Have kept on CC mainly for the parents in the café- old timer here. Willing to keep up with people through a second site. Do see the vetting problems but am sure there are those so much more computer literate to take on the task. What about costs?
Every time I’ve seen a new forum try to break off and start elsewhere it has failed. The trouble is that a forum needs new blood from time to time. CC provides that. It’s actually a miracle that it’s lasted as long as it has. (A veteran of AOL, Moms Online, and Parent Soup.) I’ve seen subsets of CC go to facebook, but these are generally groups that had already gotten to know each other offline and are on a real name basis. I’ve actually gotten this format to work by installing a program that makes the background a sort of beige-pink color. The font is still a little light and the double spacing on the replies is unbelievably stupid, but I’m optimistic both of those irritations will be fixed soon. I haven’t used a phone for CC for years as they had some sort of nasty popover ad that would take over my phone and could only be gotten rid of by rebooting the phone.
I am also taking this opportunity to wean myself off this site. The Parents Cafe is a great, anonymous crowd to ask advice from, and I will probably continue with current Site and at new location.
I can only skim this site now for a few minutes. It’s too awful for words.
I know it’s pretty easy to create a group on Tapatalk.
I use the app almost exclusively for another forum I’m on. I can also access that site through my browser, but prefer to use the app.
It should be called The Parent Cafe.
I’m still hopeful that some of the worst issues (visually) can be solved. I value the many long time posters, and enjoy “meeting” new folks as well. I would certainly join a break-off group but would miss it if everyone I enjoy here wasn’t around any more. Many issues that come up here are more comfortable to discuss anonymously than on a data-mined site.
The site can have different forums and each forum can have different threads. I’ll start a basic rules guide, something simple. Depending on how many people come over, I’m open for ideas or help on taking care of things.
I’m a member of some other groups elsewhere. One forum, we started with about 40 people…and then folks were actually invited to join. That did limit members but also eliminated the random you know what from joining.
Another group from my HS…of course this is a closed group…has a series of questions that one has to answer to join. It’s just to prove that you really do come from our HS. It’s amazing to me how many folks just want to spam these kids of sites. That’s why these questions were created for membership.
Anyone here remember Carolyn? She had a great college site…a sort of spin off similar to this one. Lots of forums, with varying topics. IIRC, she did most of the moderation…but did have some trusted folks who helped out.
I’v enjoyed the cafe but I don’t know if it can survive without the rest of the site. Who would be allowed to join? Would it be only about college topics or anything goes like in the current cafe? A huge part of the cafe’s charm is its audience of mostly middle-aged, thoughtful, educated parents.
A while ago I had an idea of starting a moderated forum for civil, reasoned political debate, but I couldn’t find anybody to help, didn’t have much time to spend on it, and it got overrun by spam almost immediately, so I shut it down. It’s still online though, so if you want to look at it for inspiration (the software is free and easy to adapt), I can PM you the URL.
I’ll go to both. In my experience, whenever they give a “fresh look” to a decently functioning site, it is the kiss of death. My sense is that they want to shake out the oldsters and focus more on the incoming crop of new parents and students.
I’m in. I don’t post as often as many of you, but have been on this site for a LONG time! (yes, I remember Carolyn). It feels like a friendly neighborhood, and I’d miss the conversation. I think a major reason for success is 1) the moderators, and 2) We all value education, which is why we found our way to the original site.
I also agree w/ Mathmom, however, that it may lose new “neighbors” unless we continue to visit the old neighborhood, and occasionally invite new members to stop by.
Unfortunately, I’m afraid that means I’ll be visiting TWO sites for awhile. So much for downsizing ?
I’m in. I love this site with it’s wide range of topics but I cannot, I repeat, cannot deal with this format. I too use a desktop, but right now I see real content only on the middle 3rd of the screen and only one post is showing.
I remember Carolyn and have a vague recollection of visiting her site but can’t remember what happened to it (or maybe I just stopped visiting.). I keep thinking this new format just requires some time to adjust. I have never been on Facebook, don’t ever intend to start, and really rely on this forum for info on everything from appliances to retirement. I’d visit a new site and try to keep up with this one as well.
I’m in!
@Massmomm, if they want to shake out the oldsters, then who would be able to answer the questions?
Seems like some newbies wouldn’t stay long either if the new format didn’t make the forum’s content easy and accessible (even newbies that didn’t know about the good old days).
count me in!
"Any ideas for a domain name? "
@ChuckleDoodle , how about College Parents Cafe?
that way [hopefully] we wont be swamped by too many parents who did not go to college.[ I know that sounds terribly snobby, but I really want the new cafe to be attractive to those interested and capable of maintaining a similarly high level of intelligent conversations as the threads currently found in CC’s cafe, or as @yucca10 so succinctly stated- “an audience of mostly middle-aged, thoughtful, educated parents.”]
I also WONT participate if its on Facebook.
“mostly middle-aged, thoughtful, educated parents.”
There’s your name right there. 
But as my mom likes to tell my older brother when he refers to himself as middle-aged, “You aren’t going to live to 116.” 
I stopped visiting Carolyn’s site when it stopped getting traffic. Looks like she doesn’t have message boards any more.
I’ve looked for Carolyn once in a while. She hasn’t had a presence in a few years.
Is this the Carolyn?