How many members?

[welchyd1]

I'm just wondering how many members this forum has. I feel like it should be bursting with members and content but that doesn't seem to be the case. Maybe it's because I am new to the scene/sport and I'm a tad over excited by it all. 

 

[Gepard]

It tells you at the bottom of the home screen. A lot of people lurk with a couple dozen actively participating in new posts. 

 

[djben9]

.....and people come and people go, some of the more participating members are very rarely on here these days, 

 

[Arwen]

As is the case with most forms these days, many folk preference Facebook groups for some reason. 

Some of the busiest forums I visit these days are only busy due to mad moderating. Folk simply posting spam and trolling each other constantly. 

 

[RAZ0R]

I’m new to the forum but planing to stay for longer 

 

[proffrink]

Forum usually has about 30-50 people viewing it at any one time during the day. Core membership (people who post semi-regularly) is only around 30-40 though. Most ask their questions and leave or just lurk (which is fine). I'm not sure how many accounts there are but it's a fairly ridiculous number.

As mentioned, FB is easier for most, but I've found the format lends itself to those asking the same questions every week and a bunch of vapid comments underneath about how what they bought is the best option. There are some highly specialised groups that do have actual decent content, but the majority of the generic groups just tread over the same ground every month with maybe one or two genuinely interesting things here and there.

The great thing about any of the main airsoft forums is you can typically search for answers to almost every question if you're new. There's only so much going on with toy guns, but if it happens then it's typically discussed here at some point.

 

[Dentonboy]

Don't have FB... Have loved Forums since joining Arnies' a dozen years ago. 

 

[Rogerborg]

Facebook is like a stream of semi-consciousness.

 

[mimozine]

not seen any tumbleweeds on here yet....

 

[Gepard]

The great thing about any of the main airsoft forums is you can typically search for answers to almost every question if you're new. There's only so much going on with toy guns, but if it happens then it's typically discussed here at some point.

It's a shame that nobody seems to know how to use it  :lol:

 

[Fumps]

I never post here.....

.......D'oh!

 

[ImTriggerHappy]

.....and people come and people go, some of the more participating members are very rarely on here these days, 

Thats because it became shite and boring.

 

[djben9]

Thats because it became shite and boring.

yeah it did, we had that spate of the same question being asked almost every other day! 

i miss ducks long posts, it was a good read with a coffee!! :lol:

 

[proffrink]

Thats because it became shite and boring.

In what way that could - in theory - be changed?

 

[Lozart]

Thats because it became shite and boring.

In what way that could - in theory - be changed?

Any forum is only ever as good as its members. When you get an influx of new members or a change of admin then the tone of a forum can (and more often than not will) change.

As you can't always please everyone you need to ask what people want out of their forum experience and go with the majority. If that doesn't suit some people then they're free to move on and the forum will change and hopefully grow.

Yes, it gets old very quickly around the school holidays or when a new edition of CoD comes out that you get the same old questions but that's just what happens. It has happened in some way, shape or form to every forum I've ever been a member of (anyone remember Visordown?).

 

[ImTriggerHappy]

In what way that could - in theory - be changed?

The tone of the place changed we used to have some good discussions and disagreements but now it really is same old same old. 

The personality of the site changed the banter was no longer friendly and there is pages and pages of irrelevant pointless stuff. When that used to happen threads got derailed went off on a tangent and generally became fun now it is just drone drone blah blah zzzzzzzz :mellow:

 

[Lozart]

The tone of the place changed we used to have some good discussions and disagreements but now it really is same old same old. 

The personality of the site changed the banter was no longer friendly and there is pages and pages of irrelevant pointless stuff. When that used to happen threads got derailed went off on a tangent and generally became fun now it is just drone drone blah blah zzzzzzzz :mellow:

It's the people that changed though bud. A bunch of the guys that used to contribute left and so their input has gone which has in turn changed the tone. Can't be helped really. 

I agree that it has become a little.....shall we say "over sanitised"? 

 

[ImTriggerHappy]

It's the people that changed though bud. A bunch of the guys that used to contribute left and so their input has gone which has in turn changed the tone. Can't be helped really. 

I agree that it has become a little.....shall we say "over sanitised"? 

I think it was when the UI changed it all kind of died. It is awful on mobile devices and just became laborious. 

That was the start and as you say some people left or at least do not contribute like they used to. I am still in touch with some and can't see any of them coming back.

I do miss some of the weird conversations and good humoured hissy fits.

 

[Sitting Duck]

I'm just wondering how many members this forum has. I feel like it should be bursting with members and content but that doesn't seem to be the case. Maybe it's because I am new to the scene/sport and I'm a tad over excited by it all. 

Trust me, this site is one of the best sites and gets quite a bit of postings....

Airsoft Mechanics is quite dormant now

Zero-In has given up the ghost

(but a good example of post/membership list is not to be taken how great a site is)

Arnie's gets much less posts than here

The only places I still stick my head in is here & US Airsoft Society forum

Many ye olde sites have gone & some good members too

This place is non-affiliated (unlike Z1) so if we think a make/retailer is $hite we can say it

Also we are free to highlight good/crap deals (done politely-ish) without post being removed

(Try recommending any other retailer on Zero-In and see how long it lasts)

This place is quite noob friendly - within reason, (catch me on bad day and I can snap)

But think most people after say 6-12 months are kinda up to speed a bit on basics

EG - they stop asking what is best gun evvvvvaaaaahhhh

Forgetting the must have a Honey-Badger DSG Madbull bollox etc.....

So after we respond to the usual 20 questions from new players

Then encourage them to do a bit of research - like Ians' nooby guide etc....

They kinda get most of their 20+20 more questions answered

Then it is just a matter of getting out and playing peew peew with toy guns

Pop back to say hi, answer a few questions if they can, post an issue/deal

And THAT is about it really, unless some amazing stuff gets dropped/launched

Most of the posts are very often same ol' same ol' from new players

With a bit of banter here n there from regulars with dry sense of humour/sarcasim

We come from all walks of life, a range of ages, but met a few and they were all decent sports

After the initial novelty wears off a little, we are just big kids with more expensive toy guns

(some are very expensive toy guns but still peew peew toy guns)

Chill, have fun, apply a bit of common sense safety, call hits and try NOT to take it too seriously

(if possible - but we can all get a bit stressed at times, even moi the AF fool)

Cheers to all members, as been said it is the members who make this place

So cheers to all - old, absent, current members and new/noobs

Yup we can get snappy at times, but without new/noobs this place would be a lot quieter/dull

(though don't expect continual spoon feeding from Trigger's Cow & Gate section)

Happy shooting/posting/hissy fits etc....

 

[proffrink]

I can now answer this with some certainty.

Daily active users (people who post or 'react' to something within a single day) averages at ~85 people.

Weekly active users (people who post or 'react' to something within a week) averages at ~300 people.

Concurrent (i.e. online at the same time) users per day peaks at ~30 people on any given day.

Concurrent non-members (guests) peaks at ~350 people on any given day, but can easily be as low as just 100.

On average 150 new members register each month* (but I need to check this as it seems way too high).

The forum has 15,850 registered members in total and only 93% of them are spammers.