I don't think it's a geek thing. Most people don't like it when something familiar changes. And this is doubly true when that something is a platform they feel

I don't think it's a geek thing. Most people don't like it when something familiar changes. And this is doubly true when that something is a platform they feel invested in. I think you are correct, though, that Slashdot probably peaked somewhere in the early 2000s.