What are you doing RIGHT NOW?

[Galahad]

The forum is the most easily found part of the South African furry community. There are a huge number of furs who found the South African furry community because of the forum. But on the other hand, the goal was never popularity. If it is mostly a beacon that brings people in and then they go to other places then that is fine too.

So, essentially, ZAFur becoming a glorified telephone book is acceptable? If that is all it ends up being, why bother calling it a forum any more? The etymology of forum even makes it more insulting to use.

I understand what you're saying. But the reality is, this place may very well likely (not going to say "will", but I've got an intuitive feel for the probability) be dead within one to two years, barring unforeseen events and assuming the current trends continue. Which I and a few others are hoping do not, and I really want to be proven wrong.

That accounts for its premier "telephone book" or "beacon" status, by the way. It won't save it forever. As more and more threads form between SA furries in the big web of the local fandom, the fewer intermediaries they need. Think of all the Telegram groups for meets and for the provinces. Or of how more and more SA furries will give Telegram details rather than a link to ZAFUR on their other accounts.

I'm not trying to be a prophet of doom. Because ZAFUR isn't dead yet and there's no guarantee it will be. But the probability can't be ignored, and it is high enough.

[Adagio]

People have been saying that for years.

Hence "protracted". But I'd wager it's accelerated in recent months.

On the empirical level, how have these strengths helped in keeping the forum activity steady if not improving it? If the answer is demonstrably "not very well", then I don't think these strengths are very strong.

Because most people don't enjoy intelligent conversation as much as they used to.
I much prefer the forum to instant messengers... I like having the opportunity to think about what I'm going to say rather than having someone complain that I'm ignoring them if I don't reply for 5 minutes.

[Galahad]

I'm tempted to point out that your last post was over 2 weeks ago and you say your preference is for the forum, but I'll just assume you were busy.

I share your taste for intelligent conversation. But not everyone does, and not everyone thinks intelligent and thoughtful conversation can be had only on the forum. Otherwise we probably wouldn't be debating over why the forum is quieter and quieter, would we? Your experience of people abusing instant chat and demanding immediate attention is valid, but not relatable to everyone or even most people.

Again, I am not trying to be aggressive. But to me it seems you two are defending a failing system. I don't see this as a confrontation; I see this as a debate that should be had.

[Adagio]

I'm tempted to point out that your last post was over 2 weeks ago and you say your preference is for the forum, but I'll just assume you were busy.

Very busy, I just pent most of the day installing a battery backup system for my clients.
I been barely keeping up with people on Telegram.

I share your taste for intelligent conversation. But not everyone does, and not everyone thinks intelligent and thoughtful conversation can be had only on the forum.

Yeah... That's true... And I don't think so. But unfortunately, conversations on TG seem to go:
"Hello"
"Hi"
"How was your day?"
"I did this and this"
"Oh! Cool. I had a sandwich"

Otherwise we probably wouldn't be debating over why the forum is quieter and quieter, would we? Your experience of people abusing instant chat and demanding immediate attention is valid, but not relatable to everyone or even most people.

Again, I am not trying to be aggressive. But to me it seems you two are defending a failing system. I don't see this as a confrontation; I see this as a debate that should be had.

I don't think your aggressive. Though it does seem like you are stirring the pot a bit... Whether that's your intention or not, I don't know.

Though I like it quiet. Not everyone likes being in a group chat where your messages gets ignored.
I hate groups on Telegram.

Forums survive cause of people like me and Rakuen.
We don't like idle chit chat. We prefer discussion. We prefer meaningful conversation.
Talking about the weather is pointless. What do we do about it? That's where my interest gets peaked.

Yeah... It gets quiet. But it's fine. I highly doubt it's going to die, because there are intelligent people keeping the discussions alive.

[Galahad]

I don't think your aggressive. Though it does seem like you are stirring the pot a bit... Whether that's your intention or not, I don't know.

I'm arguing a point, and I think I am doing it civilly. If that is stirring a pot for you, then I'm afraid you'll just have to bear it or choose not to read it. I'd hope you'd be interested in my thoughts just as I am interested in yours.

But it seems the point is barely making an impression. So I'll wrap it up with this:

If you were to make a graph of the post count per day across the last month, and compare it to a graph of the same thing about one year ago, and then two years ago, what trend would you see? I'm willing to bet a gradual decrease. You can even look at the time interval between posts on this thread (presumably the most active thread on the forum), and you'll likely see something similar, even after accounting for all the little oscillations here and there.

It's almost unanimous that if member activity is the life of the site, then this one is gradually dying. Does it have to be that way? No. Is there a way for that to change? Yes. But not much is changing, is it?

If you and Rakuen are content with the way things are, then so be it. You are the staff of the site, and you choose how it is steered. Frankly, I think this site is lacking ambition and innovation and it is moderately probable that it won't survive in the long term - but that is an estimate, and I could be wrong. So we'll see what happens.

[Rakuen Growlithe]

I've got no interest in Telegram but from the Discord groups I'm in that overlap with the forum member base, they aren't exactly hives of activity in the public chats.

Personally, I'm kind of with Adagio. Too little activity is definitely not good but too much isn't fun either. There's about 6 Discord servers that I'm in that I basically ignore because they are too active. I don't like coming back and there's more stuff than I can hope to read. For me, that kills the engagement. It was one reason I stopped really using the SoFurry forum but I'm slowly getting back into that.

[Contrast]

I don't like instant messengers. It gives me the same feeling as having an unlocked front door. I know that sounds silly, but that's the way I feel. It's "unsafe." It's like talking to real people in real time (which is the whole point), but I don't like that, especially when they can just talk to me whenever they want, at times when maybe I don't want to talk to them (looking at Skype). A forum is more like leaving notes for each other, or sometimes whole letters. Nice and safe.

[Cape_F0X]

I am also a fan of the forum's advantages Rakuen mentioned. But with so few active members, posting stuff feels like overkill to me, I can just IM the people who also might want to see it.

[Rakuen Growlithe]

I understand that but someone needs to be the first one to post things. The problem isn't that people don't visit the forum, it's just that they aren't posting. Sixteen registered members visited the forum today. Seven others were on yesterday. And a further 12 visited on Friday. That's 35 different members logged in over the past three days. The problem is only about four or five posted anything. But the people are there and will see the posts and, if it takes their fancy, will read and, hopefully, reply.

[Leeward]

We've had this debate before and neither side has a snowball's chance in hell of changing the other's mind.

[Galahad]

Then let time be the deciding factor on it all. We'll see what happens, and hope for the best. This dead horse has been beaten enough times for the staff to be aware. What they do next is up to them.

[Leeward]

It's official: I need glasses.

[Rakuen Growlithe]

I'm back after work retreat. Found out a friend already found my furry profiles a few months ago.

[Animew]

This dead horse has been beaten enough times for the staff to be aware.

NOT QUITE YET!

UwU/ it is abundantly clear that the forum will simply die without people like me stirring shit. i've warned the adminship time and time again that if you don't stir shit it buns to the pot... and this is exactly whats happening here... shits all coagulated and stiff as moll-asses.

all in all its a symptom of a larger problem, new people don't post because there is nothing going on. the regulars don't post because the regulars are all sick of each other and they just ignore people like me trying to make trouble because they dont wana get baited... and why is that? >w< because whenever something starts getting lively BAM! it gets locked... UwU not saying ya'll should embrace anarchy and let furs flame each other, just saying that instead of whipping out the easy solution in the form of locking it, why not just... oh i dont know, ADDRESS WHAT THE TRANSGRESSORS ARE TRANSGRESSING!? =w= for instance first transgression you warn a guy lightheartedly by telling him what rule he is breaking second time he does it give him an actual warning and if he does it again give him a week off the forum... but NUUUUUUH the moment a debate starts getting lively your first thought is to shut the entire thing down... and nobody wants to be THAT GUY that ruined it for everyone else, so no one dares get baited into speaking their actual mind. UwU/ that's just not cricket, firedog. i mean the furry yellow pages was eaten and violently digested by this place as far as i know... you dont see people turning into cheeseburgers from old age do you?


and just so i'm not that guy that gets the only living thread locked for derailment:
\OwO/ i'm watching AGGretsuko! its freaking adorable! its freaking fluffy! its also pretty damn funny! you all should totes watch it this instant!

look! its even safe for pokemonic consumption!

[Cape_F0X]

I'll pass on that, will kill time with more manly things, like going to the shooting range tomorrow morning.

[Galahad]

i've warned the adminship time and time again that if you don't stir shit it buns to the pot... and this is exactly whats happening here... shits all coagulated and stiff as moll-asses.

Maybe "stirring the pot" should be the next art competition theme. Satirical. I like it. We'll even have Adagio as its guest of honour.

[Animew]

I'll pass on that, will kill time with more manly things, like going to the shooting range tomorrow morning.

UwU/ we all know that this "shooting range" you speak of is actually
\OwO/your sock!

We'll even have Adagio as its guest of honour.

have boba snep as the pot police? i'm down with that. Owo art competition seems to be grinding to a halt tho <w< it needs more stirring!

[Cape_F0X]

No, I'm going to get my firearms license. Leave my body out of this.

[Contrast]

\OwO/ i'm watching AGGretsuko!

I remember watching Aggressive Retsuko back when it first came out. Watched about 50 of them, then sort of forgot about it. Now all of a sudden there's this huge influx of Aggretsuko art flooding the internet, leaving me in the unenviable position of "hipster hypocrite", where I want to be able to say "I was into Aggretsuko before it was cool!" but I can't, because I never actually finished it. :/

Welp, the episodes are only like, 1 minute long (except for the ONA's), so it won't take too long to catch back up.

[Animew]

Leave my body out of this.

Ow< but you have such a cute body cape, i don't wana leave it out of aaaanything.
(/ﾟ3ﾟ)/ ~sekuhara intensifies!

so it won't take too long to catch back up.

Owo dude does kissanime still work for you tho? i've downloaded like the first 50 episodes but when i went to download the rest i couldn't get on the website. has it been hacked again or is the problem on my side?

[Galahad]

It is 2018, and I am sitting here with a common cold, with my nose blocked and throat that feels like I had an overly intimate encounter with 60-grade sandpaper. Why have we not conquered the rhinovirus yet? >:/ ... No, seriously. I am curious. What specifically about viruses makes them so evasive to treatment? Time to Google!

[Contrast]

Owo dude does kissanime still work for you tho?

Yes, it still works for me. Are you using the right one, though? There are tons of copy-cats out there. The official one is KissAnime.ru

[Animew]

Yes, it still works for me. Are you using the right one, though? There are tons of copy-cats out there. The official one is KissAnime.ru

yup, using that one, or at least trying to. it no wants to let me in.

[Leeward]

It is 2018, and I am sitting here with a common cold, with my nose blocked and throat that feels like I had an overly intimate encounter with 60-grade sandpaper. Why have we not conquered the rhinovirus yet? >:/ ... No, seriously. I am curious. What specifically about viruses makes them so evasive to treatment? Time to Google!

Extremely fast rate of mutation.

[Cape_F0X]

Leave my body out of this.

Ow< but you have such a cute body cape, i don't wana leave it out of aaaanything.
(/ﾟ3ﾟ)/ ~sekuhara intensifies!

Thanks?

[Contrast]

Yes, it still works for me. Are you using the right one, though? There are tons of copy-cats out there. The official one is KissAnime.ru

yup, using that one, or at least trying to. it no wants to let me in.

Are you using an adblocker? It won't let you dl anything if you're using an adblocker.

[Animew]

nah i disabled the add blocker even. <w< i probably got some virus from all the porn sites they redirected me to... i'm starting to get a real distaste for that website, luring me in with their ripe juicy anime then spamming the fuck out of me... TIZ ABUSE! HORRIBLE ABUUUSE!

Extremely fast rate of mutation.

UwU/ that's just an old wives tale Lee, everyone knows its because the pharmaceutical industry makes billions off selling a new flue vaccine every season... its basic capitalism, an industry that makes money off sick people wont go around eradicating illness. that would put them out of business.

Thanks?

you're welcome....

yummyassloking.jpg (7.22 KiB) Viewed 13895 times

[Leeward]

Extremely fast rate of mutation.

UwU/ that's just an old wives tale Lee, everyone knows its because the pharmaceutical industry makes billions off selling a new flue vaccine every season... its basic capitalism, an industry that makes money off sick people wont go around eradicating illness. that would put them out of business.

Sure, and chemtrails are giving us all cancer too so we should all start eating kale and African potatoes and wear tinfoil hats.

[Animew]

and chemicals are giving us all cancer too

i know right! don't even get me started on chemicals! did you people know that according to the Medical Research Council of South Africa, over the past five years, a total of 3 000 deaths were caused by dihydrogen oxide inhalation!? UwU/ its pretty lethal stuff people... yet it gets released by households and factories daily. approximately 75% of all dihydrogen oxide fatalities in South Africa each year occur among young children under the age of five years!

FOR GODS SAKE! THINK OF THE CHILDREN PEOPLE!

and wear tinfoil hats.

naturally, you wouldn't want your brains to be cooked unevenly after all. that's common sense.

[Adagio]

Extremely fast rate of mutation.

UwU/ that's just an old wives tale Lee, everyone knows its because the pharmaceutical industry makes billions off selling a new flue vaccine every season... its basic capitalism, an industry that makes money off sick people wont go around eradicating illness. that would put them out of business.

Sure, and chemtrails are giving us all cancer too so we should all start eating kale and African potatoes and wear tinfoil hats.

Don't forget that they are listening to your conversations on your cellphone. All of us... And that weather is caused by drones...