Why do some people stop using online forums?

Gloomtastic! · 11-04-2021 6:29pm

Apoapsis Rex wrote: »

They quickly realise threads are just research / surveys disguised as discussions.

Research/surveys for whom?

EmmetSpiceland · 11-04-2021 6:31pm

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

Research/surveys for whom?

NPHET, RTÉ, Ryan Tubridy and Dr. Tony Holohan. All “conspiring” against the humble pint drinkers of Éire.

twowheelsonly · 11-04-2021 6:36pm

I think it's possibly the fact that it can get so repetitive at times with the same topics dressed slightly differently.
There's also a significant amount of SF and FG drumbeaters who hop on every relevant topic with obsessive fervour.
It becomes extremely tiresome.

My own personal peeves would be 'Council Houses All Bad..' 'Unemployed All Lazy Swindlers..' and currently literally any Covid thread. They've all developed into pretty much the same sounding board for people and their opinions. You could merge the lot of them at this stage and I don't think anyone would notice !!

Another peeve would be the righteous ones.. "Anybody know anyone around Donnybrook that could cut my mothers grass?" will inevitably lead to someone chiming in with "Make sure they are in compliance with By-Law GC1457-A and have Certificate FU23897C. Also ask to see their tax clearance cert, health and safety and public liability certs and see recommendations from 3 previous customers.. "

Having said all that, there's some sound people on here as well and it can be a great place to get advice at times.

11-04-2021 6:40pm

The ‘OP is always wrong’ thing gets very tiresome in threads looking for advice too. I always hope that it’s only a thing here rather than what people are really like.

11-04-2021 6:40pm

Bad Boyo wrote: »

How much of a boomer do you have to be to struggle with the Reddit layout?

Who’s struggling? It’s just wrong.

Wallet Inspector · 11-04-2021 6:43pm

In America you have to be born between 1946 and 1964 to be deemed a boomer to those who are into that stuff, but I don't struggle with the Reddit layout - the layout of Boards is just cleaner and less cluttered, which is surely a superior user experience.

I mean, filtering out comments, only viewing the most upvoted - that's a definition of an online echo chamber.

Arghus · 11-04-2021 6:50pm

Apoapsis Rex wrote: »

They quickly realise threads are just research / surveys disguised as discussions.

I think that the only conclusion that could be gleamed from that research would be that boards is home to a lot of oddballs.

11-04-2021 6:50pm

Arghus wrote:

I think that the only conclusion that could be gleamed from that research would be that boards is home to a lot of oddballs.

ZX7R · 11-04-2021 7:02pm

Facebook killed of a lot of online forums, definitely in the more niche areas, many motorcycle forms in the day have switched to Facebook groups ,you can see it happening on boards also plenty of niche forms locked up / closed up or moved to a general forum to lack of activity.

Necro · 11-04-2021 7:07pm

Mod:

The reasons threads like these cannot exist is because a certain cohort cannot resist having a pop at moderation outside the already available channels to do so.

A number of posts actioned and deleted. The topic can easily be discussed without having a go at moderation, if we can continue in that vein going forward it would be appreciated.

Any issues, PM me - do not respond to this on thread

11-04-2021 7:33pm

:pac:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP_WIsUfbPo

11-04-2021 7:34pm

Bad Boyo wrote: »

How much of a boomer do you have to be to struggle with the Reddit layout?

Boomer... I haven't heard that in a while. How quaint.

11-04-2021 7:37pm

Deleted User wrote:

Boomer... I haven't heard that in a while. How quaint.

It's hard to keep up with all the labels nowadays. Most of them seem to emanate from the US.

Leg End Reject · 11-04-2021 7:41pm

Arghus wrote: »

I think that the only conclusion that could be gleamed from that research would be that boards is home to a lot of oddballs.

Hey, I resemble that remark!

I like the layout of boards and I like the fact that it's Irish centric. Text can give a 2 dimensional aspect to a post and our perception of the poster, but it amuses me that I could be arguing with someone I know, and get on quite well with in real life, and be oblivious to that fact.

A few oddballs liven up discussions too.

tgdaly · 11-04-2021 7:47pm

A lot of the problem with online forums is if you're opinion doesn't suit the pc agenda and is controversial in any way then you'll have moderators censoring everything left right and center.

Obviously there's no place for things like outright racism, sexism, discrimination etc. But even if you present a fact, backed by factual evidence, that is non pc, you'll be shot down fairly quickly.

I think Covid has been good for Boards, probably revived it to an extent. But when things get back to normal I can foresee a fairly steep decline ahead.

Just too many over opinionated people out there

11-04-2021 8:00pm

There is a light wrote: »

It's hard to keep up with all the labels nowadays. Most of them seem to emanate from the US.

It's embarrassing to see Irish people talking like Americans.

EmmetSpiceland · 11-04-2021 8:08pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It's embarrassing to see Irish people talking like Americans.

Along with, avidly, “supporting” American political parties.

11-04-2021 8:15pm

I’m fairly dubious about boards being very right wing. Politics is very pro Biden.

Nqp15hhu · 11-04-2021 8:25pm

There’s a lot of negative people online. I find people are more bold online as well.

11-04-2021 8:34pm

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Along with, avidly, “supporting” American political parties.

While having zero knowledge of Irish politics.

11-04-2021 9:42pm

I can't myself ever leaving Boards for good. I've been around for about 6 years now and for all it's flaws I'd miss the place. Still absolutely rubbish at spotting a re-reg! For one as inquisitive as I that is a great tragedy

Ish66 · 11-04-2021 9:48pm

Maybe they just died ?

Wallet Inspector · 12-04-2021 12:11am

If people's politics are very conservative they'll see Boards as really left-wing... and vice versa.

I think Boards is overall just left of centre. Used to be way more left-wing. Back when any conservative view was considered "far right". Now there's more of an understanding that not everyone who has conservative views is far right - and that people can have a mixture of conservative and liberal views.

Leg End Reject · 12-04-2021 12:25am

Ish66 wrote: »

Maybe they just died ?

Cheery.

Wallet Inspector · 12-04-2021 12:34am

If someone is a regular contributor and then gradually phases this out to the point of no longer posting, that's likely just due to having no time any more/losing interest.

But if someone is a regular poster and then just stops abruptly, account still open, last post in the middle of a conversation and never comes back... then I do wonder. Of course the reason for this might not be death but maybe it is sometimes.

There has been awareness created of Boards members dying over the years but obviously not all can be known.

purplefields · 12-04-2021 12:45am

For me, I find it very addictive.

I waste a lot of time posting stuff that people will not read, or care about.
Mostly a pointless endeavor.

Then I close my account.

Then a couple of years later, I want to know the answer to something, and it all starts again once I open a new account. I'll have to close this account too. Soon.

dickdasr1234 · 12-04-2021 12:48am

Probably because of all the stupid fing questions!

AndrewJRenko · 12-04-2021 7:35am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I’m fairly dubious about boards being very right wing. Politics is very pro Biden.

I wouldn't say that Boards as a whole is very right wing, but it is the default online forum about Ireland for very right wing people, which explains why many people choose not to hang around.

AndrewJRenko · 12-04-2021 7:37am

Celchick wrote: »

If people's politics are very conservative they'll see Boards as really left-wing... and vice versa.

I think Boards is overall just left of centre. Used to be way more left-wing. Back when any conservative view was considered "far right". Now there's more of an understanding that not everyone who has conservative views is far right - and that people can have a mixture of conservative and liberal views.

Here's my regular reminder (which really gets up the nose of right and far right posters) that far right candidate Peter Casey got double the vote on Boards than he did in the real Presidential election. So centre left?

o1s1n · 12-04-2021 7:43am

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

I wouldn't say that Boards as a whole is very right wing, but it is the default online forum about Ireland for very right wing people, which explains why many people choose not to hang around.

Boards has always been known as very left, so I'm not sure where you're getting that from.

Why do some people stop using online forums?

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