How Can We Help AllAboutGOD.net Grow?

[Greg, TheNET Coordinator]

I'm interested in finding out what we can do to help TheNET grow faster both in terms of numbers of members and the number of people interacting online at the same time.

On average we see 7 new members every day and about 8 online at once.

Is there something we should change or do that we aren't doing now?

Is there something we are doing that we should stop doing?

New members or visitors, what are your first impressions of TheNET?

[LT]

Greg,

I see an issue regarding the post of members that leave being removed. Many times people respond to those post and when that post is removed we end up with an incomplete thought. Not a probem for us who participated, but if someone stopped by and began to read it they would be without a clue as to what had taken place in that area. Is there away to keep that from happening? I could give one specific example, if you wish, of a response that was posted to a post that had other text missing.

LT

[Greg, TheNET Coordinator]

I know this is a problem, LT, and I'm not sure what exactly to do about it. The issue is typically when people post comments that link to heretical/cult sites, I have been removing them in accordance with our membership agreement. I'd be interested in knowing from others if this is the right approach.

Another problem is when people are banned or decide to leave. Ning currently has no way of keeping their comments up. If they are gone, everything goes with them. That used to not be the case but Ning changed that feature and we can't do anything about it. I'm open to suggestions.

[Jonathan McLatchie]

Is it the case that when someone leaves all their posts and all the replies pertaining to it are subsequently removed? Or is it just the posts of the individual who left who are removed while the replies are left intact?

Jonathan

[LT]

Johnathan,

It appears that if you replied to an idividuals post and they leave your post goes to. This was brought to my attention today.

LT

[LT]

Greg,

I am no IT guy and cannot offer any help in that area. Until some other option is available we will just trust God to bring clarity regarding the post with gaps to the reader.

LT

[Stew]

Hey Greg,

If someone "recalls" the original question (minus bad links to inappropriate sites), then perhaps they could do a summary "insert" in the same "neighborhood" as where the thread responses are located.

[Stew]

Agree with LT's comment. One possible solution (though I don't think we have that level of administrative control) is to "insert" an editorial segment (one that captures both the question and the answer in a complete post). That would remove some of the confusion. I was trying to fill in the blanks on some of the removals on this thread and while the responses were well formed, I could only guess at what the original question was.

[Jonathan McLatchie]

Jack - for your proposed plan to be put into action we would presumably be required to scrap this site and start again? Do you think this is a wise idea?

[Greg, TheNET Coordinator]

Jack,

The yearly cost of the server would probably be around $500. We think, however, that it will require a full-time technician to keep the network going. We hope to launch some new software technology in the next year or so that will serve as the platform for all the AAG websites including this one. The technology will be viral in nature and will result in even higher rankings in the search engines.

Your offer to help is much appreciated. We are looking forward to seeing how this develops.

[Greg, TheNET Coordinator]

I doubt we'd start from scratch, but I don't have enough information to talk intelligently about it yet. I'm not a programmer/developer. Greg Outlaw, our president and CEO, is the one working on this project. If you want to know more, you can send him a message as he has a profile here.

[Trimmedlamp]

I have browsed the replies. There are good suggestions here. Before I get to that though---Jack is gone?! That is very sad. He was one of the first to greet me when I joined. I will miss his beautiful pictures and quiet encouragement. Very, very sad indeed.

I came to this site because a friend told me about it. I am so blessed to be a part of this body of believers and searchers. I do use my AAG address as part of my signature on outgoing emails. I have also made use of the badges on my Yahoo 360 website. --The badges could be bigger.

I am in total agreement with the suggestion that a section be opened for children. My 10 year-old nephew wants to have a page here. I plan to help him start one, anyway. But it would be wonderful if there were other children near his age for him to communicate with. I think the youngest member I saw was 15 years old.

I also think advertising is a good suggestion. Perhaps linking with other Christian sites would provide more name recognition and access.

But, perhaps in God's timing, HE will send the numbers. Remember, in the book of Acts, God added to the Church daily.

Blessings,

Trimmedlamp

[Greg, TheNET Coordinator]

Thanks so much for putting your aag.NET address as part of your email signature and using the badges. What an encouragement!

By the way, you will be glad to know that Jack is back. Yeah!

So far, we've avoided advertising on other sites because this network is primarily for some of the 300 people that indicate they are receiving Christ for the first time through on of AAG.com's 13,000 web pages. We have one new vistor on AAG.com every second, 24/7, 365 days a year.

As far as a children's section goes, I wonder if it would be more appropriate to have a separate kids site for them because there are some topics here not suitable for kids and I wonder about the wisdom of having kids interacting with adults who are not their parents. What do you guys think?