>>4142319It's a combination of what anons already replied to you.
Less ways to get your photography seen and less social internet presence let people to seek places where they could do that. Facebook was new, Instagram wasn't around, Phones sucked.
The mentality of people back then was different. There were a lot more trips and people wanting to be recognised simply because there weren't many other similar options. Now these people who were seeking recognition and validation moved to social media. Also now there's this fear of being "associated" with 4chan, and people not wanting to post their best work to not get doxed since they 100% have those shots up on their public social media accounts.
There was a lot more proactivity than just consuming. A lot more people doing OC, memes, guides. Threads had themes, nowadays you get Random picture thread, a bird thread and then maybe some portrait bullshit whatever in between.
Guides were great, people sharing knowledge. Now you get told to google it or get into an argument which way is the correct way and both (or multiple) sides will have some sources to backup their claims and think they're in the right and their opinion validated.
Or maybe it's the same and we just grew up and don't see the board with the same eyes
