Did you know we are one of the last?

[Sandip]

Lol sorry about the heist there. But I’m thinking it’s bigger than this. What it comes down to is the whole idea of having a hobby is disappearing. Hobbies are pretty much past tense. Yes you may counter that the Facebook sites are busy. But even they only have 20-50 followers. Yes they’ve got thousands of members. But again not many day to day.
Next many members have moved on. Just don’t keep fish any more. Discus being what they are have even less keepers.

I respectfully disagree with the statement that Hobbies are past tense.
Discus keeping hobby has actually grown. More people buy discus. Less people are willing to put in the effort to learn. But more people are definitely putting in the money to buy.
Forums have just migrated to new age forms like FB groups or reddits.

[Iminit]

Nope I’m standing buy what I said! . Hobbies are dying! Your own statement confirms it. “Less people are willing to put in the effort to learn.” The joy of a hobby is to learn. Yes they may be selling more discus. But to a culture that doesn’t really care past the pictures they put up on Facebook or the others. It’s a shame. On Facebook a topic comes and goes in hours. Nobody learns anything. On forums things are discussed for days to years. I tell so many to come here or the earlier mentioned place but so few come it’s just shocking. Even the few who’ve come are long gone.

[brewmaster15]

I dont know about hobbies dying or not but I can tell you all that I have an over abundance of them.lol! My wife jokes that I collect them.

Photography...check
Fish keeping....check
Breeding reptiles.. check
Camping ,hiking, fishing .. check
Archery....check
Small engine repair... check
Solar projects...check
Homebrewing.. check
Gardening ...check
Connoisseur of fine Japanese animations...check
Collector of books... check
Linux os dabbler.. check.


Hobbies keep me sane in an insane world.

My problem isnt that hobbies are dying..mine is I do not let them go. Most people I know have a hobby for a while and then move on and try something else. My hobbies are cumulative..

[Iminit]

Well I didn’t say hobbies are gone I said they’re dying off. Yes us baby boomers still have hobbies. But the next gens hobby is gaming. Pictures are taken with the iPhone,hunting,fishing,hiking, playing ball games all done on the computer. Even the car kids don’t repair engines. They buy crate motors and have a shop install. Not all but most. Even the guys with old cars rarely ever drive them. Now again this is here maybe the further you get from the big cities it changes. But people looking for info on hobbies are a dying breed. What happened to the train collectors,watch and clock collectors! Wood workers? These hobbies have past. We had about 10 train shops on the island. I think there may still be one. The younger gens don’t do anything and google everything.

[Vanman]

Wood working is still a thing and I have the receipts to prove it. I frequent a tomato forum. I also repair my own vehicle because no one else will work on it.

[Adamski77]

thanks to all of you... I'm so happy I found this place.

[brewmaster15]

Well I didn’t say hobbies are gone I said they’re dying off. Yes us baby boomers still have hobbies. But the next gens hobby is gaming. Pictures are taken with the iPhone,hunting,fishing,hiking, playing ball games all done on the computer. Even the car kids don’t repair engines. They buy crate motors and have a shop install. Not all but most. Even the guys with old cars rarely ever drive them. Now again this is here maybe the further you get from the big cities it changes. But people looking for info on hobbies are a dying breed. What happened to the train collectors,watch and clock collectors! Wood workers? These hobbies have past. We had about 10 train shops on the island. I think there may still be one. The younger gens don’t do anything and google everything.

Haha. Actually.. I am Gen X aka.. the gen that raised themselves lol

[Sandip]

While hobbies are definitely not dying, the forums are declining in popularity. It would right to recognize this hard truth.
If we set our expectations that this forum will get back to be busy like it was a decade ago, then we will be disappointed.
Instead, we should think, how we can ensure the continuity of the interaction that still happens in this forum and preserve access to the knowledge that exists in the older threads.

[brewmaster15]

While hobbies are definitely not dying, the forums are declining in popularity. It would right to recognize this hard truth.
If we set our expectations that this forum will get back to be busy like it was a decade ago, then we will be disappointed.
Instead, we should think, how we can ensure the continuity of the interaction that still happens in this forum and preserve access to the knowledge that exists in the older threads.

Oh please don't curse us Sandip! I definitely don't want Simply as active as it was at its peak. NO WAY! With all those members came a lot of baggage. Those were very difficult times from a management and time requirement perspective. The attitudes,flame threads, bickering and posturing.. though entertaining for many to watch were extremely challenging for Mods and Admins to keep the forum tone even keeled and welcoming. I will settle for just a reasonable amount of good members talking discus.

[Iminit]

Lol Gary I hear ya. But I’ve got a basement full of woodworking tools from my fil. He passed in 09. I’ve worked construction my whole life. Couldn’t find anyone who wanted the tools. So if your ever in NY and want some woodworking tools let me know .

[Sandip]

You know, I love this forum. I just wish it was a little more active. Why not! So many people browse the forum. Google search results link any discus related questions to this forum. So many people in FB buy beautiful discus and then get them to become sick in no time. That pains me. I want them to come here, spend some time, learn from the forum and enjoy the hobby in a way such that the fishes don't die horrible deaths.

Discus keeping is not really challenging as long as the basics are met.

[Charlyc11]

Any time I see somebody asking questions on FB and getting the wrong answers I direct them to this forum. Even if I can get them the answer they are just better off here.

You know, I love this forum. I just wish it was a little more active. Why not! So many people browse the forum. Google search results link any discus related questions to this forum. So many people in FB buy beautiful discus and then get them to become sick in no time. That pains me. I want them to come here, spend some time, learn from the forum and enjoy the hobby in a way such that the fishes don't die horrible deaths.

Discus keeping is not really challenging as long as the basics are met.

[CliffsDiscus]

Discus As A Hobbyist(DAAH) is gone after the peak and so are most of the hobbyist. Next peak is going to be when the next new true strain (not a hybrid strain)comes out.




Cliff

[brewmaster15]

Maybe this will put things into perspective for you guys. When we started this forum, it was not really with the intention or expectation that it would be big. A few us had been on a general forum (JEDDS) in the discus section and it was a fun place to hang out. It started to change a bit and The owner decided to sell the forum. I contacted the owner as I did not want us to lose our home and it appeared that it would not be the same anymore. At the same time , April Ross, a friend on that forum introduced me to Ryan Smith, who had web skills and was a cichlid nut also. We decided to make our own forum. Ryan built it and I managed it was how it was to be. WE didn't even have our own server initially. We shared one of Ryan's Friends servers. We were just looking for a place for the handful of us to hang out and talk fish. Its phenomenal growth was not anything we envisioned and caught us completely off guard. Fast forward and alot of people have come and gone, some have passed on from this life others have left the hobby...other migrated to other platforms. Remarkably there are some still around here.. I love seeing the year they joined in their profile...2002, 2003,2004..

Alot has changed. One thing that hasn't is the forum is still a fun place to hang out and talk fish. Its a great place to make good friends.It has always been a solid community that tries to help hobbyists with their discus. I do miss many people that moved on in one way or the other, some not so much BUT, there is a really good group of people here now that post regularly that remind me of the members in the early days. I like what I see here today and look forward to tomorrow. For me.. That is what a forum is for and its why we are still here. I'm fairly sure If I pulled the plug on SimplyDiscus today there would be alot of unhappy people, myself foremost. Thats how important it is.

[Discus Fever]

I agree Sandip this forum is the best, thanks AL keep up the great work we have out lived all of the forums.