Make this forum the #1 spot for Class B information

[Mike]

I recently rejoined the Roadtrek Yahoo Groups forum, after wondering why I wasn't subscribed to it any more.
It gets mentioned fairly often on here, as a great forum, and I decided to join it sometime last year (although
I can't recall exactly when), but after a brief spell of membership I un-joined. I likewise couldn't remember why.
After a couple of days, I remembered why I left it last year. I find/found it almost overwhelming.
On this forum, I can browse new threads, get notified via email messages when a thread I'm interested in
or have added to gets updated, and generally get great info, often with pics, diagrams, and url links.
On the Yahoo RT forum, I chose to receive notifications from threads as they are updated, the same as on here,
but the volume of updates and new threads is massive, by comparison. I suppose I could trim back my
notifications to once per day, but I think many others do that as well, as I've noted many answers and replies
to questions, start to appear after 17:00. It's as if people are just getting home form work and jump on and start
updating stuff that's already hours old and has been hammered enough already. It just seems chaotic, and
I can easily lose track of a topic and it's updates.
Maybe it's just me, but I prefer this (classBforum) type of webpage/website forum to the Yahoo one. I am used to
this forum's style having been on some other similar ones in the past, and currently signed up to at least one other
of the same type.
Perhaps I'm doing something wrong on Yahoo, I'm not sure? Is there a way to see a list of all the topics/threads on
YRT, like the Board Index here? Rather than get peppered by the endless replies and updates via email?
To me, it just seems like a cacaphony of notes, threads and updates over there.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by booster

Interesting that you bring that up, as there are times that I post pics and description here, together in one post, and then link to here from the Yahoo Roadtrek forum,on which you can't imbed pictures in your posts. No pics makes some of things very hard to communicate, especially on some of the more bizarre mods! Funny thing is that the Roadtrek forum, as bad as the format is, is very busy compared to other boards.

Speaking of bizarre mods, I saw one thread on YRT which I believe started as a dead battery or isolator
thread and transmogrified into a rewiring of the entire electrical system from what I could gather from the
"tech-nese" being bandied about. Adding 50 amp fuses, and reverse flow diodes, ACRs, and latch relays set
to open and close on "expected" voltage/amperage drops and on and on, just left me shaking my head.
I'd need an engineering degree to speak to many of their resident forumites. I guess on an anonymous
web forum like theirs (or this one), it's possible to talk a good game, but you have to sometimes wonder.

[visionquest]

Hi Mike, Getting the new posts via email is an overwhelming thing on a busy Yahoo group for sure! There is a much better option though. Go into your settings from the "my groups" page and you can change your delivery method to "web only" which means you have to go to the website to view or respond to the messages. It makes it much easier to decipher what is going on and also to ignore the stuff you don't want to read. Hope that helps!

-Mike
97 Roadtrek 170P "Taj Ma Trek"
http://WWW.VanTramps.Com

[Photog]

Originally Posted by markopolo

Use the link "View new posts" to see all new posts since your last visit.

Thanks. I figured it had to be here somewhere.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by visionquest

Hi Mike, Getting the new posts via email is an overwhelming thing on a busy Yahoo group for sure! There is a much better option though. Go into your settings from the "my groups" page and you can change your delivery method to "web only" which means you have to go to the website to view or respond to the messages. It makes it much easier to decipher what is going on and also to ignore the stuff you don't want to read. Hope that helps!

-Mike
97 Roadtrek 170P "Taj Ma Trek"
http://WWW.VanTramps.Com

I found a way to get to a My Groups page. I think.
So, I change my "message delivery" to "no email"?
Then save it.
How do I get to the webpage for Yahoo Group "Roadtrek"?
Sorry, this might be the other reason I left the group last year.
I'm clearly not a very good Yahoo "Groupie".

[Southbound]

Well, I haven't been back here since my original posting a week or two ago. I've been looking at all the classifieds elsewhere: craigslist, ebay and I found this one: http://rv.jaxed.com/cgi-bin/mash.cgi which kinda brings them all into one search. It took me quite a bit of time to even find the classifieds here, named as "Trading Post". The last posting in there was sometime last year and it took me some time to find an actual class b for sale in there. Having an active classified would bring in a significant number of new members. So where do the members of this board sell their Class B? How about something like this site has setup: http://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/...p?ubb=cfrm&c=3 . It's easy to find or sell what you're looking for.

The style of this phpBB looks like the default but it can easily be customized. I like the little cars on thread headers on this demo: http://www.phpbb.com/styles/demo/3.0/?style_id=19 . I'm not sure I like the colours but a little Class B icon, a nice class B image maybe at the beach in a sunset in the top header. If it were me making this site, I'd have the primary site setup on a solid CMS with a wikidocs section for the different Class B's for reference that members could update with images and info which would bring in more traffic sorta like this one: http://www.tincantourists.com/wiki/doku.php?id=chinook . It wouldn't hurt to have a blog with members who are specialized in a certain thing submit an article. This could help as both reference and generate some $ with Google Adsense to cover the hosting costs. I really find it hard to find "areas" in this forum, even a divider on the main index between groups of forums would help the eyes. I've always liked how this site is divided on index: http://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/. Anyways, just some more thoughts.

[visionquest]

Originally Posted by Mike

I found a way to get to a My Groups page. I think.
So, I change my "message delivery" to "no email"?
Then save it.
How do I get to the webpage for Yahoo Group "Roadtrek"?
Sorry, this might be the other reason I left the group last year.
I'm clearly not a very good Yahoo "Groupie".

Hi Mike, it's easy from that point. Go back to your "my groups" page and click the name of the group you want to get to. It will bring you to the home page for the group, then clicking "messages" will get you into the best area to read and respond. Of course you can click on the "Photos" or any other links you are interested in from that left side panel as well. To make it easier to navigate to daily, just bookmark the messages page. It gets pretty easy once you are familiar with it more. I have always liked both formats, the group format and this style of forum as well. They both have their good points and bad points. Getting familiar and comfortable with both though is a very worthwhile effort since it expands your data for researching stuff considerably!

-Mike
97 Roadtrek 170P "Taj Ma Trek"
http://WWW.VanTramps.Com

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Southbound

Well, I haven't been back here since my original posting a week or two ago. I've been looking at all the classifieds elsewhere: craigslist, ebay and I found this one: http://rv.jaxed.com/cgi-bin/mash.cgi which kinda brings them all into one search. It took me quite a bit of time to even find the classifieds here, named as "Trading Post". The last posting in there was sometime last year and it took me some time to find an actual class b for sale in there. Having an active classified would bring in a significant number of new members. So where do the members of this board sell their Class B? How about something like this site has setup: http://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/...p?ubb=cfrm&c=3 . It's easy to find or sell what you're looking for.

I don't know if the Trading Post category on here is anything more than a convenience. I don't think it was intended to be a used class B lot. I'm not considering selling my class B van, but if I did, classBforum wouldn't be my first choice as the place to do it. This site has always seemed like more of a meeting place for owners, and as a source of information and anecdotal experience for non-owners who might be considering purchasing a class B at some time in the future. I know I browsed this forum extensively, and as many others as I could find with info about class B vans, before I took the plunge. It never occurred to me to look for vans for sale on here. I actually bought mine via the RV Trader Online, as I didn't want to buy brand new, in case it turned out that class B touring wasn't for us after all. I let the previous owners of my van absorb the brunt of the depreciation, and I think it has worked out fine so far.

Originally Posted by Southbound

The style of this phpBB looks like the default but it can easily be customized. I like the little cars on thread headers on this demo: http://www.phpbb.com/styles/demo/3.0/?style_id=19 . I'm not sure I like the colours but a little Class B icon, a nice class B image maybe at the beach in a sunset in the top header. If it were me making this site, I'd have the primary site setup on a solid CMS with a wikidocs section for the different Class B's for reference that members could update with images and info which would bring in more traffic sorta like this one: http://www.tincantourists.com/wiki/doku.php?id=chinook . It wouldn't hurt to have a blog with members who are specialized in a certain thing submit an article. This could help as both reference and generate some $ with Google Adsense to cover the hosting costs. I really find it hard to find "areas" in this forum, even a divider on the main index between groups of forums would help the eyes. I've always liked how this site is divided on index: http://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/. Anyways, just some more thoughts.

I would agree that maybe some fancy graphics on the main pages, like the Board Index page, might be just the thing
to make the place a bit more esthetically appealing, but it isn't essential for this place to be what it is. However, if there
were some funny RV or class B conversion van gif files (do they exist?) embedded in the pages of the forum, it might add
a bit of glitz to these hallowed halls, and act as an eye catcher to visitors and potential members, which might increase overall participation. Subtle, elevator style background music, anyone???

[shezonit]

I agree this is a very friendly site, and the fact that marcopolo does not solicit for support is amazing. By the way, a little Paypal "Donate Here" button would not offend..... 1200 members? even at $1.00 a year... the least we could do is buy you a few dinners
My van is not included in the many listed, but hey, the guts of most of these vans are the same,yes?
When I first bought the Bigfoot, I signed into the 6- months free membership offer of Bigfoot Owners International. I was excited about my Bigfoot, checking in every few days, asking questions...... trying to find Bigfoot owners near me. Very little RESPONSE..... There were Bigfoot owners in towns near me- I'd message them and rarely received an answer. So, did I pay $35. a year to join? Heck no. What was the point?
I'd guess that Roadtrekkies flock to 'their' site because particular features and or problems crop up again and again.
If I had any suggestion at all, it would echo someone elses--- put a little more flash/ color on the home page, and maybe NOT list the class b brands, because that makes it "exclusive" rather than -- come one, come all.....
Also, yes maybe a forum heading for full timers. ?? Because I am in awe of people who can full time in a van, especially couples.

[shezonit]

NO MUSIC, please.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by visionquest

Hi Mike, Getting the new posts via email is an overwhelming thing on a busy Yahoo group for sure! There is a much better option though. Go into your settings from the "my groups" page and you can change your delivery method to "web only" which means you have to go to the website to view or respond to the messages. It makes it much easier to decipher what is going on and also to ignore the stuff you don't want to read. Hope that helps!

-Mike
97 Roadtrek 170P "Taj Ma Trek"
http://WWW.VanTramps.Com

Well, I tried the settings changes, and after a day or so of searching for the web pages updates,
switched back to email notifications.
Thanks anyway.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by shezonit

I agree this is a very friendly site, and the fact that marcopolo does not solicit for support is amazing. By the way, a little Paypal "Donate Here" button would not offend..... 1200 members? even at $1.00 a year... the least we could do is buy you a few dinners
My van is not included in the many listed, but hey, the guts of most of these vans are the same,yes?
I'd guess that Roadtrekkies flock to 'their' site because particular features and or problems crop up again and again.
If I had any suggestion at all, it would echo someone elses--- put a little more flash/ color on the home page, and maybe NOT list the class b brands, because that makes it "exclusive" rather than -- come one, come all.....
Also, yes maybe a forum heading for full timers. ?? Because I am in awe of people who can full time in a van, especially couples.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes they do, glitz sells, I totally agree about full timers, amazing.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by shezonit

NO MUSIC, please.

Aw, c'mon, just a little?

[VernM]

A good effort by each, I've found over years of having and following forums and blogs, is to mention the web site on other forums and blogs where ever you can. I.e.; ".... as posted over on www.classbforum.com.... etc. It helps drive new readers this way and serves to help keep the site up higher in search engines with activity on the link too. The best possible advertising is endorsement.

An old, old ad man said that.

[Mike]

Whenever appropriate, I always do.
My biz cards might help too, when there's no keyboard handy.