Engine Forum's.

I discovered this NG in 2002 and note that I have clocked up nearly 4000 posts. Shame activity is dropping off but it seems, as Mike H has recently found, that many IPs seem to be sidelining usenet and people don't want to be bothered with signing up to a dedicated news server.

I simply don't seem to have got on with web based forums - I have been a member of the IF forum for almost as long but have yet to break the dozen posts! The only other one I am aware of is the 'Fozzer's' forum - a) I don't know if I am a Fozzer or not - is it some sort of slang term for an engine enthusiast? and b) the discussion is spread over such a baffling array of sub-forums that I simply don't have the time or inclination to sift through them all - anyway, I don't expect to have to move to another room if the topic of conversation changes while I'm nattering with someone at a club meeting so why in a 'virtual' meeting!

Perhaps there are others?

It seems inevitable that the drift from usenet to web based sevices will continue and I will eventually have to tow the line, but I shall miss the speed, simplicity (just one click away when I check my email at work first thing every morning and a few seconds to sync PDA last thing at night) and logical threading of conversations of usenet.

NHH

'Fozzer' is the username of the founder of the Stationary Engine Forum, real name is Steve. When he stepped down from running the forum, we retained the name as a nod to his involvement and work in getting it off the ground. It's official title is the "UK Stationary Engine Forum".

Most people just look at the specific subjects they are interested in, which is why nearly all forums are organised that way, look at Smokstak as the largest example. Most run Jelsoft Vbulletin software, although there are others.

Yes, there are a few, Smokstak is the largest, Ryan's Stationary Engine Forum is another that was recently mentioned on here, and there are a few smaller ones.

Peter

-- Peter A Forbes Prepair Ltd, Rushden, UK snipped-for-privacy@prepair.co.uk

Peter A Forbes wrote (snip):

Thanks for clarifying, so do you run it now Peter?

In common I think with several others on this NG, I'm interested in practically everything!

NHH

I provide the hosting service, and with four others run the Admin side of the Forum.

As most of us are, but trying to find a single subject in the thousands posted would be an issue for most, which is why it is laid out as it is.

Peter

-- Peter A Forbes Prepair Ltd, Rushden, UK snipped-for-privacy@prepair.co.uk

Nick,

This forum seems to be more for us Foggies and I like that because we can talk about anyth>

First Fozzers and now Foggies! I shall assume you are not referring to devotees of hot fog (heaven forfend!) so perhaps something to do with Foggy Dewhurst? Seriously though I guess this NG does tend to attract an older membership, though that may be because it's only reactionary old gits like us who persist in their adherence to usenet - mind you, I would have thought that almost by definition SE enthusiasts should be interested in obsolescent technology ;-)

In the words of many of my school reports, I "must try harder" on the IF forum which as you say is divided into just a few sensible areas. probably just a matter of getting used to a new format, but you may have noticed that my recent attempt to discuss an item for sale at Enstone ended up all disjointed as all the posts in a thread are displayed sequentially rather than branched.

NHH

Charles Do put your spoon away. It seems to me you only post on this NG to stir or moan.

ttfn Roland

"Reactionary Old Gits" - would they be "Rogers"?

As a recent enforced convert from meddling with old cars to attempting to restore a couple of Stationary engines (can anyone ever be satisfied with one?) I have found both this group and Fozzers forum to be both enlightening and helpful. "There is a place for everything - if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

I like that!

As a relative newcomer, how did you come across this group and how easy did you find it to get in to?

NHH

Just logged into my usenet server (my ISP is Plusnet, so the news server comes as part of the package) and did a search on "stationary engines". I just read postings and replied where I thought I could add anything of interest! Anything is easy if you are prepared to put in the effort! Pete