State of the Cellar Address 2016

[Undertoad]

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dwellars and Lurkers, the state of The Cellar is strong.

During 2015, The Cellar’s total post traffic was about one third higher than what it was in 2014. In addition, much of this stronger traffic is in recent months. In particular, number of posts during the month of October 2015 was higher than any previous month since November 2013.

Strengths

Community: The Cellar community continues to be its own strongest asset. The strength of the community means that it has a certain amount of momentum which can carry it through changes and smaller problems.

Unthreatened by most social media: in fact we believe that some of the Cellar’s higher statistics are due to Facebook’s readership issues. We further believe that The Cellar can co-exist alongside other social media because it is unique.

Moderation: Our general approach will prove to have led the way for future generations. We can speak here to the founding documents, but as one Dwellar put it long ago, “Don’t be a dick.” This basic notion has always carried us, and will carry us well into the future.

History: A single community that still has its posts from fifteen years ago (in active threads!) is becoming a unique item on the Internets. This eventually may spark interest, but we aren’t sure how or even why to leverage that in any way. But a history is always a strength. Nobody roots for the expansion teams.

Hosting infrastructure: With the cloud move, the Cellar is now hosted on an appropriately-leveled platform and ready for growth. Its costs have come down, leading to the end of the Tip Mug program and an optimistic future.

Challenges

New software: The version of software that The Cellar runs is many versions behind current. The move to newer, better-supported software is ongoing and we hope to complete it 1Q16. We are hopeful that users will see it as a positive and put in the necessary brain-time to adapt to the changes that will have to be a part of this.

New Users: At this time there are still too few new users registering. We need new blood to feast upon. Perhaps the still-beating carcass of Facebook can be fed upon.

Facebook et al: We believe that the effect of Facebook stealing attention is now waning. Facebook is slowly being replaced by other forms of social media - not generally by Internet forums, but by other platforms.

Ideas for 2016

>> Reviving Image of the Day with a new interface that allows auto-posting, easier submission of entries, voting on prospective entries, and a Facebook hook. Pro: This would answer a lot of things at the same time, some things that should have gone in years ago, and would be a way to prod Facebookers to become Dwellars, instead of the other way ‘round. Con: it’s a LOT of work and hence this entry is identical from 2015. We hope that maybe the new software will make this task easier.

>> Image hosting: Alongside IotD comes a need to actually host images. We have actually done this on an amateur basis for IotD, for many years. With new software it may become more possible to offer image hosting to all Dwellars for Cellar posts.

>> What else ya got?

[busterb]

Great job Toad.

[limey]

Love. For Teh Cellar and teh whole Cellar community of Dwellars!

[xoxoxoBruce]

I've put a lot of time into the IOtD, but in an effort to post interesting pictures with some depth of background that might prod readers to delve into the subject further, I think I've strayed from the original concept. Sorry.

[glatt]

I've enjoyed the delving.

[DanaC]

I love your IotD posts, bruce.



This made me smile:

New software: The version of software that The Cellar runs is many versions behind current. The move to newer, better-supported software is ongoing and we hope to complete it 1Q16. We are hopeful that users will see it as a positive and put in the necessary brain-time to adapt to the changes that will have to be a part of this.

Oh Toad, you know us so well lol. You've anticipated most of the moaning :p

[Clodfobble]

I'm Clodfobble, and I approve this message.

[lumberjim]

I'll recruit a few of my more interesting friends.

[DanaC]

My internet socialising has shrunk to pretty much Cellar only,so I wouldn't even know where to recruit from! Last time I brought someone in was Traceur, back when I hung out in gaming forums as well.

[lumberjim]

I've referred a few, but none have had much interest. Jinx was the only one that really took to it... And that started to keep tabs on me. Amanda lurks occasionally, but only gets the nerve to post when she's had a few....

I don't want my Cow orkers on here.

[glatt]

Worlds collide!

[orthodoc]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I've put a lot of time into the IOtD, but in an effort to post interesting pictures with some depth of background that might prod readers to delve into the subject further, I think I've strayed from the original concept. Sorry.

No, no,no, Bruce! The depth you provide is thought-provoking and unique. Don't be sorry.

[lumberjim]

What was the original concept? Was I here for that?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally it was unique eye candy, explained but not always a back story, and that hadn't been all over the net. But that was before all the social media and click bait sites. Now almost any picture has been all over the net in a day.
The IOtD brought a lot of people, some then came regularly, and some signed up. That's when there was a separate address for just the IOtD.
Like that hanger foam story, got something like a half million hits, way more than the site I found it on. But today it would have been on tons of sites before the Sun went down.
So maybe IOtD is outmoded, but as long as the tribe enjoys, fuck the world. The Cellar and North Korea don't care.

[lumberjim]

So then your evolved version where there is more to it is an improvement. You get a nice picture, and you learn something without dodging a bunch of pop up ads. Nothing to be sorry for. In fact, thank you for your effort and good job staying ahead of the curve.