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Secret Leeds site quiet?

Posted: Fri 24 Feb, 2017 7:38 pm
by jonleeds
Hi guys! whats gone on with the forum? Has everything that anyone had to discuss regarding Secret Leeds topics been done to death or something? Ive noticed, no doubt as everhyone else has the major lack of postings on the forum of late.

Im as guilty of this as anyone as for a long time i couldnt login using my username so I felt less inclined to post anything, but it appears the numbers of people posting has really hit a low with some of the forums lucky to receive a post every few months...

I've heard a few people cite reasons of the website being revamped as well as technical faults all being contributing reasons to the forums demise, but surely the revamp etc could only have been a good thing? No?

One thing I dont like is there is no longer a search function on the forum so I;ve found it hard to refer back to previous posts i made. Whats anyone elses excuse?

Are folks going to an alternate forum to discuss Secret Leeds topics or discuss urban explorations etc on a more open forum? I'd love to know. Ta! Johnny

Re: Secret Leeds site quiet?

Posted: Fri 24 Feb, 2017 8:22 pm
by buffaloskinner
Many have gone to SL2 with Davison the sulk

Re: Secret Leeds site quiet?

Posted: Fri 24 Feb, 2017 8:34 pm
by iansmithofotley
Hi jonleeds,

I am sure that Facebook has affected this site. I think that it possibly started when Phil Davison started Secret Leeds 2. Nowadays, there are numerous Facebook sites about Leeds, such as Memories of Leeds, Moortown and North Leeds, I Remember Harehills, Woodhouse Reborn (all of which I look at every day) and there are many others. Even where I live, in Otley, a fairly small place, there are lots of Facebook sites about the town and also memories and nostalgia, notwithstanding all the sites on Sales/Wanted, etc. I have noticed this, also, with many sports clubs and other societies. Whereas previously, clubs and the like, had there own websites, which they had to manage, maintain and pay for, it is easier and cheaper to create a Facebook Group Site.

Ian

Re: Secret Leeds site quiet?

Posted: Fri 24 Feb, 2017 8:36 pm
by iansmithofotley
Sorry, buffaloskinner - we were writing at the same time. Ian

Re: Secret Leeds site quiet?

Posted: Fri 24 Feb, 2017 8:46 pm
by tilly
Hi jonleeds hope you are keeping ok it will soon be time to get that tent out, often think how the old posters are getting on its like losing friends even if you have never met.

Re: Secret Leeds site quiet?

Posted: Fri 24 Feb, 2017 11:37 pm
by chemimike
I spent 4 years in Leeds and for 20 years after visited it regularly, but was not born here. I do maintain a great interest in the city , though, as I only occasionally visit, am not able to contribute through past experiences or present observations, as are many members. Where I feel I can contribute I do gladly/
Regarding the SL2 question, I am very associated with (and am moderator on) a similar Birmingham site which has gone through similar problems - crashes, arguments and also formation of a facebook page by one member (a moderator), originally supposedly as a backup in case the main site went down, but which developed into a "rival" or sorts. Each problem tended to reduce posts, but many of the members (those who officially resigned and those who just wanted to chat and not contribute much) have returned eventually.
One thing that has helped this is that our search facility is quite good and therefore people come for information. Trying to search on facebook, apart from the somewhat moronic pages full of " like this post", "my father worked in the gasworks, does anyone remember him", pictures of awful jokes extracted from the Daily Mail or similar non-informative information, is pretty hopeless even if information is there somewhere. I feel that lack of the search facility has hindered Secret Leeds attracting people recently. I know you can search using google and "secret leeds", but if people knew they could come to the site and just search there they might stay on much longer and more frequently.
Anyway there is my penneth. hope I haven't bored people

Re: Secret Leeds site quiet?

Posted: Sat 25 Feb, 2017 12:12 am
by urban rambler
I for one feel that Secret Leeds is a fabulous resource, and would contribute more but have had problems posting photos. I also think that the site should have the list of links to other sites such as Leodis, The Secret Library, The Tithe Maps etc. would be useful. But yes the search option would be good if it could be reintruduced.

Re: Secret Leeds site quiet?

Posted: Sat 25 Feb, 2017 10:53 am
by jim
Secret Leeds is a wonderful site, with great members who have the ability and desire to research subjects in depth. The latter is what differentiates it from the proliferating FB sites, which deal more in "surface memories". Unfortunately the sheer quantity of material dealt with in the site's ten year life mean that it is difficult to find topics and/or material on those topics that has not already appeared, and without an easy and practical search option it becomes easy for members to automatically think "that will already have been dealt with". In these circumstances it seems clear that a search facility like the one we had before the reconstruction of the site is needed urgently before Secret Leeds becomes the victim of its own excellence.

Re: Secret Leeds site quiet?

Posted: Sat 25 Feb, 2017 12:17 pm
by Dalehelms
The site might be quiet, but this post has had 90 views and 7 replies since last night.

Re: Secret Leeds site quiet?

Posted: Sat 25 Feb, 2017 2:15 pm
by buffaloskinner
Topic views mean nothing as it is more than likely each poster has looked to see what replies there are to their post (9 posts, 90 views = 10 people)