… need Groups
After having read the messages in the now disappeared and back to the roots LGB… groups, I am now asking myself…
Why do we need groups in a forum which at the end is all about Astronomy which we all do, no more no less …
Groups just divide… Groups do not create a feeling of solidarity… We all belong here because we like Astronomy …
IMHO
¿?¿?¿?¿?¿?
The short answer is that groups exist to reduce fragmentation, not create it.
AstroBin has a single global forum focused on astrophotography. Groups are optional, user-created sub-spaces for people who want to discuss more specific or off-topic subjects without pushing them into everyone’s general feed.
A few important clarifications:
• A public group does not mean its topics are promoted globally. It only means anyone can join and read it if they go looking for it or have a direct link.
• Group owners can explicitly choose whether their topics appear in the global “latest topics” view. In this case, that setting was wrong and has now been corrected.
• The topic did not disappear. It simply returned to the group where it belongs.
Groups do not replace the main forum, and they do not force anyone into silos. They exist so that people who want a focused or niche discussion can have it, while people who do not want to see that content are not exposed to it unintentionally.
Groups also exist to bring together people with shared interests within astrophotography itself (for example specific techniques, targets, equipment, locations, or workflows), without fragmenting the main forum.
AstroBin’s core focus remains astrophotography. At the same time, the platform has always allowed community-driven spaces, including some that are social, regional, or occasionally off-topic. Participation is entirely optional.
If someone prefers a single shared space, the main forum already provides exactly that.
I’m closing this topic as the technical issue has been explained and resolved.
Best regards,
Salvatore