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The state of the Arab Forums

By: Qwaider

On:Tuesday, April 20, 2010 6:03:27 PM
In:Thoughts
Viewed: (12965) times

Currently 4.6/5 Stars.
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Rated 4.6/5 stars (123 votes cast) Thanks for your vote!

I'm so happy I missed the whole rise, and golden days of the Arabic forums (between late 1990's to about 2004). Where Arab forums, mostly hosted outside of their native countries and away from the curious and watchful eyes of the governments (back then) when they were too backward to employ or even understand what is going on. At the same time, I guess forums didn't register as a threat in this exciting new cyberspace! Everything was a cool game back then.

It's 2010 and pretty much nothing has changed in the state of the Arabic forums, in fact, they have multiplied and sprung just about everywhere with thousands, even hundreds of thousands of followers at times. But nothing has changed, the same annoying flashing marquee from 2004. The same annoying Ads for OTHER forums while you're visiting one form. The chaos, poor security, confusing UI and pitiful experience.

If you want to really know what I feel whenever misfortune makes me land on an Arabic forum... Watch this video, and you'll know why I'm so happy I missed the whole thing.

Yeah, I know the drug/alcohol junkie that Ke$ha plays in Tik Tok isn't any better

Arabic forums appear to be floating aimlessly on the Internet. Providing a safe haven for social media v0.5 before Facebook (gosh even before Myspace!). Also away from the watchful eyes of copyright police.

Over the years, these have turned into a cesspool of everything that shouldn't be there from illegally distributed software, to "how to make a bomb to serve your Fuhrer" manuals to even, "how to shoot everyone in your class and die a hero".

For the Arab world, it did became a form of unreliable media, where rumours and anecdotal arguments on miraculous this, and poisonous that, not to forget how the whole world if conspiring to add impotence-causing-cancerogenic-pig-laced-ingredients to everything from the Air to our beloved Marshmallows!

Every time I visit an Arabic online forum, I feel that I need to wash my eyes, right after I disinfect them with some hand sanitizer.

Memories....

#1
Mohammad Badi Irshid
Said
On: 4/20/2010 7:40:38 PM
SpamScore=[2.47]

I was very active on (Eqla3Soft) forum and it was really the best out there at that time (Guess who wrote this stupid post (http://vb.vip600.com/showthread.php?t=40179 ) i was 15-16 years old ONLY) Aaaaaaaih.
I just wanna add that now all arab forums are really the same, copy&paste from one to another, same stupid things, rumors and WRONG religious info. Anyhow, the only thing they did lately was adding social networks buttons for sharing purposes.

#2
Qwaider
Said
On: 4/20/2010 7:54:41 PM
SpamScore=[-41.69]

You guys didn't hear of Outlook? :)
Anyway, interesting guide Mohammad, great effort.

Other than that, I completely agree with you on what you said about the "copy and paste" if anything it serves to further ruin the Arabic content online

#3
Mohammad Badi Irshid
Said
On: 4/20/2010 7:59:24 PM
SpamScore=[0.95]

Outlook? hotmail web-mail was just WOW :) LOL
btw, I am smiling evilly because I see Apple Mac and Safari logo on your website and you can not even hide them :D Muwahahahaha

#4
Qwaider
Said
On: 4/20/2010 8:06:55 PM
SpamScore=[-41.71]

Who said I can't hide them? Dude, I WROTE the CODE to show them!
I show them because that's what you're using, let me know if you want me to show you running Internet-Explorer 6 on a Commodore 64 :)
Just to mess with you, check your first comment :)

#5
Hamdanism
Said
On: 4/20/2010 11:46:50 PM
SpamScore=[1.45]

Mahjoub is the most famous Jordanian forum...I never registered, and never liked it at all...I never liked the Arabic forums in general...

#6
Qwaider
Said
On: 4/21/2010 3:14:13 AM
SpamScore=[-41.73]

You think so? There are at least 20 other forums that rank higher than Mahjoob in Jordan can you believe that? Even things like Amman-DJ or MyEgy which is an Egyptian forum

Mahjoob ranks 106 in Jordan

Anyway, they all suck but they're so damn popular!