The missing DS members conundrum

fefsterfefster Posts: 7,388
Forum Member
It's been pretty quiet on here lately. It seemed like less threads and less posts every time i come on here.

I went on Wayback machine and did a bit of a calculation. It's pretty accurate although I couldn't get the exact number of posts for all the months. I would say it's 95% accurate though.

So in 2012, there were an average of 513,318 posts per month

In 2013, there were an average of 561,478 posts per month (missing a big chunk of Jan here so this is a low estimate)

In 2014, up until end July, there have been 429,007 posts per month

Now you could say that there would be more posts in winter, however that is going to be a tough average to catch up.

Finally, I could only go up to July because they have removed the total posts box from the top of the forum!

Where has everyone gone?
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Comments

  • Hugh JboobsHugh Jboobs Posts: 15,316
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    fefster wrote: »
    Where has everyone gone?

    Probably been banned, mostly.
  • bluebladeblueblade Posts: 88,859
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    Too many people being shouted down - voted with their feet.

    Just one theory among many. In reality - who knows ?
  • Si_CreweSi_Crewe Posts: 40,202
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    I seem to recall that 2013 was definitely the year of the serial troll.
  • AddisonianAddisonian Posts: 16,377
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    There are quite a few former prolific posters that I can think of who I don't recall seeing on here for a while. Cheeky beggars must have got themselves one of those 'life' things.
  • contrariancontrarian Posts: 1,475
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    crap redesign

    terrible smilies

    page one stand-ups

    constant "troll accusation"

    other better forums
  • AndrueAndrue Posts: 23,351
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    fefster wrote: »
    Where has everyone gone?
    We're coming out of recession. There are fewer idle unemployed buggers around :D
  • SunnierSunnier Posts: 850
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    Not being able to post ( or read other posters opinions ) on a well known topic* is not fair and has meant not taking DS as a truly open or important forum.

    Could this have put some ppl off this Discussion Forum?

    Just an opinion. :)
  • zx50zx50 Posts: 91,227
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    I have noticed that it's been quite quiet on the forums lately. A lot of people in this forum didn't take too kindly to the forum layout being designed in such a basic and dull way. It's not too bad, but I wouldn't say it's anywhere near enough to draw people in though. It doesn't really have that much life in it.
  • dee123dee123 Posts: 46,195
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    zx50 wrote: »
    I have noticed that it's been quite quiet on the forums lately. A lot of people in this forum didn't take too kindly to the forum layout being designed in such a basic and dull way. It's not too bad, but I wouldn't say it's anywhere near enough to draw people in though. It doesn't really have that much life in it.

    You are correct. A lot who complained about it being too white and hurting their eyes are long gone.
  • CravenHavenCravenHaven Posts: 13,953
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    maybe the flat blocks of colour was supposed to render easier for mobilez and ipadz
    Maybe the occasional users came back one day to see the new layout and like a disappointed lover went "I'm not sure who you are anymore"
    :p
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,182
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    One word; whitewash.
  • Miss XYZMiss XYZ Posts: 14,023
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    It's been a lot quieter on here for ages now. Four of my favourite posters rarely post these days, so for me personally this place just isn't the same. The new layout may have driven a few away but I suspect many who have stopped posting have done so for other reasons.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 294
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    People come and go I guess. Sometimes as has been said earlier, people actually find out that there is a real life out there away from forums.
  • RadiomaniacRadiomaniac Posts: 43,510
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    Crap forum redesign, nothing else.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 294
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    Crap forum redesign, nothing else.

    It has to be more than that.
  • CentaurionCentaurion Posts: 2,060
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    I would wager a few missing posters are in the clink or have been sectioned for their own safety.
  • DavidTDavidT Posts: 20,225
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    blueblade wrote: »
    Too many people being shouted down - voted with their feet.

    Just one theory among many. In reality - who knows ?

    Too many being banned from rising to baiters/trolls as well I think. Often the baiters are free to do what they want as the mods don't seem to look at what has happened but just ban someone from one post in response to something worse.

    And DS is much more strict these days about what "hot" topics they allow to be discussed. Their forum, their rules but when the same topics are freely discussed elsewhere it does have an impact here. Don't like when the baiters, etc get their wish of getting threads closed down because they don't like them. Disrupting a thread purely to get it shut down.

    A lot of former good posters are gone from the football forum after losing their rags with some posters and now look at the state of it in there.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 294
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    Some people might post on other forums and they could just be taking a short break from here.
  • YosemiteYosemite Posts: 6,192
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    contrarian wrote: »
    other better forums

    Could you provide links please?
  • Miss XYZMiss XYZ Posts: 14,023
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    Crap forum redesign, nothing else.

    The redesign has absolutely nothing to do with why some have stopped posting.
  • zx50zx50 Posts: 91,227
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    Miss XYZ wrote: »
    The redesign has absolutely nothing to do with why some have stopped posting.

    If by some you mean all those that stopped posting not long after the new forum layout was first seen, then some of those who left could very well have left because of it.
  • fefsterfefster Posts: 7,388
    Forum Member
    contrarian wrote: »
    crap redesign

    terrible smilies

    page one stand-ups

    constant "troll accusation"

    other better forums

    I'm guessing a combination of these factors, however a 20% drop in posts is seriously bad. That is 100,000 posts less a month! Is that why the total post count is gone from the top do you think?
  • zx50zx50 Posts: 91,227
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    fefster wrote: »
    I'm guessing a combination of these factors, however a 20% drop in posts is seriously bad. That is 100,000 posts less a month! Is that why the total post count is gone from the top do you think?

    I had wondered why that had disappeared for.
  • d'@ved'@ve Posts: 45,452
    Forum Member
    Facebook, Twitter and tablets.

    Missing rolleyes smiley. <rolleyes>
  • fefsterfefster Posts: 7,388
    Forum Member
    zx50 wrote: »
    I had wondered why that had disappeared for.

    Looks like it got taken off sometime in August
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