"Social Network Sites"

[SPS]

Hi - I was having a chat the other day and during the conversations it was mentioned by a couple of people that FB, Twit etc are killing off specialist forums and they did mention PH as being one that had been adversely affected by these!
To be honest I have closed down my FB account as well as one called Linkedin.
As the amount of K*** that's now on them including annoying advertising really turned me off them.
Anyway would anyone agree that these forums are suffering.
I personally thing that PH in particular is an invaluable platform in a number of ways and would hate to see it start to decline.
Cheers
Steve

[Alexdaredevilz]

There's a advert on the top right of you're screen on PH?

[Barreti]

PH USED to be an invaluable site for reference. But since the Search function has been crap for so long and it points you to Google anyway - and it can't even do that right because it truncates what you type in the box it provides - that I go directly to Google these days and use whichever site gives me the answer.

So my shoe is on the other foot.

If PH doesn't get its finger out of its arse and sort out the search function I can see it giving me nothing I can't get from a FB account and Google and might as well stop using it

[SPS]

Alexdaredevilz said:

There's a advert on the top right of you're screen on PH?

Yes there is one and you have to look for it - it's not in yer FACE!
I do agree however that PH appears to have become very complacent and the lack of search function is annoying to say the least.
To be honest I also think that Google is going the same way.
OK Haymarket you need to move the game on or loose out!

[cavebloke]

The real problem with the search feature being down on PH is that it means the same questions have to be asked again and again which inherently makes the forum more boring and repetitive.

This is especially the case for people who've been around for ages and PH runs the risk that those with the real knowledge who've been around since the beginning get tired of the same old stuff and go elsewhere.

Oh look - I even get an advert to show how little difference there is between this and the social network sites.

[Hoover.]

Pistonheads take note SORT OUT YOUR SEARCH FUNCTION IT'S AN ESSENTIAL PART OF YOUR WEB SITE

[bobfather]

Technology moves on, forums like PH are very clunky, we like them because we're familiar with them but they are extremely limited. Social network sites cater well for the sort of garbage we see in PH Lounge and the social network groups are able to focus in on specialist themes and manage events far better than a forum can. Social networking is just a different and newer way to interact with people. I guess the bigger forums like PH will survive but as you say much of the content is now to be found on FB.

I just use both, that way I getthe best of both. As for advertising and dubious content, that's the price we pay for getting this for free

[macdeb]

Hoover. said:

Pistonheads take note SORT OUT YOUR SEARCH FUNCTION IT'S AN ESSENTIAL PART OF YOUR WEB SITE

+1 As for FB and the other crap, I myself have no interest whatsoever to join in as I do not want to know what other saddo's are having for dinner, going to work etc. It's turning into a very sad world. So, I'll stick with PH which I'm sure will disappoint some

[ajp70]

I'm disappointed Mac. I'm about to have spaghetti bolognese LOL!!!!

Only joking.

PH has grown over the years and long before I joined (or even had my own laptop) some of the first members enjoyed the trouble shooting/ mechanical and DIY topics. A piston heads' forum. The availability of knowledge has made the site popular so numpties like myself join and then start posting about lovely colours, so diluting the forum into a bit of a social site itself and putting off the oily overall group.

It would be sad if this happened but I think there is space for all to find the topics which appeal. I think it's a good thing there are also the FBs and all, so PHs can keep it about the cars. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm very good ambassador, so I'm kind of slagging myself off here.

+2 for the PH search. It was really useful.

[grahamw48]

I don't get any advertising on PH or most other sites, because I use adblocker.

True pistonheads will still use PH as well as FB etc...IMO.

[Funk]

A lot of people will get very pissy about those of us who use ad blockers, but PH lost much of my goodwill and tolerance when adverts that played very loud noises crept in. Instant ad-blocking invoked.

No website in the world should make a sound unless expressly at the request of the user on the site.

[macdeb]

ajp70 said:

I'm disappointed Mac. I'm about to have spaghetti bolognese LOL!!!!

[TVR500Morgan]

Hoover. said:

Pistonheads take note SORT OUT YOUR SEARCH FUNCTION IT'S AN ESSENTIAL PART OF YOUR WEB SITE

+1 I always feel they put too much effort towards the classifieds section now.

[LordGrover]

Barreti said:

PH USED to be an invaluable site for reference. But since the Search function has been crap for so long and it points you to Google anyway - and it can't even do that right because it truncates what you type in the box it provides - that I go directly to Google these days and use whichever site gives me the answer.

So my shoe is on the other foot.

If PH doesn't get its finger out of its arse and sort out the search function I can see it giving me nothing I can't get from a FB account and Google and might as well stop using it

Not just the search, though that is a major omission. There were a few well respected, knowledgeable contributors who no longer post, spend and quinny in the TVR bits, cyberface in computers & gadgets, etc.

[davep]

LordGrover said:

Barreti said:

PH USED to be an invaluable site for reference. But since the Search function has been crap for so long and it points you to Google anyway - and it can't even do that right because it truncates what you type in the box it provides - that I go directly to Google these days and use whichever site gives me the answer.

So my shoe is on the other foot.

If PH doesn't get its finger out of its arse and sort out the search function I can see it giving me nothing I can't get from a FB account and Google and might as well stop using it

Not just the search, though that is a major omission. There were a few well respected, knowledgeable contributors who no longer post, spend and quinny in the TVR bits, cyberface in computers & gadgets, etc.

I've always found V8 Owners Forum to be a good source of information for RV8 stuff:

http://www.v8forum.co.uk/

... and spend does help out via PM. Unfortunately, quinny deleted most of his threads and contributions.

[swisstoni]

I agree that PH needs to fix it's search function asap.

One of PH's greatest assets is its archive of information and discussion generated over the years. This is something that other 'social' sites just cannot hope to replace. It was the search for info that brought me to this site in the first place and it is the reason that I come back.

All the 'banter' and local beer night arrangements are not enough to keep me coming back. Facebook could take that with my blessing.

[Switch]

Just a little side input. We will fix the search function once we're done with the new Classifieds. Mostly it's broken because of the load it puts on our Databases. Once the classifieds is moved we'll have more room to swing a search query.