Are forums dying?

[ElpacoSV]

Hello everyone,

I wonder if forums in general are dying... what are your opinions on it?

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[Integra23]

The car has been out for a few years so I'm sure activity has slowed. Yet there's still a good amount of active members. Also lots of good threads and content here if you use the search feature.

 

[optronix]

I read the forums in general part.

And no, I don't really think so. I think this forum in particular is slowing down to @Integra23's point, but the Civic forums still have tons of activity. There are just certain people that cater to the forum form factor. Others like Reddit. There are a ton of people on the Facebook group. Some stick to YouTube. Twitter and Instagram probably have their own distinct crowds too. Personally, I can't really stand any of that shit and I've been doing the forum thing since the 90s but I still think car-specific forums will continue to hang around for the foreseeable future. The "glory days" if there ever were any are probably past, but you can still get your kicks if you want- and you know where to look.

But seriously, if you want more activity, head over to civicxi.com. For better and for worse... more people mean more of every type of people.

Read: more idiots. This forum is actually pretty good about that- but over there you can't throw a rock without hitting 3 of the "tYp R iS SpeSHuL" crowd. Be warned- but there are also some great folks over there with genuine knowledge that like to share it.

 

[ASPEC]

I think the above post is spot-on. I stick to forums because that’s what I’ve known for quite some time, and the actual interaction is valuable to me. I know lots of folks who broaden their knowledge through YouTube, which I do, as well. However, nothing beats the ability to post a problem on a forum and gather insight, in my opinion.

 

[TwinSkrullDesign]

There’s definitely more activity on the ITS Facebook pages. I bounce back n forth between the two.

 

[Frenzal]

For me, forums are the way to go. Very easy to find old information, old posts...

Quite hard to do on Facebook.

 

[NoelPR]

I like forums more.
Easier to search for stuff.

 

[Two Step Performance]

Forums are in fact dying. I don't know that they are still on the decline but they are not what they used to be. And the "Facebook groups" we have instead are a very poor replacement. Misinformation is WAY more prominent on FB based groups and such.

 

[SilverRocket]

Forums are dying because they actually require community, decorum and most importantly an attention span, more than that of a gold fish.

A lot of the good conversations only happen after a bunch of smaller "boring" exchanges which most don't want to bother with, they need a fresh hit of new flashy content.

It would be nice to have a broadly active community but I'd take a small tight knit group like we have here over the cesspool that is TikTok or Facebook.

 

[ElpacoSV]

I agree with most of you. Substance requires hard work and in a society that encourages short attention is hard...regardless I continue to dig info here and there. Thanks for the input! ?

 

[optronix]

Forums are in fact dying. I don't know that they are still on the decline but they are not what they used to be. And the "Facebook groups" we have instead are a very poor replacement. Misinformation is WAY more prominent on FB based groups and such.

You know, I was in the camp that thought forums were dying too- until I became a regular on Rennlist.

Maybe it's the demographic- to be fair, the average Porsche owner is definitely going to be older on average- but there is continuous activity over there across numerous forums. I've seen other forums try to branch out like macanforum, 718forum, planet-9, etc. and while not dead per se, nowhere near the type of activity that Rennlist has going on.

So it really might be just where you look... if you're noticing a lack of activity you might just be showing up to the wrong party. Like I said, it feels like civicxi is at least 3x more active than here. But I still prefer here because of the observations I discussed in my last post.

 

[Mr. LargeCoffee]

The miata forum (miata.net) is alive and well with hundreds of new posts each day, where rides are planned and silliness and chaos ensues along with great tech tips to keep your ride in top condition.

 

[egxflash]

I read the forums in general part.

And no, I don't really think so. I think this forum in particular is slowing down to @Integra23's point, but the Civic forums still have tons of activity.

But seriously, if you want more activity, head over to civicxi.com. For better and for worse... more people mean more of every type of people.

Read: more idiots. This forum is actually pretty good about that- but over there you can't throw a rock without hitting 3 of the "tYp R iS SpeSHuL" crowd. Be warned- but there are also some great folks over there with genuine knowledge that like to share it.

To be fair, there's a handful of people in there that take up a decent chunk of the content too.

And yes, I agree, I don't think forums in general are dying but specific ones will die over time as they get older and enthusiasts move on from them. Some will have lasting power though like the miata forum as @Mr. LargeCoffee mentioned because it's such an enthusiast car that people seek out even the older models to modify/track/plain enjoy driving.

 

[optronix]

To be fair, there's a handful of people in there that take up a decent chunk of the content too.

And yes, I agree, I don't think forums in general are dying but specific ones will die over time as they get older and enthusiasts move on from them. Some will have lasting power though like the miata forum as @Mr. LargeCoffee mentioned because it's such an enthusiast car that people seek out even the older models to modify/track/plain enjoy driving.

Yeah. Yet another reason I feel like I'm on a collision course with Miata ownership.

 

[bvanlieu]

Dying is strong, but not what they were. The competition is there from Youtube primarily, and FB groups to some extent.

I was active in several communities in the past, Miata and Honda, Subaru when the WRX and other forums blew up. VWVortex was a good spot. BMW still has 2 main sites with sub forums (I as a diesel guy but a lot of folks migrated to FB over a decade)

Problem is too many folks now record and post to TY vs. doing longer write ups and posting to a forum. Video can be easier in that regard.

I am an OG Internet fellow (it is my industry), and still prefer email. Back in the day for miatas, the mailing list @optronix was the best. Bill from Flyin' Miata and others would respond daily to intelligent questions.

Demographics do matter. Seasoned Vets are less likely to post when there is shall we say, agro attitude and negative energy in forums.

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