Just growing pains ...

I have to agree....love the growth and I have only been a member since May however it seems to have grown too much to fast.

I think its exciting to be here and watch this site take off. and i do agree, that there will be some growing pains along the way.

Yeah, I felt this was a much more friendly place to talk pinball and share stories. I got beat up a little bit, but all in all, I think the greater amount of people here share a common goal. I wish I would have discovered this place sooner. Most of the people that care and are here to help and make a positive contribution have <3 by their names

Well RGP is a crap shoot if it is even working properly. The trolls are bound to migrate once there are no more food to eat.

I was a Pinsider before being a Pinsider was cool!

yep, but it will be up to us to help keep this place the way its always been. a great pinball community.

Most definitely.

I fixed it for you.

I'm not sure what to say. I'm really really stoked that so many pinball fans have found the Pinside lately!

At the same time I sometimes feel the site losing a bit of it's friendly "small community" character, due to the huge influx of new people and colliding characters. I guess it's inevitable, or as Gweem says, growing pains.

Regardless, I'm gonna keep adding features and improving the site, inserting new virtual harddisks to host all the images uploaded etc. The rest is really up to you all!

It does seem that there has been a large influx of new users here lately (probably at least partly due to the recent Google Groups issue with RGP). Great forum, and the interface has been improved, but I would still love to see email notification implemented for "subscribed" threads. If that is implemented, I think the forum would take off even more.

Sometimes I lose track of the threads that I've posted in, and I don't always respond to a post that responded to mine. This would be a lot less likely to happen with email notification.

Robin,

I'll probably get flamed for mentioning this, but you could always set a max number of members, like a lot of sites do, you'd have to submit an application (letter asking to join), then get approved by a mod. It would keep the size of Pinside to a manageable level. You hate to turn people away, but it is an option.

As far a personality conflicts go, it's going to happen. It just bugs me when people make it personal, and attack people on threads. This site is about helping people, not attacking them.

I love the site, and it is my second home. A lot of people have helped me here, and I try and return the favor.

Bill

I agree with you all as well. Lot's of newer members have joined but I have not noticed the attacking as of yet. We all can guess that there will be growing pains but Pinside is still, in my opinion, the most enjoyable of all the forums to read due to it's members and helpful information provided.

Robin, Thanks for all of the work that you have put into this. It is a great place to be and it will continue to grow with a wealth of knowledge from all members (new and old).

As a longtime RGPer, I'm glad to now be part of this forum as well. It's much more friendly and stays focused on what we're all here for...pinball. No personal attacks, no political agendas, no negative BS. It may lose it's "small community" charm at some point, but it will grow into a "large community" that can flourish with positivity.

BTW, I've never had connectivity issues with RGP since I access it with a newsreader, so that's not *my* reason for being here. I was told about Pinside by a fellow collector at a recent pin party who commented how pleasant and focused it was. I must say, it's quite enjoyable here.

Thanks Robin, for a great site!

Yeah!...talk about friendly...when I mentioned I'd like to play LOTR and Transformers Vyzer2 stepped right up and invited me to his home to play. I did...and had a great time! Thanks!
Still going to Allentown??

Hi Robin.
You wanna keep the site a community? Have people sign up. $10 a month. This will keep the Lurkers away. (Hey, there are worse ideas)

Second??

Heck, if he did $5 a month we would probably not have near the participation that we do now.

I think he should wait and see how it goes for a while. I have not seen too much negativity to this point and I hope it never gets there.

Yeah, but even $5 a month would keep people from just coming here, starting a bunch of bull, then leaving. AND it would help the site. (of course, you could pay more if you want)

It's all how you look at things. I tend to read posts by other Pinsiders I enjoy hearing from and try to ignore those that seem to be more after negative attention than anything else. Overall I must say it is one cool pinball community and I'm glad to be a part of it.

100%

Holy crap....I'd have to choose over posting on Pinside or a gallon of gas?? That would honestly be a tough choice D: ... I gotta get gas to go to work to make money to pay for the internet to post to Pinside !

I think charging a tithe to gain entry to the site would be a bad idea. Heck, I probably never would have joined the site had such a system been in place. I'm sure many others would be in the same boat.

Sure there is a lot more activity on the site in recent months, but I don't think anybody has been anymore unruly than usual. I do agree that the small community aspect has pretty much been lost, but that's what happens with growth.

Frankly I like having the new members here. Their input and experience in the hobby can only enhance the epic awesomeness that is Pinside. Carry on!

It looks like Saturday...if that's ok with you. Hopefully there will be a bunch of Pinsiders there to hook up with. Can't miss me...I'll be in the Hawaiian Shirt!...with a stogie!

Seems like the unruliness has actually calmed down quite a bit compared to dec/jan. maybe people getting out of the cabin fever of winter and a little vitamin D.

Oh shut up!

Since I signed up last August, Pinside has exploded!!! Great job Robin!!

I have been around since 2008, and this place has changed tremendously. I remember the days when you could go a week and catch up on new posts in a few minutes.

Sweet I can use a Tilt now!

Hey!....I'm just funnin' ya!

I use to lurk on here for the last couple years (I was on pinball country)until I decided to join back in October. I remember that you could go a week or two between visits and pretty much be up to speed in a hour. The speed and amount of the topics and posts are making this a daily visit or you get left behind. I think it's awesome and hope it continues. BTW, I also don't think there's anything wrong with a couple guys jawing at each other every now and then, as long as it doesn't deteriorate into nothing but a "bitch fest" everytime.

Of course, Toad Valley is my first!

This site is truly the best for me ! I have met more pinfriends here than any other forum on the web !

I like pinside so much I just donated again and will do again and again .

Thanks Robin !

Jim

I've only been here for a year but I can't even keep up anymore, it has just grown like crazy. Still love the site and the people, but don't have the time in my day to read almost every thread like I used too just a few months ago.

Yeah thanks Robin, I came here in 2005 doing my research for a 1st pin. TS came up for 1400 and that was a good deal from your information. I then did even trades for other pins and now have a TOTAN in the living room.

Like I have said B-4 ,, Pinside is the BEST Pinball Forum on the Planet .......

Earth.jpg

I'm one of those newbies to the site your referring to. I joined in January. I was welcomed graciously when I posted my new to the site thread. It was nice to see friendly people sharing their storys and offering help with my new hobby. Thank you for letting me be part of this pinball family.

Great job on the recent changes Robin.

Maybe we can all get along.

I think we can. For the most part, it always seems to be the same bunch that can't.

Thanks Robin for the hard work!

If it happens you can alert the mods by posting a purse fight flag.

+1

Since the most recent update showing new/unread posts, I've made an effort to keep up - but my real life job is suffering considerably as a result. ...oh well - priorities, right?