Future of the Forum - Aug/24

[Kaz-kzukNA1]

[Update: **/***/24 **:**] ****
****

[Update: 29/AUG/24 19:35] Example of platform options and cost
http://www.nsxcb.co.uk/showthread.ph...222#post133222

[Update: 29/AUG/24 11:57] Number of feed back from members
http://www.nsxcb.co.uk/showthread.ph...217#post133217

[Update: 29/AUG/24 11:57] Naming
http://www.nsxcb.co.uk/showthread.ph...218#post133218




Hi, all.
I'll keep this as 'Sticky thread' so that it always appear at the top section within this area.

Decided to start as a new thread.
Could have posted in 'NSXCB Website discussion' area but decided to post in 'General'.

Background info here;
http://www.nsxcb.co.uk/showthread.ph...b-server-costs


As you may know, we have about 1 year of time to make decision on future of this Forum platform.

First thing first, please note that no one owns this site including all administrator right holders – NSXGB, Senninha, forumadmin (Kevin) and Kaz-kzukNA1.

Everything we do is on voluntary basis and all platinum contribution goes to the running of the site.
None of us got paid for what we do.


First of all, I would like to say thank you to Kevin for not just starting this Forum but also for looking after the site for years even after he no longer owned NSX or even started living outside of UK.

Can't find the right word to thank him enough but I think everyone has the same view.


We really appreciate what you have started and kept doing for such long time.
Thank you.


To start with, I would like to pass on what Kevin mentioned when he decided to hand the 'key' of the Forum to three of us mentioned above.

In his word;
I would suggest rebranding it away from nsxcb.
It seems a bit silly now to call it the NSX Club Britain, when there is another club.
I would just call it UK NSX forums or something.
Keep the nsxcb.co.uk DNS pointing to it, and add a new DNS for the future.

I also hope it will continue to be non profit for those that run it.
I've been running it for 24 years, and I guess I could have sold it, if someone would buy it.
But I hand it over to you to carry on in the same way as it started.


Kevin didn't know the reason for creating the separated Club.
Nothing decided yet.
And that's the whole point of this thread.

However, as the courtesy to Kevin, we are keeping this as non-profit basis for now.
Personally, I would follow his wish of non-profit basis.

Also, I don't mind keeping the wording 'nsxcb' as is.

Until Kevin pointed out, completely forgotten that it standed for NSX Club Britain.
I just always refered this Forum as 'nsxcb' or 'the Forum'.

Many recognise it as nsxcb on the NSX Prime as well, just like referring NSX Prime as 'prime' so my personal view is to keep it as is.


I have been thinking about the future of this Forum quite some time and discussed about the potential options in another thread as well as with some of the users in the background.

Before we start, one question for you.

Should we discuss this within Platinum status members only or should involve everyone including non-Platinum ones?

From certain point of view, it makes sense for the Platinum members to decide the future.

They are the ones who made the contribution in keeping the Forum running until now.

Considering all sorts of different platforms for expressing one's view, Q&A, etc, there are other methods in reaching out to other fellow owners or posting photo/video/media in much quicker and easier way than the Forum.
Still, I believe the Forum has its own place among other platform.

However, when the money runs out, that's it. No more Forum.
So, can see the point of having priority of the opinion from the current and the previous Platinum members.


On the other hand, from different point of view, there are many long term users still on here and possibly no longer Platinum status or even never became as Platinum.

Although I was following this Forum for years, I only joined as a member in 2008.
So, I must say, I'm fairly new and don't feel comfortable in not getting the feedback from the long term users involved on the Forum.


There are few different channels that could be discussing this subject even if we start the discussion among the Platinum members only.

For example, there is a WhatsApp group that sorepaws started and it's quite active.

Same topic could be discussed outside of this Forum even if we limit the discussion among the Platinum members.

Thus, not much point in limiting the discussion to Platinum members despite what I wrote first.


There is also FB group that I started but very unlikely to discuss this on there as some of the members are not even visited this Forum.


So, before presenting some of the available options for the future platform, please provide your view on how we want to start the discussion.

If not enough reply or no decision can be made, please allow the current administrators to make the final say.

Thank you.
Kaz

[goldtop]

Thanks for summing up the current situation, Kaz. Thoughts (in no particular order):

• only a few hundred NSXs on the road in the UK
• some enthusiasts have two (or more?)
• some are with collectors with large car collections and no interest in spending time contributing to a forum
• some are happy with the more superficial chat on Facebook
• so there are just not enough people to support the forum to the level it was when I joined
• there's a huge amount of vital info in the database
• all written by enthusiasts for enthusiasts
• the running costs outlined by the admins are out of all proportion to the current level of activity

All of which, in combination, makes me think that it would be best to try to move the UK club. And the only place that I think is sensible would be a (new) section of NSX Prime. That's if the Prime owners/admin would allow and facilitate it.

Ideally, the many contributions in our blog/forum database are portable. Spending the Platinum funds to get a SQL expert to port the data might be feasible? (fingers crossed)

The NSXCB domain could be pointed at the relevant area of Prime, with an explainer home page left online. (A single page with redirect link would be very cheap to leave standing for as long as it was thought useful.)

[PeterW]

First of all, huge thanks to the people who've kept the forum running up to now - NSXGB, Senninha, forumadmin (Kevin) and Kaz-kzukNA1.
Secondly, thanks also to the technical leading lights who have shared their knowledge on here, Kaz of course, but there are others, you know who you are.
Through the efforts of these two groups of people, the forum has been a fantastic resource. Personally, I've saved far more money and hassle by using the information on here than the Platinum subscription has cost me. Platinum membership has been a great investment.

My preferences on what the future would look like,
- WhatsApp and FB are fine for social discussions - meets, events, sharing YouTube videos, etc, especially so for people who already know each other. TBH, I don't much enjoy scrolling through the chit chat.
- But I'd like to see a different platform for sharing functional information - the kind of info you might want to go back to, i.e. tech info, how much you paid for your insurance, cars which come up for sale.
- It would be great if the current NSXCB info could be archived and available in the future.
- Moving NSXCB across to Prime looks like it might be a solution.

Peter

[Papalazarou]

I concur with other members. It would be incredibly sad if the forum closed and all the information and club history was lost.
It’s a fantastic resource. I’d also like to join in and thank those who have run the club over the years.
If I understand correctly, we would need around £45.00 per month to run the forum? Do we have any idea how many reliable regular members there are?
I would be happy to contribute more. But I can never remember when I last contributed and I forget. If there was a way of sending an email reminder, that might help?
Regarding alternatives; I don’t like the Prime idea. I fear we would just get swallowed up. I’m also not sure I like Prime so much.
I am enjoying the WhatsApp group is nice right now, but again, not a longterm proposition for me. If we do continue with WhatsApp, it will reduce forum traffic further.
I’m for getting a list of potential contributors. Getting a figure per person and seeing how we can promote donations through the site.
Finally, I like NSXCB and think it should stay.

Cheers.

[mutley]

I concur with other members. It would be incredibly sad if the forum closed and all the information and club history was lost.
It’s a fantastic resource. I’d also like to join in and thank those who have run the club over the years.
If I understand correctly, we would need around £45.00 per month to run the forum? Do we have any idea how many reliable regular members there are?
I would be happy to contribute more. But I can never remember when I last contributed and I forget. If there was a way of sending an email reminder, that might help?
Regarding alternatives; I don’t like the Prime idea. I fear we would just get swallowed up. I’m also not sure I like Prime so much.
I am enjoying the WhatsApp group is nice right now, but again, not a longterm proposition for me. If we do continue with WhatsApp, it will reduce forum traffic further.
I’m for getting a list of potential contributors. Getting a figure per person and seeing how we can promote donations through the site.
Finally, I like NSXCB and think it should stay.

Cheers.

I concur with all of this . (saves me typing it all )

[NSXGB]

Hi Papa...you should receive a reminder email when your platinum membership runs out...of course, it may go into jour junk folder...

Just to throw a suggestion into the pot - we could employ some low-level advertising onto the Web page to generate some funds towards running the forum. I have no idea how much this would raise, but "every little helps"

[Papalazarou]

Hi Papa...you should receive a reminder email when your platinum membership runs out...of course, it may go into jour junk folder...

Just to throw a suggestion into the pot - we could employ some low-level advertising onto the Web page to generate some funds towards running the forum. I have no idea how much this would raise, but "every little helps"

Hi Simon,

I think that is a good idea. ��

[lotusolly]

Hi Papa...you should receive a reminder email when your platinum membership runs out...of course, it may go into jour junk folder...

Just to throw a suggestion into the pot - we could employ some low-level advertising onto the Web page to generate some funds towards running the forum. I have no idea how much this would raise, but "every little helps"

I agree with comments made so far regarding the future of the forum.
The Owners club do have sponsorship from service providers to help raise funds which I have no objection too. Is there a stipulation to be able to offer advertisement that a forum can not do like the reason the forum couldn't get the PLI?
There are a lot of people in the other club as well that are completely unaware of NSXCB. Maybe we need to consider how we can promote whichever format is selected to increase suitable traffic through the site?

[simonprelude]

Not seen many of you around for a while, I pop to a few shows etc but it’s only ever the other forum attending and as they have no free forum then no idea what goes on over there.

Would be a shame if nsxcb didn’t continue but web hosting etc seems ridiculous these days.

Maybe move to Facebook group or similar but it would be a shame to lose all the information, resources and memories that are within this forum.

[sorepaws]

The continuation of NSXCB offers all owners with an archive of information and ongoing support for owners that is either at no or low cost.

The original name NSX Club Britain is for me important. This is more than an information source, it is also a community of owners, while WhatsApp and Facebook provide a level of interaction that is both quick and personal, they are not a replacement for the Forum. If we merge with NSX Prime then there is a chance we lose a local identity.

At one point The Honda NSX Owners Club (THNOC) and NSXCB were linked, that link was removed in 2021 and created a divide. That is just a statement of fact.

If there are events that owners wish to attend that require PLi then their option is either to join THNOC or another club that is open to NSX owners as members. In many ways NSX ownership is too limited in number, so joining forces with other Honda clubs has a number of benefits, but that is off topic in regard to the Forum.

I think that by moving to a more upto date platform - cloud based, by managing costs we can still offer a "service" to owners. The aim (again in my opinion) is for NSXCB to be run by NSX Enthusiasts for NSX Enthusiasts - not just by a few individuals who decide what events etc are available.

Finally if you know NSX owners that are not aware of the Forum - let them know, it's not choosing between the THNOC or NSXCB it is for the support and continued ownership of the NSX. The more NSX's the better.