Lack of participation in Xara Web Gallery

[behzad]

Just wondering why there are hardly any posts in the xara web gallery? I go there often and there is hardly any quality work or any work at all month after month.
I am sold on web designer and done a few sites but what about new comers who want to see what the community has achieved with the software?

[Rik]

I think there's a lack of participation in most of the forums.

[ss-kalm]

I'm not sure about that.

I belong to a number of different forums, and the Talkgraphics forum seems to be the most active of them. Most forums seem to be only used when people have issues. The Talkgraphics forum seems to have more members just hanging about and chatting etc.

[Rik]

It's nice to see a positive view as well, Keith.

But, everything is relative.
If you compare yourself to the bad, then you may well look good.

I just remember what a vibrant place TG was, when I joined.
So, compared to how it was, I'd say the participation is just a small percentage of what it used to be.

However, TG is still a place where you can ask a question and many member will help you.
Whereas, I happened to ask a question on the Affinity forum last year, and I was met with (what seemed to me to be) hostility.
I was told to read the help section before asking questions. So, I never went back to that forum. They don't need me, and I certainly don't need them.

[Jonopen]

I suspect there are many different reasons for the lack of activity. I did a five minute, one-man brain storm (or thought shower, if you prefer) why I think people are not posting or engaging with the forum in general. I personally don’t post in the website gallery because I don’t make websites!

Obviously you have to appreciate behind each thought, further thinking is required, but perhaps if every member did a similar thing it would make a potentially interesting read for administrators and maybe help revitalise all the TalkGraphics fora.

[Egg Bramhill]

I think there's a lack of participation in most of the forums.

I couldn't agree more Rik. Over the years I've been a TG member the volume of posts has slowed to a trickle from that of the past.

In the early days TG was far more vibrant, not least to do with it's lightening speed compared to Illy & CD. However over the years Xara's speed advantage has disappeared, Xara has moved away from it's vector drawing program roots towards web design functionality.

This can be seen by the swing from the previous lead forum 'Xara Graphics Chat' to the newer lead forum 'Xara Web Design Chat'.

The decline within the Graphics Chat is down to the lack of development in vector tools. Similarly the increase in the interest in the Web Design Chat over the past 18 months is not so much to do with Xara's web features but new members joining due to the abandonment of Serif for their WebPlus software. But this is just a temporary bubble which is now coming to an end.

So I agree the TG forum is becoming a backwater and Jono's diagram highlight this.

[wizard509]

I personally don’t post in the website gallery because I don’t make websites!.

Me either Jono!

[wizard509]

I couldn't agree more Rik. Over the years I've been a TG member the volume of posts has slowed to a trickle from that of the past.

In the early days TG was far more vibrant, not least to do with it's lightening speed compared to Illy & CD. However over the years Xara's speed advantage has disappeared, Xara has moved away from it's vector drawing program roots towards web design functionality.

This can be seen by the swing from the previous lead forum 'Xara Graphics Chat' to the newer lead forum 'Xara Web Design Chat'.

The decline within the Graphics Chat is down to the lack of development in vector tools. Similarly the increase in the interest in the Web Design Chat over the past 18 months is not so much to do with Xara's web features but new members joining due to the abandonment of Serif for their WebPlus software. But this is just a temporary bubble which is now coming to an end.

So I agree the TG forum is becoming a backwater and Jono's diagram highlight this.

I agree with you Egg and Rik too.

[wizard509]

I know Gary B is concerned and me too. Many of us regulars are.

[ss-kalm]

... The decline within the Graphics Chat is down to the lack of development in vector tools ...

It may also be due to the fact that a lot of the contributors have now actually walked away from Xara, and couldn't care less anymore.