Forum Members' Locations
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 3:38 am
This may be a hoary old subject (I did a comprehensive search and only came up with Scott Pilkington's "Re-peeling the onion"), but for me and others I've spoken to, it would really put members' posts and replies into context if we knew from whence they hailed. We do not need a detailed address but a generalised location which can be as vague as "East coast, Australia" or "Manitoba, CA" or "Kent, UK" would do.
I was just now PM'ing a member with advice on my experiences with a German gun trading website when I realised I had no idea where he was located so the processes I have to go through in NSW, Australia might be quite irrelevant to him - before you say it, I should've asked or he/she should've told me. But the point remains the same - comments and responses are often specific to certain geographical areas. If you knew where your co-respondent resides (PM or post) you could tailor your response accordingly.
I know it would not be possible to get the 5,528 members out of the 9,649 we have who have not given a location to amend their profile but perhaps it could be made a condition of future memberships that a location be given? I know that would not stop those who wanted to put “North Pole” but…
At the very least, it would be interesting and fun to know whether you were posting a reply to a forum member in Chile or China, Norway or Nauru, Helsinki or Hawaii (better stop now)!
Bob
I was just now PM'ing a member with advice on my experiences with a German gun trading website when I realised I had no idea where he was located so the processes I have to go through in NSW, Australia might be quite irrelevant to him - before you say it, I should've asked or he/she should've told me. But the point remains the same - comments and responses are often specific to certain geographical areas. If you knew where your co-respondent resides (PM or post) you could tailor your response accordingly.
I know it would not be possible to get the 5,528 members out of the 9,649 we have who have not given a location to amend their profile but perhaps it could be made a condition of future memberships that a location be given? I know that would not stop those who wanted to put “North Pole” but…
At the very least, it would be interesting and fun to know whether you were posting a reply to a forum member in Chile or China, Norway or Nauru, Helsinki or Hawaii (better stop now)!
Bob