What makes me want to join a forum, is how the staff, interact with the members on the board.

That's it.

Not Post count, or member count.

But Simply, how the staff treats the members of the board.

If I see a board where the staff treats the members like they matter, and with the respect that they deserve, then I will join.

What makes me not want to join a forum, is staff abuse, whether it is of the members, or their powers..

Ugly skin.. I am sorry but that is the truth.

I will not join a forum where the background is so bright, that you can't see the text.

If all else fails, if you can't make a skin, then use a premade. or if you don't want to do that, then leave the default skin up there.. but don't make things worse.

I have seen admins of forums skin a forum the way they liked it, and when told that their members couldn't read the text, or the colors hurt their eyes, they did not care.

My thing is, that it is a good idea to try to please your members (note i said please, and not bend over backwards, or kiss their asses) because it is the members that make a forum, a community.

I am not saying that my skins here are any better, but at the very least, they match. I don't use obscene colors, and what ever I do, my images match the skin at hand..

What makes you join a forum? What makes you not what to join a forum?

I really don't know. I join forums upon my interest in a certain subject. However, I am less active if mods treat members like dirt and I won't join if the skin is eye pealing as well. Sometimes the banner must appeal to my eyes as well.

Well for why I consider joining a forum is because I am interested in it, be that the level of discussions I've seen or the majority of the content of the board, but as for why I don't join...

1- poor admins/staff: these are the guys that punish unnecessarily or overly harsh, without thinking or investigating the problem, expect people to flock to them just because they have a forum, make a forum after seeing a cool one (and think they can immediately make one just like it), they have no idea how the forum works and expect everyone to do everything for them, they have attitude problems (such as a superiority complex, or act cocky and arrogant)

1.B don't get me wrong staff that is the complete opposite can be just as poor. such as never punishing the bad members, always working on their forum (to the point of 3 skin changes a day), so laid back that nothing phases them... etc (it's all about a medium)

2- overly harsh rules- rules that are absurd and very limiting, or are difficult to stay inside (such as all posts must always be perfect english)

3- members- that act tough, get away with everything, cause their buddies with the staff. or members that get annoying and nothing is ever said or done because "along time ago they helped the forum some how" so they feel like they can be a jerk whenever they want.

4- eye raping bad forum designs, such to the point that it hurts just to view the forum, often includes bright flashy colors with bright text.

Basicaly, because i like to exchange my own experiences with other people...also because i always tend to join in forums that i'm sure that i'm going to have fun and feel confortable in them...

That goes for me too. I like forums though because it gives me a break from reality and to be the person who I truely am, a person that is locked away in the real world.

Nice sentence Sae...nice sentence...

i do it beacuse i like talk with poeple that can list and awner back

The thing that makes me join a forum is meeting the people here.

I don't know, I joined this forum completely by accident, but it turned out well. This is the only one, of two or three that I'm a member of, that I post in and visit often.

I can't remember why I joined much
And i don't regret it