Forums vs. Social Networking Sites

Stormy · Mar 08, 2014 7:32 PM

I recently returned to a popular gaming forum I used to frequent, and it's obvious that it's really died down in activity from what it once was. The decline of forums seems to be a trend right now; I have yet to see a forum that's the same or busier than it was back in the mid 2000s.

A lot of people are saying it's because of social networking sites. They look newer; they have trendy features like hashtags; and "everyone" is on them.

And yet, people are still implementing forums on their websites. I see job listings fairly often asking for help setting up forums for businesses. So forums must not be completely irrelevant yet.

Obviously, since you're here, you must like forums to some extent, so what do you think is good about them? Do you think they'll ever make a comeback, or are they a dying thing of the past?

Prism · Mar 08, 2014 7:36 PM

I personally like forums more than social networking websites.

There's just a charm to forums that social networking websites don't have. Maybe it's because forums attract people that are interested in one thing, such as Spyro in the case of this forum. It's easier to find people with similar interests. Or maybe, you can talk about things in much more detail than websites such as Twitter allow.

I know many people will probably disagree with me, but the whole hashtag thing looks kind of stupid to me.

Swaffy · Mar 08, 2014 7:56 PM

Copy/paste what purple_dragon_spyro said. I thought the same thing too.

I feel like forums allow for more realistic conversations. Even though it's still text I feel like people can type their post out more freely and don't have to worry too much about keeping it short. And you know how people type when they try to keep their posts short, they start using numbers and single letters instead of words. Anway, all I see on social networking sites are just lame posts like "Ya brah, gonna work out".

Stormy · Mar 08, 2014 9:38 PM

Agreed, forums are meant for discussion, while social networks are more for chatting, I guess?

purple_dragon_spyro wrote:

Maybe it's because forums attract people that are interested in one thing, such as Spyro in the case of this forum. It's easier to find people with similar interests. Or maybe, you can talk about things in much more detail than websites such as Twitter allow.

This is a good point. I guess the downside to this, then, would be that it's not easy to have in-depth discussions about things outside of the main subject of the forum. You'd have a join a forum for each subject if you want to do that.

I know many people will probably disagree with me, but the whole hashtag thing looks kind of stupid to me.

I agree! I think it started out as a good idea to make sorting through posts easier, but then people just started using them for little inside jokes and side comments, and it got obnoxious really fast.

36IStillLikeSpyro36 · Mar 09, 2014 2:30 AM

forums are social networking sites without the ridiculous gimmicks. Twitter you can only have 140 characters or something. facebook is one big corporate advertisement disguised as a social networking site. the hashtag thing is a big gimmick too.

with forums, you can just talk to people without the nonsense imposed on you by the site's gimmicks. that also causes people to take discussions more seriously, most of the time.

Prism · Mar 09, 2014 2:52 AM

36IStillLikeSpyro36 wrote:

forums are social networking sites without the ridiculous gimmicks. Twitter you can only have 140 characters or something. facebook is one big corporate advertisement disguised as a social networking site. the hashtag thing is a big gimmick too.
with forums, you can just talk to people without the nonsense imposed on you by the site's gimmicks. that also causes people to take discussions more seriously, most of the time.

Most of the time. With the exception of the Spam forum.

Forums have a tendency to have less users than big social networking sites, like Facebook and Twitter. That can lead to a feeling of friendliness and knowing everyone.

▼Hidden text

In all seriousness though, I really think we know each other better on here than we ever could on any major social networking site.

Last edited by Prism (Mar 09, 2014 2:53 AM)

Mr. John · Mar 09, 2014 4:25 AM

Forums I like more it does really matter to me if there dying out or not there still a big thing.

This being the only place I really visit forum wise I think it's cool specially the different topics of discussion as for.

Facebook and Twitter. Their cool specially since people can keep in contact in such. But they ain't my cup of tea never have been never will be.

Breaking Bad · Mar 09, 2014 5:37 AM

There is actually a forum I frequent that is much more active than any forums you may check out.

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It's NFSW, Because it has high violence and cursing.

Paranoia · Mar 09, 2014 8:24 AM

I personally don't like using social neworking sites b/c everyone you know sees what you say there. In this day and age, I think there's too much of a focus on oneself, and less on actual useful things or information. Forums are cool because they are still slightly anonymous, and allow like-minded people to discuss things they;re interested in.

Mr. John · Mar 09, 2014 9:26 PM

I'm not really fond of them my self. Glad I'm never going to use them ether. To much personal info given out. And sometimes if you take an very interesting picture for example and your trying to get a job it can cost you said job. But you control what you post online so it's on you really. Not trying to sound harsh but yeah.

Anyway fourms are much better to me.

Last edited by Mr. John (Mar 09, 2014 9:26 PM)

Clock-la · Mar 09, 2014 11:26 PM

Depends, I am on tweitter, I do like to tweet crap and have made lots of twitter friends, yet I have in forums too :-P

36IStillLikeSpyro36 · Mar 10, 2014 2:48 AM

i mean, i have accounts on social media sites, some of them anyway, but let's see... i never use Twitter, i only sign into tumblr every now and then these days, and the only reason i still have a facebook is because i know some people exclusively on there, and can't contact them any other way.

i still prefer the feeling of being in a community than being a dot in some giant spectrum of thoughts / popularity contest.

Mr. John · Mar 10, 2014 2:59 AM

Yeah same here. Besides If I have to keep in contact with someone well. I probably won't since I would never see that person again oh well how it is sometimes.

Anyways this place is better. And not a big hub of popularity. Although some people don't consinder it that way and just use those websites to keep in contact with people or followe favourte celeberties.

Last edited by Mr. John (Mar 10, 2014 2:59 AM)

RangerOfIthilien · Mar 10, 2014 10:54 PM

36IStillLikeSpyro36 wrote:

i still prefer the feeling of being in a community than being a dot in some giant spectrum of thoughts / popularity contest.

You hit the nail right on the head there.

I use social networking, Facebook mostly, but really only the message system. I rarely post stuff to my wall and when I do it's only for a certain batch of people. It's a useful tool, but I don't care for what it has become and how... fake? everything on there is.

#1 Mar 08, 2014 7:32 PM

Forums vs. Social Networking Sites

#2 Mar 08, 2014 7:36 PM

Re: Forums vs. Social Networking Sites

#3 Mar 08, 2014 7:56 PM

Re: Forums vs. Social Networking Sites

#4 Mar 08, 2014 9:38 PM

Re: Forums vs. Social Networking Sites

#5 Mar 09, 2014 2:30 AM

Re: Forums vs. Social Networking Sites

#6 Mar 09, 2014 2:52 AM

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#7 Mar 09, 2014 4:25 AM

Re: Forums vs. Social Networking Sites

#8 Mar 09, 2014 5:37 AM

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#9 Mar 09, 2014 8:24 AM

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#10 Mar 09, 2014 9:26 PM

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#11 Mar 09, 2014 11:26 PM

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#12 Mar 10, 2014 2:48 AM

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#13 Mar 10, 2014 2:59 AM

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#14 Mar 10, 2014 10:54 PM

Re: Forums vs. Social Networking Sites

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