Does New Horizon Orchids really need a Forum?

[MrCym]

It's getting to that time again when I must decide to renew the annual Forum contract or not. It seems to me that we are getting precious little input from other Cym and Odont Alliance enthusiasts.... Of course plenty of readers and among those readers will be "all the usual suspects"! I believe we offer a vast amount of information here and so maybe as New Horizon retreats from some areas of the commercial orchid market, it may be time to wind the Forum down??? I might once again ask Tony to open up posting and see if we can control the riff-raff by banning individuals but as always, I will be guided by Tony's thoughts. Basically it's up to YOU, Forum Members. Are you willing to post more regularly or have you better things to do with your time?

[jjurlina]

I am a recent addition to the forum mainly with an interest in acquiring odonts which are difficult to get, this seems to be a problem in many locations.
Andy, you have developed such a network of contacts and agents that I would surmise that the forum really does not directly benefit your business, a pity if the forum does disappear but as you say there is a cost to continue and that has to be met.

[Murph]

For me, I feel it is quite a privilege to be here. To see the newest Cymbidium hybrids coming through. And Sabre’s quizzes. But totally understand you feeling somewhat disillusioned about volume of responses.

One more year?

[Gary S]

Obviously Andy you need to look at the costs, your time involved and benefits received. Now, I do not know how many registered forum members you have that can post and contribute, but it seems to me that the percentage that do is only small. Maybe things here are going the way of most orchid societies these days - dwindling numbers and not many new members. All the work is left to the same few people year in year out. As one gets older, the time and ability to contribute wears off.

I am with Murph - maybe give it one more year - totally your decision Andy.

[richardb]

Andy. You have asked this recurring question for the last couple of years and each time seem to have justified continuance through benefits to your business. Alongside the forum I believe you have built up a considerable facebook following which I guess is much more of a modern day media approach. As you say, there is a small band of us who tune-in to the forum, if not daily, but I have noticed that generation of reactive discussion to even your own initiated threads is very sparce let alone the almost absence fresh threads from other forum members. "Viewed" statistics against topics indicate that browsing does happen but without reaction. One really has to ask what "browsers" gain from not adding their thoughts on a topic.
I am sure you know the small circle of close forum participants and as such I am sure your own enthusiasm would react to any personal messages/issues if they contacted you directly - I know I have always been privileged to get such a brilliant service.
On a personal basis I have noticed that the highest percentage of threads in recent months have covered Cymbidiums, which is fine because of your vast breeding experience. We are lucky that we get your occasional burst of Odontoglossum images but just consider the proportion of "views" against the almost non-existent reactions, and also the content of those reactions. Sadly, I believe this evidenses the fall from grace of the fine Odontoglossum genus thanks I am sure in the large part to the taxidiots. Certainly fresh plants are very rarely available here in the UK apart from collection break-ups.
Running a forum takes considerable resources of both time and funds, so I suppose what YOU need to consider is what these resources mean to you against the benefits to you and/or your audience or whether, in fact, all your experience is merely providing some sort of on-going "service" to a wide community. Running a forum requires a master with authoritative knowledge and experience of the subject and we are lucky to have been collectively at the receiving end of your stewardship.
Disappearance of the forum would be a missing slot from my personal daily routine but times move on, fashions change, so perhaps we should be ready to accept inevitable demise - always thankful for the past and respectful of decisions affecting the future.

[pauleyboy]

Hi Andy, you need to do what's best for you but I will surely miss this forum. Not because I'm a regular contributor or an authority on Odontoglossums or that I have a great collection it's just that I feel we are a very small close-knit community. I don't think any of my orchid friends grow Odonts here in the UK so I always, if infrequently, enjoy your and other member's input. I love it when you 'bitch' about someone or something. Telling the truth publicly is wonderful.

[jjurlina]

Not sure if there is a privacy issue involved but is there a way to establish the location of forum members, i.e. UK based etc.?

[richardb]

Yes it is part of member's profile. Just look at the right side of posts and some (like me) have included the information.
In fact I have sometimes found it difficult to put contributions into context because I have no idea to which part of the globe their growing conditions refer.

[jjurlina]

Appreciate the tip.

[Gary S]

Most members do not show that detail though.