Brian
Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19195
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 12:27 PM
This is probably going to be long so please don't comment until you've had a chance to digest it fully.
I haven't done much work on SG101 the website in some time other than maintenance and some bug fixing. However I still do have big plans to remake the site, making it more mobile friendly. I'm learning a bunch of cool stuff at my new job to help with this. Plus I just love to geek out and write code. This website allows me to combine my love for surf music with coding.
However I can't be blind to what's going on. It seems like a lot of stuff is happening on Facebook. There are bands that post exclusively to FB about gigs and releases. Some of the 60's guys are on FB but not here. Videos uploaded to FB can't be shared here and photos aren't easily shared. FB is a true walled garden. People post a lot of photos and videos on FB that can't be shared here.
Furthermore this place seems kind of dead. The most popular threads are about gear or shallow end type topics.
So I am looking for input from the SG101 community on 2 things.
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Time to retire SG101 after 10 years and go to FB? It's been a good run.
-
If SG101 goes to 3.0, I will definitely be making it more secure (on https) and mobile device friendly from the ground up. Beyond that, what would you like to see in SG101 3.0? What features should we carry over and what should we drop? Is the whole idea of segmented forums out of date? Any other thoughts, crazy or otherwise?
Thank you for your thoughtful input.
— Site dude - S3 Agent #202
Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me
"It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea
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bigtikidude
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 25309
Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 12:35 PM
I Understand why people gravitate to FB over SG101.
It's fast n easy, but the thought of no SG101 saddens me.
I think the way the forum is laid out Is fine. But I hear from many people that they can't figure out how to navigate it. It's not hard, just takes time n effort. I'm no computer expert,but I don't have trouble on it.
And 99% of the time I'm reading it from my phone.
Good luck in keeping this ship afloat Brian.
I'm in your corner.
— Jeff(bigtikidude)
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 12:39 PM
I would love to see SG101 go to 3.0, with regret I would not join you all on Facebook.
I don't think the segmented forums idea is out-of-date, but we could consolidate.
I would love to see the photo of the day as some sort of slider, and replace photos more often(attempting to get to a point where all of the photos are really well taken photos).
If a feature of the site isn't regularly use, maybe make an archive section and give prominence to only the fresh content. Fresh content, to me, is a huge draw to website. When people see that things are static, visits drop.
A cool new feature, would also be some sort of surf archive. A way to build a file system where we could collect old photos, flyers, artwork of bands both old and new. This would take some work, and would probably require a moderator to help tidy the folder structure upon submission.
Regardless, if you do plan to switch to FB, let's make it to this incarnation's 10 year anniversary in February.
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Kawentzmann
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 1054
Berlin, Germany
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 12:40 PM
I left FB to its own devices a long time ago. Our ways would fully depart then I guess. That would be okay, since I’m just occasionally lurking here anymore.
— The Exotic Guitar of Kahuna Kawentzmann
You can get the boy out of the Keynes era, but you can’t get the Keynes era out of the boy.
Last edited: Aug 28, 2015 12:42:01
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Staredge
Joined: Sep 27, 2008
Posts: 1149
Damascus, Maryland
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 01:15 PM
Dammit Jeff!!!!! None of this would be possible if you'd stayed off of FB!!!!!
 
I'd hate to see it go. I'm on Facebook a lot, but I don't think the community we have here would continue there.
— Will
"You're done, once you're a surfer you're done. You're in. It's like the mob or something. You're not getting out." - Kelly Slater
The Luau Cinders
Last edited: Aug 28, 2015 13:16:24
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Kawentzmann
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 1054
Berlin, Germany
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 01:22 PM
If the same crowd gathers on Facebook I honestly think threads would develope similarly to here. Security and design would not be Brians job anymore so he can go on to other worthwhile occupations. Maybe some rays escape the fb filterbubble to attract some newbies?
— The Exotic Guitar of Kahuna Kawentzmann
You can get the boy out of the Keynes era, but you can’t get the Keynes era out of the boy.
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JONPAUL
Joined: Apr 29, 2010
Posts: 2460
Venice, CA
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 01:26 PM
Brian, regardless of the frequency of new posts or thread creation, SG101 remains the most invaluable resource on Surf music on the internet, period! I know that there are many people lurking, reading, learning, researching all the time, even if they don't have regular active input.
Please, let's not even consider the first option as a possibility and continue onward and upward! Also, for what it's worth--Facebook, while valuable for global communication and promotion, ultimately does more harm than good to the population as a whole, dumbing it down, reducing everything to lowest common denominator, creating a world of ADD zombies incapable of focusing on anything with any real depth. Thanks for all of your hard work and dedication all of these years, and here's to continuing to fight the good fight! 
— Insect Surfers
The Tikiyaki Orchestra
The Scimitars
Lords Of Atlantis
Fiberglass Jungle - Surf Radio
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WoodyJ
Joined: Apr 05, 2006
Posts: 1534
Bethlehem, GA
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 01:30 PM
Brian, I'm going to make a brutally frank comment or two that will upset some folks on here, perhaps many folks. This is a factor why I rarely post on SG101 these days except occasionally in the gear section and may explain why there may be some discontent among some the older SG101-ers that rarely post here anymore.
Here goes:
To many of us non-Californians who grew up with surf music in the early days or discovered it during the Post Pulp Fiction resurgence - In more recent times, what we knew and considered to be "surf music" has morphed into something else.
The same thing has happened to what used to be Country Music. Younger fans have embraced it, many older fans have not and think it sucks.
Hip-Hop still sounds like hip-hop. Folk Music still sounds like Folk Music. Bluegrass Music still sounds like Bluegrass Music. Modern Pop (ugh) is still recognizable as Pop Music. But Surf Music?....well, much of it has nothing in common with it's roots. Just because there is no vocalist does not make a song a surf song. And somewhat off-topic, I am sick of reading disparaging comments that old guys who are in trad surf bands and were likely playing Surf Music back in the 1960's are referred to as "old guys in Hawaiian shirts". That is not funny, that is mean and disrespectful.
Times change, tastes changes, people change. Change is inevitable. But embracing change isn't mandatory and those of us who aren't exactly ecstatic will move on to something or someplace else. I actually like Facebook, there is a ton of good information on there regarding every music genre there is. And yes,there are a fair share of assholes on there as well. It's the internet.
So, FWIW that's my opinion and there will be no further comment on the subject from me.
— Jack
aka WoodyJ
The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005)
The Hula Hounds (1996-current)
The X-Rays (1997-2004)
The Surge! (2004, 2011-2012)
Various non-surf bands that actually made money (1978-1990)
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josheboy
Joined: Mar 13, 2009
Posts: 2351
Twin Cities, MN
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 01:32 PM
JONPAUL wrote:
Brian, regardless of the frequency of new posts or thread creation, SG101 remains the most invaluable resource on Surf music on the internet, period! I know that there are many people lurking, reading, learning, researching all the time, even if they don't have regular active input.
Please, let's not even consider the first option as a possibility and continue onward and upward! Also, for what it's worth--Facebook, while valuable for global communication and promotion, ultimately does more harm than good to the population as a whole, dumbing it down, reducing everything to lowest common denominator, creating a world of ADD zombies incapable of focusing on anything with any real depth. Thanks for all of your hard work and dedication all of these years, and here's to continuing to fight the good fight!
What JonPaul said!
There has to be a way to bridge the two resources. Maybe with a SG101 group that links to content posted on sg101 to remind the FB zombies that the site is still here and relevant.
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GuitarMuk
Joined: Jun 10, 2015
Posts: 172
Cleveland, Ohio
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 01:45 PM
JONPAUL wrote:
Brian, regardless of the frequency of new posts or thread creation, SG101 remains the most invaluable resource on Surf music on the internet, period! I know that there are many people lurking, reading, learning, researching all the time, even if they don't have regular active input.
<
Amen Brotha'!
This web site is/should be/needs to be different than FB! FB is better for bands to advertise, list gigs, CD releases, and network. I come to this site for the meat and potatoes. Gear (guitars, amps, effects), technical aspects of the music genre, playing techniques, etc., etc.
How else would we be able to see Jake's latest build? Find out about the best amps, reverb tanks? How can we compare strings, guitar cases, tubes?
I admit I'm a gear junky, but I'm also interested in the bands, where they're from, where they play, their members, etc.
I would hate to see this site go away!
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simoncoil
Joined: Sep 28, 2012
Posts: 897
Berlin, Germany
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 01:51 PM
If you think SG101 lacks activity you should see what happens over at the German surfmusic forum: close to nothing. We are under a dozen people there, who post regularily. It is still nice, but it's definitely not the place, where I expect big things to happen.
SG101 on the ther hand still has people reading and posting from all over the world and some of them take their time to write long and interesting texts about records, festivals and everything else connected with surf music. And I don't really think something like that or the more elaborated discussions, which we are having here, would even happen on Facebook, where people seem to stick to one or two lines of text or a meme.
And I don't really see myself joining Facebook in the near future either, since I don't like the way it works as a system and how it deals with personal data. So naturally I think SG101 should continue as an independent website to make my life easier. 
The site could maybe benefit from some changes: There has already been some talk about the calendar and its' lack of use through the bands. Maybe if the calender was featured more prominently on the front page (for example as a table showing events of the present week) that would change.
Another point are the news, which I barely read, since they seem in most cases only to be doubles of threads in the forum (and they appear too low on the starting page). Maybe you could simply add two or three lines to the "current posts" tagged as "notable posts" instead.
However these are only details, the site as a whole works great and I am sure that I am not the only geek around here, who "needs" this site to get through the grey days.
Keep up the good work, Brian!
— Los Apollos - cinematic surf music trio (Berlin)
"Postcards from the Scrapyard" Vol. 1, 2 & 3 NOW available on various platforms!
"Chaos at the Lobster Lounge" available as LP and download on Surf Cookie Records!
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Kawentzmann
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 1054
Berlin, Germany
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 02:03 PM
WoodyJ wrote:
Here goes:
To many of us non-Californians who grew up with surf music in the early days or discovered it during the Post Pulp Fiction resurgence - In more recent times, what we knew and considered to be "surf music" has morphed into something else.
The same thing has happened to what used to be Country Music. Younger fans have embraced it, many older fans have not and think it sucks.
Hip-Hop still sounds like hip-hop. Folk Music still sounds like Folk Music. Bluegrass Music still sounds like Bluegrass Music. Modern Pop (ugh) is still recognizable as Pop Music. But Surf Music?....well, much of it has nothing in common with it's roots. Just because there is no vocalist does not make a song a surf song. And somewhat off-topic, I am sick of reading disparaging comments that old guys who are in trad surf bands and were likely playing Surf Music back in the 1960's are referred to as "old guys in Hawaiian shirts". That is not funny, that is mean and disrespectful.
Times change, tastes changes, people change. Change is inevitable. But embracing change isn't mandatory and those of us who aren't exactly ecstatic will move on to something or someplace else. I actually like Facebook, there is a ton of good information on there regarding every music genre there is. And yes,there are a fair share of assholes on there as well. It's the internet.
So, FWIW that's my opinion and there will be no further comment on the subject from me.
I would then suggest to give the group a new name in order to not further encourage this conflict of progress versus tradition and old names for new things.
— The Exotic Guitar of Kahuna Kawentzmann
You can get the boy out of the Keynes era, but you can’t get the Keynes era out of the boy.
Last edited: Aug 28, 2015 14:08:18
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ElBirkerio
Joined: Dec 17, 2012
Posts: 519
Vienna
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 02:35 PM
hi!
this is a great site, and it cannot be replaced by a fast paced medium like fb. if you want to redo it (and keep your workload reasonable) i would only suggest to make it more compact, with less sub-forums and other subpages...
just my 2 cents 
yours wolfi
— http://www.surfgrammeln-san.org
https://www.facebook.com/BaluUndSurfgrammeln
http://greencookierecords.bandcamp.com/album/coming-out-soon-los-chicharrones-del-surf-10
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DaveF
Joined: May 10, 2009
Posts: 1111
Old Mission, CA
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 02:41 PM
I like the sg101 site and can't think of any
Ways to improve it. I access it on my cel ,
like now when I should be working 
This site comes up faster on my cel
than many other sites I frequent.
Not being in a band and not being super
Knowledgable about surf music like others on
This site, I don't have much to contribute,
Just a few videos and bacon pictures.
But I access sg101 a few times a day to see what
Others are talking about.
Facebook is ok for what it is, mostly
Trivial chatter that vanishes off the screen
Quickly, all depending on the page/group.
The value of fb is getting all interests
In 1 place, like news, politics, surf, tiki,
Bacon, picture sharing, family news, etc.
I never looked at sg101 on fb or Twitter.
The current forum style of this site works for me.
Brian does a great job with it
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Kawentzmann
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 1054
Berlin, Germany
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 02:53 PM
You have your own place here, but the mall is getting all the business, no?
— The Exotic Guitar of Kahuna Kawentzmann
You can get the boy out of the Keynes era, but you can’t get the Keynes era out of the boy.
Last edited: Aug 28, 2015 14:53:53
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4052
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 03:06 PM
Brian,
If you are willing to keep up the SG101 website I for one would be thankful.
As JonPaul stated, Facebook has it's uses, promotion wise etc. but the lack of discourse and actual conversation is maddening to me.
2015 has been a busy year for me to the point where I have very little internet time (I don't have a smart phone etc.) Our band has been largely inactive this year as well so I have little to post or share but I always enjoy reading the posts, comments and information shared. There's actual thought process going here, not just hitting a "like" button.
I would miss that if SG101 were Facebook only.
Another development this year for me that weighs in is that my woefully old Mac wouldn't allow me to sign in to Facebook anymore, many of their bells and whistles would crash my browser but this whole time SG101 is still there, keeping me connected to my friends, their music, their festivals.....
Brian, my vote and hope is that this incredible thing you created will live on.
Cheers,
Jeff
— http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic
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HallmarkSweptWinger
Joined: Jul 27, 2006
Posts: 1284
Berlinesia, Germanifornia
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 03:10 PM
JONPAUL wrote:
Brian, regardless of the frequency of new posts or thread creation, SG101 remains the most invaluable resource on Surf music on the internet, period! I know that there are many people lurking, reading, learning, researching all the time, even if they don't have regular active input.
Please, let's not even consider the first option as a possibility and continue onward and upward! Also, for what it's worth--Facebook, while valuable for global communication and promotion, ultimately does more harm than good to the population as a whole, dumbing it down, reducing everything to lowest common denominator, creating a world of ADD zombies incapable of focusing on anything with any real depth. Thanks for all of your hard work and dedication all of these years, and here's to continuing to fight the good fight!
What Jonpaul said.
— Twang cheers!
Ralf Kilauea
www.kilaueas.de
https://kilaueas.bandcamp.com/album/touch-my-alien
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HallmarkSweptWinger
Joined: Jul 27, 2006
Posts: 1284
Berlinesia, Germanifornia
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 03:15 PM
simoncoil wrote:
If you think SG101 lacks activity you should see what happens over at the German surfmusic forum: close to nothing. We are under a dozen people there, who post regularily. It is still nice, but it's definitely not the place, where I expect big things to happen.
The german surfmusic is totally fucked up.
It went totally dumb for me because of senseless, not funny and toooootally stupid posts...
There is no administrator seriously into the forum who kicks out the trolls there...
So, Brian, keep up your good work please!
It could be a bit more fun here maybe!?
— Twang cheers!
Ralf Kilauea
www.kilaueas.de
https://kilaueas.bandcamp.com/album/touch-my-alien
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TomH
Joined: Mar 15, 2006
Posts: 765
Oberlin, Ohio, USA
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 03:18 PM
Brian,
We have a FB page for Surfer Rex and we post videos and pictures to it and the immediate feedback is encouraging. It serves its purpose. That said, I think that FaceBook is quite different from SG101 and I hesitate to even compare them. FaceBook is more like a big, shared picture album. People "Like" things and post brief comments, but there really isn't much lengthy discussion going on. That's one advantage to SG101. I have learned a lot on SG101. For example, a few years ago, I posted a question about how to make my Jaguar not sound so thin. I got so many good comments, even one from Dave Wronski. As a result, I changed my pots to 500K pots and I put in a Jenson paper in oil .022uF cap. What a difference that made. I suppose that could still happen with FaceBook, but that brings me to another difference that makes SG101 even more useful. The index. It's a powerful tool that FB doesn't really have - Google searches notwithstanding. When I think about a new amp and find one that I might be interested in, the first thing I do is come to SG101 and do a search. So, for 3.0, I'd suggest having the search page able to search individual forums. I know that would require separate indexes, but it would be even more useful to me than it already is. Thanks Brian.
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Teiscofan
Joined: Feb 21, 2011
Posts: 511
Ontario
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Posted on Aug 28 2015 04:05 PM
It would great to see SG101 go to 3.0, however I would not join you all on Facebook.
SG101 has been an invaluable wealth of information for me and it would be sad to see it go.
My 2 cents thrown in.....
— I am not obsolete, I am RETRO.... 
Last edited: Aug 28, 2015 16:08:33
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