Forums... Going the Way of the Dodo?

Yes, I have seen many dodos go the way of the forums, but those dodo forums I've left behind. That was the original question wasn't it?🐦🐧🐲😜🙈🙉🙊

I logged onto a forum I moderated and got stopped by an FBI notice. Thank goodness I didn't own the forum or get paid by it. That forum is now a dodo

As a fairly new member, I enjoy this forum...I'm in Facebook groups but this is my first forum of any kind...I'm still fishing and navigating on how to post, etc....I'm 71 and not great on a computer...But I love pipe smoking (for 55 yrs)...Jim told me about this place and I'm glad he did.

Great responses from everyone and I appreciate the feedback. I suspect that this form of media (Forums) will not be going anywhere anytime soon. Based on the responses and probably more importantly the "quantity" of responses, we have an engaged and active membership. There also seems to be a popular belief that the forum platform is superior than other forms of social media in use.

I think that we are also fortunate that we do not suffer a common issue of other forums. Lack of functionality and visual appeal. However mundane these may seem, ease of use and engaging are important factors in most media, especially online. A common observation at PM.com in their similar thread, was that the site is dated and lacks functionality. I'm not going to waste my time criticizing them, but suffice it to say I think we do pretty well in these areas. In my opinion, our site is visually appealing and easy to navigate. Categories are clear and easy to find and our search functionality does not require an outside source to function. I'm also rather proud of our mobile site. I think that it's easy to use and still maintains the visual appeal that the full site does.

I will say I was rather surprised by how many over at PM.com thought the basic, no frills site was superior though. Without pigeonholing people, I suppose that can be compared to the preference of some to newspapers over online news.

In comparison to other forms of social media, I think the differences are obvious. While forums may not have the mass appeal that FB does, there is more immersion. What I mean by that is a FB group about pipe smoking lacks the ability to become immersed in the topics being discussed. If it was fallen off the front page of the FB group, you are likely never to see a topic that was brought up. It's instant gratification and then instant topic change. I personally like that I can be absent from this site for a few days and come back and "catch up" on what I missed. Good luck doing that with a FB group. To me there is a better sense of community here.

I believe a forum is only as good as the people managing it and the people participating. If you are missing either, you might as well shut the doors. I like to think we have a good balance of both here and as long as there are people out there that want to participate, I'll be here to keep the lights on.

Facebook pipe smoking groups are allright for a picture and a sound bite comment, not much more than that. If you construct a well thought out post that you think may benefit others, you might as well tie a cinder block to it as you click “post”. And the girls that are trolling for compliments sometimes gets tiresome.

Not to take anything away from Justin using good sense and a well thought out website, but I think that it is safe to say that some of the other forums we were both on did a pretty good job of informing him of what not to do. Selecting people with the right temperament to be moderators is crucial, picking the wrong individual can have some pretty catastrophic results. Since Justin has a busy day job, having mature people of character to keep an eye on things is beneficial to put it mildly.

I had a business agent that is the nicest guy you could ever meet, a great guy to smoke a cigar and have a drink with, but he really sucked as a business agent. Some of us possess gifts and talents, some of us don’t.


I love to talk politics, and I think that for the most part, while I have strong opinions, I never get personal about it... everyone has a right to their own opinion on such matters, but once they are allowed, things generally end up in a five alarm fire. Matters of politics and religion are so intertwined in a belief system/ ideology/ and laws that govern society, that dipping the toe into either, one finds there whole body soon immersed. Some of the contributors here that I have the utmost respect for on the subject that the forum exists for, I have a much different worldview on other matters, and the limitations of this medium are such that would not exist if I had a beer or coffe with the same individual on them subjects.

To be fair though, even in the context of being part of a pipe club that meets monthly discussing politics and religion can really be problematic in a group....these matters are best left as one on one discussions away from the group.



Sorry for the ramblings, but this forum has the best guidelines, moderation and application of discipline when warranted of any forum that I have ever been on, which have been many on a whole host of subjects.


I would like to see the range of emoticons expanded slightly, that I think during a post are really helpful in expressing in a positive way what the author intends to convey with a simple click of the mouse.

For instance....when I am not getting it...

When commenting from a crusty perspective....

When speaking about wives that dont understand our mickey mouse ways....to quote Waylon...

others that probably need no explanation..


      

This forum is not subject to the needs of the masses. Best forum I have been on in decades and that is above the ones I owned or ran.

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Is this one for "I'm going bat shite crazy"?

HAHA so true!

I can second the appearance of the mobile site. It looks and functions in a notch above the ordinary manner and is appreciated.

As a new member, but old pipe smoker,I do really like this forum for all the above mentioned reasons. I'd like to point out an approach to getting and keeping more members. While I admit that the experienced folk may find it redundant and annoying to see repetitive newbie questions, we oughta remember that forums are for asking questions. Probably nothing makes a new guy feel more comfortable than a cheerful answer to a question, even if it has been asked many times before. Conversely, nothing will turn a Newbie off quicker than an incessant admonition to "use the search function". We have to admit, search functions can be perverse if one isn't sure of exactly what is the key phrase to look for. I humbly recommend a policy of never telling a new guy to "use the search function", unless he is a troll just trying to clog things up. Just my input FWIW.

Darn fine group of posters here not much drama and when there is, it more like rib poking. This forum seems to be stocked with the very best of the pipe smoking community full of knowledge and wisdom without being pretentious.