I've been here (several times per day!) for 6 steady years now.

I can only say Reddit has GOTTEN BETTER with each year.

The community has really been enriched with a sharp influx of highly intelligent people, many of whom make amazing observations in their comments.

Often the Reddit comments really expand upon, and analyze the posted-link and question at hand.

This is especially true of the steadily rising quality/content/answers in the computer/technology subreddits. There really isn't any other forum, where you can ask a tech-support question, and receive such valuable responses from the community.

HOWEVER...

All of this is not to that Reddit hasn't also developed some rather BIG problems, in certain areas.

For example, I feel the brand of "Reddit" has diminished a bit. Many people I know, seem to feel far less proud/excited now, at the idea of supporting the brand by wearing Reddit-t-shirts, etc... (as compared to the earlier years).

Also, while the number of insightful comments have increased, along with the number of cleverly witty-humor comments that often make me laugh at loud... so too has the number of far lower quality comments.

Reddit also seems to be having a bit of a crisis/conundrum in terms of some of the rather shocking subreddits. I've heard about racist subreddits, and that there is even a subreddit called "watch people die" the description of which is highly disturbing to me (to the point in which I haven't ever clicked that subreddit).

I find more and more, when I mention Reddit to friends and family, recommending they try it, they will often bring up the topic of those disturbing subreddits, and say that is a main reason they never felt compelled to visit or embrace Reddit.

I'm not sure what the solution to those subreddits might be, as I don't want to stifle free-speech.

Perhaps one solution is to separate out those subreddits, into a spin-off site separate to Reddit. Kind of like the way a company might spin-off a successful product line, to a separate and independent business venture.

That way, if the psychotics want their subreddit, they can still have their voice on that other site, and the "Reddit" brand can become more positive again.

But of course I know there will be VERY STRONG arguments against me for suggesting that! So not yet sure what the answer is.