BajaNomad - What other baja sites do you use

What other baja sites do you use

norte - 7-25-2017 at 04:51 PM

so reading about the support problems on this forum. What other forums are out there? is this forum going to slowly die? Can DavidK or someone else take it over?

Mula - 7-25-2017 at 05:01 PM

Talk Baja addressed the photo situation today and why he changed the format over to Facebook.

chuckie - 7-25-2017 at 05:02 PM

Talk Baja seems to be a civil place to go for real information, Does a good job of managing. This forum seems to be a continual rehash of the same stuff...by the same people...I

norte - 7-25-2017 at 05:29 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Mula

Talk Baja addressed the photo situation today and why he changed the format over to Facebook.

Just looked. Wow...someone went off the deep end and was very abusive. Seems to be from this site and does not represent it well. There were a lot of good points made. How does one take those to improve this site (other than a good full time monitor who will boot those that go off-topic...and maybe removal of the off-topic portion? Can someone take over the site that will rehost the site on a modern platform (as Doug suggested but does not have time to do)?

Facebook - Talk Baja

John M - 7-25-2017 at 06:00 PM

Is Talk Baja only a Facebook version or is there a discussion board such as we have here on Nomad? I didn't see other than facebook.

John M

AKgringo - 7-25-2017 at 07:40 PM

There are other sites? :?:

mtgoat666 - 7-25-2017 at 07:48 PM

Talk Baja is a poor format. Instead of reading post titles and skipping the fluff, you have to scroll thru the fluff to find an occasional post worth reading. I rarely look at talk baja, because the posts are mostly inane questions by newbies, and numerous boring posts about road queries/conditions, flea bag dogs and sunset pictures. Hard to wade thru that fluff to find something of interest.

norte - 7-25-2017 at 08:06 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Talk Baja is a poor format. Instead of reading post titles and skipping the fluff, you have to scroll thru the fluff to find an occasional post worth reading. I rarely look at talk baja, because the posts are mostly inane questions by newbies, and numerous boring posts about road queries/conditions, flea bag dogs and sunset pictures. Hard to wade thru that fluff to find something of interest.

Now there is a gem. why would anyone want baja road conditions on a baja site when they can have a great off-topic discussion with the mountain goat. Goaty, weren't you a newbie once? Are you still a newbie when it comes to Baja?

norte - 7-25-2017 at 08:15 PM

lets see...wait a minute...this is not about the goat or facebook. Mr Doug says that the software platform is no longer supportable. This about what can be done for this site...or do we go somewhere else for BAJA information.

Lee - 7-25-2017 at 08:29 PM

Don't care for FB or TB and the format sucks. Got all the info I need right here. If someone doesn't get what they need here, they move on. Anything rehashed is probably useful to newbies. Lots of nomads here are willing to help people needing answers -- and they do it with patience. DK comes to mind along with many others.

Everything changes and this site is no different. Whatever Doug is up to is good. Enjoy it while it's here -- as one day it'll be a memory. Like the Brothers in Nam use to say: ain't no thang.

BajaBlanca - 7-25-2017 at 08:41 PM

I really like this site. I have planned and enjoyed trips all the more due to tips everyone gave us. I have been given medical info -real life info - invaluable. The history! The maps! The laughter. The donations .... dudes and dudettes, I could go on and on.

The photos issue was solved for me. That all my past posts have no photos is devastating, oh well. I am over it already.

I do look at Talk Baja once in a while, precisely for the sunrise and sunset shots. To see what questions are being posed and how they are answered.

I hope this forum NEVER goes away. It would leave a big hole for me ... I love seeing/reading about what everyone is up to. We are so remote, this is my lifeline to what is up north and south of us.

BooJumMan - 7-25-2017 at 09:10 PM

There needs to be a dedicated site on the HWY 5 road conditions. Daily updates should be required... the road construction just moves so quickly, we need to be up to date with the latest news.

Baja Nomad is My Place

GypsyJan - 7-25-2017 at 09:40 PM

To find out about the entire Baja Peninsula in general; an 800 mile stretch of land. The information posted and the points of view are pretty much balanced out by discussion - democracy at its finest.

The other websites seen to be slanted towards a locked-in viewpoint.

BajaNomad - 7-25-2017 at 11:14 PM

The only thing I noted is that the current software is no longer being updated and that going forward a new platform would be needed - and would have to be migrated to - and that I had been evaluating options (as well as vision).

Also, as noted on Talk Baja, storage space is faster and cheaper than ever before.

Stop trolling. Jeeeze....

:light:

norte - 7-26-2017 at 02:18 AM

Not trolling, geeze. I never once said anything about facebook. Too me that was not the issue. Didn't you say you needed to evaluate options? Everyone is so sensitive here.

shari - 7-26-2017 at 07:28 AM

I am surprised there isnt another Baja Forum but it takes alot of time and effort to design and maintain one which is why most of us are very thankful Doug has provided this service for us.

This Forum is like an old friend...not perfect in every way but a comforting and reliable one....one who provides laughter, insight, information and company. I have had the pleasure of meeting many Nomads in person, some of whom have become life-long friends and this forum enables us to communicate and keep up with each other's lives and opinions.

I much prefer it over the facebook pages as we can have actual meaningful conversations with people and choose what threads we want to take the time to look at. FAcebook just scrolls past way too fast so one may miss something unless they are on it all the time scrolling scrolling scrolling...whereas here we can just check in occasionally and get all the scrumptious baja juice we want.
Yes the software may be outdated....but so am I so it suits me just fine! gracias Doug for all you do....have a great day my NOmad amigos!

SFandH - 7-26-2017 at 08:23 AM

Facebook and message boards are two different types of software. You can't replace one with the other and have the same functionality.

There is a link near the bottom of this page to XMB Forum Software, the software this message board uses. It's open source (free) software that can be modified to one's liking once it is downloaded and installed on a server. The task takes some technical expertise and once it is running an admin is needed to watch over it and perform whatever level of moderation of posts s/he desires. It uses PHP and MySQL, a programming language / database management system that is very popular and used worldwide throughout the web for all sorts of websites. Most website hosting businesses already have them (PHP/MySQL) installed on their servers for customers to use.

It would be a good skillset (HTML/PHP/MySQL/Javascript) to learn for a young programmer who needs to build his resume.

P.S. If I were in charge I would eliminate the capabilities of using images and large/colored fonts in the off-topic threads.

[Edited on 7-26-2017 by SFandH]

KurtG - 7-26-2017 at 08:45 AM

Quote: Originally posted by shari

I am surprised there isnt another Baja Forum but it takes alot of time and effort to design and maintain one which is why most of us are very thankful Doug has provided this service for us.

This Forum is like an old friend...not perfect in every way but a comforting and reliable one....one who provides laughter, insight, information and company. I have had the pleasure of meeting many Nomads in person, some of whom have become life-long friends and this forum enables us to communicate and keep up with each other's lives and opinions.

I much prefer it over the facebook pages as we can have actual meaningful conversations with people and choose what threads we want to take the time to look at. FAcebook just scrolls past way too fast so one may miss something unless they are on it all the time scrolling scrolling scrolling...whereas here we can just check in occasionally and get all the scrumptious baja juice we want.
Yes the software may be outdated....but so am I so it suits me just fine! gracias Doug for all you do....have a great day my NOmad amigos!

I agree completely with Shari and Blanca, the Nomads board has been a great resource for me over the years and I have met quite a few Nomads face to face. There's not one who I wouldn't enjoy sitting around a campfire with. I appreciate Doug's efforts in keeping this site going.

mtgoat666 - 7-26-2017 at 08:55 AM

Yes, Doug does a great service!
And best of all this site continues to operate with little advertising distraction and no popups!

Hook - 7-26-2017 at 09:21 AM

I really dont like the Facebook formatting style, either. Discussion boards, organized by subject area, are much easier to find information and much easier to read for me. I find Talk Baja too disjointed.

Truth be told, I would actually pay a modest fee per year to keep Nomads running.

There is a gringo discussion board in the town I live in on Mainland Mexico that solicits donations. But the moderator completely dominates every discussion (he had five times the number of posts of anyone else), edits many posts to suit himself, limits any discussion of commercial enterprises that dont pay for advertising and shuts down discussions when, in his opinion, they have run their course. He also has been known to create aliases for himself on that board. I refuse to donate or post to a outlet so censored, and dominated by one individual's point of view, as that one. If you think DK dominates THIS board, you wouldn't believe how that guy controls discussions over there. No criticism of him is allowed, even when he goes overboard on the censorship and deletes valuable info. He bans people all the time and you MUST agree to receive his monthly request for donations by email or you are bounced.

Nomads is certainly a breath of fresh air, from my perspective. That's Gulag over there.

Doug is that rare moderator who doesn't let his ego get in the way of good discussions. You'd be surprised how often ego impairs good discussions............just like in conversation.

JZ - 7-26-2017 at 09:39 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Hook

I really dont like the Facebook formatting style, either. Discussion boards, organized by subject area, are much easier to find information and much easier to read for me. I find Talk Baja too disjointed.

Truth be told, I would actually pay a modest fee per year to keep Nomads running.

There is a gringo discussion board in the town I live in on Mainland Mexico that solicits donations. But the moderator completely dominates every discussion (he had five times the number of posts of anyone else), edits many posts to suit himself, limits any discussion of commercial enterprises that dont pay for advertising and shuts down discussions when, in his opinion, they have run their course. He also has been known to create aliases for himself on that board. I refuse to donate or post to a outlet so censored, and dominated by one individual's point of view, as that one. If you think DK dominates THIS board, you wouldn't believe how that guy controls discussions over there. No criticism of him is allowed, even when he goes overboard on the censorship and deletes valuable info. He bans people all the time and you MUST agree to receive his monthly request for donations by email or you are bounced.

Nomads is certainly a breath of fresh air, from my perspective. That's Gulag over there.

Doug is that rare moderator who doesn't let his ego get in the way of good discussions. You'd be surprised how often ego impairs good discussions............just like in conversation.

That jackweed read a competing board where I dissed him and banned me. He's crazy.

SFandH - 7-26-2017 at 09:51 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Hook

Truth be told, I would actually pay a modest fee per year to keep Nomads running.

I've recently joined a website that charges $4.99 per year. I've also subscribed to the San Diego Union-Tribune because they, like more and more newspaper websites, only allow a fixed number of free views per month which I was exceeding. And I frequently download the New York Times for 0.99 cents a copy. I don't mind paying small amounts for useful information.

Viva Baja Nomad

Russ - 7-26-2017 at 09:55 AM

If I become angry or frustrated at times by postings I have to remind myself I chose to read them.
Good Job Doug!

AKgringo - 7-26-2017 at 10:13 AM

I have no intention of buying a new Honda, but I just clicked on the banner ad on this forum for more information! I do this often.

It is so much less intrusive than a pop-up ad, and I hope it helps support Doug's efforts to keep this board worth his time and effort!

greengoes - 7-26-2017 at 10:14 AM

It may be time to think of a another platform. As this open source one is four years old maybe one that costs a few a pesos is the way to go.

Big question is can everything be ported over?

willardguy - 7-26-2017 at 10:25 AM

Quote: Originally posted by norte

so reading about the support problems on this forum. What other forums are out there? is this forum going to slowly die? Can DavidK or someone else take it over?

what, no ones gonna mention the fulano forum! his general discussion forum is tamer than most the vile chit going on here in the OT and I find it a good source of baja news.

JoeJustJoe - 7-26-2017 at 11:48 AM

Quote: Originally posted by chuckie

Talk Baja seems to be a civil place to go for real information, Does a good job of managing. This forum seems to be a continual rehash of the same stuff...by the same people...I

Nothing against Ron and "Talk Baja" on Facebook, and it's amazing how his Baja Facebook, site is attracting thousands of new members, and if he gets too many new members, I think it may become unmanageable. Essentially, it's like having one long thread that all the group members post on, and you are forced to look at everything before you might find something of interest.

BTW Chuckie, you would last two minutes on "Talk Baja" the way you troll here, as it's heavily monitored by Ron, and at least four moderators, maybe more, with their own idea on what's acceptable.

Now I know many members here think we need more moderators here, and they may even have a point, but when you have too many moderators running amok on forums, and Facebook, they generally go on power trips censor, delete, and close down threads that also happen to be the most interesting.

who is Stacy, over at "Talk Baja" who bashed the hell out of "Baja Nomad" and also claims she is a member of "Baja Nomad?" She does sound very brave to throw rocks at "Baja Nomad" from, over there. I just wonder why she doesn't say the same things if she is a member of "Baja Nomad" too?

willardguy - 7-26-2017 at 11:56 AM

facebook? the ability to hide and block members........priceless! :yes:

SFandH - 7-26-2017 at 12:04 PM

Quote: Originally posted by willardguy

facebook? the ability to hide and block members........priceless! :yes:

I've unfollowed all of my Facebook friends except for family. :lol:

A bunch of drivel.

JoeJustJoe - 7-26-2017 at 12:04 PM

Quote: Originally posted by willardguy

Quote: Originally posted by norte

so reading about the support problems on this forum. What other forums are out there? is this forum going to slowly die? Can DavidK or someone else take it over?

what, no ones gonna mention the fulano forum! his general discussion forum is tamer than most the vile chit going on here in the OT and I find it a good source of baja news.

That site is tamer now, because it's only basically down to the forum owner, and one hapless member, so in other words it's a ghost town with almost no active posting members. It's amazing the doors are still open over there!

You mean it's a good source of bad Baja news. Willardguy, I will give you a cookie for every positive news article you find about Baja in that Ghost town Willardguy.

And If you can't find any positive stories about Baja over there.......don't you think that could be a sign that maybe they have an agenda and ax to grind against Mexico, and the Mexican people?

KurtG - 7-26-2017 at 12:55 PM

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

Quote: Originally posted by Hook

Truth be told, I would actually pay a modest fee per year to keep Nomads running.

I use a couple of motorcycle forums that are very interesting and helpful. None require a subscription but do solicit donations and have a Paypal link for them. I periodically donate $5 to help keep them going. I would do the same here and suspect many other regulars would as well.

chuckie - 7-26-2017 at 12:57 PM

axe

willardguy - 7-26-2017 at 01:22 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JoeJustJoe

Quote: Originally posted by willardguy

Quote: Originally posted by norte

so reading about the support problems on this forum. What other forums are out there? is this forum going to slowly die? Can DavidK or someone else take it over?

what, no ones gonna mention the fulano forum! his general discussion forum is tamer than most the vile chit going on here in the OT and I find it a good source of baja news.

don't like it don't read it.....just like a JJJ post. :no:

Hook - 7-26-2017 at 01:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

Quote: Originally posted by Hook

Truth be told, I would actually pay a modest fee per year to keep Nomads running.

Really, I would pay up to a dollar a month, if Nomads was going away, due to lack of funds.

And I almost never go to Baja anymore.

But I might if they EVER finish the Hwy 5 paving.

willardguy - 7-26-2017 at 01:59 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Hook

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

Quote: Originally posted by Hook

Truth be told, I would actually pay a modest fee per year to keep Nomads running.

Really, I would pay up to a dollar a month, if Nomads was going away, due to lack of funds.

And I almost never go to Baja anymore.

But I might if they EVER finish the Hwy 5 paving.

I think doug should have started out charging a buck a post....think of that $50,000 off just one member! :lol:

Hook - 7-26-2017 at 02:47 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JoeJustJoe

Quote: Originally posted by chuckie

Talk Baja seems to be a civil place to go for real information, Does a good job of managing. This forum seems to be a continual rehash of the same stuff...by the same people...I

Essentially, it's like having one long thread that all the group members post on, and you are forced to look at everything before you might find something of interest.

This is really the essence of why I dont like the newer social media websites like FB, Twitter, etc.

I suppose if you are a person who has lots of friends who are constantly posting and YOU are a person who is constantly monitoring, no post will get past you (you people know who you are!). But I'm not that way.

These new websites are also filled with click-bait and that just gets too visually confusing for me.

BTW, where is this post where Doug says "the end is near".

Bob and Susan - 7-26-2017 at 02:50 PM

Quote: Originally posted by chuckie

axe

you could be wrong chucky
http://writingexplained.org/ax-or-axe-difference

grind away

pauldavidmena - 7-26-2017 at 03:00 PM

Facebook does solve the image posting conundrum, but it alone decides what posts to display first, changes format without warning, and basically leaves a group admin with little control beyond topic and user moderation. Ron does a very good job with Talk Baja, but its audience is different from that of Baja Nomad, and deliberately so. I find both valuable for different reasons.

I hope Doug finds a workable solution for the board and for posting images. Having run a number of websites on a volunteer basis for years, it truly is a thankless job.

chuckie - 7-26-2017 at 03:05 PM

hatchet

norte - 7-26-2017 at 06:47 PM

One of the things facebook gives you we don't have here is the ability to axe the whole dam thread (IF YOU ARE THE ORIGINATOR).

norte - 7-26-2017 at 08:13 PM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho

Quote: Originally posted by norte

One of the things facebook gives you we don't have here is the ability to axe the whole dam thread (IF YOU ARE THE ORIGINATOR).

Ability which NO MORTAL should have. Once anyone else has participated in a thread, it is no longer property of the originator. :light:

I hear you Larry...but what I posted was positive and all I got back was what people did not like. Mostly some other site on facebook. Very little positive... I know, why would I expect otherwise. But it should give the OP the right to back out gracefully.... now back to meaningful, deep topics like boat names.

BajaNomad - 7-28-2017 at 10:03 AM

Please know that with the ongoing support of Baja Bound Mexican Auto Insurance, and people like AKGringo clicking on Honda (or whatever) ads... there's no $ issue here.

Please consider a recommendation for Baja Bound to those you know who are driving into Baja. Buy online, print policy, and go!

:saint:

BajaNomad - 7-28-2017 at 10:06 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Hook

BTW, where is this post where Doug says "the end is near".

Not really "end is near"... just "end of using this platform is near".

Quote: Originally posted by BajaNomad

As I have it firsthand that this forum platform will no longer be updated (at least not by the current developer who has moved on - and will unlikely be picked up by anyone else), it's tough to spend time "fixing" things that will need to be left behind, as a software change and data migration would be necessary at some point in the not-too-distant future in order to move forward. I continue to evaluate options (and vision).

DavidT - 7-28-2017 at 11:24 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaNomad

and people like AKGringo clicking on Honda (or whatever) ads...

:saint:

I wonder if Skeet/Loreto is still clicking on Texas strip club links?