Hey Ron-- I was just wondering...
I have been wondering that for a while now, and suppose I could go back to the square one post... but I don't wanna 
It is such a well monitored, friendly place to be. Thanks again for all you do!  |
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| Great Question....I have often wondered this too????
Did you just wake up one day and say...""Hey!!! I want to start an OES forum that will have members all around the world, be friendly, informative, supportive~~AND addicting?????  ~~""????????????????? |
I've wondered that too! Great inspiration comes from somewhere!!  |
| I wanted an open place where people could ask questions about their dogs and get answers and then have that information available to everyone on the web.
I had been a member of OES-L and it was a spectacular success and filled with just tons and tons of great authoritative advice, but it was unavailable to the general public as the archives were (and still are) behind a password protected system. I also wanted to talk about my big boy Jake. I tried on many occasions to work with OES-L to make their archives open but was turned away (rather abruptly at times) once being told words to the effect of "I teach courses on the internet and have studied surveys on the way people surf and what they want is emails sent to them and not a forum". I guess the fact that the forum can do both was immaterial -- she just wasn't listening at the time. I am concerned about the forum community as the Facebook format is taking over and people are spending time there instead of here. Not that the chatter is the important thing -- it's keeping people around the community and thinking about their dogs and being available when a member needs advice or someone who isn't a member yet wanders by to ask a question. I added the photo gallery and was going to add video, but there's just no way that I can keep up with billion dollar budgets to enhance the oes.org experience and keep the interface "competitive" with youTube and FaceBook and whatever else is next. |
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I still love my oes.org family!!! I still MANY times a day! |
| Yes it is impossible to compete with Facebook and whatever new thing that comes along. But oes.org is a family. That's how I see it and I only joined this summer.
Nothing can ever replace the loving, caring and kind souls who make up this forum.  |
| I agree with poolmom, facebook is nothing like the forum. I think the 'chat' section is a little slower since fb got popular but I still check through almost everything here every day. The fact we can put youtube videos into posts is great. When I get a new cam, I'll be doing the same. I think this community is going through a re-birth, we just need to encourage everyone who stumbles upon the forum to join up & post! We are a friendly bunch and I think we will grow again, given a little time. |
Hopefully this place never goes away esp. due to facebook!!  There HAS been a decrease in posting due to several posters leaving b/c of facebook, but I don't think the majority found a better place to talk about sheepdogs there ...rather it being a better place in general to talk to their non-sheepdog owning friends. |
| I would never, EVER leave this forum for FB. I do have a page, but sometimes it really bugs me. I don't really care to read everyone's EVERY little movement or thought multiple times a day.
As Cassie said, we can still put links to You Tube or wherever else here, so we're not missing videos. Ron, please don't ever take away our forum family!! |
| ...and if cost is EVER an issue, you know many of us have said we'd pay to be a member!!! Imagine how much a few bucks X number of regular posters would go. Who wouldn't give the big man a few bucks? |
| I don't have a Facebook page or MySpace page or any of those other pages because I have no interest. My people are here at oes.org! |
| This is 10X better than facebook. I only got on fb to keep track of my stepson and make sure that he didn't post anything he shouldn't. To be honest I think that people on this forum are very commited to their four legged friends and have been very helpful answering everyones questions. I don't thnk fb is very personal and everyone seems a lot closure knit. The postings on fb do not offer the help and compasion that you find here.
Keep up the great work Ron. |
| I've been on yahoo360, fb, orkut, myspace(in the past), a couple of tibetan terrier forums(since I have a tibetan terrier), but nothing and absolutely nothing compares to this wonderful forum. I've been on here for a couple of years, reading almost everyone's posts and replies just to get more info on sheepdogs since I want to own one in the future. I learnt almost everything I know about dogs here.
This is the best place to learn and enjoy reading &communicating with other dog lovers. I just love how enthusiastic you all are about dogs (especially sheepies). I don't think I'd ever leave this place. I want to thank all you wonderful people. |
| I agree with all the comments about this wonderful forum.
The information, support, concern and especially friendships that I found here are very important and special to me. This is one place I would never consider leaving for FB or any other site! I would be happy to pay a membership fee if it ever came to that...because this is my special place, where I can say anything I want about my pups and not be ridiculed or looked at like I am crazy...to have people who truely know what I feel and how important my furbabies are to me is beyond comforting to me... I think alot of you know what I am talking about... Ron...you are the best!!!!!!!!!  |
I hope the forum doesnt go away because of FB too! 
I dont have a FB page and wont be getting one. I've looked at my DH and I really dislike the format. He said it does drive him nuts getting heaps of people he's never heard of asking him to be a friend. That would drive me crazy too. I like that there are topics here. It makes it easier to keep track of threads especially if I havent logged in for more than a day and I can pick and chose if I'm pressed for time. |
| I do have a FB page--but to me it is an entirely different venue than the forum. I don't think that any of the social media like facebook, twitter, my space, etc. offer the same type of communication as this forum. This is really a unique place on the internet.
I too would pay a membership fee if necessary. |
| Me too
You all know I live here.....especially on days like today when I'm at work! |
| I appreciate the forum, because 1) it's the only place I know that doesn't call me the "crazy pet person" because my dogs are my kids and I don't have any two leggers right now. And most importantly, 2) my huge family hasn't found me on here and asked to befriend me and ruin it all. (they always seem to find me, ick) |
| This is a much friendlier and more useful format than FB. Besides - its not blocked at work |
kerry wrote: This is a much friendlier and more useful format than FB. Besides - its not blocked at work
What's Facebook?  
Seriously, this is by far the most useful OES resource there is or ever has been. Period. And the people are a heck of a lot more fun
Kudos, Ron
Kristine |
| The forum isn't going anywhere! Oes.org is very financially stable. A ton of work, perhaps more work than being a site administrator, has gone into creating income for the forum without being intrusive to the membership. I think the approach has been quite successful.
Someday the format may need to be updated or the forum risks becoming irrelevant. The forum software does need to be kept up-to-date. I don't have any current plans to update the format, but I may upgrade the software to a more current version with more options (and better security, and perhaps be better at keeping users logged in). If I did that, getting the photo gallery and the chat system and a new forum to all work together all at once is a biiiig job.  |
sheepiezone wrote: I do have a FB page--but to me it is an entirely different venue than the forum. I don't think that any of the social media like facebook, twitter, my space, etc. offer the same type of communication as this forum. This is really a unique place on the internet.
I too would pay a membership fee if necessary. YUP YUP!!!! I would as well... |
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