Remember when Mark Twain wrote something like " the reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated" ? Well, here we are at the supposed " dead website" and Dave has added right around 100 new members in slightly less than 3 weeks into the new year. Dont bother sending funeral wreaths folks, they arent going to be needed.
Too bad we dont have some of those great " adult beverage" icons like we had a Snitz--I d suggest raiising a glass to Dave and staff as well as the super members of this fantastic board!! " Laissez bon temps roller!!!!" as they say at Zydeco concerts.
NightOwlWell, the icons may be gone, but I honored them with a " salute" . Guess you ll have to take my word for it though. [8D]. Just in case, I ll go ahead and salute them again for a job well done![:D]
SkipPJust goes to show you, you can t kill a quality product. This is a testament to the quality staff at PUT and all the excellent people who post here.
OT:
NightOwl,
IMHO you should change your signature to " Official PUT Den Mother" . There s no denying it.[:D]
NightOwlIMHO I think we are getting better then ever. [8D][:)][:D][;)]
NightOwlI 2nd the motion that NightOwl be PUT Den Mother. [:)] and as Den Mother she should have 4 biscuits under her name.[:D]
NightOwlDead, you mean the site is dead? Wow for a dead site we are doing pretty good. [;)][:D]
gnsmith
QuoteORIGINAL: gnsmith
I 2nd the motion that NightOwl be PUT Den Mother. [:)] and as Den Mother she should have 4 biscuits under her name.[:D]
Oh Yeah!! I agree!! , but aren t those things supposed to be muffins?? You guys better ask Elisa if she wants biscuits or muffins with her " dancing sandwiches." ...LOL[:D]
Cheers everyone!!! and to Dave for all his hard work. This is truly the BEST forum for those of us that are crazy about our Pop Ups.
I certainly don t think " dying" is the word I d use to describle things here.[:)][:)]
NightOwlIf this is dead I sure hate to try to post when we re alive again [:D] Got my Hybird friends around, the Nick-Neff-Coughers and the rest of the gang here... what else do I need? Well besides a Club for Eastern Washington & Oregon.
NightOwlSALUTE!!!!!!!
Rae
NightOwlIf PUT is " dead, then someone needs to tell the 378 members counted on the members list.
Are we all ghosts? Figments of our imaginations? If we are ghosts, then we must be poltergeists(mischievious spirits)....Salute!
NightOwlHey I am no ghost !!!!!!!!!!! I am in pain, miserable and typing !!!! somebody send me a beer ! or better I will go to fireside and chat lil bit !!!
NightOwlOOOHHHH i love zydeco!!! cept my knew keyboard doesn t ahve that as a rhythm...sigh.
NightOwlIn addition to a genuine salute to the PopupTimes staff, I d like to give a different salute to those who are still out there trashing this site on other message boards. It seems that there is as much talk about PUtimes on the other sites as there is talk about camping....I think that there are many out there that are still in denial..... We still might see some of them someday when I hope they come around and acknowledge that this is really the only site for true pop-up campers.
OK, I edited it just a little[;)]
NightOwlOops. Caught by the moderator!
NightOwlThe Moderator is on the job. [:D] Tryed to snick it by . Didn t you Stopher LOL[;)]
NightOwlNot that I would ever leave our wonderful PUT s, but what other boards are out there?
campingeyedoc
QuoteORIGINAL: campingeyedoc
Not that I would ever leave our wonderful PUT s, but what other boards are out there?
The most common are:
[link=http://groups.google.com/groups?num=30&hl=en&lr=&group=alt.rv.pop-up-trailers&safe=off&start=30&group=alt.rv.pop-up-trailers]alt.rv.pop-up-trailers[/link]
[link=http://irv2.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic/a/cfrm]iRV2[/link]
[link=http://www.coastexplorer.com/popupexplorer/forum/default.asp]Pop Up Explorer[/link]
[link=http://www.popupportal.com/fhome.asp]PopUpPortal[/link]
[link=http://www.rv.net/forums/index.cfm/CFB/1.cfm]RV Net - Open Roads Forum[/link]
[link=http://groups.msn.com/PopUpTrailerCamping/_homepage.msnw?pgmarket=en-us]Pop Up Trailer Camping[/link]
NightOwlThat is very nice of our moderator, very professional, not only he listed them , he linked to their respective home pages ! Horraaayyyy for POPUPTIMES !!!!
NightOwlI subscribe to a few other camping boards, along with PUT, and unless I am missing something, everyone seems to have gotten back to the subject of camping. I for one am glad about that[:D] And yes, Thanks to our moderator, for the links to the other forums! There can never be enough campgrounds [;)]
NightOwlI belong to several as well, and I see no bashing at all.
birolThe entire gang here at Pop Up Times (PUT) understands that not everyone is going to be comfortable with a pay site. Additionally folks may frequent several sites. We want this to be your favorite site and will try to provide benefits that more than make up for the fee. For first time visitors to this site, here is a little history on how it all began:
Several years ago PUT started a web site to advertise the magazine. It was envisioned as that, an advertising web site. People need to understand that we are not talking about Time magazine here. The PUT staff is limited to say the least.
The Webmaster who put the PUT site together (for those who may remember him, Webmaster Wil) added a web based forum to allow pop up campers communicate with each other. The forums took off from the beginning, at times registering hundreds of posts a day. The boards went through several versions of software and several web hosting and server additions to keep up with the posting volume. It seemed the more bandwidth and servers PUT threw at the forum, the more the members ate it up.
As anyone who is involved in the Internet industry knows, bandwidth and servers cost money. It seemed that more and more PUT staff time and money was going to feed the web board.
In December of last year a hard decision was made, PUT could no longer support the free forums. Two choices were possible, either switch to a pay/membership site or discontinue the forums entirely. The switch to a pay site was announced and it was received with less than enthusiasm from the members (I m trying to be nice here).
As you should be aware there are additional benefits to Arvee membership in addition to the forums including a 10% discount at the PUT web store, discounts on new pop ups from manufacturers as well as discounts from some other companies selling to pop up owners. Recently several people have saved money on the " Special Paha Que Promotion for Arvee Club Members" , some have saved twice the Arvee membership fee.
I will be honest; I do not have a financial interest in the magazine or web board. I am one of several volunteer moderators who help out. As previously posted there are other free options available.
As PUT is a pay site, we could never expect someone to pay money for something they have never seen. We are happy to offer a free trial and if you click on the register button in the upper right corner you are directed to a page that offers this.
All of us at Pop Up Times want harmony with all other available Internet resources for pop up camping. We will not tolerate posts here that disparage any of the other resources out there.
Everyone needs to decide for him or herself where they are most comfortable. We hope that folks decide that is PUT.
Note:
I originally posted this with a quote from birol which left the appearance that I was not happy with his post. Please understand that this is not the case and I apologize if I left that impression in anyones mind.
NightOwlI just had to chime in: Like many others I also check out some of the other resources (boards) available on the net. And, I decided immediately that PUT was worth paying for. This is simply THE BEST!
moderator1We are #1 . I just had to say that.[8D][:D][;)]
NightOwl
[:D] c(_) bottoms up! i always come home to PUT!
NightOwlI signed up for the new website just days after it was offered. I was wondering would I feel the same after a couple of months. Would it be worth it? My answer is YES. I am also a member of other sites and find this one by far to be the most informative. Plus its nice to be associated with such a great group of people.
moderator1Cool Board Cool moderators !!!
Yesterday we were at a Jayco dealer and they had a 10 PU on sale (2001 model brand new). Didn t have the fridge and furnace though. If it did, I was going to just buy it and worry about paying it back to the bank later ... I am sure we would be able manage it in like 15 years or so :)
It was only 6,500 Canuck Bucks , 4333 USD bucks !. for a brand new one, it was a steal.
And there was the another one, with ALL options AND add a room, outside BBQ and stuff, 9,9995 bucks even had a front storage compartment (10 box), man oh man, I was drooooling.
I might do something crazy and buy one at the RV show, I don t know ....
Birol
moderator1Here s something interesting to note about the two boards people moved too vs Arvee.
On 1/12 at noon, the post counts were as follows:
RV site = 653 topics; 6978 posts
UE site = 488 topics; 3712 posts
Arvee = 343 topics; 3363 posts
On 1/26 at about noon,
RV site = 713 topics; 7708 posts
UE site = 708 topics; 5696 posts
Arvee = 656 topics; 5954 posts
The difference in 14 days is:
RV site = 60 topics; 730 posts
UE site = 220 topics; 1984 posts
Arvee = 313 topics; 2591 posts
Also, Arvee has only been operating since the 1st of January, while the others have been around a couple of months. There s no doubt about it. [&:] There s no competition. [: (] PopUPTimes is the standard! [;)]
moderator1This site just gets better all the time! [:D]
moderator1Personally, I am very happy to see PUT come through all of this in such fine shape.
The board is rebuilding at a very fast rate with new members coming aboard each day.
I, too, did a lot of lurking at the various alternative sites but always came back here. (Never really planned on leaving)
The main reason is the feeling of " home" here at PUT. It is the one site that seems to allow you to kick off your shoes and put your feet up on the coffee table even though you may be at someone elses house.
NightOwlYep, it s dyin alright. [:@] Just think what the numbers below would be if it was alive and well.
391 Registered users have made 6126 posts in 43 forums. There are currently 668 topics.
In 26 days!!!!
This place ROCKS!
moderator1Wow, life around our place is CRAAAZY these days! Suddenly I am up to my *ss in alligators in every facet of my life. ![:o][&:]
Almost no time to do my e-mail or check the board lately.
But I humbly and gratefully accept the offer of being " official" PUT Den Mother. Please feel free to bring all your scraped knees and splinters and sprained fingers to me, as well as any bruised feelings, and I will be happy to offer comfort[:D]
I ll change my sig to reflect my new status as soon as I have a few spare minutes, but it wont be tonight. Meantime, DENMOM SENDS LOVE TO ALL OF YOU!![:)]
moderator1Being a newbie to camping and popups. When I found PUT in the fall of last year not to long before the announcement of the pay site. So when the announcement came, even before I bought my Elmo,I jumped right in and I paid my membership quick. I found the site at the time to be informative and very, very, friendly. Well coming into January I was nervous, thinking here I paid all that money and it might die. I have NEVER paid for a website until PUT and havent joined another and probably never will. But what I found out is that PUT is a great site and the great campers in this CG cant be beat. I go to the other sites every day. But I found and still find that PUT is the best. I probably am as impartial as anyone can be because I was not part of PUT for long before it became a pay site. And I believe that because of PUT and its membership almost exclusively the camping experience I have shared with my kids will last in there memories for a lifetime. I just wanted to say thank you for allowing me to be a part of you.
NightOwlAs we do have many trial members on the board I wanted to bring this post back up to the top. We understand that a membership here costs money, and want everyone to make an informed choice as to what is best for him or her.
I have listed all of the pop up camping sites as well as a few general interest camping sites above.
Remember, we are here to promote pop up camping, the value this brings to your family and the friendships that can develop from it.
moderator1I did not even register until I read that you were going to a paid forum. I do not post much but it is worth the membership fee to read the posts.
moderator1Indeed, there are a lot of really good FREE camping, RV, and popup sites for those who feel they cannot or dont want to be a paid member of a site. I know from talking to Dave that he does not feel in competition with them and knows they fill an important need. I ve looked at some of the free ones in the past and would gladly have joined a couple if I had had time for more than one. But since my time is really limited, I prefer to spend it here with my feet up (as Genef puts it) and visiting in comfort with my camping buddies.
There is no warmer nor more caring group on the net and it is nice not to have to explain " where you are coming from" but to know that like a real family we can fight and make up, laugh and cry together, and exchange useful (and useless ) information [;)] This place has withstood the test of time and it is truly HOME for many of us![:)]
NightOwlI am very grateful that I get to stick around with all of you. What would 93 be like without you?! [:)]
moderator1We are fun aren t we :) I don t know what I would do if I weren t in this group ! This is how human beings are supposed to be, fun, loving, caring, fun, and mean business as well. But first of all, we all care for each other ?
WHAT YOU DON" T CARE FOR ME ? LIKE I CARE FOR YOU !!!!!!!!! [8D][8D][8D]
birol
QuoteORIGINAL: birol
We are fun aren t we :) I don t know what I would do if I weren t in this group ! This is how human beings are supposed to be, fun, loving, caring, fun, and mean business as well. But first of all, we all care for each other ?
Birol, once again, you got it exactly right! We DO " all care for each other."
And when the day comes that you finally get the popup of your dreams, OUR COLLECTIVE CHEERS will rock this planet on its axis so that people everywhere will think it is a giant earthquake![:D]
moderator1RVing is a great hobby and there are indeed some nice sites out there to peruse (thanks moderator); however, Pop Up Campers are a very unique niche in the RVing industry. Look at the list. There isn t a web product out there that compares/competes with Pop Up Times.
I subscribe to the magazine because it is solely dedicated to PUs and I paid for a subscription to the board to access the latest information in my unique community. (Not to mention the fact that anyone can recoup their investment by taking advantage of the great store sales!)
Oh, also, nice folks to talk to here!
moderator1I knew that if I waited long enough, all of you would say all the things I would like to say about why we are here, and willing to pay for being here. Yup!! I was right! You all said it just fine, thank you!!!
T
[;)]
wiininkweSheeees, freeloader, waited for us to do the hard work, sheeeeesssss [:D][:D][:D]
birol THE FIVE HUNDREDTH MEMBER HAS NOW ARRIVED [:)]
birolFriends, TAKE HEART!
Bearbate is concerned about the small number of actual members of the board and the slowness with which it moves.
A little checking reveals
we have now got slightly over
ten thousand, eight hundred and thirty seven posts
these were all done within the seven weeks (forty nine days) this new board has existed.
This averages out to two hundred twenty one posts per day.
The General forum (dedicated to camping topics has 328 posts, Mr Fixit has 82, and Campfire has 312. This is not a bad ratio for the dead-of-winter.
These figures would seem to indicate that the PUT board is not exactly in danger of perishing from insufficient traffic as BB fears.
I agree with Toni s remarks on the other thread--the board has actually benefited from having smaller numbers of members. In fact, it has GREATLY benefited. We now have the time to get to know each other better and to read all the threads before they zip back 5 pages before the end of the day. THAT WAS RIDICULOUS! and it did NOT necessarily mean the board was a better place for camping info or anything else.
and we need to keep in mind that the numbers of posts are scattered about through 40 forums now. Plus, the old board did not just suddenly acquire a whole archive of campground reviews and product critiques and other useful camping info. This plethora of useful posts all took time to build up.
birolNightowl, thanks for the informative update. I had no idea that this site AVERAGES over 200 posts a day. Wow.