Who killed forums?

Hardline Crawlers - Rock Bouncer Builds, Tech & Off-Road Trail Talk

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Eddyj

Eddyj

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Why have forums died?
This place was the pinnacle of southern off-roading just a couple years ago. Now it’s slowly dying. Just like pirate. What caused this? We still go wheeling... people are still building buggies for the first time... people are still finding cheap ways of making awesome things. Seems like we need a place to come together and share this information.
I was addicted to this sight. Now I hardly check in. I’m in a few off-road group texts but for the most part don’t communicate to a quarter of the off road family I use to.
What a waste... I’ve met some awesome people here and built a buggy from scratch not knowing what I was doing but using this site for research and help from strangers.
 
Facebook/instagram. For many years it was next to impossible to load a picture on here. There it was literally 2-3 button pushes and your getting the instant gratification of likes and atta boy comments that so many thrive on.
 
I’ve been doing a lot to the Jeep recently. I just don’t figure anyone is interested in a wildly mediocre Cherokee on bald iroks build.

Nick has a point though, given that it is an online forum, that was not kept up and couldn’t do half the basic functions it should, I’m amazed it lasted this long.
 
Facebook killed a lot in my opinion. Since I have never had Facebook and never will it has cut out a lot of the forums I used to go to. Not that I was a big poster but always liked to read and learn
 
I use FB less and less, it has become nothing but Drama. This place has about died, I was hoping it could be revived! Not sure what all the reasons are
 
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Our group created a FB group to keep up with our shenanigans. It’s grown pretty significantly in the last year. Plenty of random build pictures. Lots of hazing. It honestly reminds me of some of the older forum banter.
That’s about 90% of what I use FB for. The remaining 10% is the classifieds section. It’s the new craigslist. I’ve landed some smoking deals on there if you keep your eyes open.
 
Since Blackbeard has taken the helm, this forum has thrived over where it was doomed to go. Thank you sir. As for the rest of the topic, I agree it has slowed down a bit but it does look like people are still getting out and wheeling instead of racing. I think(hope) now that the weather is changing that we will bet back out on the trails. Will it ever be like it was years ago, probably not. I still look for old friends on the trails and have seen many such as Shane Reid, Chris Peck, Terry Frost, Steven Ingram, etc. Just trail riding fools having a good time so maybe this is a sign that we are slowly getting back to what it was.
 
I think for the most part, people feel that everything has been done before as far a budget builds. 10-15 years ago everyone that wanted to ride real trails was building their own rigs with junkyard parts.

Now they are buying a RZR XP Turbo S Dynamix STRC BP or a CanAM XR x3 XrRR Dune Crawl edition that is arguably more capable and fun to drive than a ****box Toyota or Cherokee That you've got $10-15K + 1000hours tied up in.
 
TBItoy said:
I think for the most part, people feel that everything has been done before as far a budget builds. 10-15 years ago everyone that wanted to ride real trails was building their own rigs with junkyard parts.

Now they are buying a RZR XP Turbo S Dynamix STRC BP or a CanAM XR x3 XrRR Dune Crawl edition that is arguably more capable and fun to drive than a ****box Toyota or Cherokee That you've got $10-15K + 1000hours tied up in.
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If it made financial sense at all, I’d have a 4 seater
 
I think it was the convenience of Facebutt that really killed the forums. I dont understand why though. I dont really use facebutt so may not be the best person to judge this but it seems to me that there is a lot less worthwhile information available on FB. I never really see any good tech or information on FB, its mostly a comment on a photo or some general tidbit somebody did then its on to the next thing. I personally miss the forums, even if I dont post all of the time i still read thru most every day.
 
I haven't wheeled in 5 years. I still show up here periodically as a habit during my morning coffee. All the old personalities left the forum/got busy with life/got out of wheeling and facebook being front and center has kept the new crowd from bothering to seek out any other sources of information.
 
I think forums got complacent, and forgot about users. Facebook hired teams of psychologists to figure out how to get you addicted to something, and the did a great job according to the numbers.

However, I do think we could do some restructuring around here to encourage folks, and give that instant gratification so many seem to enjoy. I've been hesitant to implement some ideas, but if you think the forum is dying, let's do a hail mary.
 
Blackbeard said:
I think forums got complacent, and forgot about users. Facebook hired teams of psychologists to figure out how to get you addicted to something, and the did a great job according to the numbers.

However, I do think we could do some restructuring around here to encourage folks, and give that instant gratification so many seem to enjoy. I've been hesitant to implement some ideas, but if you think the forum is dying, let's do a hail mary.
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The hottest this forum has been in 6 years is when we were all *****ing about the monkeys in Ferguson. But even now with all this going on, hardly anyone has said anything. I wonder why it is different this time?
 
Blackbeard said:
I think forums got complacent, and forgot about users. Facebook hired teams of psychologists to figure out how to get you addicted to something, and the did a great job according to the numbers.

However, I do think we could do some restructuring around here to encourage folks, and give that instant gratification so many seem to enjoy. I've been hesitant to implement some ideas, but if you think the forum is dying, let's do a hail mary.
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What do you have in mind and what’s the worst that can happen?
 
I miss Caos 4x4,Tennessee off-road,Chucks Trucks and a couple others,I bought,sold or traded off several,searched tech and was Alrider on all of them. Last time I tried logging in on Pirate couldn’t even remember my password and frankly hasn’t been anything on there worth commenting on. I don’t do the book of faces,don’t know what a snap chat is and really never even looked to see how instagram works,call me obsolete or old school I’d rather dial up a friend than text one.
 
I don't always post but I do check this forum about 5 days a week. Love the "Post your trail ride" thread and some of the other threads in the general and tech sections.

Been stupidly busy at work and home to even turn a wrench on my jeep lately. I hope that changes soon because I just got a new cam and some other goodies for the LS. The cam alone should make it a 1000 hp engine, right? J/k
 
I still check in daily I just don't chime in as much and probably should. I've always been a sucker for junkyard tech. Trying to get the best from little investment. I have been planning a build thread on a LS,tons, LJ just need a few more parts to start. It will happen soon. I know I enjoy that stuff and hopefully it will generate more traffic.

The weekend trail riding guys are what will keep things going.
 
RustyC said:
I still check in daily I just don't chime in as much and probably should. I've always been a sucker for junkyard tech. Trying to get the best from little investment. I have been planning a build thread on a LS,tons, LJ just need a few more parts to start. It will happen soon. I know I enjoy that stuff and hopefully it will generate more traffic.

The weekend trail riding guys are what will keep things going.
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I'm the same way. I'm piecing a junkyard doubler together right now, and some hand me down 52" chevy springs, etc... Wheeling just isn't a priority for my family. We enjoy going, but I'm not going to dump tons of money on new parts if I don't absolutely have to.
 
I'm down for the Hail Mary. What are you thinking of doing Blackbeard?

I think social media in general has appealed to many because it may be simpler, even if not as good or informative. But most people tend to go for easy and quick, which is what I believe Blackbeard is referring to when he mentioned Facebook and how they try to appeal to people.
 
I thought he was referring to the fact that Social media sites like FB, twitter, tik tok , as well as video game producers have designed their sites and systems to stroke the brains pleasure center the same way drugs like Marijuana, heroin and what not due.

I would be interested in hearing what needs to be done to keep the forum alive and well. I am not interested in FB style, cause I come here for the information and not the 35% stuff.
 
felipecj said:
I'm down for the Hail Mary. What are you thinking of doing Blackbeard?

I think social media in general has appealed to many because it may be simpler, even if not as good or informative. But most people tend to go for easy and quick, which is what I believe Blackbeard is referring to when he mentioned Facebook and how they try to appeal to people.
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Do you want a yuppie from California (with a Honda Mule) "fixing" this forum? I guess we know you're Biden/Harris 2020 4 Life!
 
muddinmetal said:
Do you want a yuppie from California (with a Honda Mule) "fixing" this forum? I guess we know you're Biden/Harris 2020 4 Life!
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Well before blackbeard came along we were not even able to post pictures. I think it is in our best interest to see what he has to say, but that my 2cents.
 

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