Open Letter to Non-Posters

[Idris]

Dear Lurkers, non-posting Members, and non-members,

This is an open letter to all of you.
We here at VBD would like to know what it is that keeps you from posting.
- Why are you reluctant to post?
- Don’t we have topics that are of interest?
- Is the Forum too biased towards Lesney (and 1 -75s in particular)?
- What do you like and dislike on the Forum?
- What would you like to see more of (or less of)?
- What topics would you like to see covered?
- Is language a problem? (It is perfectly acceptable to post in any Western European language other than English provided that any such posts are accompanied by an English translation (even if only a slightly ropey one courtesy of Mr. Google).)

The Forum is no bigger than the sum of its parts. The more people who pool their knowledge, the livelier, the better, and the more informative the Forum becomes. Where are all you Corgi and Dinky collectors for instance? Are you simply all waiting for someone else to be the first to join?

Come and join us! If you don’t want to, tell us why not so that we can change things and convince you otherwise!

Yours faithfully,

The Regular Posters

P.S. We now have a special area for starting collectors: Beginner's Corner!

[Shane]

Absolutely nothing wrong with this forum !!!!!
My reasons for not posting more are in no way a result of anything negative here. I love this forum. There is so much knowledge here.
I really just don't seem to have the time these days. That is my excuse anyways.
I do drop in often but am guilty of mostly reading and not posting.
I do find the layout of this forum to be visually "busy" if that makes sense. Other forum designs seem to be easier for my eyes to follow.
That is not to say I can't easily work around this simply personal preference.
I also have an issue with lack of ambition. Currently, all my models are packed away in boxes and really need to get off my a-- and build my display room I have been planning.

Maybe you are right though, Idris. I sometimes feel a little overwhelmed by the Lesney focus. I do have quite a few but most of my collection is 1/43 of various makers but mostly Dinky followed by Corgi.

[motorman]

Absolutely nothing wrong with this forum !!!!!
My reasons for not posting more are in no way a result of anything negative here. I love this forum. There is so much knowledge here.
I really just don't seem to have the time these days. That is my excuse
I also have an issue with lack of ambition. Currently, all my models are packed away in boxes and really need to get off my a-- and build my display room I have been planning

Hi Shane, good to see you posting again. Firstly I will certainly agree that we are all very busy these days. I look at the forum in my valuable down time, so when I get half an hour in my busy schedule (45 hour week and 2 children under 7 years old) I log on and read the recent posts and contribute where I can. Please don't think of this as a chore just pick a time during your day that fits in with your schedule and hopefully we can hear from you more often. I for one would love you to be more involved based on your previous posts. Secondly I am a well established member and post regularly, I also have a large collection of die cast including lots of Matchbox especially Superfast, however I also do NOT have a display room and have never seen that to be a prerequisite to post on the Forum. We all crave having that attic space or cellar that we can transform into our man cave but for the majority of us that is a pipe dream, my collection is at present in storage or in locked boxes (to avoid any issues with my children racing my models in muddy puddle). So please don't let that be a barrier to getting more involved in the forum, you will be very welcomed and every post will be appreciated I assure you.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Hi Shane, Rollerghoster here (you know me mostly as Rollerman), please don't be intimidated by the seemingly endless Matchbox collectors and experts here on the forum. The forum has it's origins in Matchbox so concentrated on that brand first, bringing in other brands in more recent times.

I can relate to your models in boxes situation, I myself have to maintain my own collection in the same way, taking out models for pictures if I don't already have it on the computers.

Many postings here on the forum are just a couple of lines of text with no pictures and a lot of information can be included in that text so again, don't be put off from posting if you do not have pictures handy, now having said that I have seen your Dinky Ford Capri pictures with some descriptive text, great stuff and it generated further comments from a couple of our members.

I know what you collect from your postings on another forum so I reckon you have a lot of good sound knowledge of a wide range of models, just think up something to say about them, create your own thread about what models you intend to add to your collection by posting a 'Wish List', maybe list all the catalogues you have or are wanting to get, anything really about toy or model cars.

Right must go, I've got to go and guess the identity of a model somewhere else...

Ghosthunter.

[MatchboxFreak]

Hello Regular Posters,

VBD is my favorite website I look at it nearly every day. So that probably qualifies me as a Lurker.

My barely active participation is mostly because, until recently, my main access to the Internet has been through my phone. (Which is actually my employers phone and not my personal phone.)

That means my wireless connection is not entirely stable and I often need to sign in again if I move around the house.

Since I don't want to download software onto my employers phone I need to rely on the photo editing software that came with the phone. This software (apperently) does not include manual resizing.

Now the good news: we got a new home laptop with good wireless and basic photo editing software! So there is potential that I will become a contributing member. Now, if only ....

More news to follow
Kurt

[kwakers]

That is Great News Kurt! I have my ancient Dell in our 'bedroom' in the Cave, so after dark I sit down and enjoy some politics on T.V., a Redd's Apple Ale, then some E Bay and Nick's Forum time. You have done well with 90+ Posts so far on that small phone, so don't worry about being a lurker. The year 2016 is a new one, so I am glad to see your input here already. Hopefully we'll meet again at our Albany Show in March to share some finds and stories! Cheers, Dick

[leonty24]

As a member of this forum i browse it every day my collecting is soleiy superfast but time to post is my main
problem, as i attend about 40 toyfairs and modei railway exhibitions as a trader selling perpex display cases.
i make these cases and it is a 7 day a week job, which leaves me very little time to post.

There is nothing wrong with the forum it informs and can be funny and has very knowlegable members
Will endeavor to find time to post

[Viewfield]

I do not post very often, main reason being what to post. I dislike posts which just say "nice model" or "good find", they remind me of some posters on the now defunct "other site". I am not an avid collector anymore having sold the majority of my collection some years back but still retain an interest in all Made in Britain models. Reading about all the different variations and colour shades is interesting but what to post in return that would be of benefit to the theme?
I enjoy the bantering and discussions about "fake" or "real" but could not add any input owing to lack of expertise.
Posting pictures of standard models doesn't seem quite right and I do not expect that such post would draw a lot of interest.
I would conclude by saying that if someone doesn't post very often or even not at all this doesn't mean he's not interested in the comments and themes included in the posts. I am amazed at the quality and quantity of information that can gained from you regular posters and appreciate this immensely and thank you for it. I think the main problem with non posters is the feeling of being below par with the subject in question and the inability to post something that others my find interesting.
I will with your permission continue to read and browse.

Rod

[GHOSTHUNTER]

On behalf of all Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow owners on this forum (3 of us!), permission granted.

Ghosty.

[Fred7A]

I haven't posted anything much recently, I've just been doing other things lately. I'm sure I'll be back into the models again soon!