Handymanwire (Handymanusa) is 10 years old this month!

This site, and these forums, (well a forunner of these) was started in December 1999. Since then the site has grown, and its popularity based on Google's ranking has soared and fallen. When we were ranked high on Google our visitor numbers were really high. When our ranking fell, the visitor numbers fell too. Hopefully we remain findable for people who are looking for a site not affiliated with any store or magazine, that exists just for the sake of its visitors. A place that people can find friendly helpful people and good advice.

This forum, (Around The Shop) while a nice place to shoot the breeze perhaps, doesn't fit with our main theme of helpful advice for the do-it-yourselfer. With the growth of places like MySpace, Facebook etc., I think it best we leave non-shop talk to the places where that is their specialty. So.. I am going to close Around the Shop on December 8th. (Our official Anniversay).

Please know that I hope everyone with an interest here, all the people who love helping others and all the people who enjoy taking part in that, that our other forums are going to stay the same. A place for friendly helpful advice, both given and received.

Comments (and criticism) welcome..

Chris

I thought it was older than that. I seem to remember “asking a mason” back in 1996, before Handyman Wire and moderators, when it was just Handyman USA.

I’ve checked in almost daily ever since.
Thanks for a great site I’ll continue to visit without ATS.
Hopefully the moderators can limit “off the topic” loitering on the DIY forums.

Chris,

I sincerely appreciate what you have provided here at Handyman Wire. ATS is a great place to "hang out", and the other sections are an excellent resource for help with various projects I have going.

I am however deeply saddened by your decision to close ATS.

We have a community of sorts here (ATS), and just as in "the real world", there are people participating from all walks of life, providing a pretty good cross section of society. And just as within society in general, there are some that are more and some that are less "professional/mature" in how they conduct themselves.

ATS has undergone some pretty significant changes in recent months. A few members have left, a few have been banned, a few have cleaned up their act, and a few continue to be (*^$!!. But overall, ATS is a healthy, productive environment, where I for one have learned countless lessons on what goes on in the world around me.

Quite frankly, you're terminating an environment where I have quite a number of "friends", ones who I will likely lose contact with and not be able to share (even by my just reading their posts) what their perspective on various topics is.

My personal attraction or draw to Handyman Wire, without ATS, will be severely compromised, and it's unlikely that I'll be a visitor to the site as a result.

I'm extremely disappointed Chris, and wish you'd reconsider.

Al

Chris,

I'd like to echo CabinConnection's thoughts. The closing of the ATS forum will likely end my regular involvement with this site. The help forums are great, but they're not what draw me back every day.

I too hope you'll reconsider.

J

Chris you can do what you think is best, since it is your site. But I do beg to differ with your conclusions. I tend to think of this place as the ol' Mom and pop hardware store where you can get helpfull advice and also join in with the conversation of the old timer's who are always sitting around shooting the breeze.

I personally do not see where doing away with ATS will benefit you or this site. If it is a money saving tactic then I would agree with you. That you have to do what you must to keep it going.

I myself have benefited many times from the different conversations taking place here. And I must admit it is the forum which keeps me coming back. Although I do not participate every day in ATS. I do check in every day to see what is going on.

I am sure that if I have a problem around my house, that I need help with, I will post it. But other then that I will probably not bother to check in at all.

Change is sometimes not for the better, but you must do what you feel is right. But you have to remember that the people who are regulars around here will also do what is right for them.

Thank you for all that you have provided for us. And I hope that your decision is the correct one for you..

I am in total agreement with the above posts. Although I am an infrequent contributer, I find ATS a good place to get others views and they usually make me ponder my position, and often influence my views.

I too hope you will reconsider...

..edited

Besides, where would Dennis go to beg for sandwiches?

I gotta go with a "me 3" or 4, 5 or 6...whatever its up to.

I frequent a few other Themed forums...and every one of them has a section for non-themed chatter. It really just makes sense...if you get a group of people together they are going to talk about things in addition to the reason for gathering. Which was the original reason for creating ATS...to get the excess chatter out of the Handyman section. I consider the folks here close friends...just about family really.

Please reconsider.

jsut to add my 2 loonies worth, while exploits of my dremel expertise enlighten the plumbing forum, the ATS is what it is, kind of a spot to just banter about with wit and humour and yes at times unsettling emotion.

What might result is that ATS goes away, either you lose people, or some of the banter makes it's way to the other forums, so then the banter will be on the other forums.

As stated, tis your choice to do as you see best. Just offering more input.

OhhhhhhhhNoooooooo!

I respect your decision, Chris, but I agree with the others. ATS is the reason I click Handyman's FIRST when I go online. Yes, there was some controversy a few months back, yes we lost two members. But the majority of the members stayed and things calmed down.

Maybe put it up for a vote?

Is there anything we can do to help keep ATS?
If its a money situation, perhaps offer subscriptions to ATS? If it isn't tooooo pricey, I'd definitely sign up.

I've said for a long time that although Ernie has done an absolutely stellar job moderating, that he could use some help. I don't have the gizzillion posts required to be a Mod but I know there are others who have time in that would step up in a heartbeat. I know I would if I were qualified.

If it's the sometimes heated political discussions, as much as it saddens me because I have learned SO much from them, either ban politics or better yet, make politics a sub-forum within ATS?

OH! Congratulations on the 10th Birthday!! Thank you for hosting a terrific site which has gotten better and better each year.

Liz

I hate to think about losing the ATS forum. When I first found the site, I was a bit intimidated by the advice given in some of the other forums, and wasn't interested in becoming a part of the group. The ATS forum gave the whole site a sense of community, and that's what attracted me. Technical advice is easy enough to come by, and without the added "personality" that ATS adds to the site it seems that Handyman will lose its appeal to quite a few of us. I've appreciated the advice and expertise I've received in the other forums, but I've also found a group of "friends" in ATS, and that's been the big bonus of visiting Handyman.