Great Site -- But.. - Why so quiet?

Eric B. · 2001-10-16 14:35:06

I feel like I have the place all to myself! I would assume it's because it only opened in August.

So what can be done to get this site to attain 'critical mass'? (Aside from getting posted on slashdot?)

Adrian · 2001-10-17 06:17:16

New Mars is still a young website and I think it always takes a while for such sites to get to a critical mass where there are always discussions going on. However, I'm fairly happy with the growth we're experiencing right now; over the past few weeks we've had about one new member join a day and I expect that to slowly increase as word gets out.

As for speeding things up, well, there are a few things that could be done. There could be wider publicity about the website through various means - the New Mars forums are already the official Mars Society forums, but there has yet to be a mention of this in the MS email newsletter - but that isn't such a big deal.

(By the way - word of mouth is good! Tell all your friends about New Mars! )

There could also be wider publicity in other general Internet news websites - such as Slashdot, Metafilter, Memepool and so on - but I'm of two minds as to whether being mentioned on them would be beneficial. I would rather that New Mars had a good core of members and contributors before we let the floodgates open and I'm in no particular hurry to see the website explode.

Case in point: Metafilter is one of the web's most active collaborative weblog/news/discussion websites. It's been online for probably a couple of years and it started off quite slowly. Right now, it has 12000+ members and is experiencing difficulties with too much traffic. I envisage roughly the same growth curve for New Mars, as long as we can keep people interested.

I do have a few ideas for expanding New Mars when the time comes, including creating a member-run weblog that will keep track of the latest Mars news, along with commentary, and of course we could always do with more articles.

Russkie · 2002-01-17 19:45:48

Just a shot in the dark here, but i did some rsearch on bacteria from Siberian permafrost (read: cold environment) that could be used to model life on Mars. If anyone was interested in asking questions I could probably answer most of them and maybe clear up some things for people.

?

Shaun Barrett · 2002-02-25 01:28:53

New Mars is a great place to visit and to exchange views, so why aren't more of our members getting into it and expressing their opinions?
It seems from the number of "views" that there is much interest in a lot of the topics but relatively few people actually "put pen to paper", so to speak!
Come on, people! Don't be shy! You're among friends here and you can speak your mind freely. As we say here in Australia: "Have a go, mate!!"

Shaun Barrett · 2005-01-07 05:31:42

Looks like New Mars might have started a slow winding down in activity.
While it used to be a case of "New Mars is still a young site", now the explanation for the low posting rate might be "New Mars is an ageing site"! (Or am I being premature in my judgment?)
???
Still, I suppose all good things must come to an end and New Mars is no different; nothing lasts forever, I guess

GraemeSkinner · 2005-01-07 07:57:55

Looks like New Mars might have started a slow winding down in activity.
While it used to be a case of "New Mars is still a young site", now the explanation for the low posting rate might be "New Mars is an ageing site"! (Or am I being premature in my judgment?)
???
Still, I suppose all good things must come to an end and New Mars is no different; nothing lasts forever, I guess

It's been slow over the Christmas/New Year period but I don't think it signifies the end of New Mars. Many forums/newsgroups have been quiet over this time. But the truth is many forums/newsgroups go through periods that are quieter than others, I don't think it means they are nearing their end.
Anyway if the discussion is good, does it matter? I'd rather see a good discussion with only a few posts than a poor discussion with hundreds of posts

Graeme

Palomar · 2005-01-07 08:10:24

Looks like New Mars might have started a slow winding down in activity.
While it used to be a case of "New Mars is still a young site", now the explanation for the low posting rate might be "New Mars is an ageing site"! (Or am I being premature in my judgment?)
???
Still, I suppose all good things must come to an end and New Mars is no different; nothing lasts forever, I guess

-*- -*- -*-

I'm editing this post. While what I wrote originally is true, i.e.: "There are regular posts in MOC pic threads, Unmanned Probes, the Science & Technology folder is still healthily busy, we're following the course of a comet in the Events Calendar section. On a less serious note there's still friendly banter going on in Free Chat (particularly about pets and news stories about animals), etc.", there are a few points of recent dissatisfaction I also have with this forum, the likes of which I've not had before (over the course of these couple of years). But I've addressed those to Adrian, and that's enough said.

--Cindy

SpaceNut · 2005-01-07 09:42:50

I think that the slow down is more related to what is coming out our government and from Nasa with regards to getting going again.
I also used to be on other boards more often and they all seem to experience up and downs with blogging commenters as the amount of news changes for the given topic forums of interest.
Not much news coming out about the CEV so there is little to talk about though this is the craft that will get us from LEO to the moon, Mars and beyound. It would seem that it is more tied up in running the gauntlet of buracracy than to actually seeing some company making it.

Adrian · 2005-01-07 10:47:26

Hits to New Mars have been pretty steady for the last six months actually, although it was quite over the Christmas period. We average around 5000 pageviews per day. These things ebb and flow, and despite the fact that the Mars rovers have been going around for some time there haven't been many big space or Mars announcements. When they are, we can get down and :band:

Rxke · 2005-01-07 12:51:02

waaay back (say about two months) when i used to be on these boards 20 hrs a day (heehee...) I noticed that posting slows during weekends and holidays, so it's normal.

i guess most people visit New Mars from their job's computers, while they should be working, heehee!

Shaun Barrett · 2005-01-07 18:23:17

Yeah, maybe I am being premature with that observation.
It might be just frustration with the slowness of news in the departments that interest me most - a selfish viewpoint (.. and I was a little weary when I wrote it).

Sheesh, I'm so frustrated with the lack of scientific evaluations coming out of NASA re. the MERs' data that I'm starting to see arthropods in Martian rock crevices!!
:laugh:

Belinda · 2005-01-08 13:03:13

I'm someone who often browses but rarely posts. What can I say? In common with the majority of the world's population, whose support is needed if the Mars Society is to achieve its goals, my scientific knowledge is very outline and probably superficial, though I am trying to learn. Mars faded from the news as it went behind the sun. There would probably be new interest in it if (a) a robot probe sent back a movie of the surface, (b) strong[er?] evidence for present or past life was found either at the surface or in another metoeorite like ALH 84001 or © the proposal for a sample return was brought forwards and there was a big row about its safety/ or not in the media.

Meanwhile - there is the landing of Huygens on Titan next Friday to enjoy,

cIclops · 2005-06-08 03:38:16

Yes this is an excellent forum, allowing guests to post is very enlightened! You seem to have everythjing covered here, well done!

Okay this is my "but"

When trying to read the latest posts from the main page the link goes to the first post in the thread, not the latest one. The "Last Post" link on a subform topic, isn't either.

I may just go through the registration process now

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#1 2001-10-16 14:35:06

Re: Great Site -- But.. - Why so quiet?

#2 2001-10-17 06:17:16

Re: Great Site -- But.. - Why so quiet?

#3 2002-01-17 19:45:48

Re: Great Site -- But.. - Why so quiet?

#4 2002-02-25 01:28:53

Re: Great Site -- But.. - Why so quiet?

#5 2005-01-07 05:31:42

Re: Great Site -- But.. - Why so quiet?

#6 2005-01-07 07:57:55

Re: Great Site -- But.. - Why so quiet?

#7 2005-01-07 08:10:24

Re: Great Site -- But.. - Why so quiet?

#8 2005-01-07 09:42:50

Re: Great Site -- But.. - Why so quiet?

#9 2005-01-07 10:47:26

Re: Great Site -- But.. - Why so quiet?

#10 2005-01-07 12:51:02

Re: Great Site -- But.. - Why so quiet?

#11 2005-01-07 18:23:17

Re: Great Site -- But.. - Why so quiet?

#12 2005-01-08 13:03:13

Re: Great Site -- But.. - Why so quiet?

#13 2005-06-08 03:38:16

Re: Great Site -- But.. - Why so quiet?

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