It's my 11th year at The Fret

[Jimi75]

Just saw that I joined in early August 2006. So long ago... I was somebody else back than, at least I was so young ;-)

I remember spending Friday and Saturday nights here at The Fret, a guitar in my hand...posting and replying, sometimes it took only seconds and a browser refresh to read the replies of the fellow friends here.

I also took a long break from this place around 2011, but after I returned nothing was the same anymore - sadly.

However, calmly celebrating my 11th anniversary here - it's still a good place, hopefully it will bloom again one day :-))

[stingx]

Happy Anniversary, man! All web forums have taken a huge hit over the past few years. Blame it on Facebook and mobile devices in general. More people surf via their mobile devices than they do over a desktop. I'm old school - I prefer a desktop computer, still love forums, and just reading a vast amount of things on the web.

Even though I have always had my own forum, I enjoyed coming here over the past decade because Robert put a great place together and some of the the nicest people I've never met have hung out here. Yourself included. The biggest reason I miss the forums is because I was driven to play better and was always learning something new while engaging in all the internet collaborations I was a part of over the years. Playing with some of the best people on the planet and having your playing listened to and critiqued really kept you on your toes.

Maybe the format will become popular again. who knows? It's really up to the individuals to continue to participate though. If you build it they will come...

[Robert]

I think Facebook is where a lot of people prefer doing their commenting and interacting with people. SAD!

[tjcurtin1]

Your post made me check, and I see that I am a 10 year member this month! I've always liked checking in here - so many good people have been a part of the scene over the years. Even if many are no longer around, those who remain fit that description! Pete's comments mirror mine in most ways - this is the only guitar forum I frequent regularly, and the only others I visit are for beekeeping. Otherwise, I use the net from a desktop to read and research and keep in touch with friends and world events. I'm not a user of anti-social media like Facebook (oops! I'm sorry, that just snuck out;)) Anyway, glad the Fret is still here along with some people who I like hearing from even if we never meet in person. Thanks, Robert, for making it possible!

[Zip]

Only 8 years for me. Pretty much a newcomer, I guess :)

[Jimi75]

Folks, wouldn't it be great to have the entire bunch back for a week? I wonder why so many left?
I still have no FB account - are most of them really exchanging over there right now? Is FB even capable of creating such a structured and intimate atmosphere as we had/have over here?

[tjcurtin1]

+1!

[Jipes]

9 years here for me I wish you a Happy Birthday Jimi :thumbsup Forums as well as personal Blogs have suffered a huge dismiss of people since Facebook came in place not necessarily for a good result but that's the way things are going right now.

[piebaldpython]

I'm guessing a little under 10 for me. Yeah, FB and specialty forums have taken much of the punch away from here..........that and just the increased demands on our time.

[marnold]

In mid-October it will be 12 years for me, not long after The Fret started, if I remember correctly. My issue with not coming here more frequently is that my life has gotten busier (not in a bad way) so I'm not playing as much. Trying to fix that.

I had a Facebook account, but I nuked it in the months leading up to the previous U.S. election (aka 2012). One of the best decisions I've ever made.

[tjcurtin1]

This is interesting - it does seem that most of us who are still here either don't use Facebook or use it little?

[stingx]

Folks, wouldn't it be great to have the entire bunch back for a week? I wonder why so many left?
I still have no FB account - are most of them really exchanging over there right now? Is FB even capable of creating such a structured and intimate atmosphere as we had/have over here?

Actually, many forums that I used to frequent are on FB and no longer real forums. There are called groups on FB. They have a moderator, etc. It's not the same. It does seem to be the most popular now though.

[Jimi75]

An FB forum to me is a place where people tend to spam others. Post, repost - without even thinking. This place here was about real people, who were able to deprioritize their stuff to help others.

[Robert]

I think plenty of people stop by to look here, but not many take the effort to post for some reason. I think we can get it going it we reach a "critical mass", so to speak.