I was on another forum (non-sports) and a discussion turned to why people disappear from forums. It made me start thinking about the various forums I've been really into, and then left, and why. Except for one where people were threatening each others' lives and another where politics took over, my reason has always been that I just wandered off and forgot to come back. But it also made me think that there might be 'phases' of membership. For instance:
1. learning
2. sharing
3. teaching
4. settling in (some combination of the above)
5. boredom (if no one else feels like sharing the stuff you've evolved toward).
6. being asked to leave
I'm curious what non-sports forums guys like us inhabit. Mine are all history-related except for one on Hot Pepper gardening. I tried a philosophy forum once briefly, but it was really strange.