Why is sciforums traffic so low now?

[Magical Realist]

It may be with the evolution of search engines we are seeing a trend more towards getting questions answered there rather than in intimidating forums where you will be mocked and flamed by know-it-alls if you question too much past the given answer. Many times a question I have could be more easily answered on Google rather than on the forum. I have to deliberately ignore these answers in order to generate a conversation here. The discussion is certainly more rewarding socially and spurs new perspectives on what is all too often taken to be a settled and unassailable matter.

 

[krash661]

by know-it-alls

you seemed to have typed this as if it is or would be a bad thing-- funny.

 

[DaveC426913]

Pitching Sciforums at too high a technical level might just drive laypeople without much education in science away and intimidate new arrivals.

Nonono. I don't mean technical science. Just regular science.

You know, as opposed to woo.

 

[DaveC426913]

[ dupe ]

 

[exchemist]

I thank that those who enjoy teechin woud be much more effective... an content... if they woud just chuckle an move on when they conclude that they are bein "trolled"... insted of diggin in ther heels to force a confession from ther abuser... which often includes demands that mods hand out ponts... flags... warnins... bans... an on an on an on... ie... you wont get so frustrated if you dont feed you'r Troll.!!!

In concluson:::
People wit diferent ponts of view will have a chance to speek ther mind leadin to less frustration for all an site traffic will benifit.!!!

You are quite right I'm sure, but it is only natural that people who make an effort to help may become exasperated by timewasters.

Bruv.

 

[river]

You are quite right I'm sure, but it is only natural that people who make an effort to help may become exasperated by timewasters.

Bruv.

Insults are ; is ; the reason for low traffic.

This attitude can not continue .

Its not hard really to think how it would be ; to be ; in the shoes of one who is insulted.

And as well new ideas .

Perhaps ; new ideas ; need to be explored ; without some member attacking the poster.

This website can be and should be ; both of past thinking and advanced thinking .

Think of the potential .

At least consider

 

[sweetpea]

Exactly. What generates the most interest on a board like this isn't the arcane mathematical expression of string-theory, that virtually noone would understand anyway. It's the epistemological issues at the boundaries of science, where it comes into contact with religion and "pseudoscience". That's what fires everyone up and makes them feel like they have something to say.

Don't you find this already in the alternative categories. The folk there are suppose to have those 'open minds' . What's stopping or slowing down the 'great debates' there?
Farsight's own site is almost dead, yet, there are no bun-fights there, so why is that site almost dead?....if there were bun-fights they would be very stale buns with the lack of action there.

I have a simple need, I would like to understand the physics behind the models and this leads to the 'equations'. Sometimes vice versa.
We do get people here who show they misunderstand models and get 'funny' if someone tries to explain where they misunderstand some model or other. BTW I'm a learner not a teacher. I do agree that when things are explained to the 'funny' ones we all get a chance to learn by their mistakes. But, this site (did) seems to allow those same people ( funny ones) to go on and on.
all best

 

[DaveC426913]

Insults are ; is ; the reason for low traffic.

I agree with River.

If I could make only a single change to SciFo, it would be to invoke a zero tolerance policy for insults and ad homs.

 

[sunshaker]

From a point of view of a layman who loves science, who perhaps does not understand all the math, I started to come to these forums to discuss ideas and try and get some feedback from those with a background in science,
But I and many others I have seen post in this and other science forums, are attacked straight from the word go, With "woo", "word salad", "Yawn", and a lot worse from some, Yes some may be "word salad" that sometimes is the only way a "layman" can start to try and express their thoughts as they have no Math OR anywhere else to discuss their fledgling ideas, They get shot down, by the core members of these forums, so they lose that seed of interest, and disappear.

 

[DaveC426913]

It is my obsevation that this:

...try and get some feedback...

and this:

... attacked straight from the word go,..

don't coincide too often.

It is those who are not interested in feedback that are trounced.

'woo' and 'word salad' are terms applied to ideas that have already been fairly developed by the poster - or someone whom the poster admires. But they've been developed without sufficient critical thinking that would come from regular interaction with others - and the result is that the posters are too highly defensive of something they've been polishing for a long time. They reject feedback.

Science is a collaborative process among peers. It is suffocated by isolation. A mistake too many armchair hypothesists commit.

 

[krash661]

everyone whom is whining, clearly does not have a clue of both sides of this issue and are simply masking the reality of these so-called learners. we all know the actual reality--which is simply, an abundance of ignoramuses with no education, with no experience and for-sure with no background, except of a belief of their own extraordinary intellect, which in reality is nothing more than pathetic, low-level minded, nonsense.
then with all this above--comes in to these places and then insults scientist and science in general--attempting to re-establish, established science, simply because they believe they are some sort of science genius or simply they are pretending wannabes. this is the actual reality of these places.. i have said this here before-- these places are simply cesspools for the mentality disabled and the want-to-bes to play at, nothing more. then there are the ones whom believe they are intellects and simply just come here to receive their arguing fix, as they use any topic here to do so. just about five years ago, these places were different, nowadays, the pathetic-s run these sites. understanding what and whom are being insulted would help.

 

[sunshaker]

Science is a collaborative process among peers. It is suffocated by isolation. A mistake too many armchair hypothesists commit.

But that is why "armchair hypothesists" come to these forums for the "collaborative process", so they are not suffocated by isolation.
many struggle to get their ideas across, due to lack of math or even just from a lack of understanding, but most come because they do have that growing interest in the sciences. But some members do not give them a fair chance, I understand why, even though I do not post a lot, I see the same ideas getting rehashed over and over again by "new posters", Perhaps this is why some members get a bit short/rude answering the same old questions/misunderstandings, But which are new for the poster.

I am no scientist, I try and stick to the "fringes" so not to pollute the main science forum with personal ideas, but they are still ideas, And this is normally what "FIRST" brings "armchair hypothesists" to these forums, To get feedback on their personal ideas, which do sometimes mean a lot to the poster, even I can see the flaws in many of their thoughts, but then I watch as some members just troll them without giving them any guidance, these posters are never seen again.

 

[krash661]

But that is why "armchair hypothesists" come to these forums for the "collaborative process", so they are not suffocated by isolation.
many struggle to get their ideas across, due to lack of math or even just from a lack of understanding, but most come because they do have that growing interest in the sciences. But some members do not give them a fair chance, I understand why, even though I do not post a lot, I see the same ideas getting rehashed over and over again by "new posters", Perhaps this is why some members get a bit short/rude answering the same old questions/misunderstandings, But which are new for the poster.

I am no scientist, I try and stick to the "fringes" so not to pollute the main science forum with personal ideas, but they are still ideas, And this is normally what "FIRST" brings "armchair hypothesists" to these forums, To get feedback on their personal ideas, which do sometimes mean a lot to the poster, even I can see the flaws in many of their thoughts, but then I watch as some members just troll them without giving them any guidance, these posters are never seen again.

everyone whom is whining, clearly does not have a clue of both sides of this issue and are simply masking the reality of these so-called learners. we all know the actual reality--which is simply, an abundance of ignoramuses with no education, with no experience and for-sure with no background, except of a belief of their own extraordinary intellect, which in reality is nothing more than pathetic, low-level minded, nonsense.
then with all this above--comes in to these places and then insults scientist and science in general--attempting to re-establish, established science, simply because they believe they are some sort of science genius or simply they are pretending wannabes. this is the actual reality of these places.. i have said this here before-- these places are simply cesspools for the mentality disabled and the want-to-bes to play at, nothing more. then there are the ones whom believe they are intellects and simply just come here to receive their arguing fix, as they use any topic here to do so. just about five years ago, these places were different, nowadays, the pathetic-s run these sites. understanding what and whom are being insulted would help.

 

[sunshaker]

we all know the actual reality--which is simply, an abundance of ignoramuses with no education, with no experience and for-sure with no background, except of a belief of their own extraordinary intellect, which in reality is nothing more than pathetic, low-level minded, nonsense.

Say no more.

 

[dumbest man on earth]

Insults are ; is ; the reason for low traffic.

This attitude can not continue .

Its not hard really to think how it would be ; to be ; in the shoes of one who is insulted.

And as well new ideas .

Perhaps ; new ideas ; need to be explored ; without some member attacking the poster.

This website can be and should be ; both of past thinking and advanced thinking .

Think of the potential .

At least consider

...

I agree with River.

If I could make only a single change to SciFo, it would be to invoke a zero tolerance policy for insults and ad homs.

...

Say no more.

@ river -
@ DaveC426913 -
@ sunshaker -

Too true, and Grok'd for sure!!!

Ergo..."Say no more".

 

[krash661]

Say no more.

no--say it all, simply because it pertains to the conduct that you are attempting to defend.-- do not pull this pathetic manipulation shenanigan. it is obvious of who you are using my quote against--which is why you want to cut my statement..

 

[krash661]

...


...


@ river -
@ DaveC426913 -
@ sunshaker -

Too true, and Grok'd for sure!!!

Ergo..."Say no more".

understanding what and whom are being insulted would help.

 

[DaveC426913]

But that is why "armchair hypothesists" come to these forums for the "collaborative process", so they are not suffocated by isolation.
many struggle to get their ideas across, due to lack of math or even just from a lack of understanding,

True. Though it too often occurs that many posters with ideas don't think they need math or understanding.

It's kind of analogous to a guy with a guitar who thinks he can just write some rhymes and be a rock god without doing the hard work.

, I see the same ideas getting rehashed over and over again by "new posters", Perhaps this is why some members get a bit short/rude answering the same old questions/misunderstandings, But which are new for the poster.

I have noted this too. It troubles me. I try to keep it in mind when answering posts. New posters should not be burdened with the baggage of the responders.

Unfortunately, the culture of the forum encourages bad behavior. Even this thread about waning membership is not safe from negativity:

...everyone whom is whining, clearly does not have a clue...

I am no scientist, I try and stick to the "fringes" so not to pollute the main science forum with personal ideas, but they are still ideas, And this is normally what "FIRST" brings "armchair hypothesists" to these forums, To get feedback on their personal ideas, which do sometimes mean a lot to the poster, even I can see the flaws in many of their thoughts, but then I watch as some members just troll them without giving them any guidance, these posters are never seen again.

Yes. Listening to someone and correcting them is a delicate balance. How do you tell someone they've made an error if they have no interested in learning the basics of the thing they create ideas about?

I have attempted to give people the benefit - sometimes at great length, showing them errors, and trying to encourage them to think more critically - but really, why should they?

They essentially have a license to "publish" their ill-conceived ideas in the guise of a science discussion, but is, in fact a soap box. Who would turn that down?

 

[DaveC426913]

no--say it all,

krash, you of all members shouldn't be giving others a hard time about being coy. Your signature one liner is a terribly coy form of interaction.
Why don't you participate more constructively?

We need more constructive participation to keep the forum alive.

 

[krash661]

I have noted this too. It troubles me. I try to keep it in mind when answering posts. New posters should not be burdened with the baggage of the responders. Unfortunately, the culture of the forum encourages bad behavior. Even this thread about waning membership is not safe from negativity:

yes-yes--except when they are obviously sock-puppets that were banned for the exact same nonsense.