How long will it go on for?
Discussion
Interesting question
Most of the other forums I used to frequent are pretty dead now with the traffic for the various topics heading away to Facebook groups instead.
I'm not sure why as the Facebook platform seems worse rather than better as a UX for forum type threads in my view.
Thankfully PH continues to have a decent audience and mostly a good vibe.
Most of the other forums I used to frequent are pretty dead now with the traffic for the various topics heading away to Facebook groups instead.
I'm not sure why as the Facebook platform seems worse rather than better as a UX for forum type threads in my view.
Thankfully PH continues to have a decent audience and mostly a good vibe.
Monkeylegend said:
Well we already know it was still around on Wednesday 7th February 2052 so quite a few more years to go yet.
It will see me out, I will be 99 by then.
Don't wanna miss out on your 100th do you?It will see me out, I will be 99 by then.
Keep eating your
If you think he looks 'old'...
that's cos he's 107.
m3jappa said:
Pistonheads that is.
I have been on here for over 18 years!
Thats quite a long time, pistonheads also seems pretty busy still, basically morphing into some kind of mumsnet for men.
But then i thought, how long will it last? another 20 years? Why would it stop?
Having been a member of "chat rooms" for thirty years, the vast majority of which no longer exist, the lifecycle seems like this:I have been on here for over 18 years!
Thats quite a long time, pistonheads also seems pretty busy still, basically morphing into some kind of mumsnet for men.
But then i thought, how long will it last? another 20 years? Why would it stop?
They start out as meeting places for people with a common interest and are friendly. It becomes "our thing".
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it.
The membership grows, social events are arranged, the word gets about, you can post what you want with impunity for the most part. There is only one moderator, and it's the owner. Who is "light touch" and one of the gang.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it.
The membership grows some more and it's becoming a bit of a thing. Advertisers are on board in a small way, but nothing spectacular.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it.
The membership grows some more, the owner appoints some moderators, but they are the original guys and it's fine. Nothing much changes (unless it's one of those sites where the owner is essentially the school bully, to whom the new moderators suck up).
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it.
The owner believes that the chat room is a device for drawing traffic to the "main site" and whatever that does to make money. "It's all about the chat".
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it.
The site grows some more. No money is being made, but there is now a good sized user base.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it and sells it to a bigger player, who is going to grow the site and leverage the userbase. They have been "sold to" by the original owner.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it. There are big promises about "you won't believe how good this is going to be guys".
New moderators are appointed. They aren't the original guys. They are essentially the school prefects and are more interested in keeping order than the ethos of the site. Censorship begins, members start to received warnings.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it. The promised improvements don't arrive.
The site is starting to look more clunky. Rival sites set up but don't work, because they don't have that original nucleus.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it.
The moderation team has grown and become more megalomaniac. Bans are being handed out.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it. Sells to a bigger player / media group.
The membership is diminishing due to a malignant atmosphere, competition in other places and members just moving on.
The site tech has become sheddy.
The new owner believes that their main site is what it was about all along.
The chat forum closes.
A breakaway group sets up a new site, using chat software they found online and a dozen or so carry on like the old blokes playing cards in the corner of the cheapest pub in the town.
vikingaero said:
A lot of companies block access to forums as did my current company. Then I found out I had access by going through PH site to the forum. So I have about 17 years until retirement, and work hard to post on PH. 
What is scary is I first joined PH in the outset of my career (using a work laptop on dial up through my telephone line in my first apartment) and now I’m still on PH as I aim for retirement. My whole career. It is pretty much mumsnet for blokes nowadays and there's nothing really wrong with that. As such it fills a gap.
The fact that the PH UI still so clean and unencumbered by the nonsense that pollutes most other platforms is actually quite remarkable. If they ever change that USP then people might as well scream into the void on Facebook or Instagram.
As someone quite involved with the MLR in its earlier days I do lament what has happened to make and model specific forums. VerticalScope and their ilk are a poison on this earth.
PH, for all it's faults, should be cherished as if/when it goes there will be nothing else like it.
The fact that the PH UI still so clean and unencumbered by the nonsense that pollutes most other platforms is actually quite remarkable. If they ever change that USP then people might as well scream into the void on Facebook or Instagram.
As someone quite involved with the MLR in its earlier days I do lament what has happened to make and model specific forums. VerticalScope and their ilk are a poison on this earth.
PH, for all it's faults, should be cherished as if/when it goes there will be nothing else like it.
Shnozz said:
vikingaero said:
A lot of companies block access to forums as did my current company. Then I found out I had access by going through PH site to the forum. So I have about 17 years until retirement, and work hard to post on PH.
What is scary is I first joined PH in the outset of my career (using a work laptop on dial up through my telephone line in my first apartment) and now I’m still on PH as I aim for retirement. My whole career. I can probably claim that this site is responsible for my career in many ways as I got my second professional job (and first expat posting) from a "looking to hire" post in the jobs subforum on here and most of the rest of my career has been as a result.
I too intend to be here until I retire!
dandarez said:
Monkeylegend said:
Well we already know it was still around on Wednesday 7th February 2052 so quite a few more years to go yet.
It will see me out, I will be 99 by then.
Don't wanna miss out on your 100th do you?It will see me out, I will be 99 by then.
Keep eating your
If you think he looks 'old'...
that's cos he's 107.
Louis Balfour said:
Having been a member of "chat rooms" for thirty years, the vast majority of which no longer exist, the lifecycle seems like this:
They start out as meeting places for people with a common interest and are friendly. It becomes "our thing".
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it.
The membership grows, social events are arranged, the word gets about, you can post what you want with impunity for the most part. There is only one moderator, and it's the owner. Who is "light touch" and one of the gang.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it.
The membership grows some more and it's becoming a bit of a thing. Advertisers are on board in a small way, but nothing spectacular.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it.
The membership grows some more, the owner appoints some moderators, but they are the original guys and it's fine. Nothing much changes (unless it's one of those sites where the owner is essentially the school bully, to whom the new moderators suck up).
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it.
The owner believes that the chat room is a device for drawing traffic to the "main site" and whatever that does to make money. "It's all about the chat".
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it.
The site grows some more. No money is being made, but there is now a good sized user base.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it and sells it to a bigger player, who is going to grow the site and leverage the userbase. They have been "sold to" by the original owner.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it. There are big promises about "you won't believe how good this is going to be guys".
New moderators are appointed. They aren't the original guys. They are essentially the school prefects and are more interested in keeping order than the ethos of the site. Censorship begins, members start to received warnings.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it. The promised improvements don't arrive.
The site is starting to look more clunky. Rival sites set up but don't work, because they don't have that original nucleus.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it.
The moderation team has grown and become more megalomaniac. Bans are being handed out.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it. Sells to a bigger player / media group.
The membership is diminishing due to a malignant atmosphere, competition in other places and members just moving on.
The site tech has become sheddy.
The new owner believes that their main site is what it was about all along.
The chat forum closes.
A breakaway group sets up a new site, using chat software they found online and a dozen or so carry on like the old blokes playing cards in the corner of the cheapest pub in the town.
Very good , and time consuming.
I don't do Any other social media other other than PH. Wether I'm in the minority I don't know , maybe being born in the 50,s I can only just keep up on here.
They start out as meeting places for people with a common interest and are friendly. It becomes "our thing".
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it.
The membership grows, social events are arranged, the word gets about, you can post what you want with impunity for the most part. There is only one moderator, and it's the owner. Who is "light touch" and one of the gang.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it.
The membership grows some more and it's becoming a bit of a thing. Advertisers are on board in a small way, but nothing spectacular.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it.
The membership grows some more, the owner appoints some moderators, but they are the original guys and it's fine. Nothing much changes (unless it's one of those sites where the owner is essentially the school bully, to whom the new moderators suck up).
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it.
The owner believes that the chat room is a device for drawing traffic to the "main site" and whatever that does to make money. "It's all about the chat".
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it.
The site grows some more. No money is being made, but there is now a good sized user base.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it and sells it to a bigger player, who is going to grow the site and leverage the userbase. They have been "sold to" by the original owner.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it. There are big promises about "you won't believe how good this is going to be guys".
New moderators are appointed. They aren't the original guys. They are essentially the school prefects and are more interested in keeping order than the ethos of the site. Censorship begins, members start to received warnings.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it. The promised improvements don't arrive.
The site is starting to look more clunky. Rival sites set up but don't work, because they don't have that original nucleus.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it.
The moderation team has grown and become more megalomaniac. Bans are being handed out.
The owner is trying to work out how to monetise it. Sells to a bigger player / media group.
The membership is diminishing due to a malignant atmosphere, competition in other places and members just moving on.
The site tech has become sheddy.
The new owner believes that their main site is what it was about all along.
The chat forum closes.
A breakaway group sets up a new site, using chat software they found online and a dozen or so carry on like the old blokes playing cards in the corner of the cheapest pub in the town.
Very good , and time consuming.
I don't do Any other social media other other than PH. Wether I'm in the minority I don't know , maybe being born in the 50,s I can only just keep up on here.
loudlashadjuster said:
It is pretty much mumsnet for blokes nowadays and there's nothing really wrong with that. As such it fills a gap.
Whenever my partner sees I am on here she refers to it as "mansnet". Every other forum I have ever been a member of has either disappeared or goes months and months without a post and is effectively dead. Scoobynet was the other Forum I used about 25 years ago and I see that is on life support now with few posts. I have joined a couple of Facebook car groups but I just can't get on with the format.The thing about Pistonheads is the community and the wealth of knowledge and experience on here. If you ask a question it is pretty much certain that you will get decent replies. If you ask a question in health I am certain there are people on here that are Drs and Dentists who will reply.
The thing that surprises me is when people on here reveal their ages, I have seen lots of people mention they are in their 70s. I guess ultimately what will cause the death of this site is when literally the people get too old to use it anymore.
Be interested to know the number of new accounts that are being created and how many of them become frequent posters.
Myself, I think this is my third account and I have been on here for about 25 years in total.
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