Have forums become irrelavent

If you reflect backwards, see the teeming discussion threads, may be smiley pass time ones. Small exodus that happened, now we see new black locks only on threads. To revive the forum new agenda is needed. People thronged here but we see just some side watchers. Creativity can be in any sphere, be it smileys. Lock system must go.... to replace a better healthy system of just deleting the thread or relocating the thread. Quora merges like minded questions and answers. A healthy unoffensive approach is needed.

Those were the good times of IB forum. I used to be there throughout the day, Ranjith, Pankti, Pari, Laxmi and a lot of others too, spent a good time of their useful day here only.

I think a lot has to be blamed to IB as well. Those were the days when we used to have Happy Hours, people used to start pouring in around the submission deadline, discussions used to happen, and a lot of things.

Those were the days when we used to fight over who will climb the forum heroes top, with Ranjith always capturing the top spot.

#makeindibloggergreatagain

What should I say? 

But the same used to happen in tech forums I used to be in long before I started what I am doing. Ultimately, it dies. People move on. They get busier or reach to a point they rather be a lurker than a participant. Unless there's something to bring back fresh crowd in the forum, forums eventually die. If one doesn't bring changes/improvements within a timeframe, everything collapses- like the older Nokia company who refused to switch over from Symbian and by the time they decided with windows which was med is already too late.

Also, Facebook groups seem convenient because its one sign in fits all, but its very disorganized and doesn't give the ability to people to search for solutions in the forums (though to be fair, a lot of people have become lazier now). Unfortunately, unlike the previous generation who started blogging only because they had a skillset to share in the form of writing/making content- now most bloggers start just any blog for SEO, getting things, participating in contents, edgy content to rely on click bait. Most blogs recycle and rewrite content. 

Most newer bloggers now are either trashier or just plain toxic content makers. I've seen this trend as per people asking for reviews. Before, blogs which requested reviews had something to work on. Now? Most don't make sense. Most are recycled content with obviously paid content garbage. Who will even bother to read advertorials? We need quality in abundance. Forums will grow naturally. Some quality writers even quit blogging. Which is sad and discouraging to hear. 

I really wonder if blogging is really the in-thing anymore. Even a couple of years ago when I used to read more blogs than now, there wasn't much content that I admired, it was just that I was a compulsive blog reader/writer. I've grown out of that phase, partly because most of the bloggers I used to admire, no longer blog or their blogs are not the places for most of their content. So a forum for bloggers is difficult to thrive.

I am also back here after  a long gap... I almost quit blogging. but now slowly slowly started again. agree about this forum hero posts thing.. the day I joined back, I was feeling the same thing, no regular discussions, no hulchul !!!! even after the declaration of contest results, not much ppl bothered to speak anything....all old bloggers are almost gone (at least it seems so). ab to jyada contest bhi conduct nahin hote.

I have some really sweet memories thanks to IB .. in 2015 when my blog got selected as the top story blog (pan india ) then a blogger friend from IB gave me this news through indimail... yeah I wasn't aware till then ... 

Forums are never dead... they may appear to have less participation at times. Sometimes what we perceive as intense participation is nothing but irrelevant banter amongst friends and so there is no point being nostalgic about it. So long as there are bloggers (and the tribe is increasing) there will be many who will want assistance or have questions that seem difficult. So long as there are questions and there are people to answer them coherently, forums will remain meaningful.