The future of Tech-Forums

[Yami]

i know this is a serious thread and all I post in is in the gaming thread that being said could the master race be dying off, just like the gods of olympus

If anything PC gaming has been expanding hugely over the last couple years (coinciding with the release of the latest console generation).

I think the problem is the website design. It just looks very old and 'default'. Have a look at websites like stackoverflow and tom's hardware! They have a good, modern design and it makes them look more lively and updated! If a first time visitor had a look at Tech-Forums, he/she will think that the website was abandoned years ago!

I definitely agree. The site looks very 2009, though I do adore the widescreen support of the current site.

 

[PP Mguire]

I think the problem is the website design. It just looks very old and 'default'. Have a look at websites like stackoverflow and tom's hardware! They have a good, modern design and it makes them look more lively and updated! If a first time visitor had a look at Tech-Forums, he/she will think that the website was abandoned years ago!

Tom's has looked the same for a while now, and personally I find it to be a bit brash with the way they handle things. The white is hard on the eyes and the guys over there are *******s.

i know this is a serious thread and all I post in is in the gaming thread that being said could the master race be dying off, just like the gods of olympus

Although PC gaming is becoming even bigger, it has nothing to do with that.

If anything PC gaming has been expanding hugely over the last couple years (coinciding with the release of the latest console generation).

I definitely agree. The site looks very 2009, though I do adore the widescreen support of the current site.

Yes, very much this. Was just over at Tom's and the whole site was right in the center. Sucks.

 

[Oreo]

So tl;dr

Moving to a mobile based forum will not solve all our issues. I agree with others, we need to produce content. We're not going to be able to get out day 1 reviews of the latest hardware, but we should be able to produce interesting content on new tech in some way.

 

[Yami]

So tl;dr

Moving to a mobile based forum will not solve all our issues. I agree with others, we need to produce content. We're not going to be able to get out day 1 reviews of the latest hardware, but we should be able to produce interesting content on new tech in some way.

Yup, I think that about sums it up.

 

[-RockMan-]

There is an ongoing conversation in the mods' forum regarding the current state of TF and where we are going. I am going to share a bit of that here and solicit the input of the members of the community.

In a nutshell, TF is suffering from the same malaise that is afflicting most other computer-based forums and that is less and less traffic. Desktops and laptops are not dead but the majority of tech is moving more toward mobile computing and all that comes with it. Computer forums are floundering while mobile focused sites are exploding.

From where I see it, it can mean that we remain just like we are and slowly dwindle until no one is left but a few devotees and the site shuts down. Or it can mean that we move to stop the hemorrhaging and refocus our efforts. Personally I am much more inclined to the second option.

Almost everyone has a mobile phone today, and the vast majority of those are smartphones, whether they be Android, iPhone, or a Windows phone. And what is a smartphone? A smartphone is basically a tiny computer that has mobile connectivity and a phone app when you really get down to it. The various ecosystems differ from the traditional PC but the similarities are definitely there. Most here know computers and I wager that many also know mobile computing and phones as well.

So, what do I want from you, the community?

What are your thoughts on this? What are your interests in this direction? What would you like to see? What do you not want to see? This could be a major endeavor and I want you all to be a part of it. .

http://www.howtogeek.com/183381/are-pcs-dying-of-course-not-heres-why/
You worrying too much about it, honestly if you want to consider mobile computer supporting.
Visit Toms Hardware look at how they operate also check sites that are competing against tech-forums.
Find a good niche one site is doing and success full at and apply it here.

PC Magazine would greatly benefit from, also windows mobile, apple phone ios support would be very good for this site right about now,
Read about them and keep up to date.
http://www.pcmag.com/
As for resizing the forums there are somethings that could be plucked out but I'll let staff team look at that.

Phones, Tablets, and other Handheld Devices - Tech & Computer Forums
Here's my challenge for you trotter, make this better or reshape that into a multiple mobile computing sub-forum.

Consider your staff team in general and their main strong points and apply them to your new forum or spread them out efficiently so they won't run over into different terrority on the board.

 

[zaka100]

Is renaming the website part of increasing members?

 

[Yami]

"Techist" is more of a marketable name, but if they were gonna change it I'd've dropped the "Forums" bit entirely (which they seem to have done so with the URL at least).

 

[Andy R]

"Techist" is more of a marketable name, but if they were gonna change it I'd've dropped the "Forums" bit entirely (which they seem to have done so with the URL at least).

Yes, we left the forum on there for now but in the long run we will only be called Techist.

I love the idea of the VR section. I also think we should have some sections for SaaS tools that are common for people to use to make tech things happen. For example, we might find that there is no forum for IFTTT or Zapier so we create a home for users of those services to ask questions about how to use them here. There are tons of SaaS services that this might apply to.

I don't think we need to think through the exact categories quite yet. Odds are we'll need to use a combo of categories and tags since the number of categories might be overwhelming. Plus how do you categorize a discussion about setting up an iOS device to send a TXT to you wife when you leave the office. Would that go in iOs or the service you use to trigger the event?

The short term plan is simply to change names and change nothing else. This will let Google know we switched and let them reindex the site. Then in about 6 weeks we can start to work on the next steps.

 

[-RockMan-]

Plus how do you categorize a discussion about setting up an iOS device to send a TXT to you wife when you leave the office. Would that go in iOs or the service you use to trigger the event?

The short term plan is simply to change names and change nothing else. This will let Google know we switched and let them reindex the site. Then in about 6 weeks we can start to work on the next steps.

That can be a simple one, the ios would be the one to mainly discuss about.
However there are other leading services that do the same and more with different functions.
Find out which sms/mms apps are being mostly used by people and have a top 5 list of those apps.
Anything else would fall into a different category list.

 

[Trotter]

Yes, we left the forum on there for now but in the long run we will only be called Techist.

I love the idea of the VR section. I also think we should have some sections for SaaS tools that are common for people to use to make tech things happen. For example, we might find that there is no forum for IFTTT or Zapier so we create a home for users of those services to ask questions about how to use them here. There are tons of SaaS services that this might apply to.

I don't think we need to think through the exact categories quite yet. Odds are we'll need to use a combo of categories and tags since the number of categories might be overwhelming. Plus how do you categorize a discussion about setting up an iOS device to send a TXT to you wife when you leave the office. Would that go in iOs or the service you use to trigger the event?

The short term plan is simply to change names and change nothing else. This will let Google know we switched and let them reindex the site. Then in about 6 weeks we can start to work on the next steps.

And the boss has spoken.

Thanks for the input, Andy. It is a refreshing change to have the higher-ups taking part around here.

As with any major change we are having a few growing pains but these will hopefully be addressed and corrected quickly. I am quite pleased with the initial move. I hated to not mention it in the OP but I figured everyone would assume it was an April Fool's joke.