New talk forum

[gnewby]

I have been a member of the Miller forum since 2006 and also a member of several other welding talk forums. Every since this site changed its talk forum it is lucky to see a single post a lot of days. While other sites have 15-100+- tells me something is sure a miss here. I think the talk forums can help keep a lot of peoples interest in welding which can also help promotes the sales of welding equipment.

By no means am I trying to bad mouth this site, I just think maybe you should look into the problem. Maybe when you made the big changes to the talk forum you tried to fix something that wasn't broken, or got something here that is not too user friendly.

Lots of times I can log in just to see that I am the only one on here, and I am not talking early morning hours etc. I am talking mid day or during the early evening hours. The older members don't have any reason to keep coming back here if there is nothing new posted.

[aametalmaster]

I noticed also. Not much going on most days...Bob

[griff01]

The "AWS" site also was recently "improved" with pretty much the same results as this site. Maybe worse!
Griff

[MMW]

Looking at the join dates for you three we have all been here a long time. I have noticed a slow down also but I have to say that I have noticed that over the years it seems to have it's ups & downs. Sometimes life gets in the way. For me personally I have had a very busy year with my business. I do check in a lot but don't sign in unless I'm going to post something. I'm sure it will pick up again.

If you have any suggestions I'm sure the admins would be happy to listen.

[ryanjones2150]

I said it before and I'll say it again...bring back the app. It was so much easier to read and post anything with the app.

[gnewby]

I think what they had before worked a lot better and was much easier to look through.

[OscarJr]

I think perhaps that this forum is hosted by Miller, and that gives it a "Miller Clientele" kinda feeling. The same way most Miller users would not go and sign up to a Lincoln-sponsored forum, applies here. Then there are the only 3-subforums vs 10+ subforums in other forums dedicated to all aspects of welding & fabrication, which go hand-in-hand most of the time.

[MMW]

I go on here from my computer & I don't think it is much different than before? Three sub forums is fine. In fact the motorsports one rarely gets used, so two would probably work. If it had 10 sub forums I probably would move on or only check one or two anyway. With only three of them I can check them all quickly.

[H80N]

Life is about change.... I have participated here since 2003 when there was only ONE forum instead of the present three...

Back Then it was called "ASK ANDY" and was created and run by Andy Weyenberg (as a spare time project) for the benefit of Weldors both beginner and expert....with emphasis on helping answer technical questions on Miller equipment as well as encouraging others to share their experience and knowledge.. there were very few of us.. and most of us got to know each other

Andy answered questions... pointed folks to knowledge resources and settled disputes... all the while juggling his duties as Miller's Motorsports Manager.... The forum grew... and Miller's racing participation has exploded.... most of the original plankholding members have moved on or died off... and instead of just Andy running it like a one man band...
Now there is a whole "Internet Department".... with many folks....doing intricate magic...with close to 60 thousand registered members....!!!

Yep.... much has changed.... maybe not all for the good... but all not for the bad either....

the spirit of helping and exchanging information and inspiration still remains....

A lot of great folk share this site and make it work...

I have learned much and made many wonderful friends here...over the last 12 years..

things change and grow... time & technology march on

My guess is that we will get used to this latest incarnation of the forum... so we can grouse like the devil when the NEXT generation comes along..

Merry Christmas to All

Heiti

[J hall]

I think perhaps that this forum is hosted by Miller, and that gives it a "Miller Clientele" kinda feeling. The same way most Miller users would not go and sign up to a Lincoln-sponsored forum, applies here. Then there are the only 3-subforums vs 10+ subforums in other forums dedicated to all aspects of welding & fabrication, which go hand-in-hand most of the time.

Not really. There have been a lot of Lincoln folks on here over the years. Too many sub forums makes it bothersome to browse through the site. Like at Hobart...

[mikesystem]

i have been here for a long time i read a lot but dont post much it has its up and downs

[H80N]

Not really. There have been a lot of Lincoln folks on here over the years. Too many sub forums makes it bothersome to browse through the site. Like at Hobart...

Many is the time that problems with non Miller equipment have gone through troubleshooting and repair here....

whether it be repair... compatibility... or setup issues.... they have been addressed here frequently... lots of Grey... Orange... Red.. Green stuff still running because of info shared here....

[OscarJr]

Not really. There have been a lot of Lincoln folks on here over the years. Too many sub forums makes it bothersome to browse through the site. Like at Hobart...

Probably so, I've only been registered for a very short time so any astute observations of mine are based solely on that

[ryanjones2150]

The gripes of the new forum platform are not unfounded. Fortunately this is all free and I'm grateful for that. My first question on here had absolutely nothing to do with a welding machine, but was about a problem I had wiring up a drum switch to an electric motor. I chose this group of fine fellows to pose my question to after browsing many other forums and reading how people were treated with various questions. That includes forums where my question would have been more pertinent. I had a feeling that I would get the most constructive feedback from this one and so I went for it. I have posted a few questions off and on over a couple of other forums but rarely get anything of substance. With that said, I'm hanging on to this one, platform notwithstanding.

[Aeronca41]

Life is about change.... I have participated here since 2003 when there was only ONE forum instead of the present three...

Back Then it was called "ASK ANDY" and was created and run by Andy Weyenberg (as a spare time project) for the benefit of Weldors both beginner and expert....with emphasis on helping answer technical questions on Miller equipment as well as encouraging others to share their experience and knowledge.. there were very few of us.. and most of us got to know each other

Andy answered questions... pointed folks to knowledge resources and settled disputes... all the while juggling his duties as Miller's Motorsports Manager.... The forum grew... and Miller's racing participation has exploded.... most of the original plankholding members have moved on or died off... and instead of just Andy running it like a one man band...
Now there is a whole "Internet Department".... with many folks....doing intricate magic...with close to 60 thousand registered members....!!!

Yep.... much has changed.... maybe not all for the good... but all not for the bad either....

the spirit of helping and exchanging information and inspiration still remains....

A lot of great folk share this site and make it work...

I have learned much and made many wonderful friends here...over the last 12 years..

things change and grow... time & technology march on

My guess is that we will get used to this latest incarnation of the forum... so we can grouse like the devil when the NEXT generation comes along..

Merry Christmas to All

Heiti

What Heiti said! Change always has it's pluses and minuses but one of the best things about people is they generally find a way adapt.

I would no doubt have blown a board by jumping my TB280 when I bought it if it hadn't been for guidance from this site. Saved me a bunch of bucks! And recently, "strangers" offering to loan eqpt to a guy in need. Very cool! Great group!