Quiet?

[eliza]

It seems to be a very quiet board up to how it used to be. 

Maybe there is less people with MSor meds working well?

 

[Marina]

There are apparently more people with MS these days...

 

20% rise in the estimated number of people living with MS in the UK | MS Trust

WWW.MSTRUST.ORG.UK

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20% rise in the estimated number of people living with MS in the UK

 

But, yes, sadly the forum has become quite a bit quieter these days. A lot of people like using Facebook groups instead (not me, though, can't stand Facebook!), so I suspect that's where quite a few MSers flew off to and is maybe the first place MS newbies go to.

 

The forum is a bit like the saying about our bodies: "Use it or lose it"... As some people still use the forum, even if only to lurk or to read other parts of it, we haven't lost it yet!

 

[Michelle7070]

Hi Marina,

 

Facebook is so public, where this feels a more intimate place to discuss and read issues to do with MS, I am grateful that the forum is still here, it gives me a real sense of assurance that there are like minded people to read about.

Michelle

[Marina]

I could write reams about Facebook vs forums, and previously made a number of points about FB in this older topic about the forum having become quiet:

 

 

Whilst a number of people have left FB in the past 2-3 years due to privacy issues, not everyone necessarily knows that forums (still) exist or even what a forum is (or "community" as they're now sometimes also called). Forums were where people went before FB became so popular took over the internet or before FB had "groups". People also have to have been on the internet long enough, or not be glued to FB only, to remember or know what forums are...

[Marina]

On the subject of how many people there are with MS, I've always been a bit sceptical about the numbers (in the UK). When this forum first started, it was 80,000, then increased to 100,000 and has now recently again increased to 120,000. I always used to think it has to be more that that, as so many people I know or meet know someone who has MS. 

 

If the population of the UK is around 66.5 million, it would mean approximately 1 in 550 people have MS (if my maths are right). That doesn't fit at all, percentage-wise, with the amount of people who've told me they know someone with MS, and it's certainly more than 0.20%!

[PaulX]

FB groups are full of memes. They are a real bug bear for me and can make me homicide at times.

FB groups do have some degree of privacy, not all, but some. The signal to noise ratio is appalling though.

 

People say they want choice, but actually all they want is to be where everyone else is. It's why there is unlikely to be a challenge to FB. The demise of G+ is testament to that, even though technically is was superior.

The point about newbie MS'ers looking to the group for answers and the more experienced MS'ers drifting off is quiet pertinent.  There does come a point where you feel you know your MS and there is likely to little change or variation for a long time, if ever.

 

It might just be, with the dramatic increase in smartphone use for accessing the internet, a forum format is not quite so convenient. 

Just my random thoughts, as someone who drifts in and out a bit.

 

Paul

[Happymama]

Not everyone wants to post, but like to read. I'm a mod on another forum, TheGreenLivingForum and we have thousands of members but only a few regularly post.  Most just read - the woodburning thread is very busy always.  

 

All's quiet for me now the Impaction seems to have ceased, and I have a lazy last of the nice weather afternoon on my hands with nothing pressing to do.