Once in a while I will come across a post that makes me thrilled that forums exist 
Like in the case of this post on a certain lead generation company. One of our members was about to sign up to use this service, and wisely decided to first check and see who has had experience with the company.
Although there’s no way to really tell that those who responded actually used the service, I see this site as a place to get an honest opinion on a product or service. So in this case the community responded, and the individual was able to make a better decision based on the past experience of others - that is the part that is great!
In this thread Are You In The Forums Just For The Money? explores the topic of why we choose to use forums. For me, I love to visit places like WebmasterWorld because I love to read and learn from the experiences of others. As bad as it is, i’d reluctantly admit that I’m a lurker at most of the forums I belong to, contributing only when I have something truly valuable.
At WhyDoWork, we have our tremendous share of lurkers, but we also have some seasoned telecommuters and entrepreneurs who have done quite a bit, so it’s easy for them to share. Sharing is what keeps a forum alive so its important to give when you can.
Hanging around forums is never a waste of time. I believe there is a certain niche of topics that will never be taught in college or university topics that can only be truly mastered through knowledge gained via forums.
Those who come to this site, (and any other) just to post a link to their TypeInternational affiliate site, or their paypal address because Oprah told them to do so 
, are really missing the point and the benefits of participation.
I think that there will always be a need for forums. The medium for discussion may change from text in the future, but there will always be those seeking knowledge and forums there to share it.
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