting to know nature and what can be available all nature lovers , especially in South Africa and elsewhere .

When I joined this forum way back in October 2013 , it was vibrant , with a lot of quick wit passing around , at the same time with great communication across the board between members , open speaking , good constructive criticism etc .

Perhaps I have become too old for this , but certainly , over the past 5 years this forum has become rather tame , and frankly , boring and uninteresting .
Previously active members are no longer posting on threads , and some threads just do not make sense anymore . Take for instance the three quizzes “ What is it ? “ , and “ Can you see the animal ( aminal ) ? “ , and a the third one “ Where in Kruger , with or without animals “.

Now , to my mind , these three threads should actually be used to create interest and knowledge in the furtherance of nature and nature conservation conscience , which of course tides in well with how I see this forum should be and the principles that its members strive for .
My criticism is that photographs posted on these , are being modified to the extent it takes only very lucky guesses from persistent participants to “ solve “ these riddles . Pictures are cropped and only the tiniest portion ( pixels ) are used , the reduced , or increased , blown up in size so the only thing you see is a blur of something that could be anything , whatever your imagination could dish up .
Instead , I feel that such a pic should , although maybe only displaying a small part of the whole , should , however immediately whet the appetite to find out more . “ What is it that I see here ?“ .
It should be educational , and something about it should surely be sufficiently clear to give one some indication of what it might be , and not something , that may as well be a grain of sand in the middle of the Sahara desert , as see from a defective Hubble telescope from outerspace ?
What is the sense in trying to make it so difficult ?
And maybe one should go further . Once the object ( not that grain of sand ) is identified , the poster should then give a nice explanation about the specific object . Now THAT would be educational instead of completely off-putting .

Another thread “ Can you see the animal “ , the pics are also modified , reduced in size so as to hide that supposed animal from the viewer’s sight .
Animals in the wild already are often difficult to see , so why should you go further in trying basically erase it from view . Try to show such a pic to a young child , and I guarantee his interest will not last longer than 3 seconds .
But , show that child how that animal is using his surroundings to blend in , the way you actually see it from where you were sitting when you took that pic , and again , that child will now try to assist you next time . He will be much more interested in what is happening out there .
Just think “ Daddy , what do you see ? “
Answer “ Listen kid , I’m not going to keep on feeding you . Look at the scenery out there . You have at least 10 000 hectares in front of you and if you cannot see the tiny mouse hiding behind that hill , then next time , just go and hang around at the mall with your friends “.

Be informative , be educational , whet the viewers appetite te see more , learn more and to take part in what is happening .

[Richprins]

Thanks, okie. Valued comments from a senior member!

I don't know?

As was said in the end of year newsletter, we don't have much to do lately regarding our core purpose over the last decade, as government is intransigent, which is actually the main problem.

As I see it, we are actually quite vibrant in general, but like all forums suffer from the obsession with social media?

Regarding the quizzes, they normally lie dormant for days, so anybody can post easier ones at any time, no problem?

Lots of discussion needs to happen on this thread, IMO!

[leachy]

As I see it, we are actually quite vibrant in general, but like all forums suffer from the obsession with social media?

we suffer with (not from) the obsession with social media

as can be seen by all the posts from latest sightings being used to keep us

"quite vibrant"

[Flutterby]

Some interesting comments okie. Unfortunately RP is right about social media. We have lost a lot of once-active members to Facebook where feedback and pats on the back are immediate and and probably more prolific. Other members have things going on in their lives which makes it difficult for them to spend time on the forum.

With regards to the quizzes perhaps the "What is it?' one sometimes has some very close up pics which makes it very difficult, but I enjoy them all. I think the other 2 often have photos that show what they eye would see rather than a zoomed-in shot.

[nan]

I still had so much to post, to write, but it's so hard to please everyone, to smile at a difficult situation, which becomes funny with time .... I do not know how to turn a simple adventure in a funny adventure ... and google is not the best helper

It's a big and difficult work to write in English who please to everyone
No, no, my health is not better and I felt so good here. I desperately want to run away from home ....... could I do it again, time is running out, I'm not 20 anymore
but still hope
Sorry if once again the translation doesn't please everyone.

You are right, social medias are easier, nothing to write, no judgement... only put "like" or not, so an easy way for me (and not only) to post some funny pictures or not.
I like South Africa, love the parcs, specially the Kgalagadi and went a lot of time to the Kruger as well and lot of others

I went twice at my little pond… a real expedition

sorry Flutts, Rich and others
Where is the caverns man

PS want to post a special Snake, that not a lot of us saw and seems very interesting to me (the snake) mayby I'm completly false… once again

[Richprins]

No problems, nana!

We also miss you!

the snake!

[Flutterby]

No need to apologise nan.

[Lisbeth]

Okie, I cannot but say that you are right about most of the things that you mention, but people have changed and not only because of Social Media (which have certainly done their part in diminishing the active members). There is a general global tendency of egocentrism and superficiality which does not agree with difficult subjects like "fighting" for something that really does not touch you personally. The comments on conservation issues and Sanparks' commercialisation plans are not only few, but almost non-existent and this says a lot. Once the quizzes and alike were only attended by a minor number of members, but seems to be the most popular subject these days also because we are so few active members and that's where you have direct contact with the others and where you can get a few laughs.

If you have any ideas on how to change the present situation, do not hesitate to inform us. We are open and ready for any useful suggestion.

The committee has not been sleeping, we have discussed pages up and pages down on how to vitalize the forum, but most of what we have proposed has fallen for deaf ears, meaning that we have not been able to increase the number of active members

[okie]

You certainly need to put heads together .
During 2018 , there were 84 new members that registered on the forum , of which only one - Dindingwe - still posts .
On the three reads I mentioned , a maximum of 5 members participate .
Now , why do people not participate ......
You need something to hold people's interest , so that they can participate . For one , I feel that when you post a quiz , you are making it very very difficult to answer , and therefore they lose interest very quickly . Here , I speak for how I see it .
This forum should be about keeping people interested , not to drive them away .
Social media attract people , because the see something that interest them , it attracts them , they talk about it , they share what they see and hear .
Think about it . Be introspective , review and renew

[Richprins]

Okie, it seems your specific problem is with the quizzes. As said, nothing stops anybody including yourself from creating a new quiz thread, a simple one if you like. Or doing simpler quizzes within the existing options. I sincerely doubt people are chased away by quizzes, in fact they get some of the most views of all.