It is a sad place at the moment BUT i have to say i have met and become friends in real life with members of this and the now sadly gone Planetalk forums.I have helped albeit briefly over a few winter seasons plane cleaning at O/Warden ,helping out at the Bottisham museum ,all because these forums.Anyone from Key who may think " ahhh well it's ONLY an online forum " no ,it is MUCH more and can be MUCH more than that.
Re your 13 Nov 1344 post, Christer, my apologies. Bad choice of word on my part (archived). I was thinking of the number of times I ran searches on the old forum and stupidly equated that to an archive search. In some ways it was as the forum had such a long history, but as recent events have sadly shown all the data has been lost by someone's ill-considered decision.
By: Christer
- 5th November 2019 at 20:15Permalink
Re your 13 Nov 1344 post, Christer, my apologies.
No need for apologies! The old WIX forum was archived on a more or less regular basis but that was due to database size limits. I was almost sure this (archiving) was not the case at Key but not 100 % sure.
My first thought when finding the Key forum all those years ago was "what a smart way to promote the magazine FlyPast" and maybe that is their main objective? Or am I a wee bit cynical?
By: Prop Strike
- 5th November 2019 at 21:16Permalink
They are just as unhappy over on the Modern Military board.
'' By: Highwings - 4th November 2019 at 18:14
Put the old forum format back up. Nobody is posting and nobody will post under this format.
The new website format can stay. Its just the link to the forum should go back. to the previous format. You could make the colors yellow and blue and put up the new logo.
By: jeepman
- 6th November 2019 at 17:50Permalink- Edited 6th November 2019 at 20:00
The words “bolted” “door” “closing” “horse” “after” and “stable” spring to mind
Additionally, you can’t even get an important message about a crucial forum update seeking to address shortcomings and hopefully reverse the general exodus of forum members correct the first time around.
I am even more confused than usual. We were just getting used to Khalem and his promises to do better, and now we have information coming in from jamesm, member for some nearly 3 years with 74 posts, even if he can't copy and paste important updates without screwing up. Who is he and who is our contact at Key?
By: stuart gowans
- 7th November 2019 at 12:05Permalink
There was a time when this forum was without doubt the best of the bunch, in the main friendly, and populated by very knowledgeable people; it hasn't been that for quite a while, the way people use the internet has changed and members have been lost, but now in the same way British politicians are a laughing stock of the world, this forum has become the laughing stock of the aviation community.
It fails the friendly community test on the front page, where you used to feel welcome, and clicking on threads would show up those who were reading/commenting; every bit of this forum is (to be blunt) crap, and the photos that basically made the "place" live are so absent that it feels a sterile as a hospital notice board.
As a member for nearly 14 years, I am more than disappointed that all of my photos have disappeared together with threads that I started, and indeed all personal information about me, and everyone else, again part of what made this a community.
If this forum served no other purpose than that of a meeting place,(and lets face it, over 20 odd years much of what has been posted on here, has made it's way into one or another of their magazines) KEY should have been proud of this, as something they had facilitated,; now look at it, a major own goal guys.
Well as those that published the threads I enjoyed have departed I cannot see any reason to remain posting on here, Beer and all the friends I have made on here, I wish you all well, I will check in and see if anything changes, but I have even cancelled my magazine subscription at my newsagents too in disgust at what they have done.
I think there's a move in professional figure skating called the reverse death spiral. That seems to be what's happening here - still.
When I was an active member of TIGHAR's forums in the US, executive director Ric Gillespie unilaterally decided to restrict the previously open and free forums to only paid members. He said this was to improve the quality of the posts. In a matter of weeks the number of posts went from 15-plus a day to two or three, sometimes none. Whole weeks now go by where NOTHING is posted. I would post a graph here that I have of the precipitous decline but can't be bothered with the new format here.
The TIGHAR forums have become a self-reinforcing echo chamber for the views of Gillespie and the chosen few who remain willing to pay.
But at least they serve that purpose, for Gillespie if no one else. I'm not sure what purpose Key sees its forums as serving anymore.
By: khalem.chapman
- 7th November 2019 at 15:57Permalink
Hi all,
Just to let you know Duxford Diary has returned and is pinned to the top of the historic section. Thanks for your patience with it as it has not been the easiest fix we've had to make. Sorry it took so long to come back.
Posts: 7,031
By: trumper - 5th November 2019 at 13:57 Permalink
It is a sad place at the moment BUT i have to say i have met and become friends in real life with members of this and the now sadly gone Planetalk forums.I have helped albeit briefly over a few winter seasons plane cleaning at O/Warden ,helping out at the Bottisham museum ,all because these forums.Anyone from Key who may think " ahhh well it's ONLY an online forum " no ,it is MUCH more and can be MUCH more than that.
Posts: 367
By: Lyffe - 5th November 2019 at 19:37 Permalink
Re your 13 Nov 1344 post, Christer, my apologies. Bad choice of word on my part (archived). I was thinking of the number of times I ran searches on the old forum and stupidly equated that to an archive search. In some ways it was as the forum had such a long history, but as recent events have sadly shown all the data has been lost by someone's ill-considered decision.
Posts: 359
By: Christer - 5th November 2019 at 20:15 Permalink
No need for apologies! The old WIX forum was archived on a more or less regular basis but that was due to database size limits. I was almost sure this (archiving) was not the case at Key but not 100 % sure.
My first thought when finding the Key forum all those years ago was "what a smart way to promote the magazine FlyPast" and maybe that is their main objective? Or am I a wee bit cynical?
Posts: 1,713
By: Archer - 5th November 2019 at 20:25 Permalink
There are more examples of archived forums. PPRuNe also does this, with old threads going into the archive but still available as reference.
Posts: 461
By: Prop Strike - 5th November 2019 at 21:16 Permalink
They are just as unhappy over on the Modern Military board.
'' By: Highwings - 4th November 2019 at 18:14
Put the old forum format back up. Nobody is posting and nobody will post under this format.
The new website format can stay. Its just the link to the forum should go back. to the previous format. You could make the colors yellow and blue and put up the new logo.
Otherwise its done ''
Posts: 91
By: jamesm - 6th November 2019 at 16:22 Permalink
Please see update here
Posts: 2,115
By: l.garey - 6th November 2019 at 16:36 Permalink
It say Please see update, but it doesn't work
Laurence
Posts: 3,186
By: adrian_gray - 6th November 2019 at 16:42 Permalink
This is what I get (can't seem to post a screen shot)
The page you requested does not exist. For your convenience, a search was performed using the query forum forum updates issues forum update 0611201.
Posts: 823
By: Schneiderman - 6th November 2019 at 16:50 Permalink - Edited 6th November 2019 at 17:05
Yes I see that too. Still, there are 10000 results of the search :)
Probably a scam post
Posts: 91
By: jamesm - 6th November 2019 at 17:24 Permalink
That was a copy and paste error on my behalf. The thread is
https://www.key.aero/forum/forum-updates-issues/forum-update-06112019
or you can find it in the Forum Updates / Issues section.
Posts: 1,988
By: jeepman - 6th November 2019 at 17:50 Permalink - Edited 6th November 2019 at 20:00
The words “bolted” “door” “closing” “horse” “after” and “stable” spring to mind
Additionally, you can’t even get an important message about a crucial forum update seeking to address shortcomings and hopefully reverse the general exodus of forum members correct the first time around.
Is that how much you care about these fora?
Posts: 2,115
By: l.garey - 7th November 2019 at 09:05 Permalink
I am even more confused than usual. We were just getting used to Khalem and his promises to do better, and now we have information coming in from jamesm, member for some nearly 3 years with 74 posts, even if he can't copy and paste important updates without screwing up. Who is he and who is our contact at Key?
Laurence
Posts: 2,025
By: stuart gowans - 7th November 2019 at 12:05 Permalink
There was a time when this forum was without doubt the best of the bunch, in the main friendly, and populated by very knowledgeable people; it hasn't been that for quite a while, the way people use the internet has changed and members have been lost, but now in the same way British politicians are a laughing stock of the world, this forum has become the laughing stock of the aviation community.
It fails the friendly community test on the front page, where you used to feel welcome, and clicking on threads would show up those who were reading/commenting; every bit of this forum is (to be blunt) crap, and the photos that basically made the "place" live are so absent that it feels a sterile as a hospital notice board.
As a member for nearly 14 years, I am more than disappointed that all of my photos have disappeared together with threads that I started, and indeed all personal information about me, and everyone else, again part of what made this a community.
If this forum served no other purpose than that of a meeting place,(and lets face it, over 20 odd years much of what has been posted on here, has made it's way into one or another of their magazines) KEY should have been proud of this, as something they had facilitated,; now look at it, a major own goal guys.
Posts: 8,983
By: TonyT - 7th November 2019 at 12:17 Permalink
Well as those that published the threads I enjoyed have departed I cannot see any reason to remain posting on here, Beer and all the friends I have made on here, I wish you all well, I will check in and see if anything changes, but I have even cancelled my magazine subscription at my newsagents too in disgust at what they have done.
TT
Posts: 313
By: MFowler - 7th November 2019 at 13:32 Permalink
I think there's a move in professional figure skating called the reverse death spiral. That seems to be what's happening here - still.
When I was an active member of TIGHAR's forums in the US, executive director Ric Gillespie unilaterally decided to restrict the previously open and free forums to only paid members. He said this was to improve the quality of the posts. In a matter of weeks the number of posts went from 15-plus a day to two or three, sometimes none. Whole weeks now go by where NOTHING is posted. I would post a graph here that I have of the precipitous decline but can't be bothered with the new format here.
The TIGHAR forums have become a self-reinforcing echo chamber for the views of Gillespie and the chosen few who remain willing to pay.
But at least they serve that purpose, for Gillespie if no one else. I'm not sure what purpose Key sees its forums as serving anymore.
Posts: 59
By: khalem.chapman - 7th November 2019 at 15:57 Permalink
Hi all,
Just to let you know Duxford Diary has returned and is pinned to the top of the historic section. Thanks for your patience with it as it has not been the easiest fix we've had to make. Sorry it took so long to come back.
https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/3845195-duxford-diary-2019
Kind regards,
Khalem
Posts: 2,115
By: l.garey - 7th November 2019 at 16:39 Permalink - Edited 7th November 2019 at 16:39
Thanks. And the other fixes?
Laurence
Posts: 8,464
By: Bruce - 8th November 2019 at 11:21 Permalink
Are on their way - moderators had an email from the Webmaster a couple of days ago. Progress is being made.
Posts: 1,910
By: mark_pilkington - 9th November 2019 at 07:41 Permalink
Thats great to hear Bruce
fingers crossed
Posts: 1,566
By: Malcolm McKay - 9th November 2019 at 21:41 Permalink
Thanks Bruce - let's hope we can get back to a better layout.