The Uses Of Forums

[skraps]

Reddit? I hate it! ha ha seriously I can't stand it.

Amen. They think we are stodgy old codgers. Very thoughtful of them to think so highly of us.
I'm all for them being successful though. Fact is the membership there makes up a group of younger pipers that are most likely a large part of the future of this hobby. I hold no ill will, just not my scene.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Some threads such as 'What Are You Smoking Right Now' and 'What Music Are You Listening To' puzzle me inasmuch as who actually reads them in their entirity and why even do they exist? They serve no purpose whatsoever so to me epitomize the banality that can creep into forums where no safeguards exist :crazy:
Regards,
Jay.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

I like to scroll through them for new ideas of what to listen to or remind me I have a tobacco to open or something.
And I like banality :nana:

 

[deathmetal]

Reddit? I hate it! ha ha seriously I can't stand it.

I agree here. Reddit is what happens when the internet has died and been replaced by the basement-dwelling losers of the world trying to validate themselves.

 

[JimInks]

Mawnansmiff: As I am a regular contributor to the What Are You Smoking Right Now? thread, I don't find it banal in any way. I'm interested in reading what people smoke, and I know there are some who are interested in what I smoke. It's a form of communication in lieu of having a pipe shop to visit as are many other threads here. So is the music thread, though I don't contribute to it. Luckily, there are enough people who find it interesting enough to join in, and share our smokes. It's certainly more of a reasonable thread than some others we have seen here. Same goes for the music thread.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

The length of these types of threads alone indicate there are plenty of people that enjoy them. Good enough for me.

 

[mayfair70]

I read the "What are you smoking" thread to get ideas on what tobaccos to buy. When I see somebody smoking something I like, then see them smoking something I haven't tried, I might get that tobacco. I also like JimInks tastes in tobacco and find his reviews extremely valuable. My local B&M caters to cigar smokers and the old fart behind the counter these days doesn't know squat about pipes, though strangely, he smokes one.
I too read through the "What music are you listening to" thread to hear new music, or at least, music that is new to me. I also get reminded of music I haven't heard in a long time. It seems strange to say, but the people who post music to that thread have world class musical taste and the most comprehensive appreciation for the absolute BEST of North American and Western European music. It ain't your Daddy's radio. Scoff at your own risk, it is a musical history education.
To the OP, nothing I write on the Internet will have any value when it's all lost during the Apocalypse. In the meantime, I'm learning as much as I can so I can continue civilization without electricity and a centralized government.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

There are threads that I'm not interested in reading also, but this hobby has a vast amount of angles, nooks, and crannies. Everyone is different. But, music and reading interests me, mostly in getting to know my friends on here better. Sometimes, I'm surprised. Sometimes, I see a band or book that I am interested in myself. At least we've gotten past having a new "my pipe gurgles" thread started every week, ha ha. But, winter is coming. Maybe we should prepare for the gurgles, ha ha.

 

[deathmetal]

Some threads such as 'What Are You Smoking Right Now' and 'What Music Are You Listening To' puzzle me inasmuch as who actually reads them in their entirity and why even do they exist?

I periodically contribute. They serve the same role as sampler albums: good places to find ideas for what to put in the next bowl, order or MP3 folder.
But they attract a specific type of forum poster. For many of us, they are mostly boring, except when something good comes up.
They are a substitute for a chat room, sort of. 90% of the traffic in those is people giving the daily update or complaining about connectivity. Then the 10% are crazy threads like this one.

 

[mawnansmiff]

I like to learn things and I try to select such threads that are likely to teach me something...no matter how seemingly trivial. I cannot say that of the 'What Are You Smoking' or 'What music etc' threads. It teaches me nothing at all to read that Joe Bloggs is smoking Irish Flake whilst listening to Jethro Tull.
I don't need either threads to tell me or even suggest to me what to smoke or what to listen to but evidently some folks thrive on such 'guidance'.
I did once contribute to the 'What Music' thread and immediately felt I had let myself down by being drawn in, but of course to each his own.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[skraps]

The "What Are You Smoking" thread, or WAYS for short, is an interesting beast. In it's form here, it is pretty much a checklist of what you have smoked during the day. Other that what people are able to extract from it for their own personal use related to getting ideas, it doesn't serve much of a purpose. That being said, it's a part of our hobby and a part of this forum. It is of value to people, so that alone makes it worth while.
It's certainly not common, but on the private forum that I am a member at, the WAYS thread is used as more of a daily diary. Guys will post about what is on their agenda, what they did during the course of their day, who pissed them off or how bad work sucks. It might not be very feasible with a community this size, but in a smaller setting where members are close, it's a nice feature and gives a little insight into a guys life other than what tobacco and pipe he is smoking.

 

[mackeson]

I'm just here for the ladies.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"I'm just here for the ladies."
Mackeson, if only there were some :crying:
Regards,
Jay.

 

[lestrout]

Picking up on skra's comments on WAYS threads, at least one other forum usually posts pics of the pipes involved. I look through those for my daily eye candy/pipe porn. Unlike trolling EBay and vendors, there is no easy Buy-It-Now button, so it doesn't immediately cost me money.
hp

les

 

[mawnansmiff]

"I look through those for my daily eye candy/pipe porn."
I cannot imagine anything more boring than looking at pictures of blokes with pipes in their mouths :crazy:
Les, you need to get yourself a hobby ::
Regards,
Jay.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Don't know what Reddit is, will never touch Facebook, but I get on here for the occasional laugh, to read about new tobaccos and new pipes, and if not for the forum, I would never have known about the FDA deeming crap.