I think we need a politics forum

[panteragstk]

lol. I think MAGA is probably not a good name, but yeah. Yes We Can? LMAO. I think preferred when the political stuff was kept to a minimum.

I think it's run it's course. A lot of forums require a premium membership if you want to talk politics. Then those discussions are limited to the politics forum and aren't tolerated anywhere else.

I feel like that wouldn't be so bad. I for one can't wait till there isn't anything political to discuss.

On the other hand, this is where the most intelligent folks I know are and I value the opinions of people here so reading their discussions give me points of view I may have otherwise not known about.

I'm torn I guess.

 

[Cos]

I come to this site to learn about audio, if I want to have political discussions, I would go to those types of sites. I think we should stick to the forum topic. That being said that is just my opinion and if the majority want to have one, that is fine, just have it's own little section to opt into.

 

[Replicant 7]

I think it's run it's course. A lot of forums require a premium membership if you want to talk politics. Then those discussions are limited to the politics forum and aren't tolerated anywhere else.

I feel like that wouldn't be so bad. I for one can't wait till there isn't anything political to discuss.

On the other hand, this is where the most intelligent folks I know are and I value the opinions of people here so reading their discussions give me points of view I may have otherwise not known about.

I'm torn I guess.

Steam vent, brings in Millions of viewers and followers. As you guy's know it is expensive to run a website. With that said, Steam vent political forms threads, whatever you want to call them. Do spill over into the Audio/Video and the others. The one thing about any Forum is taking out of context which many do. There is a little (fold) on AH members, runs around creating muck on Gene's forms. A new members 1st post was to do just that as recently as just yesterday. Just report it. There easy to spot.

 

[Steve81]

Steam vent, brings in Millions of viewers and followers.

Uhh, what?

 

[Replicant 7]

Uhh, what?

Gene's has over 21 millon followers worldwide. That's what pays Gene's bills for the website.

 

[j_garcia]

Gene's has over 21 millon followers worldwide. That's what pays Gene's bills for the website.

But, don't we want AUDIO viewers not political ones?

 

[Steve81]

Gene's has over 21 millon followers worldwide. That's what pays Gene's bills for the website.

That isn’t from the Steam Vent.

 

[Replicant 7]

That isn’t from the Steam Vent.

I stated website. People viewing a steam vent thread count's. Gene owns the home page, plus all of the forums.(Website) His advertising revenue is based on viewership total. So anything else?

 

[Replicant 7]

But, don't we want AUDIO viewers not political ones?

That's how I feel about it. Gene would probably have to have another link and or a whole separate opt out option like some of you guys suggested. But than what's to stop anyone from just jumping over?

 

[Steve81]

I stated website. People viewing a steam vent thread count's. Gene owns the home page, plus all of the forums.(Website) His advertising revenue is based on viewership total. So anything else?

You understand the views on various threads aren’t unique views, right? The forum is dead. It’s not drawing in millions of fans. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Frankly, IMHO, the fact that AH allows political discussion is part of why the forums died. All I can say is I got outvoted.

 

[ryanosaur]

You understand the views on various threads aren’t unique views, right? The forum is dead. It’s not drawing in millions of fans. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Frankly, IMHO, the fact that AH allows political discussion is part of why the forums died. All I can say is I got outvoted.

I know I participate... would love it if it went away.

 

[everettT]

Gene's has over 21 millon followers worldwide. That's what pays Gene's bills for the website.

That's not a correlation to financials FWiW. The political talk has affected the site regardless which "side" one chooses. It use to be better moderated but at some point that seems to have been abandoned..

It certainly reduces my traffic when the site isn't having audio conversations, like it or not.

 

[Replicant 7]

You understand the views on various threads aren’t unique views, right? The forum is dead. It’s not drawing in millions of fans. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Frankly, IMHO, the fact that AH allows political discussion is part of why the forums died. All I can say is I got outvoted.

Not my bubble bursted. Gene has over 21 millon viewers that visit his website each time somebody clicks on anything pulls up his homepage, anything any thread brings in advertising dollars. But yeah I been say what you just mentioned, about the whole forum for audio/video dropping off a Lot! I noticed that back in 2018. Have you guy's noticed all the links being post-up for, as an example: I'm looking at this, and I have this. They start posting a whole bunch of links to other websites. Probably a website online salesman opening up an account to try to drum up sales. I have been ask by others why does AH have a political form, what's that got to do with home audio or speakers. I guess to a website owner bad website traffic is better than no traffic at all. Gotta show the viewership numbers to the advertisers for the funds. How would umm we get this Steam vent political thing moved? Or not to even have a Steam vent forum (Thread) at all? I'm definitely down with that.

 

[Steve81]

It use to be better moderated but at some point that seems to have been abandoned..

I barely bother with those threads because wtf is the point. I’d have to rewrite entire threads practically to remove all the vitriol.

Now I just stay out so if / when I do need to drop the ban hammer, people don’t complain about how biased I am, etc.

 

[everettT]

I barely bother with those threads because wtf is the point. I’d have to rewrite entire threads practically to remove all the vitriol.

Now I just stay out so if / when I do need to drop the ban hammer, people don’t complain about how biased I am, etc.

Unfortunately, the poltical environment that used to be comical become seriously intense and I'm just told old to play in the sand box. I've stated the same on other hobby forums and I will just take a break and if I miss something note worthy, oh well.

 

[Alex2507]

Let's just ban all political discussion

Can we wait until after they give Donald the electric chair for being a Russian spy?

 

[panteragstk]

I know I participate... would love it if it went away.

Same here. Especially if that's what's chasing off good members.

 

[ryanosaur]

Same here. Especially if that's what's chasing off good members.

I just really miss the audio stuff. It seems we go weeks (if not longer) at times with nothing but a jerry del colliano article to humor us.
All the audio content has dried up.
I was so happy to see the two recent intro articles by Jacob which gene posted!!!!

I guess maybe the politics don’t matter if there is real audio content.

I think the 2021 Yamaha AVR thread is a great example of this failure. It took so long for some of the promised content to come out that the thread ran wild as a Yamaha owners club. but to this day, I don’t think the listening test/review has ever been posted!

And that, to me, is what AH overall feels like right now.

Some of the you tube stuff was cool, but felt like an attempt to rebrand. I would watch some stuff that was of interest when it was introduced here on the forum, but I don’t live on YT and the intros here largely stopped. Content that should be here started showing up only on YT… I asked about something one time and shady replied that it was tucked away in s certain tab on the ah YT page.

All of this is to say that the model is fractured.

I’m ok with change, but this is the core of that model and watching it wither is kind of sad.

 

[panteragstk]

I just really miss the audio stuff. It seems we go weeks (if not longer) at times with nothing but a jerry del colliano article to humor us.
All the audio content has dried up.
I was so happy to see the two recent intro articles by Jacob which gene posted!!!!

I guess maybe the politics don’t matter if there is real audio content.

I think the 2021 Yamaha AVR thread is a great example of this failure. It took so long for some of the promised content to come out that the thread ran wild as a Yamaha owners club. but to this day, I don’t think the listening test/review has ever been posted!

And that, to me, is what AH overall feels like right now.

Some of the you tube stuff was cool, but felt like an attempt to rebrand. I would watch some stuff that was of interest when it was introduced here on the forum, but I don’t live on YT and the intros here largely stopped. Content that should be here started showing up only on YT… I asked about something one time and shady replied that it was tucked away in s certain tab on the ah YT page.

All of this is to say that the model is fractured.

I’m ok with change, but this is the core of that model and watching it wither is kind of sad.

Sadly that's the way it's going now. Everything is a video. I don't mind them one bit, but a lot of my reading is done during work when I'm waiting on someone to do something for me. I don't want to have to start watching videos to accomplish the same goal. I feel the same about podcasts. I don't really want to listen to people discuss things for hours. It's kind of annoying to me. I should probably give some a chance, but I'm not sure.

Forums have also been drying up for years. Apparently everyone uses Facebook groups or reddit now. Reddit is fine, but it's not the same as a forum. I've been around this site for almost two decades (long time reader before becoming a member) and I'd be perfectly happy having YT videos as well as the written version in an article. Win win.

 

[cornemuse]

I would favor a politival opinion/meme thread.
A few people indicate they do not want one here.
I would say: "IF YOU DO NOT LIKE IT, DONT GO THERE". Simple.