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

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5 · 29-12-2017 7:12pm

dudara wrote: »

Unforunately I can’t do anything about that, other than add my voice to yours. Search functionality is part of site development and not in the scope of Admins & mods.

I know, but it's frustrating as a user.

"Any feedback guys"

"Yes, overmoderation, search function, interface in general, an app would be nice, can we have the option to delete our old posts?"

"Thanks for the feedbak guys, soooo...now you have a section where you can talk to loads of banks and phone companies, we've moved every topic apart from regional into one branch, and we're really cracking down on the re-reg accounts. YOU'RE WELCOME."

I know mods and admins are like poor wee waiters running between demanding customers and arrogant kitchen staff here but I don't know why ye don't just pack it in a lot of the time.

dudara · 29-12-2017 7:14pm

To get back to the original topic, I think the way the world is communicating and sharing is changing. And I don’t know if forums like Boards will be continue to be mainstream in this newer way of communicating. It’s nothing to do with moderation, I simply think that the age of structured discussion, like we have here, has passed its apex.

I think forums will continue to appeal to certain people and certain interests, but looser, more fluid forms will probably be more successful over the next period.

Peatys · 29-12-2017 7:15pm

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

Name checks out..

DEFTLEFTHAND · 29-12-2017 7:19pm

It's inevitable. Time and tech wait for no one.

dudara · 29-12-2017 7:19pm

Keira Thankful Target wrote: »

I know mods and admins are like poor wee waiters running between demanding customers and arrogant kitchen staff here but I don't know why ye don't just pack it in a lot of the time.

To be honest, I wonder this myself. Some of our mods take a woeful amount of sh*t. Some are ganged up on by cliques and effectively pushed out of their modships. Some are threatened constantly with doxxing, threats to their family, wives and children. They’re constantly being told that they’re biased, petty, one-sided etc. I’m frankly amazed that some of them are still around trying to help.

Buford T. Justice XIX · 29-12-2017 7:23pm

Keira Thankful Target wrote: »

I know, but it's frustrating as a user.

"Any feedback guys"

"Yes, overmoderation, search function, interface in general, an app would be nice, can we have the option to delete our old posts?"

"Thanks for the feedbak guys, soooo...now you have a section where you can talk to loads of banks and phone companies, we've moved every topic apart from regional into one branch, and we're really cracking down on the re-reg accounts. YOU'RE WELCOME."

I know mods and admins are like poor wee waiters running between demanding customers and arrogant kitchen staff here but I don't know why ye don't just pack it in a lot of the time.

I can only speak for myself but Boards was a valuable resource for me in terms of discussing options at a time when I needed a discussion outside my normal contacts.

For me, it's just a way a paying back for some of the benefits I received when I needed them.

Peatys · 29-12-2017 7:26pm

dudara wrote: »

To get back to the original topic, I think the way the world is communicating and sharing is changing. And I don’t know if forums like Boards will be continue to be mainstream in this newer way of communicating. It’s nothing to do with moderation

The root of it is the moderation culture, not the moderators themselves. You have posters who know exactly how to play the boards game.

I see terms on here that i have never in my years heard used in conversation. Ad hominem, strawmen etc nonsense.

As another poster said, you start typing a post, them go fúck it, not worth it.

This is coming from a rereg (Peatcass, Rick Deckard, Squ) who has never had an issue directly with moderators on here.

5rtytry56 · 29-12-2017 7:27pm

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

I can only speak for myself but Boards was a valuable resource for me in terms of discussing options at a time when I needed a discussion outside my normal contacts.

For me, it's just a way a paying back for some of the benefits I received when I needed them.

Nowadays quite a good many join boards to post a particular question. They make a few posts in response to the answers. And when they get what they're looking for, they don't even bother to thank other posters.

Your Face · 29-12-2017 7:34pm

I blame Sulla.

Buford T. Justice XIX · 29-12-2017 7:38pm

5rtytry56 wrote: »

Nowadays quite a good many join boards to post a particular question. They make a few posts in response to the answers. And when they get what they're looking for, they don't even bother to thank other posters.

My first post here was a question on a new thread. Nobody replied.

So I joined the other discussions and a few weeks later my question was answered in a different thread. I can understand posters suspicions of new posters, I was that guy once, but I keep an eye on noobs now and either answer their questions myself or move it somewhere it has a greater chance of being answered if there is no reply within 48 hours.

Many noobs don't have the patience to connect with the flow on forums, however, they want an answer and they want it NOW!

There is definitely a generational difference between posters and I have no idea how to bridge that gap.

OldMrBrennan83 · 29-12-2017 7:41pm

This post has been deleted.

dudara · 29-12-2017 7:47pm

5rtytry56 wrote: »

Nowadays quite a good many join boards to post a particular question. They make a few posts in response to the answers. And when they get what they're looking for, they don't even bother to thank other posters.

It’s undoubtedly nice to be thanked for helping, but I wouldn’t expect it. And I wouldn’t get tied up about it. Some posters are always going to be pigeons in their posting style. C’est la vie. Boards needs to continue to be open to new posters.

satguy · 29-12-2017 7:52pm

Excessive and Overzealous Moderation is the main problem here on Boards.

Arghus · 29-12-2017 7:59pm

satguy wrote: »

Excessive and Overzealous Moderation is the main problem here on Boards.

I don't believe that this is the case.

There's many forums on here, that were once busy, that are and have always been very lightly moderated but yet they too have died a death in the last few years.

Noel82 · 29-12-2017 8:03pm

Arghus wrote: »

I don't believe that this is the case.

I do think it's a big part of the problem, look at the Politics forum and compare it to how Politics.ie has thrived. It's a total echo chamber for one viewpoint and any opposing viewpoint is set upon like a sheep to wolves including moderation standards. I find it pretty sad being honest.

The other obvious reason is the rise of reddit to monopolistic levels.

badabing106 · 29-12-2017 8:05pm

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

What about The threats of legal prosecution By the minister of the internet Sean Sherlock in the beginning of 2012. When freedom to share links to the other sites are denied , people will have to go elsewhere. That must have been the biggest blow to this site and seem to correlate with downturn

If you wanted to fine links to the biggest sporting events in human history you could no longer go to boards. Ie

https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056565895

gandalf · 29-12-2017 8:16pm

Oh dear people are offering feedback in the thread, watch the mods lock it and slap their fingers in their ears, along with the admins and so called community managers and sing "everything is awesome" at the tops of their voices

Grandeeod · 29-12-2017 8:25pm

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.

You have summed it up perfectly for me and said pretty much what I wanted to say. I've had my run ins with mods over the years, but I'm actually glad they do the job they do and keep the place more or less respectable. What has shocked me most over the years was the serious drop in decent discussion and the slide into social media like Twitter and Facebook. I long for the days when you had to be computer literate to access the internet. Now I'm not saying that all Smart phone/tablet users are dense, but it's very noticeable for me that the increase in utter bolloxology on the internet has increased over the last 5 years.

Arghus · 29-12-2017 8:25pm

Noel82 wrote: »

I do, look at the Politics forum and compare it to how Politics.ie has thrived. It's a total echo chamber for one viewpoint and any opposing viewpoint is set upon like a sheep to wolves including moderation standards. I find it pretty sad being honest.

There may be exceptions to the rule, but I don't believe it's the number one root cause for the drop off in activity across the entire site. Like I said, there are numerous corners of boards where moderation was always very, very light and yet they are on life support. I never remember anyone getting a slap on the wrist over in the music forums, yet they are dead. I never remember seeing a moderaters bold font used in anger over in the literature forum, yet that's just about hanging on.

If moderation is to blame for certain areas of boards avoiding becoming another cesspit of craziness along the lines of politics.ie, then long live moderation.

TallGlass · 29-12-2017 8:28pm

Some of the admin replies are truly very sad to read. As they just read to me, of 'yeah we know we are fúcked' but we don't care and some of the answers, to blatant statistical information right in front of your eyes and still ignoring the facts.

Know issues, 'but are not my problem'. Search doesn't work (on a forum unreal to be quite honest), the new theme is crap and still been pushed, moderation is extremely over the top (even stranger is that it's so strict when mods are admitting the site is going downhill).

Like seriously, sell Boards off then to someone who will give care about it. Bloody potential here on this website and it's totally been ignored, it's actually unbelievable. Yet chunks of cash been pumped into Adverts/Daft/Donedeal, yet if the owners didn't have boards both them sites wouldn't have any traffic to them.

Your totally ignoring the main driver of web traffic, how do you think these sites will fare once this one goes under? The others will follow suit.

tigger123 · 29-12-2017 8:28pm

I think the mods do a good job in AH; debate is encouraged whilst being a d*ck isn't tolerated.

NinetyTwoTeam · 29-12-2017 8:33pm

Overly modded, yet at the same time half the threads in AH are dole bashing BS and even though they all go the same way, are all the same nonsense, they are never stopped. Boards is just too much bitterness for me, though there are some good posters, it's in general very depressing to read the views people have on their fellow men/women on here.

Dyr · 29-12-2017 8:38pm

I only recently noticed the joke shop that the feedback forum was turned into. Presume boards is well into a death spiral with that sort of deluded carry on, Boards was always a victim of the most vocal mods who were all about protecting their own interests

Forums are generally dying on their hole with the rise of reddit etc. Boards sheer size will keep it rolling longer than most.

soups05 · 29-12-2017 8:47pm

what can I say? I been busy, will try harder to post next year.

BowSideChamp · 29-12-2017 8:50pm

dudara wrote: »

Boards needs to continue to be open to new posters.

It's not open to new posters though. They can't post links or have to go through hoops to get onto the soccer forum etc.

Grandeeod · 29-12-2017 8:52pm

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Many noobs don't have the patience to connect with the flow on forums, however, they want an answer and they want it NOW!

There is definitely a generational difference between posters and I have no idea how to bridge that gap.

Some of the social media generation are addicted to the constant connectivity and instant gratification style of things. Forums generally don't work like that but Boards is starting to see that kind of style happening. I'm around here since more or less day one and a member since 2003 and for innocent reasons only on my third username. That was back in the last days of dial up and needing an actual computer to access things. Even then there was a generational gap albeit small, but it was an interesting one. These days the generational gap here is huge and less interesting because access to the internet is no longer a privilege, its a part of everyday life for everyone. I don't think Boards can ever bridge that gap.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 29-12-2017 8:53pm

Blaming moderation doesn't hold water. Many forums I visit regularly are so lightly moderated that you'd often wonder if there are any mods there at all. Yet the traffic has fallen off on some of these through the years too. People are too engrossed in Facebook, Twitter etc. in the past few years.
Boards is still busy and provides excellent discussion, advice and entertainment in many forums. After Hours has been destroyed by the trolling of Re-regs spouting the same old balderdash time after time. The same old people also inevitably drag threads off topic or threads turn in to moaning bitchfests where nobody in authority can do anything right, the government are to blame for everything and keyboard warriors espouse actions that they would no more do in real life than my granny would. Thank goodness that forum has some semblance of an active moderation in place.

Turtyturd · 29-12-2017 8:53pm

Jobs OXO wrote: »

IBTL

I think they’re calling them ‘reviews’ these days.

gandalf · 29-12-2017 8:56pm

Turtyturd wrote: »

I think they’re calling them ‘reviews’ these days.

Ah the doublespeak of Boards!

jimbobaloobob · 29-12-2017 8:56pm

Maybe time to survey boards members on what they want and what might revitalise the forum.

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

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