OK, I'm no scaremonger (a la Sanchek), but is it just me or are we thin on the ground lately?

I'm hoping its just the height of summer, as is per usual in August, but the topic and posting volume has taken a cliff-dive this past week or two.

We have to work hard to keep this going, I think we all know that by now.

So how aboot some noise, mates?!?

YANKS SUCK!

We defiantely seem to be doing alot less debating and a lot more attacking lately. I have lots to post about but it seems no one ever really replies to my additions so I watch from the sidelines anymore.

Overall attacks have been down the last few months since the latest sandy vagina blowout, looks like typical summer doldrums to me. Oddly from what I can tell while the poster userbase has been in gradual decline since the WoW exodus of 2004, the readership has remained fairly high; the meaning of that is left to your interpretation.

Probably people not wanting to get lambasted for having a viewpoint that doesn't fit in with The Powers That Be.

Regardless, I enjoy the lively debates, even though I really haven't participated in many lately.

And Halo, if Yanks suck, Brits blow.... :-P

I tend to avoid posting in the debates, if only because most of them are ones that I don't really know enough/feel strongly enough about to open fire on. The topics that I sometimes post are ones that I'd be interested in chattering about, but I (usually) feel enlightened reading through the other threads, even if I don't post.

The PC games/movies boards are my primary mode of interest at this point.

The PC games/movies boards are my primary mode of interest at this point.


This is me but I said that last week. I think the RL discussion here is too arrogant and one sided, attacks aside it's just not interesting to me to see the same things said 100 different ways by the same people, same snarky comments said by the same people to the same people in every thread, while not blatant attacks it's obvious and boring. I just don't bother much really in this section anymore :(

Since the "threat" was made of closing the board down, it has been my perception that the level of debate has dropped significantly; to the point where there really is no honest debate, but someone posting information and one or more others telling the poster that they don't know what they are talking about. That is not debate.

I still come to the forums because I learn a lot here. And, I will continue to visit and occasionally post for the time the forum has left; I have no illusions that there is a long future ahead here. I will leave it at that to avoid being "disciplined".

Frankly the topics that have been coming up lately just aren't all that interesting to me anymore. I'm bored to tears with health care, financial bailouts, Bush, Obama, Palin, Congress, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. I realize they are all topical and important (on some level at least), but I'm just sick and tired of arguing/reading about them.

Unfortunately, I can't seem to come up with a subject that would be a change of pace to talk about on my own right now. Maybe something will catch my interest in the next few days and I'll feel inspired to start a thread. Maybe not.

It's still summer and I'm not spending as much time in front of the computer as I normally do.

I read daily, even if I don't always post. That whole day-and-a-half without posting bugged me. Y'all are supposed to entertain me. In regards to the debates here, I think some of you are a bit thin skinned at times. Big deal if someone flames you. There was an interesting thread recently, I forget who was arguing, and at one point both flamers started talking about getting a drink together. Someone disagreeing about a political issue is a bit of a silly reason to get hurt personally.

This remains one of my favorite boards, and there's plenty of unique material being posted still. We might be wise to keep expressing opinions and being a bit more tolerant of other opinions if we want to keep the posting going.We defiantely seem to be doing alot less debating and a lot more attacking lately. I have lots to post about but it seems no one ever really replies to my additions so I watch from the sidelines anymore.Post it anyway! Somethings don't always prompt a response, but the info is interesting.

I too read daily, but how many time can we all debate teh sme shit over and over. No one has changed anyone minds and we all go away from the conversation feeling like each other are idiots..

Nothing to talk about really. Same as above, topics are beat to death we all know each others opionions and thats about it.

I think after all these years we have grown bored of one another.

Without a source of new users, at least a trickle, the place is dead as a doornail in the long-term. Simple as that.

Devolving into meta discussion is just another sign of that.

If you want to save the place, all you have to do is find a way to bring new people in. Nothing else matters compared to that.

No, this is our comfortable little home and we like it like this.

That's fine. Just understand that your "we" will eventually (and at an accelerating rate) be "you". These things either grow or contract, never stay constant.

Yes thanks for the lesson doosh-bag, but I'm sure none of us need you on the sidelines going 'Told you so! Told you so!" so stick a pipe in it, mate.

To everyone else (but the harbringer of doom and smugness) let's see if we can bring a bit of pro-activeness into this(ese) forums. I'll start after work today.

Yes thanks for the lesson doosh-bag, but I'm sure none of us need you on the sidelines going 'Told you so! Told you so!" so stick a pipe in it, mate.

To everyone else (but the harbringer of doom and smugness) let's see if we can bring a bit of pro-activeness into this(ese) forums. I'll start after work today.


It's spelled "Douchebag" but I understand the reason for the phonetic spelling.

Yes thanks for the lesson doosh-bag, but I'm sure none of us need you on the sidelines going 'Told you so! Told you so!" so stick a pipe in it, mate.

To everyone else (but the harbringer of doom and smugness) let's see if we can bring a bit of pro-activeness into this(ese) forums. I'll start after work today.

Exhibit A.

Especially ironic since this is your thread complaining about what I told you was happening a few months ago. Anyway, you're missing the point in exactly the way that I'm trying to help you understand.

Don't waste your time being "pro-active" unless it involves new users. If it does, you can't go wrong. If it doesn't, you're just combing over and not fooling anyone.

Oh yes, nice move, send it to the Grave Yard.

We all know the real problem with the survival of this forum.

Why does it really need to "survive" any more than it does already. The reason for this forum's existance long since disappeared and despite that there were a few dozen new posts today alone. And like the new thread in general, old members often go to www.ayonae.ro to see what everyone has been up to which is probably far more than any of us would do for our WoW or EQ2 or CoH servers community forums 5 years from now.

It doesn't need to survive, the statement was made that the active posting population has been in decline for five years, and eventually will cease to be sustaining. There's no judgement there.

I've been away from the board for a month or so - I generally take breaks when I reach a certain discomfort level with a given argument or the tone of the board. More specifically, from time to time I'll run into a situation where I've run smack into a wall of cognitive dissonance and I realize that either I don't have the stomach to apply the amount of force necessary to force recognition, or don't have the time/energy to spend on it, so I'll withdraw rather than get myself and the person who needs schooling lathered up ;). I wish I was better at exiting gracefully from such situations, but in a stereotypically feminine flaw sometimes the disharmony, as well as the willful ignorance, becomes upsetting.

I've also been travelling a lot this summer - and so haven't settled into the routine of reading the board from work - but classes started this week and so hopefully I'll get back into that routine again. It's nice to see that Sanchek is his usual bowl of sunshine ;), and hope everyone's been well...

Regards.
Nydia