15 replies to this topic

[sunny]

What do you think about this statement?

They used to be the first port of call for newbie expats, but services like Twitter and Facebook are fast replacing forums


http://www.telegraph...ith-forums.html

[KKW]

I think some forums are becoming clones of each other because of the number of links to articles and excerpts from them being pasted into forum threads.

I regularly visit 4 or 5 Turkish related forums and to be quite honest there are few, if any, fresh discussions or threads being started on any of them. Once you've trawled through the How many sleeps, The 90 day / 180 day Tourist Visa, Getting a Residence Permit, Does he really love me, Buying a car etc threads, they're all pretty much the same.

[Abi]

I've been a member of various Turkish forums since 2004 so yes I would say there has been a change and that certainly the forums I have used are not as busy as they were when I first joined them,

However, I do think that there is still a place for forums as not everyone wants to belong to Facebook or Twitter. The other thing is maybe people don't post as much because over the years much of the information people want is already there to be found. What I have noticed is that we do have a lot more people just searching for information who are not members.

[sunny]

Well certainly our membership and the numbers visiting the forum have been gradually going up.

[Vic801]

I saw that article too and thought that it was interesting. Some of the other expat forums are moaning about their forum becoming boring and some of them really are. But I think if numbers are waning as people go off to use FB and Twitter, it is maybe not a bad thing. I was persuaded to create a FaceBook account to share photos and news with friends and family abroad but soon regretted it because of the way privacy was handled and also because it was so annoying being innudated with updates about everybody's farmville status or to read every 5 mins, "Mark is going to have a gin and tonic", "Mark is starting a cold", "Mark is going to take an aspirin with his second gin and tonic". Yaaawn!! So maybe forums are attracting more quality members? (This one certainly does!!!)

[KKW]

That Mark's a sad git isn't he ?

[Cukurbagli]

Yes I can see that forums are becoming a bit same old same old but when people keep asking the same questions what else is going to happen? As for sharing stuff, photos and things that happen to you with family and friends, I think that a blog is best. My family and friends rely on it to find out that I'm still alive and enjoying life, I just wish I could inspire them to start blogging.

For me forums are the way to find out the nitty gritty of the subject you are interested in be it photography, Turkey or whatever.

Yeah Mark needs to get out more.

[Reyhan]

I am not an expat (yet) but I hope its okay to share my thoughts? I am on many forums too but most of mine are related to Turkey, like this one or the Turkish language since i am studying it. The rest deal with other things about my interests, like being a student, art and design or using a Mac. So pretty broad range that I have. Funny enough I had noticed also that some of the same topics are being started or in progress across several forum sites, and even though they may have different overall themes.

Also, I don't use FB anymore and I've never used Twitter so forums are my preferred way to meet people who share my interests but also learn about things, and get advice.

/but I have trouble making friends in person because I am an introvert, or shy. I must work on this.

[aine]

Yes indeed but then İ think most of the facebook /twitter crowd are sad sods. Who really cares if you have just washed your hair reinvented your self or posted yet another picture of yourself with a new hairdo. İ haven't an account don't want an account. İ shall leave it to those who think their every thought and action worthy of record.

[Vic801]

Agree with you Aine. My problem with Facebook was that any of my real friends with whom I really wanted to stay in contact, wouldn't touch Facebook with a bargepole and I was only contacted by people I hadn't kept in contact with for a good reason. I didn't like to say "No, I don't want to be your friend" . And it seemed to be that these people were all trying to show how much they really had been successful in life, career, marriage, children etc. I finally gave up and closed my account when I read this from a "friend": (Names have been changed)

"Bathtime in the Browne-Smith household - putting Josie in the bath, she dumped all over the bath-mat. Nicky thought that was so disgusting, he puked up all over it!! I'll put some pics up later."

Say no more.

The forums I consult or are member of, tend to be on the other hand more advice-sharing or support groups. Whether is is technical or psychological, it is good to know there are other people who have had the same problems (a problem shared is a problem halved), and some hard and fast advice can often come out of it.

[sunny]

I agree with you both. I'm not interested in the trite witterings that often seem to pass for communication although I have friends who do use Facebook to keep in touch with their far flung families and friends.

[Ken]

I don't think we have this problem, membership numbers have never gone down here. I've seen the other Turkey forums, they tend to use free or cheap applications to run them, but we don't. Also they talk a lot about stuff which isn't of much value for someone coming to Turkey or living here, and sometimes they get quite rude. I'd like to think Turkey Central is where people go when they get tired of the other forums.

Plus, members can integrate their Facebook and Twitter accounts here, and also import their blogs. I don't think any of the other Turkey forums do that. If what the article says is true, then we are doing the right things.

[Cukurbagli]

Absolutely Ken! Our software and members are streets ahead of the others.

[Ahududu]

Twitter, I've never used or looked at.

FB I use, it's great way to keep in touch with friends all over the world, luckily, my friends aren't avid users, so they don't post every tiny detail of their lives which is good, just occasional photos and updates, so if we want to get more personal we use other ways. I have a couple of friends who post everyday, but they are political, and link to articles about issues which interest them, so I actually get a lot of information from their posts. Anyone who does post the mundane details gets put on hide so I don't have to view the boring details. So I don't have a problem with FB at all.

As for forums, I find that I use them more when at certain times than others, sometimes I have been quite obsessed with reading every post!! Now, I'm much more relaxed about them!
There can be quite a bit of rudeness in some of them, which surprises me, because I can't believe moderators let members get away with it. There is another Turkey forum and it's quite cheap looking, they seem to want financial contributions from members, and there does seem to be a lot of rudeness and negativity which really puts me off.

I like the maturity of this forum, there is a good mix of people who have a huge experience of Turkey, and don't seem to behave in the cliched "expat" manner, but there's also good-natured good-humour......
......as an old Rasta once said to me "It's nice to be nice"

[sunny]

"I like the maturity of this forum, there is a good mix of people who have a huge experience of Turkey, and don't seem to behave in the cliched "expat" manner, but there's also good-natured good-humour......
......as an old Rasta once said to me "It's nice to be nice"




That's a great accolade for the forum Ahududu, thank you.

[swabs]

I use Facebook, but i dont use it for looking Turkish related things, its more to chat to my friends, as pretty much all my friends and family are on it and i am a self confessed Facebook addict!! I have just joined Twitter in the past few days, this is because my brother is always going on about his tweets so i wanted to know what all this chat was about!

I removed Facebook for about 4 months in Turkey, it didnt bother me in the slightest as i didnt really care what was going on in England to be honest, although my family really struggled because i would call every month or two and atleast when on Facebook they could still see i was ok!

With regards to Forums, i think that people can only find it boring, if they go into lots of Forums. I mean if you are just a member of one or two, then you get to know the other members and learn about their lives and also how the forum works, its like a little community that will be there for you and help you and the same for you to them. If your just a member on loads, looking for the best advice and whats new, then you have no attachment and it can get a bit boring really! For example on here, everyone gets to know eachother and we are all so friendly, thats why people join and then they stay because they end up building a connection to the forum.

Just my thoughts xx