I kinda skipped over most of the above and caught some highlights. This might have been said already.
In my opinion allot of new players won't/don't use AP simply because it's a hostile environment and there are easier venues now. Facebook was the biggest one in the last few years. Easier to post on, sell, ask questions. All mobile devices have it.
Reddit is weird to me, but i'm old, so i don't get it
The issue i had with AP was the grammar nazi's, and the hostility to simple questions. You don't have to click that reply button. You can ignore it. It will die after a while. Some of us do have a problem with ignoring things, but it can be done. I am one who usually will reply with something.
Yes there are times that when the grammar was so bad you couldn't understand what was being said, then something could be said about it. But i have been hit for misplacing a comma, or omitting one. Totally throws off the reason for the post, or the answer when you have to read through 10 posts about grammar. Not fun.
And the whole clip/mag thing. Holy crap, sometimes i swear somebody pissed in their coffee or kicked them in the balls. We all know what they mean, not every person needs a lesson on what a clip is and what a mag is. Facebook is even worse for this, but allot easier to ignore.
I know many people, more than i can count on my fingers and toes, that won't post on AP for these reasons valid or not.
I keep coming back because i've met great friends and learned allot on this site. I tend to be a bigger A-hole than most, so i can deal with the jabs.
Now that facebook is shutting down airsoft pages i see that AP will liven up a bit more. But it does need to get updated to be more mobile friendly and maybe even an app.