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Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

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

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  • 29-12-2017 3:00pm
    #1
    TheAnalyst_
    Registered Users Posts: 1,371 ✭✭✭


    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

    EDIT: Admin warning added 01/01/18
    Beasty wrote: »
    Just a word of warning here. Points have been made from both sides about the most recent closure in AH. I do not think there is anything more to say on that example, so let's leave it there.

    If anyone thinks they have anything new to add on this particular point, please PM me

    Thanks


    Update 16/01/18
    Please see post 1796 for Admin update and proposals to take some of these suggestions forward

    Update 28/02/18
    Please see post 2156 for Admin update following re-opening of thread
    Tagged:


«134567…98

Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Fann Linn
    Registered Users Posts: 7,771 ✭✭✭Fann Linn


    Probably down to people having more things to do elsewhere.
    Like work.
    Not coincidental that the highest number of posts coincide possibly with the height of the recession.


  • Options
    #3
    begbysback
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,910 ✭✭✭begbysback


    Forumkiller lol - should receive an amnesty imo


  • Options
    #4
    Jobs OXO
    Closed Accounts Posts: 887 ✭✭✭Jobs OXO


    IBTL


  • Options
    #5
    Harry Palmr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 40,061 ✭✭✭✭Harry Palmr


    Soon AH will consist of nothing but threads about how no one is on boards.


  • Options
    #6
    The_Valeyard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,452 ✭✭✭✭The_Valeyard


    I like to think that the werewolf forum has done its part keeping posts up.


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  • Options
    #7
    Shenshen
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 9,453 Mod ✭✭✭✭Shenshen


    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.


  • Options
    #8
    Fr_Dougal
    Registered Users Posts: 9,167 ✭✭✭Fr_Dougal


    Harry Palmr wrote: »
    Soon AH will consist of nothing but threads about how no one is on boards.

    Nah, it will be full of ‘u ok hun xxx’ posts.


  • Options
    #9
    pq0n1ct4ve8zf5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,070 ✭✭✭✭pq0n1ct4ve8zf5


    Fann Linn wrote: »
    Probably down to people having more things to do elsewhere.
    Like work.
    Not coincidental that the highest number of posts coincide possibly with the height of the recession.

    Yeah the recovery really stopped people arsing around on the internet. Except on all those other platforms which have boomed in the 2010s.


  • Options
    #10
    Irish Guitarist
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,736 ✭✭✭Irish Guitarist


    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.


  • Options
    #11
    TallGlass
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,935 ✭✭✭TallGlass


    More and more I find myself going to post, writing a post out and then going 'naaahhh' not worth the effort and cancel it.


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  • Options
    #12
    The Pheasant2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,699 ✭✭✭The Pheasant2


    The least they could do is sort out the bloody search function


  • Options
    #13
    begbysback
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,910 ✭✭✭begbysback


    TallGlass wrote: »
    More and more I find myself going to post, writing a post out and then going 'naaahhh' not worth the effort and cancel it.

    Didn't happen this time though


  • Options
    #14
    Buford T. Justice XIX
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,633 ✭✭✭✭Buford T. Justice XIX


    Fr_Dougal wrote: »
    Nah, it will be full of ‘u ok hun xxx’ posts.
    u ok hun? xxx









    :P


  • Options
    #15
    tomwaterford
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,768 ✭✭✭✭tomwaterford


    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

    Boys. .I'm a pure nerd....where do ye get the figures off

    Remember seeing that the 3rd level collages one have fallen off a cliff


  • Options
    #16
    TheAnalyst_
    Registered Users Posts: 1,371 ✭✭✭TheAnalyst_


    Legacy site. Follow a forum. Search field blank in advanced search and apply a date range. Then on the left select all forums instead of the followed forum.

    I've probably made it over complicated but that works.


  • Options
    #17
    DeanAustin
    Registered Users Posts: 3,783 ✭✭✭DeanAustin


    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.

    I think that's a great point. No matter how bizarre or out-there your opinion is, there is undoubtedly hundreds or thousands of people who share it and some sites give you access to those people and you can share those opinions unchallenged.

    Even at a less sinister level, the amount of misinformed **** I see posted and re-enforced by others on places like Facebook scares me. It just becomes an echo chamber and you end up getting whatever news suits your world view. It's extremely dangerous in my opinion.


  • Options
    #18
    BowSideChamp
    Registered Users Posts: 272 ✭✭BowSideChamp


    Boards.ie is went downhill when they revised the layout. Total muck. Add to that over the top PC moderation & the data breach in 2010.

    After hours is now just full of **** threads just filling up space - what are you wearing, what are you eating etc.


  • Options
    #19
    evolving_doors
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭evolving_doors


    Harry Palmr wrote: »
    Soon AH will consist of nothing but threads about how no one is on boards.

    Mainly from low count re-regs with a chip on their shoulder :rolleyes:


  • Options
    #20
    Harry Palmr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 40,061 ✭✭✭✭Harry Palmr


    The boards redesign as mentioned must have done some damage, I never switched and will be using the legacy vbulletin software until it dies.

    has anyone looked at the wider demographics? Ireland was always famous for it's youthful population, presumably that cohort is now well into it's 30s and just has other things to do.


  • Options
    #21
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    other sites like reddit allow for uncensored discussion (good and bad points to that) and also more specific topics by way of the subreddits.
    more people have discovered that and other such sites.
    things like the journal allow you to comment on stories below the actual news article which has also eaten away at places like boards.


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  • Options
    #22
    Harry Palmr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 40,061 ✭✭✭✭Harry Palmr


    glasso wrote: »
    other sites like reddit allow for uncensored discussion (good and bad points to that) and also more specific topics by way of the subreddits.
    more people have discovered that and other such sites.
    things like the journal allow you to comment on stories below the actual news article which has also eaten away at places like boards.

    Any given post on that site is beaten by a brick when their respective IQs are measured.


  • Options
    #23
    tomwaterford
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,768 ✭✭✭✭tomwaterford


    Though alot of boards may been from swallowing up smaller forums which folded in tge recession like afr and premierview for just two gaa forum examples??

    And people realised reddit is better for general use (but I do find gaa forum good here!)


  • Options
    #24
    Alter-Ego
    Registered Users Posts: 2,324 ✭✭✭Alter-Ego


    I used to post on Boards quite frequently up until a few years ago.

    After a few incidents of genuinely interesting discussion being shut down by the ridiculous levels of moderation here, and the growth of sites like Reddit, I just started visiting less and less. I stopped posting regularly because I never knew what was a bannable opinion to have from forum to forum, such is the inconsistency, so I removed boards from my bookmarks bar, and only view/contribute to forums on certain topics occasionally.

    The Reddit structure of up/down voting lends it self much better to open discussion than the traditional forum approach of appointing members as enforcers, which boards has done to it's detriment. Granted, certain subreddits can descend into hivemind hell, but overall it's a better system than manual moderation.


  • Options
    #25
    5rtytry56
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,828 ✭✭✭5rtytry56


    In the last 2 years especially, a type of boards poster has become prominent where they start a thread on some topic, or post some 'assertion' where they have'nt a leg to stand on. And they never change their behaviour. They still receive thanks for the posts, and other posters, who sometimes have just joined up funnily enough come out to stand up for them.


  • Options
    #26
    Stoner
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 10,952 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stoner


    A decent app would help


  • Options
    #27
    Beasty
    Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 75,286 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    A lot of people had a lot more time on their hands back in 2009. Many of them have found gainful employment since then and probably have a lot less spare time to spend on sites like this. I'm not saying that's the only reason, but in my view it's a significant contributor


  • Options
    #28
    Beasty
    Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 75,286 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    TheAnalyst_ wrote: »

    boards total posts per year
    2017 3,123,577
    That's a more than 50% increase on 2007 when there were just over 2m posts....


  • Options
    #29
    Arghus
    Registered Users Posts: 14,344 ✭✭✭✭Arghus


    Said all I had say really about the issue in the thread about it that was uncermoniously locked a few days back.

    At the risk of sounding like one of the tinfoil hat brigade, that was the most boards thing I'd ever seen.


  • Options
    #30
    Harry Palmr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 40,061 ✭✭✭✭Harry Palmr


    Beasty wrote: »
    That's a more than 50% increase on 2007 when there were just over 2m posts....

    and what's the smart phone population growth since 2007 I wonder? :)


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    #31
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    This post has been deleted.


This discussion has been closed.
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