Future of online communities?

Just wondering where everyone thinks online communities be going in the next 2-3 years from now?

The forum technology is always improving, but we don't really have that MUCH choice, it's between 2-3 major developers. What happens if Vbulletin stop developing the product?

Communities these days are becoming alot more competitive and people are even going to lengths such as buying members and posts to make their forum seem more popular than it actually is.

It seems to me that new forums spring up everyday and fade out and die just as quickly, I can see the bubble bursting in the near future and only the major players left standing.

Forums where you record your own voice and reply, instead of typing. I know that there are sites about like that.

That would be annoying. I wouldn't want to go to a gaming forum and hear a little boy fighting over a console or something.

The thing i love about this place is that it is serious yet fun

Recently a community i'v been with for over 3 years died out...the admin kept promising to add content and even a portal yet didn't do anything Also he had IPB and now that it's with money i dont know what he would have done...

I think people will be drawn towards the serious communities in the future. The communities with a genuine population and posting base.

I also believe that the whole "community" aspect will shine through. People are spending more and more time online and communities are a way to stay sociable for those who burn the candle at both ends. People will want to "belong" to the community because of the feelings a community gives them.

Just as socialising and communities are the "in thing" for the youth of today offline, it is becoming part of the online phenomonen.

............Coffee shops....

............Clubs.......

:P

I also believe the communities that will thrive are the ones that give the members a sense of worth, ones that involve members in their growth and ones that make members feel good about themselves. I think TalkFreelance is on the right tack with it's friendly and very welcoming environment.

Thats the first time I heard of forum sites buying members and post. Thats ridiculous.

It would be good if they stopped the Free forum software. their will soon be more forums than people in the world, maybe cutting the use of free forums, would let the serious forum owners survive.

That would be quite interesting, commercial forums