The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: tombogan03884 on July 30, 2017, 06:38:48 AM
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After 10 years years this will most likely be my last post.
This forum has a lot in common with Ruth Bader Ginsberg, both have been dead for a long time, they just haven't fallen down yet.
There are barely a half dozen people keeping it going, even the moderators don't read it any more.
There are only a couple on here I will miss because everyone else is on FB.
Used to be a page of new posts every day, now there's one new post a week and they are seldom gun related.
Time to let the zombie go to it's deserved rest.
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Damn Tom, I wish you would reconsider. However I do agree with you, there is less and less interest around here lately. So many have moved on. Stay healthy, and the very best of luck to you.
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In all honesty, I'm seeing this with a lot of gun forums lately. When I first started on the Internet back in 1997, there were gun forums everywhere. 2 of the biggest back then were the old shooters.com, and Hunt America. Both used to have thousands of members, but are now long gone.
Another thing I've seen happen, is a lot of them have become overrun with young guys who love to argue. Or as John Wayne used to say, "Short on ears, and long on mouth!" ARFCOM is a perfect example of this. And to some degree, Glock Talk. They both manage to keep going, and maintain a large membership, albeit with a high turnover. Both places have a revolving door that is constantly spinning at high RPM.
What I always liked about this place is it's comprised of mostly older guys, who saw everything through the same "prism", so to speak. But lately they've been going away one by one. Hazcat, FQ, and TWyacht to name a few. And now Tom. There have been many others. Times change, and people move on.
I think in general the Internet is changing. People aren't spending as much time on it as before. Texting with Smart Phones, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, along with all of these other sites are pulling people away from forums in general. For me, like most older guys, the older I get, the less I like change. I guess it comes with old age, just like sore muscles and bad backs.
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REMEMBER USENET?
I remember when rec.guns was "it". 600+ posts a day was the high water mark, 400/day more typical.
I haven't been there in a while, but just checked. They had 3 New Topics in June with 2 replies.
Other forums are just so.o.o.o busy. AR15, THR, etc. I'm going to feel lost in the crowd.
But life moves on.
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I guess Facebookey has killed most of these boards. However, AR15 dot com is still up and running.
So where are you moving off to Tom?
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As much as I hate to admit it, I wouldn't even know how to navigate on Facebook. Let alone find gun guys.
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It's got to be easy to navigate with all the rank dumb kids using it. Kids that can't tie a shoe do the Faceybook thing.
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As much as I hate to admit it, I wouldn't even know how to navigate on Facebook. Let alone find gun guys.
Finding gun guys there is first, just like here: Your own small group of friends that talk guns, but you do it in front of everyone else. Second, you gain some new contacts through extended friendships of others. From time to time you will find a group page, Long Range Shooters is my most recent find, but they can also drive you nuts with strange ideas - I don't mean differing opinions, but REALLY strange ideas.
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I have to admit the older I get, the less I am intrigued by electronic correspondence. Like most things, you grow tired of it after a while. I'll be glad to see it cool off around here. I'll be spending more time at the range. At least there I have face to face gun conversations. And it gets me out of the house for a while.
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I agree Billt, but this type of game gives me the chance to exchange with others I wouldn't have ever "met" otherwise. And, since my job keeps me cooped up and away from my hobby, I enjoy reading and interacting here.
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After 10 years years this will most likely be my last post.
This forum has a lot in common with Ruth Bader Ginsberg, both have been dead for a long time, they just haven't fallen down yet.
There are barely a half dozen people keeping it going, even the moderators don't read it any more.
There are only a couple on here I will miss because everyone else is on FB.
Used to be a page of new posts every day, now there's one new post a week and they are seldom gun related.
Time to let the zombie go to it's deserved rest.
Nah, you'll be back, just as soon as the book of face bans you yet again!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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I agree Billt, but this type of game gives me the chance to exchange with others I wouldn't have ever "met" otherwise. And, since my job keeps me cooped up and away from my hobby, I enjoy reading and interacting here.
I agree, and do much the same. I just wish there were more people here like there used to be.
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After 10 years years ...<snip>
10 years? You haven't been a member on here 10 years yet. December 30, 2017 will be 10 years.
There you go exaggerating all over again.....
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I agree, and do much the same. I just wish there were more people here like there used to be.
Evolution: Forums like this are the original social media. They were so successful that we have seen many come and go to become the foundation of Facebook.
There are a few things I have noted over the years concerning members and activity on here:
1. There was a very strong core group, and some are still here, but some have moved on;
2. The moderators have become less active: Mom never even visits anymore, and the boss man reads, contributes on blogs, but doesn't respond much;
3. Past giveaways brought members who never participated - They signed up hoping for a big prize and that was that;
4. Thin skinned people whined, cried and fled. I wonder what they did on "real gun sites." I got into it twice on AR-15 and left ... thin skinned guy that I am: First, I said I like an AR-15 in .223 over the 5.56 and an AK-47 for accuracy; Second time, I was involved in discussing modifications and made two errors - One I showed my polishing of rifle and shotgun actions for SASS, and second I said there is nothing wrong with the "idiot scratch" on a 1911. HOLY COW!!! Apparently I was the only one on AR-15 that didn't worship every firearm as a safe queen to be kept unblemished. Oh yea, and I admitted that when I by a gun, open the owners manual, and the first page says to not fire it to maintain optimal value, I tear that page out and use it to light the campfire ;D
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Yeah, ARFCOM is pretty bad. I know more people who got banned, than who post there. There used to be a lot of knowledgeable guys on a lot of these forums. Now, not so much. It's more opinions. And many times if you don't share their opinion they right away want to fight. I remember m4carbine.net was like that. They even banned the late Pat Rogers. That was like the Vatican banning the Pope!
I remember I posted that I have a total of 5 Bushmaster AR-15's. (The old Bushmasters that were made in Windham, Maine when Richard Dyke owned Bushmaster, before the Cerberus buy out). They promptly told me my guns were, "junk range guns", and I didn't know what I was taking about, and banned me.
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A quick hit: Don't praise or wish for a JP on an open forum. Don't know what he did to offend the masses, but, apparently, the expert shooters that like them are also idiots.
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I have been here a while and while I do not post a lot I do read at least once a day or more. What I will say about this group is, while it is smaller than a lot of forums it is tighter. It is also my belief there is more experience and knowledge here than in a lot of the other groups. Also more realistic. Not many of us (at least not me) can afford those $3000.00 rifles with $1000.00 optics and as such we (you) tend to talk in more realistic circumstances.
Yes, we tend to be a little (lot) older but that also gives us a more seasoned view of firearms and the world in general. My $.02.
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Tom will be back...ya gotta bait him a bit...
The Patriots cheat!
Tom Brady is a homo!
Giselle is a dude and his kids are robots!
Belichick is a loser who wears ladies underwear!
NH has the population of a large county in real America!
ROFLMAO
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Bait him huh ...
Long live McCain!
If that don't do it, he's dead :'(
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Tim....sometimes you take a joke just a little to far. Something about you just ain't right....
<snip> Giselle is a dude ......<snip>
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Tim....sometimes you take a joke just a little to far. Something about you just ain't right....
True, but most folks are polite enuf not to mention it!
:)
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Are you going to bring the "Sea Spook" back?
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Are you going to bring the "Sea Spook" back?
Sea Spook is still here!
Ya can't see me???
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I was trying to remember....
How many Geneva Conventions were there??
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Sea Spook is still here!
Ya can't see me???
It used to be on your ID...err, moniker, err...avatar.
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It used to be on your ID...err, moniker, err...avatar.
I use Tapatalk mostly! My uniblab runs like shite.
I fixitated my avatar!
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Better!!!
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Tom - if you ever comeback to read - Thank you for some of the information you provided over the years to me.
It helped.
I too joined 11 years ago and have watched the withering death of this forum - what ever you do where ever you go - stay safe.
Is Tom coming back?
I'll point out - look at his post, look at his name, look at his member status;
tombogan03884
Guest< < < < < < <
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Tom - if you ever comeback to read - Thank you for some of the information you provided over the years to me.
It helped.
I too joined 11 years ago and have watched the withering death of this forum - what ever you do where ever you go - stay safe.
Is Tom coming back?
I'll point out - look at his post, look at his name, look at his member status;
tombogan03884
Guest< < < < < < <
I can't say that I know him well but I believe I know him well enough to say he will still read this forum and respond when he feels the "need". Just have to piss him off enough! :o :o :o
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After 10 years years this will most likely be my last post.
Well I must say things are looking up! :D
I browsed now and then but had no desire to re-enter "Tom's Fountain of Bullshit Forum".
The moderating at this site had gone by the wayside, if it indeed ever existed.
The SigForum that I joined before this one is going very strong. Yeah, the same SigForum that banned Michael Bane for I don't remember what.