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If you put laser, laser pointer, or diy laser into Google trends it shows a relatively constant interest. Maybe like I suggested the forum just needs more publicity?
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What happend?
- Thread starter brendon7358
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Alaskan
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I used to do that, would find every laser hobby video in youtube and post a comment to them about this forum, I saw a big influx for awhile.
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Just a FYI, Google trends is measuring search queries.
-Link that you posted is graph for search query : "Laser Pointer Forums"
You can always cross-check from Google Developers if you don't believe..
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Yeah that's the point though, people actively seeking out a laser pointer forum has dropped pretty far from the peak back in 2010-2011 back when this place was really hopping. Most members don't stick around for more than a few years before moving on.
Lots of newbie activity helps keep the forum active even if people get tired of "is this a good laser?" x1000
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Not sure I get your point?
If I search "burning laser" on google, I don't get any LPF links on the first or second page. I actually get a hit on CandlePowerForums before anything besides direct places to buy one.
Also in the trend you linked, we're currently down to about 30-40% of the peak back in 2008
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Google trends is measuring search queries ONLY. -Not webpage visibility / publicity
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Traffic to LPF is a fairly useless metric though, over 90% of traffic comes from unregistered users.
Currently Active Users: 7269 (135 members and 7134 guests)
We would probably need access to the LPF database to be able to get internal activity stats.
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Wow.
Most users ever online was 85,009, 09-26-2014 at 10:20 PM.
And today...
Currently Active Users: 7244 (137 members and 7107 guests)
That's a big difference!
Most users ever online was 85,009, 09-26-2014 at 10:20 PM.
And today...
Currently Active Users: 7244 (137 members and 7107 guests)
That's a big difference!
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Rivem
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That's kinda how it is I guess.
Compared to years ago, it's a lot easier to get ahold of a wide variety of completed laser components for a lot cheaper rather than using the knowledge online to make stuff yourself.
There's definitely something going on with the forum SEO though. I used to see it a lot higher than I do now in laser-related search results. The google algorithms are largely a mystery, but I imagine that might have to do with how dated the most relevant knowledge-packed posts are. There's also the issue of the age of LPF's version of vBulletin.
I guess we'll see how things are in the future. LPF is still kicking.
Compared to years ago, it's a lot easier to get ahold of a wide variety of completed laser components for a lot cheaper rather than using the knowledge online to make stuff yourself.
There's definitely something going on with the forum SEO though. I used to see it a lot higher than I do now in laser-related search results. The google algorithms are largely a mystery, but I imagine that might have to do with how dated the most relevant knowledge-packed posts are. There's also the issue of the age of LPF's version of vBulletin.
I guess we'll see how things are in the future. LPF is still kicking.
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Also keep in mind some of the huge online user statistics come from when say Styropyro's youtube videos go viral - I remember a huge surge back when Jayrob made his zippo laser lighter. That was a big buzz for a while.
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I still get a steady stream of new members sending me PMs for advice or help in completing some project. I still help with any project and have had packages coming and going for a few years now. In light of photon lexicon's decrease in activity, I believe it is more of an issue with forums in general than anything that LPF has done in particular.
Cel
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Besides everything already said, I've also observed the declining trend of forums in general. :thinking:
I guess people, besides losing interest in lasers (greens are very popular and cheap, so aren't really a novely anymore), also are getting sucked into other websites like facebook or reddit.
Those kind of websites use "news feed" to deliver useless and very forgettable "news" in the format of "now this".
Users get instant gratification which hooks them up. They also develop short attention span.
Forum, on the other hand, has a logical structure. Subforums, threads, archives.
In addition, it can be sorted chronologically. Old threads and posts can be found with ease.
There is a lot of reading material. A lot of guides. Plenty of informative threads and posts.
Some posts are long, but despite of the quality or content I guess most people don't bother reading them. It's easier to look at funny pictures or (binge) watch short entertaining videos!
(From above, and other evidence, I conclude our world is becoming a Huxleyan one, not Orwellian, but that is something for another time.
I'll just insert a quote from a book [Amusing Ourselved to Death]):
"What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book,
for there would be no one who wanted to read them. (...)
Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared that the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance."
When I joined this forum, blue lasers were just starting to pop up. Max power was around 1 W.
Green lasers with power over 1 W were only dreamed of. Now they are just another color that can be ordered (with a pretty good price, especially compared to the early ones).
Lasers that can burn stuff were super cool. Now they are just another, regular laser. The magic is gone.
(I am describing the situation from an average person's standpoint, not enthusiasts, although the same happens to them, although at a lower rate)
Every few weeks there was something new, and everyone was excited then!
I remember fundraisers to buy a diode or two for testing. Flashlight mods, projects, tutorials, diode drivers, custom machined hosts. Don't forget group buys!
The community really was united.
Oh yeah and rep has inflated to crazy numbers since then!
(which devastatingly devalues early reps, though)
I guess people, besides losing interest in lasers (greens are very popular and cheap, so aren't really a novely anymore), also are getting sucked into other websites like facebook or reddit.
Those kind of websites use "news feed" to deliver useless and very forgettable "news" in the format of "now this".
Users get instant gratification which hooks them up. They also develop short attention span.
Forum, on the other hand, has a logical structure. Subforums, threads, archives.
In addition, it can be sorted chronologically. Old threads and posts can be found with ease.
There is a lot of reading material. A lot of guides. Plenty of informative threads and posts.
Some posts are long, but despite of the quality or content I guess most people don't bother reading them. It's easier to look at funny pictures or (binge) watch short entertaining videos!
(From above, and other evidence, I conclude our world is becoming a Huxleyan one, not Orwellian, but that is something for another time.
I'll just insert a quote from a book [Amusing Ourselved to Death]):
"What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book,
for there would be no one who wanted to read them. (...)
Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared that the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance."
When I joined this forum, blue lasers were just starting to pop up. Max power was around 1 W.
Green lasers with power over 1 W were only dreamed of. Now they are just another color that can be ordered (with a pretty good price, especially compared to the early ones).
Lasers that can burn stuff were super cool. Now they are just another, regular laser. The magic is gone.
(I am describing the situation from an average person's standpoint, not enthusiasts, although the same happens to them, although at a lower rate)
Every few weeks there was something new, and everyone was excited then!
I remember fundraisers to buy a diode or two for testing. Flashlight mods, projects, tutorials, diode drivers, custom machined hosts. Don't forget group buys!
The community really was united.
Oh yeah and rep has inflated to crazy numbers since then!
(which devastatingly devalues early reps, though)
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That takes me back to some long past philosophy courses in college. It is true that people are less interested in learning how things work than they used to be. Social media like Facebook et al have contributed to a dumber populace and it is unlikely that people will change on their own. I don't have an answer, but I fear that if things continue the way they are, this country has seen its last days of having a middle class.
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That's a good post, and some good points, Cel!
I joined the forum at about the same time as you, and I agree, there seemed to be something new going on all the time, a pretty exciting time to be here, and speaking of G.B.'s, when was the last time we've seen one those?
BTW, glad to see you around and posting again! :yh:
I joined the forum at about the same time as you, and I agree, there seemed to be something new going on all the time, a pretty exciting time to be here, and speaking of G.B.'s, when was the last time we've seen one those?
BTW, glad to see you around and posting again! :yh:
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Quite a few years back we had members here on
the forefront of dissecting Electronic Equipment
to get at elusive and expensive Laser Diodes.
Every one wanted to know how to get a relatively
inexpensive Laser Diode and how to drive it. That
heyday brought a lot of new members here.
Today we can buy almost any LD from multiple non
LPF sources to build a Laser. I've not seen any new
hobbyist technology or innovations for years...
I'm sure that that has contributed to the decline...
As far as I'm concerned Alaskan has NOT contributed
to any decline here except for Spammers, Trolls and
returning Perma-Banned LPF members... as have most
of the Mods.
Jerry
the forefront of dissecting Electronic Equipment
to get at elusive and expensive Laser Diodes.
Every one wanted to know how to get a relatively
inexpensive Laser Diode and how to drive it. That
heyday brought a lot of new members here.
Today we can buy almost any LD from multiple non
LPF sources to build a Laser. I've not seen any new
hobbyist technology or innovations for years...
I'm sure that that has contributed to the decline...
As far as I'm concerned Alaskan has NOT contributed
to any decline here except for Spammers, Trolls and
returning Perma-Banned LPF members... as have most
of the Mods.
Jerry
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