And it is.

But is it 'audio', Usenet or the the Internet generally? I also hooked up to
a number of (digital) photography newsgroups and they are mostly silent with
the few that do have some traffic usually getting less than a dozen posts a
day.

Elsewhere, eBay is very flaccid these days with reams of identical auctions
from traders (mostly Chinese) and no end of secondhand items getting no bids
at all - it looks like in the UK, at least, used budget audio gear isn't
making money worth the hassle of packing it up and lugging it to the post
office!! (I've got one or two items I'll never use again but I CBA to try
and punt them - especially with the current 'credit crunch'!)

It goes on: Most websites I've looked at recently haven't been updated for
at least 2 years and no end of cross-referenced websites come back with the
'404 tough titty' screen. A lot more Wiki pages are loaded with disputes and
queries these days and more websites and forums are asking for donations and
subscriptions; popular, 'useful' sites like the IMDB are so plastered with
advertising and pop-ups they are becoming almost too tiresome to use

Then there's more talk of censorship and restriction at national levels - is
it the end of the Internet as we knew it...??

(Or is it now evolving into the *Disinternet* and is that a bad thing
anyway - instant access to endless everything and almost all of it not worth
the bother!!)

"Keith G" wrote in message


But is it 'audio', Usenet or the the Internet generally?

These days I do most of my posting to HTML-based forums. They seem to be
pretty active. The market for audio forums has become very fragmented.

On Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:16:01 +0100, "Keith G"
wrote:

And it is.

But is it 'audio', Usenet or the the Internet generally? I also hooked up to
a number of (digital) photography newsgroups and they are mostly silent with
the few that do have some traffic usually getting less than a dozen posts a
day.

Elsewhere, eBay is very flaccid these days with reams of identical auctions
from traders (mostly Chinese) and no end of secondhand items getting no bids
at all - it looks like in the UK, at least, used budget audio gear isn't
making money worth the hassle of packing it up and lugging it to the post
office!! (I've got one or two items I'll never use again but I CBA to try
and punt them - especially with the current 'credit crunch'!)

It goes on: Most websites I've looked at recently haven't been updated for
at least 2 years and no end of cross-referenced websites come back with the
'404 tough titty' screen. A lot more Wiki pages are loaded with disputes and
queries these days and more websites and forums are asking for donations and
subscriptions; popular, 'useful' sites like the IMDB are so plastered with
advertising and pop-ups they are becoming almost too tiresome to use

Then there's more talk of censorship and restriction at national levels - is
it the end of the Internet as we knew it...??

(Or is it now evolving into the *Disinternet* and is that a bad thing
anyway - instant access to endless everything and almost all of it not worth
the bother!!)




I think everyone is feeling the squeeze and retreating into their
shells. Most people certainly won't be buying trivial stuff like audio
gear when they could be out of a job next week. I now regard things
audio as commodities - I have my system and see no reason to change
it, so the interest I have for advancing is in recording techniques -
plus of course practicing the instruments (of which I have bought a
few over the last year).

d

"Arny Krueger" wrote in message
...
"Keith G" wrote in message


But is it 'audio', Usenet or the the Internet generally?

These days I do most of my posting to HTML-based forums. They seem to be
pretty active. The market for audio forums has become very fragmented.


No idea, I've never looked into an audio forum only photography forums, but
there's *gazillions* of them, so I'm sure you're right.

I don't like forums. I don't like the 'clicky' nature of most of the ones
I've seen (photography) and the *hideous* 'sucky up' posts from people
trying to get 'in'! (Especially when it's sucky up posts from Brits and
Yanks trying to get in with raggedy-arsed, newly-bold Eurotrash!)

I also don't like those stupid little boxes you have to type in!

And I *definitely* don't like being moderated - I got kicked out of the last
crappy (commercially based) forum I was in by a Hungarian (would you
believe?) for calling an Eyetie a 'prick'!

I didn't mind being kicked out in the least, but I hadn't done calling the
stupid little **** *names*!!

:-)

"Don Pearce" wrote


I think everyone is feeling the squeeze and retreating into their
shells. Most people certainly won't be buying trivial stuff like audio
gear when they could be out of a job next week. I now regard things
audio as commodities - I have my system and see no reason to change
it, so the interest I have for advancing is in recording techniques -
plus of course practicing the instruments (of which I have bought a
few over the last year).



I agree the recession is very likely hitting those who might have been
considering a little 'low end' punt on eBay, but there's still plenty of
competition for some things - believe me! And I also think other interests
are superceding 'audio' for a lot of people who have 'done it all' these
days, but it's quite obvious there's still a lot of lurkers her yet no-one
much posts?

Lassitude? Nothing to say or just waiting for summat interesting to happen?

(Maybe I should start another little 'DIY project' and publicise it here as
per - it'd give Plowie summat to flick snot at, if nowt else! :-)

On Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:06:38 +0100, "Keith G"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote


I think everyone is feeling the squeeze and retreating into their
shells. Most people certainly won't be buying trivial stuff like audio
gear when they could be out of a job next week. I now regard things
audio as commodities - I have my system and see no reason to change
it, so the interest I have for advancing is in recording techniques -
plus of course practicing the instruments (of which I have bought a
few over the last year).



I agree the recession is very likely hitting those who might have been
considering a little 'low end' punt on eBay, but there's still plenty of
competition for some things - believe me! And I also think other interests
are superceding 'audio' for a lot of people who have 'done it all' these
days, but it's quite obvious there's still a lot of lurkers her yet no-one
much posts?

Lassitude? Nothing to say or just waiting for summat interesting to happen?

(Maybe I should start another little 'DIY project' and publicise it here as
per - it'd give Plowie summat to flick snot at, if nowt else! :-)

How about one I remember from years ago - a gravity powered turntable.
Big weight hanging on a cord wrapped round a spindle, dropping down a
deep hole in the ground. Rotating vane governor controlled the speed.
Bloody awful thing but certainly would keep you off the bike during
the nice summer days to come.

d

In article ,
Keith G wrote:
And it is.

But is it 'audio', Usenet or the the Internet generally? I also hooked
up to a number of (digital) photography newsgroups and they are mostly
silent with the few that do have some traffic usually getting less than
a dozen posts a day.

My estimate is newsgroup use (based on those I subscribe to) has dropped
by one half from the peak of some years ago. My newsreader tells me how
many articles it has expired each day - so pretty easy to get an estimate
from that.

I'd say website based forums have increased by more than this decline -
the ease of posting pics and data being one obvious reason.

--
*Everybody lies, but it doesn't matter since nobody listens*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Don Pearce" wrote



How about one I remember from years ago - a gravity powered turntable.
Big weight hanging on a cord wrapped round a spindle, dropping down a
deep hole in the ground. Rotating vane governor controlled the speed.


Sounds like a plan - or I could dream one up that was powered by water
running off the roof (less digging). Let's face it, it would only be
*unavailable* a few days a year!!


Bloody awful thing but certainly would keep you off the bike during
the nice summer days to come.


Amazing you should say that, it's been quite irritating - the first lovely
*warm* sunny day today, the daffodils are fully out on the 'Daffodil Mile'
on one of my regular run round the lanes near here and my bike's in for its
first service!!

(Back soon after 6:00 when it gets dropped off!)

In article 4a1eed74.780223781@localhost, Don Pearce
scribeth thus
On Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:16:01 +0100, "Keith G"
wrote:

And it is.

But is it 'audio', Usenet or the the Internet generally? I also hooked up to
a number of (digital) photography newsgroups and they are mostly silent with
the few that do have some traffic usually getting less than a dozen posts a
day.

Elsewhere, eBay is very flaccid these days with reams of identical auctions
from traders (mostly Chinese) and no end of secondhand items getting no bids
at all - it looks like in the UK, at least, used budget audio gear isn't
making money worth the hassle of packing it up and lugging it to the post
office!! (I've got one or two items I'll never use again but I CBA to try
and punt them - especially with the current 'credit crunch'!)

It goes on: Most websites I've looked at recently haven't been updated for
at least 2 years and no end of cross-referenced websites come back with the
'404 tough titty' screen. A lot more Wiki pages are loaded with disputes and
queries these days and more websites and forums are asking for donations and
subscriptions; popular, 'useful' sites like the IMDB are so plastered with
advertising and pop-ups they are becoming almost too tiresome to use

Then there's more talk of censorship and restriction at national levels - is
it the end of the Internet as we knew it...??

(Or is it now evolving into the *Disinternet* and is that a bad thing
anyway - instant access to endless everything and almost all of it not worth
the bother!!)




I think everyone is feeling the squeeze and retreating into their
shells. Most people certainly won't be buying trivial stuff like audio
gear when they could be out of a job next week. I now regard things
audio as commodities - I have my system and see no reason to change
it,

Ditto cars .. our umpteen old Audi and Volvo are still performing fine
so I can't see any reason to change them, and keeping up with Mr Jones,
yes we have that ex Neve Mr Jones across the way, isn't an issue and
he's not got a new motah every year either;!...

so the interest I have for advancing is in recording techniques -
plus of course


practicing the instruments (of which I have bought a
few over the last year).


Now thats a good waste of time)...
--
Tony Sayer

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Keith G wrote:
And it is.

But is it 'audio', Usenet or the the Internet generally? I also hooked
up to a number of (digital) photography newsgroups and they are mostly
silent with the few that do have some traffic usually getting less than
a dozen posts a day.

My estimate is newsgroup use (based on those I subscribe to) has dropped
by one half from the peak of some years ago. My newsreader tells me how
many articles it has expired each day - so pretty easy to get an estimate
from that.

I'd say website based forums have increased by more than this decline -
the ease of posting pics and data being one obvious reason.


Sure. The photography forums are certainly going like trains but the
'bandwidth burners' posting endless reams of (frequently) very crappy pix
(which all get 'quoted' by clowns who know no better) are melting the
icecaps...