FORUM

It seems that way. But the mistifying thing is that even the most clickbait posts get hundreds of views, but absolutely no responses. I guess it's all now on Facebook, so goodbye.

And Merry Christmas to you Martin!
I don't think it's dead - maybe sometimes there is just nothing to say. The forum was only ever a complement to the site, meant for questions and advice relevant to the area.....and before FB it was busy - so yes, there's no doubt that FB has taken over to a very large extent, mainly because it's so much easier ie photos, videos etc.
But the forum is still here.....and will remain for as long as people use it. And when they don't, we'll chop it off, and replace it with something else!

Well said Kate. The forum has been very useful to us and remains a useful communication tool which has not (yet) been entirely replaced by FB (or Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest etc). Different people prefer different communication media and not everyone is a FB fan/user.

Certainly not there's lots of information which doesn't always need comment although some who comment purported to be experts ?.
I've also experienced negative views however this forum is extremely helpful,and let's hope not used for attention seekers,but by anglophiles helping each other or sharing views and information.

OK. I take new heart. And it's Martyn with a "y". Not my fault: I was quite young at the time, and in an incubator.

When the internet arrived many of us saw it as the dawning of a new age. Social media had seemingly unlimited potential. The forum concept would allow us to help one another, make new contacts, share our thoughts, have a laugh. Like a gigantic pen pal network.

We are capable of emotional as well as well as rational reactions. And this causes problems. For example, somebody posts a question asking how do the French celebrate November the 5th? How do you react? Treat it as a joke, make a scathing reply or just ignore it.

This is the dilemma we all face. This may explain why the majority of threads are questions which invite only straightforward answers. Like "Is there a 24 hour chemist in Perpignan". At the end of the day we don't look for confrontation.

It's true that the forum concept has migrated to Facebook. I only use FB to monitor a couple of ex-pat groups opposed to Brexit. I have not been impressed with the standard of some of the contributors.

Gus

Gus Morris wrote: It's true that the forum concept has migrated to Facebook. I only use FB to monitor a couple of ex-pat groups opposed to Brexit. I have not been impressed with the standard of some of the contributors.

Gus

You may well follow them, and do so in a critical spirit. But "monitoring" them seems a bit grandiose. Though again, why not just tell them of your bad opinion: they would be mortified into silence, and you would be spared further effort?

Gus Morris wrote: We are capable of emotional as well as well as rational reactions. And this causes problems. For example, somebody posts a question asking how do the French celebrate November the 5th? How do you react? Treat it as a joke, make a scathing reply or just ignore it.

This is the dilemma we all face.

Gus

I think that technically that's a trilemma. But hey, who's counting? And besides, there are responses that need not be either silent nor entirely snide: even if you can't buy decent fireworks anymore, you could still light a candle to Ste Élisabeth.

Spot on Marty

marina wrote:Spot on Marty

It used to be "Mart" in scouse: about the ugliest sound you've ever heard.

Yes, all discussion has migrated to the PO Life facebook page.

I notice that there are fewer arguments there, which is nice.

Hello,
Not everyone is on Facebook.
Some of us choose not to be.
I very much value the Forum and all those who offer advice and help.
Nicki

The problem with Facebook is that all the posts appear in full and there is no organisation by subject so you have to plough through lots of irrelevant posts to see one or two that are of interest. I'm not just talking of the PO Life group but seemingly all of Facebook. Why do my "friends" want everyone to know that they have just opened a bottle of wine or bought a pizza. Even worse they post photos of it!

Russell (in grumpy old man mode)

I agree Russell. If it wasn't so important for P-O Life to have a social media presence on FB etc I don't think I would bother.

On the other hand, I do understand that for some people, it's a lifeline; it also provides the opportunity, like the forum, to make new friends, but in addition the ability to 'like' is gratifying. I know it frustrates some people on the forum when they dont get a reaction to a post, so a quick 'like' fulfils that need.

Good and bad points like everything I suppose.

For me one of the biggest differences between Facebook and a forum such as this, is the ability to locate specific information. There's a useful 'archive' quality to a forum which is much harder to achieve on FB.

If, say, someone is searching for a recommendation re a trade, on the forum you can drill down and see what's been said in the past; or, answers received, will be retrievable by others going forward. But on FB, it's much, much harder to search for historic info with the result that the question just gets asked again.

I think FB is great for 'in the now', quick chat, or instant response - but a forum such as this definitely has a place too.

Santiago wrote:Yes, all discussion has migrated to the PO Life facebook page.

I notice that there are fewer arguments there, which is nice.

But how do you have discussion without argument? Apparently that's easy: they have algorithms that ensure that you never see things that you'll disagree with. My own problem, being a sad old geezer, is that it just seems too complicated, and intrusive, and just too much junk information, for anything it could deliver - to me. Though I do get offered lots of pictures of people: some of them I'm fond of, and others less so, but in either case I already know what they look like. And pictures of Mt Canigou in all its moods: but I've seen them too, from a safe (and warmer) distance.

I agree with Russell and Helen that looking for specific topics is so much easier on the forum. I find the discussions on the forum very interesting and the information in the archives has come in very useful. I would not join FB even if the forum gets less and less, it just takes too long to find relevant information and I already spend too much time virtually ...

I gave up posting on here a while back. But I do take a peek once in a while. Or raher my OH does. He belongs to a closed forum where they have a "Creative Corner". It is a place where members post topics with wide appeal so that as many members as possible can take part. Members submit ideas to the admin who then drip feed them one at a time. It works very well.

For example a forum like this might have a topic called "The wrong side of the road" where members could swap their experiences of driving in France for the first time.

Merisin

Merisin wrote:I gave up posting on here a while back. But I do take a peek once in a while. Or raher my OH does. He belongs to a closed forum where they have a "Creative Corner". It is a place where members post topics with wide appeal so that as many members as possible can take part. Members submit ideas to the admin who then drip feed them one at a time. It works very well.

For example a forum like this might have a topic called "The wrong side of the road" where members could swap their experiences of driving in France for the first time.

Merisin

If that's "Creative", god save from the other thing. Though that seems to be "l'esprit du temps": we all just huddle down with like-minded people.

martyn94 wrote:

Merisin wrote: For example a forum like this might have a topic called "The wrong side of the road" where members could swap their experiences of driving in France for the first time.

Merisin

If that's "Creative", god save from the other thing. Though that seems to be "l'esprit du temps": we all just huddle down with like-minded people.

Well if that doesn't get your raconteur juices flowing Martyn, how about something along the lines of - ins and outs of the French septic tank - but I think the OP was being facetious too!