Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk

Back to thread
MNHQ

Gransnet is live! Please tell any differently aged persons you know about it!

10 replies

JustineMumsnet · 05/05/2011 08:39

Hi all,
We've launched Gransnet today. It mimics the Mumsnet format but is for Grandparents, so they can chat about and pool ideas on their grandchildren, hobbies, relationships and anything else they fancy. If you know any Grans please do point them to Gransnet.com. NB any Grans on MN who'd rather hang out here are most welcome to do so and under no obligation to go to Gransnet but if you fancy taking a look, please feel free. (You could always do both Smile)
Any feedback is very welcome here. Txs

Go to post
MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 05/05/2011 10:01

@jimswifein1964

ok, so i've registered over there; now there's twice as much time-frittering to be had

Justine, have you transfered some threads or made some up to start off??! There are some dated 2008 over there and a couple that say 'are grans allowed to post on here' etc. Not that it matters, I just dont want it all to trn out to be another katemiddletongate style wind up and embarrass myself Grin . And I want to know if I'm in the top 250 to get a book Wink

Yes, sorry, for confusion - those threads were just put up for testing purposes. We'll get rid of them asap.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 05/05/2011 12:44

@Indith

If I tell my mother then it is only a small hop to her thinking "I'll just go check out MN too." Not happening!

We could put an auto-block on visitors to MN from GN Grin...

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 05/05/2011 14:07

Great, enjoy - it's full of empty green fields just waiting for population. Reminds me of ye olden days on here.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 05/05/2011 16:32

Yes indeed Grans v welcome on MN, but choice is good, no? And given how many threads on here are about the MIL, a place to moan about the DIL might be useful. MN is also v big and fast moving. Think GN could be an easier place for those who've not used forum-based sites to cut their teeth. But, we'll see. Clearly it will only work if it's wanted and helpful.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 05/05/2011 16:34

@BecauseImWorthIt

I'm trying, Justine! (It's really weird to see your own posting name showing in nearly all Active convos)

Ha, I know. Remember the early days of MN when I used to talk to myself under different pseudonyms. Was a shock when someone actually answered Grin.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 09/05/2011 09:19

@jugglingjo

Hi Justine

  • I've been over for a quick look at the new gransnet site.
Looks like perhaps you can't give any feedback there without joining, so I thought I'd just share some thoughts here if that's OK.
  • I see you have a link on the home page to "Do's and Don'ts for grandparents"
When I read through this I felt it could perhaps be a bit off-putting to some potential new members of gransnet It is, after all, a site for them. Thought this section seemed a little as though it was written from a parents perspective. I'm sure you get my drift. Just trying to help with some ideas for a new site, which will hopefully go on to be a great source of support for grans and co. around the country, as mumsnet is for many of us Smile

Hi jugglingjo,
That section - Dos and Don'ts - was extracted from the Good Granny Guide - written by Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall who is definitely a gran. (Maybe we should make that a bit clearer). We really wouldn't presume to tell the Grans anything about grandparenting and very much want Gransnet to be By Grandparents for Grandparents as per MN is. We're just doing the platform provision/ tech back endy stuff.

thanks v much for the input though. Do keep thoughts coming and thanks to all Mnetters who have had a look and offered good wishes/ joined in over there. There has already been some very interesting discussion.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 09/05/2011 09:20

@TrillianAstra

Is there any way to do an anonymous recommendation?

"Someone you know thinks you might like Gransnet" - that kind of thing?

Because I think MIL might like it.

But I don't want to indicate to her in any way that I am on MN.

She might think it means I want babies.

(she really really likes babies)

Yes we can look at that Trillian - thanks for the idea.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 09/05/2011 09:24

@sonearsofar

I'm ancient, but have had a look and I don't think I'll be going back in a hurry...all those messages on how lovely it is that there isn't any swearing for a start.
To me it feels like a way of directing advertising more accuratly to a targeted group (especially as you have to put your postcode in). I can easily ignore all of MN's advertising as none of it applies to me, and the advertisers don't like that, but I'm not going over the the GN ghetto so they can direct adverts of Saga holidays at me.
I love MN, because it's a way of meeting like minded (or otherwise) women without being catagorised by age - such a relief.

No problem sonearsofar - we're very happy to have you here Smile. I think GN will develop it's own style and tone, according to what the bulk of users want. Who knows where they will end up wrt to swearing etc... will be entirely lead by the users though.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 11/05/2011 00:17

Our guidelines aren't that different really - but from the research and testing it seemed to us that gransnetters on the whole will have a slightly lower tolerance for swearing - but we are very happy to change policy if users want... here's what we say:

Some people like swearwords, some don?t. It?s very often possible to find an alternative way of expressing yourself, even if you have something burning to say. We'd appreciate it if users kept to those alternative ways of expressing themselves as much as possible.
We have an extremely low tolerance for words that are offensive to those with physical or mental disabilities.

Re name changes, we are testing the water a bit. I agree namechanging is part of the whole schtick of mn but i also think establishing a core community who know and trust eachother is important. It took quite a while before MNetters really took advantage of the namechange facility for having a laugh - it was originally only used for confidentiality. I Wouldn't rule out us introducing it on GN at some point if the users want it though.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 13/05/2011 01:38

@Wordwork

Almost as interesting as the evolution of the culture of a new site is the evolution of the 'myth' of the site. I haven't looked at Gransnet but I am pretty sure that this piece has just stuck a convienient interpretation onto Gransnet's content, rather than responded to what is actually there. And that is a new beginning too: the creation of Gransnet's media identity.

It is like there are two completely different petri dishes (Gransnet, and Gransnet's media image) smeared with a two completely different sets of starter-bacteria, ready to evolve into more or less scary new lifeforms.

Interesting to watch.

Ha - so true - you are one smart cookie wordwork.

Watch this thread for updates

Tap "Watch" to get all the latest updates

End of posts

There are no more MNHQ posts on this thread

Back to thread