Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2019 21:10:21 -0700
Reply-To: Ben T <syncro@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ben T <syncro@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: For Ben T - Where has everyone gone?
In-Reply-To: <579DA2F1-5C0F-4407-81DF-AC46AA81D7E0@eoni.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
It’s my opinion the initial erosion of membership started when sub-groups started to spin off, way before Facebook. The aircooled folks and Syncro drivers spun off. Then the Doka and Singlecab guys left. I know this because I moderated some of those on Yahoogroups. After that bulletin board forums sucked more members out with Samba being the more popular because of the ability to attach photos with having to park them in another site first. Then of course, social media started to draw people away because of, for the lack of a better word, a more social environment for discourse.
The largest which I participate in is the Vanagon Owners Group of VOG for short. They had 768 members when I joined the admin team. There are now a little over 11,100 members. I like to think I was instrumental in growing that group. Each member was vetted before being allowed to join, in order to avoid spammers and scammers. If they manage to sneak in, they are immediately removed and blocked from further interaction with the group. Not only that, any inappropriate postings can be removed my admin.
Here’s the link to VOG:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/845132182200467?ref=share
This one is smaller group which I manage more closely. It’s called Vanagon Cafe Group
https://m.facebook.com/groups/154433611260033?ref=share
I manage a few others but this may get you started. To discourage the same fracturing effect that happened on the Vanagon List, any postings which solicit members to join competing Vanagon subgroups are immediately removed. Snarky comments are not tolerated. Not only that, repetitive questions from newbies are not discouraged or put down. It is a social group first before a technical forum. Check it out for yourself. Be wary that the groups which I admin require that you use your true name, unless you joined before 01/01/2105. Reach out to me via email or FB Messenger, if you have trouble joining. There is a series of questions, when ask to join. It’s intended to trip up spambots.
Regards,
BenT
> On Jun 10, 2019, at 8:36 PM, Jim Arnott <jrasite@eoni.com> wrote:
>
> There are currently 490 subscribers on the gerry.vanagon.com list.
>
> I suspect that your hypothesis is correct. I admin a few other lists and where there used to be ten to a hundred posts daily, there’s now one or two a week. All gone to FB no doubt as it’s more ‘immediate.’ WetWesties for example, 2008 saw an avg of 299.8 messages/month. 2018, the avg is 32.5/mo.
>
> I too miss the chatter. I also miss that chatter being archived.
>
> For historical purposes, the following is the first post to the Vanagon list. (There was a vanagon-L list that preceded it, but those archives are lost to the sands of time as I’m sure this list’s archives will be eventually.)
>
> We’ve had a good run.
>
> Jim
>
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> Date: Sat, 2 Apr 1994 15:01:54 -0600 (CST)
> Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
> From: Gerald Skerbitz <gsker@lenti>
> Subject: New listprocessor
>
> This is a rather trepid announcement of my installation of the
> listprocessor software.
>
> The list is still called vanagon@lenti.med.umn.edu, but you can send
> help,subscribe,unsubscribe,set vanagon digest messages to
> listserv@lenti.med.umn.edu
>
> As soon as I get a welcome message together, I'll post it to the list
> so you can forward it to your friends.
>
> If there are any problems, I'll probably see them, but please send mail
> to me as gsker@lenti.med.umn.edu if you see them first or you need some
> help with something.
>
> Also, if you can spare a few seconds to quickly respond to this note so I
> know it got out there somewhere, that'd be nice (I can do that while the
> list is still small. <smile>)
>
> Thanks,
>
> --
> Gerry
> Gerald Skerbitz <gsker@lenti.med.umn.edu> U of MN Med.School.Admin 6-5379
> 1984 VW Vanagon Waterboxer 1915
>
>> On Jun 10, 2019, at 3:32 PM, Anthony Egeln <regnsuzanne@YAHOO.COM> wrote:
>>
>> I figured that this was best sent to a moderator, hence Ben T in subject line.
>> The Vanagon list seems to have shrunk to just one or two posts a day, and I'm wondering where everyone has gone. I'm thinking they have all gone to a FaceBook page, but not sure which one.
>> I don't do FaceBook, but I checked my wife's account and there is several Vanagon groups; one with 11,000 members! Is that it?
>> There was even a small Vanagon diesel group, and what really surprised me was a Central Florida Vanagon group with a couple of hundred members. I didn't know that there was that many Vanagons here in Florida.
>> I'd love to know where everyone has gone because I miss the Vanagon chatter. Especially as I am searching for a van again now.
>> Thanks, Anthony (NE FL)
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