How to make a healthy vibrant forum?

[sheridan]

Hey I'm only 380 posts from the top ten!

I always find this one fascinating: https://forums.2000ad.com/index.php?action=who

I need to double my amount of posts - don't think that's going to happen, I've been registered for about fifteen years and only got 5,000 out!


That is interesting - most online was only last year - I was expecting 2012 for some reason...

Right, that's three posts in a row across two topics which both started with the word interesting...

[Colin YNWA]

That is interesting - most online was only last year - I was expecting 2012 for some reason...

I do wonder if this relates to Spambots? I don't know but we had a spat of them a wee while ago - first for a while - and I wonder how much this might relate to that? Guess work on my part entirely.

[DrJomster]

I think it must relate to spambots. If you look at the new members per month, it goes through the roof from August last year for a while. Very suspicious!

[staticgirl]

I have been coming to this site and the Fortean Times forum more often. I think it is because a) I am not stuck in a broken down commuter train stressed out, wondering if I am ever going to get to where I need to be b) not exhausted because of a) and c) need the social interactions of forums more often to balance not being in the office or out with friends. Forums are still my favourite form of chat because of the indepth nature of them and the way you get to know people over years. I use Facebook and Twitter in different ways because the contact tend to be more fleeting.

[Dark Jimbo]

I'm here most days, but I really should make more of an effort to post.

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

I'm here most days, but I really should make more of an effort to post.

Me too

[Colin YNWA]

Well the good news is that the forum is in rude health... well certainly compared to the last few years. We've seen a steady rise month on month, no doubt due to lockdown. The various comps have helped as well and while they might create an articficial boost - though is it fair to call it that when the whole idea is to get us talking about things, anyway I digress - they alone don't explain the increase.

We do need to make an effort to post more to keep this up and avoid this increase being a lockdown boost. But genuinely not wishing to be snarky but I do find the chat and discourse here so much richer than on the various Facebook Groups. In large due to the format I image.

Anyway more comps very soon to keep the boost (artifical or otherwise) up!

[judgeurko]

Needs a live chat room

[sheridan]

We do need to make an effort to post more to keep this up and avoid this increase being a lockdown boost. But genuinely not wishing to be snarky but I do find the chat and discourse here so much richer than on the various Facebook Groups. In large due to the format I image.

I certainly find this a more positive place than many facebook groups - some of which seem to be entirely made up of people who haven't read the progs since the eighties or if they have read more recently seem to hate everything about it!  I wonder why people like that join groups - there's lots of things in life I dislike, I don't feel the need to join facebook groups to rant about them all the time - I stick to things I like or people I want to support!

[Tjm86]

Just adding my tuppence Haworth here.  It does seem that folks in these parts are willing to engage a bit more with different voices.  Most folks who post here, especially newbies, will get some sort of positive response.  If anything it takes a lot to really get folks' backs up  (think of the likes of Thryllseeker for instance who was tolerated, challenged and supported for a long time before the banishment came).

Although we are all united by a passion for a long lasting British Sci Fi anthology comic, there is a remarkable diversity of views, interests and backgrounds.  This is a place where folks can disagree passionately about pretty much anything.  At the same time though there will be an attempt to find common ground.

Sure there are peaks and troughs but as a rule this is an interesting and engaging place.  I do wonder at some of the criticism from those who have wandered into ZuckerbergLand ...

[Colin YNWA]

Well the year is over and it looks like the forum is indeed now in rude health. Or at least ruder than it was. We got over 28000 posts this year. Still miles down from the highs of 2012, but for the first time since then we've seen a year to year increase. And not an insignificent one at that. Those 28000 post amount to a increase of 30% on the 21,500 from last year and is as close (almost) to the 35000 of 2017 as it is above the 22500 of 2018. So all in all we are posting more and lets see if we can continue and maintaine the boost into 2021.

There can be little doubt that the pandemic has played a big part in this boost BUT the pandemic can only account for the opportunity to get more activity here. The fact is all the fine folks of the forum have gasped that opportunity and helped by the Mods tireless work removing Spam (which has gone down significently since the spam plague of the Summer) - THANK YOU MODS - folks here have started, or continued so many fantastic and interesting topics, conversations and fun activities. This place feels more positive and engaging than it has for a few years now.

Of course quantity is only one metric and for me there's little doubt that the forum is also awash with the finest conversation in the whole of nerdsville. Its a great, friendly and genuinely engaging place that inspires fantastic chat about all sorts. Again I think the Mods firm but steady hand plays a big part in this THANK YOU MODS - that might sometimes mean we don't get to say all we otherwise might BUT it also therefore means that this place avoids some of the crushing lows and frankly sad comments and activity we see elsewhere. Its a justified exchange in my view.

I started this thread 18 months ago when I was genuinely a little concerned about this place. Its fantastic to see my favourite place on the internet start to bounce back. Need to watch it, there's much still to do I'm sure, but we're in as good a place as we could hope I imagine.

[TordelBack]

Gains are likely thanks to huge efforts from your good self, Colin, aided and abetted by high-quality discussion-provoking musings from Funt Solo, and never forgetting the off-site efforts of resource- and content-generation by folk like AlexF, Sheridan, Eamonn Clarke, Bolt-1, MaryandDavid, Cosh and Amstor that keep us all engaged with the issues that *really* matter (a non-exclusive list, 'natch).

[Tjm86]

Quite possibly lockdown has played a part, as have the regular tourney's.  Some of the spam was 'interesting' to say the least.     Glad that's died away though.

Maybe it's just perceptual but it does feel like the forum is moderated with a light but consistent touch.  Comments and threads are more self-moderated / collectively moderated than officially moderated? 

It makes for a far more civilised place though.  I would also say that it means that we actually have more space and freedom to say all we otherwise would.  There's little risk of sparking abuse and derision, thinking is legitimately challenged rather than simply attacked.

As you say, place is doing nicely right now.

[Jim_Campbell]

Bah. I liked it better when you could call someone an utter Pete Wells and get away with it…

[BPP]

I’ve been here about 15 years and barely found anyone engage with anything I say - honourable exemption to TordleBack who at least occasionally politely spars over our respective preferences for Dredd writers.