The slow death of forums *see OP for Admin warning and update 28/02/18*

Beasty

mariaalice wrote: »

Be interesting to see a bit of research on how often the same topics come up on boards.

That will vary significantly dependent on the forum. AH for example is almost an open book in terms of potential topics, yet some do appear quite regularly. However the "repeats" do tend to die down fairly quickly. A lot less repetition in something like Soccer. We certainly used to get quite a lot of repeat topics in Cycling, but managed to cap it by introducing megathreads on certain "regular" topics of discussion

Subtle

Kyra Whining Sailfish wrote: »

It is singularly the worse search engine of any forum I use.

In fact if I want to search for something on boards.ie I use google, I just couldn't be arsed trying to search boards.ie anymore.

Haha, 100% true - I have resorted to doing the same, usually including site:boards.ie in the search box! Thought it was just me!!

Necro

RDM_83 again wrote: »

Just because somebody a new account and they are saying something negative doesn't mean they are a new user or a bad poster. How many accounts did posters like dudess? (Think that's right anyway) run through back in the day

Grand if someone wants to do that. I just don't get it. Like at all. You wanna post stuff online, grand. Stand over it instead of hiding behind closed accounts and re-regging.

*My opinion, not necessarily right

gandalf

Subtle wrote: »

Haha, 100% true - I have resorted to doing the same, usually including site:boards.ie in the search box! Thought it was just me!!

Nope we all do it.

Sweetemotion

Tefral wrote: »

Problem is in my mind: the vast majority of the forums are echo chambers.

The politics forum being one of the worst.

Rjd2

Tefral wrote: »

Problem is in my mind: the vast majority of the forums are echo chambers.

Politics ones at the time seem to be. Its very lefty orientated and don't really see any differing point of views atm. Its not to say that right wingers on the site are all perfect,many immigration, muslim and welfare threads when they are finished would make Nigel Farage proud. :eek:

Can understand why those in the centre which in Ireland is the majority don't want any part of it sadly.

Necro

I don't go near politics because I have no interest in what some anonymous person on the internet has to say about it. If I want to discuss politics I'll do it in person with mates etc.

prinzeugen

Rjd2 wrote: »

Politics ones at the time seem to be. Its very lefty orientated and don't really see any differing point of views atm.

Its a waste of time that's why. Post with a different opinion and you are carded/banned for "trolling". One mod is very bad for it.

Basically don't go near politics unless you are a EU loving, Jeremy Corbin/SNP voting, anti British sort of person.

B.A._Baracus

Well nothing lasts forever.
If you were to go back 10-12 years ago... actually say before youtube was out there and say how Xtra-Vision, HMV, Chartbusters and more would close due to do online-streaming (netflix) you'd laugh at the thought. But yet here we are.

Things change and you have to change with them. It's not that boards or other forums are broke. Just how people discussed online has changed.

Sure who uses chat rooms anymore?

dxhound2005

Tefral wrote: »

Problem is in my mind: the vast majority of the forums are echo chambers.

Honourable exceptions I'm sure you'll agree, are Paranormal, Creepy & Mysterious and Scuba Diving.

Necro

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Well nothing lasts forever.
If you were to go back 10-12 years ago... actually say before youtube was out there and say how Xtra-Vision, HMV, Chartbusters and more would close due to do online-streaming (netflix) you'd laugh at the thought. But yet here we are.

Things change and you have to change with them. It's not that boards or other forums are broke. Just how people discussed online has changed.

Sure who uses chat rooms anymore?

Haha so true. I remember my first cajoles onto the internet being to a place called chathouse (may or may not be true). LONG since defunct.

Vronsky

Necrominus wrote: »

1. What has a hack of nearly 8 years ago got to do with Boards now?
2. Soccer is perfect the way it is. They opened it up for the last Euros and it became an unintelligible mess of idiots drooling about random stuff. It's bad enough with the Utd/Liverpool sh1te already... and you want it opened to the masses? Politics café... meh. Dunno much about it but it seems so many bots re: parties are being set up to soapbox and stifle proper debate so...
3. No idea what you're on about re: poker.
4. Feedback is a genuine gripe. BUT. If I recall a mass of moaners continued to b1tch and whine about the same issues... Over. And Over. And Over again. Fighting with mods and admins. Calling anyone who didn't agree with their idea of a utopia wrong and shouting them down. Any normal feedback thread was derailed by said group. You want my personal opinion? I would have sitebanned the lot of the whingers and the place would have been fine.
5 and 6. You do know we have a 'My Forums' link right? Follow the forum, go to top right hand corner... one click involved. Site redesign I do agree with tbf....responsive site is a quivering pile of sh1te.
7. Ads are everywhere, not exclusive to Boards. Every second post on Facebook and Twitter is some business selling their wares. Not an issue for me cos it's done everywhere.

The hack is important because the site lost a number of quality posters at the time, even though it's a long time ago. Some, like myself came back under a new username, but many didn't.

I don't like the idea of asking for permission to post. Moderation is the tool to use to keep the peace. But in fairness we can last the blame for the stupidity in soccer on the posters (many long time contributors) given they are so easily worked up over something so trivial.

It's been a while since the poker debacle, but iirc the admins succeeded in turning one of the busiest forums on the site to a ghost town. Much like politics cafe.

Feedback is more than a genuine gripe, it's non existent, but really and truly and changes that can be made now are only going to prolong the inevitable. The admins may as well run the site into the ground as they see fit because there is no way back to the heights of the past. It's managed decline at best now.

The site should be easy to use and follow features is no excuse for poor site layout. New users don't know these features, but what they do see is a clunky somewhat hostile interface that puts the user last.

Ads are a problem throughout the internet, and like boards, I find I'm engaging less with Facebook and the likes because of the increasing obtrusiveness of them.

AllForIt

Tefral wrote: »

Problem is in my mind: the vast majority of the forums are echo chambers.

I don't think echo chambers are something unique to the internet, rather they reflect real life. I mean if one was a member of a political party or a church I'd guess their living in a non-virtual echo chamber. The positive thing that comes out of this is the internet and the term itself echo chamber has exposed and highlighted this phenomenon and that's a good thing because it gives members of such chambers cause for thought about where their views are coming from and reinforced.

_Dara_

Kyra Whining Sailfish wrote: »

It is singularly the worse search engine of any forum I use.

So people keep saying but they never elaborate. I don’t have any issues with it at. You can search by forum, username, thread title or all three or just search for words. When the results come up, you can order it from newest to oldest, oldest to newest, you can filter it by forum. I find it very useful and, more importantly, easy to navigate. I’m genuinely at a loss as to what more people want from a search facility. I’ve never struggled to find what I’m looking for. You’re not spoonfed when using it, sure, but why would anyone expect to be?

Necro

Vronsky wrote: »

I don't like the idea of asking for permission to post. Moderation is the tool to use to keep the peace. But in fairness we can last the blame for the stupidity in soccer on the posters (many long time contributors) given they are so easily worked up over something so trivial.

Agreed totally on the Soccer forum. The malice in there over a game is unreal at times. Politics is kind of the same though if you think about it. It's more understandable that people get worked up about Politics as opposed to Soccer... but... come on, it's anonymous people on the internet!!

Feedback is more than a genuine gripe, it's non existent, but really and truly and changes that can be made now are only going to prolong the inevitable. The admins may as well run the site into the ground as they see fit because there is no way back to the heights of the past. It's managed decline at best now.

I miss Feedback tbf. But, as I said already (and as is generally the case for everything) - the few derailing everything and soap boxing, shouting: 'ME ME ME - I'M RIGHT EVERYONE ELSE IS WRONG' is what caused that to happen. So in essence this group wrecked it for everyone and now continue to use it as a stick to beat admins and mods over the head with. (Not suggesting you are/were a part of it btw.)
The logical thing would be to rout out the serial moanbags and siteban them but they are also the typical type who game the system then scream blue murder if they're pulled up on it.

Beasty

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Well nothing lasts forever.
If you were to go back 10-12 years ago... actually say before youtube was out there and say how Xtra-Vision, HMV, Chartbusters and more would close due to do online-streaming (netflix) you'd laugh at the thought. But yet here we are.

Things change and you have to change with them. It's not that boards or other forums are broke. Just how people discussed online has changed.

Sure who uses chat rooms anymore?

You've reminded me of a comment I heard a while ago, about the advances in technology over the years. Back in the 60s TVs were the new thing, and they grew in popularity during the 70s, 80s and 90s. Then you had "traditional" computers first seen to any real extent within business in the 80s, and again gaining traction in the 90s and through into the 21st century, and their internet connectivity

Then along came the mobile phone in the 90s, which became the smartphone a decade later. They have really taken off in the past decade, but they are reaching saturation point, and there does not seem to be much more you can cram in beyond what you already have. I'm sure something else will appear in the next few years which will further revolutionise technology and business and social interaction

The point the guy made was there was one similarity in all these developments. They typically had a "half-life" of 20 years once they had come to dominate in their particular area. So maybe in another 5 years the internet will be "old hat". Maybe Boards will have evolved into a completely different social media platform. Maybe it will die off, as has happened to a lot of things over the past 20 years. Who knows? Certainly not me, as I claim no ability to predict the future. I do though recall pretty much all those prior technological advances and wondering at the time how the world had survived without them!

arybvtcw0eolkf

Subtle wrote: »

Haha, 100% true - I have resorted to doing the same, usually including site:boards.ie in the search box! Thought it was just me!!

Its the only way to reliably find something on this forum. Although I do use a biker forum which (hard to believe) has a worse search engine than here.

I said it in another thread, if this place disappeared tomorrow I wouldn't miss it for a second.

In fact I thought I'd closed my account a few months back, went through the whole procedure and didn't check boards at all for three months (I've been diagnosed with diabetes and took it really hard so I chose to get away from anything which was causing me stress).

I was a moderator at the time (the worse status to have on boards). But I checked my email and seen a notification that I'd PM on boards ~ clicked the link and I was still a member, but not a Mod (thank fvck) and so here I am again.

I get a hell of a lot more enjoyment from facebook where I can join the groups I'm interested in, Judo/BJJ, motorbikes, cycling and Israel/Palestine and I don't have to work about offending some nameless, faceless moderator and getting warned/infracted or banned at their whim.

But I'll end here on a positive.

Some forum are great. I got fantastic help, advice and encouragement from the lads in the diabetes forum in the Long Term Illness category.

The guys in the motorcycling and cycling forum are generally really helpful & friendly.

ROAAAR

I imagine forums will go much the same way as chat rooms in the near future.

backspin.

Shenshen wrote: »

Forums have mods and certain minimum requirements - things like no text speak, no personal attacks on posters, a set of banned curse/swearwords and enforcing general basic levels of civility. You know, all those "PC" things that people already have to put up with in real life for fear of getting decked otherwise, but the likes of Twitter and Facebook have no problem with whatsoever.

I think what we're seeing is that there are far fewer people than we ever thought interested in any real form of discussion or exchange of ideas, and that there are actually untold numbers that just want to rant, bully, and generally be the kinds of b*stards they don't dare to be in real life. And they found the perfect places to live out their deepest, darkest fantasies.

The more people have experience of 'discussions' on online forums the more they realise how futile they are. Nobody every changes their position so it becomes parallel echo chambers. Its ends up one side agreeing with their own sides posts and the other side doing likewise. With nobody budging from their original position.

I remember back about 2009 / 2010 reading some of the public v private debates. A poster would make an assertion and then someone else with completely dismantle it with cast iron facts and figures. A few days later you would see the original poster back spouting the same old tripe that had been thoroughly debunked a few days before. They hadn't changed their position at all despite the facts being presented.

ROAAAR

backspin. wrote: »

The more people have experience of 'discussions' on online forums the more they realise how futile they are. Nobody every changes their position so it becomes parallel echo chambers. Its ends up one side agreeing with their own sides posts and the other side doing likewise. With nobody budging from their original position.
Public va Private are very VERY different worlds

I remember back about 2009 / 2010 reading some of the public v private debates. A poster would make an assertion and then someone else with completely dismantle it with cast iron facts and figures. A few days later you would see the original poster back spouting the same old tripe that had been thoroughly debunked a few days before. They hadn't changed their position at all despite the facts being presented.

Also on boards most of the posters tend to be working within the public second especially in the private forums on this site at least.

o1s1n

backspin. wrote: »

The more people have experience of 'discussions' on online forums the more they realise how futile they are. Nobody every changes their position so it becomes parallel echo chambers. Its ends up one side agreeing with their own sides posts and the other side doing likewise. With nobody budging from their original position.

I remember back about 2009 / 2010 reading some of the public v private debates. A poster would make an assertion and then someone else with completely dismantle it with cast iron facts and figures. A few days later you would see the original poster back spouting the same old tripe that had been thoroughly debunked a few days before. They hadn't changed their position at all despite the facts being presented.

Not all forums are debating forums. You don't get much of that at all in close knit hobby forums. (Which is all I really post in here nowadays)

Maggie Marie

Mods on some forums have killed them with their I’m right and you’re wrong attitude.

The Highwayman

TheAnalyst_ wrote: »

I find it incredible that when web traffic is consistently increasing along with participation rates that forums like boards are suffering huge falls in visitors.


CSO
Households with access to the internet
% of households
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
72 78 81 82 82 85 87 89

We've seen a 44% fall in posts on boards since 2011. It looks to be a terminal decline at this stage so I suppose we can enjoy the next few years before it gets shut down for good. Or is it possible that something can be done to turn it around?

boards total posts per year
2017 3,123,577
2016 3,348,994
2015 4,048,985
2014 4,748,112
2013 4,935,597
2012 5,308,684
2011 5,618,076
2010 5,330,972
2009 4,610,143

Perhaps the advent of SJW bull**** on this site. No wrong think is tolerated and it's no wonder this site is dead. I used to cone on every day knows it's a few times a month.

backspin.

Another thing that may have been mentioned already is more and more people are using their phones to browse the internet rather than laptops and desktops. Its much slower to type on phones imo. I'm on the laptop at the min but when i'm on my phone i post less on boards. I still read it though.

AllForIt

Maggie Marie wrote: »

Mods on some forums have killed them with their I’m right and you’re wrong attitude.

That's nonsense. Mods don't interject in the discussion or argument, they weed out trolls, infarct bad behaviour and keep the discussion civil. If it wasn't for them discussion forums would be a waste of time for anyone who genuinely wants to engage in them.

paleoperson

ROAAAR wrote: »

I imagine forums will go much the same way as chat rooms in the near future.

I highly doubt that since forums make sense, they are an ideal way to communicate certain things. Chat rooms never really had that. They were more something to do when you had 56k and were bored. With the like of twitter now you don't really need that. Forums aren't going away.

I think it's worth mentioning also how ridiculous the OP is. Just because something has declined the past few years doesn't mean it's "in terminal decline" and it's just about reach critical point where it all collapses and it's a "slow death". Just because you notice a pattern doesn't mean it will continue that way. To the contrary it looks like it's stabilizing with only a small difference between 2016 and 2017.

JackTaylorFan

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

There are too many things you can't say on forums like Boards. You just can't discuss certain things and are supposed to agree with whatever the current status quo or you'll be banned. If someone starts a thread about, say, transsexuals there's no point in even replying unless you want to talk about how great transsexualism is. I'm not saying that's right or wrong, but what's the point in a discussion forum with threads where you're supposed to agree with everyone else rather than actually have a discussion? And there's no telling what will be a no go area of discussion next.

If I sign in here and see the front page is full of threads on transsexualism and abortion I usually sign back out again because there's just no point in replying to any of them.

Right... Sounds like you've got a hard on for that particular subject, to be honest

Posters in After hours aren't really known for treating that subject with any respect. It's usually just bigots ranting.

prinzeugen

Looking back at the PMs I have got for cards/Bans etc and its no wonder the site is dead.

PMs and posts I have reported and nothing was done about. But me?

Standard reply from politics.. "This means you are posting in an intentionally provocative fashion in order to gain a reaction from other members. This is disruptive and causes stress to other members.
We don't want that here"

Sorry are we not here for discussion? Debate is not allowed however.

In other words, dont upset the snowflake mods with different opinions. I brought this up many times and got a 3 month ban.

The prison forum was a good example of the utter contempt that some mods and admins have for the users.

And some other mods and admins resort to personal insults when you question them.

That is why I dont care if this thing dies. Joined in 2007 originally and registered because of a stalker.

Don't log in half the time as there is very little worth posting on now.

prinzeugen

AllForIt wrote: »

That's nonsense. Mods don't interject in the discussion or argument, they weed out trolls, infarct bad behaviour and keep the discussion civil. If it wasn't for them discussion forums would be a waste of time for anyone who genuinely wants to engage in them.

Really?

Stoner

Patww79 wrote:

This post has been deleted.

TBH I'd an issue with a fellow mod.

It was sorted but it took 2 years.
I think there are mods that look for the position to control the subject.

In the trades forums you get very competitive mods, looking for business. When suggesting new mods I aim for reasonably informed but not "in the same game " people

I think it's important that a mod should not have a commercial interest the forum they mod as it strangles the forums.