Site is a graveyard - How can boards save itself? [Threadbanned users in 1st post]

DIY thread - fooking brilliant!

I would have saw it as a place to have a level of discourse on topics. But in the last year or so free and open discussion is not really possible and I wouldn’t post much and only have a vague level of engagement with the site as a result. It’s a pity really.

It probably falls into a few categories for most posters, with some overlap between discussion and keeping track of things you are interested in e.g. I'd imaging Sports and Current Affairs ticks that boxes for a lot of posters. There is also the 'useful' so the technical forums. And the 'diversion'. And there's probably overlap there across those categories for hobby type interests.

So just throwing this out there…

Useful:

Bargain alerts does what it says on the tin. And the 'technical' type forums useful for asking a question about a car, or appliance or whatever. Similarly Consumer Issues in case you end up in similar situation you can get good advice \ forewarning. If the forum for your local area is active, can be useful for knowledge.

Interested Party:

For Current Affairs, threads can be a good way to keep up with latest developments but also explanations behind those developments. You get a range of inputs than often go deeper than just what you get from a news article. When it gets to the point though where it forms into two camps debating one side versus the other, rather than updating on latest developments, I tend to disengage unless especially invested in the subject matter or think my posts are bringing something to the table not being said by others. Some posters thrive on that to-and-fro though.

Diversion:

For specific interests, say TV, Film, Cycling, Music, Gigs, the forums are good ways to keep up with latest news. And if you're watching something at same pace discussing it can be half the fun.

For After Hours, some threads can be genuinely amusing but I think less so than before. The You Laugh You Lose type photos are entertaining. This AH thread is boards at its best… not many places you could you ask such a random question and be helped out by strangers in your quest.