Are internet forums Dying?

[KANACKI]

Hola Amigos

Just question from a 2 finger typist that came from a era before the internet existed.

Is it this old farts Imagination that Forums are slowly dying?

If so is it perhaps from people transitioning to other kinds of social media? Or topics done to death over and over losing its appeal?

Any thoughts on the matter most appreciated.

Kanacki

 

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[signal_line]

I think so. Metal detecting in general is dying out. Most of what you see around here is insignificant finds. Not like it's going to die tomorrow. I recall early years of Hang Gliding. It wasn't long before the average age of pilots was one year older every year--no new pilots. Think about it, most of the old stuff is gone. Somebody new to the sport is not going to be finding bunches of old coins. Clad and zinc pennys and maybe a silver ring once every few days does not excite very many people.

 

[Crow]

Gidday Amigos

I beg to differ in regards to metal detecting I think it is growing as more baby boomers retire but it is fair to say many will buy a detector use it once or twice lose interest and move onto some thing else. Others will spend their lives tinkering with detectors.

But back to Kanacki's perception that forums in general are dying. I Think people come and go and if you look at the demographic on Forum are aging and dying and for others the novelty of online forums has declined with many moving on to other social media such as Facebook. Instagram, twitter, Tick Tock as well as others.

Crow

 

[Jeff Beaumont]

I agree, we do have a bunch of new detectorists. Many of them have not heard of this site but they are out there swinging and digging. There are a bunch of us old farts that enjoy the hunt, old or new coins and relics does not matter. If its wealth that folks are looking for they are in the hobby for the wrong reason.

 

[malenkai]

I think they are dying slowly, and that would be a shame. I'm on this forum, a competitor, and was on a couple of Facebook metal detecting forums. I can't imagine why anyone would want to be on the FB forums.

They are slow to load and disorganized, and their algorithm ranks what posts it thinks you want to read. That may work for some, but not for me. These forums are just so easy; you scroll thru all the headlines, click the threads you want, and done. If I want to read new thread about using the Nox, I'll see it quickly on these forums. On FB, you have to weed thru all the cruft of people posting their finds, and there may or may not be a post on using the Nox. It just takes longer.

There is probably a perception that forums are for old people (tho the average FB user is older than people think), but they are simply more efficient. Moreover, the mods post their rules and stick to them, while who knows what sort of censorship FB's and others algorithms are doing.

I've stopped using FB altogether except for my side job where the owner uses it to communicate.

 

[TheGreenBoy]

True, the hobby is slowly dying out, but i guess it will never die out completely. One will never see a significant find posted since takeing something "significant" is illegal in most countries.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I think so. Metal detecting in general is dying out. Clad and zinc pennys and maybe a silver ring once every few days does not excite very many people.

I have to agree based on my feelings. A silver ring once every few days? How about once every few months anymore......

I'm still active on TNet, but it has been several years since I've actually turned one of my 6 detectors on....

 

[BC1969]

Of course they are dying.
Its easier to monitor people on an app, than it is on hundreds of thousands of various forums.
I have a single digit ICQ number.
It didn't work out.
Instant gratification takes hold in all classes of human.

 

[gold tramp]

The gold forum I think truthfully died off because of trumpisssin, now the guys only want talk up laws and activistism, I quit posting as much because vibes we're so bad in there..
Gt...

 

[freeman]

Naw, not so much dying. Just now there are so many other platforms around all competing for and taking away audience share.

Forums are from the days of internet infancy along with chat rooms and personal blogs.

When was the last time you went to an internet chat room or read a blog? These were all superceded by other communication platforms. Look at how much subject matter YouTube now carries.

 

[signal_line]

The gold forum I think truthfully died off because of trumpisssin, now the guys only want talk up laws and activistism, I quit posting as much because vibes we're so bad in there..
Gt...

I think you hit on something here. I'd call it intolerance for political opinions. My opinion nothing much worse than having a post you made get deleted because somebody just didn't want to hear it. Now watch this get deleted.

 

[Mackaydon]

Kanacki,
At least one Forum that I can think of is all but dead--due to the changing likes of hobbyists: Stamp Collecting
Don....

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Kanacki,
At least one Forum that I can think of is all but dead--due to the changing likes of hobbyists: Stamp Collecting
Don....

Don, you & I are two of the only stamp collectors remaining alive.....

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Traffic is down on all forums, Detector Depot closed completely. TreasureNet is still here, we still have a lot of guest traffic, guests cant post but long time guests do become members, at this moment there are 1500 guests reading forums.

Majority of the issue is Facebook detecting pages, problem with them for me is everything is under one page, hard to search and find specific posts or topics. I spend very little time on detecting pages on Face Book, I prefer forums..

 

[bowwinkles]

Kinda like going to a dealership to buy a car. Now days you send a text and the car arrives out front of your house. Now the big task is to search "social media" for someone to service that on line purchase. Ill stick with the old way as long as it still exists.

 

[ticndig]

As long as there are pointy rocks being found this forum will never die.

 

[DizzyDigger]

Traffic is down on all forums, Detector Depot closed completely. TreasureNet is still here, we still have a lot of guest traffic, guests cant post but long time guests do become members, at this moment there are 1500 guests reading forums.

I have little doubt that many use TNet simply as a resource, but as a site
owner and Admin of many years (past), I'd submit that a large percentage
of those "guests" are data mining bots. Damn things are like the Borg, and
are relentless.

Once I found Tnet, there was no reason for me to look elsewhere,
and I haven't. I have FB just to keep up with my family and grandkids,
but have never looked at a metal detecting page.

I believe internet forums (along the lines of Tnet) will still be active
in 20 years, but the number (and length) of posts will continue to
drop slowly.

We now have an entire generation that's grown up with social media, and
posts on most social media sites are limited in size. They are not used to
writing paragraphs that explain details, but are great at 140 characters
and less.

 

[freeman]

if you want to see what a dead treasure hunting forum looks like, check out Thunting.com

 

[newnan man]

Never been on FB. I don't need to connect with people I haven't seen in 30+ years. That and a few skeletons in the closet. I like this site and it's really all I use.

 

[Ol' Kentuck]

Hola Amigos

Just question from a 2 finger typist that came from a era before the internet existed.

Is it this old farts Imagination that Forums are slowly dying?

If so is it perhaps from people transitioning to other kinds of social media? Or topics done to death over and over losing its appeal?

Any thoughts on the matter most appreciated.

Kanacki

I don't believe the death of Internet Forums is related to lack of interest in their subject matter. I'm more apt to believe it's symptomatic of an increasingly Ego-Centric Society and a Social Platform that has failed to meet the evolving needs of their Members. Freedom of Speech.

All Social Media is ego-centric based. Everyone wants their opinions, their voice, to be heard. In the past Internet Forums were an outlet for those voices, albeit with physical moderation. Unfortunately, Moderation is/was ego-centric in itself by its own nature, and limited what opinions members were allowed to voice.

Modern Social Media such as Facebook and Twitter give their members much more freedom in that respect, with no 'post police' deciding what opinions they can or cannot express (within legal limits). Thus providing the Illusion of Free Speech.

I say "Illusion" because their posts/opinions are still limited in who can see them by Algorithms. But the trade off appears to be the ability to post their opinions unmoderated.

Here's the kicker. Social media in all its forms, Internet forums included, is a Business. We, as users, are the Product they're selling. We give them our consent every time we log on. Society is finally beginning to realize their value as that Product. The wise ones are getting completely off all Social Media Platforms. The ones who still need that 'illusion of free speech' are migrating away from moderated platforms such as Internet Forums. Thus the death knell for forums such as this one.

Illusion sells. Clothiers sell the illusion of a smaller waist or broader shoulders. Cigarette companies sold the illusion of being 'cool'. The Cosmetic industry sells the illusion of beauty. Social Media is no different.

In reality, ALL Social Media is Smoke & Mirrors. A Billion Dollar Industry being powered by an increasingly Ego-Centric Society's need to gaze upon their own reflection.

Such is life.



Have a Good'un.