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Help me understand the popularity of Reddit (community.nodebb.org)

submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by razibal@community.nodebb.org to c/general-discussion@community.nodebb.org

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I've been a fan of forums for years (decades, even...) going all the way back to BBSes and newsgroups. However, in recent years, I've noticed that more and more discussions have been moving to Reddit and Discord. While I understand the appeal of subreddits covering nearly every conceivable topic, I struggle to see why Reddit, in particular, has become so dominant. It lacks many features that decent forums take for granted, yet it seems to be steadily wiping out independently hosted forums. Am I missing something obvious that explains its popularity?

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[–] razibal@community.nodebb.org 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

@eeeee But, that’s also its biggest flaw as a discussion platform. It has now become a place to find answers to questions (almost like an extension of Google search) or a pseudo-news feed for sharing one's latest purchases and real-life/online experiences (much like people used to do on Twitter). It is woefully inadequate for detailed, long-running discussions, as posts rarely receive engagement beyond a day or two. Plus, Reddit’s discovery algorithm does not encourage discussion. It seems to emphasize likes over replies or the longevity of posts.

[–] julian@community.nodebb.org 1 points 1 month ago

@razibal I think that is always going to happen when your algorithm prioritizes engagement of single posts over the health of a larger conversation.