Are many forums now dying?
 

Looking at some remarks about forums in general it would appear they are all slowly dying off. There are very few personalities with interesting thought out articles just fleeting new members who dip in, need immediate advice and never return to said forum. No one ever bothers to use the 'search' facility but trades on the kindhearted members to respond to their problems. Maybe social media buffs have started this downward trend or maybe lack of interest in greasy mechanical work. Maybe it's time to 'retire' to other interests and forego the boring forums which are loaded with now puerile questions about the obvious. Sadly, it's like walking the plank, the end of an era. :rolleyes:

I'm sorry you find my questions and comments puerile Offroad. I may not be the best with mechanical convo but enjoy the banter and camaraderie of the regulars and wise. This forum has helped me immensely..more than you'll ever know.

I think groups in social media are becoming more main stream. They however lack the ability to search.

I don't mind most any of the newbies if a few stay and become regulars that's great.

Kernow you are always welcome :)

I have seen a strong movement towards Facebook in the various other vehicle/hiking/snowboarding/gaming forums I have been a part of.

Since I refuse to use Facebook, I have seen forums die a slow death or the owners simply shut them down and leave me stranded.

As far and people not using the search, well I am guilty of that. Sometimes I can't get the right key words to show up.

The search isn't the end all be all of finding an answer I agree. I have issues with it and I've been here forever

Your queries certainly aren't puerile KD ............ well not for a woman anyways ;), no my comments certainly aren't directed at you or AR, there are many regulars on the forum who are very knowledgeable but some newbies flit in and then flit out never to be heard of again until the next problem arises. Yep, I like the banter and the feeling of this forum but the repetition of the same questions becomes tedious after hearing them around twenty odd times and then trying to help the helpless. I seem to have been around the forum for many years and the repetition does become tedious but the 'search' facility rarely seems to be used by some.

Too true FND, I also detest social media of any type, it always appears like an intrusion into peoples lives which consequently I have resisted at all costs. Sadly many forums are and have been closing down due to a lack of support and interest and many seem either too sensitive or prefer to rain abuse in the anonymity of social media instead. I like playing with my LR's and motorbikes almost to the exclusion of all else apart from sometimes problem solving in other fields, mostly engineering.

Not now but over a span of time.

YouTube turns morons watching videos into instant knowledgeable techs who then often espouse their experience/knowledge. When the vids don't work they go to a forum temporarily for advice. Video killed the forum star.

Adding bandwidth to allow photos and videos etc help to keep forums alive. IMO LRF does a good job and hope we don't die slowly. A bang would be more representative of many LR deaths.

Don't confuse blogs with eloquent articles with forums that accepts everyman how-to write-ups.

Forums will be around for some time, the plank may be narrow but is long. Don't fall off before the end.

:cheers:
......
Near death? https://landroverforums.com/forum/di...60/#post634108

:cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers:

To be honest i find the problem with Forum's to be the few Keyboard Cowboys who normally in person would not be assholes being assholes because of the anonymity afford by the forum structure itself.

It has been my experience that once the admin team lets that become an excepted practice serious people will leave. It becomes just to much of a hassle to wade thru the crap to get what you need or want to share.

My two cents anyway.

IMHO the LRF is defo one of the best forums around and certainly not in imminent danger of disappearing but it needs to continue to develop itself otherwise it's doomed longterm like many forums have recently. It is predominantly dedicated to the old D2 (checkout the D2 members attendance records) and that will ultimately limit it's longevity as the D2's age and disappear. Make no mistake, I am a D2 fan and will keep mine until it finally expires big time, I'm even considering a galvanised frame (chassis) to prolong it's life. The TD5 engine still has at least 60K+ miles left in it.