h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've seen a few postings recently bemoaning the lack of activity on the site.

Let's have a little brainstorm. What new ideas do you have to increase participation on h2g2?

Some rules for this thread:

1. No blaming
2. No old ideas (as they clearly haven't worked)
3. No criticism of others new ideas for at least 24 hours.

Whiteboard cleaned. Marker pens all tested. Off you go...

rule 4 - no doodling chad on the whiteboard.

Too many rules...

Make it easier to find the places where there ~is~ activity going on.

Seconded Lil good idea

Can you be more specific, Lil?

It is, actually, I think, now, easier to find out exactly where/when the new activity is, with the Pliny FP ... the 'I think', clearly indicating I don't necessarily spend the majority of my time, still, on the Pliny version

Some method, to try increase participation, particularly for commenting on new entrys, just through Peer review, err, like, err, somehow

This thread popped up in my convo list; therefore I must be following Icy North.

Icy says, “"I've seen a few postings recently bemoaning the lack of activity on the site. Let's have a little brainstorm. What new ideas do you have to increase participation on h2g2?"

Is there a lack of activity on the site? Have the loonies have been in charge of the insane asylum for long enough to have amassed enough statistical evidence to suggest a real lack of activity? If so, does this lack of activity happen every Spring (or Fall depending on hemisphere) when researchers that there are other things to do right now? Like planting/harvesting food crops, having a vacation, studying, working, preparing for drought or flooding, and otherwise living?

Or is it more a case of bemoaning on the site?

Well, that's my participation for the day.

Thanks HN. All contributions welcome in a brainstorm.

Lil, do you mean restoring the 'Busiest Conversations' and 'Most Posted Researcher' lists?

<BB<

It's much slower than I've seen it.

When's the last time the QotD changed? I've stopped sending quotes in, because I think it's been the emotional communication one for a couple months now I'm also not checking the Front Page as often, because, while I don't expect to have something I said myself up I did get a little thrill when something I submitted is up there. When I'm not checking the Front Page, I don't wander much past my Conversations page.

Also, while I *do* have links to Ask and other places in my ACE message, most newbies I'm greeting appear to have done nothing more than register--no postings, nothing on their PS other than the boilerplate. I'm wondering if there's something we can do to help with that?*







*Then again, I seem to remember that that was true the last time I was an ACE, as well, pre-PaperBaby...

Make the Latest Activity list a page like my conversations.

In my case it is because, with threads, I'm what SBK is to weeds.

I guess it is motivation, not fully coming to grips with GuideML and still needing an idiots guide to Trello so I can be more active.
I have a number of entries on the go, including either an update or a new entry to add to The Routemaster (A8688766), a 30 sub-entry about Ramsgate plus the finishing/tidying/rewriting of Gandalftwin's water birds University entry.
I have one close to finishing. Just needs typing up, then spliting into readable sections.

What may also be useful is a blog/journal category, so that all can be read more easily than erratic postings.

Just thoughts from an erratic visitor.

Apologies but with both my and my Mother's continuing health problems, I am not online as often as I'd like.



MMF

Btw, the Routemaster update concerns the new Heathrrwick, aka Boris Bus.

MMF

We could be a little more visual more than one photo maps and diagrams where necessary. If that is possable

I'm one of the "moaners" because often from one day to the next, there are new postings in only three conversations in my list. Unheard of! This has never been the case, neither in Spring, Autumn, at Christmas or in the deep depths of the summer holiday period.

In my desperation I go to Ask to see if any new threads have started, and then I read a couple and forget to subscribe to them.

I'll browse in PR but not feel clever enough to make any comments.

Then if all else fails I'll switch to Pliny and see which conversations are most active.

Maybe a little "do you want to leave this conversation without subscribing?" pop-up? - Because it's very likely that you then forget about it, or can't find it again . That would perhaps keep a few more people in conversations.

I really can't think of much else that would otherwise stimulate activity on the site.

hmmmmmmmm

We all keep telling ourselves we should spend more time in PR. Perhaps a sort of PR-kindergarten, where smaller projects can be presented, nurtured, and gently criticised, written by newbies, beginners and anyone who has just a "little idea". Not the Fleamarket, where the ideas are up to the standard of fully-fledged entries, but the writing needs some work, and not the Alternative writing workshop or whatever it's called these days....

Bob, there's no "one photo" restriction. Maps and diagrams have always been possible, and since we left the bbc we've been allowed many photos per entry.

TC

How about a "recently read" list of conversations on our user pages which would remind us forgetful ones of where we have been.

Or is that going to cause problems, revealing who has read what.
Could make it only visible to the user?