Let me share my own ideas. It started after the merit system came. Frankly, I left it at that time.
Yeah, there are definitely less post/thread being created after merit system exist. But some member would argue it helped to reduce spam.
I wouldn't be upset if they banned me from this site right now.
It won't happen. This forum doesn't even moderate scam.
There are other forums that are also in circulation but I don't think they are as popular as BitcoinTalk.org.
- Bitcoin.com
- Overlockers.
-Beermoneyforum.
-Cryptocurrencytalk.
-Bitcoingarden.
-Altcointalks.org
- Coinforum.de.
All those forums listed above all discuss cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin in some way yet the only one I've heard about is Altcointalks. In terms of forum popularity, BitcoinTalk.org takes the lead.
I unable to find forum called "Overlockers", but IMO we should also make comparison with cryptocurrency community/group that doesn't use forum.