I’ll relate my past experience with message boards – about 15 years total on fishing message boards – which obviously is a bit different from food boards, but the overall point still carries. In the late 90s-early 2000s, the main board was small, tightly knit and productive. People posted information freely and the atmosphere was friendly.
As it grew and changed ownership, it devolved into a lot of flame wars and bickering, which led to over-moderating, and a lot of the old guard took a backseat and started lurking. Substantive reports became rare.
Then everyone switched to a new site, which was great but ultimately went down a similar road.
This seems to be the pattern for message boards. Chowhound really was no different, except for the main difference being that they really did themselves in instead of dying a “natural” death.
I know change is almost never excepted with open arms. I wasn’t happy about what happened at chowhound either. But what I’ve learned from my past experiences is that when the new site is born, the tightly knit, friendly and productive atmosphere returns. I see that here, and I’m glad. I hope it lasts!
Chowhound still has a function – it is still a good archive for past discussions and tips from before the revamp. But I’ll be making all my future posts here.
The only one who really committed “hari kari” was CH itself. Personally, I’ll just let the past be the past, move on and enjoy this new site.
Oh, well I am, sort of, kind of on the DL. Ok, so maaaaaaybe you tried, Thank You! LOL Next time come and drag me out of the house and take me to the club house! LOL
