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Bring Back Crappy Forums

The article reflects on the decline of early web forums, which were rough but functional, as newer platforms emerged. It questions what might have been different if the internet had stuck with the forum format instead of moving to modern social media and centralized platforms.

Background

- The article reflects on the decline of old-school web forums (like phpBB, vBulletin, or Simple Machines) — messy, text-heavy, community-run bulletin board systems that peaked in the 2000s before being overtaken by social media platforms (Reddit, Facebook Groups, Discord, etc.). - "Crappy forums" is a nostalgic, tongue-in-cheek reference: these sites had clunky interfaces, limited moderation tools, and often outdated designs, but they fostered deep, sustained communities around niche interests. - The core argument: today's sleek platforms centralize control, algorithmically curate content, and prioritize engagement metrics, whereas forums were slower, more permanent, and user-owned — trade-offs worth reconsidering. - Relevant context: the broader "enshittification" discourse (Cory Doctorow's term) about how platforms degrade over time to extract value; and the ongoing small-web / indie-web movement that advocates returning to decentralized, hobbyist-run online spaces.

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