Friends, Romans and Countryman. Also forum members

[cookie1]

I really love the comments that are appearing here. Thank you all for being so honest. I have only skimmed them at the moment but plan to sit down and digest each one carefully. Ill also re send the link to MM telling him that there are some great ideas here. Thank you all and keep them coming.

[Emme]

This forum is usually the first thing I log onto each day when I can.  I feel that over the time I have been a member I have never felt unwelcome even though I did not  originally purchase a Thermomix but have since bought one because of this forum.    So I now have two machines.  There are other sites mainly facebook where the other machines are featured and support can be found. I don't do facebook very well and only joined that to follow family.    This forum has influenced what I buy (shopping thread)(bank account is definitely worse off) and I have been extremely grateful for the forum friendships that have been formed even though I have never met anyone from the forum. I do like the chit chat section as having not travelled all that much or not having grandchildren I can share in the travels and joy of others. The messages I received when my sister died recently were greatly appreciated and helped immensely.   Most of the things I cook have recipes already on the site, so I don't feel it needs clogging up with repeats.  I do comment on the ones I really like.  Maybe if the additions or alterations to the original could be posted closer to the original it may help. I don't know whether a box underneath the original could be put so that if someone has an addition/alteration that they found worked they could post it so that it appears straight underneath the original.   I have printed them out and made notes on the original in my own case.  
To me the divide is there between chit chat and recipes and the welcome section.  For those that are only interested in recipes that is where you go.  News and updates for the machine are also separated.  The moderators do a fantastic job to keep the forum running and really it is as Gert said unique in that there are many on hand with experience in many fields to answer or advise.  I feel we can share a problem, a joke, news, (either sad or happy) and share recipe successes and feel others can laugh with us (not at us) with our failures whether beginner or not.     It is a great forum but people will only get out of it what they put in. I had heard from another forum that this one was very unfriendly but not believing all I am told had to find out for myself.  Most of these had never joined or posted but still were very ready to criticise.    The first time I posted was in the chit chat thread for Uni, I said Goodmorning and I think it was Uni that responded with a welcome  and the rest is history.  

[gertbysea]

Just as a matter of interest I wonder what others do. I have it set up so. I have the most recent reply first but when I need the original recipe I go straight for the last page.

Gert

[cookie1]

Ditto here Gert. The recipe is pretty well always on the first page, which is the last page. Clear as mud. 

[mcmich]

I've done it backwards - the first page has the recipe with oldest to newest posts.
It suits me as I like to read the recipe and the first members to try the recipe and all the variations and tweaks along the way. 

[astarra]

I love the forum, come on as often as I can (but with a young family it is not as often as I would like!!)
I also have felt a bit of an outsider looking in whilst not cooking after my wrist injury - no one made me feel that way, I just felt like I was not making any worthwhile contribution so haven't posted much. 
It can be a little tricky to find the exact recipe at times, but love the way the question only has to be asked and someone will help to find it 

[Katj]

I love the Forum!  I know I don't contribute a lot, but I do enjoy reading others comments. I love The Chit Chat and many of the sub headings under it. I'm always busy and don't use Facebook or Instagram.
I love the recipes.....I love the URL's listing the many Thermo blogs......I love the book reviews, need I go on. Lol

[kezza]

All I want to say is I love this forum and tell everyone I know who is buying a TMX to go on this one.  I also know when I see who has converted a recipe that it will work (I won't name name's in fear of missing someone out) but we all know those with specialities!  Also, there are more cookbooks out there now.  When I first bought my TMX, this blog was really it for me and the EDC book.  I agree it needs a revamp with finding recipes and could just do with a new 'look', but hey, if it ain't too broke, don't fix it.

[Bedlam]

Just as a matter of interest I wonder what others do. I have it set up so. I have the most recent reply first but when I need the original recipe I go straight for the last page.

Gert

Me too. I always click on unread threads.  I  am very pleased to hear everyones comments on general chat.  It was my intention to enquire either at our next coffee get together or Hobart, what every felt with regard to this.  I feel that many users here are now my friends ( even some i have never met) and i love the "pen friend" element and would hate to lose that.  However I have wondered if others get annoyed with the chat.  I love it when others share their lives ( holidays etc) . 
Its really nice reading everyones opinion.

[troupie]

I am new to the forum but it is my first port of call when I need to know something; it took me long enough to join and work out what to do. Still learning. I have no problems with chit chat because it is in its own section and why shouldn't people chit chat (just like having pen friends when we were in primary school). I would love to see a print button (hope its not already there and I cant find it). Also what is a sticky thread (sorry if its a dumb question). Perhaps some of us new members should all post some recipes.

[meganjane]

troupie, a 'Sticky' is a thread that is permanently attached to the top of the page in that particular section. It will always stay at the top even when new posts come up.

That's another point I meant to make - way too many stickies.

[Cornish Cream]

Troupie there is a print button.At the top of each posting,parallel to the number of pages there is a row of blue buttons.The last says "print" and has a little printer symbol too.
A "Sticky Thread" is a topical subject that is kept near the top of a relevant section.Moderators have access to the "Sticky Button "

[achookwoman]

Some of the problems we have with using the Forum are of our own making.  For example,  my photos via Tapatalk are always too big.  I can get them the correct size for my Blog.  I know it is my problem.  I am not at all good with the computer and really don't understand what I am doing.  It is only through the patience and good will of the moderators that I survive,
Posting recipes is also very time consuming.  It takes me a couple of hours to type a recipe and post it on both my Blog and on the Forum.   This is usually after a couple of cooking test runs with a new recipe to make sure it works.  So I am not at all critical of those who don't post new recipes. 
Every now and then I think I will stop posting converted recipes.  This is particularly the case when someone takes one of my recipes and publishes it as their own.
I am writing this as it may help in understanding why some people drop off from posting.   

[droverjess]

This forum is my first point of call now for recipes, despite my large collection of books.
I like the interaction, the friendship and the jokes. And I like the opposite seasons with being in the UK, compared to the majority of the the other members.

When DH comes home after his cancer treatment I will be making ice cream, to cheer him up, and of course I shall get the recipe from here.
Unsurprisingly I have lost my cooking and baking mojo a bit in the last few months, however this would still  always be the first place to look. I don't do FB at the mo.

[LauraTO]

1) I'm a relative newbie but I check this forum at least once per day. I will definitely agree that at first it was intimidating- a very active 10 or so posters with thousands of posts each, yikes, the "cool group!" But the beautiful thing is that any new person posting an introduction or question will see multiple  enthusiastic responses from these same "cool kids." It's a very pleasant surprise, but it takes a bit of guts to make that first few posts. So keep it up "cool clique!"

2)I know people will disagree, but I think threads like "what's for dinner" are a detriment. I think it would generate more discussion and be more helpful for newbies to actually comment on individual recipes eg "I made this tonight but with x instead of y, and served it over rice and am planning on doing x with the leftovers."  I know lots of the recipes are old hat to many of you, but they aren't to all of us! There are lots of interesting ideas and modifications mentioned in these threads, but they are buried and someone who isn't checking 5 times a day can never catch up.

3) Amazing moderators! I have been on dozens of different forums over the years, and this is by FAR the best moderated. Other forums are full of repetitive questions but here the moderators immediately direct to relevant threads. And any threads posted in the wrong section seem quickly to be relocated. This makes this forum much easier and more pleasant to read, thanks moderators!!