CurvedSpace Forums: Guests - CurvedSpace Forums

It was a dark night, like most nights tend to be.
I was awake. As I tend to be.

To be more specific, it's 2:00 AM eastern time (USA). I decide I might check the forums and see if there's any more recent activity. Not this time, everyone's asleep. Suddenly a number catches my eye on the right side of the screen. 271. 271 guests on the forum, 1 member.

Excuse me.. 271? Who are these people? Do we really get that many hits on the site, or is it a glitch? And if so, why aren't these people signing up and joining?


Haha, I know I could have just asked this in a 2-sentence question format, but it's now 3 in the morning and I'm wired. I'll look at this tomorrow if anyone wants to let me know what they think.

No. It ain't a glitch. We're just that awesome.

Noobs + bots.

Haha, well I appreciate the enthusiasm. But here's what I was getting at.

New people find CurvedSpace. The first thing they see if the notice board, which shows updates. But there's nothing on the main page that tells them what we're about, what we do, why we're even here.

.. which is for the insanity board. But we don't have to tell them that.
I think we need a sort of 'marked pathway' so that all these guests who think we're awesome actually sign up and become semi-productive members.
We can't just sit back and expect people to come to us, and in-game advertising more often than not produces people who aren't all that interested in joining a community. They want the benefits in the moment, not the long term rewards for sticking with the forums (still waiting on those, btw).

Check it out. Sign out of your profile for a few seconds, long enough to take a good look at the home page. There is almost no enticement to join unless you take a look inside.. and to be honest, when I first found the forums years ago (thanks star) I was completely lost until she told me what I needed to do and where I needed to go.
I guess what I'd like is ideas on how we can.. improve this? I don't want to just approach Cspace about it though- he has enough on his hands.

I should make you a shirt that says "Future Admin"

They're really mostly bots Bots that aren't sophisticated enough to show up named, like the googlebot and similar ones. They're not potential members.

Bots or not, I still think we could improve advertising. Maybe a giant billboard on the main page. Flashing lights, a few sparkles. Glitter for tanny..

And become a billboard? No thanks.

Quite.
"Pureblade" (who will always be Dhmanwolf to me) had to explain the board to me when I came... and tonight when I came back... but thats another story.

There's allot of fun to be had here even for those that aren't among our geeky ranks. Unfortunately the home page just throws all this random info at you with hardly any of it being pertinent to the board.

Good thinkin', wolfy.

C=B

True dat.

If someone goes on Curvedspace 10 times without registering, we should hit them with a virus

Exactly. Even members returning from a couple years ago have to take a minute to get their bearings. This also goes right along with all the simplification and redesign Cspace is talking about. Since we're already 'trimming the fat' forum wise, why not do some also on the main board without losing all the features we have to offer. Lets face it.. some people just aren't as intelligent as us.


I was thinking frying pan. The virus might prevent them from every coming back.

Of course, after being hit by a frying pan, any sane person probably wouldn't come back either..

You already did. :o