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This Forum Is Dying

Nov 8, 2012
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BroDeal said:
We all know it is true. Time for the FID thread. This will be version 3 or 4, forget which.

It's odd because at one time the forum was generating front page CN news.

I guess a good group of investigative/analytical minds working for free really was too good to be true.
 
Mar 10, 2009
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as long as the babes on bike thread is alive I will visit. Still about the most worthwhile thread in this forum even without nudity.:rolleyes:
 
Jul 10, 2010
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Meh. Fools.

Listen - and learn. The forums will not die. Why not? Because there is sufficient NEW influx to replace OLD die-off. So, usage stats will remain appox the same, year to year.

So, how does this fit with YOUR observation that some influential, insider, big-name, whatever posters have left? Well, if you are correct, it means the forums COULD be much bigger than they are.

DO NOT confuse the circumstances thus far described with what has happened historically. Because of the historical sequence of events - with so much stuff covered-up or attempted to be covered-up - the revelations of this forum had an unusual impact on RL events. But, the situation has shifted. Today, the speculations of The Clinic are exactly that: speculations. Not revelations, which is what they were. Revelations masquerading as speculation.

The logical and rational conclusion is not that the forum has decreased in influence, but that the information imparted has decreased in power. The information imparted can not be validated or verified - it is speculative. When, and IF, the data gains validation, the forum information will again become an influential source. But, failing said validation - well - fail.

On the other hand, have posters abandoned this forum? No question, yes. Does that reduce the activity? Eh, no. I think this is due to the connection of the forum to a major cycling news source. So, it is the neighborhood. You won't see any LESS traffic - just because the forum is in a traffic crossroads/intersection. What could happen is that the intersection COULD see much MORE traffic if it were managed appropriately.
 
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Jul 17, 2009
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it all started wit the crank arm length thread. Then the pedal technique thread and then the powermeter thread....with the same two posters telling each other how great they are and aren't...at what point were the mods going to combine them....
 
hiero2 said:
Meh. Fools.

Listen - and learn. The forums will not die. Why not? Because there is sufficient NEW influx to replace OLD die-off. So, usage stats will remain appox the same, year to year.

So, how does this fit with YOUR observation that some influential, insider, big-name, whatever posters have left? Well, if you are correct, it means the forums COULD be much bigger than they are.

DO NOT confuse the circumstances thus far described with what has happened historically. Because of the historical sequence of events - with so much stuff covered-up or attempted to be covered-up - the revelations of this forum had an unusual impact on RL events. But, the situation has shifted. Today, the speculations of The Clinic are exactly that: speculations. Not revelations, which is what they were. Revelations masquerading as speculation.

The logical and rational conclusion is not that the forum has decreased in influence, but that the information imparted has decreased in power. The information imparted can not be validated or verified - it is speculative. When, and IF, the data gains validation, the forum information will again become an influential source. But, failing said validation - well - fail.

On the other hand, have posters abandoned this forum? No question, yes. Does that reduce the activity? Eh, no. I think this is due to the connection of the forum to a major cycling news source. So, it is the neighborhood. You won't see any LESS traffic - just because the forum is in a traffic crossroads/intersection. What could happen is that the intersection COULD see much MORE traffic if it were managed appropriately.

I do not see how you can have been around since Usenet, maybe pre-split rec.bicycles, yet fail to understand how Internet forums rise and fall.
 
Jul 17, 2009
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I saved this a bit ago. https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent/urE4qylzhqI[1-25-false]

This guys take on the lifecycle of an internet forum is quite good


JimmyMac
7/2/11
I haven't been here in quite a while. With advanced (end state,
metastatic), clinical stage 4 prostate cancer, I've had to reassess my
priorities, put hings in perspective and frankly ARBR was not at the
top of the list. I have bigger fish to fry, so to speak. Regardless,
I see that little has changed here. The forum has lost many of it
members and is no longer about recumbent bicycles. ARBR has become
the sounding board and soap box of the Tibetan Monkey who arguably has
has far too much time on his hands. Even the crotchety Ed Dolan
appears to have had enough and departed for other forums. I've seen
this once useful forum hit the skids, degenerate and eventually rock
bottom. It has gone through a regressive evolution that is
unfortunate. Here are my thoughts in general regarding the Internet
forum life cycle of which ARBR is a prime example...

Like it or not, Internet forums commonly undergo an evolutionary
process regardless of whether they are moderated or unmoderated. The
natural life cycle of an Internet forum, with its various phases,
might be best summed up as follows:

1. Declaration of Enthusiasm - Subscribers introduce themselves and
gush over how wonderful it is to have encountered kindred spirits.

2. Origin of Evangelism - Participants moan about how the forum
consists of far too few members and brainstorming ensues to initiate
recruitment strategies.

3. Expansion of Community - An ever increasing number of interested
parties subscribe and contribute to the forum. Lengthy threads
develop (some more relevant than others).

4. Emergence of Camaraderie - Information and advice is exchanged
(some empirically founded ... some just anecdotal nonsense).
Friendships are forged. Members rib one another, but all in good
fun. New subscribers are welcomed and newbies. Both newcomers and
veterans alike are receptive to asking questions, providing answers,
and sharing experiences.

5. Genesis of Disenchantment - The volume of postings increases
dramatically. Not all threads are of interest to all participants.
Members pitch a ***** about signal-to-noise ratio, off-topic threads,
me too posts, forged and s****ed identities, forwarding of private
emails, and other violations of internet forum netiquette. Member #1
threatens to unsubscribe if things don't change for the better.
Member #2 aligns himself with Member #1. Member #3 disagrees with
both Members #1 and #2. Member #4 suggests that Members #1, #2, and
#3 should lighten up. Flame wars erupt and adversaries emerge.
Bandwidth is sacrificed as an abundance of postings proliferate in an
effort to resolve differences and restore some semblance of order.
During this particular phase, many a delete key gets more than its
share of abuse and filtering and killfiles are implemented.

6. Stagnation of Growth - The purists castigate members who ask an old
question or respond humorously to a serious post. Newcomers are
rebuffed and discouraged. SPAM posts, trolls and stalkers dominate
the forum. Traffic volume subsides considerably and is generally
confined to minor topics. Many relevant issues are communicated via
private emails. Some members turn in their membership cards in a huff
and the remaining members continue to participate in phases #4 and/or
#5 above.

7. Salvation from Destruction - Someone like me pounds away at the
keyboard composing a post such as this one in an effort to stir the
juices of those members who find themselves entrenched in the quagmire
of phase #4 and/or #5 above ... mostly #5 in hopes of resurection ;-)

Well, at least this posting should prove to be a thought provoking
departure from the norm and hopefully sheds some light on the nature
of the beast we have come to love and hate ... the internet forum.
Perhaps I should have added a pahse nuber 8 (Fight of Forum), when
hope is abandoned, forum flight ensues and membership dwindles.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ironically the Dude rides a recumbent if I recall. Which of course is the only topic never posted on here. Had he joined and opened a recumbent bike thread Brodeal would have been the first to blast him with something like "Gee Guy you ride a repugnant" of which I would have high five'd him and joined in
 
Jul 17, 2009
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hiero2 said:
Meh. Fools.

Listen - and learn. The forums will not die. Why not? Because there is sufficient NEW influx to replace OLD die-off. So, usage stats will remain appox the same, year to year.

So, how does this fit with YOUR observation that some influential, insider, big-name, whatever posters have left? Well, if you are correct, it means the forums COULD be much bigger than they are.

DO NOT confuse the circumstances thus far described with what has happened historically. Because of the historical sequence of events - with so much stuff covered-up or attempted to be covered-up - the revelations of this forum had an unusual impact on RL events. But, the situation has shifted. Today, the speculations of The Clinic are exactly that: speculations. Not revelations, which is what they were. Revelations masquerading as speculation.

The logical and rational conclusion is not that the forum has decreased in influence, but that the information imparted has decreased in power. The information imparted can not be validated or verified - it is speculative. When, and IF, the data gains validation, the forum information will again become an influential source. But, failing said validation - well - fail.

On the other hand, have posters abandoned this forum? No question, yes. Does that reduce the activity? Eh, no. I think this is due to the connection of the forum to a major cycling news source. So, it is the neighborhood. You won't see any LESS traffic - just because the forum is in a traffic crossroads/intersection. What could happen is that the intersection COULD see much MORE traffic if it were managed appropriately.


they die because users reply with posts like this that begin with "you people"......
 
Jul 10, 2010
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BroDeal said:
I do not see how you can have been around since Usenet, maybe pre-split rec.bicycles, yet fail to understand how Internet forums rise and fall.

Boeing said:
I saved this a bit ago. https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent/urE4qylzhqI[1-25-false]

This guys take on the lifecycle of an internet forum is quite good

SNIPPED!....

Oh, y'all are fun. Bro, the point is THIS forum is not falling. The question, then, must be "Why?"

Boing: Hehe, this is, indeed, a good post. However, is the poster correct? And, is the sequence of events applicable to CN?

The lifecycles of usenet forums and current internet forums are different things. How do you compare a usenet unmoderated forum to a vBulletin moderated forum? Well, the usenet vs vBulletin part doesn't matter much, I think. But the unmod vs mod bit does. I think that makes a world of diff.

What that denizen of ARBR noted was not unique. I don't even remember the full usenet names, but we had BIG forums in bikes.misc and bikes.tech. Bikes.tech still lives today - although it is a small group, and limited interest. Probably why it survived. Bikes.misc didn't survive, but succumbed to many junk posters and increasing animosity amongst regular posters. But what that post from ARBR noted - was noted on other usenet groups.

So, do I see symptoms of the same disease striking CN forums? Perhaps - but not definitively. BroDeal - to be honest, you might be one of the symptoms. I will tell you this - you were a poster who is complained about by MANY as being an unmitigated troll. I was in a position where I had to defend you - and I did so. I do believe you are clever, but insensitive to others, and manipulative. And, sometimes you have a real point. I don't think you are intentionally malicious - I think it is a byproduct of your bile. Perhaps I am wrong. Some regular and old-time posters in this forum think you should be perma-banned. Just sayin', dude.

Ok, now I've got that off my chest. Don't anybody else think you have escaped similar intention. It was amazing to me how much bile people could generate towards each other.

Now, why isn't CN like usenet? Well, for one thing - it's moderated. Even though I don't agree that most of the current mods have the right priorities, they DO MOD. And they don't do a BAD job - they are managing. Usenet died, in large part, because it was unmoderated. One reason I don't agree with alitogata about forums and moderating, eh?
 
Jul 17, 2009
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It's a smart tactic after all H so props for that. singling out one posers name gets you in detention. Starting a reply "you people" doesn't. but same intention...genius really. wish I thought of it.

as for the OP OT. there is nothing like a little George Hincape LA love to fuel this forum again.
 
Aug 5, 2012
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Echoes said:
How am I surprised?


Talking about Bore and about Pharmstrong and Contadull, 8 days a week, 365 days a years, it must be boring at the end.

90% of CN posters actually don't like cycling, I've always said it.

I love you.