Discussion What has happened to Anandtech?

[Muse]

Very true. And that attitude is as American as apple pie. I only buy on eBay in buy it now form haven’t bid for many many years.

I used to bid, won some great stuff and killer prices, but nowadays BIN rules. I also usually won't even bother to check the shipping cost if it isn't FREE SHIPPING. Why bother? Still, you can sometimes score a great deal in an auction. I know how to snipe. Seems a lot of people don't. But I rarely bother anymore.

I know how to find a great price on ebay if it's there (at least I really think so!) and I have pretty good intuition concerning what's going on. I almost never get burned.

 

[Captante]

I used to bid, won some great stuff and killer prices, but nowadays BIN rules. I also usually won't even bother to check the shipping cost if it isn't FREE SHIPPING. Why bother? Still, you can sometimes score a great deal in an auction. I know how to snipe. Seems a lot of people don't. But I rarely bother anymore.

I know how to find a great price on ebay if it's there (at least I really think so!) and I have pretty good intuition concerning what's going on. I almost never get burned.

Ebay and Amazon are very similar these days in that you really need to be careful about who your actually buying from.

 

[Pohemi]

Ebay and Amazon are very similar these days in that you really need to be careful about who your actually buying from.

Amazon (and Newegg as well) look more and more like Ali-Express everyday. There's as much or more chineesium junk listed than legit products.

 

[whm1974]

Ebay and Amazon are very similar these days in that you really need to be careful about who your actually buying from.

Amazon (and Newegg as well) look more and more like Ali-Express everyday. There's as much or more chineesium junk listed than legit products.

Both of them should get rid of all third party third sellers. I brought a a portable HDD from one by mistake on Amazon once. Now every time I look for anything on Amazon and Newegg, I always check the box to ensure that I only find products they are selling themselves. Oh Hell oh why did the former owners of Newegg sell the company they created to the Chinese for?

 

[Ajay]

or as a friend of mine said:

”my kids don’t play video games, they watch other people play video games on YouTube”

Yeah, that's often what one of my nephews does. I'm like, WTF? I mean, I've followed walk thrus before, but someone else gaming???

 

[whm1974]

Yeah, that's often what one of my nephews does. I'm like, WTF? I mean, I've followed walk thrus before, but someone else gaming???

Why in Hell would anyone want to watch someone else playing? I play games!

 

[Ajay]

Why in Hell would anyone want to watch someone else playing? I play games!

IDK? Kids these days ^_^

 

[ultimatebob]

I'd think that Facebook Marketplace has basically put most smaller for sale/trade forums out of business.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I'd think that Facebook Marketplace has basically put most smaller for sale/trade forums out of business.

True. People still be scamming on there, but it's not quite as bad as other places.

 

[pete6032]

Due to all the various computer building shows on YouTube and the popularity of the various subreddits, I doubt that.

I don't know, I think there may be more shows about it now, but it seems like it's declined. Building a computer used to be a challenge - putting the parts together, connecting to the motherboard, dealing with jumpers, master/slave drive etc. but now it's pretty much plug and play, which makes it less fun. Also 10-15 years ago you could build a PC cheaper than you could buy one from a big box retailer. Now, it seems like the big box stores offer a better deal than the cost of individual components.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I just don't sell shit like I used to. Used to sell used DVDs and get a few bucks - not worth the effort now. Shipping costs are also ridiculous these days.

I remember when I could ship a dvd for less than $2.


The only thing I will use anymore is Craigslist and specifically for large stuff like upgrading my washing machine, dishwasher, or car and selling the old one.

My cut off is $50. If I can't get $50 out of the item then I just donate/recycle.

 

[Muse]

I remember when I could ship a dvd for less than $2.

Yeah, the shipping costs just seem so high these days I don't bother selling online. Even the post office.

I think maybe if you sell ebay you may get cheaper shipping options by printing out a shipping label through them, but I haven't investigated that.

 

[DigDog]

as im waiting for my work system to load some file, i'll hapzard an answer to "what has happened to anandtech/HC/overclock/toms/yahooanswers/nameyourpreferredforum"

Answer A) it's not the 90s anymore.
There isn't as much to gain from being a tech head. You dont need to learn how to do a pencil mod without exploding your PC, you won't find a motherboard that's 130% as efficient as the other mobo, you can't overclock your celeron to twice the rated speed. Most hardware actually works out of the box. Windows doesn't ship with missing .dlls, plug & play works, and most PCs come with an auto-overclock feature anyway.
Sure people still have a passion but the "read this fourm and AMAZE YOUR FRIENDS" factor isn't there anymore

Answer B) people got dumb and complacent
With Apple dumbifying everything, most consumers get their tech working on their own. A lot of people don't even know that you *can* do stuff by yourself, they just auto-update everything and dont bother looking for a solution online. Also, availability of so many competing products means that if something doesnt work on day 1, there is always another contender to replace it with.

Answer C) more things to waste time on
Back when Fb wasnt a thing so massive that i dont even have to check if you understand what Fb means, people didnt have quite so many places to visit online. For tech, there was AT, [H], OC, Toms, and that's about it. Today the vast majority of IT-hardware-related traffic is absorbed by Linux Tech Tips, Hardware Canucks, Gamers Nexus, and A MILLION minor video reviewrs that take the effort out of reading, plus another hundred or so other online communities that did not exist at the time - or if they did, did not have the ease of access that they do today. So someone who used to waste their time on AT and maybe pick up some decent knowledge, now wastes their time on Instagram, or Twitter, or whatnot.

There just isn't the amount of traffic there usd to be, nor is there the amount of interest in used hardware there was.


So, the answer to the question "what has happened to AT", is: nothing.

Nothing; that's the point. AT hasn't changed, but the world has.



im so smart.

SMRT! SMRT!

 

[JEDIYoda]

Amazon (and Newegg as well) look more and more like Ali-Express everyday. There's as much or more chineesium junk listed than legit products.

I agree! I can remember looking up CPU`s and I found a chinese knockoff called Entel???
I was also looking for ram and I found another chinese knockoff called CoarseHair....but the last straw was looking got a PSU -- Rawswell and PSee Flower and Kooleng......go figure...

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

as im waiting for my work system to load some file, i'll hapzard an answer to "what has happened to anandtech/HC/overclock/toms/yahooanswers/nameyourpreferredforum"

Answer A) it's not the 90s anymore.
There isn't as much to gain from being a tech head. You dont need to learn how to do a pencil mod without exploding your PC, you won't find a motherboard that's 130% as efficient as the other mobo, you can't overclock your celeron to twice the rated speed. Most hardware actually works out of the box. Windows doesn't ship with missing .dlls, plug & play works, and most PCs come with an auto-overclock feature anyway.
Sure people still have a passion but the "read this fourm and AMAZE YOUR FRIENDS" factor isn't there anymore

Answer B) people got dumb and complacent
With Apple dumbifying everything, most consumers get their tech working on their own. A lot of people don't even know that you *can* do stuff by yourself, they just auto-update everything and dont bother looking for a solution online. Also, availability of so many competing products means that if something doesnt work on day 1, there is always another contender to replace it with.

Answer C) more things to waste time on
Back when Fb wasnt a thing so massive that i dont even have to check if you understand what Fb means, people didnt have quite so many places to visit online. For tech, there was AT, [H], OC, Toms, and that's about it. Today the vast majority of IT-hardware-related traffic is absorbed by Linux Tech Tips, Hardware Canucks, Gamers Nexus, and A MILLION minor video reviewrs that take the effort out of reading, plus another hundred or so other online communities that did not exist at the time - or if they did, did not have the ease of access that they do today. So someone who used to waste their time on AT and maybe pick up some decent knowledge, now wastes their time on Instagram, or Twitter, or whatnot.

There just isn't the amount of traffic there usd to be, nor is there the amount of interest in used hardware there was.


So, the answer to the question "what has happened to AT", is: nothing.

Nothing; that's the point. AT hasn't changed, but the world has.



im so smart.

SMRT! SMRT!

So... Just expanding on this a bit...

It DOES pay to be even a SLIGHT tech head. How many people do you think can come out of college with a non-CS degree and do a SUMIF, VLOOKUP (Or INDEX/MATCH) In excel? And shit like that is in all honesty bottom of the barrel

If your "tech" is all about tablets and cell-phones, I would say you're pretty fucked in life.

 

[Pohemi]

I just don't sell shit like I used to. Used to sell used DVDs and get a few bucks - not worth the effort now. Shipping costs are also ridiculous these days.
I remember when I could ship a dvd for less than $2.
The only thing I will use anymore is Craigslist and specifically for large stuff like upgrading my washing machine, dishwasher, or car and selling the old one.
My cut off is $50. If I can't get $50 out of the item then I just donate/recycle.

Yeah, at some point the time is no longer worth the value of the item and potential cash you can get back from it. Especially not with the frequency that craigslisters are 'just window-shopping', aka wasting time with emails and questions when there is never actual intention of buying the item.

 

[Kaido]

Yeah, that's often what one of my nephews does. I'm like, WTF? I mean, I've followed walk thrus before, but someone else gaming???

Why would anyone want to watch someone else playing? I play games!

cough SPORTS cough

 

[JEDIYoda]

Is gaming a sport??

 

[Kaido]

Is gaming a sport??

Yes, it's considered an eSport. It topped $1 billion last year, so it's legit now:

Global esports revenues to top $1 billion in 2019: report

Global esports revenues will hit $1.1 billion in 2019, up 27 percent since last year amid ballooning revenues from advertising, sponsorship and media rights to competitive video gaming, a report said on Tuesday.

www.reuters.com

And that's just the tip of the iceberg in the game arena. Gambling on Counter-Strike skins alone was a $5 billion dollar industry:

https://www.casino.org/news/5-billion-skins-wagered-2016-despite-valve-shutdown/

Playstation alone has generated $20 billion for Sony:

PlayStation drives Sony's $78 billion earnings in 2018

PlayStation is a big reason for Sony's record FY2018 earnings.

www.tweaktown.com

 

[ultimatebob]

Is gaming a sport??

They've been having corporate sponsored professional gaming tournaments with cash prizes since the late 90's, so I'd say yes.

 

[Muse]

They've been having corporate sponsored professional gaming tournaments with cash prizes since the late 90's, so I'd say yes.

Semantics. I had an argument (gentlemanly, mind you) with the spouse of a cousin some years ago now concerning whether or not golf is an athletic sport.

If you ask me, sitting (or standing) at a game console with control in hand and looking at a display is not a sport... it's a game. Your heart rate might go up but your breathing isn't particularly. Take this for what it's worth, I'm not a gamer. I have always liked and participated in some form(s) of athletic pursuits. Those improve my cardio-vascular fitness (and other aspects of my life). Gaming, I would think, really does not.

Now, that "argument." I maintained that golf IS an athletic sport, he insisted it wasn't. AFAIK, he didn't play. I do. I also watch a lot of the pros compete on TV. More and more of them are athletes. Very few of them don't work out in the gym regularly. The best have personal trainers.

 

[Pohemi]

Now, that "argument." I maintained that golf IS an athletic sport, he insisted it wasn't. AFAIK, he didn't play. I do. I also watch a lot of the pros compete on TV. More and more of them are athletes. Very few of them don't work out in the gym regularly. The best have personal trainers.

The John Dalys are going the way of the Dodo.

 

[Muse]

The John Dalys are going the way of the Dodo.

Yeah, I think I heard recently that he can't walk a course or something.

 

[Muse]

The John Dalys are going the way of the Dodo.

One of the first athletic pro golfers is Gary Player. A little guy who had to work on his strength and conditioning constantly and intensely to compete with Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. He's the Jack LaLanne of golf.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Yes, it's considered an eSport. It topped $1 billion last year, so it's legit now:

Global esports revenues to top $1 billion in 2019: report

Global esports revenues will hit $1.1 billion in 2019, up 27 percent since last year amid ballooning revenues from advertising, sponsorship and media rights to competitive video gaming, a report said on Tuesday.

www.reuters.com

And that's just the tip of the iceberg in the game arena. Gambling on Counter-Strike skins alone was a $5 billion dollar industry:

https://www.casino.org/news/5-billion-skins-wagered-2016-despite-valve-shutdown/

Playstation alone has generated $20 billion for Sony:

PlayStation drives Sony's $78 billion earnings in 2018

PlayStation is a big reason for Sony's record FY2018 earnings.

www.tweaktown.com

so it is not a real sport........thx