Posted By:
JoannI agree that the focus seems to be meandering. I will honestly admit that I don't know if this is natural evolution of all such boards, or if there are genuine forces in play affecting this board.
I know that way back to the Fullcount days it seemed like there were true hobby heavyweights that rang in regularly, and the board was a great resource. (Although, let's not forget that the flame war threads on that board could put this one to shame - that's always been there too.)
There are still heavyweights that ring in here - some routinely and some much less so. But if you look at the overall mix of topics and posters, the gravity of the board has decreased.
I count myself as part of the problem. I am newer to posting regularly - only maybe two years - and while I am passionate about the hobby I simply do not have the knowledge to add that some do. Someday I will. Today I don't. So I contribute to threads about general hobby issues and direction, but not so much the genuinely informative posts. There are many others like me who are newer and less experienced, and as a result the entire mix of contributors and nature of contribution is changing.
What's the answer? Who knows? But there are some things that might help.
First, absolutely with everyone upthread that says to give answers to questions even if it's the millionth time it's been asked. Don't refer to search functions and don't not answer. When I started lurking at Fullcount years ago, the ways for spotting reprints and trimming were already well-known. Thankfully, people would post this common knowledge there in response to questions. Otherwise I would never have picked it up.
Second, agree with whoever said to consider these issues before you respond to a vacuous thread started by someone that does so more regularly. Yes there are two OT's now on steroids and the Yankee's manager. But both were started by (and believe me, in one case it really does kill me to say this but fair is fair) regular contributors who never, ever start OT threads. To me, respond away in those cases. But to contribute to general dilution of topics by responding to peripheral threads by frequent starters of such threads only encourages it.
Vintage cards first, hobby issues second, and peripheral topics about vintage baseball in general, or players from that era, etc. last.
And goodbye to the board if we ever become a place where the topic is a mix of vintage baseball cards and general baseball topics. There will be no reason at all for the truly experienced contributors, which are the lifeblood of this forum, to stick around.
Joann