MAMEWorld Forums - The Loony Bin - Re: Is the day of the Internet forum over?

> I dunno about you guys, but nearly every forum I signed up for years' ago - not just
> this one - is dying or dead or on life support.
>
> They're not nearly as active as they used to be. The same people always post. It's
> rare to get new, decent and contributing members. (raaaaaa getoffmylawn)
>
> Why do you think this is? And where is the discussion still happening, if anywhere?
>
> Is social media/networks to blame? If so, why do you think so? If not, why not?
>
> Or is it my (our?) tendency to overstay the party and not leave and move on elsewhere
> to where there is activity, due to being creatures of habit?
>
> Alternatively - if you do not find this argument to be true - if you think they're
> just as active and thriving as years' ago - then why do you think this is?
>
> Inquiring minds want to know.
>
> - Stiletto

My guess would be that people, especially younger people, tend to gravitate to Twitter/Facebook/Google+/etc. to connect with other people the way they used to on message boards. It makes sense in a way. You already have accounts for all the social media sites, so you just have to find the groups or people that interest you. It's more convenient than seeking out a web forum, registering for yet another account, and learning another board interface that may or may not suck. The same thing happened to Usenet about 10-15 years ago, as people started favoring Web-based message boards. Just like Usenet, Web-based boards probably won't go away entirely, but they'll become a lot more rare, and mostly the domain of the old-school and hardcore.