What has happened?

Collinsone is right.  I've not been here as long as you have, Scott.  However, I've seen these forums fluctuate in activity levels.  I've noticed that posting comes and goes, as do members.  It's not just that members leave, but weather changes and people get out from in front of their computers and do stuff in the real world.  I've seen YOU go weeks at a time not posting.  It happens, it's life.  It flows like a tide.  The Ebb and Flow of a forum. 

I work on a very BUSY forum as a moderator elsewhere.  We're talking... 400 people online at ALL TIMES busy, sometimes thousands.  Even that forum has it's busy times and slow times, and it's not just time of day, but day of the week, week of the year, holidays, changes that happen with the content being discussed, world affairs, etc...

The beautiful thing about a forum is, you post something and someone can see it right away.  They can check on the happenings.  THEN they can come back later on when they have time to sit in front of the computer for a bit and draft up a reply.  The content will still be there.  I think, maybe... you're seeing the ebb and feeling the PULL of social media and smart phones where everything is always happening RIGHT NOW.  Forums are... whenever you get to it.  That's why they're still my favorite!  I never feel the need to be here 24/7 worried I'll miss something.  Nope.  The good stuff will still be here down the line.

BTW - One post about something is sufficient in the proper section.  There's no need to cross post in other sections. Just give people time to see your message and reply.  Relax.  Social Media is like a discussion on public transit - quick, rushed, in your face.  Forums are like a discussion over a 5 course meal. 

since i joined...well a while ago, the one thing i have noticed is that weekends from friday, seem to get very few posts. i guess that means that people are busier on fridays?
my daughter is on FB and some other sites and her phone is peeping every couple of seconds! what i'd like to know is why do people think the rest of the world need to know when they've gone to the shop for a loaf of bread? (that's not what i was going to put here but it is cleaner )

I see I woke some people up. LOLOL OK Amy soft point taken. (maybe I just miss seeing the old gang around as much as I used to.)  I was doing that because some may not even care to look in the gadgets section since they are not into that, or maybe dont look in anything but the general chat room.

I`m still here. But I am a little over 40. Weekends are my time.

I'll throw in my 2-bits. (Inflation ya know?)

But first I gotta tell you. Love the avatar and sig lines. Been meaning to mention this since the first time I read them but never got around to it.  I didn't see it when it was new but when it went into syndication I used to watch Firefly whenever it was on. 

But on to your concerns.

I've been here a little over two years. When I joined, it wasn't a really active forum. Yes, there were new posts every day but not pages of them like another forum I visit. Usually a half dozen or so a day. It was a small core group that did all the posting and that actually intimidated me somewhat. But it all worked out. A friendlier group you couldn't ask for.

I don't know what it was like before I got here but from my point of reference, the forum has become more active; especially in the last 8 months or so. There are quieter times where things slow down a bit but overall I've seen an increase in participation since my newbie days. Maybe it's because I'm in the "Over 40" crowd but I enjoy the closeness of a smaller group. It feels more like a family or a group of long time friends.

Like Amy said; members come and go. I've left quite a few forums behind for one reason or another. Usually because they went in a direction that didn't appeal to me. Then there are times when life gets in the way and I spend more time doing the everyday things that need done.

And you're right about the gadgets. I tried the electric guitar a couple years ago and didn't enjoy playing it. Yes it was easier on the fingers but I find  the acoustic to be so much more expressive. I sold the SG back in December. Couldn't see any reason to keep it around when it didn't get used.  I don't use any effect pedals, amps or other electronic stuff so I rarely go in to that section. Although I'm going to get myself a loop station this year. One of the guys I play with got one over the winter. What a cool device!

So hang in there.

You know I still love ya right?   

I also have a post to put up... SOON... that I think you'll like.  It's going to be in the ELECTRIC section!  (soon... could be days or weeks... I'm not sure yet)

In the mean time - I have a random completely off topic photo of an adorable creamy chick currently living in my house.  Since I can't decide where to post her fluffiness, and I reprimanded you publicly for forums no-no's, I figure I might as well do one too.  Cuz, yeah... us bad kids gotta stick together!  SMILE!  It's good for ya!

It'll get busier around here again.  I'm sure of that!  A LOT of people use Chordie just for what Chordie is, and they don't care about the forums.  Like - a LOT of people!  This site is actually REALLY busy.  Maybe forums are going out of style.  If that's what you mean by the "under 40" crowd.  Yes, I think the younger peeps just aren't into forums. They don't get it, because they ARE using other social media and like the instant gratification.  I'm barely hanging onto my 30's myself.  My early internet days were all about forums and chat rooms full of strangers all talking on one specific topic. Even MySpace - the original social media website - used to function more like a forum. 

<cue black and white photo filter and some hillbilly music>   My first cell phone was a "flip phone" that I got as an adult and only used to make emergency type calls. I recall the first time I couldn't find a payphone and thought, "crud, time to make a daytime phone call and jack up my bill!"  Ha ha - remember when nights and weekends were the only time you used the cell?  When Jim and I were first married and he was working out of town texting wasn't a thing.  I remember SNAIL MAILING him at the motel he was staying in.  I sent a few photos of the baby (who is now 11 and has her first cell phone - SMART phone, a computer in her pocket) getting her first teeth.  No one does that anymore.  Now we would just text that picture, post it to Facebook and tag the person, or chat on skype with live video!  OH - and I remember phone numbers with letters in them, and we had a "party line" at our house when I was a kid to save money.  I remember when we got the TV with a REMOTE. It was HUGE - a whole 25" maybe.  It didn't have rabbit ears or a tin foil hat either! AND, we got more than 4 channels on it!  <end photo filter and hillbilly music>

I LOVE TECHNOLOGY!  Times change, but I still love forums.    Don't get me wrong, I like Facebook and stuff too.  But, I love the slow pace of forums, and how I can say something (you know, write a book) then come back to view the replies whenever the heck I feel like it.

OK - so what do you want to talk about next? 

keep It real
hey not being able to sing & play hasn`t stopped me from going on soundcloud.
I`m useless @ tech stuff too,but soundcloud is pretty easy.
Give it a go.You won`t regret it.

im just gonna sit quietly in the corner