Future of Forum
 

Although I hate Facebook, I have been on there a lot lately and came across this group:
Catasetinae (Can), Cyrtopodiinae & related intergenerics
There is a lot of activity and although FB isn't the best forum for discussion, a lot is discussed.
Two weeks ago I came across the Catasetinae group on Flickr. I was awe struck by the quality of pictures, and range of species and hybrids.
I just wonder what you guys thought about the future of the forums.
I felt like there have been fewer posts lately but did a quick unofficial search. There were more post on Catasetum in 7/15 then in 7/09.

I LOVE that FB group you posted. They have really great stuff. In fact, I think I use FB as my main orchid information gathering source and fix for pics. Flicker is really good too, but the sheer number of high quality orchid groups on FB is really amazing. OB is a bit obsolete at this point (sorry OB, I still love you!!).

The really great thing about the FB orchid groups is that I get to participate in several Cattleya walkeriana, amethystoglossa, and nobilior groups based in Brazil. American breeding of these species is at least a decade (or more) behind the Brazilians and Japanese (as indicated by many American's reluctance to call certain strains of walkeriana a hybrid), so its nice to see what the breeding trends are like in places like this where they know what they are talking about.

Other really high quality American growers and breeders are significant participants in FB groups like Cattleya Lovers and American Orchid Society, plus there's orchid trade and sell group that is pretty active. Mauro Rosim (who used to be on OB and is still on Flicker) also posts just about every day in Cattleya Lovers.

FB is the new orchid forum king (again, sorry OB!!).

---------- Post added at 12:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:01 PM ----------

I forgot to mention Stephen Moffitt posts just about everyday in Catasetinae Fever and others.

I don't like FB or any other form of social site...unless restricted to a very specific subject or interest.

OMG! There's group on FB just for C. walkeriana? Cat. Lovers (I don't mean those cats)? Ahh, Orchid Trades???
Excuse me. I have to go log into FB.
Steve, you are an enabler!

I'm in the Brassavola and hybrid group which is awesome!

I love the forum format for in depth discussion but it seems these other formats are taking over. I don't think OB is going anywhere but some of the other orchid forums? I've always thought there were too many orchid forums. It would be a much better discussion if everyone participated in one group.

There are lots of very narrow topics on FB, including those dedicated only to one species or genus.

There are a ton of groups!! Its great!

I'm not quite a fan of facebook groups. I kinda like the relative anonymity offered by various boards on the web. It feels more like a community here rather than , literally, a group of strangers on facebook. Yes the numbers of active members may be larger, but there's just an appeal to OB that facebook doesn't offer. :)

I don't care for FB at all, so I personally will never hang out there. It's a big world with lots of different kind of people, so I highly doubt that FB will kill sites like this one. Plenty of room for different sources of information and sharing.

A group is only as good as the individuals themselves. People have come and gone on this forum before this. I like OB and believe it has a future.

I use facebook very often, but i really can't find any groups really suited for me. Since I'm fascinated by species orchids but not all over the cattleyas/phalaenopsis, this forum and a few others will provide invaluable information on them. So yes, this forum may still have a future.

This and other forums work for me. I can pick and choose what threads to read, focus in on a sub-forum and find a question/answer posted days/weeks/years ago.

With FB, you are going to have to wade through lots of posts from a big group or little resource from a small group.