Do Humans Still Join Discussion Forums

[ziggy_encaoua]

Sorry too whine but having run a discussion forum for a few months now but I’m wondering if its now only spammers who sign & up & post, that humans no longer want to enter into discussion.

[crfriend]

Sorry too whine but having run a discussion forum for a few months now but I’m wondering if its now only spammers who sign & up & post, that humans no longer want to enter into discussion.

That's a persistent problem, and it's one that we have here at SkirtCafe.

Early in this year, programmers working for spammers discovered a way to programatically read the "captcha" images produced, in our case, by phpbb3. Almost immediately, there was a huge upswing in "registrations", virtually all with random sequences of characters for usernames and e-mail addresses either at G-mail or a mail-hosting provider in Russia. These amounted to some ten to twenty "registrations" per day here. Since new registrations have to be activated by one of the administrators, the impact to the forum was nil.

Sadly, though, we've seen no new humans actually registering.

[HockeySkirt]

I've noticed this myself. Where ARE all the skirt wearers on the Internet? There used to be several active skirt forums, each with a large and active memberships. Lot's of meet ups, photos, new members, experience reports.

The major forums were SkirtCafe (Tom's Cafe), IMFF and The Atrium. IMFF went off-line. The Atrium pretty much died, and the replacement "All New Atrium" barely has a heart beat. There have always been some minor forums around, including Skip's and Ziggy's new forums. But these barely have any activity either.

So where did everyone go?

HS

[RichardA]

I come online here up to3 times a day just to see what's going on, but hardly post as you can only talk (post) so much about a kilt/skirt. I go out in my kilt these days and nobody takes any notice, I don't think I have been excepted, but more to the point people don't care anymore what your wearing sad but true.

[HockeySkirt]

I come online here up to 3 times a day just to see what's going on, but hardly post as you can only talk (post) so much about a kilt/skirt. I go out in my kilt these days and nobody takes any notice, I don't think I have been excepted, but more to the point people don't care anymore what your wearing sad but true.

That's very true Richard. I agree. One can only discuss the same topics a finite number of times. But it used to be that there was a constant flow of new members, and they'd ask the standard questions, and one of the old timers would chime in with some guidance. Why has the rate of new membership dried up?

Unless those new skirt wearers have gone somewhere else that we don't know about, should we conclude that interest in men in skirts dried up?

HS

[Inertia]

Well, correlation is not causation. It could be that interest in talking about skirting on the internet just isn't very high at this particular juncture; maybe the guys are all out and about in their skirts instead of in front of their computers, which is a cheerful thought!

There's an interesting kilt-related thread on the Brass Goggles steampunk forum which would definitely argue against the death of skirting interest. Might want to check it out... it goes on for 45 pages, which certainly indicates interest to me! Here's the link: http://brassgoggles.co.uk/bg-forum/inde ... pic=5669.0
(Hope that works; I've never posted a link on the forum before, and don't know if there's a procedure I've forgotten to do or something.)

Cheers,

Jill

[r.m.anderson]

They do but not as much as they used to do.
I agree with Richard and HockeySkirt.
However the same-ole same-ole discussion does tend to be boring.
Every now and then someone spices the discussion with an interesting thread
but very quickly we are back to the norm.
This forum is still perhaps the only one very much alive and open to the
discussion of MUG wearing.
Other forums are out there but I do not see as much traffic.
It could be as Ziggy stated in starting this thread that SPAMMERS have
killed any interest in participation.
Another factor is during the winter when we are all cooped up with cabin fever
there is not much interest in wearing MUGs out and about.
I have a statement that I make: "It is worse than Shakesphere's winter of
discontent when you can not expose flesh to the brutal elements and enjoy
the freedom of wearing what you practice to preach".
But spring is almost here and St. Pattys day was a gorgeous temperate day
to wear the Irish National Tartan with kilt hose, flashes and jacobite shirt
and parade the streets of St. Paul stopping occasionally for a drop of Jameson.
Happy St. Pats Day to all!
Better kilting days are ahead - rejoice!
Keep posting in spite of the Spammers or whatever lable you attach to them.
All the spammers can think of is Viagra and the infernal steriod drugs to give
the appearance that their lifestyle is the only wholesome one - malarkey or
Irish bull*sh*i*te! Bury them in their own night soil and let the flowers bloom
forth! A fitting end.

"KILT-ON"
rm

[AMM]

I can't really improve on what I said in a somewhat different context at the beginning of the year:

Most of us at SkirtCafe are pretty settled in our fashion choices and not really willing to explore new styles or even to examine our current fashion choices. Most of us have figured out where we're comfortable going skirted/kilted and aren't ready to discuss new situations. There's not a skirt-related discussion topic that hasn't been hashed and re-hashed to the point that even our most pugnacious participants are bored with it.

So, most of the folks here are now spending less time here and more time doing whatever else they do in their spare time -- skirted, kilted, or trousered as they see fit.

A second aspect is that the members of this group tend to be older and in many ways pretty conservative, especially the ones that set the tone. I suspect that many younger men who might be interested in exploring skirt-wearing may be coming by, lurking, and then deciding that they don't feel at home here.

(Afterthought:)

An aspect of both of these is that the group here -- as a group -- has a lot of taboo subjects. There are a lot of subjects that are either flat out forbidden, or which will get only hostile responses, or which no one is willing to touch. At a certain point, you learn not to bring up anything that hasn't been brought up a million times before.

[crfriend]

There's an interesting kilt-related thread on the Brass Goggles steampunk forum which would definitely argue against the death of skirting interest. Might want to check it out... it goes on for 45 pages, which certainly indicates interest to me! Here's the link: http://brassgoggles.co.uk/bg-forum/inde ... pic=5669.0

Oh, that's a dangerous place for me to go. If there ever was an aesthetic I think I could fully embrace, steampunk comes pretty darn close. Fortunately the expense of doing it really properly keeps me out of the game (and debtors' prison).

As far as humans not being interested in skirting at the moment, I think there may be several factors in play there. Amongst things that might conspire against perceived interest may include the rotten state of the economy which may "encourage" folks to "not stick out", the growing notion that folks in the real world just don't care what other folks are wearing (so long as it's not deeply offensive or so "over the top" that it breaches their own funk), and an overall sense of boredom that everything that we seem to talk about has been talked to death before.

I don't believe that the interest has waned; I believe it's being eclipsed by other more pressing issues. I cannot, and do not presume to, speak for all men, but in my case I'm just not into fashion. I endeavour to look good -- and that does confer advantages -- but I don't follow the latest fads; I attempt to create workable, believeable, looks that just happen to include skirts on the lower half. By way of example, It looked like I was going to have to shout down a superior at work yesterday in order that the Company might make a little bit of progress; I made precisely one change to my usual wardrobe -- I wore a tie. The effect on the other personnel was immediate and profound; the boss didn't even bother showing up to block the move forward. The outfit in question? I wore a black dress shirt, my dark blue 1850s-pattern waistcoat (what's that link to steampunk?), grey trousers, and black dress shoes; the tie was a 35-year-old one with a London Underground pattern on it. When I got home, I pitched the trousers in favour of a burgundy tiered skirt -- and it, too, looked good. Or, at least, so I was told by Sapphire.

In the above, notice the ease with which the change was accomplished, and the effect that both had. Would I have worn the skirt to work? No. It would have violated my sense of boundaries. But the changeover worked very well, remained "in theme", and was cohesive. I should have taken pictures.

Skirts work on guys; they work well. It's just that there need to be more of the "brave and the free" looking good, and looking worthy of emulation, out and about in public. I believe the interest is there, it's just stuffed down a bit at the moment.

[Inertia]

Had the sense you might have been a steampunk-resonant sort of person, Carl, from the elegant way you dress. I admit toward leanings in that direction myself; for budgetary reasons they are mostly theoretical, but the design aesthetic appeals to me greatly. If I had the money, and the time, and especially if I could sew worth a d*mn, well, things would likely be different...

The Brass Goggles forum fascinates me. So many people devoting so much time and effort to something no one can properly define... well, I meant to say, what's not to like?

Cheers,

Jill

[Since1982]

Spammers?? at a skirts for men site?? Say it ain't so Joe. You mean nice friendly members like "FreeCreditcardshere" or "Getyourfreecreditreport" or BuyFreeCreditHere"? That last one, that I deleted yesterday, sort of bounced off me..BuyFree???

I DO love that little button in Administrators Control Panel that says completely "delete this user" and all references to this user. Then the warning the board gives me just runs shivers of delight through me. "This action is unrevokable"... Ohhh Yesssss...

[crfriend]

Had the sense you might have been a steampunk-resonant sort of person, Carl, from the elegant way you dress.

Well, that and the fact that I'm actively involved in the preservation, restoration,. and operation of computer gear that's positively "steam age" (so to speak) -- so, yes, I do "have the bug".

[... T]he design aesthetic appeals to me greatly. If I had the money, and the time, and especially if I could sew worth a d*mn, well, things would likely be different...

Sewing is a learnt skill, and, given time and effort, can be mastered handily. But, some of the "exotic" fabrics required to actually pull "steampunk" off (think brocades, silks and satins) can be expensive to work with unless you have a budget to match! It's elegant as all get-out, but it's expensive to do well.

The Brass Goggles forum fascinates me. So many people devoting so much time and effort to something no one can properly define... well, I meant to say, what's not to like?

For purely budgetary reasons, all I can say on the topic is that I "Must. Stay. Away." As enticing and alluring as it is (at least to me), my poor old budget cannot afford both that and the expense of keeping old computers alive and running.

Thank goodness skirts are fairly inexpensive for the most part. Although I have to admit, I do covet a floor-length one with all embroidery on it -- in simple black, of course!

[Sarongman]

This steampunk idea does certainly look like fun! I googled the word and found the most beautiful homemade steampunk computer called the Electric Clerk" ( I'm sure I'd still get spam on it though) created from an old Apple Mac, a Victorian typewriter, a fresnel lens and plenty of brass and wood. I've been thinking of buying a working replica brass horn Gramophone, does that make me a steampunk? I think I've said before that I was born at least 150 years too late

[Since1982]

Sarongman said: I've been thinking of buying a working replica brass horn Gramophone, does that make me a steampunk?

I don't think so, to me, you just look like a man with more house than stuff to put in it. Ebay is just the place for you, I'm sure you can find all kinds of useless?, but beautiful "stuff" to fill your house with. hehehe

[crfriend]

Sarongman said: I've been thinking of buying a working replica brass horn Gramophone, does that make me a steampunk?

I don't think so, to me, you just look like a man with more house than stuff to put in it. Ebay is just the place for you, I'm sure you can find all kinds of useless?, but beautiful "stuff" to fill your house with. hehehe

With all due respect, I beg to differ.

I used to be the proud owner of a turn-of-the-(last)-century mechanical "grammophone" (think hand-crank and mechanical-coupling for acoustics), and used it to good ends during the very frequent power-cuts to the place I lived in back in the early 1980s. The sound was surprisingly good, too! The only drawback was that proper needles were damnably difficult to come by, and I had only a limited stash on hand.

Those that are inextricably wedded to "modern" technology could learn a few things from being without electricity for a few days. I'm not saying it'd be comfortable (Hell, we weren't comfortable when the power quit for two days during an ice-storm in early December, 2008!), but rather that it would be instructive. Yes, during that fiasco (pictures to be posted sooner or later), we were miserable but we could make hot water for coffee (thanks to an old-school gas stove) and had we a store of wood, and could get at the wood stove, we would not have been cold (that's my bad -- I have two racks of historical computer gear in too-close proximity to the stove).

What's all this got to do with "fashion"? Not a whole lot other than to gently encourage the reader to contemplate "obsolete" notions and styles. There's a vast wealth of possibilities that have already been done. All we need to do, in many cases, is re-interpret those into the modern realm. When it comes to us lot, the canvas is almost clean; there's acceptance of skirted rigs on guys already there in the Goth subculture, and there seems to be acceptance of skirted garments in other ones as well. I think it's high time to push acceptance that into the mainstream. Wear it proudly!