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Underground > Policy & Help >

Introduction threads

14:02 / 18.08.02

Right. Can we come to a line on this? It's just I've now seen the third or fourth new intro-thread in the Conversation. And whilst I have no trouble with new people saying hi, I find that it does clog the thing up having several, and perhaps in the FAQ for new members there ought to be a specific line on these threads - ie where the One True Thread is, and how much to say.

I also find that I'm not sure it's necessary to tell all of us everything all in one go, as Qalyn does in his new thread; a degree of mystery is always a good thing. And, though I don't care very much about this, it suggests a trend towards usernames as opposed to ficsuits.

Perhaps as a final thought: surely the best way to be greeted is to start posting? The least exciting post I can think of is a huge one in the Conversation telling us the names of people's cats. Surely diving straight on in and posting proper is a far better way for the board to get to know a new member?

Hmn. I just felt this needed public discussion. I don't think an AA-style intro thread ("Hi, I'm Paleface, and I'm a Barbelite") is in the spirit of Barbelith. And diving straight on is. And perhaps a definite line should be taken so new members know what to do? Every board/community behaves differently. Fade To Black, for instance, has a big Welcome forum iirc. We don't; we get on with it. (That's not a troll directed at F2Bers, btw). So I just feel perhaps we ought to... I don't know, do something. Not because it's bad. But beacuse it's going on in different ways in different threads and leading to lots of "me-tooing" and clogging stuff up when people could be posting in the INTERESTING threads which are NOT IN THE CONVERSATION.

Am I being unreasonable?

14:30 / 18.08.02

I think you're being slightly unreasonable, yes.

Qalyn has just started an 'Introduction Thread' which I think is a good idea. Might be worth modifying the title to make it more explicit though - 'Newbies Say Hello Here' or something.

Other than that, I don't really see the need to "come to a line" on this. The Conversation is for anything and everything, and it seems against the spirit of the thing to start getting snotty with new posters for contributing too much or too little information about themselves. Then again, perhaps we should just relax a little, stop worrying about the "spirit of Barbelith" (in the Conversation, anyway) and just enjoy the influx of new blood.

Even Nazi snobtrolls take off their jackboots sometimes...

Goodness Gracious Meme

14:41 / 18.08.02

Oh you. always the jackboots.

Think Ganesh is right, influx of new people is going to make things move and change, which personally I think is a great thing, and we should just let it happen. One thing which will immediately happen is that you have long-established ways of behaving, or longtime members ideas about the way things should run, being challenged. and that's a useful thing. What is the Barbelith 'spirit', anyway?

14:41 / 18.08.02

OK. That was kind-of what I was meaning; I wasn't being a Nazi snobtroll, certainly. But adopting Qalyn's thread as the intro-thread is what I was meaning. Because there's also schwantz's intro thread, and Old Evil's.

I'm not meaning to be snotty at all. Maybe it's just my general mood today.

14:50 / 18.08.02

If we moved to delete pointless threads in the Conversation, we'd be left with, at most, ooh... six. Any other forum, you'd have a reasonable point, Paleface; the Conversation is for fluff.

*lies back and puts jackboots up on a hunched ZoCher*

Isn't that right, dear?

16:23 / 18.08.02

As as long as it stays in the conversation then I don't see the problem. It comes back to an older sticking point. If you don't see the point in a particular thread then no problem just ignore it. If others agree with you it will sink away, if not it will stay up. Isn't this automatic sliding scale the best way to deal with threads?

pointless and uncalled for

16:33 / 18.08.02

I like it, it allows us a little latitude in determining a persons character and how best to approach them for a fruitful discussion.

Regrettable Juvenilia

17:08 / 18.08.02

What is the Barbelith 'spirit', anyway?

I'm going for 'PROOVE YOURSELVES OR BE SHUNNED ETERNALLY'. I'd like us to get that embossed on the gates.

More seriously, I can see Paleface's point. What always baffles me most is when a whole bunch of people respond to one of these intros with "hi ----! we love you! great to have you onboard!" I mean, how do you know it's great to have them onboard if they haven't posted anything yet? They might have nothing to say except how much they like eating toast and how PC has gone too far... It just seems weird to me - I couldn't join in with that kind of 'welcome', I'd feel dishonest.

Don't get me wrong though, I'm as glad as anyone that the barriers are down and that new people can register here again...

17:18 / 18.08.02

Because I know from talking to Real Life friends who lurk here that it can be hugely intimidating for people - and those who actually make the decision to post at all are to be welcomed, if not actually congratulated. Sure, they might well go on to write exclusively about The Wonder of Toast but, if they do so in a way that entertains me, that's fine. While they remain an unknown quantity, I think any non-destructive interaction should be encouraged.

18:00 / 18.08.02

I was wondering when a topic about the "Hi, I'm...." threads would pop up.

I never bothered with a "Hi, I'm here. I'm a newbie! Welcome me with open arms" thread. I just started posting. I'm never seen a use for welcome threads. I suppose they can be helpful if you're nervous about posting on a message board with a lot of established people and you're using it to test the waters, so to speak.

18:24 / 18.08.02

I think many people are nervous and don't know where to start; we need to acknowledge this. If they receive a reasonably warm welcome - some indication that they won't simply be ignored or ridiculed here - they're perhaps more likely to go on to post 'seriously'. At least they're saying hello in the appropriate part of the board.

Jack The Bodiless

19:18 / 18.08.02

I've always preferred the more subtle 'long time listener, first time caller, what I want to say is...' approach, personally. However, others do things differently, and there's always the option of ignoring the thread if you have nothing to say to the new bug just yet.

Don't think we need a policy on the subject, much less a Policy.

21:13 / 18.08.02

I have absolutely no problem with introductory threads, but I'm beginning to have concerns about the effect of over a hundred new members entering the board in less than a week. They're bound to bring with them a certain lack of understanding about the way things are done here, or in fact the ways in which things SHOULD be done. So I'm thinking very seriously (finally) about writing a proper new users FAQ.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

00:27 / 19.08.02

That could be a pretty good idea (the FAQ thing, I mean)- possibly combined with an html FAQ so all the information newbies need is in one place...

00:28 / 19.08.02

I vote for a good cop/bad cop approach. A few active moderators are nominated each week to treat newbies like utter shit, and everyone else welcomes with open arms. This is rotated so that we don't have anyone who's constantly being an utter bastard (unless that's how they naturally post). Thus the high standards of the board will be maintained via firey initiation while huggles and greetings can also be offered.

I'm only partially joking.

00:40 / 19.08.02

Hey, I was just trying to help. "Introductions" is in the description of the Conversation section and with all the new members pressed against the door like twelve year old girls or something there was more than one "Hello, My Name Is..." thread going on. It seemed less bothersome for you guys to have them all go on in one place, and wanting to say hello before jumping directly into someone else's debate seems not only natural but polite. I wasn't expecting to be welcomed so much as letting you know in a blurby way what kind of person I am.

And trust me, brother, there's still plenty of mystery.

Q

Our Lady of The Two Towers

16:38 / 19.08.02

expressionless
I vote for a good cop/bad cop approach. A few active moderators are nominated each week to treat newbies like utter shit,

(looks around) Hey, where is Haus?

16:45 / 19.08.02

Fixing nails to his asscandles, I expect...

Murray Hamhandler

19:21 / 19.08.02

Posting the FAQ really might not be a bad idea at all. I've already had to send one lengthy PM about the general rules of thumb on starting a new thread. Might be a bit tiresome to have to do this sort of thing regularly.

I like the intro threads in theory, although I think I'd rather see an expanded profile page. As I've said before, I personally have a really difficult time dealing w/'Lithers on a personal level because interpersonal communication that's not face-to-face is kind of too abstract for me. It's hard for me to form an idea of people's personalities based on a few posts here and there, and it's the aspect of the board that I generally find to be the most distressing and frustrating. When you add into the equation the fact that user names are often changed/modified and that there are, as Tom said, a hundred or so new users, I tend to get lost. Most of the time, I really just feel like I'm talking to Barbelith and different aspects of the 'Lith are speaking back to me. Some kind of info page that I could refer back to would really help me to view individuals on the board as individuals.

Less searchable M0rd4nt

20:54 / 19.08.02

expressionless: I vote for a good cop/bad cop approach. A few active moderators are nominated each week to treat newbies like utter shit...

*Jumping up and down and waving* Pick me! Pick me! Bagsie Bastart Morderator From Hell!

If I don't get to be Bastard Morderator From Hell at least once a month, I will become Disturbingly Chummy and Familiar Moderator From Hell THE WHOLE TIME.

(Ooh, looky, there was a topic here all the time.) I sort of regret not doing a bit of an intro; I just jumped in and started talking shite about Moomins and whatall. It's been a little over a year now and I'm still wrasslin' with a few frankly surreal assumptions (best characterized by an accusation of "intellectual bullying", where my supposed victim was a university graduate. Uh... hello?)

11:28 / 20.08.02

Can I be one of the bad cops without being a moderator??

Pleeeeease.

13:01 / 20.08.02

Given the choice between Jesus and Barabas, the Barbelites will always choose to be Barabas.

13:40 / 20.08.02

Or Woderwick.

the garden gnome

14:35 / 21.08.02

high-talking girly voice

I say we be nice to 'em

*gets rushed in a slew on piffy nuances*

AAAUUUGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Less searchable M0rd4nt

21:03 / 21.08.02

I say we be nice to 'em

Oh, I'll be nice to 'em.... PRISON STYLE!!!

We're The Great Old Ones Now

09:42 / 23.08.02

I sense Mordant's latest meme...

Less searchable M0rd4nt

08:05 / 24.08.02

Nuh uh. I'm not patient zero this time. I caught it off an infected slang thread, months ago.

16:08 / 26.04.03

it suggests a trend towards usernames as opposed to ficsuits.
What is the difference, if i can ask without being a complete dumbass?

I've always preferred the more subtle 'long time listener, first time caller, what I want to say is...' approach, personally
Indeed- dont think i posted very much at first, but now i think im clinically addicted to B'lith.
Dont think iv ever come across an intro thread tho.. or f i have, i didnt read it.

As for the good cop/bad cop thing- Wow its genius! I think u should give the crown of bastard moderator to Carnival- not meant in a nasty way, but just... awww... look at him. It would be like all his christmases at once if he got that title!
As for having ur toes licked, paleface.. thats gr0ss!

The Return Of Rothkoid

03:05 / 27.04.03

As far as I can tell, a username's a bit of throwaway smart-arsery, a fictionsuit is an identity you wear: it's who you are. I didn't quite get it at first, but I've suddenly become Rothkoid, and it's got a bit more investment for me, moreso than if I was SydneyDickhead45 or whatever. There's kinda a performative thing going on with ficsuits as opposed to usernames, which tend - in my mind - to be little more than handles.

20:17 / 29.04.03

PS sorry for refering to you as "him" carnival- my mistake. xx