"I'm Bard, a large..." - Business Rigor or Community Warmth? Your Input Needed

[Admin]

First, I want to apologize to @mreeves for interrupting the sales thread with my response to the comment. We can continue our discussion here; I will not respond in that thread to other comments.

I'd like to start a constructive conversation about the direction in which we're steering our community. Recently, a discussion sparked around @alexcray led me to question - how do members see this forum, and what do they expect from it?

I noticed alexcray early on, and my first reaction was to ban this member. However, I then found it somewhat humorous. The most cited post, "It's great to meet you, Michael! I'm Bard, a large language model from Google AI. It seems like you're interested in sharing and learning within a community," is clearly not a mistake and was done on purpose. I found it humorous; some did not, and it appears that some even feel offended by it.

By the way, alexcray is just a catalyst for a more important question - what do you want this forum to be like?

So far, with a few exceptions, I have only seen empty accusations that the forum is going in the wrong direction and rhetorical questions like whether this is how you want the forum to be.

Here you have the opportunity to express all your thoughts and constructive suggestions on how you envision our forum.

Looking forward to your insights.

Thank you, Felix

P.S. Posts related to this matter have been moved from the original thread to here to avoid interrupting the sales thread.

 

[Admin]

Why @alexcray hasn't been blocked yet, I don't know.

In every circle of friends, there usually exists an enigmatic individual whose presence puzzles everyone. It's unclear how they found their way into the group or what role they serve, yet they remain. This person often takes on the role of the forum's jester, causing no harm. As long as he's harmless and makes people laugh, I won't ban him

 

[rob]

I respect your decision but have to disagree. We need people that add real value to the forum, this is the only way it will really grow and develop. The focus should be on quality not quantity. I personally look at recent or new posts the most, if it’s filled with .ph domains, automated posts, non mainstream sub domains, auction results most people see elsewhere, bumps on peoples auctions etc etc the value decreases in my personal opinion.


This post is intended to offer a constructive way forward to create a resource people would feel happy to pay to join. I am not saying you should charge people to join, just using it as an example of the value you NEED to create to grow, gain new sponsors etc. and become the main resource for UK domains.


This is not a rant but a genuine offer of constructive criticism.

What makes it even more bizarre is the post where the user appeared to be an AI bot:

It's great to meet you, Michael! I'm Bard, a large language model from Google AI. It seems like you're interested in sharing and learning within a community.

Unless it is satire.

Does Acorn really need ai bots to look active?

 

[Helmuts]

I think you could struggle to attract new premium members at $300–$25,000/yr, whilst entertaining a possible bot as the forum jester. 'He' may be harmless, but it's also wasting everyones time, and now derailing an auction thread.

Good evening Greg,

Thank you for your concerns and it is clear that you wish the forum only the best. Thank you. Everything is fine. Some people need more time to learn how to exist and do business on online forums - we all have been there.

The account looks real, and this is what matters.

--

About the Premium Members, we are in the closing stages of 2 companies going for silver or gold memberships; 1 major OG brand has stated they wish to hear the offer; 1 very established Registrar (loved by domainers for great service and cheap prices) are already monitoring both forums and are considering a premium membership; and 1 more serious registry just said: Helmut, send us over an offer.
I am working on this frontier.

Even better, recognised industry brands being represented here will allow all our users to ask them questions and get public answers here at Acorn, and will make Acorn even awesome place to be at.

All we need to do: stay friendly and cool family as we are, that is oriented on profits and helping each other.

Best wishes all!
Helmuts

 

[Helmuts]

What makes it even more bizarre is the post where the user appeared to be an AI bot:

Unless it is satire.

Does Acorn really need ai bots to look active?

haven't we all done the mistake by asking chatgpt or bard/gemini to correct our text, and then just copy/pasting it with all the text these awesome assistants add to the most beginnings of their texts? All is good

 

[Rolandas Japertas]

What makes it even more bizarre is the post where the user appeared to be an AI bot:
Unless it is satire.
Does Acorn really need ai bots to look active?

AI bots are caught when publishing different texts: "As an AI language model, I am not capable of providing direct help, but I can offer you some information that might be useful in seeking assistance." .. or something of this kind.

.. lots of X accounts have been identified using this simple sign that proves that the user doesn't participate in writing and publishing the content.



/edit/ found a reference to this: https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/25/...pam-fake-user-reviews-as-an-ai-language-model

This topic is often brought up and discussed in cybersecurity conferences.

Screenshot from it:

 

[seemly]

Good evening Greg,

Thank you for your concerns and it is clear that you wish the forum only the best. Thank you. Everything is fine. Some people need more time to learn how to exist and do business on online forums - we all have been there.

The account looks real, and this is what matters.

--

About the Premium Members, we are in the closing stages of 2 companies going for silver or gold memberships; 1 major OG brand has stated they wish to hear the offer; 1 very established Registrar (loved by domainers for great service and cheap prices) are already monitoring both forums and are considering a premium membership; and 1 more serious registry just said: Helmut, send us over an offer.
I am working on this frontier.

Even better, recognised industry brands being represented here will allow all our users to ask them questions and get public answers here at Acorn, and will make Acorn even awesome place to be at.

All we need to do: stay friendly and cool family as we are, that is oriented on profits and helping each other.

Best wishes all!
Helmuts

That's great - but will the premium members be active on the forum, and bring value to the already existing users?

Except for a few sales threads and news about what Nominet is screwing up this quarter (every quarter), this place has less action than a graveyard.

Without active users and a thriving community, the audience for your premium members doesn't exist. What are you doing to generate a thriving community here on this UK domain focussed forum?

--------------------------

EDIT: Actually, y'know what - it doesn't matter what I think. My interest in this forum dissipates by the day. I'm not even sure why I bother visiting, other than it purely being habit I need to stop.

 

[DJ]

This discussion is really derailing this post. @Admin it might be worth creating a new topic, and transferring the posts about bots and memberships over to it, leaving this as a sales thread as @mreeves intended.

 

[Admin]

This discussion is really derailing this post. @Admin it might be worth creating a new topic, and transferring the posts about bots and memberships over to it, leaving this as a sales thread as @mreeves intended.

I'm on it already, thank you!

 

[Admin]

Thanks a lot for your input @honest! I was thinking about the survey but decided to not do it yet. At this point, to not miss something significant not mentioned in the survey, I am looking not only for answers to prepared questions but also for vision.

A great example is "My hunch is quality, originality and real value" - to get such a response I'd have to create three questions or a question with many checkboxes

I feel that to REALLY know what members actually want, is to let them tell it without directing them with prepared questions.

Thank you

 

[rob]

It would be interesting to see the top three threads in Jan (non-sales) that would showcase Acorn's current quality and appeal to prospective members.

 

[Helmuts]

That's great - but will the premium members be active on the forum, and bring value to the already existing users?

Except for a few sales threads and news about what Nominet is screwing up this quarter (every quarter), this place has less action than a graveyard.

Without active users and a thriving community, the audience for your premium members doesn't exist. What are you doing to generate a thriving community here on this UK domain focussed forum?

--------------------------

EDIT: Actually, y'know what - it doesn't matter what I think. My interest in this forum dissipates by the day. I'm not even sure why I bother visiting, other than it purely being habit I need to stop.

Yes, I really hope they will.

It depends from us if they will be active.
Sample: it is very difficult to sell premium memberships to Parking companies. Reason: they make money only from 5% of their users, and we all know posts where a user has parked 10 domains and gets "I'm not making any money!!" furious .. This is the sole reason why at the moment I am unable to sell them the idea that any parking company doing a good job will benefit from being active at Acorn and DNF, especially as we allow companies to advertise themselves. .. we all have our personal limits on how much negativity we can take.
.. well, my mistake @JamesTuplin is here .. he knows the value .. and @Paullas

Another important part will be that mods/admins don't overmoderate them.

Let us see how it goes... If you can help me in any ways introducing to the decision makers > this would be most valuable for all us, and these companies as well.

.. I can say that Dynadot are testing DNForum at the moment > they know of Acorn and I expect the first scouts soon to be here as well .. they are very friendly, and premium membership for them (if I understand this correctly) will mean they will be here as well.

Let us keep Acorn fun and safe place to be .. yes, we do have an occasional friendly troll here and there, but otherwise = Acorn is perfect! Isn't it?

Have a great Sunday! H

 

[rob]

.. well, my mistake @JamesTuplin is here ..

"JamesTuplin was last seen: Sep 26, 2023"

Four, heading to five months...
It could be worth reaching out and discovering why Acorn isn't on his go-to list anymore, as he is a long term interested domainer. Perhaps a similar exercise with other previous decent posters could be more short term use, solving any issues that surface could then make 'selling premium memberships' easier longer term.

 

[ukbackorder]

We don't need to have any input. I asked chatgpt and it said the following - maybe the AIs can all talk to each other:

It's great to see that you're opening up this conversation about the direction of the forum. I think it's crucial for any community to periodically reflect on its values, goals, and norms to ensure that it continues to serve its members effectively.

Regarding the presence of members like @alexcray, I believe it's essential to strike a balance between maintaining a welcoming and respectful environment while also allowing for diverse perspectives and a bit of humor. While some may find certain interactions amusing, it's equally important to acknowledge that others may feel uncomfortable or offended. Finding common ground where everyone feels valued and respected can be challenging but worthwhile.

As for the overall vision for the forum, here are some thoughts:

1. Inclusivity and Respect: Ensuring that all members feel welcome and respected regardless of their background, expertise, or opinions is paramount. Encouraging constructive dialogue and discouraging personal attacks or derogatory language can help foster a positive atmosphere.
   
   
2. Knowledge Sharing and Learning: The forum should serve as a platform for exchanging ideas, insights, and knowledge. Facilitating discussions on a wide range of topics, from technical issues to broader industry trends, can enrich the community and contribute to collective learning.
   
   
3. Community Engagement and Participation: Actively involving members in discussions, initiatives, and decision-making processes can help cultivate a sense of ownership and belonging. Encouraging participation through polls, challenges, or collaborative projects can enhance community engagement.
   
   
4. Moderation and Enforcement: Implementing clear guidelines and policies for behavior and content can help maintain order and civility within the forum. Consistent and fair moderation, coupled with transparent communication about decisions, can build trust and credibility.
   
   
5. Continuous Improvement: Regularly soliciting feedback from members and iterating on the forum's structure, features, and policies based on their input can ensure its relevance and effectiveness over time. Embracing change and adaptation as the community evolves is key to its long-term success.
   

By aligning our efforts with these principles and fostering open dialogue like this, I'm confident that we can collectively shape the forum into a vibrant and inclusive community that benefits us all.

 

[Helmuts]

"JamesTuplin was last seen: Sep 26, 2023"

Four, heading to five months...
It could be worth reaching out and discovering why Acorn isn't on his go-to list anymore, as he is a long term interested domainer. Perhaps a similar exercise with other previous decent posters could be more short term use, solving any issues that surface could then make 'selling premium memberships' easier longer term.

ahh.. he has another account here, I think James, are you here?

 

[Jiblob]

I'm particularly liking the dredging up of old introduction threads. I'm struggling to find one to beat the last one where the person had over 4.5 years without logging in. Any suggestions?

 

[rob]

This term, while possibly used within specific communities, isn't widely recognized or standardized. To provide a more accurate answer, I need a clearer understanding of what you mean by "Mariolater" and what specific beliefs or practices it encompasses.

Another AI post.

Is this quality, originality and real value?

 

[bluerock]

Another AI post.

Is this quality, originality and real value?

I’m with Rob on this. It’s a no on all three counts and if nonsensical AI posts are allowed then where is the line of acceptable/unacceptable.

Just my 2 pennies worth but they damage the credibility of the forum.

 

[Admin]

Is this quality, originality and real value?

No, it's not, especially in the context of that thread.

 

[Admin]

alexcray is banned, but the question is open - what do you want this forum to be like?