Who participates in OTHER Forums ?

[Smiley]

I have been actively lurking in the Maryland Rivals forums and following the College Football and Basketball news of the Maryland Terrapins. I have been also involved with the Ford Edge Forum as well as the Trailer Sailor forums. Facinating stuff and very educating too. Glad I am involved but not to the extent that I love you all in Serottaville :banana:

[Louis]

You mean there are other forums (fora?) ?

During the TDF I often lurk in a French cycling forum. It was interesting to see what they had to say about LA (99% agreed that he must have been doped up to the gills). A few were truly bummed about Floyd's fall from grace.

[Sandy]

I participate in three:

1. Serotta Forum
2. Cayman Club Forum
3. Yahoo Finance Message Board for Savient Pharmaceuticals

The finance forum has some excellent content and analysis. However, egos, arrogance, lack of respect for others, argumentive posts,...are too present.

The Cayman Club Forum is an automotive forum. It is extremely well organized with some superior content and has a great deal of moderator control. The moderators are on top of absolutely everything that transpires on the forum and try to limit repetitive content and often suggest that posters do a search. Easy to use and invaluable to me for a car that I purchased. Posters are knowledgeable and helpful, but personalities seem to be held down because of the moderator control and the forum's basic organization and posters control.

The Serotta Forum is unique and very special to me. It has excellent cycling content, almost always articulated in a most easily understood manner. But the cycling content is but a small part of what the Serotta Forum offers. It is clearly special because of the people that do the posting- Genuine desire to help others, friendliness, sensitvity and concern for others, and compassion are abundant. Trust, respect, and friendships follow as a function of the inner core ot those that post.

People genuinely care about other people here. That is really somewhat unique, I believe. The Serotta forum has a brain, but more importantly, it has a real genuine heart....


Sandy

[Karin Kirk]

I once peeked into a ski instructors' forum and it was awful. As much as I love the topic - the arrogance, opinions, and lack of grace made me run away. I think ski instructors may be more full of it than bike people! I do searches of some gardening forums to get the scoop on the latest plants or whatever topic I'm in the mood to research, but I feel no urge to participate.

I teach an online course in environmental geology. The largest portion of the grade and the heart of the course is the discussion forum. I totally love it! The topics change every two weeks and the discussions wind all over the place. I am the moderator and I ask follow up questions, answer questions posted by the students, and correct mis-information. I also post pretty pictures and graphs. It is an interesting way to teach and I think it has real value. I like watching the students come out of their shell, since it's a relatively safe learning environment and they can contemplate their posts and do some research to find answers they need to make their point (ideally, anyway). The discussions are far richer than anything I've seen in a live classroom.

I have also developed a method for grading discussion forum participation, so if any of you are wondering how you're doing so far, just ask.
(dbrk, you've got that A+ sewed up. Dirt, you've had a lot of unexcused absences lately. You'll have to work extra hard to make that up!)

[1centaur]

"I teach an online course in environmental geology. The largest portion of the grade and the heart of the course is the discussion forum."

Karin - That's truly an excellent idea, assuming it's well moderated (a fair assumption). To have a discussion where the participants have time to consider and research before formulating thoughts, rather than have a 3 second window to begin talking with some hope of brilliance, is a great way to educate and to bring out opinions from those who think better than they speak.

I would love to see a major political debate in that format, with a computer-enforced word limit per answer of course. I bet we'd pick very different people as our "leaders" if their looks and slick speech were a much smaller part of the equation and they faced questions from a wide variety of posters.

[dancinkozmo]

a couple of ducati motorcycle forums for maintenance help..this form is by far the most interesting and entertaining place Ive found so far on the internets .....

[zank]

Cycling related:
RBR Cross Forum (http://forums.roadbikereview.com/forumdisplay.php?f=47)
Weight Weenies (http://weightweenies.starbike.com/phpBB2/index.php)
Hup! (http://www.hupunited.com/forum/)

Non-Cycling related:
Physics (http://www.physicsforums.com/)
Overclockers (http://www.ocforums.com/index.php?)

Yeah, I know I'm a geek.

[pdonk]

I read and sometimes post to the mtbr vintage area forum (great thread going on about fork crowns right now).

I actively post on an urban planning forum (cyburbia.org)

At school (doing my MBA) a few of the classes use forums for discussion and grades, so i have to particiapte in those. Seems odd for a "real" school, but if that is what it takes to get a grade, so be it.

[eddief]

now that i own one, could not resist finding those who are crazy about bmw as those here are sometimes crazy and or crazy about bikes.

this forum seems to attract a fairly wide variety of demographic. for some reason, those on the bmw fora all seem to have just gotten a drivers license and their parents bought them a new bimmer to go with it. even less less mature than most of us here.

[Hardlyrob]

It seems on reflection, that the fora I post on all have to do with moving metal machines:

whether it is oldMG's (http://www.mgcars.org) or Tractors (http://www.tractorbynet.com), both, like this forum are tremendous sources of information - technical and otherwise, with some very wise, and some not so wise characters.

Cheers!

Rob

[1happygirl]

Largely quit all other forums as most infomation about anything of interest is here. Even though I don't post much here, if I log on there is always something during the day to make me smile. Sandy says it better than I do:


The Serotta Forum is unique and very special to me. It has excellent cycling content, almost always articulated in a most easily understood manner. But the cycling content is but a small part of what the Serotta Forum offers. It is clearly special because of the people that do the posting- Genuine desire to help others, friendliness, sensitvity and concern for others, and compassion are abundant. Trust, respect, and friendships follow as a function of the inner core ot those that post.

People genuinely care about other people here. That is really somewhat unique, I believe. The Serotta forum has a brain, but more importantly, it has a real genuine heart....


Sandy

[Dave B]

There are other forums????




I stick to mtbr.com forums

also my local mtb forum. hmba.org it isn't bad, but not a lot of heartfelt stuff. Usually me trying to sell something or get trail info/updates.

There is always my campaign forum for the upcoming election

[J.Greene]

besides the lunchtable I'm a member of the CR list, but that can be as painful as the shootin match between mikki and friends sometimes.

I also check out the Farmall Cub page from time to time. It's the place to go info on the cub. (http://www.antiquetractors.com/yphotos/a4916.jpg)


JG

[Karin Kirk]

I would love to see a major political debate in that format, with a computer-enforced word limit per answer of course. I bet we'd pick very different people as our "leaders" if their looks and slick speech were a much smaller part of the equation and they faced questions from a wide variety of posters.

Yes, but you have to be careful that they don't just paste their answers in from Wikipedia. Those politicians can be tricky!

Neat idea!

[rwsaunders]

now that i own one, could not resist finding those who are crazy about bmw as those here are sometimes crazy and or crazy about bikes.

this forum seems to attract a fairly wide variety of demographic. for some reason, those on the bmw fora all seem to have just gotten a drivers license and their parents bought them a new bimmer to go with it. even less less mature than most of us here.

EddieF, you drew a chuckle from me on this one.

[davep]

I also particpate in the Randon Forum (randonneuring) and the Florida Randonneuring, although that one is not very active. There are a few others I look at occasionally, maybe once every couple weeks.

[Sandy]

now that i own one, could not resist finding those who are crazy about bmw as those here are sometimes crazy and or crazy about bikes.

this forum seems to attract a fairly wide variety of demographic. for some reason, those on the bmw fora all seem to have just gotten a drivers license and their parents bought them a new bimmer to go with it. even less less mature than most of us here.

Forgot temporarily about that one. I own a 1997 BMW M3, and was interested in a 2008 M3 and at one time a BMW 335i. I have visited the bimmerfest forum and posted a few times there. I wanted to find out about both of the aforementioned cars. I came very close to purchasing a BMW 335i, but just couldn't get past the steering, which I simply did not like compared to my older M3- too numb, vague, without a real connection to the road. Wound up not buying a BMW, although my BMW M3 was easily the best car that I had ever had, by far.


Sandy

[Sandy]

I may have asked this question before- What is environmental geology, if I may ask. I have no clue. I would think that you would be an excellent teacher. Really! Many many moons ago, I taught high school math. I think that I could explain math concepts reasonably well (assuming that I understood them myself, which is half of what is important in teaching a concept- the other half being the ability to clearly articulate and explain that concep to others at the level at which they can understand the concept).

So what is environmental geology? Do you teach that on the web while simultaneously skiing? While winning a bicycle tt and posting on the Serotta Forum?


Environmental disaster,


Serotta Sandy

[72gmc]

I occasionally glance at frameforum, ibob, and rbr's commuter and retro-classic forums. Out of necessity I visit various IT pro forums, developer forums, gamer forums, and home improvement forums. I am still looking for a writer's forum and a classic truck forum that I like.

[Chad Engle]

RBR
frame forum
a local hunting/fishing forum
couple of local cycling blogs

[Karin Kirk]

Environmental geology is the study of earth science as it relates to the earth's human occupants and the resulting environmental issues. So we cover topics like earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, tsunamis, land use, climate change, energy use, water use, soils, mining and garbage.

I used to teach courses like this in the classroom, which I very much enjoyed - that was my favorite job ever. But since moving to MT I do it online, which is pretty darned fun too.

I am not coordinated enough to send text messages while in the aero bars, so class is dismissed during TTs. I don't teach at all in the winter session so that I can teach skiing instead.

I do sometimes take breaks from grading papers to pop into the Serotta forum and see what's shakin'.

Sandy, I can imagine you as an excellent, entertaining, thoughtful math teacher. I wish I had a nice math teacher like you. I did not enjoy good relationships with my high school math teachers.

Sandy, you may also appreciate what I'm working on now in my other edu job, which is research on the topic of motivation. I have been reading some interesting papers. The one I just finished was discussing people's need for belonging and what a huge motivational factor that is. I think that is the essence of the Serotta forum, because it is a community to which we all have a strong sense of belonging. I am no sociologist, but I bet a study of people's behavior patterns in online forums would be an interesting research topic.

Class dismissed!

[Sandy]

That class must really be interesting. So many topics of significant importance.

I will PM you about my experience at a high school class reunion (for the students) many years after they graduated the school. I attended one of these reunions. I hope that there are others. It is remarkable the influence that you can have on a student without you having the slightest idea.

Class will be in session later.



The Dunce,


Sandy

[BURCH]

MTBR
A Local Mtbiking forum
Pittsburgh Steeler Forum - although this one can get out of hand with idiotic posts and arguments.

[dirtdigger88]

I lurked on a car website while deciding if i wanted to buy-

its nice to be able to go to the dealer and know more about the car than they do-

though that doesnt take much ;)

it was fun to read what car guys thought about things like landscapers- cyclists and other things dear to my heart

Jason

[cleavel]

Hi,

I don't spend much time on this forum. :(

I spend most of my time on bikeforums.net and a little time on dpreview.com. I also lurk on a Prius Yahoo! Group and run a Yahoo! Group for my cycling club.

I see a few folks on this forum on bikeforums too.

[ti_boi]

I have seen some of the angriest, most bitter and narrow minded nonsense online.......I hang here cause the people are amazing and truly insightful....plus I think a 'good' influence....online world is not so great in other venues..........

[cuda2k]

Bike Related:

I'm a Mod over on BikeForums.net, member of the CR list though I read far more than submit to the list.

Non-Bike Related:

used to hang out a bit on a Street Truck forum, HardOCP (computers) but haven't visted in years.

also a member of TotalFark.com

[Bob Ross]

Bike stuff:

- Serotta (duh!)
- Bike Forums.net
- RoadBikeReview.com
- Cycling Forums.com
- New York Cycle Club (NYCC.org)

and once in a rare while,

- Fairwheel Bikes.com


Non-Bike stuff:

- GearSlutz.com
- 3d Audio Inc.com
- Eden Electronics.com

plus I occasionally lurk in

- Unicornation.com
- Sweetwater.com
- Audio Asylum.com

Clearly I spend way too much time on line!