Who uses the Forum now

The old forum was better and clearly more popular to those who remember it. As I understand it it was abandoned because of hacking but then, more recently I seem to remember someone saying it had never been virus protection updated. It was certainly more user-friendly than the current system but it's probably and age-thing, some of us are a bit long in the tooth now. Pity really, be nice to go back to the old system.

Apart from a two year sabbatical I have been a member since 1984. Nick, I think you'll find that quite a lot of the LBC Members are mainly interested in rare/unusual birds and they use Twitter/Rare Bird Alerts etc. as it is quicker.  There used to be a lot more discussion on the old Forum but it seems to have not carried on so much on this one.  By the way, at 59 you're a mere fledgling compared to a lot of members!

As a recent newby to LBC, (2 years so far) I was surprised how little is contributed to this forum. I use forums for other sites (music, motorbikes, hiking, cycling, nature) and the input and exchange on these forums is updated on an hourly basis. Their popularity for discussion is chalk and cheese to the LBC one. I don't use twitter, or any of the phone related chat apps for the simple fact is that my phone stays in my pocket or backpack when birding and is carried purely for calls and the occasional message at other times. I don't know what the average age of the LBC member is (I am 59), but wouldn't have thought an age related technophobia would be the sole reason for lack of forum interaction, other nature related forums are a buzz with activity. The LBC forum platform is easy to navigate, as easy to use as all other forum platforms but it seems its the same profiles that do most of the posting. An odd place to be sure.

Stuart and gang,
I much prefer using the forum cos I like to write lots, whereas on Twitter am limited big time. I joined Twitter and Facebook in april 2016 but not been on Twittter for a long time although I still belong it, I do go on Facebook as and when I feel like it keeping friends up to date with my health probs etc. 

I don't know the average age of those of us who contribute to the forum on a regular basis but I doubt its less than 40 At first did find the new forum a pain but after a time got used to it, only thing I miss and it won't come back is the PM system! CC explained why and I accepted this.

I also used to post on Lincsbirders and had some valuable info from other members who were on it which as now been lost cos it isn't going anymore which is a shame, but the .org is and I just couldn't understand the damn thing.

I often think considering we have 500+ users only a small fraction (5%) put sightings on here! I always used Birdtrack but after so many problems gave up years ago and rely totally on the LBC Forum. 

At least on here we can access our old records on the "old" forum which I sometimes do, mentioned other week I was searching for SK photo but now I know what he looks like but will continue to look at the old photos.

Kind regards

Max aka JTG

Hi All

I was asked to take over the Website, and the first thing i found was many thousands of hack attempts as the old forum had not been updated for years.
Without doubt if i had not replaced the old forum and website the hackers would have gained entry.
The old forum and gallery had to be replaced which is what I was asked to do. Without doing so there would have been no website.

As to who uses the forum, they are getting taken over with Twitter and Facebook as people find it easy to use, I personally don't think that's progress but its the way of the world.

Just post more here and others will follow.

Colin

That's re-assuring, John.  I don't use social media either and submit my sightings on Birdtrack or on this Forum now I've re-joined.