sharing some good news: powerful growth of permies.com

So often we are struggling with the problems and getting things solved.  It's easy to look past good news and get to work on the problems.  I thought I would go against the grain and share some good news.

In an effort to try to inspire growth, one of the coderanch.com staff, about six years ago, added a daily report to the top pages that only staff can see.   Something that shows some forum stats.   That way, as we talk about what works and what doesn't work, then we can SEE growth or shrivel.   The table shows "this week", the same week a year ago, and the same week five years ago.  There are three columns I watch:

Accounts activated:

five years ago: 173
one year ago: 161
last week: 365


Topics created:

five years ago: 215
one year ago: 215
last week: 459


Replies posted:

five years ago: 1281
one year ago: 1210
last week: 3241


I think that this is due to a huge collection of many, many good things!   All of which are related to the actions of a very active staff loving on this community!  Way to go!

I agree the staff here is amazing, inquisitive, intuitive and inspirational. Thank you all for making this the best place to be.
Brian  

I'm not going to disagree with Brian, as he's right, but I don't feel that's all that's at work here.

1. Permies + Paul have worked hard to explain "how" people learn and develop, which has made permies dot com a place where both newbys and accomplished permaculturalists can feel welcome and find interesting discussions.
2. The staff are reliable about keeping the discussions supportive and polite. When someone crosses the line, they're not just booted out, but are given the opportunity/option to edit their post in line with the supportive community rules we're teaching. It is possible to teach civility, but that's not a life skill that people are born with.
3. With all the bad news that is out there - world strife, unstable climate, shortages of basic life needs - permies dot com is a safe, fun, inspiring place to visit.

In summary, this is not a "Congratulations Paul, keep up the good work" (although I hope he does) - this is a Congratulations to Everyone who Posts!!  Let's All Keep Up the Good Work, (even is some of us get it wrong occasionally)

I have to agree, Jay. It takes two to tango. Permies staff and members are partners in a tango. We dance, make some mis-steps that are quickly corrected, and the dance ensues.

I think it's critical that there's a review process for "violators" of the publishing policy. I have had posts flagged for word usage that I otherwise wouldn't have even considered potentially offensive, and anywhere else, whole posts would have been deleted and I would have been banned. Here, as long as we are careful about how and where we express ourselves, we can pretty much convey any thoughts we feel the need to.

-CK

Jay Angler wrote: The staff are reliable about keeping the discussions supportive and polite. When someone crosses the line, they're not just booted out, but are given the opportunity/option to edit their post in line with the supportive community rules we're teaching. It is possible to teach civility, but that's not a life skill that people are born with.

I absolutely agree.  I had a post recently that a staff member requested I adjust.  My instant reaction was ... but TRUTH!  TRUTH is the most important thing!  After a few seconds of thought though, I realized there are better ways to convey the truth than to try and bulldoze it through insensitively.  Harsh statements lead to bruised egos and raised tempers, which quickly lead to toxic environments such as you see ALL over the internet.  The supportive and helpful environment here is such a rarity, and it's important people feel comfortable sharing their thoughts without fear of ridicule.  Kudos to the staff for their willingness to encourage friendliness without bludgeoning people with ban hammers.

I don't know if I am reading the numbers well, but looking at this last week, I think the numbers are going up again.

That's pretty nifty because I thought we usually had more traffic in the spring when people are getting their garden ready.

A big thank you to the staff here and an even bigger thank you to everyone in the community who helps make these fora a lovely place full of nice conversation.

raven ranson wrote:

looking at this last week, I think the numbers are going up again

That is excellent news if you're right! This is generally a busy time of year, so if people are taking the time to hang out at "our house" that is wonderful. I've certainly enjoyed a number of threads this week - particularly the two about books and libraries, two of my favorite things.

More info on how many folks come to permies.com and their page views on page 4 of the site traffic thread.