What do you think of the AoS forum?

[Pigmy Pony]

Can't believe I have been a member of the forum since 2008 but only 700+ posts

I originally joined all those years ago as I found the HiFi and music sections interesting and vibrant.
Like most forum's now adays, they tend to drift off into areas that I do not find remotely interesting - hence why so few posts.

Also, not just AoS but many of the older HiFi forums, they can come across as very clique.

I do visit the site nearly everyday but the majority of the posts are not for me so I do not join in.
Do I plan to leave? Not really as every now and again something comes along that piques my interest

No, it just looks like a clique because it's the same half a dozen or so who are bothering to post. I reckon if I browsed some of the other forums I would find similar. Just with different names.

Andy, looking at your signature, there's an awful lot of interesting kit there, and I'm betting there are some noteworthy stories, experiences, triumphs, mistakes, etc behind that little lot. I'm also betting that it is the kind of thing that would be of interest to you if only someone else had taken the trouble to write about it

If you put into print whatever piques your interest, You might end up piquing others' interest, and so it goes around

Edit: forget about paragraph 2 - perhaps the issue is the sheer number of forums in existence, and I can quite understand if someone was reluctant to post in detail about their kit on more than one forum.

[Maelstrom]

Morning all,

This thread got me thinking. I've seen the same thing happen in other forums I used to frequent – classic cars, woodworking, you name it. And I'm fairly convinced Facebook has played a big part in the decline.

The problem: Facebook groups are easy. You log in, you scroll, you ask a quick question, you get a quick answer. No registration, no learning the etiquette, no wondering if you're posting in the right sub-forum. It's instant gratification. The downside, of course, is that it's shallow. The advice is often questionable, there's no permanence (good luck searching for that thread a week later), and the sense of community is fleeting at best.

The opportunity: Forums do what Facebook can't. Depth. Archives. Genuine relationships built over years. When I joined here, I didn't just get an answer – I got a journey. People remembered my room, my budget, my tastes. That doesn't happen on Facebook.

So how do we compete?

1. Double down on what makes forums great. Encourage longer, thoughtful posts. Showcase the archive. When someone asks a question that's been answered brilliantly ten years ago, link to it. That's a superpower Facebook simply doesn't have.

2. Make the forum easier to find. When Google sends someone here with a question, we need to be visible. We need to be the place that turns up in search results. That's still how most people discover forums.

3. Lower the friction a little. A more modern interface would help. A shorter, simpler sign-up process. A clear "welcome" path that doesn't overwhelm.

4. Remind people that this is a community, not just a helpdesk. The off-topic stuff, the banter, the shared stories – that's what keeps people coming back long after their original question is answered.

Facebook won't go away. But we don't need to beat them. We just need to be better at being us.

Just a thought.

Alistair

[Tim]

A more modern interface would help. A shorter, simpler sign-up process. A clear "welcome" path that doesn't overwhelm.

Agree Alistair, I've never been a fan of the AoS look myself, its always had that old man look about it. I thought that 15 years ago, so today it looks really dated. But that’s subjective.

Pink Fish Media has a good look, smart, minimal and easy to navigate. Not being able to like a post by just clicking a thumbs up is quite limiting. It's very efficient, you can let people know you like or agree with something, without having to post a full reply - it encourages people to post. If you spend time answering someone's question and get met with tumbleweed, how likely are you to bother again? That can happen here and I find it quite rude, I know it doesn't bother others, but it's a feature on every other forum I visit. It makes you feel you are not wasting your time.

The issue here though, is transferring the forum to another platform or upgrading the look would need an investment in time and a degree of technical knowledge. So that's probably a bar too high.

I think that’s a great suggestion though

[willbewill]

I don't mind the current layout of the site on a desktop/laptop but... on a mobile device it's horrible to use. If it was upgraded to VBulletin 6 it would be mobile optimised - as a lot (probably most) people view via their mobile devices nowadays I'm sure this would help.

https://www.vbulletin.com/en/overview

[Pete The Cat]

Not being able to like a post by just clicking a thumbs up is quite limiting. It's very efficient, you can let people know you like or agree with something, without having to post a full reply - it encourages people to post. If you spend time answering someone's question and get met with tumbleweed, how likely are you to bother again? That can happen here and I find it quite rude, I know it doesn't bother others, but it's a feature on every other forum I visit. It makes you feel you are not wasting your time.

If this was a brainstorming workshop in an office the above would go straight onto the 'quick wins' list on a nice yellow sticky.

Of course, the technical IT issues of implementing it may be more complicated than I imagine, but I agree that it would be impactful.

[Barry]

Just had a look at PFM. Yes it looks modern, the 'avatars' are smaller, there is minimal information about the posters, but the text on a white background make it look quite ordinary, without any 'style'. I don't find it easier to read - quite the opposite in fact.

PFM doesn't seem to have a heading banner. I agree the AoS banner could do with a refresh, but I don't how this could be done here.

[Barry]

Agree Alistair, I've never been a fan of the AoS look myself, its always had that old man look about it. I thought that 15 years ago, so today it looks really dated. But that’s subjective.

Pink Fish Media has a good look, smart, minimal and easy to navigate. Not being able to like a post by just clicking a thumbs up is quite limiting. It's very efficient, you can let people know you like or agree with something, without having to post a full reply - it encourages people to post. If you spend time answering someone's question and get met with tumbleweed, how likely are you to bother again? That can happen here and I find it quite rude, I know it doesn't bother others, but it's a feature on every other forum I visit. It makes you feel you are not wasting your time.

The issue here though, is transferring the forum to another platform or upgrading the look would need an investment in time and a degree of technical knowledge. So that's probably a bar too high.

I think that’s a great suggestion though

I believe that with any new thread there is an option to have a "like thumbs up" attached. Anyone who replies to the posts can avail themselves of that option. There is also an option to have rating option (displayed as 1 to 5 stars).

[CageyH]

Have a look at the Maverick forum Barry.
Choice of views (dark theme etc.), mobile friendly and you can "like" posts.
Sure, it is not perfect, as unless you are careful, you get notified about all new posts for threads you have posted in.

[mikeyb]

The reason PFM looks how it does was due the way it was hosted not complying when the new GDPR rules that came in a while back, Tony had to update everything and it ended up how it is today.

[mikeyb]

Have a look at the Maverick forum Barry.
Choice of views (dark theme etc.), mobile friendly and you can "like" posts.
Sure, it is not perfect, as unless you are careful, you get notified about all new posts for threads you have posted in.

Hate the dark theme on the Mav and no option to change it