Quiet Again

[Gareth]

It's funny how we get these quiet spells. People must come here, get what they need, and disappear again. I don't mind that - all I want to do is help people. I thought there'd be more long term 'chatters' by now though. But that's me just thinking again...

[JonW]

I suspect they're all out in their bikinis and budgie-smugglers, G., enjoying the sun.
Before we know it, it'll be like Piccadilly Circus at rush hour all over again.
That I swear,
Jon, in sunny Hove but not for much longer...

[Peter]

I thought there'd be more long term 'chatters' by now though. But that's me just thinking again...

Yes, that surprises me too. Some people have posted hundreds of posts in the past and just disappear. We're the victims of our own success. *joke* No news, is good news, right? We'll just keep things going. I still have lots of things in my head that I want to address here. Just waiting for the right time/mood etc.
Peter

[Gareth]

We'll just keep things going.

I'll be at this forever. This is a lifetime's work for me.

[Peter]

I'll be at this forever. This is a lifetime's work for me.

I know, Gareth! You can count on me too!
Peter

[JonW]

"Some people have posted hundreds of posts in the past and just disappear."

Sounds like the plot to a very poor thriller.

[MiM]

Been here less than a year, but I definitely self identify as a long term chatter. Maybe that's because there is definitely no going out in budgey-smugglers this time of the year, where I live (unless you are into winter bathing, which is quite popular too, and also something that will definitely pull you into the present moment).

I believe Gareth might be quite on spot with "People must come here, get what they need, and disappear again". And I believe there is an aura in the forum that might be behind it.

What I am talking about is that most of the discussions here are of a "question-and-answer" type and there is somewhat of a division in "teachers-students" too. Not in any way do I think these are deliberate, but they are still there. And the aura created from these does not really encourage much chatting.

[JonW]

"What I am talking about is that most of the discussions here are of a "question-and-answer" type and there is somewhat of a division in "teachers-students" too."

That's an excellent point and undeniably true.
We did have a chat function here which we kind of hoped would encourage a more chatty ambience on the forum. But nobody, literally nobody, used it. I think two messages were posted in about twelve months and one of those was from me, predicting (somewhat rashly) that Belgium were going to win the World Cup.
Jon

[Peter]

What I am talking about is that most of the discussions here are of a "question-and-answer" type and there is somewhat of a division in "teachers-students" too.

That's true indeed, but I use A LOT of forums (couldn't emphasize that enough ), and this is just inherent to forums in general. Almost all forums have people that ask questions (are looking for answers), and a small number of (expert) people provide the answers. Then the people who asked the questions are off again, and the 'experts' stay.
Peter

[MiM]

Hmm, then we have been to different kinds of forums. I cannot claim to use forums ALOT, but still quite a few, and most of them have a much more even spread of user expertise and a lot of discussion going on.