Dislike of the new forum...

Thanks MAXQ - I don't do facebook but it good to know he is alive and about. Sure miss his steady and knowledgeable hand here.

Thanks MAXQ.  Good to know he is still with us.  

Hey Chris, if I recall you're down in the Carolina's now.  Whatcha doing first weekend of April? BBQ Brethren are having a Carolina Bash at King's Mountain State Park. I have this one penciled in on my calendar. I'm headed to the Texas Bash in mid March, Russ asked about it so hopefully he might make the trek north. 

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/fo...wthread.php?t=266648

Cookshack is an excellent forum, it is very convenient to not have to search for a long forum and is very convenient to use, thanks!

It gets the job done but it is not the same. 

Alyssa posted:

Cookshack is an excellent forum, it is very convenient to not have to search for a long forum and is very convenient to use, thanks!

Actually to me it seems longer and harder to find things. Is it just me?

For us old timers it just doesn’t feel like family. Must be a millennial thing. 

Not many members posting recipes or pics of their latest achievements these days (I'm guilty too, but I hope to improve once the winter weather is done). Not many (sometimes secret) BBQ competition winners giving expert opinions on techniques anymore. Not many really excited CS newcomers asking technical questions about their new cookers anymore. Not many subject-matter experts (Mr. T for salmon, Chaplain Bill for pork and bacon, Tom for brisket (and cal of course, sorry cal), DLS for pastrami, PAGS for almost everything, etc). And not many ideas or questions that elicit "WOW, I wish I had thought of that!" responses anymore. Sarge, I agree with you. There used to be a feeling of solid BBQ professionalism here that both humbled and emboldened me. Those days, and I guess (most of) those people are gone. Pretty sad.

Agree with Old Sarge and Jay, it's not the same. 

The forum comments are what sold me on buying a CS. it seems CS provides the forum, but certainly doesn't drive viewers or posters here. This could be a huge marketing vehicle for them.  It could be a vibrant community that increased sales if they gave it some love and attention.  I agree, I used to check in daily.  Now its once every 2-4 weeks. I wouldn't have become the cook I am without all of you. We used to do BBQ exchanges twice per year. Now I don't think we would have enough of us regulars to make it work.  Perhaps its the new forum, perhaps everyone has migrated to FB. Not sure, but I will continue to hang out here, just not as often.

This is from an earlier posting of mine:

As you've pointed out, Sarge, CS has stated they had no choice but to change platform. And as we've seen, the change was chosen and handled very badly and some of CS's employees who were really trying to help fix the disaster have disappeared. I wonder about their fate. Now the changes seem cast in stone, and no one at CS seems to think is is a problem for them, just us, the members. I still want to use the Forum and I still want people interested in all aspects of BBQ to be here and contribute, but if the really strong, experienced, and even professional contributors are gone, where's the draw? I really miss so many of the former regular contributors for their expertise, their humor, and their welcoming feeling.

I still think that if the people that do not like the new forum would call Customer Service and tell them what you think about the new forum, they might start looking into it.  There are some nice new high end pellet grills out there that fit right into the price range of the PG 500 and 1000.  These things are not selling themselves.  I wonder how many smokers and grills got sold because of the old forum?

Customer service is fully aware of the dislike of the new format. I have contacted them and emailed the the young lady who was initially trying to make a go of it. For all I know, CS may be locked into a contract.  I just don't know. The old forum was hoopla as well. I just think it is the format, how it is organized that is very off-putting to many. And the dislike is compounded if you are a member of other forums whose format closely resembles the old CS forum. But times do change. And with change, comfort and familiarity sometimes disappears.  I consider many of us as fathers and mothers, we are in that age group (I'm a grand father); we appreciate the quality of Made in America.  But younger folks like quality at bargain prices. They are also of a different mind set, one that I don't understand.  The last election with all the new and young faces as well as new ideas has me stymied and to a degree, upset.  This new forum format, as well as the results of the last election,  is what it is.  Bob Dylan may have said it best:

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'.
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.

David

Well said OLDSARGE !

Sarge, I really appreciate the nostalgia. I spent a lot of time listening to that song in the 60's. I've been a great fan of Dylan since the summer of 1965 when I heard "Like a Rolling Stone" about 40 times a day on the jukebox at the beach stand I hung out at.

However, I always found that particular song whose lyrics you posted to be a bit condescending in that it assumed "their" (the young "hippies") way was better. I thought there wasn't enough convincing logic or "homework" done by the insistent crowd, even at my young age.

Similarly, I haven't seen much evidence that CS did their "homework" before choosing a new platform. Many, many choices out there. Yeah, I'm a bit "stymied" too. But I'm trying hard not to be the "Get off my lawn!!" old guy.

People and times change.  Sometimes for the better and sometimes not. Call it a changing of the guard.  Zippo Lighters are probably the exception. 

Dara M posted:

Hey everyone. Our old forum platform (.eve) is no longer a forum host. We had no choice but to migrate to a new system. Our new platform (hoop.la) is the most comparable forum host and allows us to make changes without writing HTML.

That being said, Christa and I are trying VERY HARD to make this forum as much like the old one as possible while still taking advantage of the new features Hoop.la has offered us (keep in mind, this is a new platform for us too, not just you). Below, you will see an image with some information on Forum Navigation and Profile/Settings Navigation. Maybe this will clear up a few questions/frustrations I'm seeing. 

Very helpful, searched for several minutes to find a "search" function

It takes some getting used to.  And while not as busy as the old forum that is more a result of folks moving on.

For the most part, forums in general are dying off as a means of creating a dialogue.  Facebook is filled with groups for all brands of smokers - pellet, stick burners, etc, as well as for specific brands.  Surprisingly Cookshack has very little presence there.  I'm sure there are far more Cookshack owners posting on the Facebook groups than here or the various BBQ forums still alive.

I recognize that plenty of people are reluctant to set up Facebook or Instagram accounts but that's where the action is these days. 

I fall into the group that abhors facebook etc.  Smoking meat/BBQ forums are about as social as I will go.

Hey oldsarge, good to see you back - thought you'd deserted us. I'm with you - never have, never will do "social media." It is really basically anti-social and I hate what it has done to children in this country. So many one-handed kids staring into screens oblivious to anything around them. IMO, Facebook is a monstrous scam and nothing but a vehicle for propaganda for many different fringe organizations. Just my $.02. Now, back to BBQ!

Hello Jay!  I stay pretty busy on a couple of other forums.  I do check in fairly regularly but don't like the whining about prices and the like.  Or a probe was cheap and failed after a couple of years, or the folks at CS don't listen etc.   This site had always been about sharing our passion for good Q as well as asking and giving advice; maybe celebrating a birthday or sympathy when a member or family member passed.  It was just a watering hole for techniques, photos, recipes, and the inevitable failure.  Call it family. I honestly cannot remember any negative postings on the old forum.  People and times change. Sometimes not for the better.

Like anything, social sites started off rather benign and a quick way to stay in touch with family and friends. It quickly became a way to reveal ones innermost secrets to be held in confidence (but not for long when a 'friend' wanted revenge; and it got ugly with bullying between kids and some parents getting involved; and far too much unproductive time at work.  It became a way for hate to spread and terrorism.  I could go on but my blood pressure is rising.  As is Zuckerbergs wealth.  'nuff said. 

Smoking and BBQ sites remain friendly, free of politics and hate.  And are rather informative and politically sterile.  cooking/food sites like Chowhound.  And for internet security, programs from AdGuard and MalwareBytes are the ones I use and they have dedicated forums. 

Dagnabbit! My soapbox just fell apart!  

Oldsarge - I've looked at a couple of other BBQ forums but they seem so huge it is difficult to know where to begin. To be truthful, I love BBQ and I get my AQ out several times a month, but it is not the consuming hobby in my life. Cooking in general might be that, but I agree that the old Forum (and of course, the old Forum members who seem to have gone, but surprisingly pop up at a good thread!) were the heart of this CS forum. Anyway, good to hear from you and keep all us "newbies" honest here!

There are some good one size fits all forums out there that cover every type of Q hardware and some that are dedicated to just one means of smoking such as electric or wood/stick or pellet or gas plus the odd related topics like tools and recipes and the like.

While the new format is not great I keep coming back.

I've not yet found a forum that I like as much as this was in its good ole years.

I as others do not and or will not use  FB or the other social things either.

Please all keep supporting this site.

While I don't do any competing these days, and have dialed back on smoking in general, I do, and always have enjoyed this forum. It's always been a fairly tight group of guys and gals, eager to exchange ideas and never afraid of asking for help. God knows, we've been lucky enough to have some well seasoned pros on board. The Facebook groups I've peeked in at tend to be loaded with drama, if not knockdown brawls. 

Now that I've had a bit of experience navigating the new landscape, it's not quite as foreign as it was. 

I raise a glass of holiday cheer and toast you all with best wishes for a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a healthy New Year!

maxq - Chris 

mountainman posted:

While the new format is not great I keep coming back.

I've not yet found a forum that I like as much as this was in its good ole years.

I as others do not and or will not use  FB or the other social things either.

Please all keep supporting this site.

Yes indeed, we must keep supporting the forum.

maxq posted:

While I don't do any competing these days, and have dialed back on smoking in general, I do, and always have enjoyed this forum. It's always been a fairly tight group of guys and gals, eager to exchange ideas and never afraid of asking for help. God knows, we've been lucky enough to have some well seasoned pros on board. The Facebook groups I've peeked in at tend to be loaded with drama, if not knockdown brawls. 

Now that I've had a bit of experience navigating the new landscape, it's not quite as foreign as it was. 

I raise a glass of holiday cheer and toast you all with best wishes for a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a healthy New Year!

maxq - Chris 

Hoping all had a good year and many more to come.  Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah.

These days I spend most of my time over at the BBQ Brethren, but still pop in occasionally to see what's going on.  Most of the FB groups I've found are pretty useless. Just pics without much info.

For Cookshack owners, this forum is the best regarding use, solving issues, how to, recipes etc.  specifically geared toward the Cookshack products.  A manufacturer's forum dedicated solely to their equipment is always the best choice.  I

I knew it. Still some of the venerable old timers (sorry, I can say that , I'm old) here! I'm very happy to see that. I really like this forum, and I try to stay engaged. I wish CS had a more robust way of dealing with the spam posts, and their customer service response here seems a bit slow, but it is better than no CS Forum at all, by far.

For all the old timer regulars with all the decades of BBQ experience, I give thanks, and for all the relative newbies like me, I say thanks and lets keep this going! Merry Christmas, or happy Holiday, whichever one you celebrate! I hope everyone's new year is better than the last, not that the last was all that bad!

Hey everyone..............

Have a GREAT holiday season!