Tim Vasquez
EF5
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2003
- Messages
- 3,411
One thing we have been seeing in new user essays are statements like this:
On a sitewide level, one thing we did this morning is completely remove Forecasts & Nowcasts from public view so that it's not such a magnet. Earlier the thread names but NOT the contents were visible to nonapproved members, but now none of it is available.
There is a separate thread in the staff forum where I and the moderators are discussing this, but I thought I'd bring up the topic here too since for many of those reading, these are your forecasts, and you probably want some say in how we share them within our community and with others. Are we on the right track here or do you think there is justification for sharing some of the forecasts publically?
I think one route we can go is to have a separate membership track where people who want these things can pay a nominal fee (like $5/yr) for read access to Target Area and no posting privileges anywhere on ST. In turn we would get rid of all banner ads for regular members and fund ST completely from those visitors. This would also keep the user groups segregated. If those people want to upgrade to regular membership they would still have to go through the essay process. Overall that might be a win-win idea for everyone. This is not something being discussed seriously right now but is just a thought I had after processing a 2-week backlog of 300+ new membership applications (yes, 300), and having to decline ones like those above.
Any thoughts about all this are welcome. This subforum (Site Discussion) is not visible to non-members, so you can speak your mind.
Tim
I am an amateur armchair chaser. I will not be posting - only following. I appreciate knowing where the storms are by following through the posts where the professionals are.
Anyhow, I mainly just want to read what people are posting as it relates to Kansas tornadoes and storm chasing. Not that much into posting unless absolutely necessary. Is their a way to just set my username to where I can only read the board ???
I enjoy the site. I like reading and following along although I probably will not ever post anything, at least any time soon. It is fun to see how I might forcast compared to many of the others. Thanks
My house was hit by a tornado about a year ago. I am wanting access to better forecasting info than my local tv provides. I read NOAA and SPC daily. I will not comment on posts, nor will I leave any. I promised my five year old daughter (who was also home when the house was hit) that I would watch the weather and know when the next tornado is coming - so we can be safe in our FEMA approved closet.
Needless to say, this seems to be becoming a trend: people joining Stormtrack not with the intention to contribute or connect with the community but just to scavenge the hundreds of quality forecasts that appear on a chase day. We have had some leeway about this as far as membership approvals, thinking that giving the benefit of the doubt would promote education and awareness, but we are now declining such applications.I am not a weather professional, but I do LOVE to track weather. I will not be posting but will just log on to read posts.
On a sitewide level, one thing we did this morning is completely remove Forecasts & Nowcasts from public view so that it's not such a magnet. Earlier the thread names but NOT the contents were visible to nonapproved members, but now none of it is available.
There is a separate thread in the staff forum where I and the moderators are discussing this, but I thought I'd bring up the topic here too since for many of those reading, these are your forecasts, and you probably want some say in how we share them within our community and with others. Are we on the right track here or do you think there is justification for sharing some of the forecasts publically?
I think one route we can go is to have a separate membership track where people who want these things can pay a nominal fee (like $5/yr) for read access to Target Area and no posting privileges anywhere on ST. In turn we would get rid of all banner ads for regular members and fund ST completely from those visitors. This would also keep the user groups segregated. If those people want to upgrade to regular membership they would still have to go through the essay process. Overall that might be a win-win idea for everyone. This is not something being discussed seriously right now but is just a thought I had after processing a 2-week backlog of 300+ new membership applications (yes, 300), and having to decline ones like those above.
Any thoughts about all this are welcome. This subforum (Site Discussion) is not visible to non-members, so you can speak your mind.
Tim