20thcenturyforum.com Facebook Page?

Why not - Random stuff, announcements, really nice items posted in the forum could be reposted by admin (warn people that items posted in the main forum may be re-posted on the facebook page). Might pick up some more potheads. Anyone with a facebook account could then post a comment. Or could we have it so anyone can post there? Some of the other ceramic facebook pages work very well and have plenty of active helpfull followers. Please note some people don't like websites they like the openness and immediacy of facebook where there is just one long timeline and you can see the conversation. 

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Members are welcome to post their own items but there could be copyright issues with posting other people's photos.
Plus there is already a very good studio pottery group on FB - British Studio Pottery Group. And the British Pottery and Porcelain Discussion Group for factory pieces.
And Trying to cover all the collecting genres that 20thCenturyForum accommodates would be too broad a church to moderate.

Well I've looked into 'rights of use' issues and no one cares. Normally the worst they will do is ask you to remove the photo. Can that be done? No one is going to take you to court unless you are earning a significant amount of money and as we know there is zilch money in this business. Unless someone post abusive or offensive stuff and just sticks to their own photos as the forum then why would there be a problem ....other FB ceramic sites don't seem to have any issues.

All true. But I've just realised that's not the real issue. The issue is it would lose us members who didn't want their photos shared. I prefer to retain the choice of whether to share or not. And I share a lot of pieces already across selected FB groups. I think it would confuse my FB friends if they saw these pieces in another context.

Yes that is true. But what is wrong with a C20thforum ID your pottery page? This site misses out as a very large proportion of people prefer FB (the 'younger' generation without grey hair). They are unlikely to post here ever, but will casually post on a FB ID  page. In the long run if they can be directed to the main site then it may generate a whole lot more active users. Think of it as more like advertising in a whole new world.

I'm on here and on FB and FB is a whole other world. This site is like a calm oasis in comparison. I really don't want to mix the two.

I think it would be another nail in the coffin for this forum to be honest

Some here don't use or like Facebook (I use it but don't like it! )

I think the end result would be more people *only* posting on the FB group and this forum becoming less active.

Well all good points again but I'm thinking of the C&, Woollies and BHS factor. They all refused to change. Also the people here would say they prefer to use Web based forum. The people who prefer FB are not represented are they.

The company I worked for only had a website for 20 years until they realised they were missing out. There are people out there who do and will prefer to casually post in other formats. As N points out it's a completely different world on the other side of the hedge.... yes that is my point.

Just because you don't want it does not mean that there are plenty others out there who do.

22 Crawford St. wrote:Well all good points again but I'm thinking of the C&, Woollies and BHS factor. They all refused to change. Also the people here would say they prefer to use Web based forum. The people who prefer FB are not represented are they.

The company I worked for only had a website for 20 years until they realised they were missing out. There are people out there who do and will prefer to casually post in other formats. As N points out it's a completely different world on the other side of the hedge.... yes that is my point.

Just because you don't want it does not mean that there are plenty others out there who do.

There are people out there who do want it and have made such groups already, many being more active than this forum A few I have joined as it does seem to slowly be becoming the only option.

Quite a few of the members on here are also in that pottery group Naomi mentioned, may be worth you taking a look.

The strengths of this forum is as a database of potteries, potters and their marks. It's almost impossible to catalogue anything on FB. Both sites are good for IDing stuff, and, if anything FB is better because there are lots of specialist groups where you can post your mystery item multiple times. I use both sites snd I mention this forum where I see an opportunity, and I believe we have picked up some US collectors from there. I see no need for a dedicated 20thCenturyForum FB page.

If this forum had more members and was more active to begin with, then I think a FB page would be a decent idea.

We've lost many potentially active members due to the overly complicated photo hosting system. Hopefully the new system will be easier to use.

I agree we have lost members due to it, but on a pc running windows at least, the hosting seems very easy to use.

the system on here is easy...if i can use it

brin mcardle wrote:the system on here is easy...if i can use it

Yes anyone under 30 can post FB photos in their sleep. In comparison the forum is alien and over complicated. It's not actually that hard but I'm sure some do find it a hill they can't overcome.

Actually...FB is making it difficult for me to post pix

NaomiM wrote:The strengths of this forum is as a database of potteries, potters and their marks. It's almost impossible to catalogue anything on FB. Both sites are good for IDing stuff, and, if anything FB is better because there are lots of specialist groups where you can post your mystery item multiple times. I use both sites snd I mention this forum where I see an opportunity, and I believe we have picked up some US collectors from there. I see no need for a dedicated 20thCenturyForum FB page.

I agree with that , this forum is about various topics of the last century ..bordering on this one also , although pottery and Iding tend to dominate ,it is about other stuff too we have built up a large data base over the years that gets used quite a lot going right the way back to when it was mainly west german fat lava that dominated the threads , at that time members were allowed to post their ebay pieces for sale or their websites and there was no problem as they were in the non data base thread , maybe we need to loosen up a bit regards that sort of thing , I personally have no problems with anybody wishing to post a link or give their ebay items a mention , I didn't bother as trying to get cash out of this lot is very tough

My worry would be it turning into a selling site...i think its a great site with so much info...but if we could trust people to post links of ebay without it being theirs i see no prob...mind i'd love to post my ebay stuff on here

My 'devils advocate' concept was that it would not be for anyone reading this ,,,it's for the Facebook people. People who already have FB accounts. It's not a mini C29th forum but something altogether different. Perhaps all of us are banned and instead of jumping on =the IDs instantly - perhaps they are left for other to ID (at least for  a while). Perhaps it's less strict about advertising. Perhaps if you don't have to register then some people who have bee put off by registering for this site and the photo uploading software would use the Cth20 Forum FB page? They already have an account, they are used to posting photos - there is simply less barriers. Perhaps.... we might even get some younger people interested in ceramics.

I have to point out that there is nothing stopping any of us is starting one. Anything goes on most of the social media sites. I still think it's worth keeping in mind. Remember FB simply has one long timeline so there is no order to the posts it would never be a rival to the order of this site. 

It's a completely different animal for completely different animals

As someone who has a facebook account and do use it to a degree. I certainly can't recommend it for the community on this forum. Facebook is very intrusive if you don't heavily restrict its communication to you. The real problem is when you link it to your phone and by default it starts messaging you when anything changes with anyone your connected to. Before I turned nearly everything off my phone would ping with new messages all day and all night long. This was followed by a constant stream of emails. It got to the stage that 90% of my activity with facebook was simply deleting things. So although I think positively advertising this forum is a great thing I am not sure having a facebook page as anything other than a signpost to this forum would be a good idea.

I am also not sure people would double post on this website and facebook so future information and pictures from id requests would not be added to the manufacturer threads on this website. That could result in lots being lost and unsearchable.

Agreed. Plus I have an avatar name on FB and have been blocked by a couple of potters who's work I collect because in real life they're arseholes. I certainly wouldn't want them finding their way here.

I never collect pots by arseholes , no matter how good their pots are , i couldn't enjoy looking at the pot knowing that the person who made talks utter shite .

NaomiM wrote:Agreed. Plus I have an avatar name on FB and have been blocked by a couple of potters who's work I collect because in real life they're arseholes. I certainly wouldn't want them finding their way here.

I think in fairness to all those potters, who aren't arseholes, that you need to "name names".

A lot of them are very nice people :)