Friends, Romans and Countryman. Also forum members

[consumerate]

This forum is an amazing resource and I relied very heavily on it when I first got my thermomix.  I still always refer to the advice here when making something new or wanting to improve on something. It's also very well managed and one of the only forums that isn't afflicted by trolls.

There has been a bit of it lately, but perhaps it might help to feature some of the great recipes in the forum and sharing ideas of how they can be modified.

Navigation is definitely a challenge and I agree with all the comments here about the search facility.

The recipe book reviews are excellent but the section of the forum they are all in is not very user friendly. If each book was a child board and then each recipe was a thread that would probably make it easier to use and might encourage more input.

Maybe encourage users to post about how they use their thermomix. That could make it feel more accessible. There are all ranges of people that use thermomixers in different ways but it sometimes might come across that this forum is only for those who use it everyday for every meal which is certainly not the case.  Also, encourage everyone to add more value to their posts. For example, in the what are you cooking today thread, just saying "cakes and biscuits" doesn't mean much.  Linking to a recipe or describing more about what you are doing adds much more richness to the forum. Same for recipe feedback. If it's a great recipe, talk about what you think is great about it.

Also, I think there are too many sticky threads in chit chat that don't need to be there.  If more current threads appeared on the front page then you might find there are more comments. My recommendation would be to trim it back to two or three stickies or see if the first page can be expanded to show another 10 or so threads.

When I bought my thermomix and mentioned this forum I had a very cold reaction from the consultant (I didn't know of any controversy at that point). That might also be part of the problem, new users are put off early. Also, I had tried signing up three or four times over several months before I had success. So, maybe we are missing out on new members because of the difficult sign up process.

I think it's a sign of how great the forum is that the moderators are asking how to improve it and liven it up. All three moderators do an exceptional job at looking after this great online community.

Another thought: what about a separate area for other appliances? The forum is also a great resource for them and it might be useful to have the pie make, pizza maker, air fryer, dehydrator etc etc stuff all together.

[droverjess]

I love the forum and the friends I have made on here all around the world.

It is my first port of call fo recipes, to the extent that I don't have paper or even electronic copies... Never had time and it has usually worked for me.

Currently not posting much, or even coming on much to read owing to serious illness in the family. I miss you all, and so want it to keep going.

Maybe I need to find a way to catch the recipes in case it ever goes down?
I tried  paprika and it didn't work for me. I just don't have time to learn a new app.

[trudy]

Just catching up and your title got me in Cookie.  I also haven't been a regular for awhile.  Will be home in a couple of weeks so hope to be back on board.  I agree with Chookie that young Mum's may not have the time to drop in on a regular basis.  I know how busy my daughters are and they do rely on me for recipes from the forum.  Your idea Chookie of local group's is a good one.  Several months ago a group was formed near me.  We  try to meet once a month, each of us brings something we have made for tastings and also give out the recipes. 

[Cuilidh]

I really like the idea of forming local groups, certainly, I know when I first got my TMX it would have been invaluable and I remember going all over this forum wherever I saw anyone in Victoria, trying to make a personal contact ... it worked once or twice, but not very successfully.  I have since met several members and even consider those I haven't met personally to be friends.

I suspect that a problem with a local group is that those participating may gradually become more involved with the group and move away from the forum itself; thus becoming independent of the forum.  I'm not saying that local groups are a bad thing at all, I would love to be involved in a local group, but unless those participating actively posted about their group on here, sharing thoughts and recipes, this could result in a drawing away from the forum instead of a support to the forum.

I must say it was certainly more dynamic when I joined but I have always found the forum to be a huge support and am saddened that we come across to some as aloof, unfriendly, cultish, etc.  I think, like most forums with a mixed membership, you have to just keep posting and coming back a few times to begin to start to get to know us and understand where we come from.  I have learned so much since joining and hope we can pull the forum back from the funk it seems to be headed in at the moment.

[kyton]

I don't post very often but do come on and read the forum every day. I think it comes down to there being so so many blogs, facebook pages etc also available. I am pretty internet savvy so I tend to google many sites for recipes prior to coming here.

Someone previous also commented on it but this forum does have a reputation for being very thermomix-centric. Since I joined it does seem to be more welcoming but in my early days I noticed a very uncaring and almost derogatory attitude towards other brands. Now I have a thermomix but I have family members who have other branded thermo cookers due to financial situations. The negativity here surrounding those brands has turned them away from ever posting here. Everything I do in my thermi, they can do just as well in their's. It can become rather annoying to see negative comments over and over. Their cookers may have had issues but not each and every one does (one family member has had a B cooker since they were released without one single issue so to hear the same spiel turned them away before any starting).

Just my 2c worth.

[gertbysea]

There are a lot of good suggestions here and I agree with Bonsai about value added posts and maybe some threads should be retired.

Keeping the chit chat is important for many of us . Anything goes for Uni is, well, a good safe place for all of us friends to keep in thouch and one I value very much even if it has nothing to do with Thermomixing.

Basically it needs tidying up big time, more well defined recipe threads and a better search engine. Big job and MM may have to spend money doing it.

There are so many very good blogs, Facebook, pages and so many many more owing thermo machines that it is hard to keep up.

I found with the Bellini group they seem not to have any time so they use FB. You see the same questions being asked over and over and over because they don't  have time of can't be bothered to look any further. and let's face it some are just lazy. That market is growing like Topsy.  Some of these machines are lasting a year or more while some last only a few weeks of even days. This does not curb their enthusiasm and they are wanting conversions more and more. I don' t know how MM would thing about encouraging those many groups to join or he may be interested in a Bellini forum which is sorely needed.


The shopping thread is a very good resource but it is probably our laziness that we have not  defined the shopping into their own simply named maybe sub threads, like baking  needs , air fryer, donut maker, refrigerators, coffee makers. Ovens etc. we laugh about the shopping but it is really useful especially the reviews.

Some times it does seem like a few of us have taken it over  just to  chat but we keep it to a few threads and if people don't have an interest reading about the minutiae of our lives they can stick to the cooking part. I feel we have created a caring community here and whether we are here all the time or just pop into it  from time to time or when we need some company , it is important and I would hate to lose that.

I some times go to the "most recent posts" and of course the "show unread posts" is a quick way  to catch up.

Whatever happens it is this crazy kitchen machine that has kept us together for 5 years. But every five years we all need to clean house, get rid of the chaff  and new makeup.

Gert

[ThermomixBlogger]

Wow, what an interesting thread -- so much here and so much to respond to I'm not sure where to start....

1) Really? I mean is it really noticeable that 'numbers have dropped off'?   Compared to what? The numbers here are huge. (Are people unsubscribing?) The forum feels lively, the members are still passionate. I always did and still do consider this forum a huge success. Okay, I'm not here nearly as often as I once was but that is due to two things a) life is busier now both online and offline and b) there is more 'competition' for my attention.

2) I don't like the word "competition" because I feel wherever we go online to speak up, we're doing so to celebrate this amazing machine, not to 'compete'. What I mean by competition is that there is SO MUCH MORE out there now about Thermomix. When I first came online to research the machine August of 2009, this forum was IT -- the only true, supportive and responsive resource.   There were a handful of bloggers, but this forum was far and above the rest. Let us not forget (and many new members will not even realize this as they've not been around that long) that at the time this forum established itself, there was no 'official' online presence for Thermomix in the English-speaking world. Vorwek had almost no online presence and what they had was not useful to fans in Australia (at that time, and still today most English speaking fans are based in AU). Even the distributors in various countries were not on board yet with being online. When I set up my first website about Thermomix to counter-act this paucity of info I was told by my country's distributor to "take it down"... and that websites about Thermomix were "not allowed". So in the face of all that, this forum was a leader. It's a whole new challenge altogether to continue to be a leader when Vorwerk and Thermomix have an increasing web presence and social media influence. And so they should.
  
3) Facebook is what it is. Someone has already pointed out that people on facebook are in a hurry and the same questions are being asked over and over again. So true! Facebook has taken over as the most popular playground for Thermie fans. I am not comfortable on fb, so I do not thrive there. I'm actually quite shy and not used to publishing "everything for all to see". Maybe that's why I always felt so comfortable here, because this forum felt so intimate and the contacts here felt like friends, before the days of facebook. Even though I have a facebook page, it's not where I hang out. And I certainly can not (or do not) type such long-winded and heartfelt responses on facebook as I am doing now.

4) Change. Oh change. It happens SOOO much faster than ever before. In the past five years I've become an old lady who resists change. If I were younger I'd be texting behind my back and and instagraming with my toes while balancing the Varoma on my head. Not gonna happen! Give me the good ol' forum any day. Please don't change it too much. Okay, never mind. I know things have to change. But one thing is for sure, things will never be as they were before! There are more social platforms now and there are more Thermo-fans out there using them all. I don't think you can strive to have everyone come to your platform, (unless of course you are Vorwerk...) so what I have chosen to do on SuperKitchenMachine is just keep doing what I do, as I do it, and expect to attract a fraction of that big "tribe" of Thermo-lovers. I'm not greedy, I don't want it all, but I'm happy for the few who do visit my blog and thankfull to those who also shop in my store.

5) Dear forum, have I told you lately that I love you?   I didn't like it when some people suggested you were exclusionary. I mean, this is after all ForumTHERMOMIX. It's not forumThermalBlend or forumCookingGadget. I love that bolder Thermo-fans can come here and really speak their mind while those of us who are less bold can sit back behind the screen and nod our heads in agreement.

xoxo
H.

[obbie]

Well I come here daily to chat, But I cook with my Thermomix and HMP daily, and all weekend. is what I do. Cook.. I

My thermie is 5 years old October, and I still have heaps of recipes to try.

I post a fair bit, make heaps of recipes from here.  Love to catch up, Love Secret Santa, and the challenges,and the shopping thread. ( like the idea of sub threads, as so many have pizza machines, air fryers)

I love the recipes and then just to change them a little bit.
The reviews of the cookbooks, on what to buy.
I am not into Facebook, so I don't go there.

Also, so many consultants seem to quit, if you need updates, this is where it is.
I would reduce the sticky's on the first page.

still the best place to come, and the resources are great.

[judydawn]

Bravo Helene.  What a wonderful read.  Everyone is contributing so well to this thread which is what we want and hopefully MM will take all suggestions on board and do what he thinks is necessary.  I agree, if people only want recipes then it's simple to check out the different categories on the home page or google the type of dish you want to make (adding the word forumthermomix after it) and you will probably find a link there back to the forum.

1) Really? I mean is it really noticeable that 'numbers have dropped off'?  Huh? Compared to what? The numbers here are huge. (Are people unsubscribing?) The forum feels lively, the members are still passionate. I always did and still do consider this forum a huge success. Okay, I'm not here nearly as often as I once was but that is due to two things a) life is busier now both online and offline and b) there is more 'competition' for my attention.

.

Numbers visiting each day are not down apparently Helene but there was a time when, if you were out all day there would be 2-3 pages of postings to read when you returned.  Nowadays there are sometimes only a handful.  At all times there are more visitors online than members and many visitors who do become members never post.  I don't understand why that is.  OK I understand many people work full time and are very busy with their families but if you use a recipe from the forum, how long would it take to make a comment.

Thanks everyone, keep those thoughts coming.
  

[stacelee]

I think by it's very name, this forum is exclusionary.....and that is fine if that is what everyone wants it to be.  When the forum was first started, the Thermomix was really the only thermal blender that was on the market....since then there are many others that have been released and some are definately of similar quality to the Thermomix and being brutally honest there may even be some that will be better than the Thermomix (one of the original food processor companies Robot Coupe will finally be releasing the Robot Cook into other marketplaces apart from France).  There is nothing wrong with being exclusionary...there are lots of forums that are ie. the Jeep forum, the ASX forum (can you tell I"m a car geek)...If we want to increase the "posts" on the we could look at whether it is still relevant to be primarily a Thermomix forum or whether it is time to open up to other blenders.

As I said earlier...I would love to see recipes formatted differently...particularly if there was some way of putting the variations/tweaks/improvements higher up so you don't have to trawl through 10 pages of posts to see what people have changed.

[meganjane]

I'm one of those who has not posted lately. I don't do the Chit Chat section at all. I just don't have time. I have been using FB , Recipe Community and blogs for my recipes. I find the Recipe Community to be an excellent resource.

I agree that the forum should stay as a Thermomix Forum. That is it's name.

ES, I know you have a TC, that's fine and you manage well without asking questions about how to use your machine or how to convert to your machine. But, frankly, I would get tired of seeing posts where people are asking how to convert to their specific machine. There are FB pages and blogs out there for each of these machines.

I'm not interested in reading about Air Fryers or any other machines. I come here for Thermomix recipes and discussion.
 What I would like to see is:

1. If someone posts a recipe, just comment on the recipe, your tweaks etc. Do not go off on a tangent, making the post 23 pages long.
2. Ditto for other posts about a particular topic. Start a new one instead. (and I know I'm as guilty as anyone!!)
3. I'd like to see more Child Boards instead of recipes getting lost among everything else.
4. Like the Recipe Community, I would prefer the forum to be separate from recipes. I like the way the recipes have photos, yet there is still room for comments. It's my go to now for Thermie recipes.
5. I love the Recipe Book Review page. It's probably the section I use the most.

When I first joined this forum there was nothing else. It was a brilliant resource and I treasured the time I spent talking to all you lovely people. Now, there is a plethora of FB pages, FB groups, blogs, etc to explore. For me, it's simply a time issue.

Thanks for the opportunity to comment.

[gertbysea]

I think it is a good discussion as to what we want. What we use. What we don't use.

It seems we may need more specific boards so people can just head there and don't have to troll .

I would have zero interest in a child Board  say or a gluten free board but they would be of interest to many

Unlike MJ I love it when people go off on a tangent because it makes us communicate and not just answer a question. I think that is what makes this  a safe place and a fun place where we can make friends and not just use it for information.

Having said that I get what MJ is saying. Time is short and some just want to get info get on with it and not have a conversation.

I think we have to decide what we want to be as we are trying to be all things for all people bar other Thermo users.

I am happy if this is exclusively for Thermomixers plus others and like  MJ would be bored to death with endless inane questions from some others.

I do think our forum is a bit more sophisticated than the recipe community as we have a wealth of very cook cooks here willing to share tested recipes .  If there is a fail then we can help figure it out

The way we communicate with each other is what makes this forum unique. And we can have a discussion without being nasty or personal when we disagree.

Seems this forum is not just all about cooking in the Thermomix and that is why I am here.

Gert

[snappy]

I have young kids and work so I don't have much time for the chit chat threads but that doesn't put me off coming to the forum.  I always view unread topics and noticed over the last year that many of the unread posts are in chit chat rather than new recipes or reviews.

Whilst I rarely post in 'what's for dinner' I do like to go in there and grab some inspiration when I am struggling for dinner ideas.

The parts of this forum that I love are the recipes and recipe book reviews.  I would love it if you could create a recipe book as such of your favorites.  CC has her favorites list which has helped many new users - would be great if all members could have a recipe book of sorts where you can link to favorite recipes on this site - maybe like a Pinterest board?  You can then have the option of making your receipe book public or private.  That way new users could get inspiration from looking at experienced users favourites.

I would prefer it stay thermomix focussed - if I had to go through conversions for every different type of machine then I would be less likely to use the forum and it's recipes. 

I have also found the shopping thread very useful - often people recommend products that work well in conjunction with a thermomix and I have definitely purchased a few. 

Could we have a recipe of the week - that way we can highlight some of the great recipes that are on this forum that have been forgotten.  I love a lot of Isi's, nayNay's and thermomixers recipes and it's a shame that some of the newer members may not see them because they are so far down in the lists.

And a final request to improve the search feature!  I use this a lot (mainly because I want to find a recipe) but it returns the same results over and over.  The ability to just search over recipes instead of the whole forum would also be useful and reduce the amount of search results - when I am looking for a recipe I just want recipes and recipe reviews - not everytime it has come up in chit chat.

I love the forum and think it is a wonderful resource - I much prefer it to recipe community.

Oh, - promise last thing - can you make it compatible with Paprika so I can access my recipes offline - when I am at the supermarket trying to remember ingredients!

[CreamPuff63]

A few thoughts...

Layout needs to be modernised, updated and streamlined – currently out dated and basic
Keep the website theme focused to Thermomix. Other kitchen brands are not discouraged however we are specifically Thermomix related and therefore there may be differences in the way the recipes are adapted to suit different appliances.
FAQ’s for troubleshooting eg. My blades are not spinning and possibly for general queries eg. What should I make first. (Could be separate to chat theads so as not to get confused)
Photo’s easier to upload, same with linking recipes. Instructions to do this where every new member can access or to be very straight forward.
Tips on how to navigate and use the website effectively.
Most current and popular topic threads limited on first page to say 10 topics and then another 10 on second etc and then as the number of replies drop off they are then “archived”. Perhaps even just one open chat thread where people jump on and say stuff like how’s your day going or general unrelated TM things
The ability to rate forum recipes eg. 5 star system
Recipes that are rating high to be at the top of the recipe section
The ability to print off a photo with a recipe and not include comments
The ability for moderators to insert “Variations” eg. Tips and tweaks, that other people have suggested to be included just under the recipe, and included in a print off if required
Regular Challenges and Competitions. Not that a reward should or may be necessary on every occasion but perhaps to give incentive for more people to post their recipes, some sponsorship in the way of freebies can be contributed in return for announcement of cooking classes, recipe books, and cooking related products

  xCP

[gertbysea]

Yup CP MM needs a web master to do the work. Big job.

Gert