It used to be easy to get a game at any speed. There used to be lots of people here. There used to be 20 - 30 live games on average running at most times. I have not seen an easier chess site to use or one with more widgets that were worthwhile to make a difference. Can anyone shed some light on the subject?

..My semi-informed guess: In no particular order;
 
#1 Too many chess Web sites competing for a finite number of
Internet-connected chessplayers; several of which are "Free,"
if not, as 'user-friendly.'
 
#2. A plethora of interesting/fascinating Web-sites concerning
every subject 'under {& beyond} the Sun'!; Which spreads the
available 'pool' of players, even thinner!
 
#3. Those Caissa members {most of them 'former members'}
who realizing that this site wasn't 100% suited to their 'wants'
and/or needs {'ah-la' Fischer}, first bitched about it on the
bulletin-boards, then.. 'up-and-left.'
 
..There complaints 'ran-the-gamut' from accusing others of
using computer-programs to cheat {esp. those players rated
2999, or thereabouts} to the other extreme of their dissatis-
faction with all the "sand-baggers." {players who are grossly
under-rated} and who distorted any Not-so-recent, 'Class-
Tourneys.'
 
#4. The 'Crude solicitations' of various players on this Misc.
Bulletin board; whom, if I were to 'name-names' {handles}, I'd
probably have to flee the country, since I made this one up! { :
 
#5. Assorted other reasons, which you really don't want to
know about; simply because I'm {now} getting 'sick-and-tired'
of trying to 'catch' people like yourself, 'up'! 0: