What is up with the GTA ?

[avator]

This is all I would put in the Goggle search box...

JSAR gateway to airguns

and this would be the result...

https://www.google.com/search?q=JSAR+gateway+to+airguns&sca_esv=0cea375fb25910d8&source=hp&ei=6QXQZ7eXCpfhp84PlLiz8AU&iflsig=ACkRmUkAAAAAZ9AT-Zjm0n5S4S_vESSyTbsjVMcDl666&ved=0ahUKEwj3r8Tx3oGMAxWX8MkDHRTcDF4Q4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=JSAR+gateway+to+airguns&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IhdKU0FSIGdhdGV3YXkgdG8gYWlyZ3VuczIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKsCMgUQIRirAjIFECEYqwJIgagBUABYsJEBcAJ4AJABAJgBdaABrxGqAQQyMC41uAEDyAEA-AEBmAIboAL9E6gCCsICCxAAGIAEGJECGIoFwgILEAAYgAQYsQMYgwHCAhEQLhiABBixAxjRAxiDARjHAcICChAAGIAEGEMYigXCAg4QLhiABBixAxiDARiKBcICCxAuGIAEGLEDGIMBwgIKEAAYAxjqAhiPAcICChAuGAMY6gIYjwHCAhAQLhiABBhDGMcBGIoFGK8BwgIREC4YgAQYkQIYxwEYigUYrwHCAgsQLhiABBjRAxjHAcICDhAuGIAEGLEDGNEDGMcBwgIFEAAYgATCAgUQLhiABMICEBAAGIAEGLEDGEMYgwEYigXCAgsQLhiABBjHARivAcICCBAuGIAEGLEDwgIIEAAYgAQYsQPCAgoQABiABBixAxgKwgIIEC4YgAQY5QTCAgcQLhiABBgKwgILEAAYgAQYhgMYigXCAggQABiABBiiBMICBhAAGBYYHsICBRAAGO8FmAMb8QXW978ETulMNJIHBTE1LjEyoAfyhgE&sclient=gws-wiz

[subscriber]

Avator,

Not that hits on other sites is a bad thing, notice from your search results how many hits on the first page are not links to GTA.  Google searching by including the "site:" method shows only posts on GTA.  In other words an effective GTA search engine.  More effective than GTA's own search engine.

Click this and see for yourself:

https://www.google.com/search?q=site:www.gatewaytoairguns.org+JSAR

[avator]

Avator,

Not that hits on other sites is a bad thing, notice from your search results how many hits on the first page are not links to GTA.  Google searching by including the "site:" method shows only posts on GTA.  In other words an effective GTA search engine.  More effective than GTA's own search engine.

Click this and see for yourself:

https://www.google.com/search?q=site:www.gatewaytoairguns.org+JSAR

I agree, your method gives a more refined result.
I find using it the way I do does give me other results.. sometimes that's a good thing, for me anyways. I find information on my topic that are not on the GTA.
It's all good.. folks get the point.

[Struckat]

I’ve been here since 2020, way late to this game.

I also have seen changes here, maybe topics I am less interested in? Likely because I am 20 years behind with my M&Prods, AirForce and HW springers.

Although I was not part of the heyday, I think a lot of the change has been driven by product development on the part of the OEMs.

By this I mean people no longer have to figure out  how to modify or redesign an airgun as you can now buy it manufactured that way.
Like big power, regulated, caliber swapping…it’s all easy now. All you have to do now is buy it! You don’t even have to know how it works, if it works just shoot.

As more casual air gunners come on board, combined with the product development, the questions seem to be more about how to make what they bought work, rather than how can it be made into something else.

Times change. I look at it similarly to my days turning wrenches on outboards and snowmobiles.
 Nobody needs my knowledge anymore.

I spend time and enjoy both forums.

[avator]

That's why we need to support and nurture our new members that join up and ask for advice on what to buy. It used to be that they were intimidated by all the home engineering and modifying going on in the forums. Now it's way confusing for them with so many options on the market.
Also we have members with unlimited funds, fanboys and folks on fixed income budgets... when we all start throwing our opinions/suggestions around based on our own preferences and/or loyalty commitments without listening to the newcomers objectives we may be doing them a disservice.
Two questions should be ask of a newcomer looking for advice...
1. what will you be using the gun for?
2. what is your budget?
Next would be preferred platform.
Sharing knowledge and experience.... sound familiar?

[HatsanPhantom]

I agree. The old GTA was a lot of fun and very active. I remember all the way back to 2011 that’s when I first started cruising the forums. I was gone for awhile and then came back. I like the potential that is here now. I do a lot of pesting and was thinking about sharing. All legal. Let’s get it cracking again!

[hoteltwofive]

Interesting reading here as I scroll through. 
I for one don’t log in very often nor comment on many things.  I often scroll through the different sections as a “guest.”  Wealth of knowledge, but also some content that use to be here is now gone, which is too bad. 

I also get tired of people telling new folks to stay away from products, even though they have 0 experience with the product.  I have had premium products &^^& out on me and cheap products last for years.  Not everyone can afford high end guns. 

Change can be good, but change can be bad- but changes to remain relevant are always needed.  It’s up to the folks that run things I guess to figure that out, but also members should be able to chime in and voice what they want to see.
 
I get tired of having to login to see certain gates that were closed off (Bargain gate for one) that were always open to see.  For me that was when I started coming in less, because of the thought that not everyone should have the “code.”  Members only. Ridiculous imho when we want people to get involved in our hobby. 

I have seen some very generous folks on here- and try to pay it forward when I can.  (Even though not posted in PIF).  Maybe something we can all think about to get new folks involved and keep the forum going.  No doubt many of us have too much already or gear we will never use.  Post up those extra boxes of pellets or targets or parts…whatever it may be.  I’ve sent random PM’s to members, asking if they were interested in X/Y/Z item- again, doesn’t need to be a PIF post.

Just some random thoughts.  Hope everyone has a good day.

[splitbeing]

Interesting reading here as I scroll through. 
I for one don’t log in very often nor comment on many things.  I often scroll through the different sections as a “guest.”  Wealth of knowledge, but also some content that use to be here is now gone, which is too bad. 

I also get tired of people telling new folks to stay away from products, even though they have 0 experience with the product.  I have had premium products &^^& out on me and cheap products last for years.  Not everyone can afford high end guns. 

Change can be good, but change can be bad- but changes to remain relevant are always needed.  It’s up to the folks that run things I guess to figure that out, but also members should be able to chime in and voice what they want to see.
 
I get tired of having to login to see certain gates that were closed off (Bargain gate for one) that were always open to see.  For me that was when I started coming in less, because of the thought that not everyone should have the “code.”  Members only. Ridiculous imho when we want people to get involved in our hobby. 

I have seen some very generous folks on here- and try to pay it forward when I can.  (Even though not posted in PIF).  Maybe something we can all think about to get new folks involved and keep the forum going.  No doubt many of us have too much already or gear we will never use.  Post up those extra boxes of pellets or targets or parts…whatever it may be.  I’ve sent random PM’s to members, asking if they were interested in X/Y/Z item- again, doesn’t need to be a PIF post.

Just some random thoughts.  Hope everyone has a good day.

When you log in on a device, Gavin, you can choose "forever" from the drop down menu near your username and password.  That will keep you logged in such that you will see all the gates when you go to GTA on that device.

Unless you clear out all your browser stuff.  Then you'd have to log in again.

[eeler1]

Times change, pcp isn't a new technology anymore.  Guns, pumps, optics, etc. all are covered on youtube so now I think a lot of people go there.  That speaks to a general trend of watching for info rather than reading.  Maybe a forum favored by a generation that remembers watching the moon landing might not be as popular with those who have never lived without a phone/computer in their hand.  Not saying Rick is long in the tooth (see if GenX knows what that means!), but maybe a forum run by the kids would have more appeal to them.  I doubt I would be able to stand a more youthful forum.  OK, old guy rant on kids nowadays finished.

One thing I notice here is for newby posters, they often have a question, but almost all responses are 'welcome'.  Maybe some get moved to a gate, but most don't.  And I wonder how many are serious enough to come back and check responses?  Maybe the single-poster has a shorter attention span and without an immediate response moves on to youtube or other forums.

[Motorhead]

I have my own theory knowing who we speak of at that time 

[buellm2]

I know it has been discussed before.    "Welcome new members".     It would be nice to support and nurture them from the first time they show up.    It's great to welcome them but it would be greater to answer the questions new comers often have when they first show up. 

[Hoosier Daddy]

I prefer to welcome them and then direct them to post on the gate for their specific question...
Gets them involved in GTA instead of a "one and done".

I get a little "miffed" with the introduction of "help me now" posts.
I introduce myself with "Hi. my name is Scott, here is a bit about me"... etc.
THAT is an introduction.

[splitbeing]

I know it has been discussed before.    "Welcome new members".     It would be nice to support and nurture them from the first time they show up.    It's great to welcome them but it would be greater to answer the questions new comers often have when they first show up.

x2

I do this whenever I post in the welcome new members gate.  I also seem to be the odd one out when I do more often than not.

[avator]

New members that post in the new members gate with a specific question have clearly not read the rules/gate description that they are agreeing to upon joining. The heading plainly explains that this is the area to introduce themselves. The purpose for that is to get them to participate.
After the introduction then they can move on to the gate that would give their question traction.
Often times new comers don't know the rules they agreed to until they violate them.
Yep, that's alot to expect from a first time member to decipher.  All they get is a "Welcome to the GTA" and their question goes unanswered... that often leads them to believe nobody here thinks they are worthy of an answer and they become a one and done.
I am guilty of not helping but the best thing is to welcome them and followed by a road map to the best place to get the answers they are looking for. We have upwards of 20 new members joining each day... one person can not possibly take each on by the hand and lead them to the promise land.

As for the missing gates/threads and info from days gone by... it wasn't just wadded up and tossed in the trash... all the pertinent information was merged into other threads/topics/gates. Yeah, unfortunately it will take some searching to find but it's still here.

It's really hard to accept change and help make it better... it's really easy to just complain about it.
This forum got BIG... far bigger than anticipated.. it quickly outgrew any sense of organization. The changes we see going on today are the attempts to bring that under control.

[bnowlin]

LOL... this place keeps me sane... imagine that. 

LOL your antics keep me sane
Bob

[airgunaut]

I prefer to welcome them and then direct them to post on the gate for their specific question...
Gets them involved in GTA instead of a "one and done".

I get a little "miffed" with the introduction of "help me now" posts.
I introduce myself with "Hi. my name is Scott, here is a bit about me"... etc.
THAT is an introduction.

That's what I did a day or two ago. The question is more likely to be seen and answered (often by more than one person) if posted in the correct forum, which the newbie might not yet know exists.

[bnowlin]

CITOC
Change is the only constant.

[Motorhead]

No "dang" wonder we grow old & die ....
We spend a lifetime figuring out what it takes to be confident & comfortable in what we have learned, yet what we know to do & act upon never really finds sure footing as this "Change" is cumulative to the masses wishing to find this same nirvana or arrival of a similar footing.

Thinking big city life and/or just making ones self aware of the chaos of the world unsettles this feeling ... guessing head in the sand has its place as we age !!!

[avator]

LOL... this place keeps me sane... imagine that. 

LOL your antics keep me sane
Bob

You're welcome... I'm happy to see you are getting what you need from the forum.     

[AKM]

My take is that this site has way too many gates. The child gates are the strangest thing I have ever seen in a message board.

Most people today have short attention spans so sifting through multiple gates to find a little bit of info just isn't worth it.

This site needs a complete overhaul but I can see with all the multiple gates how this would be a complete nightmare and take a lot of work.

Also I have noticed that this site has a lot of sensitive members who get bent out of shape way too easy.  This stifles conversation and builds resentment among members.