Maybe. I find I don't get good results when I ask questions, meaning very few but usually no answers. I began to find it futile. I don't really fit in here because I don't have the same sense of humour. For me it's fun being serious, but not for most others.
When I'm here, I tend to answer as many questions as I can find that don't seem potentially mildly trollish.
This post was edited by inky at June 2, 2020 6:35 AM MDT
Interesting because those are my feelings exactly. Except for the last line as I have never understood the whole "troll" thing. Which seems to be a younger expression. I guess people just think I must have no sense of humor at all because really I don't get much out of what passes for humor on here. I see myself as being more serious or I think earnest is the right word. Obviously I have not read as widely or as carefully as you have but my viewpoints stem more from my own experiences and those of others I talk to and have corresponded with. Which people mostly disagree with or are bored by.
On the former answerbag I was one of a number of people, mostly mature women, some men, discussing our intimate lives and experiences. Which only a few on this site have been willing to do as people are more guarded here. . Which I have been judged for in the sense that some tend often to examine about anything I post according to what I have revealed about my personal life which I don't agree is true.
I now post about politics which I really have little if any interest in. Only because that seems to predominate here.
My answer to your question came from my thinking that of course a site will "die" if we do not participate. But probably is true maybe even if we do! I finally left answerbag after they systematically deleted so many of my best posts I had spent a lot of time and some effort working on. And a month and a half later they pulled the plug on it. And although I have been interacting with some people here on the net for almost ten years I fear I don't feel very at home here either. Even after two plus years activity.
I've been here under several different avatars over a period of eight years. At one stage, while looking after my invalid mother for a couple of years, I was on for a few hours of every day. In years past far more members were active and the range of discussions was diverse and plentiful. It always slowed down during the week and when most Americans sleep, but it was usually very active on week-ends and special holidays.
This post was edited by inky at June 2, 2020 6:37 AM MDT
For whatever it's worth, the two other sites I'm on like this one are also very slow. Maybe with the nice weather and Easter approaching people are spending more time outside.
I know of a couple regulars who are away for various reasons. You made me curious enough to go look at the stats. We're experiencing a dip of about 40 visitors per day (which includes all traffic; members and non-members) over the same period in March and February. I pulled the historic data going back several years as well. There's apparently a dip every year from April through June. The only exception to that was the year EP closed, at which point traffic exploded. Otherwise, without fail, we've seen a slight lull for the same period each year. It always resumes normal levels in July. A curious anomaly. I wasn't aware that even happened. I probably should be. lol But, yeah... no idea why that happens either. Maybe we have a lot of parents who have life get crazy toward the end of the school year? Or, maybe it's the high number of holidays; Easter, Memorial Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day. Curious indeed.
Either way, the slowness isn't imagined. However, I can't think of anything that's fundamentally different now than what has happened in prior years, so I suspect it'll remain at a lull for a couple months and pick back up again. Of course, I won't be able to tell if I'm right or not until probably mid-July/ August, unless traffic goes back to normal levels earlier than usual.
You do realize the implication, here, right? (For those who miss the reference, that's from "Horton Hears a Who.")
If I recall, sites like this always tend to slow down a bit when the weather gets nicer ... at least at first. I'm sure things will pick up when school is out too.
Benedict Arnold 