Do we close the Off Topic site Social Australia (.com.au)

[Admin]

I am running both the Recreational Flying (.com) site and Social Australia (.com.au) for off topic conversations. The users at Social Australia just use the forums and nothing else so my take is that we only need forums for off topic.

 

The Social Australia site being a none subject specific site unlike what Recreational Flying is, is continually bombarded with general spam threads and posts from users all around the world plus even new users here in Australia that join the Social Australia site just to promote their own business.

 

The software per site costs $150 USD per 6 months, that's around $500 a year in AUD, or nearly $10 Australian a week to have the Off Topic site in just software costs. Hosting costs are basically fixed due to the Recreational Flying site, whilst costing a lot more in software costs, I still have to have the hosting costs of around $3,000 a year whether there is 1 site or 10.

 

So, what do I do...I am no longer working, have no income other than the pension which is the reason I am throwing all this out there for suggestions.

 

I could merge the Social Australia Off Topic site with this Recreational Flying site and have a separate section for Off Topic, including a separate What's New area for new Off Topic threads and posts but there is a risk that some pollution of off topic content landing in the Recreational Flying content. Some degree of edits would need to be made to the menu system here perhaps making the What's New menu area a bit confusing etc.

 

Or could I just move the Off Topic site to Facebook, or even move both sites to Facebook and save thousands of $'s or even sell the whole lot...Yes, sorry to ask that but after some 22 years has the time finally come OR...?

 

I am sure there are many different options so what options do YOU think there are...thanks for your help

[Red]

OK,Firstly my point of view should probably be disregarded ..I have very inputted very little to the site and I'm not even Australian.

So with that said, I reckon you should do exactly what you see best serves your own interests and if there are some here really attached to the site then maybe offer them the chance to take it over

 

All the best and enjoy your retirement

 

oops edit...should have said Im talking about the mention of closing the Rec flying site, the other one I have of course never visited

Edited September 4 by Red

[tillmanr]

I have never used Social Australia so if it slips away I will not miss it. 

[onetrack]

Ian, I'm quite happy for you to amalgamate the two sites. I'm sure you'll be able to set it up so that Social Australia is identified as a social forum, and a separate area to RF.

There's always going to be some "pollution" of content, no matter what you're running - threads going off-topic are common on most forums, anyway. Moderation keeps them on topic.

 

I'm surprised that there's a higher percentage of spammers and scammers on Social Australia. Is there something you do on RF, that keeps spammers and scammers to a low level?

I've reported scammers in the RF classifieds numerous times, so they must still get in. I don't think anyone has ever succeeded in keeping spammers and scammers out of forums, one just minimises them with intense moderation.

 

I quite enjoy the S.A. forum and I was hoping my annual $50 contribution went a good way towards covering the cost of operating it.

Please don't ever transfer anything to FB, it's the home of scammers and the owner's morality and ethics is suspect, too. Plus their format is utter crap, it's all centred around "likes", and much puerile content.

 

[Moneybox]

Firstly I’m new to the Recreational Flying forum but I like spending some spare time here. I’m travelling at the moment and I’m enjoying the opportunity to do a little online research. Hopefully I’ll pick up some friends along the way.

I’m retired and admire your resilience to spend all those years running the forum, thank you. I couldn’t and wouldn’t do it but I’d miss it if you have to give it away. I don’t like Facebook so that’s not an option for me.

[kgwilson]

I use Social Australia on a semi regular basis but would be happy for it to be merged into the RF site. Facebook No, far too many trolls & spammers.

[Marty_d]

Thanks Ian for your time, money and effort you put into maintaining these sites.

 

As others have said over on Social Australia, they are fantastic to maintain social connections.

 

Remembering when "off topic" was a forum as part of Rec Flying - I think you made it a separate site as there were many members who didn't want to talk politics/religion/whatever, and didn't like that forum filling up the "what's new" screen.

Could you roll it back into Rec Flying but have an option where people can opt out of seeing it?  That way those of us who like talking general shit can still do so, without bothering anyone who only wants to talk shit about planes... 🙂

[spacesailor]

I ' talk shit ' all the tme , which gets me into deeper shit .

It's just lack of ' communications ' .

spacesailor

[robinsm]

Merge the two Ian, sounds reasonable given your post at the start of the topic.