This forum dead or dying?

[this_is_nascar]

This thread acts like CPF used to be all about modding, but I remember the threads obsessing over every new Surefire model as they were announced. And then again when they'd (occasionally) reach production. I've had a U2 for almost 20 years thanks to that.

....and God forbid you had a negative comment about a SF product or the company. Even suggestions and constructive criticism was me with a heavy hand.

 

[Monocrom]

HEY! Let's not forget about David Chow and 4Sevens! That guy and his lights drew a crowd. .... and he was always having a sale and offered 10% off for CPF members. Good times. Good times, indeed.

Sadly also feels like Old Times from back during the Good 'Ole Days.

 

[Monocrom]

....and God forbid you had a negative comment about a SF product or the company. Even suggestions and constructive criticism was me with a heavy hand.

I just remember getting zero negative feedback from the moderation team, and the Admins. (including Greta). I guess it's debatable who was SureFire's biggest critic. Though, I was definitely on that Top 5 list. I'd buy the SF model. Use it for awhile. Post what I hated about it.... Again, zero negative feedback; except from other members. But that was about it.

 

[Schokokeks]

Certainly seems to be. It used to be super-active. I think all the talk is on reddit, (r/flashlight) but watch out, some self-important moderators there. Don't insult or joke about whatever you want or you'll get banned instantly, no warning. Rule no.1 is "be excellent to each other". Dumbest thing ever - what does that even mean? People should debate, insult freely, within reason. Adults, online, don't care about such things. I find fragile little moderator egos on reddit in general actually, full of false importance...

Reddit is literally a Psy-op. They made an oopsie one year (2014?) and released that Eglin Airforce Base was the "Most Reddit addicted city." That's where the U.S. cyberwarfare people are. Reddit is just manufacturing consent and opinions...and/or selling that.

I'd lurked on their flashlight page, but it's mostly just endless "New Light Day" pictures - RARELY with a beam shot, and 95% of the beamshots that DO get posted are just against a wall. I don't think anyone there actually uses lights, haha.

Additionally, I think that sub is a captured market for the mods there to generate traffic to their sites and/or generate revenue through affiliate links. NO ONE ELSE can do that stuff, but lots of THEIR posts do just that.

Overall, I just found it to be 99.9% superficial, consumerism - which is, frankly, Reddit. Almost every "hobby forum" on that site is just centered around BUYING more of the stuff for the sake of owning it. Which...whatever...it just doesn't generate interesting conversations. Reddit is a for-profit business that sells access to markets, be that the CIA or some Chinese brand of flashlights. Reddit post Aaron Schwartz has been nothing of value.

I still like the CPF format the best. Reddit threads have a couple pictures on the first post then that thread dies in a couple days. If you want to read about a particular light (today I was researching the E03 III), you have to read a dozen threads.

BLF is just as dead as CPF, I don't like the single infinite page format of BLF.

CPF also has the best BST format!

I think PART of the issue with low traffic on CPF is the legacy of insane mods. I never made a profile here until I REALLY KNEW the nutso mods were gone. That being said, I think there still is the TENDENCY to continually expand on a single VERY LONG thread, versus starting a new thread (like you'd find in most forums). As you point out, Reddit is like DOZENS of "threads" with maybe 5 or less posts, but here, there might be a single thread with 3,000 - and neither is optimal.

I registered here because this is the place for talking about Malkoff, without EVERY conversation devolving into, "Oh my god! It's too expensive! Just buy your 233rd Chinese light!" BUT, many of the Malkoff threads are REALLY long, and VERY unapproachable.

I spent like...a year or two reading ALL the Malkoff threads while pooping at work, hahahah. By the time I finished, and really understood anything, most of that information was just really, really outdated, as it was shockingly old. Interesting, nonetheless, but just a lot.

It seems the insane mods are gone, so no one would be outright banned for making [gasp] a "redundant" thread on a topic, but I think that a little more of that would generate more discussions.


Probably my most active posting is in the Malkoff front porch, and that can be unwieldy, as you might have 12 conversations going on at once, in a 3,000 post thread.

I thought I quoted the post, but someone mentioned having sub-forums for specific models of a light, and that could be an interesting idea. Or, maybe, at least, just people posting new threads if they have a question or comment or thought about something.
It seems like there's hesitation for people to just post...to generate conversations.

To me, it looks like people are still afraid of getting slapped by a mod.

Maybe I'm wrong, but the way I see it, I think this place is mostly people who come to kill some time and "talk shop" with other light nerds, likely because MOST OF US don't have anyone in our personal lives who is interested in this hobby. So, who cares if it's a bit redundant, or rehashing something in a thread from 2015? I think people should just post stuff whenever they have anything to talk about. At worst, it's a dead thread. At best, it generates some discussion.


Also, I saw someone mention the fee structure for some of the "non-individual" sellers, and while I can understand needing to generate revenue to pay for servers, much like with taxes, you can't squeeze blood from stone, and targeting the "just above the poor masses" for maximum funding is often a bit counter-productive. CPF really is the niche space for this hobby, and I think encouraging more of the small shops to hang out, and drive business would benefit everyone. Maybe, behind the scenes, discuss some kind of affiliate link system. I think many of us here would be fine if there was a small percentage kickback from products we see here.


Finally, I'd concur on the BLF format. That is, by far, the single worst way to arrange a forum I've ever seen. I've been using forums since the late 90's, and that one is just a chore to navigate.

 

[this_is_nascar]

I just remember getting zero negative feedback from the moderation team, and the Admins. (including Greta). I guess it's debatable who was SureFire's biggest critic. Though, I was definitely on that Top 5 list. I'd buy the SF model. Use it for awhile. Post what I hated about it.... Again, zero negative feedback; except from other members. But that was about it.

Interesting. I'd get my balls busted all the time concerning the few posts I'd make on the topic from the mods and it usually escalated to Sasha (Greta) expressing her opinion, granted, it was her house.

 

[CarpentryHero]

This place definitely has slowed to a crawl. Its glory days were the PK Surefire years in the 2000s. But I don't think the action's all on Reddit. They have a particular kind of discussion there. Mostly either newbies asking for recs or guys talking about the 39th identical Wurkos they ordered off Temu that month.

I wonder where a lot of the discussion actually is these days, and don't say BLF. The market for weird old stuff and Surefires/whatever is as strong as ever on eBay but I literally can't find any place people are talking about these things.

I find myself in one of two flashlight discords more often than anywhere else, people can joke, post memes, and share info. It feels quicker, maybe cpf needs its own discord

 

[greenpondmike]

"To me, it looks like people are still afraid of getting slapped by a mod."

I liked getting slapped by my mother figure--makes me feel loved .

I think the reason we get all those bigfoot reports nowadays is because the hairy one hates LEDs and everyone uses them nowadays. Incans didn't bother him though. He especially hates cool white and more so if it has a tinge of angry purple in it. I think that is what causes him to go off on folks. Woogie woogie.....

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

"To me, it looks like people are still afraid of getting slapped by a mod."

I liked getting slapped by my mother figure--makes me feel loved .

I think the reason we get all those bigfoot reports nowadays is because the hairy one hates LEDs and everyone uses them nowadays. Incans didn't bother him though. He especially hates cool white and more so if it has a tinge of angry purple in it. I think that is what causes him to go off on folks. Woogie woogie.....

No problem, just leave some Jack Links in your trail for them.

 

[Got Lumens?]

Short time member here.
Joined in 2011 after i got my LED craze and having had cancer in 2009.
I miss the older days of yesteryear.
I've made friends here, true ones.
Been caught up in life, it's struggles, and surviving as of late.
I don't frequent any longer as I did when younger.
I have an extensive collection. I used to be a tester and have posted several reviews.
I have not lost the passion, just the drive I had years previous.
I am still in contact with FourSevens/Prometheus lights. Good people.
Many people would say I am selfish. But I am not, I still care, just in my older body.
I wish everyone the best and hope I can frequent here more.
CPF is not dead. It's just there are not as many enthusiast's as were in previous years.
Perhaps other newbies will engage and reap the rewards of the CPF community.

GL Out

 

[LEDrock]

I remember back when Cree first came out and everyone was so excited about it, but there were still so few flashlights made with Cree LEDs. Threads would pop up to alert members when a Cree light made an appearance in a store. I just had to look up those old threads......

Back then, they were new, which made them exciting and discussion-worthy: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/cree-xr-e.141299/

People were modding their older lights with Cree: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/a-few-cree-mod.144141/

And the earliest versions were hard to come by: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/t...-es-already-no-its-not-to-soon-either.140062/

That was just 19 years ago. Now they light our homes, stores, streets, parking lots, and are still in our pockets as well. Anyway, those days are now behind us, which might explain why the excitement isn't there so much anymore. The novelty is gone. Powerful LEDs in flashlight isn't something new and special anymore. It's just commonplace. Still nice though. Incans have pretty much been made obsolete, just like using film for cameras.

Oh, and notice my sig-line. Hasn't been updated since those old days when I was so proud of my first LED, which was the $10 Brinkmann headlamp I bought at Walmart that uses 2 white 5mm LEDs and 1 red one and runs on 3AAA batteries. I still have it, but never use it. Maybe it'll become a collector item ;)

 

[Chadder]

I have searched ebay several times hoping to find an old River Rock 2aaa. I had a couple back in the day and wish I still had one for my collection. I gave them away when I started getting into higher end lights but wish I would have kept it!!

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

 

[LEDrock]

I have searched ebay several times hoping to find an old River Rock 2aaa. I had a couple back in the day and wish I still had one for my collection. I gave them away when I started getting into higher end lights but wish I would have kept it!!

And I actually have 2. One is silver, the other is black.

 

[Robocop]

I just got back and hope this place is hanging around as it is my only source for catching up on the crazy amount of choices in the light world today. I will retire for good in two years and plan on bugging the crap out of everyone here on a daily basis once work is not a factor.

I do remember when the led stuff was introduced and man this place was a constant buzz back then. Of course there was something new every day and modding was way more active then as well. I do however think that there is much more to talk about in the light world today as there are literally hundreds of affordable ,and incredible performing lights, to talk about. There are certainly many more options today than there were 25 years ago.

Of course back then we would keep our selves occupied for months on a single new light. I remember something like a year long discussion on a 6 dollar LED light at walmart (Dorcy AAA LED) We had guys tweaking the circuit and doing all kinds of experiments on that little light and man it just kept going. And holy smoke the amount of posts on all the ARC stuff was bananas and it just never slowed down. Much fun back then and we did that on almost every new light. I suppose today there is so much stuff available it just kind of all blends in and maybe the excitement has become a little stale.

I know we have younger members here so please do not take offense however many younger people today use the light on their cell phone to get by and most likely never even consider a cool keychain LED or a AA size EDC. Regardless lights still do it for me and most likely always will. I just bought a light costing about 100 bucks (KR4 QUAD emitter with all the goodies) and I absolutely did not need it however just had to have it. I am sure many here can relate to this as well...ha

 

[hsa]

We can't relate to that. You didn't buy three different colors.

 

[crislight01]

It's not what it was in the 2007, lol.

 

[DRW]

...To me, it looks like people are still afraid of getting slapped by a mod...

That's why I have (had) two accounts, there was some crazy moderation that didn't understand we are one of the products they are selling.

Not sure why I was concerned, but I was. Now with AI creeping into the forums pretending to be a human, no reason to converse with a robot.

 

[Kestrel]

It's not what it was in the 2007, lol.

2007 was a good year. ;-)

 

[newts]

IMHO there is less do it yourself in the hobby now. It is more consumer oriented and most of the innovation lately seem to be from China and are not as customizable. Only a few have open source firmware.

 

[orbital]

It's not what it was in the 2007, lol.

2007 was a good year. ;-)

+

Yes & Yes