Considering what's happening to THR, what's the future of TFL?

[applesanity]

First off, I'm not ripping on you THR guys. I know you're reading, anyway.

I've always been more drawn to TFL for - of all reasons - its size. TFL is smaller. There are benefits.

• If I'm discussing/arguing a point with someone, I don't have to wade through a dozen other posts to find the reply. Also, it's less likely that the post I"m replying to won't be replied to already, during the time I spend typing. I don't like contributing to redundancy.
  
  
• There are fewer members to familiarize myself with. It's easier to make witty comebacks if you know the history and character of your target, ahem, fellow member. Also I can start a thread that says, "Hey, member_____, I need help on this subject." I'm more assured that member____ will see my thread before 50 others bury it to the bottom of the forum list. For example, there's an ongoing thread where one member specifically asked PBP to look at his new gun. Furthermore, many of you will actually know what PBP stands for.
  
  
• Trolling and content quality - a thread on THR might get twice as many quality replies as a similar thread on TFL, but probably three times as many bad-quality replies. This issue is not a THR-specific thing - it happens to all very large forums. So even though I'll get to read a lot more good discussion on THR, I'll also have to wade through more ____.
  
  
• Ron Paul makes a move, and there's 5 simultaneous, similar RP threads on TFL, 2 of which will get closed. Meanwhile, there's a dozen simultaneous, similar ones on THR, 4 of which will get closed.
  

Basically, the larger the audience, the less significant your own voice will become. I'm being selfish, I know.

Do trolls migrate?

There is a happy medium. There's a (very small)rimfire-oriented forum I visit: number of trolls: 0, average number of replies per thread: 4, and average time between replies: something like 5 hours. All good, quality replies - except there aren't enough.

Should TFL retain its increase in traffic permanently, after THR's problems get sorted out, I have faith that TFL will be just fine, if not better. I guess there will be more promotions to Admins. This possible outcome is something we'll have to accept and embrace - a forum with a faster pace, more opinions, and more contributions to read and digest. At any rate, I've only been here a few months, so what do I know? Veterans, say something.

Congrats and respects to you Admins who keep the peace around here.

 

[CWL]

I don't understand your post. Your post sure reads like snobbery. What are you trying to get at?

I've been a member of both forums for more years than you (I remember why THR came into being) and the purpose of both is to provide a place where anyone interested in responsible firearms ownership can meet and congregate. There will be newbies and old timers in this mix to trade ideas, wisdom, advice and hopefully dispell rumors.

IMO, everyone is welcome, even antis as long as they're civil since the majority of trolls here are pro-gun.

If you want an exclusive forum for just our friends, run your own so that you can control who can join.

 

[Tamara]

Congrats and respects to you Admins who keep the peace around here.

One way we do it is by keeping General Discussion strictly gun-related, and by discouraging "Board Wars".