Boards is becoming a Ghost Town

Hmmm.

Do I have this a bit muddled perhaps.

LizT

Deleted User wrote: »

Hmmm.

Do I have this a bit muddled perhaps.

No one is saying that AH needs to get rid of fun threads. I'm sure most AH regulars would agree the forum needs an injection of them.

But personally, the threads that tend to descend into cliquey, off topic, flirty posting are not fun for me to read, in fact I'd actually probably prefer to read another 'serious' thread over them and I know there's a lot of people who would feel the same.

LizT

LizT wrote: »

I know people will say 'well if you don't like it, don't click into it' but the problem is that that type of posting starts seeping into other threads in the forum.

I read those threads and they were great. AH could do with a few like that alright.

What is the type of posting that you mean? I'm getting confused now and am wondering about my own opinion.

I think Persepoly is underestimating how off putting those threads are for posters.

Candie

Candie wrote: »

I think Persepoly is underestimating how off putting those threads are for posters.

I had hoped that they would appear inviting.

"No need to be hesitant or intimidated. Look at us being able to have a bit of a chat".

That's what I saw those threads as doing. Giving posters a place which feels warm and easy because they might not feel comfortable getting involved in robust debate.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

I had hoped that they would appear inviting.

"No need to be hesitant or intimidated. Look at us being able to have a bit of a chat".

That's what I saw those threads as doing. Giving posters a place which feels warm and easy because they might not feel comfortable getting involved in robust debate.

That's not how many posters would see them. It's certainly not how I view them.

Turtyturd

Skylinehead wrote: »

That didn't answer my question in the slightest

He had a penchant for asking inane questions, the AH mods before me gave him an easier way to do it which didn't clog up the forum. Fairly straightforward, but I don't see it as needing a "justification" in any case.

Heh, it doesn't even serve that purpose, he still starts separate threads to clog up the forum. Also there's at least two other posters who clog up AH with inane threads on a daily basis, should they get their own threads?

Tbh the thread in itself isn't a problem it's easily avoided, it's more that it represents some of the problems with the site, especially the different attitudes towards and treatment of posters by mods. 99% of posters in that situation would be told to stop clogging up the forum with pointless rubbish but if you're part of the same clique (which boards don't like) as a mod you can have a thread for your pointless rubbish.

Esel

Candie wrote: »

That's not how many posters would see them.

Was there a poll?

Esel

Esel wrote: »

Was there a poll?

No, but other posters have told me they dislike that thread in particular and threads of that nature in general.

Penny Tration

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I had hoped that they would appear inviting.

"No need to be hesitant or intimidated. Look at us being able to have a bit of a chat".

That's what I saw those threads as doing. Giving posters a place which feels warm and easy because they might not feel comfortable getting involved in robust debate.

I've posted a bit in the online dating thread and even to me, that's not how it appears.

When I clicked into it, I saw several posters indulging in cringe-worthy flirting, I legit cringed because it was embarrassing to read.

I posted anyway because I think some of the things in it (discussions on living at home, long distance, etc) are interesting and I did online dating for a few years, but it invariably descends into a select few posters flirting.

outlooks

WarZ wrote: »

Is it just me or is boards.ie becoming extraordinarily quiet? It's something I've started to notice and its making me go elsewhere (Reddit is incredibly busy in comparison). I'm not sure if its because the quality of posting is taking such a dive or if its because of over zealous moderation. Perhaps both. I think a balance needs to be struck; posting needs to be better but at the same time a lot of mods in the forum have over exerted their influence to the extent where we've lost so many great posters. The site is becoming too nany-esque however I'm aware the site was suffering from a huge problem with trolls and racists. I'm just wondering what are the thoughts of the admins on this issue?

Seems like boards is dying out.

Quora website/app is taking over a lot of forums globally and maybe impacting Boards.ie too.

Second Toughest in_the Freshers

i think the place could do with more memes, and 'inspirational' shít

K-9

Deleted User wrote: »

Objectively, putting my own feelings of certain threads aside, I don't understand how the rest of the forum suffers. Right now there are lots of different threads going on with different types of posters contributing. Surely it's a case of people posting on a topic that interests them. The gangland crime thread has thousands of posts. It's not in any way impacting negatively upon the rest of the site.

I think the trouble is that After Hours doesn't know what it's supposed to be. Serious threads about abortion and feminism don't interest me because I want a bit of escapism while I'm on here. They do receive lots of input from others and that's great. Other people who may not necessarily post in the Trivial Annoyance or Online Dating threads. That's ok too because those places have their contributors.

There shouldn't be an ongoing online dating megathread in AH, that is not what AH is for, that's what the private forum and the public forum before that (shutdown because of issues) are for.

K-9

K-9 wrote: »

There shouldn't be an ongoing online dating megathread in AH, that is not what AH is for, that's what the private forum and the public forum before that (shutdown because of issues) are for.

OK.

K-9

Candie wrote: »

A couple of years ago it would be unusual to see a post more than 45 minutes old on the first page, during busy times. Now it seems par for the course to have posts several hours old on the front page. I think it has been slow, but still quite notable.

Maybe I'm wrong and have some bias blindness, but the overall feel is slower too - to me.

Mega threads might can make a forum seem quieter, the online dating and gangland violence threads as an example.

For example the Irish Water megathread in the politics café often brings in other stuff that could easily deserve its own thread.

K-9

Deleted User wrote: »

You and I have different views on this. I like a more easy flowing, chatty kind of vibe. If someone wants to be flirty then that's ok by me.
At the end of the day I don't hold any sway with what threads stay and what threads go.

The balance is between threads not becoming too cliquey or chatty (some people are very sensitive to those) and allowing some discussion of them for those who want them (without it becoming a super thread because AH isn't an online dating forum).

The mods listened to feedback from some users and reopened the thread, there'll come a time you and others will have to accept the thread has run its course because many have different, opposing views and ye will have to continue it in the online dating forum. That's mods keeping the peace!

K-9

K-9 wrote: »

The balance is between threads not becoming too cliquey or chatty (some people are very sensitive to those) and allowing some discussion of them for those who want them (without it becoming a super thread because AH isn't an online dating forum).

The mods listened to feedback from some users and reopened the thread, there'll come a time you and others will have to accept the thread has run its course because many have different, opposing views and ye will have to continue it in the online dating forum. That's mods keeping the peace!

Yep and I've already said that if the thread gets closed then so be it.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I personally don't like the serious threads because I'm not the most intellectual person let's be honest, and I'm not the best speller. I post on my phone, I can't be arsed with dealing with the little jibes at grammar, or spelling. I also tend to be quite direct, and that can definately come across as being blunt, or aggressive and it just gets me into bother. I prefer to stick to the lighter threads just for that reason alone. I can see why they might be annoying for a lot of people but not everybody has the personality for serious topics.

KERSPLAT!

People are giving the impression that fun and serious threads are mutually exclusive, that isn't the case. You can have fun threads without having cliquey, flirty, chat, etc. threads.

tomwaterford

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

People are giving the impression that fun and serious threads are mutually exclusive, that isn't the case. You can have fun threads without having cliquey, flirty, chat, etc. threads.

Being fair that gangland tread at the start (While news etc was still sort of breaking) was some very funny stuff...

While also being about something serious

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

People are giving the impression that fun and serious threads are mutually exclusive, that isn't the case. You can have fun threads without having cliquey, flirty, chat, etc. threads.

I honestly don't know, I don't even open serious threads. But I'll make more of an effort. Less talking, more discussing.

KomradeBishop

Isn't there a balance to be had between 'cliquey' vs 'breaking up chat threads'?

If you don't allow some level of cliqueness in certain threads or debates, less people will become directly familiar/friendly with each other - but if you exclude it entirely, the forum just becomes kind of sterile through micro-management/over-moderation, and not as many connections developing between posters.

I'd take a slightly cliquey yet 'alive' forum, over a safe yet quiet one (the type of 'cliqueness'/tribalism you get in more serious threads, is the harmful type in my view).
Personally as well, I barely notice flirtiness or such in that thread - I don't really care/mind it, am not quick to judge (:pac:) there.

Unless any of us directly see stats on forums/threads and such - which is probably commercially sensitive to a degree, as mentioned before in the thread - then we're just guessing about what effect different threads or behaviours (cliqueness) have on forum traffic.


There must be successful forums elsewhere on the Internet, that fit closely to the template/balance After Hours is trying to set - has anyone ever done research to find and learn from them?

Should probably try to learn from other peoples direct experience, who've worked on solving these problems before - instead of solely trying to learn it as things go (same goes with the site redesign etc. - e.g. Slashdot Beta debacle, that I keep bringing up...).

hullaballoo

Without meaning to be disparaging, the last few pages of this thread are a perfect example of when good threads go bad. Petty bickering, extreme point scoring, wildly off topic posts, post dissection etc.

It all makes for very poor reading.

osarusan

hullaballoo wrote: »

Without meaning to be disparaging, the last few pages of this thread are a perfect example of when good threads go bad. Petty bickering, extreme point scoring, wildly off topic posts, post dissection etc.

It all makes for very poor reading.

We'll try to do better your lordship.

K-9

The mods will get the blame in the end anyway, that's what we are here for!

hullaballoo

osarusan wrote: »

We'll try to do better your lordship.

I'd be very much obliged.

hullaballoo

hullaballoo wrote: »

Without meaning to be disparaging, the last few pages of this thread are a perfect example of when good threads go bad. Petty bickering, extreme point scoring, wildly off topic posts, post dissection etc.

It all makes for very poor reading.

I had a read back myself. It can be hard to see the ways a thread goes haywire when you're in the middle of it.

You're right.

osarusan

On AH (where I post the vast majority of the time), I don't have any problem with the Online Dating thread. I don't read it and don't care about it. From what I have seen of it, I certainly didn't feel intimidated or unwelcome.

I understand the argument that it might reduce posts/new threads that might otherwise have been created, although I'm not sure I'd agree with that (when the TTTAY thread was closed, I just didn't post my TTTAY of that day rather than posting elsewhere/starting a thread).

One thing that does truly annoy me about AH these days is the amount of the following:

Thread is started on the topic of some thing like cultural appropriation, transgender toilets, some aspect of feminism, etc.

And the following kind of cretinous drivel will follow, sure as night follows day:


Stop! Your microagressions are triggering me! ahawhawhawhawhaw

We need a toilet for CIS tricycles because I want to be one! ahawhawhawhawhaw

I need a safe space for my privilege! ahawhawhawhawhaw



That shit is absolutely toxic.

K-9

I think I clicked on the od thread once by mistake, the trivial thread isn't my cup of tea, doesn't mean nobody should have an opinion on the overall feel of AH.

I do see the point of the don't click on it if... point of view, tbh an online dating thread is going to have some flirting, goes with the territory, but AH rarely does megathreads unless there's special circumstances, and AH has always tried to avoid the forum becoming too cliquey. So, the thread has a lifespan unless it is going to be there forever.

The kneemos thread is AH silliness for me, why somebody would get offended by that, I just don't get.

And tomwaterford has hit the nail on the head, the serious threads should have a mix of funny and serious posts, hopefully the new cafe will be a bit more like that.

padd b1975

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I had hoped that they would appear inviting.

"No need to be hesitant or intimidated. Look at us being able to have a bit of a chat".

That's what I saw those threads as doing. Giving posters a place which feels warm and easy because they might not feel comfortable getting involved in robust debate.

A "safe space"......