What do you think makes someone join the iNat Forum?
I don’t mean iNatters seeking IDs, or submitting bug reports, etc. I mean people who read threads, post thoughtful responses, etc.
What characteristics are shared by our tiny, self-selected group?
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I joined the forum because I saw a topic in the little forum box on the iNat website that I found interesting. I wanted to reply to it, so I made the account. For the first few weeks/months I only really entered the forum if I saw an interesting topic on iNat, but then it just sort of grew on me, and now I am using it way too much. Haha
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The forum is addictive
- Because other iNatters come up against the same problems I do
- Because, if I am lucky, they have already found either a solution, or a workaround
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I was curious. So I read… then I replied…
I found I learned a lot more here.
I stick around for the fun!
Now it’s an addiction.
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So a stranger offered you candy (brain candy):
You thought, “One piece of candy couldn’t hurt! It’s only one piece of candy.”
And now . . .
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Yes… it’s not a “bad” addiction.
I’ve been told I need to be “social” as I age. Well, this is it!
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I was already an active iNat user, but I also find forums to be preferable to most other forms of social media nowadays, so I’m getting more into them. I feel like moderation, the smaller website population, the slower speed, and having a shared topic/hobby does a lot to make the community feel more chill compared to using most popular social media platforms. Plus this forum is a bit more educational.
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I find this an odd, somewhat offputting way to frame the forums.
iNaturalist is not a stranger to those of us who actually actively use it, so seeing an interesting topic or article or any link is not at all akin to the oft-warned of “stranger offering candy”. It is an additional area of interest and information in an already familiar website/app.
Perhaps you could share with us why you joined?
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The forum provides good info on how the iNat site functions. That’s info I’d likely not pick up on my own with the way I use iNat. Also, many of the topics can be interesting for biology nerds even when unrelated to iNat itself.
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I think the main reason I joined is to connect with other Inat users.
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I read a lot of the posts here, and it seemed fun. Then, I came across this bug, which was a perfect excuse to join.
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Behold, my first post on the forum. Apparently I joined to ask for sporophyte/gametophyte annotations for seedless plants. From there, I progressed via bug report for Flickr imports to asking “how do I” questions about place creation. So in summary it appears I joined to make feature requests, bug reports, and ask questions how things work on the website.
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You are certainly one of the people whose answers I look for. And the one I thank for Kingdom Disagreements link.
Identifying is clear your plate for lunch. I come to the Forum to choose dessert - here I don’t have to clear my plate. Or for a starter (iNat’s own updates)
5 years later - still hoping to annotate - that’s a pine cone …
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I joined because I love iNaturalist and wanted more of it. I keep visiting, reading, and sometimes posting because I enjoy learning from this community, learning about fellow iNatters, and finding we relate on so many things. I also really enjoy reading the many different perspectives here, they give me a new way to see or think of things (or in many cases just an awe-struck appreciation for the amazing way other brains work!!!).
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I care a lot about iNaturalist; I think it’s an incredibly important program for its immense potential to a) get laypeople interested in learning about local ecology and b) connect together passionate amateur naturalists, professional researchers, and anyone else interested in studying biodiversity.
I really appreciate the extent to which the leaders of iNaturalist consult with the iNat community for development and progress. As someone who uses iNat regularly I naturally have opinions about how it works. If there’s the potential that sharing ideas and discussing back and forth with others here will improve the program, then that seems like a win for everyone. Big thanks to everyone who’s bounced opinions around here, even in the occasional situation where it’s gotten tense or frustrating!
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It’s nice knowing other people who are just as nerdy as you 
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We all are a giant community of nerds accross the globe. 
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I joined iNat forum a few days ago because a friend recommended it to me. It also sounded good since you can talk a lot more here then on observations.
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The DMS is also very good. iNat website DMS is like a 2000’s chat room.
When I was a kid in the 1980’s, “nerds” was a hurtful term directed at people who were smart. Like many people on iNat and on the iNat Forum.
I understand that the meaning of words changes over time, depending on how we use them. “Nerds” might be more positive or neutral than it used to be.
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