* offer better enviroment, user interface, etc. — indeed, but the nice thing about FR is the simple, fast interface. Not cluttered with hundreds of annoying ads and popups that make it hard to find the content. But I suspect that the cohort that likes that is dying.
* many alternatives that include podcasts, etc. — So many sites are now nothing but dumps for video “shorts” that have little real value. And there are so many users on X that you don’t get meaningful conversations. You just get a bunch of short, random comments, but no back-and-forth dialog or discussion.
I fear the people who appreciate FR are dying and younger people born with phone screens glued to their heads don’t appreciate the beauty of simplicity and true community.
It's been a long time since I had any real engagement with another FReeper.
I'm so old I remember when Rush would give us a shout out, which would bring us lots of joy.