Will this place take over from Boards?

[isha]

My enforced recent hiatus was due to a heart attack out of the blue. Thankfully it was not a full blown affair, as I had an inkling well before any damage was done, and just had a couple of stents fitted, and now back on the road to recovery.
Just back now after a 5k cycle, only 2 weeks out of hospital, so all is good. I am always in tune with what my body is telling me, and I am glad I acted this time.

I think you will always get the core posters who post their experiences/views/feelings on most topics on the forums which is a great thing. And then those who chose not too, and thats fine too, and wont change much I dont think. But I would urge those who take the time to log in, come on and post a a thread once in a while.

Jaypurs! Wishing you a full recovery and all the best.

[kadman]

Its all good, and my recovery is doing fine. I see it as a minor blip, because I have lots of interesting activities that keep me occupied.
Luckily enough I live in the country, where I have plenty of room, a couple of classic cars, and a shed full of yew for woodturning.

I love nature and all these things, so there is no down side for me. Activities and interests keep you young minded. First time back out cycling today was better than any medicine. I have never dwelt in a dark place feeling sorry for events, I enjoy life too much.

I say to my family" I laugh in the face of danger, had a heart attack, and kicked its ass "

Life is much too good to be pissed off at it.

[CelticRambler]

I'm still checking in every day, and chipping in when I can, but currently engaged in real-life activities that are soaking up most of my brainspace which is curbing my enthusiasm for starting new threads. Might get back in the habit next week, but it'll (probably) only be for a week, coz then SonNo.2's coming to visit for a week and as I haven't seen him for nearly two years, I'm afraid you lot are going to be a lower priority! :p

FWIW, I've been keeping an eye on The Other Place too, but jeeeeez it's still soooooo slooooow and there's only one of my bookmarked threads that's got any significant activity on it so I read and move on. Can't be bothered posting there at all.

[kadman]

Good choice CR, family is way above any social media interaction.
I sometimes feel we have lost the art of true communication. Just look at all the minds attached to their i phone when you are out walking.
Then the pandemic copper fastened the disconnect of one to another and the whole social cohesion of humans has been destroyed for good........if we let them

[quodec]

The only thing I'm currently checking 'across the way' is the La Palma volcano activity thread but otherwise its here. Yet, at the moment its so quiet there AND here! Where have all the casual posters gone, particularly across the way? I can't believe they've just stopped! Certainly a few have drifted over here but most of those are only lurking. Its a pity there is so few posters because this would be a nice community even with a few dozen regulars. So come on in and - as Delia Smith would say - 'Lets be havin' you!'

[Scotty]

Am I the only one to notice that there's been a serious fall-off in posting recently and the numbers online at any time despite a slow trickle of new members?

I've noticed it too. It got off to such a great start it's a shame it's dwindled so soon. 3 new members in the last 7 days and only 24 new topics.

But Rome wasn't built in a day. It just needs to find one sub forum that becomes popular and it will snowball again. Boards started as a discussion board for Quake Arena and nothing else (or was it Dune?) and then off topic chat started, then a soccer section, and then a motoring section, and so on. It evolved over several years. It was never one big community but always a collection of smaller communities. I was there for years before I posted on anything other than the Poker forum.

That said, it was long before the modern marvels of facebook, Twitter, Reddit, etc. This format of bulletin board is hard to keep popular now. Boards tried to revamp themselves and look whats happened.

GUBU is kind of trying to be jack of all trades too soon IMO. There's already 30 different forums but probably less than 50 truly active members. It can make forums look barren which makes the site look barren but I don't think starting threads for the sake of starting threads is a good idea.

I check in here every day. Boards, maybe once a week.

[Jimmy Bottlehead]

I check in on Boards most days, but zero interest in posting. I check in here maybe every second day but I'm just not arsed posting here either, really. No particular reason, just a bit disillusioned and disinterested in forums at the moment.

[dawg]

I'm still checking in every day, and chipping in when I can, but currently engaged in real-life activities that are soaking up most of my brainspace which is curbing my enthusiasm for starting new threads. ...

This !

and also A Lot of people are back at the old treadmill of commute, office ( and now probably pub too ). There just isnt time for everything.

Had a look at Boards a few days ago. Jeez but aren't some of the active accounts over there hyper-noxious ?

[BettyBee]

busy or not, I think I am done with boards... seems that there are nothing but nutters on there now.. v v right wing lonely folk.. feels v off centre.. not a nice vibe.. well.. the threads that I have been on anyway.. ekk

[BrianD3]

I check in on Boards most days, but zero interest in posting. I check in here maybe every second day but I'm just not arsed posting here either, really. No particular reason, just a bit disillusioned and disinterested in forums at the moment.

People who use forums these days would tend to be 40+, at this age there can be strong resistance to change. Boards make a balls of their site, sane posters stop posting but don't come here instead. Or if they do come here they might register and make a few posts - but they can't get into the swing of things as it's not the same as boards used to be.

Meanwhile, boards struggles on but with a higher proportion of whackjob posters than ever before which becomes a self perpetuating process as more reasonable people stop posting.

I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that the boards debacle has damaged the Irish Internet landscape as well as boards itself. Given the size of Ireland, how long boards has been running and how popular it was, it was probably one of the most "dominant" forums of its type anywhere in the world. Was.

[Banshee Bones]

The whackjobs on boards are usually mods.

[Del.Monte]

Well, I'm very definitely in the over 40 bracket but I am determined to make this place work and have no intention of going back to the other place. Never have discussion forums been more badly needed rather than cess pools like Twitter and Facebook designed for malcontents, wasters and those with the concentration of a fly. I'm surprised more from Boards haven't come here but not worried - Rome wasn't built in a day.

[kadman]

The whackjobs on boards are usually mods.

I'm not a whackjob , thanks.
Although its been a while since I popped into boards, as there is nothing going on over there, but I am still a mod in voluntary exile.

[Del.Monte]

I'm not a whackjob , thanks.
Although its been a while since I popped into boards, as there is nothing going on over there, but I am still a mod in voluntary exile.

Yeah, mods are no different to the rest of the population some good, some not so good. I had some good dealings with mods over there but I felt very victimised by others and that latter experience added to the Vanilla fiasco was the end. Life is too short...

[95438756]

..... lonely folk.. feels v off centre.. not a nice vibe.. well.. the threads that I have been on anyway.. ekk

is becoming very politically correct. When I first joined in late 2009 there was more tolerance to agree to disagree with a good bit more humour too.

Some forums are like a grotty public house, when new patrons enter they are made feel like the unwelcome guest among the regulars.

[95438756]

While that site continues to get fresh subscribers, their reasons for joining are becoming ever more self centred and self serve serving:

One opening post, thread was on how to get a mortgage with a dodgy bank bankground which was'nt said of course

[CelticRambler]

As mentioned previously, I'm still dropping in occasionally to see what's what, but I despise the new look of the site and if I came across it for the first time, I wouldn't bother registering. The lack of selective quoting (and whole quotes being hidden behind a "reveal" button) makes it hard enough to follow any discussion, and doesn't do anything to encourage me to contribute. I'm obviously not alone, as most of the threads I (used to) follow have almost no new contributions, or if they do, they're from very new posters bringing up points that were done to death months ago.

Regarding my own internetting, I'm definitely visiting more special interest sites now instead of the one-stop-shop that The Other Place used to be. I'd be delighted for Gubu to become such a point of reference, and will do my bit to try to nudge it that-a-way, but I think the younger generations are way too keen on getting quick-fix solutions to their problems for any new forum gain traction. We'll see ...

[Del.Monte]

I still pop in daily to see what the latest 'developments' are but never to post as I am gone...However, I find myself now starting to despise those posters that I know who are still clinging on over there; I consider them pathetic for not having the balls to jump ship and give this place a fighting chance.

At the end of the day we may end up with both forums dying for lack of support but I'm convinced that whatever happens here Boards is entering Error 404 territory sooner rather than later.

[kadman]

Well I am stil visiting now and again, but Its a pure waste of time. Its too hard to navigate, its too slow, and I dont see much happening on the forums I used to use at all. I am thinking that its really not worth the effort now.
I find this site a lot more user friendly and hopefully it will pick up a bit going forward.

[BrianD3]

I wonder have we got a bit of an echo chamber going here? I haven't seen many arguments and much of boards' popularity and traffic was built on arguments and other people being WRONG on the internet. Here again I think age is a factor, GUBU may well have an even older profile than boards, from my own pov I can barely be arsed with an argument anymore. Not like the old days when every topic from merging onto a motorway to public servants would be a multiquote row.

[CelticRambler]

I wonder have we got a bit of an echo chamber going here? I haven't seen many arguments ...

Oh, there certainly are some arguments, if you find yourself on the right thread!

What we're seeing here, to my mind, is simply the "mostly moderates" being moderate in their discussion, whereas a lot of other platforms either selectively promote the most favoured opinion (regardless of whether it's the one with the greatest merit), or they encourage/facilitate aggressively polarised argument which may make for interesting entertainment while watching from the sidelines, but isn't necessarily particularly useful to anyone.

[Del.Monte]

Good to see we hit the 600 mark at last. A couple of recent members are a bit dubious though and I see one gone today. I wonder will this one be next - Marvindrync - just something about the names spammers choose.

[Dec A Wash]

Apologies if this has been mentioned already, as I don't fancy reading through 22 pages!

Anyway, I have noticed that nearly all the posts. and the threads, on the Radio forum in Gubu relate to RTE Radio One, Newstalk or Lyric FM, and maybe BBC Radio 4. I know someone started a Bandscan thread, like the one on Boards, i.e. what pirates were picked up on the radio, but it has got very little traction. I started one about favourite pirates, which in fairness did have some replies. I also started ones about 8Radio.com and Christmas FM - the first getting a small reaction, and the second getting none so far. What does that say about those that contribute to the Radio forum here. Music-driven stations don't seem to be of interest here. Even Today FM is not really being mentioned. Community radio stations are not mentioned either as it happens. There does not seem to be much sign of anoraks here either, whether for current or past pirates Contrast this with the Radio forum on Boards.

I'm just curious. What do people think? Will that stop more crossing over from Boards?

[CelticRambler]

Anyway, I have noticed that nearly all the posts. and the threads, on the Radio forum in Gubu relate to RTE Radio One, Newstalk or Lyric FM, and maybe BBC Radio 4. I ... Contrast this with the Radio forum on Boards.

I'm just curious. What do people think? Will that stop more crossing over from Boards?

To the best of my knowledge, I never set foot in the Radio forum over there; and any contribution I make on the subject here will refer to French radio more than any Irish (or British) station. I think you're seeing the kind of niche interest that was able to exist under the great umbrella that was the Old Boards, and one that's very unlikely to be recreated here simply because that's not the way the internet world works any more.

I wonder will this one be next - Marvindrync - just something about the names spammers choose.

Marvin's been busy overnight - posted more new threads in one Russian evening than I've started in two months!

[Del.Monte]

They are still busy - DenaZimi - inevitably a spammer.