Does anyone really think this or 4chan can ever achieve anywhere near the size and diversity of 2ch? Or even enough to compare with a large forum? Reading this interview, http://www.ojr.org/japan/internet/1061505583.php it appears that 2ch was initially built for news discussion and reporting, rather than general chatter.
Could we even deal with the server load should the userbase increase that much? Bandwidth is a lot more expensive here than in Japan.
It also seems like there weren't a lot of online communities at the time 2ch started. Over here there are many large general interest forums already, not to mention hundreds of small special-interest boards. At this point we're a mere curiosity, a drop in the bucket.
This site has only been around 60 days. At the moment its usage is pretty damn good, and better than I expected. However I'd like more.
Even though on this planet and on the internet there is, last time I checked more English speakers than Japanese speakers, I doubt we will ever see the kinds of numbers that 2ch and 2chan see.
As for this site being surrounded towards discussion: That wasn't just my fault. There are many single-post threads on the boards regarding a news topic that just dont get read, posted about or "used". If you wish for this site to be more news-oreintated, its an idea to start pimping and promoting the *chan idea, no?
It's pretty safe to say that 4-ch will never be as big as 2ch. But that's okay, because I believe there is potential for growth for a long, long time from now.
The growth will happen slowly, exactly for the reasons you stated: This is not 1999, the userbase is not (mostly) Japanese, etc. That's why bandwidth won't be that much of a problem, and should it ever become there will be measures to deal with that.
But I am confident that growth will happen because 4-ch provides the same functionality that 2ch does (which is basically the Anonymous philosophy but also other stuff). As long as the admin side just lets things develop naturally this will provide grounds enough for more people to enjoy 4-ch. This will take time, a bit of mouth to mouth advertising and patience, but I don't see any reasons for a contrary tendency.