Unoffical poll Non-member signatures

[Timd32]

This comes up from time to time, but there is no good place for non-members to put their truck info.

Any intrest in allowing non members access to signatures if it is even possible?

 

[brods]

Absolutely. It makes life easier for everyone if everybody has their truck in the sig line.

So let everybody that can post on the forum (paying or not) have a one line signature which has to be their vehicle (not cute phrases, etc). I would love to hear a logical reason why they shouldn't be allowed to. If it is that huge of a deal that somebody needs to have a sig while others can't, some introspection is probably in order.

And while we're at it, please allow paying members to have a blank avatar and not have it default to the gender selection in their profile. Another dumb new software thing. Remember this is a forum for guys talking about their trucks, not facebook! Isn't it enough that you've sold us paying members out to big data?

 

[Wayne M.]

A brief one one for guests, as it is for members. There has to be more pluses about being/ becoming a paid subscriber.

 

[Timd32]

A brief one one for guests, as it is for members. There has to be more pluses about being/ becoming a paid subscriber.

I moved copied my old signature in to what is called "status update" from my profile, maybe that is where non members need to put their truck info.

Also I started a non-member acct, its very clear to non members what you get, its a link on the top of every page, so far when you first sign up its pretty locked down and is view only till an admin approves the user; so will see if that user gets approved.

 

[Wayne M.]

Well look at that- Never knew!

 

[brods]

Timd32 I think that is part of the problem: the website is trying to be too much to too many and loosing its focus. I can count on my fingers how many times I've gone to those other sections over the years. I'd be interested to know how much traffic they get vs all the work that they took to make vs the forum traffic. I'm sure they have that data since everything has creeper/stalker data collection anymore.

.... There has to be more pluses about being/ becoming a paid subscriber.

Simple, go back to the old days where only paying members can post. Problems solved.

 

[Timd3200]

I started a non-paid user and actually now dont see any issues, so I really think this is just a uninformed user issue.

You can add a photo, change your status, update truck profile.

I added some stuff you can click on here and see how it looks.

 

[Timd3200]

I started a non-paid user and actually now dont see any issues, so I really think this is just a uninformed user issue.

Maybe just need a quick start bullet point thread for new users. Or find it and have it handy.

Best suggestion is to put truck info in the status area and its super easy to see that old school look, but its limit 140 character.

You can add a photo, change your status, update truck profile.

I added some stuff you can click on here and see how it looks.

 

[TDRAdmin4]

As you know, TDR was once member only. TDR didn't make changes for a long time to accommodate the reality that free forums were competitors, and it's growth as both a magazine and forum didn't benefit from this. If TDR didn't take steps along the way to keep up, change with the times, and attract new people to the site it would end up with an ever-shrinking base of hardcore members.

Simple, go back to the old days where only paying members can post. Problems solved.

The simple fact is many free users eventually turn into paid users. Even if they don't, they start topics, answer questions and ask questions which help paid members. Everyone benefits. An active community, constantly attracting new users who post is essential to TDR's survival (and that of any forum)..

 

[brods]

This will be my last attempt to make some things clear.

Editing:

As to trust, it is not a trust issue. It has to do with continuity. For instance, someone quotes a post, and later the post changes, making that person's reply to something totally different. Or if it were the first post, it might end up changing the topic entirely, making the rest of the thread seem off-topic. Or, if data is added to an old existing post in the thread, the thread has new information but the thread's last post date doesn't reflect this.

Baloney! In over 25 years of truck and off-road forum participation, going all the way back to dialup times, I cannot remember where being allowed to edit our own posts caused the problems you are describing. Sure a few guys got mad and deleted old posts and ONCE (on a different forum) in all that time did someone go back and edit their posts to say inappropriate things. So while you edit threads at will (like removing two pages of posts in the injector thread without even leaving a note saying the thread has been highly edited) the TDR does not trust its membership enough to edit their own posts appropriately. It IS a matter of trust. End of story.

The simple fact is many free users eventually turn into paid users. Even if they don't, they start topics, answer questions and ask questions which help paid members. Everyone benefits. An active community, constantly attracting new users who post is essential to TDR's survival (and that of any forum)..

The TDR has to do what it has to do. Allowing nonpaying members to post is fine. Having petty rules that hurt everyone (ie no truck signature line for nonpaying members) is dumb and childish. Will someone really join just to have a sig line?? And you can see the confusion the change in sig rules (and/or the not logged in display changes) has caused, is it really worth it?

Paying membership also used to mean no ads. In one of your reply’s you mentioned you didn’t want the TDR to play partisan games by blocking offensive ads. It is too late, that ship sailed the moment the TDR chose to allow big data access to its paying membership to display "targeted" ads. The TDR may want to stick its head in the sand and pretend they are not part of the big data overreach and intrusion into our private lives problem, but they are willing and paid co-conspirator.

Coming to the website has lost its friendly, comfortable place to hang out and talk about trucks feel. There seems always to be some new and frustrating change or other BS.

To the TDR owners: Thank You for starting the site and keeping it as good as it was for all that time. To Admin4, while I feel most of your efforts are misguided, you have done a great job fixing the look of the forum since the last "upgrade", credit where credit is due. And to all those who have posted over the years, a big THANK YOU for the good times talking about trucks.

It's clear it is time for me to step away. YMMV

 

[Timd32]

Ok, that took a odd turn of events, at no point was I trying to do any thing anti-TDR, I just found it odd, a reoccuring thing was non members were always trying to either edit their existing signatures or could not find them so you need to read thru the same stuff alot,..."post your truck info, you posted a question on a truck forum and no one knows what vehicle you have" which I 100% agree with they need to post their truck info.

If you look at that timd3200 user I made, non members can do a lot of stuff. There is no reason for them not to throw their truck info into multiple areas where anyone can see it in one click.

If folks use the "status" in place of the "signature". Thats the fastest place for folks to see your truck info, again this was not for seasoned members as if I have a real ? I add the right info to skip those steps.

Also there is a "truck profile" that everyone can fill out, that just takes a few more clicks.

Also they can add profile avatars, so alot of issues folks run into are really un-informed users.

I actually have 2 votes for "no" on my own poll.
It means nothing to edit a signature anymore when it really just changed into something else on the new format.

Either way the info on here is valid and the posts are knowledgeable I have a 2nd Gen that would be nonwhere, as nice, as fast with out the info here, I would have found the info eventually but having it all in one spot is awesome for the $35, I also have a few 4th Gens for my company all non-CTD and I get tips and answers for those things all the time.

All I can offer is hang in there, none if this really means anything, I hope you reconsider and remain here at the forum.

 

[TDRAdmin4]

@brods ,

I'll try and address all your concerns.

First, I'll start off by saying I am not responsible for the direction TDR takes, so I am not sure how my efforts are misguided. I was a misguided teen though, but I grew out of that. I too have been around forums and BBS systems for a long time, going back to 1981 or so. 300 baud was really awful.

I take direction from TDR, which comes either being a participant in a discussion or they decided something at the office and ask me "hey, what do you think about XYZ?" I give my input only.

- The decision to not block a politically charged ad was simply not going down the slippery slope of partisan-based decisions in the politics section, nothing more, nothing less.

- Concerning ads, and TDR being a part of a data mining conspiracy. As an end user, you have the option to opt out of targeted ads. On the top/right of ads there is blue triangle on it where you can select ad choices including opt-out. Google introduced this in 2011. There's "X" on the upper right you can click and it won't show you this ad, and you can report the ad to them if you want.

- The two pages missing from that thread are from before my time. My only input there prior to a couple of days ago was noting that it looked like some attachments had been lost pre-2011. I cannot comment on what, if, why or when anything was removed. Sorry, I wish I could.

- Signatures, while the poll doesn't show overwhelming support either way, we do listen to complaints, and I'll bring up an idea I have to Robin and Robert which I believe will address both sides of the issue.

- As far as the issue of trust goes, I have never been a part of discussion among TDR staff where they even hinted they mistrusted users. And we've always been open to helping out if they needed to go back and make spelling/grammar changes, fix a link, change images, etc.

Robin and Robert Patton are among the kindest people I know, going back to 1999 if I recall correctly. Never have I heard them hint that they wanted to make things difficult for, or mistrusted site users. They care a great deal about what they do, their customers and TDR.

I think they understand change can be difficult, and they take it into consideration. We tried to setup this latest version of the software to be familiar to VBulletin users, while still enabling newer tech. After we rolled it out, Robert and I spent time individually and on conference calls coming up with ways to reduce clutter, remove unneed things from the menu, reduce the number of forums to get the site more focused, etc.

Thank you for your time and feedback.

 

[mpaulson]

Well, I've been a paying member since about 2004, but now for some reason I'm not a TDR MEMBER apparently. I think having the signature for everyone helps allot if they fill it out. When someone asks a question related to their truck, you can see what they have an provide an answer that applies to their particular model without having to ask or them having to type the info in every time.
I'm sure none of you can see my signature here, right? But I can.

 

[Timd32]

I can see it, I still think in your case its just a error on the new software and they will fix it you just have to let them know whats up. Let them know your not showing as a member.

In the case of real non-paid users they should add their info in the "truck profile", and or, "status update".

You wont be able to edit your "signature" stuff till they fix your status, which is a quick fix, its been done a few times from what I have seen. Everytime I have read about the same position you seem to be in.

For a real non-paid user click on that timd3200 user above in this post and you can see I was able to do some real simple stuff that is easier then the "signature" anyway. Plus as mentioned there is a "truck profile" now that pretty much replaced the old "signature"

 

[mpaulson]

I can see it, I still think in your case its just a error on the new software and they will fix it you just have to let them know whats up. Let them know your not showing as a member.

In the case of real non-paid users they should add their info in the "truck profile", and or, "status update".

You wont be able to edit your "signature" stuff till they fix your status, which is a quick fix, its been done a few times from what I have seen. Everytime I have read about the same position you seem to be in.

For a real non-paid user click on that timd3200 user above in this post and you can see I was able to do some real simple stuff that is easier then the "signature" anyway. Plus as mentioned there is a "truck profile" now that pretty much replaced the old "signature"

Yea, I’ve sent a request on this, just waiting for their response.

 

[TDRAdmin4]

Well, I've been a paying member since about 2004, but now for some reason I'm not a TDR MEMBER apparently. I think having the signature for everyone helps allot if they fill it out. When someone asks a question related to their truck, you can see what they have an provide an answer that applies to their particular model without having to ask or them having to type the info in every time.
I'm sure none of you can see my signature here, right? But I can.

I show your membership status is expired. If you've recently renewed, they've recently updated some of the backend systems and they are catching up on renewals and such. If you know you're current, send me a conversation message and I'll be happy to set it for you.

 

[Tuesdak]

If you are going to mix it up with members and non-members I see no reason to make it harder for everyone by "hiding" a signature. FILL OUT YOUR SIGNATURE!!! is a standard response to NOOBs so we know what we are working on. Saves days on providing an answer. I need to click on a non-member to see what they have, why again, distracting me from the page, where did the question go...

Having a signature for everyone makes forums a better place for all. Some questions do have to say what truck they are working on from several in their signature...

 

[Lynx0849]

Ok, I will put my oar in...

Currently not paid member. Keep failing to get a round tuit. In short supply right now.

Sure wish sigs showed up in a Tapatalk. Don’t know if it is possible.


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