The fascination about message boards...?

[Yvon Hawke 0]

I was just thinking about something.

 

Last year in 'that other forum' I started accessing the message boards and readin them because in my whole simming career there I never really had posted nor read them. In an effort on becoming more involved with the USS Ranger sim to make it better than it already was, I figured the boards would be a good source of communication with others since I didn't have their screen names, nor knew most people outside of the Ranger. I also wanted to become more aware of my surroundings and goings-on in the forum. Well, take away the obvius that was occurring at the time and the boards were dirt inactive. I stayed out of what was going on because A) I had come into it in the middle of everything and had no place and ;) I didn't want to make any enemies. Choice words I had in mind at the time would probably have gotten me kicked right off the online service altogether. But, that's for another drunken stupor conversation.

 

But, since I only watched and never played that message board game, I never really got into boards in general.

 

As I started to learn a 3D art program and finding 3D models of starships, I came across two sites that helped me out a lot and I became active on their message boards and conversed occassionally. As time crept along, I found myself joiing up with numerous boards including this one most recently. And, with inevitable events one the way in 'other' places, I needed to prepare for the worst. I needed to begin setting up WebRanger so that the USS Ranger sim would have a home and not left without any money in Wakita. Plus, people on a Y! Group wanted to have a place to shoot the bull and I needed something for my friends.

 

I did some looking around, asked questions, blah blah and so on. I found myself creating a board for my own purposes.

 

And then, it kinda hits me. What' so cool about message boards? I mean, why is it I love them so much. All they are is a communicatin forum. Why am I always excited when I see a new mail that appears like, "[email protected] Reply to Topic Notification"?

 

Is it the functionality? The appearance? The fact I can have an avatar? I really don't know.

 

But, it makes me wonder. And, I put this out to all of you: What do you find fascinating about message boards? Why do they seem to act as a chocolate substitute?

[HyperDrive 0]

Now I don't know about a chocolate substitute, but message boards are a very entertaining thing.

 

Forums help people understand one another, and helps them give information out that they want to share (and also helps take away from a lot of excess OOC chatter in the sims ::looks at Fred and Ridire:: Sorry, guys. ;)) Of course, even then, there is some OOC chatter (that for some reason, I get in trouble for. Anyone got a guess as to why? hehehe - I am such a riot....).

 

So, message boards help get a point across. They help a group of peopel become more like "family" versus just seeing each other once a week. They help us share ideas, facinations, and just random subjects. They get in depth with the users, with polls, questions, and curiousities. You see, with message boards, you get views from people all around the world. And, when you post in a topic, you  always want to know what others think about it, so that keeps you coming back, and reading what everyone has to say.

 

Anyways, this post is surely worth .03 cents. (sheesh, I'm gonna get a bill from the webmaster here soon... these posts are killing my coin jar!)

 

HD

[Garnoopy 0]

Why do they seem to act as a chocolate substitute?

Excuse me, nothing can substitute for chocolate. Not even Star Trek...

[Webmaster 20]

Community discussion groups have ALWAYS been a popular area on any website.  It's become a place for people to share and exchange ideas with people whom they normally would not have a chance to interact with.

 

Imagine... here we can talk to people on a daily basis who live on the other side of the country and even on the other side of the world.  We're not limited by proximity and other factors.  We can share ideas without necessarily "endangering" ourselves.  The fear of not being accepted is not nearly as bad online as it is "in real life".  We can share ideas and feelings more openly without feeling like we're putting ourselves on the line.  

 

With Ikonboard itself...  in the past year, there have been over 200 MILLION downloads of the software.  That is just Ikonboard in the past 12 months.  Throw in products such as InvisionBoard, YaBB, XMB, phpBB2, and all the rest....  we're talking about BILLIONS of downloads.

 

Communication is something very important to us as humans.  We enjoy sharing thoughts with each other, and reaching out to others.  Message boards are a great way of doing that with people who have somewhat similar interests as you have.  You can share your ideas and thoughts without being available at the same time everyone else is, you can participate from the privacy of your own home, and lots of other things.  :)

 

Those are just some general thoughts on why boards are popular.  Personally here with STSF's boards... I'd like to say our boards are popular because of the people themselves participating.  We have a great group of people who interact here, we're friendly, funny, and we care about each other.  What more could ya ask for?  :D :)

 

BTW...  I have to quote and respond to a couple of things here.  I could not help myself...

 

Why am I always excited when I see a new mail that appears like, "[email protected] Reply to Topic Notification"?

Because you know it's associated with me!!  ;) :)  Why else?  Everyone always feels good when they get an e-mail from me!

 

Anyways, this post is surely worth .03 cents. (sheesh, I'm gonna get a bill from the webmaster here soon... these posts are killing my coin jar!)

Don't worry!  Bills are mailed bi-weekly on Saturday mornings.  Yours will go out tomorrow!  hehe  (And I think yours this month is in the triple digits!  wooo hooo!  I'll be able to afford that trip to Risa pretty soon at this rate.)

[FredM 0]

Community discussion groups have ALWAYS been a popular area on any website.  

Hey there,

 

I think that about sums it up.

[Captain Huff 0]

I just like the color of my text and the lava lamp.

[Webmaster 20]

:::wonders if he should randomly change Huff's avatar throughout the week to keep her on her toes:::  Nah....  she's still got dirt on me.  lol  Mamma always said....  don't play in the mud unless ya wanna get dirty.  ::D: