Save the forum?

[SoupMan]

For 1, looks like the site is having a bad day again. I was busy this summer and popped in a few times but this is the first time I come and the site layout is almost purely text. Anybody else has this problem?

2nd, does the site need a new manager?  I've offered to help with this in the past. I do SOFTWARE for a living and believe I could help this site come back to life. Looking to help bring back the site to it's old glory days.

[b_hill_86]

The layout thing is apparently random. Or at least doesn’t affect anyone but I think you’re the third or 4th person to have it happen. It still looks the same to me on my end. The crash really was tragic but is still hate to see this place go. It’s wild how popular FB is though with respect to replacing the forums. It’s total chaos as far as information archiving goes yet everyone seems to be flocking there. I hope the day comes that the forums start to pick up again but I’m not holding my breath. I will however hang out till the end whenever that is lol.

[79GoldnTan]

Yea, wow I just have fiquered out how to reply, the format for me is crazy, hope it can come back, a lot of good folks and info here. Even replying is nuts, like I'm on a typewrighter

[SoupMan]

b_hill_86,

That's exactly it. This format is what I think works. Sure, if you are looking for 1 piece of information like how to replace xx part, the FB method might work. However, I think a properly catalogued platform works best to point you to the right audience while allowing you to learn what others are encountering.

It's basically the miss mash or the organized file/folder strategy.

[N PRGRES]

If I want good info I typically don't go to FB, but here.  The replies are too random it seems or at least hard to track. 

[apfstg]

I’ve gotten an answer for every question I’ve had - I wasn’t a member before the crash so I can’t compare the two , I was only  dreaming of a firebird then….

[rkellerjr]

I think a facelift would help, the forum works well for me but it "looks" tired and not "new and shiny" like facebook or even X.  however, those platforms do not do well in the kind of information sharing we do as a firebird community. You need indexing for stuff that we talk about so it is quickly accessible and easy to find. We could probably use some "advertising" from everyone to bring in new people.

[72projectbird]

Yea, wow I just have fiquered out how to reply, the format for me is crazy, hope it can come back, a lot of good folks and info here. Even replying is nuts, like I'm on a typewrighter

A typewriter is the perfect example.

I do believe this place is on its last legs.

[5th T/A]

My TAC access is via my iPhone, iPad or Windows laptop, I haven't experienced any problems. I don't recall if those having problems mentioned the platform they were on.

I have been a member of TAC since May of 2020 and honestly don't recall what it was like before the crash.

I don't have a Facebook account, so I can't say how that compares to TAC. There are a couple of other Pontiac sites that I occasionally go to, for the most part I don't see a lot of activity on the other sites.

Personally, I am very happy with TAC. Most the posting come from a small group of very talented individuals who take time and effort to help our community with detailed and often educational posts. Some people criticize the site and complain about the data loss. While I contribute an occasional post and have made monetary donations, neither is required. I do not understand when people complain about something that is free.

Could TAC be better, absolutely. Right now, I see 45 guests and two users online. If more guests would become members or log in as members and just post a little bit about what they are doing, thinking or working on. It would have a snowballing effect causing more people to get involved. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate.

To Mr. Bandit, and all the great members who constantly update the forum on your projects, and those who donate money to TAC, Thanks for keeping TAC alive!

[FormTA]

Yes, site started looking horrible to me a few weeks ago? It was a sudden change for me. I veiw it from my phone. I have tried changing to yye desktop version but it look just as bad.

[5th T/A]

Yes, site started looking horrible to me a few weeks ago? It was a sudden change for me. I veiw it from my phone. I have tried changing to yye desktop version but it look just as bad.

I guess I missed the boat here and didn't realize what people are complaining about. Can you send a screen shot to Mr. Bandit showing what you are talking about. He may not be aware of this issue. For me nothing has changed.

[another10th]

It seems to be ok with my iPhone, but not on my Windows PC. Unfortunately, I usually access this site on my desktop.

[stros]

Same here - still looks like Windows 95 on my laptop.  Ok on the phone still.

Regarding Facebook I’ve avoided that like the plague.  I use forums for our other cars as well and prefer them.  Hopefully we can keep this forum going.  Moving TAC to a new platform where we have confidence our content won’t disappear would be great. 

[another10th]

On my desktop, it opens fine on Microsoft Edge (which I seldom use). It's a mess on Google Chrome or Firefox.

[Wallington]

Mine appears fine on desktop, even on phone now. But several months back and for months, it was unreadable on phone. Might be the issue some are seeing now. It was only improved by the fact there was nothing to read or reply to!

[FormTA]

Here is how I see it.

[81Blackbird]

For a while the format on the home desktop was the text only version and the one at work was the normal version.  Now both are the text version.
I tried logging out and back in but no luck getting the old version back.  Sometimes it just changes format on its own.

[rkellerjr]

On my desktop, it opens fine on Microsoft Edge (which I seldom use). It's a mess on Google Chrome or Firefox.

Interesting, I use Firefox and it looks great, always has, I've never had a problem with the site using Firefox.

[kentucky yeti]

Same here.  I've ran Firefox since the mid-2000's. Actually, I've never heard about this issue until this thread, and have never seen the forum in script like FormTA posted, except during the rebuild after the crash.  I have seen that format 2-3 times through the years on a gun forum I frequent, but never on here.

[kentucky yeti]

As for saving the forum, the majority have spoken.  Other than gun forums, that FB generally frowns upon, most forums have either already caved or they are struggling to stay relevant.  TAC has a page on FaceBook; why? Because before the crash- members here were asking for one.  I've visited it maybe 4-5 times since it was introduced.  But longtime members that were here since 2003 or so were there when I went to it.  And they never came back here.  That was before we lost all the data on here.  I've been here since right after TAC was born, and  God willing- I'll turn out the light when it closes.  I promise you that no one here has dedicated the time to this forum that Mike B (and to a lesser degree- myself) has dedicated.  But forums no longer get sponsors.  We used to have a lot of them.  Sponsors put their money where they will get a return.  Even the mighty forum formerly known as PY is only a fraction of what it was 10 years ago.  I've sent invites to many  formerly active members.  Most don't even reply.  I don't moderate our FB page because I don't go there.  But the day is coming.  5-8 active people can't keep it alive.  I remember the 2005-2015 decade when we would have 100+ on here at almost any given time, except for late night.  I am on here multiple times per day and night, and it is a good day to see 3 active members on at the same time.  I get depressed just typing this, but forums are fast becoming Dodo birds.  Here is a scree shot of the Stats Page.  You can check it out at the bottom of the home page yourself and see when members last were here.  5 of the top 10 "Most Time Online" are gone.  And of that group- only Jack, firebirdparts and myself are currently active here.  Believe me when I say that no one will miss it more than me.  I have dedicated over a year of my life online to TAC.

[72projectbird]

As for saving the forum, the majority have spoken.  Other than gun forums, that FB generally frowns upon, most forums have either already caved or they are struggling to stay relevant.  TAC has a page on FaceBook; why? Because before the crash- members here were asking for one.  I've visited it maybe 4-5 times since it was introduced.  But longtime members that were here since 2003 or so were there when I went to it.  And they never came back here.  That was before we lost all the data on here.  I've been here since right after TAC was born, and  God willing- I'll turn out the light when it closes.  I promise you that no one here has dedicated the time to this forum that Mike B (and to a lesser degree- myself) has dedicated.  But forums no longer get sponsors.  We used to have a lot of them.  Sponsors put their money where they will get a return.  Even the mighty forum formerly known as PY is only a fraction of what it was 10 years ago.  I've sent invites to many  formerly active members.  Most don't even reply.  I don't moderate our FB page because I don't go there.  But the day is coming.  5-8 active people can't keep it alive.  I remember the 2005-2015 decade when we would have 100+ on here at almost any given time, except for late night.  I am on here multiple times per day and night, and it is a good day to see 3 active members on at the same time.  I get depressed just typing this, but forums are fast becoming Dodo birds.  Here is a scree shot of the Stats Page.  You can check it out at the bottom of the home page yourself and see when members last were here.  5 of the top 10 "Most Time Online" are gone.  And of that group- only Jack, firebirdparts and myself are currently active here.  Believe me when I say that no one will miss it more than me.  I have dedicated over a year of my life online to TAC.

Jeez, that doesn't paint a pretty picture, does it?

I remember the days when this place was hopping. So many cool build threads, information for days, cool guys sharing every day life activities. Was a pretty cool place. Looks like I'll have to join the TAC Facebook page, although I don't have a legit Facebook page. So look out for a member with a funny fake name.

[Wallington]

Aus78Formula is somewhat active. Just hasn't used that name in years.

[kentucky yeti]

Aus78Formula is somewhat active. Just hasn't used that name in years.

Yep

[FormTA]

Hey, Aus. You should post up a thread on your car from the beginning.  I really have no recollection of your build. I can't remember if it was yours or not but I do remember a right hand drive car being converted back to left. The right hand conversion was a mess and quite scary if I remember correctly.

[gm muscle]

I still pop in from time to time but admittedly way less since the crash. I'm a member of TAC on FB but hardly ever visit it when I'm on...I just did not like the vibe. I'd love to meet the fellas here but because of my work schedule, It'll have to wait until I retire! 

[nas t eh]

There's been a few like that. Some conversions were better than others, some were downright scary, and then it became 30-40 years later and in poor condition. 2 other guys on here had rough RHD cars and converted them back to LHD, and for the ability to simply bolt original parts on, LeighP's green '71 and Bill Bale's black '79.

Mine is still RHD, was one of the better conversions. I got lucky there, had no idea what to look for at the time, shiny paint and new interior, already had engine swap plans.

It just sits now. Was getting passed around from paintshop to paintshop, not always the car itself but waiting in the queue there. One place hadn't responded in some time, I drove over the find they had closed up and a guy using it to cut plywood inside. I was still on their list as being next after they move one or two projects out. They moved everything. So I found another guy who seemed keen, he even called out to see the car and go over it 40min away. So I sat and waited, on their list, then they decided they needed to move their shop, and lost about a year getting set up, keep waiting. Eventually, he's keen again, and has a date booked in. I have a thick folder of printed up photos and instructions to assist in anyway possible, pointing out minor/major issues, showing correct ways the factory painted things, dimensions for different masking, how components came apart that they may be required to do, the lot. The date comes and goes, they are busy. Pushes it back, that date comes and goes, busy but disinterested. Next thing they are painting trucks and trailers and buses as their new setup is oversize. I keep pestering but I'm also too polite and get screwed around the same way the engine build did. Next thing, they are doing a massive late-model project car on fbook and proudly showing the progress. The car did not even exist in the time I'd been waiting. So that was that.
Years on, no one approached, the money put aside has had to be lived off and it doesn't have much left. The car is still in pieces so can't be sold except for scrap, no one wants projects even if they were previously running vehicles prior to pulling apart. Will still cost more than it's finished value to even complete so won't be. I'm just running day to day as it is, won't be around much longer either. The problem is all these boxes of parts, nicely sorted, but rarely labelled. I know exactly what they are and where they go, which ones are rare and expensive to locate, others common and boring. They all end up in the same way in the rubbish or dumped into the car where next guy also doesn't know what they are. So another life wasted and not even of use to someone else.

Wow
I thought I had it difficult finding a shop to do bodywork and paint for a price I could manage. I know now, I got lucky because the shop I used was only 9hr drive across the border into Montana, this was back a few years when our dollar was near par with USD, so it worked out OK for me. The guy who did my car has past away since and if I was trying to get that work done today, I’m certain I would have an even harder time finding someone. Some of the work is not as good as I wanted and I have had to redo it or live with it, but still I know I got lucky.

I wish you success, try not to give up, look for another shop.

[SoupMan]

I see someone already posted a picture of what it looks like.

It basically comes down to if your browser cache has been reset recently. Eventually it will reset and you will get the text only layout.

The main reason FORUMs are dying is because they don't cater to the fast sharing of information like the twitters and instagrams. Some Forums are more stuck up than others and won't provide browsing of data or search if not registered. I think that tide can be turned but with a significant amount of effort.

Facebook is a horrible platform for anything that requires a level of organization or cataloging. I could get into the specifics of why that is but it will bore of you to death.

FORMTA, if MrBandit needs help he can reach out to me. I work in the field and am happy to help provide solutions to prevent down time.

[ryeguy2006a]

It really is a shame, I started on this site sometime in 2009 when I was building my car and it really was a hopping place. I'm on multiple times a day, and try to post as much info as a can. Heck, I don't even have a T/A anymore, but this site left a lasting impression on me. There is a cost to running this site and without sponsors, it's up to the users to keep it alive. I've "met" a lot of people over the years and it has been a great way to get answer to hard to answer questions.

[b_hill_86]

I hope soupman is right with regard to turning things around someday. I used to try to steer people to the forums for info but as Ben said, so many are quick to throw out answers, even if wrong, and the original posters seem to gobble up whatever misinformation gets spewed and they disappear into the night never to be seen again.

My only regret here is that I didn’t frequent this place more often. When I bought my car back in 2010 I found Hitman’s sight (I hope that’s not a bad word over here). There was so much info there I never looked elsewhere for a while and even when I found this place, they were both so busy I didn’t think I had the time to keep up with both. I don’t remember when I finally joined here after lurking for a while but I’m glad I did. I do belong to a few other forums, and I think they all have certain perks, but this place is different.

Ben, I’ll be your Facebook friend lol. (Or if not no hard feelings  ) I had a FB years ago before it became what it is today and I deleted it due to it serving no purpose for me at the time. Now, with marketplace (I like to look at crap for sale lol) and the various groups (including local neighborhood groups) and businesses on FB it’s much different. Not ideal but it has some benefits. Not the typical large friends list and posting my evening meal type though. I’m literally only friends with my father, one close in-person friend, my brother, uncle and aunt.

[FormTA]

Aus, I appreciate the run down of your car. Too bad about the paint shops. I'm I'm glad that is an area I can do, actually, anyone can do it too. It just takes time and patience. Start small and just keep knocking out little sections. Like Rich used to say, "it's like eating an elephant, just take one bite at a time!

[rkellerjr]

I just received an email for a Trans Am forum that offered t-shirts, mugs, etc. for a membership fee. Anyone down on TAC becoming a membership fee forum to keep it going? Just a thought.

[b_hill_86]

Get a shirt that says "I posted an urgent question on TAC and never checked back for the answer"

Not sure how many newbies would pay for it. They'd perhaps ask a price on shipping, then never check back.

Lol ok that’s funny. Gave me a chuckle.

[ryeguy2006a]

I just received an email for a Trans Am forum that offered t-shirts, mugs, etc. for a membership fee. Anyone down on TAC becoming a membership fee forum to keep it going? Just a thought.

I'd definitely do that! I see a lot of sites like that that offer "gold" membership for an annual fee. Hopefully Mike sees this and is interested in doing something like this. I'd also buy some merch. 

[stros]

I like the idea of selling some merch with enough profit margin to keep the forum running, assuming we can get the forum moved to a more stable platform where we'll have confidence our content will not disappear.

[ryeguy2006a]

My understanding is that that has already happened Stros. I believe that was why the content was lost was due in part to the transition from one platform to another.

[kentucky yeti]

We are on a totally new platform.  Now you can attach pics instantly with no copy/paste work.

[FormTA]

So is there a fix so I can see the site the way it was a few weeks ago? I cleared my cache and reset my phone and it still look like 1980s.

[ryeguy2006a]

Mine was like that until today Luke. This morning it was back to normal.

[stros]

We are on a totally new platform.  Now you can attach pics instantly with no copy/paste work.

Ok, good to know.  I got a bit worried when the site went wonky recently.  Now it's working on all devices for me again.  Yes, agree that the new pic attachment solution is a big improvement from the past. 

[nas t eh]

We are on a totally new platform.  Now you can attach pics instantly with no copy/paste work.

Wait….what? I guess I was not paying attention. Can it do video too? I have a short video of my car leaving the garage for the first time in 30+ years.

What is the process to post pictures?
I see the image icon, but can I browse my photo library or do I copy the picture first and paste it in between the IMG brackets?


Update- figured out pictures, what do we do to post videos?