Is SDF passing away???

This year would say that SDF has really slowed down as far as the number of post daily and weekly are concerned. Also the number of members on line at any given time is very, very low...In fact several times in the last few weeks I've visited the forum to find myself the only member visiting the forum.

I'm concerned that our forum is slowly passing away. It really is. There's a lack of post and lively discussion.Heck I've not given out a warning or banned anyone in over a month. It seems so dead around here...Just my opinion.

Re: What happened to these forum members????

Well, it has been quite an eventful year. Perhaps PLA-watching is out of fashion.

Re: What happened to these forum members????

When I first joint the forum I found that it is lack of some kind of democracy. You can't talk freely here, because the rules are quite strict. That's the first time when I had some conflict with some mod. I remember that BD tracked someone's IP (may be TPHuang, I can't remember axactly) when he was not in his original location. And I considered that was violation on personal privacy. I'm one of the members who read more than write (I have very few posts, and you can check), I come to SDF every 2 to 3 hours at my online time to search for new posts, but sometime there is no new post at all. BD is one the members who has most posts, and mainly pix posts. I like to read his posts, cause they are mild and make me feel easier, rather than some other mods just know how blame the members being childish and ignorant. When rules become more and more strict, the members turn away. You might tell me that we want only mature and professional members, but that the way how things happen. May be you can make an analyst, how many total members, how many active members and many average post do we have. May be the forum needs to adjust some of its policy. Just my 2 cents.

Re: What happened to these forum members????

What Steelbird is true.

This forum is very strict, professional, well mannered, and informative. The reason in my view is that people think that their knowledge or information aren't up to scratch to some other people. So the feeled ashamed or embarassed being felt like and amaturer. Moderators, I know your doing a good job in keeping the forum civilised but loosen up a bit on the newbies and people who are just starting to learn about Chinese military.

People like to talk about A vs B scenario, but everytime a thread is opened it is closed. I think it should be allowed but without the foul language.

Not stabbing the forum, just wanting to boost the forums, number of memebers and posters

Re: What happened to these forum members????

bd popeye said:

This year would say that SDF has really slowed down as far as the number of post daily and weekly are concerned. Also the number of members on line at any given time is very, very low...In fact several times in the last few weeks I've visited the forum to find myself the only member visiting the foirum.

I'm concerned that our forum is slowly passing away. It really is. There's a lack mof post and lively discussion.Heck I've not given out a warning or banned anyone in over a month. It seems so dead around here...Just my opinion.

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Its been a very slow year for PLA watching. I think more like PLAN watching, seems the order of people's interests are ships (not subs) > planes > tanks > subs > rocketry (spaceflight or strategic missiles), and it seems the same way on the CDF too judging by the post count.

Re: What happened to these forum members????

deleted

Re: What happened to these forum members????

Thanks for the feed back gents. I hope that things pick up in the comming months.

As a reminder the reason the forum is so strict in many members view..and I'm sure you guys speak for others. Is that pack in the old "EZ board" days discussions became very childish, full of flamming and general nonsense.

EZ board is now yuku..check this out;



When Dong Feng established this forum he and the other mods at the time wanted strict guidelines of conduct so the EZ board days would not be repeated. That's why our forum is the way it is.

Thanks again for the feed back! And keep it up.

No one is forcing anyone to post in this forum nor visit here. If you guys want to take part in silly something vs. anything nationali-chauvinist penis contest marathons, There is plenty of other places of doing so. The overal idea behind the creation of new SDF was to have chinese related military forum that would be free of such carbage and would invite those to discuss chinese military matter who actually like civiliced and mature discussion.

I take personally responsibility of the general spirit and atmosphere of SDF, as I have deliberatly created it, since 2006 when Dongfeng quietly blessed my dream to create Chinese related military forum wich would stand out from other similar ones by having Civilised, kind, polite, professional and overally propriate feeling.

I know that creating one out of one of the silliest bunch of teenagers liking chinese guns was not easy task, the road was long and we are not even in middway point. But again, if you dont like it, you can always leave us. The forum agenda is IMO clear enough and demanding us to change it means that we would have to give up our dream and goal...

I personally dont like to look statistics and compete in member base strengths...Quality of posting should matter, not ammount.

IMO I see this as similar as every other autum, kids go to school, so they have less time to spend in internet = the flow of new members slows...when we hit the spring and summer, its all new generation of hazzlers to put in line and told productivly when they act ignorantly and beeing silly I have been around of us current ones propaply longest and I have not witness any drastic change of activity compared to the bigger run.

Personally I have to admit that my own participation has dwillinged considerably, as I have found new enthustiasm of drawing ships for the Shipbucket and having some personal reasons.

To be honest Popeye, I dont think this is a problem restricted to just this forum. It seems to be the case on every forum that I frequent, which means that:

a) Its because I frequent them, or

b) There is a general malaise at work.

Personally I think its b) and that this is due to a new generation of both Internet users and Software Applications which have rather taken the prominence that forums used to enjoy a couple of years ago. In short Social Networking sites and these Massively Online thingies have taken the interest for many that would previously have hung out it in places like this.

On the other side, there have been plenty of China related events this year, but they have all tended to be of a rather Political nature and not encouraged here. Add to that a rather disappointing outbreak of improved/peaceful relations around most of China's borders and a distinct lack of new sexy weapons platforms this year, then topic subjects have been rather limited.

SampanViking said:

To be honest Popeye, I dont think this is a problem restricted to just this forum. It seems to be the case on every forum that I frequent.

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I can't speak for anyone else...but for me, several factors have impacted my own attendance and posting on the forum.

1) Some health issues.

2) Very busy conditions at work.

3) The US election and current conditions (financial, geo-political, etc.) which has captured a lot of the free time and attention I do have to spend.

I believe that last one could effect numerous people in the US who might otherwise post more.

Just a thought.

It will pick back up. This place is clearly, at least in my opinion and experience, the best, most infromed, and most serious Chinese Military discussion forum operating in the English language on the net.