Any Flypast/Key Forum Refugees Here?

[quemerford]

Since the Flypast Forum did a Photobucket and self-destructed, are there any folks moving onto here? I only ask since there were some good threads going (non-Spitfire matters) and miss the updates! Plus some good folks on there - as here - an I kind of miss the input...

[Spitty]

Im thinking of doing it.....Such a huge library and wealth of knowledge turned to crapola..

[sandiego89]

I use WIX, PPRUNE and the Key forums, each has stregths. I was going to see if things settled down a bit at Key. PPRUNE has some good forums, with the history/nostalgia thread having some good interaction.

[oz rb fan]

i was a nightly lurker on the Flypast forum.....but that new one is horrible.....so not so much anymore.

[Firebird]

Since the Flypast Forum did a Photobucket and self-destructed, are there any folks moving onto here? I only ask since there were some good threads going (non-Spitfire matters) and miss the updates! Plus some good folks on there - as here - an I kind of miss the input...

Not a refugee, as I've been on here the same length of time as I was on Flypast forum, (actually longer here if include WIX took on us refugee's from the old WWW forum) but as you say, the self destruction button being pressed by Key means, I'm now only on here.

Won't be going back to Flypast unless there are reports of a major and substantial redesign back to something that works and isn't aimed at the 15 year olds that frequent the other Key forums.

[TAdan]

Wow, that new format is rough.

[ErrolC]

More important than the format is the fact that a major change to functionality and appearance was made without notice (let alone consultation) to the contributors and users. This demonstrates how much the actual powers-that-be value or understand the forum. Immediate reversion and apology (which isn't going to happen) wouldn't bring back those that have shrugged and stopped going to the site.

[Lon Moer]

Does this mean that the info threads that I have bookmarked from there are no longer working?

[Lon Moer]

Does this mean that the info threads that I have bookmarked from there are no longer working?

No the links still work, but....wtf??

[quemerford]

Not sure if they work, but trying to read anything is very difficult. I have given up on it.

[Firebird]

More important than the format is the fact that a major change to functionality and appearance was made without notice (let alone consultation) to the contributors and users. This demonstrates how much the actual powers-that-be value or understand the forum. Immediate reversion and apology (which isn't going to happen) wouldn't bring back those that have shrugged and stopped going to the site.

I suspect that Key have taken the view (or bowed to pressure) from the higher percentage of possibly younger people that frequent the non-historic forums for a more social media friendly format, rather than the old farts that frequent the Historic forum, as as the site is for all, Historic users have suffered the most?
Obviously, if the Modern mil and other forums are equally pissed off with the new format, then that really would be a massive own-goal by Key, but I suspect that may not be the case?

Its a shame, but I don't expect Key are bothered one way or the other, unless they see it affecting their balance sheet over time.

[ErrolC]

The re-work is all about presenting the magazine-type content in a modern way that they control (including subscriptions). They included a forum with minimal functionality, because they don't want to rely on anybody else's forum software. They say they will develop the forum functionality.
This has of course destroyed engagement in the forums (which took a significant hit from the apparent panic changes about a year ago). They done a couple of quick fixes (like a search function that actually searches the forum, a layout that is rational on both monitors and phone screens), there may be a couple more fairly quick additions (actually useful formatting options? in-post display of uploaded photos?), further functions like private messaging I assume will take longer.
They clearly think that the forums (or at least the community prior to the change) are of minimal use to them. Good luck building a useful community from that.

[Firebird]

The re-work is all about presenting the magazine-type content in a modern way that they control (including subscriptions). They included a forum with minimal functionality, because they don't want to rely on anybody else's forum software. They say they will develop the forum functionality.
This has of course destroyed engagement in the forums (which took a significant hit from the apparent panic changes about a year ago). They done a couple of quick fixes (like a search function that actually searches the forum, a layout that is rational on both monitors and phone screens), there may be a couple more fairly quick additions (actually useful formatting options? in-post display of uploaded photos?), further functions like private messaging I assume will take longer.
They clearly think that the forums (or at least the community prior to the change) are of minimal use to them. Good luck building a useful community from that.

Aah......I see, this is about the first moves in the gradual move in replacing the printed mags bought in a shop, with a subs based online mag instead, and you get a forum of sorts as a spin-off from that.
Commercially that makes more sense as to why they are driving it the way they have, but as you say, good luck with that in terms of fostering a web based historic 'community' that they had before, which they clearly don't understand.
This is what happens when accountants make the business decisions, as they know the cost of everything without understanding the value of anything. I wonder how many pissed off forumites will now also stop buying the printed Key publications as well?

[Iclo]

It's sad because the Key board was a nice source of information and news about UK warbirds and historical aviation.

As a consultant in computer science in the field of information management, I cannot understand why a forum could have being migrated to this b..sh..t

[Mike]

Aah......I see, this is about the first moves in the gradual move in replacing the printed mags bought in a shop, with a subs based online mag instead, and you get a forum of sorts as a spin-off from that.
Commercially that makes more sense as to why they are driving it the way they have, but as you say, good luck with that in terms of fostering a web based historic 'community' that they had before, which they clearly don't understand.
This is what happens when accountants make the business decisions, as they know the cost of everything without understanding the value of anything. I wonder how many pissed off forumites will now also stop buying the printed Key publications as well?

Autosport magazine have just done that, but did so in a very cynical way last week by announcing, on the Tuesday, that the price of Thursday's edition of the print magazine would increase from £4-odd to £11 with immediate effect, thus effectively killing sales of it stone dead.