General Topics
General topics about life on and travel to the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico
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Difference between the Talk Baja forum and Facebook group?
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Difference between the Talk Baja forum and Facebook group?
Just curious as to why there is a very large Talk Baja discussion group on Facebook and also this smaller discussion forum? What’s the difference between the two other than one being on Facebook?
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65 Replies
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For starters, not all of us use facebook.
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Duh, of course. My common sense apparently west on vacation yesterday. 😜
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Agree completely. I dropped out of Facebook months ago and it was a royal pain to do so. Albeit it seems that the Facebook group was much more active. I hope that this forum expands to a wider audience.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by boe4fun.
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Our discussion forum alone is getting a lot of drive by lurkers, now averaging over 3,000 unique viewers (not counting search engine bots) each and every day. It seems there are many just too shy yet to stick their toe in the water but we are seeing that slowly change.
I suspect that in the coming months as we build up a bigger database of topics and more and more of those lurkers will begin to participate.
The best way to entice them is to start more of your own Baja related topics…
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I like this forum format and chemistry and am inviting some of my friends to join. It really is up to us after all to build up the activity level here, not the forum admins.
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I was on Face book to stay in contact with my grandchildren living in Colorado 10 years ago but now they have moved back and living close by me so I don’t use Face book very much now. I am a member on Talk Baja on Face Book but only read, never participated.
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I don’t think Facebook is going away any time soon but the way we use it has definitely evolved. Part of that is because most today use FB exclusively on their phones I think and FB itself has changed too. A lot more ads now, more rules, fact-checkers, filtering our feeds and notifications, etc. I can see where people will simply decide they’ve had enough and give up on social media but still want to stay connected with Talk Baja, so I guess it makes a more sense from that perspective.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by
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I don’t really know how any of this works but I had thought the facebook site would have been imported over here? was that ever a consideration?
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That isn’t possible simply because I don’t have access to all the facebook databases, but I am not sure I would want to even if I did. This is a different format that I personally prefer and as we grow here, more and more will see the value including a percentage of the thousands of lurkers we see each and every day…
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All of the TalkBaja data on facebook would probably contain several TB of data and represents a gargantuan level task to attempt an import based on sheer volume of data alone, not to even mention other factors like attributing posts, comments and media to facebook members who aren’t members here, etc.
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Thanks for the question @McBaja and it’s one I have been asked often via PM’s.
My reasoning behind creating this forum was several-fold:
1. Surveys say that somewhere between 30 to 50% of the general public either uses Facebook infrequently or not at all and I wanted to create a platform off of Facebook for folks to participate on the topic of Baja in a discussion forum format.
2. We have benefited greatly from the Facebook platform over the years but I have no control over the way Zuckerberg chooses to to run it or much say (although they do ask our opinions from time to time) on changes forced down our throats over time.
Facebook groups have changed dramatically since I first started on the platform nine years ago in terms of their policies, many of which now place unrealistic restrictions on how I can manage and operate the group.
Many of our Facebook group users complain to me about different aspects of the management of the group on topics that I often have little say or control over, because of these new facebook policies.
Because our Facebook community has grown so large, I felt an obligation to create an alternative – an offramp of sorts, for our Facebook members to migrate to if and when they do leave the platform out of frustration.
3. This platform allows for – what I believe to be – much better, in depth discussions on topics instead of conversations flying down your screen as happens with Facebook.
I welcome your questions, comments and feedback.
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So you envision a time where possibly this website could become the central hub for TalkBaja?
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I do believe that this website will over time take on a much more predominant role in bringing in new members by building our database of information on Baja. How these new members will participate; be it here on our forum on talkbaja.com or migrate to our groups and pages on Facebook is something that I am watching closely and tracking to help me to continue to refine how this all works.
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I must admit that your approach is unique, at least to me.
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When @BajaGringo first started branching off sub-groups, I thought he was crazy, believing it would dilute the interest in Talk Baja but in fact just the opposite happened.
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Is there a list of all these other groups somewhere?
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I knew it was a risk when I started splitting off the other groups but it seemed the only way I could provide a way for our members to focus on a specific sub-topic such as road conditions, weather, border traffic, caravans, classified ads, etc.
Facebook offers groups no way to effectively manage sub-topics other than hashtags which IMHO does not work as multiple hashtags could apply to the same topic and it does little to help filter the group’s feed.
And when members get frustrated at seeing the same posts repeatedly (that don’t interest them), often rude comments follow which escalate and fighting soon follows, causing the group to break down.
Facebook could easily solve this by simply providing group admins with a tool to create something like tabs or a submenu system to manage sub-topics where members could choose which tabs / sub-topics they wish to follow.
In absence of that, the only solution I saw viable was to create a number of connected groups covering the most popular sub-topics. Those posts can be shared back and forth with the main group, based on urgency and interest and serve to keep all the groups connected together in the larger community we have built.
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Judging by your growth and the size of the Talk Baja audience today, it was a smart move.
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Just saw your new off road group, TB just keeps on growing.
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I have a facebook account but rarely access it anymore, mostly use IG. I recognize that the TalkBaja facebook group is probably the busiest of all the online discussion groups related to Baja and I feel confident that if something is going on down there that I need to know about in terms of affecting any travels plans, it will be a hot topic in the facebook group and and I trust that it will be shared here too where I feel more comfortable posting vs a really large group. And I suspect I am not alone in that feeling.
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Nope, same here with me.
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I don’t like Facebook for the simple reason it’s just too much – checking into my activity feed updates I see a whole lot of things that I am supposed to see of which very little really interests me. Here I can participate in the discussions that interest me and ask to be updated by email of new responses on those that I want to keep on top of. And yes, I wish more lurkers would participate.
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Your notifications feed is whatever Facebook wants for you to see. 😆
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I use facebook but mainly to keep up with friends and family who aren’t close by. The Talk Baja group on facebook has gotten so big it’s hard to follow some thread sometimes but I will give Ron credit for the way he manages to keep it civil and off of politics. So many groups and forums today have gotten ruined by fighting including one popular Baja forum where it seems like politics bleed into every single thread. I for one really appreciate this website.
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You mean Bajanomad I presume?
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Yes, Nomad was once a great resource but it degraded down into where it is mostly David Kier’s personal sandbox to push far right politics in a majority of the threads today. They may not start that way but they end there if the thread stays active long enough. Nomad stopped being a useful tool when the Forum owner let that happen.
Another one was fulano’s forum. It started out pretty good when he just focused on posting translated news stories. But over time he allowed his sarcasm and personal views to seep into his news posts which became red meat for a few dozen trolls that joined and he encouraged. Some alleged that a lot of the trolls were fulano himself posting behind aliases / alter egos. Who knows and who cares. Over time the fulano forum went from being a good news source to just a webpage to bash anything Baja related where he would air his personal grievances with people. He was always trying to humiliate and dox anybody who disagreed with him and it really made him look narcissistic and childish.
He lost me and most of his followers when he turned that corner and his forum didn’t last much longer. I heard his Facebook group followed a similar pattern and is gone too. Today it’s really easy to get the news from Mexico translated automatically, so he really lost his gimmick I think. It’s too bad because he started off initially with something that worked.
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I have seen bajanomad.com but don’t think I have ever been on the fulano forum.
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Nomad still has a some good info but you have to filter thru the old grumps, trolls and politics. Only visited Fulano’s blog once and it was just an online clubhouse for people who hate Baja and Mexico in general. <yawn> Never went back and didn’t even know it was taken down. No surprise.
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Fulano’s blog was an ugly mess. He had some useful info sometimes but it was all shrouded in hate and anger with some real nut jobs posting on there.
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This is much easier to follow than Facebook.
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Facebook seems to be making everything more difficult to do these days. I manage two different pages on Facebook and they have added so much BS and it’s all pushing you to advertise with them.
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100% agree with you
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The biggest difference to me I suppose is that I compare it to being north and south of the border. Facebook reflects life in America today, it’s fast paced, high energy and full of people with short fuses where you have to think twice before saying anything in groups because someone is always ready to pounce.
This forum reminds me of why I go to Baja to get away from all that. Just like life south of the border, it’s a bit slower paced so you can come back later in the day and not have to spend 20 minutes trying to find a topic that interested you in the morning. People here aren’t so quick to judge or jump on you for something you say and although I know there are different opinions here, we can actually have a civil conversation on topics, even when we disagree.
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Well said!
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X2
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Good analogy.
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I hadn’t thought of it that way, but you’re 100% right.
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I love this forum Ron created for us off of Facebook and while I still use Facebook from time to time, jumping into discussions on social media these days is often a full-contact sport, something I try to avoid when possible.
I admit that I am guilty of lurking more than participating but I do enjoy the discussions here.
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I think we have different types of discussions here that are impossible to have on social media nowadays. I love it how we can have a thread on Chinese motorcycles without it crashing down into a fight on trade and politics. It would be great to see this forum grow but not sure I really want it to become a duplicate of the Facebook group.
No offense intended @BajaGringo
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None taken. For what it’s worth, I really don’t want to duplicate it either…
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😁 I for one appreciate the honest answer,
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I have been reading the posts here and finally joined today. What I like about this forum is the modern format where I can subscribe to only the topics I want to see, first I have seen that does that.
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I visit a lot of online forums looking for info but don’t post too often for some of the same reasons shared by others here. This particular forum has been exceptional not only with all the useful info shared but avoiding so much of the mean and rude comments we see so much of online these days. I hope that doesn’t change as it grows.
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It’s up to us to make sure it doesn’t.
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Yes however one bad apple can do a lot of harm if not removed quick.
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The moderation on Talk Baja is one of the things that makes it work in my opinion. I know there are some people out there who gripe about it but they are mostly the same people causing all the trouble. I for one appreciate it. I can think of a several Baja topic forums that let members post anything they want and they are either gone or lost most of their members with very limited activity today. Talk Baja is the only one that has thrived and continues to grow that I know of.
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Some of the members who were banned from Talk Baja have even formed their own group where they can scream, rant and attack each other all they want with no moderation. I couldn’t think of a better place for them – LOL!
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😆
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They sound like small children throwing a temper tantrum
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Very true and I promise to behave and bite my tongue when I have to. I hope everybody else makes an effort to do the same. It really isn’t that hard.
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I’m new here but it seems like this forum a lot less combative than the Facebook group, in fact most groups in general today on Facebook. I like it.
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Completely agree. And welcome!
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Thanks. Was a lurker for several months and finally decided to join.
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Welcome!
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Thanks, I’ll see if I can put some photos together to make a trip report for my last time down.
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It seems to me that Facebook groups are a good tool to find a quick answer to a question, for example if you break down in Guerrero Negro and need a lead on a good local mechanic.
Forums are much better designed for longer discussions on topics that can take off in different directions like you would have with friends at a BBQ or just kicking back with a 12 pack of beer.
There is a place for each platform and I like using them both, only you do have to have some thick skin at times on Facebook.
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Bingo!
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I find myself only using Facebook on my phone and I at home after work I’m mostly on my iPad where I prefer this format and overall vibe. One is not necessarily better than the other, just different.
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I have also noticed that the trouble makers on Facebook seem to be getting nosier these days in general. Ron does a good job of managing his Facebook group and most of us appreciate his recent clamping down on the rude and obnoxious members who contribute little but smart-alecky comments. I for one am glad to see them removed.
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Oh yeah! Since Ron cleaned house last month where he removed a lot of the smartasses and downright mean members, things have been a lot better. Saw one post yesterday where a few snarky people were making fun of a simple question from a newbie and within a few minutes they were gone. 😊😊😊
I really don’t understand what motivates people like that who seem hell bent on ruining the day for everyone else?
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The one thing that amazes me is that somehow the Facebook group just keeps on growing and sometimes wonder how Ron is able to manage it all? Whatever his recipe, it does seem to be working.
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It takes a special person to manage that large of a group, it really must feel like herding cats at times.
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The continued strong pace of growth amazes even me. Managing it all is a huge task and one that I could never accomplish without the valuable support of my admin team that is a very large and important reason as to why continue to be so successful.
I honestly wish that Doug would bring on a couple of moderators to help him over at Nomad; it really would make a difference I think.
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A lot of Nomads have suggested that to Doug over the years but for whatever reason, he want to keep running it as he has. I don’t get it either but it’s his (and DavidK’s) show.
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