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2015-08-24 6:36 PM

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Subject: Where did all the BTers go?
Been away for a while, I occasionally stopped in on BT to see what's happening and It just seems that it is mush slower, or a lot less activity post wise than I remember. Many of the long timers that I remember seem to be missing. What happened, where did everyone go?


2015-08-24 9:53 PM
in reply to: skipg

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?
I took a bit of a hiatus as well and when I back I noticed the same thing.
2015-08-25 8:09 AM
in reply to: #5136662

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?
It's like a ghost town in COJ now...think I just saw a tumble weed rolling across the screen.
2015-08-25 8:48 AM
in reply to: skipg

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?

Alien abductions, mostly.  Space visitors appear to have developed a fetish for multisport athletes.

2015-08-25 9:02 AM
in reply to: skipg

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?

The forum and training log updates that were done a couple of years ago killed the vibe.

2015-08-25 9:08 AM
in reply to: SevenZulu

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?
I've noticed that many of the most prolific poster no longer post. One would think they'd be replaced by new people who waste hours on end debating people they don't know on the internet.....but maybe society in general is awakening to the fact that debating random strangers is a fool's errand?


2015-08-25 10:00 AM
in reply to: Rogillio

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?
Originally posted by Rogillio

I've noticed that many of the most prolific poster no longer post. One would think they'd be replaced by new people who waste hours on end debating people they don't know on the internet.....but maybe society in general is awakening to the fact that debating random strangers is a fool's errand?


Nah.... random stranger debates still happening every day on Slowtwitch. This site has just become a ghost town for some reason.
2015-08-25 10:12 AM
in reply to: skipg

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?

The membership of any online forum is going to turnover over time.  Lots of reasons people come and go:  Some lose interest in the sport, develop other interests or have other more important things in their lives to deal with.  And some even get asked to leave.

There's also more competition from other online triathlon sites and social media.

 I've been around here since early 2004 and in that time the active core membership has probably turned over 3 -4 times.  That core membership is going to do a lot to define the 'personality' of the site at any given time.

Without checking, I would guess that 1/3 to 1/2 of the folks on my Friends list are no longer active here.   In the early days there seemed to be more of a sense of community and it wasn't uncommon to have BT meet-ups at races or other social get-togethers.   Not so much anymore.  Not saying that's good or bad, just the way it is.    

I miss many of my friends from the "old days", but still keep in touch with many of them through FB and ST.  

I still come here to use the logs and find many of the articles interesting. 

At the same time, I don't participate in the forums as much as I once did and very seldom visit COJ anymore.  

Mark 

2015-08-25 11:08 AM
in reply to: RedCorvette

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?

I agree it's slow and I think the redesign kind of hurt the site.  It seems like more people are in training groups and post on their groups thread.  There was a thread awhile back about it, "the decline of BT".  I flip back and forth between ST and here.  On occassion it seems like a few days can go by without any new threads in Trianthlon Talk which I always considered the main page here.   I've only been on here a few years and maybe lurked a year before that so I could be wrong.

2015-08-25 11:19 AM
in reply to: RedCorvette

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?

I have been around since 2005.  Met lots of great people over the years.  I think the re-design drove a lot of people away.  Its harder to be friendly and the loss of chat didn't help either.  I don't "talk" to nearly as many people on my friends list as I did a few years back.  Many people whom I started with don't do tris anymore and I keep up with them on FB.  I am way less active on the forums partly because I have no desire to answer the same question for the 100th time and partly because after 10 years I dont' have much to ask myself.  I wish the fun of the big BT get togethers still happened because that was really special.

2015-08-25 11:43 AM
in reply to: Socks

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?
I think a lot of it is the rise of other social media outlets... forums just aren't quite as hot any more when you can have a giant FB group page.

Nonetheless, quite a few are still around, if just mostly quiet.


2015-08-25 12:24 PM
in reply to: axteraa

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?

Originally posted by axteraa

The forum and training log updates that were done a couple of years ago killed the vibe.

big +1

I feel so bad for Ron and the gang too because the intent was obviously to improve BT and make it better.  I'm sure they spent a fair amount of money to boot.
Then to have it absolutely blow up in your face sucks.  As a user I still hate the new forum feel and its been here for years, lol

 

2015-08-25 12:55 PM
in reply to: 0

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?
Originally posted by Socks

I have been around since 2005.  Met lots of great people over the years.  I think the re-design drove a lot of people away.  Its harder to be friendly and the loss of chat didn't help either.  I don't "talk" to nearly as many people on my friends list as I did a few years back.  Many people whom I started with don't do tris anymore and I keep up with them on FB.  I am way less active on the forums partly because I have no desire to answer the same question for the 100th time and partly because after 10 years I dont' have much to ask myself.  I wish the fun of the big BT get togethers still happened because that was really special.




I remember you. We got into some knock-down, drag-out arguments about politics and religion and other stuff. Glad to see your changed your avatar, I always thought you wrere a guy.....

Didn't you used to have glass of beer as an avatar?

Edited by Rogillio 2015-08-25 12:58 PM
2015-08-25 2:36 PM
in reply to: Rogillio

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?

Originally posted by Rogillio
Originally posted by Socks

I have been around since 2005.  Met lots of great people over the years.  I think the re-design drove a lot of people away.  Its harder to be friendly and the loss of chat didn't help either.  I don't "talk" to nearly as many people on my friends list as I did a few years back.  Many people whom I started with don't do tris anymore and I keep up with them on FB.  I am way less active on the forums partly because I have no desire to answer the same question for the 100th time and partly because after 10 years I dont' have much to ask myself.  I wish the fun of the big BT get togethers still happened because that was really special.

I remember you. We got into some knock-down, drag-out arguments about politics and religion and other stuff. Glad to see your changed your avatar, I always thought you wrere a guy..... Didn't you used to have glass of beer as an avatar?

Mike, you may be thinking about Scout7 who used a glass of Guinness as his avatar.   

Mark

2015-08-25 2:53 PM
in reply to: djastroman

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?

Originally posted by djastroman
Originally posted by Rogillio I've noticed that many of the most prolific poster no longer post. One would think they'd be replaced by new people who waste hours on end debating people they don't know on the internet.....but maybe society in general is awakening to the fact that debating random strangers is a fool's errand?
Nah.... random stranger debates still happening every day on Slowtwitch. This site has just become a ghost town for some reason.

That's exactly what I was going to say-- ST still is thriving with activity. That's why I'm not buying the "Facebook killed BT" theory., And the redesign here didn't bother me in the least, so I don't get it. 

I think a large asteroid landed in the ocean and killed BT. 

2015-08-25 3:21 PM
in reply to: zed707

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?

Originally posted by zed707

Originally posted by djastroman
Originally posted by Rogillio I've noticed that many of the most prolific poster no longer post. One would think they'd be replaced by new people who waste hours on end debating people they don't know on the internet.....but maybe society in general is awakening to the fact that debating random strangers is a fool's errand?
Nah.... random stranger debates still happening every day on Slowtwitch. This site has just become a ghost town for some reason.

That's exactly what I was going to say-- ST still is thriving with activity. That's why I'm not buying the "Facebook killed BT" theory., And the redesign here didn't bother me in the least, so I don't get it. 

I think a large asteroid landed in the ocean and killed BT. 

I think ST has an advantage because you basically have just one forum where everyone hangs out.  Here the multiple subject forums dilute participation too much.  There's not enough critical mass of activity in some of the subject areas to sustain them.  That's an issue with the fundamental design of the site, even prior to the latest upgrade.

 

Mark 

 



2015-08-25 3:32 PM
in reply to: RedCorvette

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?
Originally posted by RedCorvette

Originally posted by Rogillio
Originally posted by Socks

I have been around since 2005.  Met lots of great people over the years.  I think the re-design drove a lot of people away.  Its harder to be friendly and the loss of chat didn't help either.  I don't "talk" to nearly as many people on my friends list as I did a few years back.  Many people whom I started with don't do tris anymore and I keep up with them on FB.  I am way less active on the forums partly because I have no desire to answer the same question for the 100th time and partly because after 10 years I dont' have much to ask myself.  I wish the fun of the big BT get togethers still happened because that was really special.

I remember you. We got into some knock-down, drag-out arguments about politics and religion and other stuff. Glad to see your changed your avatar, I always thought you wrere a guy..... Didn't you used to have glass of beer as an avatar?

Mike, you may be thinking about Scout7 who used a glass of Guinness as his avatar.   

Mark





Oh yeah. You are right. Thanks.
2015-08-26 6:09 AM
in reply to: skipg

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?
In my opinion, it was the Political elections of 2012 where BT started to fall apart. Up until then, it was a fun and thriving site. During and after the elections, people were just nasty on here and many left in droves. You couldn't post anything without getting ripped apart. It didn't matter the topic. It got so bad in COJ, they split it in half by starting Political Joe. The site has never recovered.

I'm not the biggest poster, I just enjoy checking out the many topics that were covered in the different threads. When things turned into a personal attack on a daily basis, I stopped checking in on the site.

It's a shame because I enjoyed this site a lot more then ST.

Maybe one day it'll come back.
2015-08-26 7:39 AM
in reply to: sfm15

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?
I come and gone over the years. nothing to do with the site. in 2008 I lost my job and stopped doing any races. Hard to race when you have zero money which is sad because I had all the time in the world to train. Then followed by health issues for couple of years. Kind of depressing when you want to train but can't for quite awhile. Now I got a little kid at home and I am training so I just do not have the time for BT like I used to. For me I guess its just life getting in the way.

Though I still like to check into the political stuff on here because at least I feel people are coming from a legitimate place and I find it interesting.
2015-08-26 10:02 AM
in reply to: skipg

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?
I think it was a combination of a lot of things. The redesign, having way too many niche forums, rise of other social platforms (facebook, strava, etc) and the abundance of information out there. When I started over a decade ago, BT had the best information, especially for beginners. That may still be true today however, beginners have other options so their density is spread more than before.

I have probably met 100+ BTers even married one. BT used to have a strong community vibe at IM races. But that takes a lot of work to organize and pull off. I suspect it would happen again if groups of people wanted it to happen.

I still pop in every now and again but I don't find the interface conducive for interacting with people. Other platforms are better and easier.
2015-08-26 11:11 AM
in reply to: Leegoocrap

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?
Originally posted by Leegoocrap

I think a lot of it is the rise of other social media outlets... forums just aren't quite as hot any more when you can have a giant FB group page.

Nonetheless, quite a few are still around, if just mostly quiet.
hijacking my own thread...but wasn't it you that posted about bringing a girl home after a few drinks or something along those lines several years ago and she was throwing up in your house? you were posting live play by play....Hall of fame BT moment if you ask me! AHHHHHHHHH, Those were the days.


2015-08-26 12:40 PM
in reply to: skipg

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?
Those were indeed some strange days

The current missus leegoocrap fortunately doesn't imbibe to excess, so my Xbox One has so far been safe
2015-08-26 2:09 PM
in reply to: tuwood

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?

Originally posted by tuwood

Originally posted by axteraa

The forum and training log updates that were done a couple of years ago killed the vibe.

big +1

I feel so bad for Ron and the gang too because the intent was obviously to improve BT and make it better.  I'm sure they spent a fair amount of money to boot.
Then to have it absolutely blow up in your face sucks.  As a user I still hate the new forum feel and its been here for years, lol

Agree. But I don't understand why, even after 1-2 years of consistent feedback like this, they haven't made any efforts to tweak it to better fit what people are asking for. It's like they just shrugged their shoulders and said "oh well." 

2015-08-26 2:35 PM
in reply to: skipg

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?

There are also several prolific posters who were either banned (Rick, Bryan...), or who have become frustrated with the number of ill-informed people presenting bad advice who can't simply be told "you don't know what you're talking about.  Please stop talking and listen, because you're getting your stupid on other people." (Fred, myself to a degree...), plus those who have left the sport for various reasons (Newbz' cheating for example).

I believe that message board moderation is a double edged sword.  None, and people don't interact, because the a-holes drown out the voice of reason.  Too much, and the idiots drown it out.  IMO, a few years ago, ST wasn't as strict, so I avoided posting much there, because I didn't want to deal with the A-holes.  BT was very active.  In recent years, it seems that ST has gotten stricter with their moderation, making it a little less abrasive.

Also, there are now some good Facebook groups where topics are discussed.

Speaking for myself, all the above has resulted in me interacting here much less, and much more on ST and in FB groups.

I suspect that all the above combined with the site redesign that people don't seem to have adjusted to, have contributed to the apparent decline in interaction here.

I hope things revive here, because I'd hate to see this site decline to the point where it's activity levels are the same as sites like trifuel.

 

2015-08-26 3:54 PM
in reply to: TriMyBest

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Subject: RE: Where did all the BTers go?

The banning of Bryan especially ended up being a big deal to me....started to lose interest in serious conversations to some extent when he was booted.  Guy was a wealth of information.

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