I think there are a lot of reasons why people don't hang around on forums. One reason is, they have a life. Sad, but true. Another reason could be factors or circumstances that arise on a forum that leave a bad taste in their mouth.
For example:
I have been here for awhile, at first I liked it, helping out, doing what I could, trying to fit in with the different personalities on the board. But something has happened to change my outlook. It has to do with a post I made, in Off Topic. Was just a rant about a bad day I had while getting ready for xmas. Granted, some of the language was colorful, but I used characters to mask those bad words, ie $ and !. I received a pm from a mod, telling me to alter my post. So I did, and pm'd him back and yes, sarcasticly asking, happy now?
To which I got a reply along the lines of don't be that way or something. I can't recall, I deleted it pretty much after I read it.
Not a major factor, but it lead to something else further down this post.
Then there's the factor of my work hours, long days in fron of a pc make it hard to want to come home and sit in front of mine, but I try. Mostly because I like helping people out. But that leads to another issue. The forums themselves seem to drop out intermittently. I can click the link in my favorites, and literally go make something to drink, get on my phone, take out the trash before it comes up, if it comes up. Some days though it loads fine. So I assume it's a server issue.
And before you say, clean out your cache etc ... yeah. Don't waste your breath. I can browse anywhere at the same time, and besides the fact I work for the ISP who I get service from, and considering it's my livihood. Enough said.
That factor too makes me just click the "x" on my browser and go do something else.
The topper though, was comming in the other day, reading another post that had questionable language. Not masked at all .. and to which a moderator had replied, and mentioned nothing about editing the post, nor did he edit it himself, as they seem to do with most others. That left me thinking as to why mine was treated the way it was.
Those factors, for me, have just made me have second thoughts when I scroll my favorites and see the TF link. Sometimes I think why bother, it won't open, or if it does, I have to wonder if I will have to not post Off Topic, as sometimes I do tend to ramble.
Like now.
Just my opinion and impression.
~ Fawks
just kidding. No, we need to devise a plan that will make this new members say to themselves "hmm, I'm definitely coming back to this place!"
