The only thing we know for sure is that things change. For the first time since the creation of this site it appears that we have plateaued or even started to shrink in the number of active members and posts.
I attribute this mostly to the very rapid growth of Cougar groups on Facebook. Forum software has lagged behind what Facebook, powered by billions of dollars, has been able to accomplish. Facebook is just easier for the average user when it comes to posting links, and pictures. However, Facebook is terrible for any kind of technical explanation or serious “how to” posts. It can be difficult to find a post within just a few minutes and searching for older posts is pretty close to impossible.
Looking forward, there are improvements coming to to forum software that hopefully will make the process easier. Photo posting in particular is a big problem that needs to be addressed. We use tapatalk for mobile users and that group is also growing as more people are using their phones and tablets to access the internet. We depend on open source software so our primary issue is the time required to make the updates when they become available. In some cases the producers of open source products charge for “extras” which really are not extra. I expect this to grow as these folks try to find a way to get paid for what they do.
In 2014 thirty members stepped up and hit the Donate button, a couple of them more than once. The support is critical for the continued operation of the site, and those donations are very much appreciated. Thanks! Previously the Supporting Member badge next to the user name was more or less permanent. Once you donated it stayed up forever. We have now changed that to indicate that the member has donated in the current or previous year. This will provide a much more accurate picture of the level of support the site is receiving. There are no plans to add advertising to site now, or ever.
This site is here for the benefit of the members. What can we do to make it better? What would make this a more fun place to spend the few precious minutes you have to pursue the Cougar hobby? Is Facebook the way to go? You candid and honest feedback is the only way we can find out what we are doing right and most importantly, what we are doing wrong.
One of the reasons that MCdot.net survives is because for some reason the Classic Cougar Community is difficult to log into and stay logged into for many people. We encourage our customers with project questions to join CCC.com. They sign up and then soon after they have problems logging in. We hear it over and over again. “I can’t log in, over there. Did it once, and went back and can’t get on anymore.”
A couple of our own guys, have experienced this problem. Richard finally got it to work consistently, not too long ago. Not all of these members are computer illiterate either, Darrell can’t get back on either.
Facebook is worthless for documenting content and finding it at a later date. It is more social. Really? Only 30 people flipped you $20? Just guessing that was about the average.
I’ve never had a problem staying logged in to CCC.com. I always come straight into the forums, which is how I have it bookmarked. I agree with Don and Bill that FB is awful for finding anything more than a couple of hours old. I wouldn’t want to see a forum resource move in that direction.
This site works well for me just the way it is. I’m sure there are things that could be improved, but I’m satisfied enough that I don’t need to think about what they might be.
I’ve noticed if you start writing a post and get pulled away from the computer for more than 20 minutes before submitting and come back a bit later to submit your post, I find that I’m logged out and have to start my post all over again. On the Concours Mustang website that I creep onto they have an option to keep you logged in constantly which I find to be convenient.
Regarding Facebook, I don’t see it having the same technical experience as this forum provides therefore I wouldn’t make the switch over. Also I don’t see the organizing and searching capabilities with using FB. Facebook is very convenient to upload photos and I find FB to be a lot slower to load and navigate which is annoying to me. I don’t mind creeping onto MC.net here and there but the advertising kills the experience for me to be there on a weekly basis.
Exciting to see constant tweaks and improvements, not many forums are managed in this regard. Keep up the great work guys.
I think there would be very few of the real knowledgeable contributors if this was to move to Facebook. I am never at MC.net, but if this site disappeared and moved to FB, I would have to go back to MC.net, even though it is nowhere as good as CCC.com.
Classic Cougar Community is one of my top most visited and enjoyed websites there are. We members have formed a bond that can’t be matched on enormous scales like Facebook. If something were to happen to make the CCC go away it would be a sad day in the life of G68
I’d like the admin and group here to know that I have 4 car sites I look at on a weekly basis. 2 that I look at on an almost daily basis. CCC.com is one of those 2 sites. My marauder site is the other almost daily visit.
I do agree that getting logged off is a bit of a drag when I walk away for a few minutes. My viewing has been down a bit lately but that might be because of the weather for myself. I really want to take the cat out for a hot lap, but the weather has not cooperated. I have managed to take the marauder out though, so all is not lost. Is there a chance the time of year when most of the cats are staying inside might have something to do with this?
I’m looking forward to spring, warmer weather, and hopefully a visit to Mass next early Fall for a cougar meet. Thanks for this great site.
Here is what I have to say, I agree 100% that Facebook is NOT the place for this forum to even consider transitioning to. It would be a real shame if Classic Cougar Community Forum should disappear. I for one have absolutely NO use for Facebook or Twitter or any of those types of sites. Did we forget how to communicate with each other unless we post all of our private and personal information online? Sorry, getting a little off track here. I originally looked at becoming a member of MC.net but was rejected because of my email address! Come on, I think we all know what I’m talking about by the Forum Rules statement posted by the site admin. I know a lot of folks here are members of both sites, but MC.net acts like they are better then anybody else and can exclude anyone they wish as their mood dictates. I have NEVER had any issues here with CCC and was accepted from the beginning. I still am unclear how to post photos correctly, but that is a minor issue. I say congrats to this forum and hope it is around for a very long time.
No issues logging in, or staying logged in here, either.
NO move to FB.
Though my Cougar time has been drastically limited this year, even to the point of thinking it was sold, I’d hate for CCC to go by the wayside. It’s too handy of a site(i.e., no ads bombarding you, among other things).
I have never had a problem logging in or staying logged in on this site either!
I’m a member at mc.net for 10 years and I go to that site about once a month. I check into this site 2 to 3 times a day and read almost every post.
I do not have facebook and never will, if there is something on fb that I need to see my wife shows me.
In summary I really enjoy this site and the people associated with it. I will do more to interact with new members to try and keep them coming back and I’ll start posting more of what I’m working on rather than just reading.
I think that most of us are on both Cougar forums. I made the choice a while ago. When I see the same question posted on both sites, I respond here at CCC. This place is like Cheers, it is where my friends are, and where everybody knows your name.
This is my primary home, it is where I most want to share knowledge, keep up with my Cougar friends and their cars.
I challenge my Cougar brethren and sisteren, make this your primary home. Lets try to shift the Google ranking to the Classic Cougar Community, which was started, and mostly self supported by a Cougar owner.
I had hoped to get back to this thread yesterday but I was in the garage installing a three wire tach and voltage gauge for an upcoming tech article.
I think I need to do some splainin’.
There are no plans to move to Facebook. I am sorry if I made it sound like that was an option. My concern is that Facebook is diluting what we have here by providing Cougar junkies with a cheap hit… LOL! We got the good stuff here and they don’t know it.
There are no plans to shut down this site. We have gotten pretty good running on a very tight budget, and we are not in peril of having to close up shop.
Here is my main concern: If you come here and there are only a few new posts, you won’t come back. The vast majority of folks that come to the site read what is here, never post, or even sign up. That is normal and expected, but it doesn’t build new content.
I think we do need to see why some people get logged off. I suspect that there is a setting somewhere for that.
If we are honest, some folks have a hard time remembering their user name and password. Those things have to be exactly right so just the slightest difference won’t work. Any suggestions about how we can improve that? Have you come up with a way to help yourself keep track?
Pictures and links could sure be easier, and I will keep bugging Jay to look for any kind of plug-ins that might help. I also want to find out what the extra server space would run to make it easier for users to host images here instead of using photobucket.
On the topic of passwords and being able to easily remember them, I have borrowed a construct from RSA (the information security company). Half of my password is something I know that is only meaningful to me and would be unlikely for anyone to connect with me. The second half is something I always have on hand. Between the two halves, I have a rolling entry that changes periodically. As a result, I have a very strong password that doesn’t really take any effort to remember. It sounds a lot more complicated than the reality.
On CCC, I always click the “remember me” box when I have to log in. Every so often, on the order of months, I will have to re-enter my login. Otherwise, as soon as I come into the Board Index page (my bookmark), I’m already logged in and ready to read posts.
Hi all, Im on both Cougar sites and have never had any problems with staying logged in or passwords.
Sites like this are a great resource for knowledge especially if you are new to Cougars and doing a restoration.
Whilst I don’t have a lot of Cougar specific knowledge, the key to any forum remaining active and interesting is ‘participation’, and where I feel I can reply or contribute positively I will.
Im sure anyone that posts a question looks forward to getting a reply or answer and it is a great feeling when you receive positive feedback or comments about your car (for eg)
I pretty much go to new posts or look at the Eliminators for sale (that Mike puts a lot of effort into), but if no one else is posting or showing much interest then any forum starts to lose its appeal.
Cheers Brett
The Classic Cougar Community is a great site and things can always get better. Heck, just ask a millionaire if they’d like to be a multimillionaire and I bet the answer would be yes. If changes need to be made keep them small and progressive. Small changes can keep old members happy as well as appealing to new visitors/members. I have not had any issue with being able to stay logged on. I check the remember me box when logging in. As far as hosting photos onsite wouldn’t that take up server space? Thus increasing operating costs? How about a video tutorial showing members how to post photos from an outside source. This might make it easier for less computer savvy members to follow than the step by step directions listed in the “how to post photos” thread. I’m also unsure of what Tapatalk offers. I use Safari on my iPhone, Chrome on my laptop, IE at work (I work 24hr shifts so we can use the computer ) and I see no difference at all. We are all richer for this site being here as a place to share information, stories and a develop the friendships that come along with owning a Classic Cougar. So keep up the great work Bill you’re site is the best for Cougar owners.
Steven
) and I see no difference at all. We are all richer for this site being here as a place to share information, stories and a develop the friendships that come along with owning a Classic Cougar. So keep up the great work Bill you’re site is the best for Cougar owners.