Possible idea: member blog topics

[wizzardx]

Hi there.

I've thought about it before, and the idea was discouraged by Ayulsa (a long-inactive ARM admin) at the time (likely for good enough reasons - he recommended using an actual off-site blog instead), but I thought I'd re-raise it now.

What do you think of adding per-member blog-type topics?

I think initially, it would be something like topics called "Wizzardx's Blog" (or whatever) under the members and community section. But if we have a few more of those topics we can create a sub-section for them, similar to the interviews.

The idea would be kind of a mix of "interviews" and "dive therapy", where members can post about their life and interests/hobbies/etc in general if they feel like it, or upload links to photos or whatever, or just random things which interest them. And then others can chat to that member too in that topic. Basically the same as a regular blog, but as an ARM forum topic, so that it gets more attention from other ARM members compared to say your Blogger, Facebook, etc accounts (if many of your friends are ARM members).

In the first post it might also be useful to post an intro to yourself - your interests, likes, favorite quotes, facebook/blog links, etc - in whatever format you prefer. And then after that start posting your blog-like posts, and others can reply in there, or just chat to that member in general.

Any thoughts on this idea? Good or bad?

[Utsuho Lazy]

As itself, it's a nice idea.

However, the problem is that there is a high chance many blogs will end up being something similar to Dive Therapy topics, which may end up discouraging others to drop by.

Besides, most of our active members have external blogs already, I don't think a lot of people would be interested in making a blog at ARM as well.

[Thunder]

Besides, most of our active members have external blogs already, I don't think a lot of people would be interested in making a blog at ARM as well.

This, I believe, is why Ayulsa was against it too. But it might be worth trying for those who do not already have existing blogs. Maybe?

[wizzardx]

As itself, it's a nice idea.

Thanks

However, the problem is that there is a high chance many blogs will end up being something similar to Dive Therapy topics, which may end up discouraging others to drop by.

We could add guidelines, and if members start posting very personal problems, then we recommend to move that part of the conversation over to DT instead.

Besides, most of our active members have external blogs already, I don't think a lot of people would be interested in making a blog at ARM as well.

Well personally - the place online that I've felt most comfortable (and had the most friendly conversations so far) has been on ARM itself.

I do have a separate blog, but I very rarely use it. There's some chance that I'd use the ARM blog topic more than my own blog, for instance if other members replied there.

If I were active in both places, I'd perhaps write differently in each place. Like over here, put a bit more focus on stuff that ARM members might find interesting, and over there, post more about my real life or personal gripes, issues, etc, in massive walls of text, more technical computer stuff, etc, that I try to avoid on ARM.

Technically speaking - even ARM the forum isn't needed, since there are other sites (eg: facebook groups) which could serve a similar purpose. The main difference being that we are a separate community to those other sites, and have a different "tone" to many other places.

Well overall my idea in this post is this: It's possible to think of many problems that an idea can have, and get stuck in a type of paralysis where you avoid many things (possibly good or bad) unnecessarily because of worrying too much about possible problems, rather than just trying it out. Personally I could make a long list of problems with this idea too. I do the same thing IRL, but it's basically negative thinking and over-analysis (I do this way too much, and I'm trying to stop it), and not always helpful. And even bad things can be useful too - in some ways it's better to try things (after discussing it if needed), even if they could end badly. Rather than keeping away from anything that could have problems, and missing out on opportunities for good things. For instance - we might have never added the ARM chatroom (or other useful parts of ARM), if we had focused too much on possible bad things.

Heh: Sorry, that was a bit OT, and not directly aimed at you, Lazy. I think that's more a result of some of what I've been going through recently (positive stuff, meantioned more in DT I think).

[Thunder]

I see your point wizzard, maybe we could wait and see what the reception of the idea is before making any decisions.

[wizzardx]

I see your point wizzard, maybe we could wait and see what the reception of the idea is before making any decisions.

Yes, that's why I started this topic - to get general feedback and discussion, and some consensus on the idea, rather than just going ahead with it out of the blue.

I'm not going to start these kinds of additions by myself unnecessarily (for one thing, I'm pretty busy and don't have much time for online things these days). I'm mainly checking to see if the ARM members like the idea (it's for you guys, not just for me), or if there are any serious problems, or things that we should keep in mind if we were to actually go ahead with the idea.

[Osric]

Well, I don't know if I'd personally make use of it (for writing it out, I mean... reading is another matter), but it doesn't seem like a bad idea... if this was a poll, I'd say yes ^^

[Nash]

I'm all for it.

I'd like to think my blog wouldn't sound too much like a Dive Therapy topic... at least I hope so!

[wizzardx]

Thanks for the replies. The member feedback generally sounds positive so far

So for the moment I'm going to go ahead with my own "wizzardx's blog" topic in the members and community area, just to provide an example of this type of thread, and for us to test the waters a bit and see how it goes. Then perhaps in a couple of days (if there aren't any disagreements or problems that come up), it should be fine for anyone who would like to make such a thread, to do so (likely necessitating a new sub-section to Members and Community. But that's easy to setup).

[wizzardx]

Well, I've had a blog topic going for a few days now, and the responses and chatting have been very interesting for me (thanks for dropping by Thunder - I still need to reply there).

I did go into some personal problems there, but kept it at a level where it didn't need to go into DT.

Anyhow: Question to the other staff, and the other ARM members:

Based on what you've seen so far, does it seem like a good idea to allow/encourage members to start their own ARM blog topics under Members and Community section, if they feel like it? (and then if we have a few of them, make a sub-section).

Of course those topics would still be moderated, the same as the rest of the board. And posts which are too negative for instance (for the Members and Community section as a whole), might prompt a mod to PM that person and check if it's fine to move to DT instead.

[Una Nancy Owen]

Well, actually I have my own blog in blogspot...
But this seems interesting (although my own blog doesn't have that many update itself, lol)
I suggest we should also make sub-forum that will gather all of our blogs.

[wizzardx]

Well, actually I have my own blog in blogspot...
But this seems interesting (although my own blog doesn't have that many update itself, lol)
I suggest we should also make sub-forum that will gather all of our blogs.

I've got a blog in blogspot, but I don't think that many people read it, and I almost never update it.

I prefer the one here, since I like ARM, and it's enjoyable to have discussions with you and the others here about things I write (eg: with people who wouldn't go check out the member off-site blogs on any kind of regular basis).

The subforum would come later, assuming we get a few (say three or more) topics like that in the members and community section. Generally we don't preemptively add sub-forums, and instead wait until they're needed. eg: Similar to how we only much later moved all the Interview topics over to their own sub-forum.

[Una Nancy Owen]

Well, actually I have my own blog in blogspot...
But this seems interesting (although my own blog doesn't have that many update itself, lol)
I suggest we should also make sub-forum that will gather all of our blogs.

I've got a blog in blogspot, but I don't think that many people read it, and I almost never update it.

I prefer the one here, since I like ARM, and it's enjoyable to have discussions with you and the others here about things I write (eg: with people who wouldn't go check out the member off-site blogs on any kind of regular basis).

The subforum would come later, assuming we get a few (say three or more) topics like that in the members and community section. Generally we don't preemptively add sub-forums, and instead wait until they're needed. eg: Similar to how we only much later moved all the Interview topics over to their own sub-forum.

Me either. That's why I think this is a good idea and suddenly decided to add my ARM blog too.
I 100% support this new feature. Hope everyone will support this blog thing too.
Let's just hope that more people are going to make their own blogs soon!

[wizzardx]

Me either. That's why I think this is a good idea and suddenly decided to add my ARM blog too.
I 100% support this new feature. Hope everyone will support this blog thing too.
Let's just hope that more people are going to make their own blogs soon!

I don't think there will be any problem with adding this, and I like the idea too, but I prefer to give the other members some chance to comment before going ahead with it.

So to the others: If you like (or don't like) this new type of topic, then please speak up if you haven't already.

So far it seems to mainly be okay - Lazy mentioned some possible issues, but I think I've answered them to his satisfaction. And most other members who have posted so far, seem to like the idea, so I think we might have a few blog topics starting up as soon as this becomes official.

If there's no serious objections, I'll likely make a temporary global announcement to mention and promote the new member blog topics.

[wizzardx]

Well, there don't seem to be any objections, so I'm going to make a temporary global announcement to let people know about the member blog topics idea.