I think the forum is dying

[jmorris]

I still get individuals calling/email/texting about getting the concealed handgun license and I explain that it's now the LTC.

[JustSomeOldGuy]

'CHL' is still relevant. But now it stands for Carry a Handgun Legally, instead of Concealed Handgun License

[seph]

Could a web address change help things? CHL is outdated and not a likely search term in google anymore. I found the forum by this exact search. Maybe something more broad. TexasGunCarry or something that doesn’t appear limited to license carry.

You beat me to it, I was thinking the exact same thing. Even in gun circles, I haven't heard anyone use the term CHL in a while. Might bring in some new members and increase activity, especially after 9/1.

The domain TexasLTCforum.com goes to this site as well. It's just a matter of the banner at the top that really references "CHL".

But the SSL cert does not have that name listed as a common name, so browsers will show an SSL error. That would scare off some users.

[allisji]

I still get individuals calling/email/texting about getting the concealed handgun license and I explain that it's now the LTC.

Concealed Handgun License, maybe be obsolete language in the state of Texas, but is still a relevant term in national politics so Iam not surprise that people still ask about it.

Most people know far less about current events in the Texas legislature than they do about the national dialogue on gun rights/control. Even among the 1,000,000+ licensed individuals in the state of Texas, well-informed and knowledgeable people, such as those who frequent this forum are largely in the minority.

[allisji]

I have not been on in a long time, maybe too long, but with the latest legislative session and September 1st looming, I logged in hoping for some explanations and discussions of the legal changes.

Sadly, I'm not really seeing any. Even the legislation area, which previously held a wealth of information, is still set up for the 2019 legislative session, not 2021s. I can only hope that as September 1st comes and goes, maybe there will be posts on this general topic.

Here is a good publication courtesy of oljames from a more recent different discussion thread. It does provide some good information describing the changes in carry laws from the 2021 legislative session. Hope that this is useful for you

See page 14 of this publication written by Texas lawyers. https://cdn.brandfolder.io/5Z10RK5F/at/ ... igital.pdf

[philip964]

I have not been on in a long time, maybe too long, but with the latest legislative session and September 1st looming, I logged in hoping for some explanations and discussions of the legal changes.

Sadly, I'm not really seeing any. Even the legislation area, which previously held a wealth of information, is still set up for the 2019 legislative session, not 2021s. I can only hope that as September 1st comes and goes, maybe there will be posts on this general topic.

Here is a good publication courtesy of oljames from a more recent different discussion thread. It does provide some good information describing the changes in carry laws from the 2021 legislative session. Hope that this is useful for you

See page 14 of this publication written by Texas lawyers. https://cdn.brandfolder.io/5Z10RK5F/at/ ... igital.pdf

Thank you for posting this. It was very informative.

[allisji]

Looking at this morning's spammer, it looks like probably all of the new users who were added last year in August are probably spammers. I do really hope that Charles and the team can find a way that we are able to get new members in and keep that trash out.

We all know that this forum has come under many attacks for a long time by opponents of the second amendment who would want to destroy the forum to the point that it gets no traffic and/or officially goes offline.

I don't know exactly what we the members can do to help, but I am sure that if is a matter of needing volunteers or donations to fund a new hosting platform or anything like that that people would gladly contribute. I know that I would make a donation if there were a contribution function and it would help to improve the forum.

[Ruark]

Looking at this morning's spammer, it looks like probably all of the new users who were added last year in August are probably spammers. I do really hope that Charles and the team can find a way that we are able to get new members in and keep that trash out.

We all know that this forum has come under many attacks for a long time by opponents of the second amendment who would want to destroy the forum to the point that it gets no traffic and/or officially goes offline.

I don't know exactly what we the members can do to help, but I am sure that if is a matter of needing volunteers or donations to fund a new hosting platform or anything like that that people would gladly contribute. I know that I would make a donation if there were a contribution function and it would help to improve the forum.

There's also a LOT of hostility towards the NRA and especially WLP, and that gets redirected towards the forum, since Charles is an NRA board member.

I would advise against changing platforms. A platform/software change, no matter how smooth, can kill a forum overnight. Seen it happen many times.

[SQLGeek]

It's a lull - people can't easily or cheaply get guns/ammo/components (to varying degrees), so they turn to other things for a while.

That's pretty much where I have been. The precious little free time I have these days isn't spent with firearms or shooting because it's become beyond frustrating.

[clarionite]

It's a lull - people can't easily or cheaply get guns/ammo/components (to varying degrees), so they turn to other things for a while.

That's pretty much where I have been. The precious little free time I have these days isn't spent with firearms or shooting because it's become beyond frustrating.

I check the forum quite often. But don't post a lot as life is busy right now with many other things. New house and the move being the biggest time drain for me at the moment. I do enjoy reading the posts though.

[Tex1961]

It's a lull - people can't easily or cheaply get guns/ammo/components (to varying degrees), so they turn to other things for a while.

That's pretty much where I have been. The precious little free time I have these days isn't spent with firearms or shooting because it's become beyond frustrating.

I check the forum quite often. But don't post a lot as life is busy right now with many other things. New house and the move being the biggest time drain for me at the moment. I do enjoy reading the posts though.

But that’s the problem. Everyone enjoys reading the posts, but if nobody posts then there’s nothing to read.

[Ruark]

I've founded and operated many, many forums, going all the way back to the old Majordomo "listserv" email lists. To survive, a forum needs a certain "critical mass" of posting users, to give it enough momentum to keep going. What often happens, though, is that visitors don't see anything THEY are interested in, so they leave. So what happens is, everybody is "waiting for somebody else to post something," and "nobody posts, because nobody posts." When you go to a forum and the most recent post is a month ago, you just figure, "what's the point?" and click away.

So if you really care about a forum site surviving, you need to POST. If you don't see a topic you're interested in, POST a topic, don't sit there waiting for somebody ELSE to entertain you.

[longtooth]

I still use it as a very good reference when I have a question. I thank everyone on the for that is willing to answer my questions.
I confess I have not been here unless I NEED something. That is as lame as the friend that never calls unless he wants something.
Well, I have simplified life a little so I am going to make a better effort to be a contributor again.

[madwildcat]

I still use it as a very good reference when I have a question. I thank everyone on the for that is willing to answer my questions.
I confess I have not been here unless I NEED something. That is as lame as the friend that never calls unless he wants something.
Well, I have simplified life a little so I am going to make a better effort to be a contributor again.

Longtooth, with over 12000 posts, I don't think anyone would have any business saying you didn't contribute enough

[longtooth]

I still use it as a very good reference when I have a question. I thank everyone on the for that is willing to answer my questions.
I confess I have not been here unless I NEED something. That is as lame as the friend that never calls unless he wants something.
Well, I have simplified life a little so I am going to make a better effort to be a contributor again.

Longtooth, with over 12000 posts, I don't think anyone would have any business saying you didn't contribute enough

Thank you but I have been off for a long time. Not regular at all. When the forum first started I was a Moderator. The 12K posts do not reflect my absence over the last 7yrs. I would be ashamed to know how little I have contributed in that time.
Thank you for your kind words.