- Web forums were early internet community tools that declined as social media emerged, despite their initial appeal.
- Usenet was the first forum-like system, but web forums added graphics and multimedia, changing user interaction.
- Early forum software included WIT, WebCrossing, UBB, Slash, vBulletin, phpBB, and Discourse.
- BBCode was a key markup language for forums, providing controlled formatting; it influenced Godot game engine.
- Forums lost to social media due to novelty, scale issues, and the burden on community managers.
- Users may have 'shiny object syndrome,' but forums could offer niche communities that modern social platforms lack.