you can call it whatever you want but my little forum is a message board and not a forum

In the end it doesn't matter. Users can write entries/messages and can reply to each other in a kind of answer-stream. Forum likes phpBB, Xenforo, jkBB, multiple other discussion boards, blogs with comment functions, CMS standard websites with guestbook replies, Wiki engines with discussion pages, old school mailing lists.... the concept is more or less always the same. And so MLF. People write, people react, people write again.

And yes, I need and use it. For tiny, small projects with small group of people in closed space/area, but for example also for a small, new online project. The amount of users and feedback is 0 to low and will be low always in the future, but that's the same with blog comments and other social things today (aside of "likes" or troll postings). But they all still exist and live here and there, for the same reason, why a lot of people still play DOS games, build and work with retro or analog computers or programming the next window manager for linux or a cat feeding station, controlled by hand gestures. And somebody will read the posting(s) one day, because he/she is searching for something specific online. Or an AI is using it as source for better answers in the future.

It's just a matter of interest, fun, hobby, personal project and the right combination of people. Sometimes slow and a small amount of activity, but still alive and breathing for good reasons. Doesn't need always the big scope/need/impact - so my personal opinion.