Revamp the forum page

[1Gary]

I suggest to have the forum page revamped.A fresh look sure wouldn't be a bad thing.This one has been used for yrs and yrs.So I am suggesting a new design for the forum page.

[97CargoCrawler]

I say leave it alone. If you're bored of the look try a new theme in the user control panel. I use the AcidTech green theme and I love it.

Everything works on this site. My pictures appear as they should and there's no clutter. It could use a few people removed from it though.

EDIT: I am tired of the same old van from VOM on the index page. Nice van but I think we can move on.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

EDIT: I am tired of the same old van from VOM on the index page. Nice van but I think we can move on.

We are waiting on Gary to finish Old yellar for the next VOM!

[Smiliesafari]

Be nice, Dean.

[1Gary]

Like it or don't.This site still competes for fresh blood as members.The other Astro site just finished a wk long overall.Looks pretty sharp.

[justice]

i pay no attention to whats going on at AS.

[astrozam]

i pay no attention to whats going on at AS.

Same here, its about quality of info and member input thats what makes a site..the rest is window dressing. But I do agree the VOM needs to change.

[justice]

well Zam, just do this..

1) Buy an Astro van
2) Take pictures of it
3) Send them to me for the VOM
4).....
5) Profit!

[97CargoCrawler]

Like it or don't.This site still competes for fresh blood as members.The other Astro site just finished a wk long overall.Looks pretty sharp.

The other site looks and works like crap! And the week without it drove me nuts. I like how this site is simple. Not simple as in someone isn't capable but simple as in I can find what interests me because there isn't too much junk cluttering things up. There really isn't anything lacking here.

More new members would be nice. Some of the existing members need to chill the heck out too. I've been here since Jan 2008 and I have taken a few breaks from the site. Seems a lot of nice people packed up and moved or lost interest during my last hiatus. I lost interest in this site a few months back simply because folks were not being friendly. I have not had any issues elsewhere. The site lost its positive vibe. I'm guessing members went with it.

Anyway, I like the site. Some new features might be cool but PLEASE do not shut it down for too long to make improvements!

I think we need some suggestions of what you'd like to see, GARY.

[1Gary]

Fair enough.Your certainly entitled to your opinion.Sorry if at some point you got a sour taste in your mouth.But your back and that counts big.

Honestly I have really no grand plan other than the thought of spicing up the plain Jane look.I do miss the action from what it was like yrs ago.It isn't a old guy just wanting change for the sake of change.It is I hope like everyone else wanted to do a better job marketing the site to attract new members and hopefully more action like it was before.

[97CargoCrawler]

Have you tried the other themes available in the user control panel?

I'm doing my part to generate new leads to this site. Despite having been shown the door I come back to post for sake of completeness and the few people who watch my projects and don't speak up.

My roof rack build has generated over 1,000 views in less than 2 months. If you look up "Con Ferr" on Google my build on this site makes it onto the first page of searches. Most of you are probably unaware, but Con Ferr is HUGE among off roaders. It's a name found on every off road site in existence. It is searched like crazy. So much so that the hits generated and linking to this site forced me to have to upgrade my Photobucket account to PRO simply because I had exceeded my 10GB bandwidth for the month. All of that was from people looking at my thread, 99% from people not associated with ASV but from the net. I wonder how many of those people are now looking at their van in a new light.

What I'm getting at is forums live and die based on participation. I have posted several new threads on this forum in the past few months. I take a lot photos to document and share my work and it requires a lot of effort to share that info with you here. I had so many people just ripping on what I was doing I stopped posting and updating all but one of those threads. I still have a sour taste in my mouth. But I'm not about to let anyone scare me off from something I'm interested in.

I have seen a lot of people with unusual ideas and projects get run off from this site. I wouldn't be here if I liked stock vans. I discovered this site because I wanted something more from my van. If someone had ripped on my builds when I first started posting here I would have left in a hurry. Back then I found support and encouragement. Now I find ridicule and bullying. I have embraced Dan formerly at Overland's "Dare to be Different" attitude. Somehow that has become a bad thing here.

If you can add some sort of happy button to the site or perhaps have fun carnival music in the background maybe that will help.

[MountainManJoe]

I agree that AS looks like someone threw up all over it. It's far too cluttered and it has advertisements

I'm very happy with the way ASV is run. The forum is very reliable and loads quickly. Off the top of my head, I can't think of any way to improve it (well maybe more smileys). But if I did, I know that suggestions from members, such as attachment quota and the youtube button, are taken seriously and implemented. We have been getting new enthusiastic members who participate in discussion and post photos, so we must be doing something right.

[1Gary]

Well I was hoping to involve the three Admins for some comments.So Justice,Zam,Lifted,how about for thoughts from you guys??.

Thanks

[krsowles]

As a new member, I will offer my opinion and I understand it carries little clout . I have read many threads here looking for help, ideas and suggestions. It is very easy to get around and find what I'm looking for. I like how "simple" the design is. I really like the quality of information. I have never been to the other site because this one works well. Occasionally, threads go off on tangents, but if I got a dollar everytime I saw something "shiney" and lost my way, I could buy us all an astro! So be it, it makes for fun reading! There can be some negativity sometimes but i realize that I too have bad days where I could bite the head off of the guy coming to tell me a won $1.000,000. I figure live and let live and let the member get over it. I bet he'll apologize later like good friends do and get on with life. There doesn't seem to be any one member who is always cranky. I also like how I can ramble on as i start my day with a cup of coffee and no one tells me to shut up. Just my observation from the outside looking in.

[1Gary]

As a new member, I will offer my opinion and I understand it carries little clout . I have read many threads here looking for help, ideas and suggestions. It is very easy to get around and find what I'm looking for. I like how "simple" the design is. I really like the quality of information. I have never been to the other site because this one works well. Occasionally, threads go off on tangents, but if I got a dollar everytime I saw something "shiney" and lost my way, I could buy us all an astro! So be it, it makes for fun reading! There can be some negativity sometimes but i realize that I too have bad days where I could bite the head off of the guy coming to tell me a won $1.000,000. I figure live and let live and let the member get over it. I bet he'll apologize later like good friends do and get on with life. There doesn't seem to be any one member who is always cranky. I also like how I can ramble on as i start my day with a cup of coffee and no one tells me to shut up. Just my observation from the outside looking in.

Just to let you know,given your newbie position,in this old coot's opinion your input in many ways counts tons.