An open letter to this forum.

Curtis; your A&W post was really good and I'm sure that very many of us enjoyed it greatly.  I've noticed that sometimes good quality posts get lots of comment and sometimes they don't but, if you don't mind my saying, it is not IMHO necessarily a measure of whether or not readers appreciated it.  Quite frankly your post was so well done, I don't see how could anyone not have liked it.  I have many times perused various  good quality posts and not commented because I was in a rush to do something else away from the computer and forgot to go back and reply.  I have also seen others post what I was thinking so I left it at that.  I would like to ask you not to be disheartened by response volumes as IMO they do not represent approval or non-approval of your contributions.  I really hope you continue to post as your contributions are IMO very worthy indeed.

I hit the “like” button right away after checking out your A&W scene, showed my wife who really liked the detail including the Brown Chevy.  And I then looked for and bought a USA Model 51 Chevy as a result.  When you share a post, you never can never know the chord it may strike. 😎👍

Curtis, I just finished your A&W post with enjoyment for the story lines as well as your fine models.  I thank you for letting us into your hobby.  Right now I'm "improving" a Brooklin Turnpike Cruiser and hope to post it maybe later today.  Like you, I appreciate comments and yet at times very few result.  Who knows the cause?  I guess I'll just keep doing what pleases me most.    I like your imagination, too!          David H  

good morning Curtis......more often than not,I have felt the same as you......one day you`re the toast,next day,it`s hard to find traces that you`ve ever existed here......when we post something we`re personally fond of,we take a risk....if you enjoy putting your work out there,and I think you do,please continue regardless of reaction or lack thereof...the satisfaction will come....I have my chubby little hands full on busy with 1/24 and LOUNGE, so,as a rule, I don`t visit 1/43....but I DO recall the enjoyment and sense of nostalgia in seeing your post....my precise thoughts eventually condensed to "it must smell of chili powder and onions rings (the perfumes of my youth)....keep at it Curtis

Hi Curtis. I just finished reading your post on the A&W diorama. Your comment that you "put a lot of work into it" is an understatement! I would go so far as saying that this is the most detailed account of a diorama interaction  that I have ever seen on this form. In addition to your commentary, it is evident that you put much hard work and thought into the construction of the diorama as well. Congratulations on a great job. I just wish that I had one like it.

I think that the design of this form results in posts being missed on my part. A positive with the old form 43 was the ability to see all postings for the month by simply scrolling down ON ONE PAGE. In addition, the posts that you previously viewed were highlighted.That way you only missed a posting if you chose to do so. On the current form, you will notice that only 5 posts under form 43 are listed on the home page. Most days when I sign on, I have limited time and therefore only look at these most recent five posts.To see previous posts, you must click on "view all posts" which in this case, I do not always do. If you do not visit the form every day, it is easy to miss posts as they move pretty quickly to previous pages. I usually look at previous pages occasionally and have missed several postings in the past. If I find a missed posting, I do not usually leave a comment. It is old news.

Please do not be disheartened.I have and I'm sure many others have felt disappointed by the response to a posting that they put a lot of work or thought into. There can be many reasons why. I try not to think  that the content of my post is the reason. The most important thing is that I am proud of what I did. I hope that you consider posting your dioramas and models going forward. I can tell I enjoy them and  they are greatly appreciated.That's what keeps readers coming back. Without everyone's contributions, we will no longer have a form.

Hi Curtis, like I said in your A&W diorama post that I love diorama's and I love yours... presenting a diecast model in a diorama setting opens up one's imagination and it's our own individual imagination that makes this hobby so much fun. I know how much time it takes to set up a display like yours for just a few pictures but I want you to know how much I appreciate and respect your talents and time. Please don't be discouraged but share more with your many friends here on the forum. 

It is a great post. As of today, there were only 7 comments, 4 of them today but over 120 views. A post gets a view count only when someone opens it and reads it. That puts your well-done post in the top echelon of posts. The number of comments has to be combined with the total number of views to get a feeling for how well the post has been received.

Do the 'like' button results show up on a post? I may have nothing to say, but I always appreciate a post by hitting 'like'.

@ed-glorius, Yes, the "like" button shows up in the lower left and is added to the total number of views. 

@parisi50  Curtis, yours seems to be one of the more popular posts even though it did not get a lot of comments.  We have had the same issue with MAR Online articles but we can also look at views and likes (like John pointed out we can do here).  Many people lurk and never reply or hit like; that's just the nature of the beast!

One other thought: you could do a shorter post and then add a reply to it with more photos/discussion on the same topic.  That's how John Green is doing his Jaguar posts! Just an idea.

Keep up the good work - I appreciate everything you post.

@jkuvakas it's right there, isn't it?  

Curtis, while I found your diorama interesting and quite well done, I didn't think I had to gush about it.  In all honesty, I found your posting a bit childish and narcissistic.  I don't say this in a mean spirited manner or to hurt your feelings.  Just my thoughts on this...nothing more, nothing less.

Posted by: @parisi50

I just thought I would say how deeply disappointed I am with the response or should I say lack of it relating to my posting of the A & W diorama. I tried to make an interesting story to go along with displaying the nine cars in the scene. I was hoping that it would strike a cord with many of you but I guess not. I think that a little creative story telling is not what the majority of this group is interested in.  I will not put this kind of extended effort in anything of this type again for this forum. I invested quite a bit of time in making this and in posting it. I guess all for naught. I do appreciate the three people that did take the time to comment and seemed to enjoy it and I truly thank them for doing so.

 

................or could it be that posts on the new Forum aren't as readily recognised or visible, as previously? Personally, I prefer the old Forum, and although it wasn't perfect, you could at least see all the posts more or less immediately, or with a bit of scrolling down, whereas now you have to click next after four or five posts. I would access the Forum more or less on a daily basis but now my visits are less frequent because I find the new site is less convenient. is it just me or do others think the same? Oh, and I've just found the "Like" button. I think it should be more prominent.

@mike-coupe   Mike, I 100% agree that this forum format is not as good as the old one and posts can be overlooked more easily and like you I do not access this  site as much either because of the format. As for the "Like" button, I've never been a great fan. I do use it but not a lot. It's to easy to hit "Like". I like the comment approach because as a poster it's nice to see someone take the time express a thought on the post. One thing about The Diecast Zone is traditionally there has been some nice interaction of the 1/43 community. This to me sets this forum above the ones on Facebook where most reactions are in the form of the pressing the "Like" button. This to me is a more distant disconnected approach and doesn't make for a community feeling.