I don't really come to the forums very often anymore. I want to say there are multiple reasons for that, and yeah, work has been keeping me busy, but the main reason is that the forum is just not very fun for me anymore. In fact, the whole "forum" concept isn't very fun to be honest. I've been the admin of a Discord community (basically a server with a bunch of chat rooms) for most of 2019 and I find myself spending more time there than anywhere else online. The community isn't atheism related, it's related to my career, which is probably another reason I enjoy it there so much. However, having chats rather than threads makes things far more enjoyable in my opinion, but maybe that's just me.

In any case, I find myself less and less concerned with the goings on of AF. I also notice that the forum just isn't as active as it once was, so perhaps it's not just me.

On top of those things, our Patreon money has plummeted which means the server is once again costing me money to run. Paying to run something that I don't find enjoyment in anymore isn't really where I want things to be.

So I guess I wanted to have a discussion to see where the community stands, and what they want to do. If you want the forum to continue, with the same staff team at the helm, we need funds to make that happen. Alternatively I might be open to selling the forum to someone who has more of an interest in it. Or, if people have a similar attitude to me, we could simply let the forum die and move on; we made it 11 years, maybe it's time to move on.

I'm not going to make any snap decisions like owners at other forums; you're not going to suddenly wake up one day and find that everything is closed and have to scramble to find somewhere else. However something has to change, and I want the community to decide what that should be.

- Tibs

I prefer threads, but I get it.

I’m too emotional about it to weigh in right now. I’ll be back in the AM.

If it comes to that, get some like-minded new owner to run it. I really love this place and I'd hate to see it go.

I hope this forum stays alive. I prefer this medium to any other. This is a community I belong to. I was getting ready to make another donation (trying to remember Patreon IDs and not getting any answers from them to reset password). Is money the only issue? If so, why not a quarterly fund drive like NPR does? $100 donation gets a t-shirt or some swag like that.

The problem with that is the admin. Tiberius is quite inactive here, even in the background. There needs to be someone who cares enough to deal with all of that. I’d love to say I could, but I have the same busy life that he does.

Don’t worry, though. He really won’t just disappear the site out of nowhere.

(November 9, 2019 at 9:52 pm)Shell B Wrote: The problem with that is the admin. Tiberius is quite inactive here, even in the background. There needs to be someone who cares enough to deal with all of that. I’d love to say I could, but I have the same busy life that he does.

Don’t worry, though. He really won’t just disappear the site out of nowhere.

I have volunteered as a mod on other forums but have no idea what it takes to maintain one.

Yeah, there really should be someone willing to rule (with a fairly gentle hand) this forum. How many other forums on the Internet these days allow such a free discussion of religion and politics without turning into a total echo chamber or, worse, a wretched hive of scum and villainy?

For what it’s worth, I don’t want it to go away either.

I'll start by saying that I thoroughly enjoy my time here. It's part of my daily routine.

Tibs, if you're not enjoying it maybe it is time to move on. I think 11 years is a hell of a run. Although I'd miss AF I'm not going to be selfish and say I want it to continue if you're not into it any more.

Change is inevitable. You owe me nothing and have my gratitude.

Edit: My kid is graduating with a degree in cyber security this month. Where is your discord community?