TalkFreelance Just Isn't The Same

Another forum dissident? No, no, please at least hear me out. Let me first preface this by saying that I know I haven't been around on TFL much, although I have been popping my head in to see what's been happening.

I think it's self-evident that TFL just isn't what it used to be. I haven't been a member for as long as many people around here, but I can perceive that something is lacking. I do not wish to degrade this thread into a thread where everyone who dislikes something about TFL comes out of the wood-work. If you are going to respond then let's take positives from the minefield of negatives and begin to turn TFL around for the better. That is the way forward.

It appears as though TFL took a significant plummet when Robson sold up and moved on - in came Big Zee. I can't say I know Big Zee all that well, but he was kind enough - as well as the various other moderators, to allow me to join the team of moderators and oversee the marketplace. The marketplace on TFL is definitely by far the most active area, and although this is a positive, I personally would like to see articles and other various implementations to attract a wider audience and take TFL up a step. After all, many, I'm sure, would love to come here to further educate themselves, whereas the only place that I see being active apart from the marketplace, is the general discussion. In all fairness I do not think TFL will ever fade away, I firmly believe that it will always have activity - but activity as we have at the moment is not taking the forum anywhere. It appears to remain on its insipid level-plain and refuses to budge.

The aforementioned suggestion of introducing articles to TFL is of course a dilemma in itself. It will come as no surprise that articles are time consuming and it's therefore sensible to offer some incentives to create articles - whether this is a monetary reward or an introduction of a points system on TFL that allows contributors to, let's say, highlight their threads or make them sticky for a handful of points, would encourage members to write.

TFL not long ago got its new design, and although I myself do not like the design to which many would agree, but also many would disagree - which is to be expected, I personally feel that argument is immaterial to the continuing existence of TFL - as well as its hopefully impending amelioration. To be brutally honest, TFL didn't need a new design. A new design was a nice addition but it's certainly not improved anything from the evidence I have been observing as of late.

I've noticed an all-too-common occurrence where the forum software shows 70+ members currently browsing, yet so little new posts. It would seem sensible to deduce that there's very little to respond to in terms of the adding of engaging and informative posts to an already educational thread. Don't get me wrong, I'd really like to see TFL revived, but it's clear that some worthwhile changes are going to have to come about. Although I don't agree with all the covering up of people popping their heads above the water-line insisting that TFL just isn't the same, it needs to be said, and the TFL elite need to begin paying attention to those branded enemies of the forum. The truth is that you can learn a lot from your so-called dissidents.

There is also a lack of competitions on TFL. Last year we had a good selection of Christmas competitions that many individuals participated in - I do hope we have the same this year, however, I digress. I realise there's a reason but the Christmas competition was still on the left of the old TFL skin for many months after - up to 8 months after last Christmas. We've had a handful of competitions since then, but from what I remember, all those have been moderately exciting member-based contests. This is something TFL used to do so well - so why has it ceased? It really brought the community together.

Furthermore, there is also the issue of all this bickering going on recently. Albeit I say recently, probably for the past 6 months. As a moderator I see a lot of banned members in and around the sin-bin forums. These were once good members who seem to have broken the TFL etiquette and have rightfully been banned. Coincidentally, does it not seem strange that although a lot of the ex-members in there are banned, they are valuable assets to various other forums - such as DP and NP? It appears as though TFL indirectly encourages people to step out of line and snap at one another. I'm a member of various other forums and it rarely goes on, and even when it does, it seems the members are mature enough to make a mends without any intervention. Don't worry, I'm not suggesting any kind of forum cleansing!

I might be putting my neck on the line here, but I hypothesise that part of the problem stems from Big Zee's aloofness. He doesn't appear to have the enthusiasm to drive TFL forward. When a country finds itself in a similar situation, the vox populi is heard from a million miles away ardently demanding an overthrow of the existing Government. I'm sure Big Zee doesn't want to jump ship though, but there's been many instances where initiatives have been delayed because of a lack of authorisation from Big Zee. Jeff Anderson is often around to implement and I think TFL should be more of a democracy than an autocracy, where the majority of the votes mean the idea can materialise.

I'll stop there for now as I would love to hear peoples' responses instead of me incessantly rabbiting on. If you do choose to remove this thread then by all means, please do, and I will not voice my opinions ever again. For those who are thinking of responding, please bring any opinions you have to the table in a constructive manor. It's about time that we stopped having a go at one another and worked out a clear plan to make this community-driven forum so many love to call TFL - great again!