[deanhills]

2. More restrictions will result in less activities.
3. This is not an expert forum only of webmasters(most expert webmasters will have their own business), but also it attracts students and new developers. Newbies may not post tutorials or technical things, if only VPS matters allowed or counted they will not be able to get started.

These are excellent points @Littlemaster.  I've forgotten how it was when I joined post4vps.com in March 2018.  I enjoyed posting at post4vps.com in comparison with freevps.us, because of the much looser restrictions here.  I felt much more relaxed than at freevps.us where I felt the restrictions and overeager mods to implement them were killing posts and the effort to write them.  When one feels relaxed, one normally is much less self aware and the writing comes much easier.

I also agree with you that the people we want to get to join the Forum aren't on the level of Webmaster - the VPSs and quality of VPS aren't necessarily of a high-end level that justifies high-end posts.  I've forgotten about that too.  Good that you brought this to the discussion table.

Having said that though, there are members who sometimes post much lower quality than we know they can.  I'm talking about those who are making 20 posts per month and are pushing them to the end of the month.  Then make one-liners that don't make a contribution to the topics. I think most of us are worried about posts of that quality - i.e. the person can write better.  And we do appreciate those who aren't as good at posting, but still try their best to present their thoughts as best as they can.  Real effort at any level of writing is always appreciated in a Forum.  

The lack of quantity and quality of posts is not limited to post4vps.com though.  I've seen it at other Forums too.  Not sure whether the advent of Facebook and whatsapp has led to people getting more and more lazy with their writing, and preferring to write a few words with strange spelling and grammar, rather than thoroughly thought through writing.  For me it's sad of course as I love well written posts and it gives me so much pleasure when I find someone taking the trouble to write a good post and one can see that the author must have spent a long time with it, self-editing his words and presenting it so every one can follow his thoughts - such as we find from Hidden Refuge for example.   It would be terrible for me if the art of writing good posts will disappear completely.  It worries me too.  Not sure how one can solve it though.

Maybe @Littlemaster could introduce his students to post4vps?  Would it help if we talked to teachers and bring more students to post4vps?

[xdude]

Another problem is people have different interests so sometimes topics or tutorials don't get going at all. For example I remember few tutorials about game severs I haven't posted in those since I have no clue about game servers. Same like I add topics to search engine optimization section, time to time but rarely the members have interest in subject like those. Same can be told about earn money section. Sometimes I wonder if nobody earn money or even optimize their website sites if they have. Well, I guess it's not a really a problem. But this one reason why I don't make many topics.

[Littlemaster]

Maybe @Littlemaster could introduce his students to post4vps?  Would it help if we talked to teachers and bring more students to post4vps?

Good findings, it is bit late as I left my jobs for further studies, the students were newbies to computer, they were not aware of how to boot computer.
So for their level I don't think they can start posting to post4vps community. They know less about programming and web server.
They may can start with CPanel shared hosting. But post4vps does not offer it.
IT teachers/trainers can help to get more users to community, but we need to know the level of students and the requirements and need to provide some student packs for doing projects .
Now people are behind whatsapp in our state, they often use apps, some ideas to bring those people into post4vps community need to be considered.
* A community app may help?

[tryp4vps]

3. Next up is the lack of interest. By that I mean what I already said above but also a bit more. Some members (no names) don't have any interest to have any kind of respectful communication. When you are trying to help them they evade answering simple questions that would provide information to find a solution. And then there is the general disrespectful way where certain members are absolutely bossy to everyone and everything. This isn't alright at all. They start to be sarcastic in every way when you TRY have a normal communication with them. Last but not least they mostly completely ignore almost everyone else.

There also seems to be barely any interest for the most members to help in support cases. That however might be maybe simply due to lack of knowledge. Otherwise however it is sad to see that only a few people care to help out and provide solutions and tips.

Overall I agree with your observations, but I doubt if it should be simply concluded as "lack of interest".

For those failing to have respectful communications with others, it could be that they are lacking of good communication skills. This is not something unique in this forum.

And for those not offering help in support cases, it could be that they are just "lacking of time" at that moment. In addition, sometimes the support requests were not expressed clearly and I needed to spend time guessing what exactly the problems were.

[tiwil]

Post count in these sections should be disabled.Or the monthly posts should be counted if the post score is atleast 5 or more.

No more restriction please. Like @deanhills said, I also agree, what brings me to P4V and more loyal (even I know P4V from FVPS, but I love P4V more than FVPS) is because it's not too restricted. I can enjoy my time here, without too much restriction.

We gotta get the point, why we're reaching a deadlock here. Not just @Administrator to think about it, but we should think what to do.
In the other hand, we're increasing in member counts, but they're going to be inactive/passive members, for example, @OldMeister. He's a member here, sometimes he checks the forum and see, if there is any Windows VPS available or not, if there is no Windows VPS, he leave the forum, and comeback to check in the other months (or giveaway).

Why he is like that? To get the actual point, I would say, contact him, and ask why. But this step only be effective if he's an old member, how about the new member? New member mostly register-look the forum-leave and forgot the forum. Why is it like that? Mostly, they will answer, the website is not catching their attention. Second, the restriction is too high, but I would say it's OK right now.

[deanhills]

Nquote]In the other hand, we're increasing in member counts, but they're going to be inactive/passive members, for example, @OldMeister. He's a member here, sometimes he checks the forum and see, if there is any Windows VPS available or not, if there is no Windows VPS, he leave the forum, and comeback to check in the other months (or giveaway).

I think we need to have a rule here that those members who have been away from the Forum for X number of months should make X number of posts first before they are allowed to apply for a VPS again.  I get the feeling that the returning members are not seriously applying for a VPS, but just applying because they can.  Let's say they have been away for longer than 6 months from the Forum, one could make a rule that they need to make five new posts first before they are allowed to apply for a VPS again, and in case of losing their previous VPS because of not fulfilling their posts number, be deducted 100$ as well.

[xdude]

Agree with @deanhills about the members who have been away for too long. But I don't think 5 posts is not enough. I think there should be time limit too, like one week settle down time before apply for VPS. PLus if lost previous vps for no fulfilling for posts then something for that too.

[tryp4vps]

I think we need to have a rule here that those members who have been away from the Forum for X number of months should make X number of posts first before they are allowed to apply for a VPS again.......

I almost want to say I like the idea. But then I doubt if it will only work when there are enough VPSes available for all members who need to get one.

When the number of VPSes may not be enough in the future, some members will likely be forced to wait for at least a few months to win a VPS with a reasonable spec.

Restricting these members to apply for a VPS may be not fair to them.

[xdude]

@tryp4vps

Problem happens when a high end new vps become available. when inactive members with big scores simply come out of no where and apply for these its unfair for those active members with smaller score. I guess then it should be like among applicants priority should be given to active members.

[tiwil]

I almost want to say I like the idea. But then I doubt if it will only work when there are enough VPSes available for all members who need to get one.

When the number of VPSes may not be enough in the future, some members will likely be forced to wait for at least a few months to win a VPS with a reasonable spec.

Restricting these members to apply for a VPS may be not fair to them.

If we don't look up only in one side, you will get the other lookup. If we're limited in VPS, member will require a big effort to win a VPS, like how member in FVPS does. I really felt how each member competing for a VPS with more and longer VPS.

If the new member are serious to apply, he will compete like how other member are competing in FVPS long time ago. It should not be a problem since they're posting every single day when they can.

I would say, I agree with @xdude to increase required post number, I would say 10 posts before they apply. 25 for new members, 10 more posts if they're coming back to apply.