Facebook

[Nugget]

Dear Admin Team 

What about sharing the VARADERO AND CROSSTOURER INTERNATIONAL Facebook Link on this Forum ?
https://www.facebook.com/groups/varaderocrosstourer/768513499866436/?notif_t=like

And there was the request of Nickname = Civil Name (for those who want to participate in it).

Nugget

[SB]

We are testing some additions to the Forum software that will allow closer integration with FB.

Once we know how well this works we will let everyone know.

SB

[Two Plugs]

Hello Barbara, @ All
Please be patient. As mentioned by Stewart above, the admin team is working with some other members to see if Social Media (in general) can be implemented here at VCI-forum, more specific Tapatalk, later possible Facebook and/or Twitter. The new Software of this forum allows it, we only have to find a good modus.

Also... we don't want Social Media to become a substitute for this forum (read: postings and activities are done every where, except here at VCI forum). The mods we are now trying to work out, would - for example - make it possible to share your posting HERE at VCI Forum on Social Media, certainly not the other way around.

The FB page https://www.facebook.com/groups/varaderocrosstourer is a private initiative.

But please share ALL your thoughts as members about this subject under this posting. Its you guys 'n girls who make this community work, not only the Admin Team!

[zebulon]

I note (with regrets ) that a part of the information and photos are no more viewable here ...    need to have an FB account to access, and I have not ( yet?...)
Fortunately some are free access for public; but instead of a FB link, would it not be better to have directly ( and in first ) here? Just à suggestion . 

[Bønne]

we don't want Social Media to become a substitute for this forum

Hopefully not! Social Medias like FB and others are fine for some things, but not for a forum like this, I think. E.g. FB, which I use myself, is fine for a personal profile, quick opdates, chatting and to have a collection of pictures.
But for a forum like this, a bank of knowledge, I´m afraid FB will be to confusing and a lot of knowledge will be drowning or get lost, as FB doesn´t have the same possibilities for organizing things like here on the forum.
So, for me, it´s important that all that knowledge, experience, travel reports and things like that, is still published and kept here on the forum where it still can be found easily.

[jackyork]

we don't want Social Media to become a substitute for this forum

Hopefully not! Social Medias like FB and others are fine for some things, but not for a forum like this, I think. E.g. FB, which I use myself, is fine for a personal profile, quick opdates, chatting and to have a collection of pictures.
But for a forum like this, a bank of knowledge, I´m afraid FB will be to confusing and a lot of knowledge will be drowning or get lost, as FB doesn´t have the same possibilities for organizing things like here on the forum.
So, for me, it´s important that all that knowledge, experience, travel reports and things like that, is still published and kept here on the forum where it still can be found easily.

Totally agree with this. FB is what it is: I spend more time on this site than on FB.

JK

[Two Plugs]

@ All

I don't see FB (or sort a like) as a threat to our community, but as a 'tool' or extention to make this community wider accesible.

ADVrider.com forum is a very good example how this could be worked out. On this forum, you can share your posting or topic made ON the forum VIA social media with the rest of the planet.

 

That is how it should be!  But... Many people are using Social Media these days and that is something we can't ignore.

But we, as Admin Team, can reinsure you all - repeating myself - that Social Media will not and can not be or become an substiture for our community.
But they can become an extra service to share your postings HERE at VCI with non- biker friends or family. 

[Madero]

we don't want Social Media to become a substitute for this forum

Hopefully not! Social Medias like FB and others are fine for some things, but not for a forum like this, I think. E.g. FB, which I use myself, is fine for a personal profile, quick opdates, chatting and to have a collection of pictures.
But for a forum like this, a bank of knowledge, I´m afraid FB will be to confusing and a lot of knowledge will be drowning or get lost, as FB doesn´t have the same possibilities for organizing things like here on the forum.
So, for me, it´s important that all that knowledge, experience, travel reports and things like that, is still published and kept here on the forum where it still can be found easily.

Fully agree too!
I am a FB user myself for the same personal reasons etc. A VaraderoFB will easily be messed up with all sorts of personal replies, likes, commercials etc. that have nothing to do with our shared Varadero/Crosstourer passion.

Like Zebulon says, it would be nice if we could post pictures in this forum with the same ease as you post them on facebook (no url required).

I don't like the idea that I have to check all kinds of social media every day to be updated about Varadero-issues.  For this reason this forum will always have my main priority.

As an addition FB can be nice for members that know each other personally and want to share more (private) information. Showing your real/FB-name in your forumprofile will make it easier to invite you as a "friend" on FB.

[JosepM]

I only hope that relevant things you may provide to FB can also be seen here (I've got a similar negative experience elsewhere).

I have no FB account or cell phone, nor I want any. FB, whatsapp and all this stuff seem nice, but time and attention consuming (or so I believe from what I see with my son and daughter).

Greetings,

Josep

[Snurrepus]

I don't see any difficulties with sharing on the social medias.
But I also agree that it has to be a one-way sharing, from the forum to the social medias.

[Nugget]

I guess FB does not have so much space to allow for all the info on this forum ;-)
FB, I guess is for photos, jokes, a quick question to anybody online at that moment, travel info, access of forum from mobile phone might be a little tricky, so FB app is easier access for short and quick 'greetings from ...'

So i guess it will never replace but might add up ??

Nugget

[Jasper]

Like some others above, I can't really see the benefit for FB here.

Thanks to the ADMINS this is one of the better Forums on any subject (Structure, Content ....Members)
Privately funded (thanks again) and no ads to cause distractions  ...Wow!
We already have plenty of "social gossip" within many threads (....I know I'm guilty of OT)

I don't know what is involved to set up a "Members Photo Section" where we can easily upload (read dump) decent photos (at least for IT challenged folks like me)  ...I can't even get these online photo servers to work for me!

Just because we have the technology doesn't mean it has to used ...we've got PM's and email

If its not broken....

[Two Plugs]

Barbara... If there was a 'LIKE' button, you would just have received one... 

My professional field of work lies in Heritage and Culture. Say: the old stuff, about preserving things. But also: making them accessible by using all modern and today's possibilities for a wider public. I can see a clear parallel with my work here... Please allow me to explain. 

I sense a lot of 'cold water fear' (that's a Dutch expression for being a little restrained / reserved for new developments, or things some one might not use or understand) for social media in the postings above.

If it was on to keeping new developments or 'evolutions' away because of a certain 'fear' what could go wrong with it, we would at this moment, never have owned a Varadero or a Crosstourer.

We would still ride something ancient like a Harley Davidson, we would never had this wonderful forum but still struggling with an E-mail mailinglist (that's how this community was started back in 1998!).

The discussion after we changed from an E-mailinglist- environment to a Forum- environment back in 2003, was very, very much similar to the discussion above...

"I can't see the benefits of a forum besides the mailing list, a forum can't and might never replace the mailing list, etc etc...  "

Members asked to keep both online separately but after a few months, all activity from the E-mailinglist was gradually moved to the forum and the mailinglist - kept alive artificially - died a silent death... 

Was that bad? Nope. I think that from the 'old' members who are still active here, most have totaly forgotten about how it started in first place... and that's a compliment for the way we have now equipped this forum.


It is quit amusing to see how history is repeated here again... 

In a few years time from now, interaction with social media (for so far it hasn't been generally accepted by the public right now, right here!) will be just as normal and widely accepted by this community and in - lets say about 10 years from now - we will have a new development to keep this Forum and Community alive and interactive, the same discussion will pop up again... 

The parallel with my work? Well... Heritage people are in general, very, very restrained and reserved. You simply don't harm old buildings listed as monuments and archeology is on its best as it is kept 'underground'. In my work, during a time span of 6 years, I managed to get these rather orthodox way how to deal with heritage, turned 180 degrees to a more progressive and un-orthodox way of dealing with all kinds of issues, ranging from preserving the old, extending monuments by adding state-of-the-art today's building technologies and story telling by using the means of today's information technologies.

The developments where watched with great suspicion by heritage 'experts' from even as high as our National Trust, governments and heritage professionals... But at the end... Our efforts have been rewarded with the National Heritage Award!

Short cut:
Embrace the possibilities which are available. This community already IS a legacy. Don't let it become history. 

It is in my modest opinion better, to anticipate on new developments right on time - so we can keep things within the boundaries we all seek - than let them slip away and loose contact with reality.

[Herghott]

Come ooon guys,

it's like Barbara and Bernard says - FB can be kind of extension of our forum. Definitely NOT a substitute.

To be honest, since I'm on Facebook, I do really know some forum members much more than others, which are not registered on FB. Even for example Veijo Saarela, who I've never met in person I am also informed where Snurrepus had a beer or what is Nugget doing in her work

IMHO, the main advantage of linkage forum with FB is the flexibility of informing where you are on the bike and what are you doing there (max. 2 minutes via cell phone). It is kind of instant short message instead of writing report later.

Other advantage of FB is pictures gallery, which you must set visible for all, and then can be viewed also by people not registered at FB.

So, yes, I vote for linking the FB with forum!

Herghott

[Sdapeze]

I started the Facebook group soon after VIM15. I use Facebook a lot for fun and for information sharing. It certainly should not be a threat to the forum. I don't write on the forum very often because I am not a technophile. I simply like to ride my Varadero and, when necessary, take it to a mechanic for the servicing work. I think that as Mr Honda made the bike then Mr Honda knows what he is doing. I am not interested in adding noisy exhausts or special paint colours. All I want to do is ride and enjoy and meet up with you crazy people every year. A big extra factor for me in recent years has been meeting the French guys for their annual meeting. The entente cordiale is growing and I was delighted to hear Mr Varabien this year speak a little English. A first! He was always, 'Non, I am French. Why should I learn stupid English?'. He is mellowing and Europe is becoming a bigger place for us all to meet and have fun and to explore each others countries. Please use the Facebook page for trivia, silly pictures, personal fun items - and keep the serious stuff for the forum.