HK Golden Forum
Encyclopedia
The Golden Forum is a popular Internet forum
for topics related to computer hardware and software, among Internet users in Hong Kong. It has also become a more general Internet community. It is part of HKGolden.com, a computer information portal named after the Golden Computer Centre – a shopping centre of computer products in Sham Shui Po
, Kowloon
, Hong Kong.. Access to the website is blocked to users in the Chinese Mainland by the Great Firewall of China.
In the early 2000s, a discussion forum was launched to complement the website. It was originally open in structure and without topic demarcation, and destined for computing matters. Very soon, its topics became broader-based, the discussion area segregated into "computing" and "chill" areas, each with their own topics or "stations". On-line discussion groups formed. The community, formed by ordinary citizens as well as computer geek
s, would be interested in all manner of local topics. In the course of discussions, slang would be widely employed. Neologisms would often develop, and these would quickly pass virally
into colloquial
usage.
Topics are themed by hobby groups, and include 'Movies', 'Photography', 'Motoring', 'Music', 'Finance', 'Sport', etc. Although the name "Hong Kong Golden Forum" applies to the whole, this name is now usually synonymous with the "Off-topic station" within the forum due to its runaway popularity. At one time, forum members formed themselves into registered cliques, the most prominent ones being "Big mouth" and "DIY". HKgolden has become an influential media from which topics and exclusive news are frequently being reported on magazine and newspaper. Many people believe that reporters, police and even government may be active in the forum to investigate popular culture and public opinion.
In 2003, the website was sold to Fevaworks by the owner. In July 2003, the database was severely corrupted following a hacking incident, and the website had to be closed for maintenance until 25 August of that year, when the forum was once again re-opened.
Since the incident, a number of changes were instigated:
The forum still repeatedly suffers from hacking, the last provoked stoppage occurred on 8 September 2006.
On 2009, the forum leaked a six minutes detail video involving teenage prostitution
on a double-decker bus
for HK$200 in order to raise money for designer handbag. This led to local police launching a criminal investigation.
In Hong Kong, it was reported that Golden Forum as the most visited place for technology brand related discussions with 87,291 posts in a single discussion channel within three months. Twitter remained as second destination with 27,236 posts. The local Eyny Forum followed with 8,683 posts. Yahoo!
HK forum was at fourth with 7,538 posts.
Internet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
for topics related to computer hardware and software, among Internet users in Hong Kong. It has also become a more general Internet community. It is part of HKGolden.com, a computer information portal named after the Golden Computer Centre – a shopping centre of computer products in Sham Shui Po
Sham Shui Po
Sham Shui Po, or Shamshuipo, is an area of Sham Shui Po District, Hong Kong, situated in the northwestern part of the Kowloon Peninsula, north of Tai Kok Tsui, east of Cheung Sha Wan and south of Shek Kip Mei. Sham Shui Po is known for its street market for electronic devices.-History:Sham Shui Po...
, Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
, Hong Kong.. Access to the website is blocked to users in the Chinese Mainland by the Great Firewall of China.
History
In the late 1990s, due to the popularity of the Internet, competition drove stores online. In an effort to protect consumers, the traders' association of the Golden Computer Centre launched the website with information about computer hardware and software prices, thus increasing the transparency of the marketplace.In the early 2000s, a discussion forum was launched to complement the website. It was originally open in structure and without topic demarcation, and destined for computing matters. Very soon, its topics became broader-based, the discussion area segregated into "computing" and "chill" areas, each with their own topics or "stations". On-line discussion groups formed. The community, formed by ordinary citizens as well as computer geek
Geek
The word geek is a slang term, with different meanings ranging from "a computer expert or enthusiast" to "a carnival performer who performs sensationally morbid or disgusting acts", with a general pejorative meaning of "a peculiar or otherwise dislikable person, esp[ecially] one who is perceived to...
s, would be interested in all manner of local topics. In the course of discussions, slang would be widely employed. Neologisms would often develop, and these would quickly pass virally
Viral marketing
Viral marketing, viral advertising, or marketing buzz are buzzwords referring to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of viruses...
into colloquial
Colloquialism
A colloquialism is a word or phrase that is common in everyday, unconstrained conversation rather than in formal speech, academic writing, or paralinguistics. Dictionaries often display colloquial words and phrases with the abbreviation colloq. as an identifier...
usage.
Topics are themed by hobby groups, and include 'Movies', 'Photography', 'Motoring', 'Music', 'Finance', 'Sport', etc. Although the name "Hong Kong Golden Forum" applies to the whole, this name is now usually synonymous with the "Off-topic station" within the forum due to its runaway popularity. At one time, forum members formed themselves into registered cliques, the most prominent ones being "Big mouth" and "DIY". HKgolden has become an influential media from which topics and exclusive news are frequently being reported on magazine and newspaper. Many people believe that reporters, police and even government may be active in the forum to investigate popular culture and public opinion.
In 2003, the website was sold to Fevaworks by the owner. In July 2003, the database was severely corrupted following a hacking incident, and the website had to be closed for maintenance until 25 August of that year, when the forum was once again re-opened.
Since the incident, a number of changes were instigated:
- membership category simplified to 2 types – "ordinary" and "premium"
- ordinary members are allowed to create only 5 threads per day; no limit for premium members
- in exchange for extra privileges, premium members have to submit proofs of identity and address
- dismantling of the registered cliques
- membership is now free
The forum still repeatedly suffers from hacking, the last provoked stoppage occurred on 8 September 2006.
On 2009, the forum leaked a six minutes detail video involving teenage prostitution
Prostitution of children
Prostitution of children or child prostitution is the commercial sexual exploitation of children in which a child performs the services of prostitution, for financial benefit. The term normally refers to prostitution by a minor, or person under the local age of majority...
on a double-decker bus
Double-decker bus
A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or 'decks'. Global usage of this type of bus is more common in outer touring than in its intra-urban transportion role. Double-decker buses are also commonly found in certain parts of Europe, Asia, and former British colonies and protectorates...
for HK$200 in order to raise money for designer handbag. This led to local police launching a criminal investigation.
In Hong Kong, it was reported that Golden Forum as the most visited place for technology brand related discussions with 87,291 posts in a single discussion channel within three months. Twitter remained as second destination with 27,236 posts. The local Eyny Forum followed with 8,683 posts. Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
HK forum was at fourth with 7,538 posts.