Mark
2004-07-08 00:01:52 UTC
I've sensed for some time that the quantity of
messages posted to ba.internet has declined.
I think that I've confirmed my hunch by using
Googles Groups' advanced groups search page at:
http://groups.google.com/advanced_group_search
I entered ba.internet in the newsgroup
box and each of the following one-year
periods in the message dates box. Here
are the results:
8 July 1990 - 7 July 1991: 9 threads
8 July 1991 - 7 July 1992: 152 threads
8 July 1992 - 7 July 1993: 450 threads
8 July 1993 - 7 July 1994: 904 threads
8 July 1994 - 7 July 1995: 5310 threads
8 July 1995 - 7 July 1996: 7010 threads
8 July 1996 - 7 July 1997: 8010 threads
8 July 1997 - 7 July 1998: 6900 threads
8 July 1998 - 7 July 1999: 10100 threads
8 July 1999 - 7 July 2000: 56800* threads
8 July 2000 - 7 July 2001: 56800* threads
8 July 2001 - 7 July 2002: 56800* threads
8 July 2002 - 7 July 2003: 14100 threads
8 July 2003 - 7 July 2004: 10300 threads
(* The results for the three years between
mid-1999 and mid-2002 are probably low; I
gather that the search function will locate
a maximum of only 56,800 threads.)
It appears that the quantity of threads in
the last year is down at least 80% from the
annual quantity as of a few years ago.
- Is my observation valid?
- Does any of you have a guess as to why the
message count is down so dramatically?
- Where are of all those absent questioners
going these days for free and excellent answers
to their Internet questions?
- Did something happen among ba.internet
habitués that spoiled the atmosphere? Or are
we witnessing the inevitable end of an era?
- What might we do to raise ba.internet's profile?
How about a barbecue or a concert or a bake sale
or a group shoplifting excursion to Stoneridge
Shopping Center?
**********
1366294709
messages posted to ba.internet has declined.
I think that I've confirmed my hunch by using
Googles Groups' advanced groups search page at:
http://groups.google.com/advanced_group_search
I entered ba.internet in the newsgroup
box and each of the following one-year
periods in the message dates box. Here
are the results:
8 July 1990 - 7 July 1991: 9 threads
8 July 1991 - 7 July 1992: 152 threads
8 July 1992 - 7 July 1993: 450 threads
8 July 1993 - 7 July 1994: 904 threads
8 July 1994 - 7 July 1995: 5310 threads
8 July 1995 - 7 July 1996: 7010 threads
8 July 1996 - 7 July 1997: 8010 threads
8 July 1997 - 7 July 1998: 6900 threads
8 July 1998 - 7 July 1999: 10100 threads
8 July 1999 - 7 July 2000: 56800* threads
8 July 2000 - 7 July 2001: 56800* threads
8 July 2001 - 7 July 2002: 56800* threads
8 July 2002 - 7 July 2003: 14100 threads
8 July 2003 - 7 July 2004: 10300 threads
(* The results for the three years between
mid-1999 and mid-2002 are probably low; I
gather that the search function will locate
a maximum of only 56,800 threads.)
It appears that the quantity of threads in
the last year is down at least 80% from the
annual quantity as of a few years ago.
- Is my observation valid?
- Does any of you have a guess as to why the
message count is down so dramatically?
- Where are of all those absent questioners
going these days for free and excellent answers
to their Internet questions?
- Did something happen among ba.internet
habitués that spoiled the atmosphere? Or are
we witnessing the inevitable end of an era?
- What might we do to raise ba.internet's profile?
How about a barbecue or a concert or a bake sale
or a group shoplifting excursion to Stoneridge
Shopping Center?
**********
1366294709