...the following is an email that was sent to everyone on 10/03/09 in case you missed it...

Hello,

This is a staff-only email.

Hey! it's your fearless leader. You know - the one who never shows up unless there's a big problem?

So how are things on your end? Over here at ASF, they're "pretty jacked-up and on a rapid decline" ...or so I'm told.

Isn't that nice?

No? I didn't think so either, which is why I am emailing you. Apparently there are a couple of issues going on that have recently been brought to my attention:

1. the decline of the Buy-Sell-Trade (BST) forums
2. the decline in the maturity and quality of airsoft topics
3. the "big problem" with the Off-Topic forum

#1 regarding the decline in traffic to the buy-sell-trade area, keep in mind that our website traffic generally falls off over the summer months (as a whole) due to everyone wanting to be outdoors instead of in front of a computer screen for most of the USA. However, I am sure that there has been some attrition in the BST due to us restricting it as we have with paid and free access* in contrast to just letting anyone post in there willy-nilly.

*Free access to the BST is contingent on the member using the SportsOnlyAuction.com (SOA) website for the actual transaction that is - see rules for details*

As you may have noticed in defense of the recent BST change, the scams and bad deals are pretty much non-existent these days so I am not sure what to say about the issue except: let's see what happens this winter as website traffic picks back up. If the BST performance continues to stay slow or get worse, maybe we can look at alternative ways to improve it or increase traffic to it.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>EDIT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
the above was what was actually sent out to everyone,
what follows is the rest of the message that was not sent to keep it short.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>EDIT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Regarding issues #2 & #3 above, I am generally not around long enough (if at all recently) to know what's going on with ASF for the day to day operations unless there is a new advertiser or a serious problem that moderators or other administrators can't handle. (Thanks by the way to those of you who clue me in from time to time about important issues that are not being resolved or handled properly). I really appreciate you guys for helping to take care of this website and let me know when there is an issue that needs special attention.

...Today I was going through my PMs (Private Messages) and noticed a large number of complaints mainly due to two things: "the increased immaturity and irresponsibility of the Off-Topic forum content (OTF) and how it is killing the entire website"...

First of all, nothing is killing ASF - we're fine. People come, people go. Sometimes things are great, and sometimes they are not - its a way of life.

However, I can see where things have slacked off in a couple of areas and this is where you come in. Now granted this could also be due to the fact that many of you are also busy during the summer months and thus have little time for ASF. That certainly is the case for me so I can understand it if that's the deal with you too...

I have noticed (as many of the PMs I have received recently have indicated), that there is a lot of crap being posted in the OTF. many of these PMs have expressed their concern about how these crappy OTF posts and topics have some-how permeated the rest of the entire website with crap topics / and stupid ridiculous posts everywhere.

While I don't disagree that there has been a decline in quality posts lately, I do disagree that the reason for the decline in intelligent airsoft discussions on ASF has anything to do with the off-topic forums over-running the rest of the website. The problem is that moderators are busy and a lot of immature people are being jack-asses - it must be something in the water - they're drinking, I guess. There is a time and place for everything and left unchecked, things sometimes get a little wacky - that's all.

...ASF isn't going downhill, we're not (___insert derogatory adjective here___), or anything like that. It's just time for a little positive adjustment - that's all...

***EDIT: I've decided this is going to be an "EVERYONE email", not just a staff only message.***

I firmly believe that it is up to each of us to help make AirsoftForum.com (ASF) a better airsoft forum and it is not just the responsibility of the staff, elite members, advertisers, paid or free sellers or any other certain member group selectively. All of us need to do our part, starting with me. This is the very reason I am going to make a commitment to make myself more available so that administrative issues can get handled in a timely manor. I am even seriously considering to make my personal cell phone number available to help members get an immediate response when there is a problem. I am not 100% sure I want to do this just yet. But I know if I do, it will be unprecedented and a huge leap for the ASF "Customer Service" department would it not?

Anyway, back the issues at hand: Maturity levels and quality members posting useful airsoft information (or the lack there of)...

We really need you to help us post useful and quality information on the forums. If you have not been around in a while or if your concerns or suggestions went unnoticed before and that's the reason we haven't seen you in awhile, please let me know personally. Your input and participation is very important to me.

The last time I checked, we were like the number 3 airsoft forum in the world in terms of size, traffic and member participation. AND with your help, I'd like to see us reach the number one spot.

How would YOU like to be able to say that YOU personally had a hand in making AirsoftForum.com THE NUMBER ONE airsoft forum in the world? This is not going to be an easy or light-hearted task. This is going to take a serious effort from each one of us. We currently have 33,000+ members registered but many of them don't come around anymore (for a multitude of reasons).

30,000+ members doesn't mean anything if the current several thousand members are not happy or are posting crap; which is why we need your help.

We need your help in posting useful - helpful content. We need your help with member activity and helpful member participation. We need your help in making AirsoftForum.com a better place overall in many different areas but we can't do that if you don't come around or let us know what you think. If any of you have marketing experience or are willing or able to help with website promotions in some way, please let me know.

To the majority of people who see ASF from the outside and for those that experience our website on first glance, We're Huge!, We're Awesome, We're great and many other great comments I've heard. But at the same time, of there are tiny unresolved issues floating around like the ones mentioned above, I take each of them seriously so that they don't wind up hurting ASF.

Speaking of which, The OTF area has moved to the "elite member" only area. In order to view the off-topic forum and or many other "hidden forums" you will need to check the rules to view that area now. This can be done either free or you can pay for immediate access - the choice is yours. The reason for moving it to the hidden area is to improve maturity and to remove the crazy, ludicrous topics from public view so that new members and advertisers don't read what's in there and think we're a bunch of children who don't know anything about airsoft.

If you'd like to continue this discussion, please post a reply below.

-admin

-------------------------------------
Airsoft Forum Statistics:
-------------------------------------
Registered Users: 33805
Total Posts: 1378006
Busiest Time: 2584 users were online on 2nd March 2009 - 02:07 PM

This post has been edited by admin: Oct 3 2009, 10:38 PM