Is the AHB forum dying?

[tigerlilly]

I just want to weigh-in on the discussion I saw re: lack of participation on these forums.

As I mentioned, AHB has over 400 members.  I got that from the top right hand portion of the main page.  I’ve communicated with a few veteran members who have been here for several years, and it’s my understanding that the board used to be very active on a regular basis (I think someone said over 1,000 members).  Not all those people posted all day, every day, but there was consistent, regular participation from several dozen people even tho I’m sure they had all kinds of things going on in their lives.

The participation level was low when I joined, and over the past few months it has dropped to almost nothing.  Seems that less than 20 people post every week.  I haven’t made a scientific/mathematical study.  I don’t need to.  It’s obvious.  The board administrators haven’t even posted in months.  Days go by when nobody posts.

Of course everyone hopes everyone is okay; that goes without saying.  It’s not about people having all kinds of things going on.  Sure some are dealing with jobs, families, the economy,  - life - etc. and everyone has a full schedule, but that was always the case.   It’s not about anyone wondering why more people aren’t posting because it’s obvious they’ve lost interest and/or have gone elsewhere.  Otherwise, at this time when American has elected the first Black President of the United States, they would check in.  But it’s not even about just that.  There are many other topics.  Maybe lots of people look in, but they aren’t longer interested enough to actually participate in the AHB community.  I hope the forums stay alive and active, but things definitely appear to be floundering.  It’s as simple as that, and I think that's sad.

[devineone]

Maybe when active forum members see new members have joined, (because it shows the latest member in the upper right hand corner) and send a pm to personally welcome them once we see their name, perhaps that would draw people out and encourage them to participate even if they haven't posted yet. Maybe they'll post maybe not, but no harm in giving them a shout out.

I tried doing that once or twice, but I keep getting the: "120 seconds since you last posted try again later " error message whenever I attempt to pm.  Even though I clean up my files, I get this message often.  Has anyone else experienced this with pm?

[bigmomma]

I just got that yesterday.
I was trying to PM a few folks but all I got to do was give ONE member a PM! 

[tigerlilly]

I hear what y’ll are sayin about welcoming new members, but it shouldn’t take that.  Anyway, I notice new people join and either they are just lurking or they read some things and go away.  Most don’t post, for whatever reason.  Nobody is that shy. I think if more people were participating, new people would just join in on the discussions naturally.  That’s how it works on message boards – you join, you read, see something interest, then comment.  Once a new person joins, they are usually welcomed.

But people who have been regular members for a long time rarely post anymore.

[devineone]

I think if more people were participating, new people would just join in on the discussions naturally.  That’s how it works on message boards – you join, you read, see something interest, then comment. 

Tigerlily,
Do you think perhaps if the posters who are here would post on a wider range of topics, then maybe that would drum up more interest?  (Even Ms. HB can’t seem to get posters roused up enough to participate in more threads). 
http://www.askheartbeat.com/talksmack/index.php/topic,2445.msg28639.html#msg28639

There are so many main topics here in addition to the broiler. There's the sistah corner, entertainment, sports, chit chat gossip, power of the cooking pot, fitness, dating and relationships, erotic, jokes etc... A lot of topics for regular posters to post something.  Since I've been here, I've posted something in just about every major topic but we've lost a lot of those threads and postings. 
I joined in late Feb of this year.  I received welcome pm's from 3 members and that made me feel welcome and certainly encouraged me to want to post here. I’m not on a lot of forums.  There is one other newspaper forum, where I post very sporadically.  I guess people who want to post will, those who don’t won’t. Who knows it’s hard to guess.  I once sent a pm to a member I saw lurking, someone who used to be a regular poster and I got no response.  I also haven’t seen this poster signed in since.     It would be nice if we had more regular posters, I do agree with that.

[tigerlilly]

Tigerlily,
Do you think perhaps if the posters who are here would post on a wider range of topics, then maybe that would drum up more interest? 

No. I don't think that has anything to do with it.   And if the owner and moderators aren't interested enough to drop in over the course of several MONTHS, especially after we just elected a Black president, what does that tell you?

I once sent a pm to a member I saw lurking, someone who used to be a regular poster and I got no response.

  See, that's what I mean.

It's not the responsibility of the remaining handful of what, 10 people/posters to drum up business, even if they/we could. 

I think we see this differently. 

As I said. interest in these forums has gotten progressively lower and lower.  I know all the topics - but again, those same various topics have been here a long time (years from what I hear).  Would not surprise me if the site closes down soon. 

[philnation]

Would not surprise me if the site closes down soon. 

I'd be shocked if that happens, actually.

[mochagirl1]

Wow.  I've also noticed things have slowed down here quite a bit.  I've tried to come and post whenever I'm not bogged down with work and dealing with other issues, but I am surprised new members haven't come in and started some fresh threads.  I really love this site and hope it doesn't close down.  I myself began as a lurker, peeking in periodically and found myself enjoying the topics that are generated here.  I sincerely hope that people lurking about will jump right in and join us.   

[Bambi eyes]

I don't think AHB will ever die... it's cyclical, just like the economy.  It goes up, it goes down, and it's hard to determine exactly what's driving it.  I've been on and off for years and this is what I've noticed over time.  I miss some of the old posters like Renee, Crown, Osirus, Diva, II, Kimora and DP... but it takes lots of time to post and I suspect many just are so busy nowadays that they just don't have the energy/time to post like they'd want to for any length of time.  I'm about to get busy looking for a new job, so my postings have and will become more sporadic and less involved as I focus on that...but I think overall this site is cyclical... it has it's highs and lows like anything else.  Hopefully Ms. H will continue to keep it going for us despite the lows. 

[Aphrodite64]

Awww, I hate to hear you guys lament the slowness of the Board.  At one time, it was really "JUMPING".  OMG!  I couldn't stay away an hour, let alone a day, month, etc.  But man, we used to ALSO have alot of CONFLICT back then, i.e., during the "CROWN " days, LOL, which kept it HOT.  So, I guess you give up some things to gain some things.

Miss you all though!!!

XOXO

Aphrodite64

[Ndgo]

Hi Aphro!!! So good to hear from you. I was hoping you would come back to say hi.... Miss your words... give us an update when you get a moment... thought about you often...

[Aphrodite64]

Me too!@  Especially everytime I'm in Orlando!  Will write more tommorow!

[MzSheel]

Many of us "old" members have been with Ms. HB for 10+ years and have supported both her and the site ... but as someone said - this is cyclical.  We get to know our cyber members - sometimes personally, sometimes just through their posts.  There is history... some fascinating, some fun, some not so good.  There came a time when things were very contentious and very personal as the lines between personal and digital crossed.  Server problems coupled with a brief stint in which members financially contributed to the site, and a change in forum name all contributed to the lack of participation from former members, though their names were never dropped from the rolls.

AHB has been a wonderful journey for me and I have made several friends that I still interact with - more on a personal than online basis now.  "Osiris" is doing well - still being as controversial as ever... "Misunderstood," the last time I heard from her, is getting - well, a little more understood... "Crown" recently returned from a wonderful honeymoon with his sweet and pretty bride (yeah, he's married now)... "HighRise" is still walking a faith-filled path as his children grow into adults...  life has gone on though we seldom take the time to interact here...

I had been in touch with Deb and am now (finally) able to return more often to the site, though typically only from home since some of the keywords for this site include objectionable screened words on work filters (sex...).  I am doing well now but went through some serious health issues that made spending time on ANY site ... difficult, at best.

When I first came on as a moderator, the Broiler was not the most used area on the forum, but I started visiting other black-focused sites and other forums where my signature line would include links to this site.  When there was a controversial or timely discussion going on, I would include a comment about "you should see the convo going on at AHB about this... a poster said..." and the membership increased.

I'm glad that there is still a pulse on the boards... where there is "life," there is hope... that we can help to generate interest, not shy away from controversy, and inject some fervor in future discussions

[Informed Investor]

My theory is (in addition to loss of interest or job limitations) that people with overbearing or dominating personalities ran a lot of members off. Discussion with the occasional argument is fine but nobody wants to log in to WWIII daily.

I think that myspace and facebook have taken some interest as well.

I miss a lot of posters probably to many to name:

Turin Cloud
Rom Wills
Realgem
Jaia (I had this crazy attraction toward her!)
Travolt
Crown
A64 (aka thickness)
Picky (she was a nutcase lol)
Liquid (did he ever find love)
Dynamite (You know you loved my younger version LOL people are still mad over things I said to them back then ROFLMAO!)
Boss Cross Damon
DianaPrince
Osiris
Big C

[Ndgo]

Happy to have you back MzSheel... you were missed!