I'd like to revisit the board's proposed Mission Statement of April 5, 2011

[I D Shukhov]

The Gorn started the following topic on April 5th.  It's on page 12 in the Coffee Talk Section.

http://www.computerconsultantsforum.com/forum/coffee-talk/our-mission-on-this-board-ok-my-mission-perhaps-it's-shared/

To run, maintain and grow a healthy online community that helps individuals answer the following important questions:

1) How do I conduct my career? Especially at the 10+ year mark?

2) How do I start, run, or conceive of a business? Even though (and especially if) I am a lifetime FTE and technical person who has never been exposed to sales, marketing or business development?

3) What should be important in my life priorities as I mature? How do I balance work, life, and family? Or, given my present circumstances, is that even possible?

I think that 95% of what we have discussed on this board in the past 5 years -aside from just bantering - is something along one of these lines.

In a nutshell, what the board is, is this:

As a mid-career IT professional, how can I make my life and career better?

That's our "center."

That seems to be an important mission to me. And it would seem to me to hit home with the mid and late baby boomer cohort.

Agree? Disagree?

It was roundly agreed to and then forgotten about.   It piqued the interest of a new person who participated for 3 days and then vanished.  How does a board implement a mission statement assuming everyone seems to like it?

[The Gorn]

I have read this occasionally in the recent past. I believe we're doing these things successfully. IE  - we have plenty of technical discussions, but almost everything we discuss tends to drift toward - how does this help us live better or have a better career? It's sort of the antithesis view of HN.

[I D Shukhov]

I have read this occasionally in the recent past. I believe we're doing these things successfully. IE  - we have plenty of technical discussions, but almost everything we discuss tends to drift toward - how does this help us live better or have a better career? It's sort of the antithesis view of HN.

What's HN?

[Carrie Cobol]

I think we're still living up to that mission.  Do you have any clue why the newbie disappeared?  If he didn't find an answer he was looking for, why not pipe up and ask?  Granted, I know many people are more comfortable lurking...

I also think that the majority of STEM people simply prefer to talk tech and not lifestyle/career topics.  I don't get that, personally.  For me tech is easier; there are jillions of books and hundreds of forums to answer tech questions.  Realistic career discussions (that aren't steered into Mary Poppins land by HR and Sales/Marketing types like on LinkedIn) are extremely hard to find.

[Origisaurus]

I'd say it's on target, a big, blurry one.  With people involved, it'll never turn out just as you imagined.

Hell is other people!

[TechTalk]

Quote from I D Shukhov: What's HN?

Stands for Hacker News   
The URL is here: https://news.ycombinator.com/

This webpage (see below) describes what the forum is suppose to be all about.  Imo, it is simply a more focused version of Slashdot.  In other words, it is primarily young technophobes talking about technology and technology news.   The only thing unique about that forum is that it appears to have a lot of traffic and daily postings.

Startup News Becomes Hacker News
http://ycombinator.com/hackernews.html
Paul Graham 14 August 2007

As of today we've expanded the focus of news.ycombinator.com from news about startups to news interesting to hackers generally.....

How does a board implement a mission statement assuming everyone seems to like it?

One problem that many forums are experiencing is low or a slow-down in traffic.  Why?  Well, it appears that most people think social media sites, such as, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc. is the entire Internet.

While this forum was never very popular it appears to me that it has lost a lot of members over the years (i.e. ever since members migrated to it from Janet Ruhl's board).  What happened to those previous active members is anybody's guess.   Outside of the Dice forums, I do not believe that there is a contracting forum still around (i.e. where lots of Americans post).  Google Groups may still have some consulting forums around, however, the last time I checked it was like crickets chirping in those forums.

[The Gorn]

It's a big, blurry target. Completely agreed.

I think we're still living up to that mission.  Do you have any clue why the newbie disappeared?  If he didn't find an answer he was looking for, why not pipe up and ask?  Granted, I know many people are more comfortable lurking...

My theory has been:

This board is cliquey. I keep saying that. That in itself creates the comfort factor for long time members. It's the virtual "Cheers" where everyone knows your name. The cliqueiness also creates a barrier to update by newer (not necessarily younger or newbie) members. "I'm not in with these guys yet, should I even be posting here?"

Younger people, under age 35, will see nothing that they can relate to. They won't relate to the life or career experiences here, they won't relate to the prevailing attitude of wariness and skepticism, and they won't understand why we don't like the Mary Poppins view of IT more.

No effort I have ever personally made to boil my career experiences and insight down for someone under the age of 35 has ever worked. I don't see how that bridge can be formed on behalf of a board population.

Imo, it (HN) is simply a more focused version of Slashdot.  In other words, it is primarily young technophobes talking about technology and technology news.   The only thing unique about that forum is that it appears to have a lot of traffic and daily postings.

Startup News Becomes Hacker News
http://ycombinator.com/hackernews.html
Paul Graham 14 August 2007

It's "technophiles" (techno love), not technophobe (tech fear/dislike.) (Don't mean to quibble over dumb stuff...)

JavaMouse and Peter Gibbons were both ardent defenders of Hacker News.

I've already dissected the attraction. I posted a screed in the private section about how douchey the users are there based on a recent experience and past ones. HN is a monoculture of snotty assed kids and techo tools. HN makes Slashdot look positively cosmopolitan.

[I D Shukhov]

One problem that many forums are experiencing is low or a slow-down in traffic.  Why?  Well, it appears that most people think social media sites, such as, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc. is the entire Internet.

While this forum was never very popular it appears to me that it has lost a lot of members over the years (i.e. ever since members migrated to it from Janet Ruhl's board).  What happened to those previous active members is anybody's guess.   Outside of the Dice forums, I do not believe that there is a contracting forum still around (i.e. where lots of Americans post).  Google Groups may still have some consulting forums around, however, the last time I checked it was like crickets chirping in those forums.

Yes, this sounds right.  I see that FB's Terms of Service says that you have to use your real name.  So how do you rant about things? 

If you type: computer consultants<sp> Google lists this board as the fourth choice to complete the phrase.  Though if this means visibility, it doesn't seem to increase posting members.

Would a name change make sense, like "older IT workers" or  "50+ IT workers" ?

[The Gorn]

Yes, this sounds right.  I see that FB's Terms of Service says that you have to use your real name.  So how do you rant about things? 

If you type: computer consultants<sp> Google lists this board as the fourth choice to complete the phrase.  Though if this means visibility, it doesn't seem to increase posting members.

Would a name change make sense, like "older IT workers" or  "50+ IT workers" ?

You really don't rant under your real name. I have wondered if a reformed forum like this as a Facebook page would have more wide appeal. But it would be like milquetoast and would read like the LinkedIn groups filled with cheerleading - nobody posting under their own name is going to say anything candid and honest about the industry.

About the Google thing - you found out about the reality of SEO that I have already experienced. Just because your topic is findable does not mean that this translates into user engagement, loyalty or even a passing second glance.

Name change as you describe: I would like to find a way to put what is special about this forum in a bottle as a tag line. But I really don't like the titles you're proposing. In our culture, deliberately saying age as a sales point connotes marginality, unmarketability and undesireability. It would be like calling this the "Geritol Forum" for those who remember the stigma around that nostrum.

[TechTalk]

The Gorn wrote: It's "technophiles" (techno love), not technophobe (tech fear/dislike.) (Don't mean to quibble over dumb stuff...)

Oops!  You are correct sir.  Feel free to quibble over anything I write I don't take it personally.

I D Shukhov wrote: Yes, this sounds right.  I see that FB's Terms of Service says that you have to use your real name.  So how do you rant about things?

One of my brothers has has two accounts.  He has different friends under his fake name and on that account is where he rants a lot.

I D Shukhov wrote: Would a name change make sense, like "older IT workers" or  "50+ IT workers" ?

Well, it is probably more like 40+ but only because those are the members who have always been here due to its origin.

A name change might be in order, but more importantly what type of people do board members want to attract?  Imo, the mission statement posted earlier in this thread does a good job.  Perhaps it should include anyone who is an entrepreneur or who is interested in entrepreneurship as well?  Heck, I wouldn't might if some recruiters actually participated.  The more the merrier is my motto.

The Gorn wrote: This board is cliquey. I keep saying that. That in itself creates the comfort factor for long time members. It's the virtual "Cheers" where everyone knows your name. The cliqueiness also creates a barrier to update by newer (not necessarily younger or newbie) members. "I'm not in with these guys yet, should I even be posting here?"

And there is nothing wrong with that, but perhaps as you are suggesting that is one reason why active participation is so low?  Maybe the mission statement should include something along the lines that this is a learning and sharing environment?  You know make it seem to a visitor as if this is a friendly place that wants them to be here no matter who they are and what they do for a living.

[I D Shukhov]

Name change as you describe: I would like to find a way to put what is special about this forum in a bottle as a tag line. But I really don't like the titles you're proposing. In our culture, deliberately saying age as a sales point connotes marginality, unmarketability and undesireability. It would be like calling this the "Geritol Forum" for those who remember the stigma around that nostrum.

I guess I don't disagree.  Why age-segregate ourselves like we're living in an online IT retirement community.  (It's kind of amusing  ).   

What's the "average online per day" statistic mean?  Are these 41 different people, as measured by login name or IP address? 

I wonder why 90% of the membership is male?  I wonder if other computer boards are similar.  I know the field is mostly male , but it's not that lopsided where I work.   Maybe 2/3 male.

[The Gorn]

I've been running Google Analytics on this site for a few months. I should package up some of the reports and share them.

[Origisaurus]

I've been running Google Analytics on this site for a few months. I should package up some of the reports and share them.

Yes, I would like to see them.  Please do.

[I D Shukhov]

There's 404 members, but only maybe a dozen active posters.  Say 3% of the membership participates.

It would be interesting to know the number of people who regularly read posts but don't participate in the conversations -- if there are such people.  I'm inclined to think that the conversations are just not that interesting to them (but then why would they regularly read the posts  )   Maybe, then, they think they would feel (or have experienced) being excluded by the clique.

I'd almost be willing to say there are no people who regularly read but don't post, except that the statistics say there's 2,110 page views a day and 41 people online each day.

[datagirl]

I.D. et al,

Speaking for myself (since I'm no psychic nor a ventriloquist  ) I check in more than once a day.  If it's a really boring day work-and-family-wise, I might check in as many as 4-5 times.  Depending on the active topics and my mood, I might only read the posts and not reply, or I might start to reply and self-censor to the point where I cancel, or I might write a snippy comeback or long tome.  Lots of times I think I have something to add, but after reading the entire thread decide that all the bases have been covered.

Just my 2 cents as data points.
-DG