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[charlie]

The first rule of flight club.......

Welcome FCH
Is it FatCatsHat or FatCatShat?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Hahahahaha very good

re what some people have said, post frequency definitely does not = quality contributor, IMO

There are people with 7-800 posts whose opinion I value more than some of those who have amassed many thousands of posts in a short space of time, so I personally don’t think post frequency should come into it, unless someone signs up and hardly ever posts

[robith]

Handicapper watch, Saxon's race planning thread etc do belong "beyond a paywall" essentially, but it lurkers are after the juicy morsels, signing up for an email and telling chrome to remember you isn't going to much of an impediment to put people off, other than more casuals who could become members?

[Spectre]

Robith is spot on. Putting this stuff into a members only section will mean you have a sudden influx of sign-ups to deal with for people that never post. Then next season they'll just sign up with a new name when you zap them. The good ones will get lost inbetween.

I do agree that only members should see certain content. It's just how to make it happen so its effective. Maybe it's for those with diaries, and given not everyone has a diary then by request to a mod. We all know who contributes and who doesn't so that should be easy enough. After that an intermittent review for those that drop off the radar for say 3 months?

[Kevloaf]

Robith is spot on. Putting this stuff into a members only section will mean you have a sudden influx of sign-ups to deal with for people that never post. Then next season they'll just sign up with a new name when you zap them. The good ones will get lost inbetween.

I do agree that only members should see certain content. It's just how to make it happen so its effective. Maybe it's for those with diaries, and given not everyone has a diary then by request to a mod. We all know who contributes and who doesn't so that should be easy enough. After that an intermittent review for those that drop off the radar for say 3 months?

There could be a paid subscription section, that would stop almost every 'silent' member? Wouldn't need to be very much money at all to stop casual lurkers, and anyone that paid for that area yet didn't contribute would be so easy to spot and easy to challenger.

Might not be a popular option, but it is an option.

[Kevloaf]

Hi everyone, I’m in a very interesting position to comment on this as I’ve only become a member today (there was some technical issues this week which Kev kindly resolved for me this morning). I will post an introduction later in the appropriate thread.

I’d look at this more simply, you are not going to join unless you intended to contribute, that is unless you see another tangible benefit for doing so I.e these posts which we are highlighting now. If you deleted this thread and kept quiet about what is behind the wall then your problem is resolved without overthinking it and creating some huge task of implementing new restrictions

Welcome

It is a good point...but may not help gain new members going forward.... if there was nothing of any worth, and no concept of it or hints that there is more to see, then we'll never grow.

We need to grow still, year on year the quality of new members is fantastic... hopefully you continue the trend

[ryanh97]

There could be a paid subscription section, that would stop almost every 'silent' member? Wouldn't need to be very much money at all to stop casual lurkers, and anyone that paid for that area yet didn't contribute would be so easy to spot and easy to challenger.

Might not be a popular option, but it is an option.

Might not be a very popular option but a minimal donation to the running of the forum could work.

[PaisleyClegg]

I barely ever post, but love this forum. I actually find the level of racing knowledge too intimidating. I also bet very small stakes so don't want to share views that I am not willing to back myself.

I love the stories and the buzz building up to the best days of the year. This forum is a major part of the festival build up for me.

I think it is very hard to separate what is serious punting from the general discussions around whats going to be the best race, who's the best novice chaser we've seen so far etc... Doing so would lose some of the magic in my opinion.

[somer1]

Kev. I said a long time ago that the yankees should be members only as in the past the price has changed after i got home from work to place it.

[Rhinestone_Cowboy]

I think there have already been some good suggestions but just want to question the premise for doing this. While it well may be true that lurkers are mainly responsible for certain price movements, is it not equally plausible that it is just regular members that are doing this? Seasoned members are pretty good at spotting a well made case and acting accordingly, especially when one bookie is stand out. So while I have no problems at all with what is decided just a word of caution that it might not actually change anything in terms of protecting prices.

[Faugheen_Machine]

I think there have already been some good suggestions but just want to question the premise for doing this. While it well may be true that lurkers are mainly responsible for certain price movements, is it not equally plausible that it is just regular members that are doing this? Seasoned members are pretty good at spotting a well made case and acting accordingly, especially when one bookie is stand out. So while I have no problems at all with what is decided just a word of caution that it might not actually change anything in terms of protecting prices.

I'm not sure how accurate the figures are but there are usually between 200-500 guests online at any time, compared with around 20-100 members (depending on time of day).

[Jorvik]

I barely ever post, but love this forum. I actually find the level of racing knowledge too intimidating. I also bet very small stakes

I used to be like this too, a long time lurker not wanting to put my head above the parapet as everyone seemed to know bloody loads, but eventually I did and it's helped make me take a keener interest in a sport I already loved and now love even more. I'll never be one of those who can recall races from years ago (fucked if I know what day it is half the time) or have in depth knowledge on stuff like breeding other than the obvious ones, but I think I know enough about what I see infront of me when watching races to form an opinion i'm happy to back and i'm sure you do too really. I'd say I bet small stakes too, but who's to know what is and isn't, all relative, doesn't detract from your viewpoint unless you're taking the piss with 10p e/w monster 7 fold bets on complete shite at 3am after a lockdown stella sesh. Which is something I would never lower myself to.
Get posting and if anyone gives you grief, stick to your guns if it's what you really believe or ignore them/tell them where to go in a polite but imaginatively passive aggressive manner the rest of us can enjoy

[Kevloaf]

I barely ever post, but love this forum. I actually find the level of racing knowledge too intimidating. I also bet very small stakes so don't want to share views that I am not willing to back myself.

I love the stories and the buzz building up to the best days of the year. This forum is a major part of the festival build up for me.

I think it is very hard to separate what is serious punting from the general discussions around whats going to be the best race, who's the best novice chaser we've seen so far etc... Doing so would lose some of the magic in my opinion.

A very fair point.

I've never made a secret that I was a lurker too for a year then joined and have increased my knowledge and staking almost unrecognisibly from when I started, which is all due to the knowledge on here and people helping me, especially at the start. I used to post a lot then too, but mainly questions rather than shite

There does need to be a place for everyone at every level and nobody should feel they can't post. Especially as people have so much potential to grow to love the sport with this place being a huge factor in it.

It is difficult to cater to everybody, some peoples favourite parts will be others least favourite.

[jack1092]

I'm not sure if this is possible but is it possible to deactivate members who sign up but do not post? It is easy enough for lurkers to sign up as a member, never contribute and still get all the benefits.

Think this is the main thing to help limit the lurkers. I see Kev you've mentioned also a number of posts option which is a good idea.

I haven't a diary purely because i am not a huge antepost bettor. I've the usual Shishkin/EA doubles that everyone + their dog has etc. but i don't delve into the races half as much as others. Mainly as i'm predominantly following the Irish week to week stuff. I enjoy the discussion in here + the reasonings put forward.

If hidden diaries is a thing then fair enough, but i'd say that if the lurking members where cut down in the main, the prices might stop cutting as fast. Maybe i'm wrong though!

[Rhinestone_Cowboy]

I'm not sure how accurate the figures are but there are usually between 200-500 guests online at any time, compared with around 20-100 members (depending on time of day).

Interesting, of course setting this up will act as a little experiment which may shed some light on who his having a bigger impact on prices.

[Kevloaf]

I think there have already been some good suggestions but just want to question the premise for doing this. While it well may be true that lurkers are mainly responsible for certain price movements, is it not equally plausible that it is just regular members that are doing this? Seasoned members are pretty good at spotting a well made case and acting accordingly, especially when one bookie is stand out. So while I have no problems at all with what is decided just a word of caution that it might not actually change anything in terms of protecting prices.

Yep, I did reference that in the OP too, there might be nothing in it.


Do we want FJ to move prices? At a certain size that would happen just due to number of bets being placed..... if that's a resounding no, then are we essentially saying right now, that we have everyone we need on board, and we stick together?

I have my own thoughts on this (as I do with everything ) but interested in what everyone else has to say so I don't just do it my way and get it wrong.