Your thoughts on the death of this forum

[Omar Little]

Some days there's hardly any posts. What few people there are left posting here are leaving in droves. New members are few and far between. It's clear that the site is dead.

So what do you think about it?
Do you think it will improve or get worse?
Why have you not jumped ship?
Will you jump ship at some point?

When I look at how active the forum was long before I came on here, it seemed to be about as active as it is right now. But that changed. Things were very active here for a good 2 or 3 years. Could it change again? Or are there reasons why it won't, such as forums being a dated form of online communication?

[Indigo_]

Looks like I'll be out of a job then Another job, seeing as I resigned from my offline job too.

I probably verify about 15 new members every week, maybe a little less sometimes.

I remember the active years (I sound like a war veteran now ) That's why my post count is ridiculously high. I doubt I'll ever leave, but I don't often post these days, I'm too busy offline.

[milesmartin]

I've been using since 2005. I don't post that much but I like to come back now and again. It's good to look at old posts to see thoughts etc

[Clementine]

It's always gone through phases of being quieter, in my experience of it. I don't personally see it as being dead at all though, particularly in comparison to a lot of other similar forums.

[Dougella]

I refuse to believe it

[Omar Little]

Originally Posted by Tiger_Lily

Looks like I'll be out of a job then Another job, seeing as I resigned from my offline job too.

I probably verify about 15 new members every week, maybe a little less sometimes.

I remember the active years (I sound like a war veteran now ) That's why my post count is ridiculously high. I doubt I'll ever leave, but I don't often post these days, I'm too busy offline.

Ah, yes, the active years...
This is for my fellow veterans

Originally Posted by milesmartin

I've been using since 2005. I don't post that much but I like to come back now and again. It's good to look at old posts to see thoughts etc

Sometimes looking at old posts is all that one can do on 'ere.

Originally Posted by Clementine

It's always gone through phases of being quieter, in my experience of it. I don't personally see it as being dead at all though, particularly in comparison to a lot of other similar forums.

Maybe we are just the few left stuck up to our knees in the wet sand of the ebb years. Maybe not. Maybe the tide'll ne'er come back...

Originally Posted by Dougella

I refuse to believe it

You can put your fingers in your ears, but I know sign language.
*holds up four fingers*
*points to McDonald's big M*
I can't do 'is'.
*draws finger slowly across neck*

Four-M Dead!

[Jam]

Yeah the forum is so quite now. There are times where I've logged on, read some new posts, log off, return a couple of hours later, and not a single new post were made (except from in the A-Z games threads, f*k sake). It is a shame, but I still find comfort coming on here and seeing familiar users still using this place.

When you ask "Why have you not jumped ship?
Will you jump ship at some point?"
Jump ship to where, though?

Tiger Lily, maybe this thread should be in the Remebrance Garden.

[SpaceMonkey]

This forum is actually really busy compared to many I've used in the past. Especially for a 'niche' subject like SA.

It use to be busier, sure. Especially after the site and SA got mentioned in the press a few years ago but that was always going to settle down and balance out.

We lost a few prolific posters for various reasons ( ), but there's a decent churn of new topics and lots of new posts when you log each day.

[Clementine]

I am often surprised by how many members are online but not posting though, I sometimes find myself wondering if they're all PMing each other and then I feel a bit paranoid and left out

[Merritt]

We need ads everywhere about 'one weird trick to stop your bum falling off', a minimum quota of memes posted each day, and blatant racism if we're going to compete with the rest of the internet.

[Omar Little]

^^^^Well they sure as shit ain't PMing me (nor me/I them). For the last 4 years, I was averaging 0.75 PMs a year. This year threw the average off when I had a nice little back and forth with someone about Star Trek. So now the average is about 1.8 PMs per year! Go team!

[Omar Little]

Originally Posted by jam

Jump ship to where, though?

Therein lies the rub. Do you cling onto the railings long enough to be the guy who falls onto the propeller when the ship finally breaks in two? Or do you take your chances in the icy water?

People here often think of themselves as thread killers, imagine you were the last ever poster. 'Forum killer'.

I hope I'm the 'Forum Killer', just to spare those who would take it a lot worse.

[Ajax Amsterdam]

It's a lot quieter than it used to be, but it's not dead. To be honest, I'm not interested in who doesn't post here. I'm only interested in those that do. Apart from the very early days I've never needed the site as such. I only post because I want to be here rather than need to be, and I've always liked the overwhelming majority on here at any given time.

I suppose if I was bored and lonely and hitting refresh all day and night I'd probably feel the quieter periods more than I do, though. But I only manage to post when I have the time these days, so I don't notice it so much.

I'll stick around so long as I have the time and I like the people here. I think the vast majority here are lovely, so I won't be closing the door behind me anytime soon, hopefully.

[Toxic]

I aint here much

I used to post a good amount back in..probably 2012? seemed quite active then, I was also unemployed at the time so it worked well

It does seem to be getting quieter and quieter..I can not be here for a few days, check one of the more popular threads and only see an extra page or so

I don't know what to think of it, I did make a couple of good friends back when it was quite active which I'm grateful for..not sure I could manage it again, whether thats lack of activity or the fact I've become even more closed off I do not know!

[newbs16]

I think it's a shame that the forum is not as busy as it was but maybe it means that people have moved on with their lives and do not need the support as much. I also think that social media and what's app probably plays a part. If you connect with someone you probably communicate in person or by text/whats app, Facebook or even Instagram, there is less need for messaging on the forum. I also think that people probably like to look at the forum and see how others are coping and do not feel comfortable enough to respond. I have always been of the opinion that you can gain a lot from the forum but you also have to put some effort in to benefit from using it. It's no good moaning that the forum is dead and hardly post.

[Indigo_]

^ WhatsApp roolz yo!

[Omar Little]

What's WhatsApp...er...doc?

[newbs16]

OOPS I may have hijacked the post, or should I say what'sapp has lol.

[newbs16]

^ I'm glad you did, least we are keeping tiger_lily in employment lol

[Omar Little]

^^^I can send free messages? So my phone can live again (when i'm near wi-fi)? I might make good use of this, although I've only one person on my contacts list and I assume/presume that they would also have to have it installed.

^^Doesn't bother me where the thread goes.

^The only sandwich you'll be getting is a horseshit sandwich!

[Omar Little]

I can't work out what a pond skater is... Is this one of those things where I say 'What's a pond skater?' and i'm setting you up for a punchline? Like the 'worm-do' one?

[Omar Little]

Meee-owww!

There was no double meaning to calling me a pond skater? And you call Appear posh...

[newbs16]

^ Is appear posh then?

[Utopia]

Well, I think it might help to advertise at IAPT centers across the UK.

Honestly, I'm starting to wonder why more people haven't left tbh. There is really only so much you can do, though. Obviously it's up to the individual to leave if they really want. Forums are still a useful way to communicate as you would obviously use Whats-app and Facebook for people you already know, whereas forums are a more public and anonymous way of communicating and potentially getting to know new people.

[Mr. Spaceman]

Worst thing is that the meets section has gone dead. There used to be about 1 a month in London but now there doesn't seem to be any interest any more. I've been to a few 'social anxiety' events on Meetup.com but they're just not the same. You got far more interesting people at SAUK meets.

[Omar Little]

^Aye. They used to post pictures of them all together in pubs n stuff - so many of them went that they couldn't all fit in two photos!

They'd all be recognisable faces from the boards, too. They'd go from all over the UK.

[Omar Little]

I think Morti still has some meets in London with good turnouts though. Maybe. Probably. Does he?

[Omar Little]

Aye. I'd never have done it.

They had another meet at Snowdon on here a few years ago. I don't know how many went to that though. I'd never have done that either.

Bloody hell, just checked and it was exactly 6 years ago. I thought it was 3 at best.

[Mr. Spaceman]

Originally Posted by Purplesnarf

^ Did many people go to the London meets when the forum was busier, I always imagined there would be a good crowd?

Maybe about 15-20 on average depending on the time and type of meet. 30+ at the Richmond Park picnics. I've heard stories of 50+people in the early days before I joined and meets back then every week!

[newbs16]

It's amazing that so many people attended a meet.