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Old 03-29-2018, 03:11 PM   #46
kingfisherflesh
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Re: Make Spearboard Great Again

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marcus View Post
Don't go to the salad bar if you don't want to see salad. When I go to a news site, I see all kinds of stuff I don't want to read and somehow...I manage not to read it.
If it wasn't for the P&R section, this site would've closed up some time ago. Then what/where would you bitch about??
Fakebook killed the spearfishing traffic on here, not the P&R section. If this #DeleteFacebook movement (read about it in P&R ) gains steam, I predict traffic returning. Until then, put on your big boy pants, gain some will power, and stop clicking on things that make you cry...ya bunch of snowflakes.
BTW, I'd love to have the off topic sections not appear when clicking 'New Posts'...but you can't make someone your slave and force changes.
Again. I don't click. It's not about content. It's about asking this forum to be about spearfishing instead of your own personal soapbox. Idgaf about you, the bullshit discussed within your threads etc. But one more time, to make it clear, this isn't about content.

Talk about whatever you want. The vast majority of us have left the site due to the fact that when we click new posts, P&R is all we see.
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Old 03-29-2018, 04:13 PM   #47
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Re: Make Spearboard Great Again

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Originally Posted by kingfisherflesh View Post
Again. I don't click. It's not about content. It's about asking this forum to be about spearfishing instead of your own personal soapbox. Idgaf about you, the bullshit discussed within your threads etc. But one more time, to make it clear, this isn't about content.

Talk about whatever you want. The vast majority of us have left the site due to the fact that when we click new posts, P&R is all we see.
Well then it sounds like you think it would be beneficial to increase the on topic, Spearfishing related posts. I completely agree.

Now how is that to be accomplished? It does not seem to be something within the direct control of management.
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Old 03-29-2018, 05:17 PM   #48
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Re: Make Spearboard Great Again

Exactly right.
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Old 03-29-2018, 05:46 PM   #49
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Re: Make Spearboard Great Again

I don't know much about most things.

I'm not sure if the owner even makes $ from this site? Everyone is assuming so? When I supported this site in the past it was always with a prize for the Tournament. If he does make anything, I'm thinking it's not much. I'm not sure Clicks are a measure of advertising potential anyway. If I was going to spend money to choose to advertise on a site I would certainly check it out and have a look at the content.. For example if I look down the list of "New Posts" and review the clicks of Non Static threads, ie not counting in for example permathreads on visibility etc.. I would notice that from the top 20 "New Posts" 75% of the Clicks are in the PR section about some snivel or drivel unrelated to Spearfishing. This would immediately be a turn off to a potential advertiser.

Sometimes this Board makes big moves which many suggest at the time will be catastrophic, yet it survives. It might be interesting to CUT the PR sections and limit all posts to diving and spearfishing related for a few months and see if it has any positive effect. If not you could always return to how things are. If nothing else it might give the 3 or 4 posters who are the PR section some time to sharpen their wits, talk endlessly to themselves, and shovel up some new crap?
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Old 03-29-2018, 09:27 PM   #50
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Re: Make Spearboard Great Again

Let let an anonymous pole settle it.
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Old 03-29-2018, 09:41 PM   #51
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Re: Make Spearboard Great Again

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marcus View Post
...and there used to not be a PnR section at all. It was put there to keep PnR out of the spearfishing section.
I believe you are correct Marcus. If I recall correctly, the PnR section was created because many spearfishing related threads got sidetracked by unrelated topics like religion, politics, etc. The original intent of the PNR section was to create an area for those types of discussions to take place in hopes that spearfishing related threads would stay on topic.

I believe I was the 11th or 12th person to sign up on Spearboard so I have been around pretty much from the beginning. As I recall, one of the primary reasons Scott McPherson started Spearboard was because there was heavy and often times unfair censorship towards spearfisherman on the Florida Sportsman forum where many of us were posting. Having our own forum would give us an open and fair voice to discuss our great sport.

We had a lot of fun in the early days of Spearboard. I met quite a few new shooters because of my participation in Spearboard and many are still good friends today. If not for Spearboard I may never have met many of those guys and that would have been a shame.

I clearly remember the day Scott Mcpherson called me up in early January (I believe it was 2004 but I am guessing) and he told me he wanted to plan the first Spearboard Open Spearfishing Tournament. I immediately asked him if he realized just how much work it was to put on an open tournament and he said he knew it would be a big challenge but he was going to do it anyway. I was impressed by his “can do” attitude and I agreed to help him. I told him I would lean on some of my dive industry contacts for sponsors and prizes.

Now it’s early January 2004 and I just assumed that he knew that it typically takes a year or more of preparation to organize an open tournament. So I asked him if had picked a date yet and he said yes.........April or May of 2004!!!!!

I said Scott.....have you lost your damm mind? You can’t organize an open spearfishing tournament in less than 5 months, it’s impossible. Again, Scott said he thought he could pull it off and in spite of the odds against him he was going to do it anyway. I gotta say, I really admired him for his drive and his vision.

Scott posted up the date of the first annual Spearboard Open and sure enough less than 5 months later the 1st Spearboard Open took place. We had about 85 forum members (which was a lot for a 1st year tourney) from all over Florida and the southeastern US participate. I recall how much fun it was to finally meet all those guys and gals who up until that time had been just a screen name. We were finally able to see their faces, learn their real names, and make new friendships.

That first Spearboard Open was a huge success mostly because of the incredible drive, dedication, and vision that Scott had. A small army of forum members also volunteered their time which made it a true community effort. Scott immediately began planning the next tournament which he said would be even bigger and better. Sure enough it was bigger and better and I believe the 3rd Spearboard Open was the first open spearfishing tournament to draw 275 plus entries. The power of this forum was becoming quite clear to all of us.

I look back on those years with fond memories and I am very thankful for the the many enduring friendships I have from my participation in Spearboard.

It is unfortunate that in recent years there is often discord of this forum. However, the early days of Spearboard were not without conflict. Bill Mac and many others had many a spirited debate in those days and I am sure the moderators felt more like babysitters than forum members. In spite of those off topic debates Spearboard thrived because it was growing exponentially every year and there was a lot of new members with new experiences to share.

I personally have really enjoyed reading about all the different gun designs and testing that many top builders have shared on this board. I have learned a lot from those guys even though I do not build or use those style guns. It’s really more like a cultural exchange for me. In the early days of Spearboard we began spreading the word about Freeshafting. I was quite surprised to learn that very few shooters outside the Tampa Bay Area had even heard about Freeshafting. Freeshafting is now quite popular across Florida and the SE states and I believe that Spearboard has been very instrumental in this.

I would like to hope and believe that this forum might somehow finds its way back to being primarily a spearfishing forum. Unfortunately a lot of really good participants rarely post now or have been “run off” completely by selfish individuals who are unwilling to see or accept others views and opinions. I have had many folks tell me that they read Spearboard but never post because they fear being attacked by some internet “know it all”.

I have no idea how to make Spearboard great again. When Spearboard started the internet was still in its infancy and we did not have all these other social media outlets to share our opinions, knowledge and experience. A forum is only as good as its members. It’s members are it’s lifeblood. There is a saying in the television industry.......”Content Is King”. I think that rings true in forum land as well. Without quality content what does an online forum really have to offer?

Sorry for the long post but as I sat here reading through this thread I felt that a little history lesson (at least from my experiences) might shed a little light on this subject for newer members. If Spearboard is to become a “Content King” again it would be best if it’s members find a way to make it happen.
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Last edited by Spear One; 03-29-2018 at 09:57 PM.
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Old 03-29-2018, 10:40 PM   #52
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Re: Make Spearboard Great Again

Quote:
Originally Posted by Spear One View Post
I believe you are correct Marcus. If I recall correctly, the PnR section was created because many spearfishing related threads got sidetracked by unrelated topics like religion, politics, etc. The original intent of the PNR section was to create an area for those types of discussions to take place in hopes that spearfishing related threads would stay on topic.

I believe I was the 11th or 12th person to sign up on Spearboard so I have been around pretty much from the beginning. As I recall, one of the primary reasons Scott McPherson started Spearboard was because there was heavy and often times unfair censorship towards spearfisherman on the Florida Sportsman forum where many of us were posting. Having our own forum would give us an open and fair voice to discuss our great sport.

We had a lot of fun in the early days of Spearboard. I met quite a few new shooters because of my participation in Spearboard and many are still good friends today. If not for Spearboard I may never have met many of those guys and that would have been a shame.

I clearly remember the day Scott Mcpherson called me up in early January (I believe it was 2004 but I am guessing) and he told me he wanted to plan the first Spearboard Open Spearfishing Tournament. I immediately asked him if he realized just how much work it was to put on an open tournament and he said he knew it would be a big challenge but he was going to do it anyway. I was impressed by his “can do” attitude and I agreed to help him. I told him I would lean on some of my dive industry contacts for sponsors and prizes.

Now it’s early January 2004 and I just assumed that he knew that it typically takes a year or more of preparation to organize an open tournament. So I asked him if had picked a date yet and he said yes.........April or May of 2004!!!!!

I said Scott.....have you lost your damm mind? You can’t organize an open spearfishing tournament in less than 5 months, it’s impossible. Again, Scott said he thought he could pull it off and in spite of the odds against him he was going to do it anyway. I gotta say, I really admired him for his drive and his vision.

Scott posted up the date of the first annual Spearboard Open and sure enough less than 5 months later the 1st Spearboard Open took place. We had about 85 forum members (which was a lot for a 1st year tourney) from all over Florida and the southeastern US participate. I recall how much fun it was to finally meet all those guys and gals who up until that time had been just a screen name. We were finally able to see their faces, learn their real names, and make new friendships.

That first Spearboard Open was a huge success mostly because of the incredible drive, dedication, and vision that Scott had. A small army of forum members also volunteered their time which made it a true community effort. Scott immediately began planning the next tournament which he said would be even bigger and better. Sure enough it was bigger and better and I believe the 3rd Spearboard Open was the first open spearfishing tournament to draw 275 plus entries. The power of this forum was becoming quite clear to all of us.

I look back on those years with fond memories and I am very thankful for the the many enduring friendships I have from my participation in Spearboard.

It is unfortunate that in recent years there is often discord of this forum. However, the early days of Spearboard were not without conflict. Bill Mac and many others had many a spirited debate in those days and I am sure the moderators felt more like babysitters than forum members. In spite of those off topic debates Spearboard thrived because it was growing exponentially every year and there was a lot of new members with new experiences to share.

I personally have really enjoyed reading about all the different gun designs and testing that many top builders have shared on this board. I have learned a lot from those guys even though I do not build or use those style guns. It’s really more like a cultural exchange for me. In the early days of Spearboard we began spreading the word about Freeshafting. I was quite surprised to learn that very few shooters outside the Tampa Bay Area had even heard about Freeshafting. Freeshafting is now quite popular across Florida and the SE states and I believe that Spearboard has been very instrumental in this.

I would like to hope and believe that this forum might somehow finds its way back to being primarily a spearfishing forum. Unfortunately a lot of really good participants rarely post now or have been “run off” completely by selfish individuals who are unwilling to see or accept others views and opinions. I have had many folks tell me that they read Spearboard but never post because they fear being attacked by some internet “know it all”.

I have no idea how to make Spearboard great again. When Spearboard started the internet was still in its infancy and we did not have all these other social media outlets to share our opinions, knowledge and experience. A forum is only as good as its members. It’s members are it’s lifeblood. There is a saying in the television industry.......”Content Is King”. I think that rings true in forum land as well. Without quality content what does an online forum really have to offer?

Sorry for the long post but as I sat here reading through this thread I felt that a little history lesson (at least from my experiences) might shed a little light on this subject for newer members. If Spearboard is to become a “Content King” again it would be best if it’s members find a way to make it happen.
Excellent post, Kevin. I think that says it all. Especially the last sentence. Want to make Spearboard great, shoot some fish, post some video and lets talk about it. As for lurkers fearing attack if they participate, since this board is pretty much self moderated I think it's up to the members to call out someone for poor behavior.
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Old 03-29-2018, 11:21 PM   #53
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Re: Make Spearboard Great Again

Quote:
Originally Posted by jfjf View Post
Do you have any idea about how much the owner gives away in prizes at the annual tournament? These prizes are collected as part of (or in lieu of) advertiser’s (required ) sponsorship fees.

You are making claims about financial aspects and priorities, so I’m curious if you have a reasonable understanding of the picture.

So any idea?
Ha sorry for the late response I was actually on another board (doesn't allow the P/R crap) talking to Bill Mac and posting about the spearfishing related topic of crimping.

Remember we are all (myself included) assuming we know owners make money off the clicks.

That said....
You do have a valid point of "giving back." But, as we are saying the P/R section is full of racist and bigoted posts and doesn't need to be the basis of spearboard which, sadly it has become. Today when I logged in the first 2 new posts were in the P/R section. And again as the other day we are up to 30-40% of the new posts being non spearing or for that matter water related topics. If part of the basis or funding of giving back is based on allowing these unnecessary and troubling posts just for clicks.......what are we saying? Its ok and accepted?

We all know the world is digital. All the "players" in the spearing world are digital. Players mean gun makers, equipment manufactures, and all the many great spearfisherman who have so much knowledge to contribute.
Any how many of them post on this board???? Pretty much nobody does sans Rob Allen who pops in from time to time. The spearfishing world does not revolve around the US. This is the most prominent spearing related board in the US and we should be attracting people from around the world and encouraging communication and learning. We don't anymore because the board has allowed the type of crap this thread is about!

Right now there is this crowdfunding campaign for a book about 99 spearfishing tips from professionals around the world. Why hasn't this made it to our forum?

Its sad very sad to see what has happened here. I miss the days of guys posting about guns and tips and in general seeing what other people are up to in regards to spearfishing. I miss the pics of fish taken and proud spearfishermen.

I have a story about pics that happened to me here Id like to tell....
Years back I did post pics about fish taken. In particular on one occasion I posted up a pic of a big giant trevally I shot. Instead of dudes saying nice fish I got questions of where did you shoot it, I don't see any holes. I blew that off but when it happened to me with a 150lb dogtooth tuna it was too much and I swore I would never post another pic again.

I agree everything starts with us to turn this around but, sure would be nice like in most topic related boards that they were no longer allowed.

Just my .35 cents
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Old 03-29-2018, 11:40 PM   #54
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Re: Make Spearboard Great Again

Quote:
Originally Posted by jfjf View Post
Well then it sounds like you think it would be beneficial to increase the on topic, Spearfishing related posts. I completely agree.

Now how is that to be accomplished? It does not seem to be something within the direct control of management.
I think making a filter that makes you elect P&R posts to be viewable in new threads would be welcomed and would also stop others from coming to the site and leaving thinking that's all we're about.
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Old 03-29-2018, 11:46 PM   #55
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Re: Make Spearboard Great Again

Thanks 2fishin and spear one for great posts.
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Old 03-30-2018, 07:08 AM   #56
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Re: Make Spearboard Great Again

For what it is worth, there is a philosophy that if you give people a place to go argue, that board will act as a containment board and keep the BS off the rest of the site. For that to work though, there has to be a moderation push to show that the rules will be enforced, and containment boards should be opt-in by default.

It sounds like the single main complaint here is people using the "new posts" option and getting /pol/ stuff (or whatever, P&R). That is a problem that can easily be fixed if you had settings to filter the New Posts section. For a forum in the year of our lord 2018... Why wouldn't you have that option. This site may predate facebook, but if it doesn't update and improve over the years, that's just poor work on the part of the webmaster.
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Old 03-30-2018, 07:20 AM   #57
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Re: Make Spearboard Great Again

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but if it doesn't update and improve over the years, that's just poor work on the part of the webmaster.
But what incentive does the webmaster have whenever the site is currently running on life support.
Why don't somebody create a go fund me account to pay for this fix? I'd contribute. It's better than arguing with snowflakes.
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Old 03-30-2018, 07:29 AM   #58
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Re: Make Spearboard Great Again

Facebook has replaced the Spearboard because now I can connect to the only the people I want to. Since I only commercially spearfish I don't have a desire for anyone to know where or what I shoot. Anything posted would be just to stroke my ego and that don't pay the bills. Back when I had a scuba shootin charty boat this was a great place to advertise and find shooters. There were some great days on this board and the earlier tournaments were something very special. As the spearboard tribe grew there became too many egos and too many things that people said to each other that would never be said face to face. (I'm sure I'm guilty of such sins) Human beings were not meant to be part of a tribe that has 10,000 members. For 99.9% of Human existence we lived together in small groups relying on each other to survive. Maybe someday we will be able to expand our tribal limit but for now we don't have the wiring to handle the voltage of an unlimited internet.
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Old 03-30-2018, 09:33 AM   #59
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Re: Make Spearboard Great Again

Lots of well thought out posts. The board has functioned now for a few years with very little moderation by management - as best I can tell. I think most of the growth in the sport is associated with young people and forums don’t seem to be as popular.

As others have said, most of the responsibility for viability falls to the members themselves.

One other issue which I don’t think has been emphasized is “critical mass”. Without enough active members to answer questions, supply content, provide positive feedback - then the whole site becomes boring and dead.

Besides where else would I read about the stoned diver putting his dick in a giant clam.
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Old 03-31-2018, 04:30 AM   #60
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Re: Make Spearboard Great Again

I read every single post made so far in this subject and agree that this forum needs to be improved to what it used to be but I also feel its not doing so bad. Yes there are those here who post +99% about politics and very little to nothing about what they catch but they tend to be respectful to most members.This forum is doing far better (in both quality of content and amount of active users) than some of the low quality fishing forums I no longer visit. Those types of forums are on their last legs and dying a slow death since the same little groups of idiots are constantly insulting active members who post fishing reports which makes people not want to post anything. Most people in those types of forums eventually figure out that they need to just get the information in the forum they want and get out without wasting time or they stop visiting those types of forums since they are worthless. With that said, this forum has lots of good information that can help spear fisherman of all levels, from a beginner to the advanced.This forum just needs to find a positive way of attracting people to post their reports, encourage healthy debate about spearfishing,and maybe then Spearboard will be great again.
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