Why did this forum die?

[Wd40]

Just curious to know? When I arrived in Singapore in 2009, this forum was so vibrant, with so many people asking questions and so many regulars answering them. This forum was quite vibrant until atleast 5 years ago. But since then has just gone down hill. Why? What are the regulars doing these days?

I for one am very busy on twitter, hardwarezone mostly and some other forums.

[abbby]

I think its doing fine. Expats, some relocated back, some passed on, some are busy, some have started families...just like any other forum and its members.

[BigginHill]

But since then has just gone down hill. Why?

Generally speaking, traditional "forum portals" are no longer the only or even main type of interest based online social interaction anymore. (think FB groups etc)

I've seen similar decline in other types of forums.

[jwoods1864]

I think @Singaporeflyer and @sundaymorningstaple might have something to say to this haha


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[the observer]

To be frank, even the questions aren’t much different from previous years.

Hi, I’m so and so, what’s my chances.

[tiktok]

This forum is a pale shadow of the main expat forum in Hong Kong, where I moved from. Some of the reason surely is how the forum is run - the software is prehistoric, there's too much spam, and the moderators are heavy handed. But probably the main reason is expats here have it too easy and have nothing to complain about.

[Wd40]

This forum is a pale shadow of the main expat forum in Hong Kong, where I moved from. Some of the reason surely is how the forum is run - the software is prehistoric, there's too much spam, and the moderators are heavy handed. But probably the main reason is expats here have it too easy and have nothing to complain about.

Thanks. This shows forums are still relevant. Have a look at hardware zone it is still rocking and so are lot of Reddit forums. This forum used to be very very popular. One reason I stopped visiting this forum is because I became more interested in stocks and finance and this forum has very low knowledge or interest on that subject compared to hardware zone or bogleheads for example.

[PNGMK]

Also there are actually less expats here I think. Or at least expats interested in discussing things apart from on FB.

[Max Headroom]

Could be worse: http://www.expatsingapore.com/forum/ - R.I.P.

That one was the yang to this here forum's yin. They packed it in some years ago, because their visitor numbers were getting embarrassing, partly, I'm pretty sure, as a result of their ever-dour admins.

Can't really say that forums are dead as such, but certainly expat forums have less relevance these days, since there's not a lot of real hardship expat countries left. So, yeah, there's a lot less to ask fellow expats and a lot less to gripe about altogether.

Plus, most of the shizzle we miss from back home can now be ordered online and delivered in a heartbeat. Or even bought locally.

Perhaps also because there's less of a cliquey feel amongst expats now, given that it seems everyone and his mum is expat these days.

Plus of course: Social Media.

P.S. WD, what do you think of SIA? Buyable or barge pole?

[BigginHill]

Don't forget global connectivity as well - ubiquitous free video apps has eliminated the isolation of expat life for the past +5 years.

[x9200]

Just curious to know? When I arrived in Singapore in 2009, this forum was so vibrant, with so many people asking questions and so many regulars answering them. This forum was quite vibrant until atleast 5 years ago. But since then has just gone down hill. Why? What are the regulars doing these days?

I for one am very busy on twitter, hardwarezone mostly and some other forums.

Back in 2009 there was still some critical mass of expat regulars on this forum but IMHO already in 2009 the margin separating this critical mass from decline state was very narrow. Since 2009 many of the regulares left Singapore and stopped attending the forum. The critical mass disappeared and people who remained could not generate sufficient traffic (discussions) naturally. With low traffic the forum lost its ability to attract new regulars.

[Wd40]

P.S. WD, what do you think of SIA? Buyable or barge pole?

I am more of an index fund, macro person than individual stocks person. But I think, SIA could be in for trouble for a long time. I just read aviation will get back to 2019 levels only in 2024.
https://www.flightglobal.com/strategy/a ... 36.article

It is better to stay away from Singapore stocks. Kind of old economy stocks that nobody is interested in. The new economy SG companies like Razor and Shopee are listed in HK & Nasdaq. Did you know Shopee is owned by company called SEA Ltd and its marketcap is bigger than Singapore's biggest listed company DBS, but it is not part of STI index sadly and without companies like that the index languishes.

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/garage ... isted-firm

[Max Headroom]

Thanks WD.

That said, it looks like we're at opposite ends of the spectrum. I believe Tech is in for a mega-thrashing and it's going to drag everything else down with it. AFAIC, what we're seeing now is dotcom bubble deja-vu all over again.

Of course I can't say when it's going to happen, but it's going to happen. And I reckon the plunge will make March look like an aperitif.

Mind you, I don't blindly believe the Ray Dalios, the Jim Rogers et al, but it's just that what they're saying now makes so much sense; we're in the end game, dude.

In my opinion, it needs to get really, really ugly first, before we can have green shoots. What we're seeing now aren't green shoots; way too many zombies around. Way too much money sloshing around, creating this asset inflation scenario.

The reason I asked about SIA is because I've liked fallen angels in the past and SIA looks tantalizing. But given above, I'll just keep my powder dry for when the bottom falls out of the current madness. Once that happens, I'll go to town.

BTW, the STI looks a bit stodgy, agreed. But Singapore is in the process of a major pivot; AI, fintech, crypto, DeFi, matter of time before all of it is here. This country can turn on a dime sial.

Edit: syntax.

[PNGMK]

I agree Max. I am not into Tech at all. Apple went bust once and can do it again. Yahoo has pretty much died, Google could too.

[BigginHill]

But Singapore is in the process of a major pivot; AI, fintech, crypto, DeFi, matter of time before all of it is here.

Talking about bubbles & deja-vu...