It's pretty obvious that the majority of people who were on this board even a month ago have stopped reading it entirely. Even Ian's mini-post previewing a 2008 event has barely been replied to compared to his usual posts, and mine average 3-4 replies - the normal for World Class, not PV stories. Therefore I'm posting this survey. Of course, like a tree falling in a deserted forest, if nobody's around to read it, I guess it doesn't really exist.

Here's the survey - it has multiple choice and essay questions, but feel free to elaborate on either.

1. I would like:

a) To continue participating in the PVB.
b) For the PVB to admit it died long ago and finally close.
c) To see something worth coming back for.
d) Other (please specify)


2. I left, will leave, or may leave the PVB if:

a) The world comes to an end.
b) I already have left, I'm just stopping in to tell you why this survey is beating a dead horse.
c) It's confirmed that Ian isn't coming back.
d) It's agreed among the remaining members that it's time for it to go.
e) There is a newer/better/busier place to post (please specify if you have left for one)
f) CSFB! keeps posting not-safe-for-work material.
g) Other (please specify)


3. I don't like this board because:

a) Low participation.
b) Recent changes that make it too ugly or too difficult to use.
c) Outdated technology trumped at another board (specify: "I need xxxx feature to survive")
d) Small group makes my posts too obvious and I don't want to lose my job over it.
e) Other (please specify)


4. I don't visit the board anymore because:

a) It's blocked at work and I don't have time at home.
b) I take my work seriously and don't want to get fired for visiting an illegal site.
c) My work records every site/email and it's not worth being fired over.
d) Not safe for work content on the board - I don't want to get fired.
e) Not safe for work content on the board - I have kids and don't want them to see it.
f) It's too time consuming. If only it would make reading easier by _____________ (specify)
g) I don't like anything posted here anymore.
h) It's been made outdated by Facebook/Myspace (that's where you post my stories now?)
i) Some technological problem (please specify)
h) Other (please specify)


5. I don't reply to stories because:

a) I don't see anything I like.
b) I have no clue what's going on and don't care anymore.
c) The Parodyverse is childish and I've grown up.
d) I've become a professional author and I can't have my name on amateur stuff, even as a reply.
e) I only read Ian's stuff, and if he's not posting I might not come back.
f) The board has made it too difficult to reply.
g) Other (please specify)


6. I don't post new stories because:

a) I don't care to participate in such a small venue.
b) Lack of replies.
c) I've become a professional author and I can't write amateur stuff anymore.
d) The board has made it too difficult to post new stories.
e) I have a family now and the content isn't suitable for my kids.
f) I post my stuff to Myspace/Facebook (or other place) for a better audience.
g) I have my own weblog and only post there.
h) Other (please specify)



Note that these responses won't necessarily result in the resurgence or shutdown of the PVB. They may, however, mold the future of the board. One advantage to having our own custom software is it can be changed to keep up with trends - to a point.

If everyone's left the board and gone in different directions, there's not much that can be done. But there are features like dual-linked posts and trackbacks that allow the board to remain a community center without compromising your preference for other sites.

I got the 2nd part of Chrismahannaqwanza planned out in my head. I just need to get it down on screen & then I'll have something to post.

But I'm starting to think it's



I don't even want to think about this question. But option A (The end of the World) would certainly keep me from coming on by.


I don't have an answer because I do not dislike this board.


I don't know what's going on for the most part but that's never keep me from replying.


Lack of replies have never stopped my posting, it just makes them less frequent.

I do have a weblog but that hasn't stopped my posting here.

Here's my thoughts.

> 1. I would like: > a) To continue participating in the PVB.

I refuse to give up on this place.

> 2. I left, will leave, or may leave the PVB if: > a) The world comes to an end.

See above.

> 3. I don't like this board because: > a) Low participation.

I still like the board, but I don't like the lack of involvement that a lot of people have with it anymore.

> 4. I don't visit the board anymore because:

Not applicable to me.

> 5. I don't reply to stories because:

Again, not applicable to me.

> 6. I don't post new stories because: > h) Other (please specify)

I'm trying, but my energy for writing Parodyverse stuff seems to be sapped lately, even though I have lots of ideas.

a and c. The only reason I am not posting at the moment is that I am at home and my connection is expensive.

My posting at work is limited by, well, work.



d is the only relavent option here.


Not applicable. I like the place.



h - I have to be careful at work, and my connection at home is not all that quick.


g - I often don't time to read postings, let alone reply.



h - If I don't have time to reply to everything on the board then I don't have time to write.

Is that an "everything's just fine so stop whining" angry response or a "the board's dead, get over it!" angry response?

I hope it's not that, but I tend to be oblivious to these things. Or in denial, I'm not sure.



Ok.



Good.



Excellent.



Thanks for trying.



Would in increase your interest in the PVB if we had trackbacks?

Me too.



Same.



Yes, that part saddens me. I wish I knew how to fix it (which is why I posted the survey).



Noted.



Noted.



Is it the low participation that saps that energy? Or work?

I'd like to make (c) happen, but I only have so much power to do so.



Noted.



I hope it doesn't come to that.



Noted.



Is there a way the threads loaded can be improved to make that worthwhile?



Noted. Though I have to ask - is this a time management issue or just one of priorities? For instance are there other sites you visit frequently because you consider it more worthwhile or more acceptable for co-workers to happen to see it?



Noted.

Whether I'm motivated to write or not, I'm happy to continue interacting with people here.



I don't really have an answer to this one. I don't think I'd *never* leave, but then evidence so far doesn't really back me up on this one. I've posted married, I've posted single, I've posted unemployed, and I've posted overburdened with work. As long as the place seems welcoming and there are new posts, I'll likely be checking them out and responding to them.


I like the board. I'm not sold on the buttons for replying and such yet, I suppose, if I must complain about something. And I'm always sad to see people go.




Not applicable.



Not applicable.



New stories take a great deal of effort for me to write. When the board dips into periods of apathy, I can't sustain the enthusiasm necessary to finish one. When the board is jumping, I feed off the rest of the creative energy and add to it.

So I'm a bit of a leech.

I know the survey is a downer, but every time I post one of those "what would encourage you to participate more" posts? Ironically, nobody replies. So now I've changed to trying to figure out why people are leaving, thinking of leaving, or why they left. At least maybe they'll stop by long enough to educate us.



Me too.



As I said before, I tend to be either oblivious or in denial. I'll keep posting until I realize I'm the only one left.



The buttons were supposed to solve the problem of the links being gigantic on certain browsers when they're text, spilling into other columns. The buttons are a uniform size. I'm just not very good at making buttons (these are ripped off from Safari and edited slightly).



Are you hinting that I should write better and more inspiring stories?

C. My enjoyment for the board comes from the community aspect of it. I'm not seeing that anymore because there's little communication (replies) to people's posts and even fewer stories that serve as the frameowrk for the site.



G. if the response to my post was only answered by the few diehards who struggle to keep this place spinning. And it was.



A. As I said above



B. If Adam's a leech I guess I'm a diva. Writing stories is work for me, and if the reply rate is low and people aren't making the effort to tell their own tales (again, outside those few diehards) then I'm not going to go through the chore of trying to put something together either.

... Jason and Rhiannon, among others, have posted some fun stories to which you might want to reply.

Bloody viruses - had to rebuild my system, now have to download the AV updates. Again.


I don't think so. The only thing that can be done is to load the images last (which I think you already do).


It's time management in that I can only do this sort of thing in the gaps between jobs.

http://www.firebox.com/product/1861?src_t=cat&src_id=gadgets

...to have some free time.

...I suffer amnesia or a meteor hits.

...they whine too much about their own doom.

...I'm busy as hell.

Honestly, probably (b). I've lost track to the point where it doesn't matter.

A bit of (g)-- I write a (supposedly) daily column at Comics Should Be Good, and I don't know if anyone here reads it-- and (h) I've been working on other fictions and bits and pieces for class and such, and am pursuing writing actual comics, and don't have much time to devote to PV writing because I also try to have some semblance of a life, though it's laughable at best.

The board's still my homepage and I check in all the time. I just don't speak up much-- sometimes because I feel no one would listen anyway, and other times because I can't be arsed.

> 1. I would like: > d) Other (please specify)

I wish I could participate but I may be too far gone. I'm slipping in the black hole that got Falcon, RR and so many.

> 2. I left, will leave, or may leave the PVB if: > > a) The world comes to an end.

I still check this place. I'm sorry I'm silent.

> 3. I don't like this board because: > > e) Other (please specify)

I DO like this place. Life is busy. It will remain so. I'm finally doing well in my job. A job that bans the PV for being a "porn site". This is a government job and I wont put it on the line by defending a personal non-work site so I can see it for the 20 minutes of web time I'm allowed by company policy.
At home it's family time. The little time I do have is very small. Not enough to read anything. I'm so behind I couldn't catch up without spending more time in front of the screen and little time with my kids.

> 4. I don't visit the board anymore because: > > a) It's blocked at work and I don't have time at home. > b) I take my work seriously and don't want to get fired for visiting an illegal site. > c) My work records every site/email and it's not worth being fired over. > d) Not safe for work content on the board - I don't want to get fired.

All those above. The reasons I just mentioned.

> > > 5. I don't reply to stories because:

If I haven’t read, I can't reply.

> 6. I don't post new stories because:

See above.



> d) I've become a professional author and I can't have my name on amateur stuff, even as a reply.

> > c) I've become a professional author and I can't write amateur stuff anymore.

Please don't think this of me guys. I'm still in the trenches. I haven’t had any word on my first book and I have reason to believe the second has a long way to go with its edits. I'm not a pro. I'm still a wanna be.

If for some strange event I do get published, I would still look in, post once in awhile and always credit you guys. But that's assuming a miracle happens and someone gives me a break. Come on. It's me we're talking about. That will never happen.


I love this place.

I'm only gone for the reasons above. I'm sorry. I'm not really gone and I'm ashamed because I owe you all so many stories. Stories that I just can't tell anymore.

I tried explaining this months ago but no one bothered to respond. That helped.

Anyway. I'm here, even if it's just as a ghost.

Noted.



Take a look at my last few posts.



Noted.



I have that problem too, except rather than just say "if they don't think I'm good enough I'll go elsewhere"...I don't have an elsewhere, so I just become saddened by it.

I'm trying to bring this out into the open specifically because saying "Everything's fine, stop whining" until everyone really is gone, then it'll be too late.



This I think is the most interesting part. One of the purposes of this survey is to try and figure out, first, which people have no plans to come back no matter what happens (and I can't do much about that.

But second, I also want to find all the people who have weblogs and believe if we want to read your stories we'd visit your blog and read them there instead of being dependent on the PVB. Because that is something that it may be possible to solve technologically without any effort on your part (unless it's a syndicated column, then we'd have copyright to deal with).

What black hole is that?




I added that option not just for you, there are a couple others who drop in to promote things they've done but otherwise don't read or post. Of course being fair, that can happen for a variety of reasons: Time demands of being a professional author; Reputability - because some publishers simply won't trust someone who's on a tiny message board; and legal/promotional issues, where the publisher or agent tells you to keep off the 'net to avoid unnecessary or unflattering exposure.

As for work, I can't do anything about that. I would like to know what brand of firewall software they have so I can contact the vendor and see why my site's on their list. Of course it may just be because your workplace uses a "whitelist" instead, and only allows certain specific authorized sites.