Board Closings

  • This message board permanently closed on June 30th, 2020 at 4PM EDT and is no longer accepting new members.

DiO'Bolic

Not completely obtuse
Nov 14, 2013
22,864
129,998
Poconos, PA
:smile:


I found a video - maybe this is why your mailbox keeps getting damaged?

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LOL. You might be onto something. I never seem to have a problem the last three weeks in December... which is right after I give them all a tip. :)
 

Gerald

Well-Known Member
Sep 8, 2011
2,201
7,168
The Netherlands
It's not any one thing that can be said as the reason why traffic has slowed but I don't think Twitter plays any major part in this. Facebook would have much more to do with it than Twitter. I just checked the stats and there are 5,036,768 followers on Steve's Facebook page of which 3,499 of those have been in the last 6 days. Hot Topics affected traffic both in a more and less way, i.e. there are some people who left because of it and others who only posted in Hot Topics so they are now gone. We have a number of people who were active in the past who have become busy in their own lives so only rarely post here anymore. There are those who were unhappy with how the Board is moderated and either didn't stick around or who just stopped posting although we (moderators) do still see some of them logging in but their user name is hidden from public view. The reduction of Board hours is also a part of it. We have considered making this an unmoderated Board which would then mean it could be open 24/7 but the consensus was that this wouldn't work as the moderation is a big part of what has contributed to the tone of the Board. With new members joining who weren't a part of how it operates, it could easily devolve into the type of message board that is seen all over the internet and we didn't want that and don't think the long-time members would either. It wasn't an easy decision, but letting it organically wind down and end on a high note felt like the better way to go.

The strange thing is that new members appear from time to time, but they often have just one question and post one thread, and then are gone forever again. I also recall the admission process was quite severe. So they went through that admission process and then still only post one thing, which seems strange to me, but clearly they only had one burning question and that was it.
 

osnafrank

Well-Known Member
Jan 24, 2017
7,121
50,822
48
Germany
It's not any one thing that can be said as the reason why traffic has slowed but I don't think Twitter plays any major part in this. Facebook would have much more to do with it than Twitter. I just checked the stats and there are 5,036,768 followers on Steve's Facebook page of which 3,499 of those have been in the last 6 days. Hot Topics affected traffic both in a more and less way, i.e. there are some people who left because of it and others who only posted in Hot Topics so they are now gone. We have a number of people who were active in the past who have become busy in their own lives so only rarely post here anymore. There are those who were unhappy with how the Board is moderated and either didn't stick around or who just stopped posting although we (moderators) do still see some of them logging in but their user name is hidden from public view. The reduction of Board hours is also a part of it. We have considered making this an unmoderated Board which would then mean it could be open 24/7 but the consensus was that this wouldn't work as the moderation is a big part of what has contributed to the tone of the Board. With new members joining who weren't a part of how it operates, it could easily devolve into the type of message board that is seen all over the internet and we didn't want that and don't think the long-time members would either. It wasn't an easy decision, but letting it organically wind down and end on a high note felt like the better way to go.


giphy.gif
 

Doc Creed

Well-Known Member
Nov 18, 2015
17,221
82,822
47
United States
The strange thing is that new members appear from time to time, but they often have just one question and post one thread, and then are gone forever again. I also recall the admission process was quite severe. So they went through that admission process and then still only post one thing, which seems strange to me, but clearly they only had one burning question and that was it.
I've noticed this, too.

I came here in a tumultuous time in my life and was embraced by a welcoming community. There is a lot of love here and those who stick around find camaraderie and friendship. With the inevitable winds of change, the strong fruit is not shaken from the vine. Coming here on a regular basis will be a hard habit to break. We will cherish our remaining time all the more, I suppose.
"I guess I thought you'd be here forever..."

 

Gerald

Well-Known Member
Sep 8, 2011
2,201
7,168
The Netherlands
I've noticed this, too.

I came here in a tumultuous time in my life and was embraced by a welcoming community. There is a lot of love here and those who stick around find camaraderie and friendship. With the inevitable winds of change, the strong fruit is not shaken from the vine. Coming here on a regular basis will be a hard habit to break. We will cherish our remaining time all the more, I suppose.
"I guess I thought you'd be here forever..."


Unfortunately while they say music unites people, there are nowhere as many fallouts as in music groups it seems, quite often permanent. With Peter Cetera not even being present at Chicago's induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
I'm not a major Chicago fan by the way, but I always quite liked them.
 

Kurben

The Fool on the Hill
Apr 12, 2014
9,682
65,192
59
sweden
This talk of shutting down, even if gradually, makes me cry. This is the only board join regularly. But you have certainly earbed and deserve a nice retirement, Marsha. See my tears as a salute to you and all the members i interact with here. I should warn you, I intend to go down with the ship.
 

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
30,011
127,446
Spokane, WA
It's not any one thing that can be said as the reason why traffic has slowed but I don't think Twitter plays any major part in this. Facebook would have much more to do with it than Twitter. I just checked the stats and there are 5,036,768 followers on Steve's Facebook page of which 3,499 of those have been in the last 6 days. Hot Topics affected traffic both in a more and less way, i.e. there are some people who left because of it and others who only posted in Hot Topics so they are now gone. We have a number of people who were active in the past who have become busy in their own lives so only rarely post here anymore. There are those who were unhappy with how the Board is moderated and either didn't stick around or who just stopped posting although we (moderators) do still see some of them logging in but their user name is hidden from public view. The reduction of Board hours is also a part of it. We have considered making this an unmoderated Board which would then mean it could be open 24/7 but the consensus was that this wouldn't work as the moderation is a big part of what has contributed to the tone of the Board. With new members joining who weren't a part of how it operates, it could easily devolve into the type of message board that is seen all over the internet and we didn't want that and don't think the long-time members would either. It wasn't an easy decision, but letting it organically wind down and end on a high note felt like the better way to go.
Here's a thought: Steve's going to be retiring in the future at some point so why not just let him be The Moderator? He's going to have lots of time on his hands. :p
 

Blake

Deleted User
Feb 18, 2013
4,191
17,479
Here's a thought: Steve's going to be retiring in the future at some point so why not just let him be The Moderator? He's going to have lots of time on his hands. :p
What's that line in some movie and some guy say's "I'll never retire!". King ain't going to retire, I know that for a fact even though I don't know him but I sort of get where he comes from. He most probably will just cut down on the hours of writing. When my father retired after injuring his leg at work he'd sit around in front of the television and he'd sigh and my mother would say 'Why are you sighing all the time?"
 

mjs9153

Peripherally known member..
Nov 21, 2014
3,494
22,165
This talk of shutting down, even if gradually, makes me cry. This is the only board join regularly. But you have certainly earbed and deserve a nice retirement, Marsha. See my tears as a salute to you and all the members i interact with here. I should warn you, I intend to go down with the ship.
Several other ships going down in the whirlpool, Kurben! Reminds me of one of my favorite short stories, MS. in a Bottle,by Edgar Allen Poe..great horror story..
1544667208774.png
 

Rrty

Well-Known Member
Jun 4, 2007
1,394
4,588
It's not any one thing that can be said as the reason why traffic has slowed but I don't think Twitter plays any major part in this. Facebook would have much more to do with it than Twitter. I just checked the stats and there are 5,036,768 followers on Steve's Facebook page of which 3,499 of those have been in the last 6 days. Hot Topics affected traffic both in a more and less way, i.e. there are some people who left because of it and others who only posted in Hot Topics so they are now gone. We have a number of people who were active in the past who have become busy in their own lives so only rarely post here anymore. There are those who were unhappy with how the Board is moderated and either didn't stick around or who just stopped posting although we (moderators) do still see some of them logging in but their user name is hidden from public view. The reduction of Board hours is also a part of it. We have considered making this an unmoderated Board which would then mean it could be open 24/7 but the consensus was that this wouldn't work as the moderation is a big part of what has contributed to the tone of the Board. With new members joining who weren't a part of how it operates, it could easily devolve into the type of message board that is seen all over the internet and we didn't want that and don't think the long-time members would either. It wasn't an easy decision, but letting it organically wind down and end on a high note felt like the better way to go.

Thanks for the detail, always fascinating to know. Hot Topics always was an unusual section, that probably did have a higher-gravitational effect on the board. I do agree shuttering the board asset is the best practice in this case from what you state.