Hi SV8, Thanks for taking the time for that post, because it echoes  exactly what has always mattered to me. I've been here 7 years and was the original moderator (outside of Kelsey staff). It was my hope from the beginning that this Forum would be a friendly place (unlike some others), and that it would promote camaraderie between enthusiasts. I believe it would be hard to match the mix  of usefulness with courteous dealings between members here.
The Forum has changed substantially over the years. There was originally a post numbers battle  between the two biggest Bulletins early on and they were the XJS and XJ40 Bulletins. There was also a great deal more genuinely funny input provided by to 3 or 4 members who have now left us. Still, I entirely concur with your 'family' comparison and would say that I have seen that same thing said by posters two or three times over the years. I was always pleased to copy those posts to Matt Skelton!
An additional thought about the 'filtering' problem, is that there is a huge proliferation of small clubs catering for specific models within the Jaguar range. Without trying at all hard I can think of at least six, both up and down market. This 'specialisation' also has an adverse effect on the people who might otherwise post here.
I believe it's time to thin out the membership list again!?
With regard to the JEC, I believe that their membership is suffering a bit, though they are in my view the better of the two main clubs. Their Forum is another matter. I won't go near it as I found it to be a nightmare of user unfriendliness. The format chosen by the original co-ordinator Norman Hicks was to set it up with Bulletins which echoed the headings in the workshop manuals!!!! I feel sure that it's complexity has caused it problems.
I like it here.
Final thing, for those that don't subscribe to the JWM Magazine is that we have just lost our Forum Champion in the form of Matt Skelton, Magazine Editor. He has been our great supporter over the years, always acting positively when issues were raised by me. He has deservedly found a new role with Jaguar Cars. Positively, our publisher Phil Weeden is stepping in to fill the gap. I have his email address!Cheers, apax.

The problem is Brian, that the vasy majority of these '1500 new members' are spammers, mostly 'bots' (scripts that automatically sign up).

If you go to the 'members' pages, you will see that all recent members are spammers, for page after page, after page. . ..

Without appearing to criticise (but I will anyway) the forum admin(s) should be clearing out all these spammers from the membership list. Simple housekeeping. This is not being done.

I do sympathise for Roly as he seems to be the only moderator trying to plug the holes (I understand Apax is hors de combat) and one man cannot be expected to do all this himself.

So where are the admins. Come on, show yourselves!

optimus prime wrote on 26.01.2012 at 23:03:55:



Certainly no criticism of you Roly! I fully understand just how much a 'mod' can do.

That's why I'm having a go at the 'admins'. Or is there just one 'admin'? Whoever it is, they are not doing their job!

Those bogus registrations should be cleaned out, because all their bullshit email addresses and their predatory websites are being sucked up by the search engines and spreading even further.

It really is a poor show. So come on Mr Admin, rise to the challenge! Show yourself!

Dbug, Not to trivialize your obsewrvations, and I'm sure the admins/mods are grateful for construction input but, well,  "it is what it is"

And that's not a criticism or even a slight.

Long ago I learned that each forum develops it's own personality, has it's own strengths and weaknesses, etc. It took years to develop and is hard to change

I like this one well enough to check in every day even though I don't post very often.

Cheers
DD

optimus prime wrote on 13.04.2012 at 08:15:32:


So thats it????????????

A dying forum??

Shame really.

Perhaps you need to make a nuisance of yourself with JWM until you get a positive response and not take the "subservient " stance (refering to them as "the powers that be") - either JWM support a forum in their name or it just expires slowly.

SV8Predator wrote on 13.04.2012 at 23:00:39:


Look forward to some positive results then 

SV8Predator wrote on 13.04.2012 at 23:00:39:


Not pretentious at all mate - I finished my latest one yesterday and will start a new one as soon as I've been to the library