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What happened to these forums?
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8686
Member
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21. July 2011 @ 16:13 |
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Sorry DDP, I know this will get moved but these forums used to be THE place to go. It seems like a ghost town now. What happened?
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AfterDawn Addict
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22. July 2011 @ 11:10 |
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AfterDawn Addict
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23. July 2011 @ 17:29 |
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I would have to agree but unfortunately, in my opinion, AfterDawn isn't a very appealing site to visit anymore. The UK site has never really gained much attention from the Admins other than to implement necessary coding/updates and other generic changes. It's always seemed like there has been a reluctance to have any UK based staff running this part of the site (if I am wrong in saying so, who are they?).
With this reluctance they've forfeited good relations with the average poster and, as has been pointed out lots of times, the forums are falling ever-rapidly into disarray. It's the same reluctance that then leads to no changes being made because they presumably have no idea regarding who to appoint to where, to perhaps make a difference.
It doesn't help that many redundant forums have been kept, there is no order whatsoever to the 'active' forums and it doesn't feel as if any effort has been made to keep the forums remotely "current".
I wouldn't go as far as to say it is a lost cause, but a very good member-base from say 4 years ago is all but long gone, and without the injection of new members it won't be long before it completely dies. Hopefully dRD or Ketola will eventually act on what they presumably actually realise is happening, but I wouldn't hold your breath.
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ddp
Moderator
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24. July 2011 @ 00:37 |
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posted in the mod lounge by drd in febuary of this year
Quote:
25 Feb 2011 @ 8:24
dRD
Been looking at forums' stats -- both English & Finnish -- lately and I'm quite horrified about the massive drop in forum activity lately. Number of new posts and number of new active users has collapsed, to put it mildly.
This has started to bite the total traffic of the site as well, as the lack of new posts means lack of new content people can find via google and thus, find us.
Now.. Have you guys noticed anything _technical_ that could attribute to this? Has the posting of new threads / replies become significantly more cumbersome since the launch of v4 or..?
Furthermore, we need to tone down the handling of new users who don't know the exact rules or post in wrong forums. By this I don't mean spammers or foul-mouthed ones, but Joe Average guys who post accidentally in wrong forum. The old style we used to do years ago, which I still prefer, should be brought back -- kindly move the thread to correct place, maybe post a note "Welcome to our forums [nick]! You posted accidentally in a wrong forum room, but I've moved your post now, as I think it fits better in PS4 modding forum of ours." or something along those lines, rather than just closing the thread.
And if you find users (even regular users) who are picking on new novice users, then tell them to shut it", that'd help dramatically to improve the forums' "general attitude" :-)
We might get new active members much more easily by creating a more polite attitude, among existing users, towards new guys who aren't here spamming or causing mayhem, but instead, just in process of learning to the "house's rules" :-)
I've taken it one of my priority tasks for now to try to understand why our forums have started to sink lately. Whether it is technical, layout or content issue, I hope I can find it and I'm more than happy if you guys could provide me guidance here :-)
P.S. Not blaming anyone, even though some regular users tend to take some things "granted". I'm asking your help in order to find out ways how we'd get the forums "flying" again :-)
P.P.S. This is for both, Finnish & English sides of forums. Both forums share the same dilemma -- number of active users is declining -> number of helpful posts is declining -> traffic is declining.
e: some detailed explanation of what my goal is, added.
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Senior Member
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24. July 2011 @ 05:11 |
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well put.
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AfterDawn Addict
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24. July 2011 @ 09:21 |
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Other sites are seeing the same drop in traffic;the Afterdawn problem was made worse by the explosion in spam.
Since DVD burning ( a huge traffic generator with Nero) has fallen off a cliff in favour of flash drives and media players, I doubt that those users will be coming back.
A Tech Support forum (registration being mandatory unless strict policing is practiced by the Mods) would perhaps draw back the senior members who have withdrawn from actively responding - inasmuch as their general knowledge, a by-product of learning video skills, would be useful in the new setting.
As was alluded to above, the tactful handling of queries generates as much good will and traffic as does the resolution of a question - you only have to look at Doom9 to conclude that knowing the answer before you ask is a requirement for some members before they will notice you.
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8686
Member
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24. July 2011 @ 11:37 |
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Once they changed their site structure I got lost. It's too confusing now. There are too many places to post things. For instance, this thread: http://forums.afterdawn.com/t.cfm/f-200/blu_ray_compression-890483/2
was put under the forum "Blu-ray Players" but this thread cannot be found on the horizontal menu bar of that page. You have to go to the main page and scroll all the way down to Home Theater. This is a thread about how to use a particular software. It doesn't belong here. There are 10 different topics that this could be posted under. Video Software discussion, Blu-Ray ripping, etc. I think there is too much overlapping in the topic area. And if anyone is like me, I would rather post in a more populated thread (even if the topic may be a little off) just because its going to get more traffic.
If I had a problem where my BR burner was not burning properly and I had no idea what could be the cause I wouldn't know where to post. PS3 Hardware, software, dvd/BR drives, windows software, ps3 everything else, BLU ray ripping, video software disc, etc.
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Mez
AfterDawn Addict
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5. September 2011 @ 14:11 |
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All great points!
ddp you get around the forms much more than I but I rarely see a newbie get ribbed for ignorance. They are told what they did wrong and how to do things right. Gross stupidity with a know it all attitude, rudeness, etc is a different story.
I never thought about the momentum of a forum like this has. Less posts means less new traffic.
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 8. September 2011 @ 16:41
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ps355528
Senior Member
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8. September 2011 @ 10:58 |
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sometimes I will rip some idiot posting about crapdoze in the linux forum..they should expect to be treated like retards asking how to remove a perfectly good linux installation and replace it with that proprietary garbage.. so they get what they deserve... which by the way.. IF they read how to install the pirated winsleep7 they have got from somewhere they would find out HOW to install it..
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Mez
AfterDawn Addict
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8. September 2011 @ 16:44 |
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That is gross stupidity I have trouble rolling out the red carpet for them.
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