The future of 306oc

[Danny Wideboy]

I'm still here almost daily.
Not much to comment on these days, i still keep a fleet of rusty, shit, transits, an XUD Xantia and various incoming and outgoing shitters amongst a few motorbikes.
Watching Piggys plight with interest. I really hope you get it sorted dude, SO MUCH effort, be a shame if you never get a grin out of it.

[Eeyore]

Is there anyone contactable on .net ref their archive?
just one of my many idle thoughts.

Fooby has already been in touch and they werent very forthcoming. We dont think they made a backup.

[Paul Baldwin]

Still getting an invalid cert warning here if trying to access the site via the direct web address using Firefox.

Maybe a semi permanent banner/note about the photobucket fix that shows on the top of every page would help with traffic staying around more? People are so used to photos now that a site without them and full of dead links just appears like a wilderness? Attention span of a goldfish gen anyone? Plus photos of certain bits are imo completely invaluable as a resource even when the text is well written.

[Eeyore]

try 306oc.co.uk and try www.306oc.co.uk. there should be a difference!

[Dum-Dum]

The thing with pugnet is that they turned it off and nobody noticed for a week, that really says alot about how it was used.

The other thing is when this forum was started 7 years ago there was always over a thousand 306s for sale on autotrader, now there is usually about 20 of them. The number of people buying 306s is tiny so, although a greater percentage are likely to be enthusiasts, there is still a monumental reduction in people likely to be looking for the information.

I the three hundred and six original couches ever does look like it's going to go it may well be worth linking up with PSCUK and see if they can take all our information as they seem to support alot more classic stuff and a variety of models.

[JTaylor2005]

On a photobucket side note this is the internet Alexa rating for their website https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/photobucket.com

It's basically a huge overall measure of how important that website is on a global scale.

Long story short. They put that charge in place June 2017. Since then they have dropped 1700 places on the Alexa scale. What a c*** up! haha

[Magenta Sunset]

Is there anyone contactable on .net ref their archive?
just one of my many idle thoughts.

Fooby has already been in touch and they werent very forthcoming. We dont think they made a backup.

what a silly thing for them to do.

---

Still getting an invalid cert warning here if trying to access the site via the direct web address using Firefox.

Maybe a semi permanent banner/note about the photobucket fix that shows on the top of every page would help with traffic staying around more? People are so used to photos now that a site without them and full of dead links just appears like a wilderness? Attention span of a goldfish gen anyone? Plus photos of certain bits are imo completely invaluable as a resource even when the text is well written.

quite!

[procta]

I knew this was going to happen, it happened with the metro side of things years ago.
All i can say really is things have to change, that's what direction is this club going?  are we still into modifying or are we going to try and save as many 306s ?  
That's the question now, we all need to ask.
This place started to drop off back in 2015, and the forum looks like its gone the same way .net has. Very quiet.  
I am going to give you my 10p worth, not like it means much, but its still worth it.
The metro owners club started to have a major meets for the special birthdays.  
I cannot even really recall anyone doing anything for the 306s 10 birthday or the 20th birthday, or even the 25th birthday, if that's been and gone.  Also try and get the club involved in non French car stuff too!  get a buyers guide in practical classics.
As for the .net not sharing information, i am not surprised.  
Even though now i only make the odd log in now, and that's due to me not using mine as a daily, i still hold a torch for mine, and still plan on to running mine, maybe even restore it. 
weather a lot anyone will take what i said on board, is another thing. As did say something very similar back a few years ago. 
But then it all depends on how willing people are about isn't it?
Get the 306 noticed!

[Niall]

Should dust off the keyboard and post I suppose!

We have all noticed the decline and FB has been a big contributor to that. I’m gutted that .net has gone and if I could get hold of the DB then I’d love to register it for the knowledge that’s on there

What I will say is though that this forum isn’t going anywhere. Whilst it has declined, the server this forum is hosted on is dedicated to us and it won’t go because some of us use it for other websites as well. Theoretically it’s extremely cheap to host this forum and that won’t change until there is 0 members!

[Paul Baldwin]

Getting a certificate error on Opera too and now being forced into adding in an exception in firefox to login.

I direct as much info off Facefuck as I get chance to. There's a wealth of knowledge here and a helpful bunch. I hope it sticks around and the knowledge doesn't disappear into the ether.

As for the photos bit. I logged into Migweb the other day out of interest. Saw a question about a V6 in a Mk2 Astra. I was one of, if not the first to post a photo of a very simple mount of how it can be done. Photos are gone but people were still asking as far back as last year... That was 10 years back but if it comes in handy to one person you are still helping to keep the backstreet bodger ethos going. Men in sheds and all that.

---

Getting  a certificate error on Opera too and now being forced into adding in an exception in firefox to login.

I direct as much info off Facefuck as I get chance to. There's a wealth of knowledge here and a helpful bunch. I hope it sticks around and the knowledge doesn't disappear                                     into the ether.

As for the photos bit. I logged into Migweb the other day out of interest. Saw a question about a V6 in a Mk2 Astra. I was one of, if not the first to post a photo of a very simple mount of how it can be done. Photos are gone but people were still asking as far back as last year... That was 10 years back but if it comes in handy to one person you are still helping to keep the backstreet bodger ethos going. Men in sheds and all that.

Ps. Couldn't even post in Opera, wouldn't let me.

[Scott]

Nice to see some old faces in here Apologies for the cert issues chaps, should all be sorted now with the redirect too. I will keep a closer eye on it in future!

As for the site shutting down, I can't see it happening any time soon. There are still users and as others have said this is a dedicated server with other sites running on it, until all of those go too we'll keep everything up and running. Donations are always welcomed though, contact Sam, Niall or Fooby for details.

Cheers

[Magenta Sunset]

would a flyer design that members could print locally help stir interest?
I still see a lot of 306's around my way. mostly driven by the middle aged, but who knows, they might appreciate the wealth of knowledge and Kameraden we share.

[JTaylor2005]

Would be interesting to see if it stirs up more joins to the website. Just stick them on cars around the country and see if we get extra people joining the forum.

[Magenta Sunset]

Would be interesting to see if it stirs up more joins to the website. Just stick them on cars around the country and see if we get extra people joining the forum.

would an admin like to create an approved design?
I would happily get some printed and tag local owners.

[procta]

Should dust off the keyboard and post I suppose!

We have all noticed the decline and FB has been a big contributor to that. I’m gutted that .net has gone and if I could get hold of the DB then I’d love to register it for the knowledge that’s on there

What I will say is though that this forum isn’t going anywhere. Whilst it has declined, the server this forum is hosted on is dedicated to us and it won’t go because some of us use it for other websites as well. Theoretically it’s extremely cheap to host this forum and that won’t change until there is 0 members!

well you know what you do then, you just have the facebook group just for meet events only, that's it. Steers everything back on here. Also I think the major reason people stopped using the .net forum was due to practically everyone moving on to here really. I am surprised it wasn't shut down years ago, Is the data base lost?  or has it been just taken offline? It might be worth having a chat again and maybe making an offer for the database, and see if there is somewhere it could be tweaked on to this site.

[Magenta Sunset]

I like that idea. FB for chat etc, and the forum for projects, technical etc.

[procta]

I like that idea. FB for chat etc, and the forum for projects, technical etc.

we have chat/ shout box thing on here, why use facebook for chat? Just use facebook to advertise meets.  The metro owners club did exactly that and brought life back to their new forum.

[Eeyore]

The problem is lots of people use facebook because "its easier" and "i cant use the forum", "the forum doesnt work on my phone". Its all about convenience and controlling the content on FB not only consumes a lot of resources from our volunteer mods but also is a losing battle.

[procta]

" I cant use the forum" forums have been around for years! Even I can access the forum from my phone too! If you lads wound the face book group thing back, to what I have said. People would sharp be back here.

[twangy]

I spotted that they have officially pulled the plug on 306.net, mainly blamed FB for its demise. Is 306oc heading the same way? There is only a dozen people rattling round this big old forum now. It will be a shame to lose all that knowledge....

Still browse myself most days , would be a shame to loose forum

[JTaylor2005]

We could have business card style things made up. Neater and less likely to blow away if you put one on a car. They aren't expensive to buy and could have the logo, the amount of guides "219", How many active members, total number of threads etc etc. You never know it might bring quite a bit of interest back into the website with people that are looking to keep theirs on the road as a cheap run about or just because they love their pugs!

[JTaylor2005]

Spelled enthusiast wrong! But this is a quick knock up of what could be tidied up. Just put more info based on website statistics etc, and whatever other ideas people have and you could make a very neat little thing for just putting on 306's around the country.

[Uberderv]

Nice job mate

[Dave]

Still log into forum on a daily basis. Browse XUD forums and projects.

[Magenta Sunset]

Spelled enthusiast wrong! But this is a quick knock up of what could be tidied up. Just put more info based on website statistics etc, and whatever other ideas people have and you could make a very neat little thing for just putting on 306's around the country.

great work.

just a wee suggestion; what would it look like if the black text was put under the gold, and the space used for mentioning we do events, meetings and drive outs across the country? just a thought.

[Piggy]

Daily browse.
Lost interest in track/show events as got a bit samey.
I don't think this will ever die though.
I can't imagine life without a 306 on my drive!

---

Pictures is a major major issue... With guides and big build threads, all pics are gone...

[Mighty306]

I don't think this will ever die though.
I can't imagine life without a 306 on my drive!

Excellent news!!

---

Pictures is a major major issue... With guides and big build threads, all pics are gone...

I have yet to install the 'Photobucket Fix' as only running IE11.  (Yes, I know there are much better browsers out there!!!!).

I wonder how long the fix will work though as Photocucket aren't going to see it as in their interests longer-term to allow a 'back door' to a paid-for service.

A year or two ago I saved some guides from another well-known 306 site on to my laptop as web archive files.  (This was so I could read them offline away from the house - the garage is 300m away).  Saving as a web archive file saves the pics as they are displayed rather than the web links to them.  I therefore have some guides from that site with all the lovely pics still intact.

If anyone who has done the 'Photobucket fix' can be arsed to start saving the important guides as web archive files then at least there's an option in future for members to have access to them.

[Piggy]

Good call that

[cully]

personaly ive had enough of rolling around the drive on my back fixing cars!
my bianca is going in for MOT tomorrow there may be a for sale package soon

[wainwrightj]

personaly ive had enough of rolling around the drive on my back fixing cars!
my bianca is going in for MOT tomorrow there may be a for sale package soon

I think that's got to be part of it, people simply loosing interest in fixing cars which results in less forum use until they stop completely.