Comics UK

On many occasions over the last few months I have logged in only to find that there has been no sign of life since my previous visit, which has often been some hours earlier. This afternoon has been no exception. I've just signed in as the fifth member, and I find that the other four are Bing [Bot], Google [Bot], Google Feedfetcher and Majestic-12 [Bot], as lively and knowledgeable a quartet of posters as you could ever wish to meet. Have we already said everything there is to say about comics, or is our enthusiasm going out of the window, or am I just being paranoid?

I think you're just being paranoid. I check in every day even if I don't always post, and there's generally a fair bit of acttivity, just not necessarily during the day. Perhaps people have better things to do than be online when the sun is shining, or are even >shudder< working?

I'm not here because I'm on holiday in Spain...... with Wi-Fi http://comicsuk.co.uk/forum/posting.php ... 145&t=6218#

Apart from my contribution by starting this thread, and Shiner's, as he is merely explaining why he can't post, there have been just seven posts in twelve hours, from five different members as Muffy and japandroid have posted two each. I accept Tony's argument but even so five isn't at all what we are generally used to. Maybe I'm getting the wrong impression but it really doesn't feel like it. At this moment the only other member signed in is klakadak ploobadoof.

All forums go through peaks and troughs, with the height of summer and Christmas being the two traditionally quiet periods.

I have encountered other specialized forums where member contribution has been hit a lot harder than currently on this one however, and who never appear to recover from their lack of activity.

Yes it has been fairly quiet on here recently, but I'm sure things will pick up again before too long.

These are hard times for message boards in general. I've heard tell it's something to do with facebook.

dishes wrote:These are hard times for message boards in general. I've heard tell it's something to do with facebook.

Today, between 6.42am and 9.40pm there have been just four posters on ours. I'm sure that there will be different reasons for this in all cases but numbers don't lie, and there just seems to be a downward trend, interspersed with the odd flurry of activity, which I feel has been obvious for some months.

Phoenix wrote:

dishes wrote:These are hard times for message boards in general. I've heard tell it's something to do with facebook.

Today, between 6.42am and 9.40pm there have been just four posters on ours. I'm sure that there will be different reasons for this in all cases but numbers don't lie, and there just seems to be a downward trend, interspersed with the odd flurry of activity, which I feel has been obvious for some months.

I belong to several boards. Most of them are seeing less traffic than they did a couple of years ago and this is by no means the least active.

Phoenix wrote:On many occasions over the last few months I have logged in only to find that there has been no sign of life since my previous visit ... This afternoon has been no exception.

It's the summer. Many of the sites I visit experience a drop over the summer months with the lowest figures coinciding with the UK/EU school holiday period.

Phoenix wrote:Have we already said everything there is to say about comics, or is our enthusiasm going out of the window, or am I just being paranoid?

The focus on posts isn't always the best. Posts are important but visitor numbers are also important as not everyone posts, let alone posts regularly. Who can provide those?

Phoenix wrote:On many occasions over the last few months I have logged in only to find that there has been no sign of life since my previous visit, which has often been some hours earlier. This afternoon has been no exception. I've just signed in as the fifth member, and I find that the other four are Bing [Bot], Google [Bot], Google Feedfetcher and Majestic-12 [Bot], as lively and knowledgeable a quartet of posters as you could ever wish to meet. Have we already said everything there is to say about comics, or is our enthusiasm going out of the window, or am I just being paranoid?

As the only posts in the last 24 hours have been ones on this thread discussing whether forum activity has dropped off or not I think you may have a point Derek.

I check in every day even when I don't post. I'm just busy with other stuff and, not being online at home, I only have a couple of hours online at the library every morning to do everything I need to get done online, forums, jobhunting, writing, emailing.

Because of my illness I have not had the energy to scan images - also since I moved from my flat in April most of my collection is back in storage so I can't pull out individual issues to scan on here. I posted a few items to the loading bay this morning. I have noticed there are fewer fresh topics lately.

I've seen far quieter periods than this on this site! I'm not too worried personally, there's nearly always something new for me to learn.

I read this forum every day, but seldom post. As I am normally at work, I just don't get time. I have learnt so much over the years and I have contributed when I feel like I can add something, but always the discussion is interesting. It has been a hot dry summer, that would probably explain it I think. I will try to post more in future, but am a bit of a reader not a contributor here. Your knowledge and balanced discussion needs no input from me.

I love this forum. Over the last 7 years I've not posted too much but enjoy reading others thoughts and views.

Of course people must have work and other things to do, and being August there are people on holiday.

Save our forum – can I suggest more posts about current UK magazines from the BBC (+ others) with a page or 2 of twenty-first century comic strip such as the Match of the Day, I buy for the oldest nephew, will help bring in new blood. I think it’s the only forum of it’s kind and first class.