Just my rant, even being new here I know this drill pretty well.
Not uncommon nowadays, forums purchased by corporations. I was a admin and mod on a huge motorcycle forum where the owner who started the forum participated and I met him many times at events, then it was sold and sold again.
I was part of a Telecaster guitar forum and a Gretsch guitar forum, both started by passionate musicians, then sold to a New York based corporation. Changed the forum feel and responsiveness.
I’m on a Casita travel trailer forum. The fiberglass trailers have been made with little change for about 40 years. A passionate owner started a forum that has an awesome helpful bunch of members. Thankfully Gene has kept ownership and we love him and many of us have met him at different events around the country. Sadly, he is a dinosaur in the forum world.
Times have changed