If so, what will replace them? I know social networks are probably competing for internet user's time and they may offer content and ideas in a more fresh and interesting way.
There are a lot of social networks popping up, but I think they cater to more of 1 on 1 relating whereas forums allow more group input, although there are ways that social networks overcome this. All in all, I think they serve different purposes. I think the same was thought about chatting online, but in reality forums still serve the purpose of being able to have multiple conversations going on at once with a wide variety of people.
I like forums. The level of conversation (normally) is very high. Sort of like sitting in a coffee shop talking with well-educated (or just well informed too), diverse-minded people. I have noticed that the various forums seem to be on something of a decline in the past year. I'm wondering what is drawing people away. Hmmmm.
No, forums aren't dying. Social networking is a place to make friends, etc. Unless your forum is about social networking, then you'll die.
Are forums dieing? Hell no! They are growing up as well as blogs. I'm thinking of opening my own forum pretty soon.
I'm sure it depends on the audience as far as seasonal changes are concerned. I'm comparing sports, seo/website/advertising forums in my original statement. The level of activity seems to be down. Even though there may be an increase in visitors. Are people not willing to register? Maybe it's a privacy thing. Are the users running out of things to say? Maybe. Someone suggested that people are becoming resistant to text and "need" images, video, or big GUI's to draw their attention. Remember the old text-based video games? Where are they now? I hope forums don't head down that road.
Most users (like us, discussing this now), will look for good forums to discuss ideas, share knowledge and ask for help. You can't get that on a social site. Forums will be with us for a long time yet.
forums will help us forever, we can't always Google for stuff, sometimes we have to ask other people.
No, but a lot of forums depend on Mom's (and Dad's) who don't get to think straight until the kids are sent back to school! Then the grownups can sit down and do some forum posting! I don't think forums in general are dying out. Maybe certain niche forums are seeing a decline, but as long as there is an internet, there will be people gathering together to share ideas about something.
I think that forums are opening at a rate greater than the rate at which new people are coming to them. The users are becoming more spread out. Also, alot of people don't want to register just to post a single question.