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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why some forums sort of ... grind to a halt?

214 replies

mytartanscarf · 30/12/2014 20:47

I used to be a member of a very busy forum. It was pretty nice as although it was busy there was a sense of community as well.

It isn't dead Grin but dying.

Then about 10 years ago when I did a PGCE I was a member of the TES forums and they used to be so busy; I've had a look for the first time in ages and ages and it's really quiet.

Will Mumsnet ever die? And what causes a forum death?

OP posts:
CalleighDoodle · 30/12/2014 20:50

Ah i remember tes forums! We are far too busy to be on there now...

Ifyourawizardwhydouwearglasses · 30/12/2014 20:51

I uses to be a member of a very busy one which is on it's way out now. A lot of the people on it are quite unpleasant, the atmosphere isn't nice and they changed the interface and it's really non user friendly.

It's a shame though it used to be good! It was an animal based one - I wonder if it's the same as yours OP??

Original poster
mytartanscarf · 30/12/2014 20:53

No but I love animals so want to join now! Grin

TES forums were bonkers back in the day Grin I used to read them all the time and pretend I was studying for my pgce haha

OP posts:
meandjulio · 30/12/2014 20:53

It felt like MN was dying a few years ago - it hit the point where it either had to go professional or go pouff. It had the critical mass to go professional but only because it was run on blue tack and string for a few years by highly professional founders.

I can imagine any forum dying - maybe in a few years when we are all Xing with our XX (insert names of future appliances and activities I can't imagine yet) noone will bother being on the crusty old internet. I'm not sure that ds and his fellow Youtube/Instagram devotees will ever sit down and boringly type at each other.

ClashCityRocker · 30/12/2014 20:54

I used to go on a rabbit forum that seems to have died - was a bit sad as used to be fairly busy. Think there is one mod gamely answering any newbie posts.

But it becomes self-perpetuating, I think.

ClashCityRocker · 30/12/2014 20:55

How do forums start, too? It must be pretty boring for the first member.

GothMummy · 30/12/2014 20:56

I used to be on a lovely horsey one that just.....fizzled out then closed. I dont know why.

Original poster
mytartanscarf · 30/12/2014 21:00

Yeah, I wonder who the first MN member was :)

OP posts:
HugeFurryKnittingBalls · 30/12/2014 21:06

A forum I used to use (now closed down as it ground to a halt entirely), when it first began it was mentioned in a couple of newspapers and some daytime telly. In the very very early days there were a few posters who then vanished at about the same time and I assumed they were probably the founder and or a few of her friends getting it started until it became more populated. It was fun whilst it lasted but it definitely outstayed its welcome in the end.

That forum began to die when they brought in fees - it wasn't a lot of money and you could have a lesser service for free but it was very divisive.

fluffyraggies · 30/12/2014 21:06

I was/am on a lovely 'Struggling to TTC for 30s and 40s' thread on a forum. It went on for literally years. Posters came, some stayed, some went, but there was always a core of 6 or 7 who posted daily or weekly, and most were there for months at a time (before stopping TTC and leaving). Then by some miracle the 3 oldest of us, who had been trying for longest, and had long since given up real hope suddenly fell preg.! Within weeks of each other! Great joy all round. but the strain felt by the others was easy to understand and once the 3 babies had arrived safely the thread slowly died. Very sad.

Original poster
mytartanscarf · 30/12/2014 21:07

But also very happy fluffy and congratulations Flowers

OP posts:
TheFirstOfHerName · 30/12/2014 21:08

I used to post a fair bit on 4orMore, but it gradually slowed down as most of the members moved towards the facebook group. I am a member of the facebook group, but it somehow feels more identifiable and too much cross-over with my real life.

therockinghorseroll · 30/12/2014 21:09

I used to be on ivillage, that died a death I think.

ClashCityRocker · 30/12/2014 21:11

Yes thefirst I've been on a couple of forums that have moved to Facebook.

Not something I'm particularly comfortable with, tbh.

LapsedTwentysomething · 30/12/2014 21:15

I was a TES-er too, back in the day. I remember a regular called leatherpatches lambasting me once or twice Grin TES seems so complex to use now, compared to MN.

I also used the Verity PCOS forum while TTC. It was all tickets and hugs, but very supportive. That looks very quiet now.

LapsedTwentysomething · 30/12/2014 21:16

tickers, not tickets.

Original poster
mytartanscarf · 30/12/2014 21:17

Ooh I remember having an ivillage email once. Maybe in the early 2000s?

OP posts:
PrettyLittleMitty · 30/12/2014 21:25

What a tes forum please? I was another on Ivillage, not been there for years but it was very quiet last time I checked.

avocadoadvantage · 30/12/2014 21:26

I relied on The TES forums so much during my PGCE and applying for my first teaching jobs, also 10+ years ago. I haven't been on it for years.. Workload maybe?

FuriouslyFrottingFerret · 30/12/2014 21:27

I've been on tons of Horsey ones over the years, my first intro to forums was AOL chat god I'm old

Ionacat · 30/12/2014 21:29

Another ex-TEsser here. It stands for Times Educational Supplement and are forums for teachers and those in education. They used to be really busy and then they did an upgrade and we deserted in droves.

MerryMo · 30/12/2014 21:30

I think FB and FB groups helped to kill a few forums I used to be on.

The problem being the stuff I used to post about on the forum I didnt mind posting under my forum nickname but noway will I share the same level of info on FB even in a secret group.

I really miss my old forum.

fluffyraggies · 30/12/2014 21:30

:) Thank you mytarten.

Picturesinthefirelight · 30/12/2014 21:31

They changed how you use & log into the TES forums & it was just so complicated I never used them again.

Picturesinthefirelight · 30/12/2014 21:32

Is Babyworld still going?