Abuzz Guilt

Tex, That was many, many, moons ago. It fell into a black hole, never to be seen again - in decency. c.i.

[size=7]c.i.'s new cam page, watch him as he walks around the house in the nude, eating oatmeal and reading the paper! [/size]

BillW, I guess nobody's gonna be able to see me nikkid, because I can't figure out what "image webcam url" is. Lucky for everybody! c.i.

c.i., I meant for that post to be on the "What are you wearing" thread, but - it does go good after your previous post.

Let me know when you get that nude cam going - we gotta get some sponsors!

guilt....hmmm.... I think I experienced guilt once. Is it kind of an itchy feeling?

I look in on the rare occasion. There are some loyal souls hanging on, hoping against hope. But the dimwits who spam, and use really offensive language - pretty soon they'll have nobody but themselves and their multiple personalities to talk to.

I feel bad about abuzz. I liked it, it was easy to use, and there were some really interesting people there. There is a lot to be said for monitoring.

jjorge, It's kind of similar to smoking; the longer you quit, the easier it gets. c.i.

Just dropped in on Abuzz for a few minutes, and checked into "The Most Active Interactions on ABuzz." It had zero activity. Might think Abuzz is on it's last leg..... c.i.

I just checked the mailbox that receives my abuzz e-mails - not one abuzz e-mail since at least mid-February.

Maybe, we should get the "good guys" from Abuzz over to A2K before we lose touch with all of them. What do ya all think? c.i.

Not a peep from good old Abuzz,
too bad isn't it?
I think it has been 2 months since
I received anything from Abuzz
I guess it is dying a natural death
So, we salute it for all it's great
and joyful days,
when we were younger
and Abuzz was funner
and why do things always
go and CHANGE on us....
just when we get comfy??

Good idea C.I.
You do it

This thread has blossomed to 51 pages at the moment i'm writing this, and so I hope that I might be forgiven if the sentiments that come oozing forth from my semi-fertile mind duplicate anyone else's....no offense is intended if that turns out to be the case.

The volume of responses to this excellent thread is testament to the special appeal that Abuzz, in it's heyday, engendered upon it's faithful participants. I have read many posts here which convey a profound sense of sadness and sometimes of loss at the decline of Abuzz and of the whithering of what many consider to have been a Grand Experiment Wasted, or at least Sorely Misspent.

It's so wonderful to see so many people who appreciate this sort of forum and who are so very passionate about ensuring Able2Know's success. There are many dedicated volunteers who spend untold hours doing what they can to ensure this site's success, much as an attentive gardener might lovingly tend some favorite roses. Such obvious and basic safeguards for success as this seem to to have completely escaped the NYT, and as a result they have squandered the golden opportunity that they had with Abuzz, to nurture it as a continually viable destination point on the Web.

In addition to the lack of supervision, one area that I feel contributed to the decline of Abuzz was the cessation of any tangible form of advertising or promotion. I had originally discovered Abuzz through an ad on a NYT page, but they pulled all such links quite some time ago which severely curtailed the influx of "new blood" into the arena of ideas that Abuzz had become.

I am curious as to whether aggressive advertising and promotion efforts are currently underway or are planned for Able2Know?

Again, I beg forgiveness if this question has already been dealt with recently.

stoat,

Extensive promotional efforts are and have been planned for some time. But I think the little things make the difference.

Abuzz had a no index meta tag. And it shows:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=site%3Awww.abuzz.com+abuzz

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=site%3Awww.able2know.com+able2know

Hi Stoat, No, there are no plans for any "advertising." However, people can help subsidize some of the cost by purchasing goods through the Amazon link in the Control Panal. As for "promotion," some A2Kers have been contacting some Abuzzards through personal emails. No forgiveness necessary. You make good points. However, I wish to add that I hope we see you around A2K more often. c.i.

Hey, Stoat! Love the avatar.

Advertising - oh, yeah.

Check out Google. Type in Able2know

Here, I'll do it for you: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=able2know&btnG=Google+Search

38,700 listings for Able2know.

Type in some search combinations to Google and Able2Know is in the first page of results, which means it's most likely to be clicked. Here's one:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=guernica+irony+reproduction

Note that an Able2Know topic is the #1 result in Google when you do a search on Guernica, irony, reproduction.

Here's another:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=barnet+newman+purpose&btnG=Google+Search

Able2Know is again the #1 result in Google, this time when you do a search on barnet, newman (Barnet Newman is an artist), purpose.

Plus we're working on film promotions to bring more people to that forum (we'll do promotions for other forums, but film is going to come first as a prototype so we can get the kinks out). Plus we're actively looking to attract web developers. Banner exchanges are also in the works.

This is a very exciting time for us! Thanks for asking about this.

I have to admit that one of my sick little vices , is to visit buzz a bout twice a day and see whats the crazy spin of the day. I still get drawn to evolution and a few science questions (ones that arent apparent homework queries). Outside of that, Ive never had an ounce of loyalty or pangs of conscience. However, that being said, I think thats the fate of any forum that loses its QA and maintenace drive.

PS, Is 400 here under the name sodabred? writing stylesand grasps of thesubject are so similar.If not , these 2 people are worth hearing just for their storehouses of art history (mostly contemporary).

Making a traditional dish for St Pattys Day-Red beans and Rice. gotta go and watch the pot and keep adding my fille

Ooops, I stand corrected! c.i.

Hello Craven

Yes I agree...without the innumerable personal touches and little things that I see everywhere at Able2Know, it would not be the remarkable site that it has become. I am not surprised to hear that Abuzz has been so astonishingly lacking in the technical department....the entire NYT attitude toward the web has always been to treat it as an unpleasant afterthought, and they are paying the price for that now not only with the decline of Abuzz but in the steep decline of business and revenue in all other areas as well. They seem comfortable in the role of the dinosaur, and they will meet a similar fate.

Hello Cicerone Impostor

I appreciate your letting me know about the Amazon deal, and I will be sure to use it the next time I buy something from them (which is a far-too frequent occurence )
Thank you very much for your kind words. I regret that I haven't been participating here much, but my life has become far more complex lately than it was some months ago. I will do my best to come here as often as I can however, mainly because there are many nice folks like you here

Hello jespah

i'm very happy that you like the avatar. It's actually a photo of my Uncle Ermie, but we have such a strong familial resemblance that he lets me use it. :wink:

Those Google results that you cite are certainly impressive; particularly the ones that don't depend upon the person entering in Able2Know as part of the search criteria or keyword string, as that depends upon name recognition. I'm happy to hear that promotions are in the works as well. I'm wondering if you have considered those thin clear vinyl appliques that use static electricity to cling to the inside of a window? Unlike bumper stickers they are completely nondestructive to a person's vehicle and they are more at eye-level as well. Perhaps something with a catchy slogan, something like "Have a Question? Get an Answer! www.Able2Know.com" Something short and direct that a person who sees a vehicle go by at 30mph can assimilate. I would certainly put one in a back side window of the StoatMobile

Thanks to you all for your responses....it's nice to know that things are progressing full steam ahead