OT -- Is THIS why the Forums are so quiet?

[Midnite]

Construction sign warning

[Gerard]

They're coming to get you, Barbara; they're coming to get you!

Gerard

[MagnusTrask]

Really, why are all boards everywhere quiet now?

[Pansity]

That's what I was wondering.  I finally got back here after not being around since September or October, and it sure seemed like traffic was light when I was MIA.  I expected to STILL be trying to wade my way through reading old posts.

On the bright side, if I manage to stay awake long enough after work tomrrow, I can start trying to catch up with the Watching Project. (Now, watch:  every time I say stuff like that something prevents me from getting back here for months at a time.)

Jeannie

[Julianka7]

Welcome back Pansity! 

[Midnite]

They're coming to get you, Barbara

LOL!

[Nelson Collins]

Really, why are all boards everywhere quiet now?

Can't speak for everywhere, but the Doctor Who Forum at gallifreyone.com has been zombie territory for days, most of the moderators (and a fair few posters) were at the annual Gallifrey One Con ast weekend  and the weekend before was the New York Comic Con, so maybe it's just the start of Con season?

[retzev]

Gerard

Gerard, is that you?

[The Doctor and K9]

Could it be because everyone and his brother seems to be over at Facebook? 

[D_Friedlander]

It depends on the forum.

I belong to the Findadeath forum, and because it's got so many categories, NOT JUST deaths, which includes a lot of current events, and separate forums for personal stuff and celebrity gossip/ commentary, it's been very busy since it started in 2007.  Start a topic there and within a couple of minutes there are a dozen views; wait five more, and there's already several replies.

On the other hand, I also belong to the Richard Bey forum, and even though it covers current events all the time, and Richard Bey is even kind enough to post (and socialize with some of the long-time members), one notices that only a half-dozen or so regulars post constantly.  Yet a couple of years ago, the posts were fast and furious, and posted by more members, as they are on Findadeath now.

This being a forum with a singular focus, *I've* probably said as much as I ever will about DS proper, plus there were the couple of years prior on alt.tv.dark_shadows (when I used to post every 2 minutes, it seems.)  Perhaps other posters feel the same?  I don't know.

 It appears that something has to happen in the DS universe to jump-start the activity again, whether it's stories about the latest DS fest, or a station willing to rerun either or both the old & 1991 DS (which brings in some new viewers who then look for more information) or talk of a new series like in 2004, or something definite about the Depp movie version.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

That's what I was wondering.  I finally got back here after not being around since September or October, and it sure seemed like traffic was light when I was MIA.  I expected to STILL be trying to wade my way through reading old posts.

If one checks out the forum stats, one can easily see that the posting pattern for October '08 through February '09 is pretty much the same as for the same period in almost every other year. For example, here's a side by side comparison for '07/'08 vs. '08/'09:

Month/Year    Total    Month/Year    Total
 October '07  1073      October '08  1746
November '07  1012     November '08  1160
December '07   759     December '08  1180
 January '08  1034      January '09  1575
February '08   563*    February '09  638*

(* as of the 17th)

There's almost always a drop off in posting in November/December (most likely because of the holidays), a rebound in January, and then another drop off in February. Perhaps in February some people are getting sick of winter and retreat to their beds until spring.    Or perhaps the posting rhythm is routinely affected by some entirely different environmental/biological factor. Who knows?    But if anything, this year's totals for the period are actually higher than they were for '07/'08 (and '03/'04 (back when discussion of the developments with the '04 pilot was generating a lot of posts - and DS was still running on Sci-Fi in '03) and '04/'05).

[The Doctor and K9]

It appears that something has to happen in the DS universe to jump-start the activity again

I'm surprised that there hasn't been more discussion about the Big Finish series.  That's certainly a major development, in my opinion. For the first time in decades we have new stories with original cast members.  Perhaps it's the audio format that puts some people off, but to me, they're as legit as the original series.  They are the first licensed stories that continue the saga of the original series. Not one of the Ross books or the comics can make that claim.  Given a choice between more stories by Big Finish and a movie with Depp, I'd go with the former.  I am EAGER to see the Depp movie and willing to view it with an open mind, but for now, I'm ecstatic about getting new tales with the original cast.