Is boards.ie still in decline? *Mod Warning in OP*

DopeTech

Does anyone have up to date info on what the traffic is like to boards.ie these days? I remember a few years back possibly one of the mods posted how the stats on how it was in decline in more recent years. I don't want this to be a boards.ie bashing thread as while it's changed over the years its still an invaluable resource at times for many. Presumably traffic should have increased since March with everyone at home.

Mod:

I'm leaving this open for now with a couple of key notes:

• No pops or cheap digs at forum moderation or other posters, taking the conversation in this direction will have the thread closed.
• Post in a civil manner

If we can abide by these rules perhaps the discussion is possible, otherwise the thread WILL be closed and you will be directed to Feedback.

handlemaster

I have to say I think the quality of posting have dropped alot. There is way to much bickering and point scoring.

everlast75

handlemaster wrote: »

I have to say I think the quality of posting have dropped alot. There is way to much bickering and point scoring.

NO THERE ****ING ISN'T!!!

ygolometsipe

MOD: Thread Closed

Instant ban for asking deity questions.

We don't want to get sued. This is not reddit. This is not America.

AMKC

You would have to think if the traffic did not increase over lockdown then that is bad. Surely that would have been a great time for them to advertise and increase traffic. I find it an invaluable resource and have mentioned it to my family at times. Some tried it but did not quiet get it. I will say it to them again. Nothing like some word of mouth to grow a business. My only regret is that I did not join Boards.ie so much sooner.

dxhound2005

handlemaster wrote: »

I have to say I think the quality of posting have dropped alot. There is way to much bickering and point scoring.

It have dropped abit but not alot.

ygolometsipe

handlemaster wrote: »

I have to say I think the quality of posting have dropped alot. There is way to much bickering and point scoring.

Theres always one c8nt with an "opinion"!

/s

Rodney Bathgate

I wasn’t aware it was in decline. Having said that, I wasn’t aware of the site before this year. It isn’t really a mainstream site.

Large bottle small glass

dxhound2005 wrote: »

It have dropped abit but not alot.

Just do an advanced search, with just search dates and no search words. Do for a selected forum or whole site.

2014 or so was probably peak and falling since

AUDI20

ygolometsipe wrote: »

Theres always one c8nt with an "opinion"!

/s

I wouldn't be so hard on myself if I were you

ygolometsipe

Rodney Bathgate wrote: »

I wasn’t aware it was in decline. Having said that, I wasn’t aware of the site before this year. It isn’t really a mainstream site.

Maybe the list of things you're aware of is shorter?

Necro

ygolometsipe wrote: »

MOD: Thread Closed

Instant ban for asking deity questions.

We don't want to get sued. This is not reddit. This is not America.

Mod:

If you can't post without resorting to this sort of nonsense don't post in this thread.

I'm leaving this open for now with a couple of key notes:

• No pops or cheap digs at forum moderation or other posters, taking the conversation in this direction will have the thread closed.
• Post in a civil manner

If we can abide by these rules perhaps the discussion is possible, otherwise the thread WILL be closed and you will be directed to Feedback.

dxhound2005

It was top quality when it started out.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=7&order=desc&page=6051

Simi

Rodney Bathgate wrote: »

I wasn’t aware it was in decline. Having said that, I wasn’t aware of the site before this year.

It really depends on how long you've been here. If you've been here for more than a few years, then the decline in post quality is obvious.

Where there used to be thread after thread of light hearted banter and people giving useful advice in the specialist forums, there's now endless drive-by posting of culture war nonsense imported from the states and back and forth bickering and point scoring until a thread is either closed or dies when the next controversy seeking thread comes along.

ygolometsipe

AUDI20 wrote: »

I wouldn't be so hard on myself if I were you

If you were me, you might like it.

Rodney Bathgate

ygolometsipe wrote: »

Maybe the list of things you're aware of is shorter?

Shorter than what? The list of things you are aware of?

kowloon

AH has changed a lot, the range of opinion seems to have devolved into two camps more than ever before, but I trhink that's just a general thing in society. We have the US and UK to thank for that.

Being able to close your account on a whim has changed the site more than anything else, I don't know who most of the regulars are now because they've gone through so many usernames. I was never part of the private forum clique so I don't get the memos when someone decides to reinvent themselves.

I hope the site doesn't decline because I don't like Facebook, I don't like the layout of Reddit and none of them feel like home.

dxhound2005

One constant is the "things were better in the old days" refrain. Two examples here from 21 and 14 years ago.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=551

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=51021806

ygolometsipe

Rodney Bathgate wrote: »

Shorter than what? The list of things you are aware of?

It was a joke.. you said aware twice.

Relax...

jammiedodgers

Bring back facekicker

Rodney Bathgate

jammiedodgers wrote: »

Bring back facekicker

Who was he? Sounds intriguing.

dxhound2005

Rodney Bathgate wrote: »

Who was he? Sounds intriguing.

I think he found a locked safe with no key.

DopeTech

To be honest I'm not interested in discussing the quality of the threads on here now vs then, it's been done a million times. I'm more curious about how much traffic it gets vs years ago. Can anyone remember who posted the stats on a graph a few years ago? Perhaps it was an admin/mod.

I joined Boards after being forced to retire a bit early for health reasons. I had formerly seen somebody on it every break time at work and had wondered quite what the attraction of it was. So gave it a go when laid low at home, recovering from illness, and rather in need of human conversation/stimulation, and moreover a good belly laugh which I got on the fast moving Liveline thread, finding it a place for my gallows humour. Got posting timidly at first, then almost competitively, and found it quite stimulating.

Obviously with Covid the material being discussed is somewhat changed. There's so much stuff that's not happening out there, but then there's things that have never happened before in our lifetimes, related to Covid, and those threads are very fast paced.

Kaybaykwah

mod post notwithstanding, in an effort at levity.



Not to rain on your puréed, paddies,
but the forum seems to have attracted too many West Brit types,
too many Crumlin-Tallaght patch kids,
a smidgin of unwholesome Sherriff Street wags,
retired uberbellied Chicago Irish firefighters, and NYC cops,
Aussie and Canucky pests galore,
culchies and jackeens of every stripe,
godless and godfearing ginger men and women.

Tom Mann Centuria

Boards still has a fair bit of activity in the bigger forums, soccer, current affairs film TV and the like, but an awful lot of niche or local and regional forums are all but dead now.

Moderation has little/nothing to do with most of the decline, the same complaints go on in Reddit or Facebook groups as here. Always the moderators or admins fault, easier for some that way.

People's posting habits have changed, they're posting the witty one liners for the fake internet points (and who can blame them, I do it myself, they're so useful) not really wanting to engage in discussion.



TL;dr fuppin mods.

Mad_maxx

it might be less busy but its much improved in my opinion , in terms of moderation , its a lot more tolerant of conservative non PC views nowadays

which isnt to say its not still a liberal left editorial regime , it is

ygolometsipe

Necro wrote: »

Mod:

If you can't post without resorting to this sort of nonsense don't post in this thread.

I'm leaving this open for now with a couple of key notes:

• No pops or cheap digs at forum moderation or other posters, taking the conversation in this direction will have the thread closed.
• Post in a civil manner

If we can abide by these rules perhaps the discussion is possible, otherwise the thread WILL be closed and you will be directed to Feedback.

Fair enough but I didn't mean it as a cheap dig.
Unless I am mistaken boards is a realitivly small site and irish law has no specific free speech clause. Boards comes under critisim for being too restrictive but that's understandable considering liability clauses.

Boards is still a great site. I really only post in after hours because 100% of what I post is stupid so no offense meant!

Necro

Key notes wasn't aimed at you ygolometsipe, that's just the key rule for this thread to have a chance of continuing.

Rodney Bathgate

dxhound2005 wrote: »

I think he found a locked safe with no key.

Did he manage to get it open? Did it contain anything of value?

dxhound2005

DopeTech wrote: »

To be honest I'm not interested in discussing the quality of the threads on here now vs then, it's been done a million times. I'm more curious about how much traffic it gets vs years ago. Can anyone remember who posted the stats on a graph a few years ago? Perhaps it was an admin/mod.

In which case you needn't have mentioned that you did not want it to be a Boards bashing thread. Or that you have noticed that Boards has changed. I'm sure you could find out the answers you need from somewhere other than After Hours.

DopeTech

dxhound2005 wrote: »

In which case you needn't have mentioned that you did not want it to be a Boards bashing thread. Or that you have noticed that Boards has changed. I'm sure you could find out the answers you need from somewhere other than After Hours.

Well I thought AH had probably the largest audience that we may get an answer but you're probably right, the feeback forum would have been more suitable.

Necro

Mod:

Closed at request of OP - you can start a new thread for the stats etc in Feedback - https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=82