Make other forums private too (and bring back chat)

[Wes]

I think it is pretty clear that this site is not bringing in new members. OK, you can count the occasional new member that posts for sub-100 posts, but those usually move along after a while for whatever reason. For the most part, there are 7-8 active users, 8-9 sub-active, and maybe 5 spotty posters. It has been that way for four years now, and I doubt it is going to change.

Previously, I was an advocate of getting rid of chat. Now, that so few new forum posts are being made, just bring it back. There are times (ok, the regularity) of when I am drunk/stoned when I just want to post off-topic material. The chat was the place to do that, even if creating a new thread is only two more steps. I'm lazy. Appease me please.

And with no new members, it is pointless nowadays to share strategy information publicly.

[Talking Poker]

Yeah, I'm torn on all of this.

We are definitely at record low numbers of participation, as we've lost a lot of members due to attrition over the years and haven't replaced them with new blood. I don't think it's been THIS bad for four years - it's been getting worse and worse.

I have mixed feelings on locking down the forum... the whole thing used to be locked until I was persuaded (I think by you, actually) to open most of it to get more members. Too late, I guess. I can certainly lock the Hand Discussion section though, if people think that is a good idea.

Blogs were added, but unfortunately, that took away from the thread posting, so that kinds sucks too.

I'm still pretty anti-chatbox though. I think if it was back, we'd be down to basically 0 posts per day. There are so few people online at any given time, there probably wouldn't be much chat anyway... but then again, what do I know? Maybe people would come here to chat and not post but at least they would come.

I've been thinking about what to do with this forum for the past month or two, and I really don't know. I love the members we have who have hung around all these years, but there are just so few of us now...

[Wes]

I think you should leave some forums open. Just not the hand discussion one. Maybe leave up some sample videos. Charge some money for videos if you want.

Definitely make hand discussion private though.

[Talking Poker]

OK, Hand Discussion should now be locked.

Leaving everything else as-is for now.