Perhaps its just me...But as a newbie to this sight I find it hard to get a good overview of what is actually going on...Posts with no apparent start supporting parts or finish end up upwards of 100 posts...and it seems that only the Old-bies know what its about. I am trying to get a feel for the people but have little context...or feedback.
[ September 12, 2003, 09:40 PM: Message edited by: Bricks-N-Sandwiches ]
Posted by hansenj (Member # 4034) on :
I understand this problem, but I also think it is part of what makes Hatrack such a great community. You'll get more familiar with things as you go on. Lurking was the best may for me. Others just plunge right in, asking for explanations when confused. It seems some also fit in quicker by spending time in AIM Hatrack Chat in the wee hours of the night.
Heck, I've been here more than a year and there's still much I don't understand. Posted by Jexxster (Member # 5293) on :
I am new too, and have noticed that there is really a strong sense of community with a lot of folks here. So, my goal is to "listen in" on the conversations I can, and try to offer a bit of myself whenever the situation appears appropriate.
May never get really "accepted" since I am so far behind in the game but I will sure give it a go.
Posted by Jexxster (Member # 5293) on :
Quick question though. Do the regulars mind noobs like myself popping in on the chat and such in an effort to find out more about the folks here?
Just trying hoping to be able to contribute in some small way.
Posted by Bricks-N-Sandwiches (Member # 5603) on :
My hatrack chat doesn't work Posted by Pixie (Member # 4043) on :
Pop in any time. Remember, we were all newbies at some point. ::laughs:: Even if some were the first newbies and, hence, now the oldest veterans.
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
Now, the sickos. They actually like it!
If you have aim, invite yourself to Hatrack Chat.
Now, if only I could get my aim to work!
Anyone want to come over to my house and fix my compter? I swear, since I bought it, it has gone from being fast (like 80 miles an hour) to really slow (like 30 miles on a country road!) And aim freezes up! I hate microsoft! I'm convinced it's all their fault. Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Welcome!
I don't know if there's anything any of us can say or do to make that feeling go away, but the advice to semi-lurk for a while seems like good advice. This is what I did, though not consciously. When I joined, I simply rarely felt like I had anything to contribute. I only posted when I had pretty strong feelings about something. Eventually it got to the point where I jumped into any conversation I wanted to, but I think it was about getting comfortable with the unspoken expectations here and knowing I would not make a fool out of myself. Please don't think, though, that I'm telling you you shouldn't post--that wouldn't be very welcoming of me! I don't mean you should not post at all for a given time, just that you should take it naturally, post when you feel like you know what's going on, and simply be patient when you don't. It will come. Ease into it. I think it's worth it. I have met some very special people here, and had many more stimulating conversations than I could have anywhere else. If you decide it's not worth the trouble, then hey, you'll have a lot more time for hobbies, work, family, etc., so really, it's win-win either way!
Whatever you do, though, don't be one of those newbies that comes in with guns blazing, telling us all how lame we are, and how stupid. Don't be purposely offensive, cursing up a blue streak or trying too hard to be provocative. Some of us have underdeveloped capacities to tolerate that sort of thing and wait for you to mature.
If you decide not to ease yourself in, go ahead and start a thread on the morality of homosexuality. Those always seem to go over well!
As far as posts with no apparent start or support, that's just that Ralphie is a really bad writer. Don't judge the rest of us because of her!
And as for the posts with no apparent conclusion, that's just something you will have
Posted by Jexxster (Member # 5293) on :
Do you defrag often? Run CHKDSK? Clean up temporary files? All that fun stuff can really slow things down dramatically.
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
Those are actually things I know how to do. It really started after that stupid service pack patch from microsoft.
Posted by Bricks-N-Sandwiches (Member # 5603) on :
Not a guns blazing kindof guy...besides the fact that all of us are here at an OSC fansite...tells me immediately that everyone here has at least one thing in common. And for people like me...One thing is about as much as I ever hope for Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Dang. Four posts while I was writing that. Are we welcoming or what?
quote:May never get really "accepted" since I am so far behind in the game but I will sure give it a go.
Nah. I'm certainly not an oldbie, and I feel pretty accepted all the time, except whenever Pat starts a thread. I think Ralphie only joined a little while before me. T_Smith and Jon Boy both joined well after me, iirc, and they are both way more accepted and integral to the community than I am. It's not a function of how long you've been around; it's a function of how much you participate.
And incidentally, I don't think your goal necessarily should be to become an integral part of this community that you are new to. I would question why it's so important to you, if it is already that big a concern. Rather, your goal should simply be to have fun at this point. If it's fun, keep doing it. If it's not, quit. If you stick around and you start to find you love some of these people, that you feel like Hatrack is a real place to you, then great! But let it happen on its own.
Just my 4¢.
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
Dude, and you wonder why Patrick leaves you out of threads? You don't know when Ralphie joined?!?
::scoffs::
"A little before me," my foot!
If you want to be "in" you should at the very least know how long Ralphie has been here!
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
And another four posts while I was writing that.
You'd be surprised how much you have in common with people here. At least I was. That's because, as I said before, this crowd is nothing like your neighbors or your office mates. We're self-selecting, and not simply because we're all readers of OSC (and I don't know if the phrase "fansite" is even still appropriate; it seems to me that Hatrack--or rather, the forums, which is what I mean when I say Hatrack--has evolved beyond that point). We're literate, we appreciate art, we value discussion, we value things of the mind. We are simultaneously more diverse than most groups because of our much wider variety of backgrounds than you could hope to find in any RL setting, and less diverse because of the things I mentioned above. I have found many kindred spirits here, and I'm willing to bet you would too.
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
(And we love to give Icky crap.)
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
I hate this place!
I'm never coming back!
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
Posted by Jexxster (Member # 5293) on :
Icarus:
Thanks for the words. I appreciate it.
Honestly, I don't feel a need to be accepted here and be an integral cog on the wheel. What I meant to get across is my desire that what contributions I can make not be vacuous or vapid (V is the letter of the day around here ya know, er, or was it B?).
Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
Icarus: cut the crap, we both know you're more "accepted and integral" than I am.
Ok, heres the things you'll need to know:
1) I'm dead sexy. Worship me, affilliate yourself with me, become my minion, support me, compliment me, laugh at my jokes, and just overall strive to be like me and everything will work out lovely for you.
Um... thats about it. Good luck.
Posted by Jesdog (Member # 5652) on :
I'm not sure I can live up to that.
Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
Jesdog, thats exactly why I am offering this limited 2 month free trial membership. Just give me your credit card number to activate your account, and you can experience minionship with no drawbacks or obligations to continue your minionship!!!
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
Damn! I really need to start paying attention the first time I read things.
I could have sworn that Brettly was knocking down the walls to get T_Smith's eggo! I was wondering when Nate mentioned eggos. Mmm . . waffles. Now, I've made myself hungry!
Posted by Jesdog (Member # 5652) on :
Right on! Let me find my credit card...
*goes off to look*
Posted by Willy Shmily Tiger (Member # 5647) on :
I'm reminded of a line from Unbreakable...
Hobbes Posted by Jesdog (Member # 5652) on :
*comes back without credit card*
Sorry. Until I saw your picture in the other thread, I had no idea what kind of dead-sexiness I was up against here. No way, man. No way.
Posted by Lautsprecher für die Toten (Member # 5653) on :
And that line is?
There is no truth that can be told so as to be understood and not believed-OSC
Posted by Willy Shmily Tiger (Member # 5647) on :
Well I don't remember it exactly (which is why i didn't post it) but is goes something like:
quote:I've met people like you before. They always have some knew thing they're tying to sell me, and then at the end, they always say "and all you need to do is give us your credit card number"
The wording there is completely off, but that's the basic idea.
Hobbes
[ September 12, 2003, 10:43 PM: Message edited by: Willy Shmily Tiger ]
Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
Hobbes, you forget: I work for AOL. We use that line over and over every day. "Just give me your credit card number and you can enjoy a free trial.... until you forget to cancel, or one of your kids logs in AFTER you cancel, in which case you are screwed."
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how AOL makes half its money.
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
I was looking at old files on this computer yesterday, and found a chat session where some of us mentioned our post counts. Papa Moose had exactly 100. I mentioned that it was some sort of landmark. The funny thing was that there really wasn't any concept of landmark threads back then, not just no biography threads, but nobody gave a flying fruit about their landmarks.
Oh, I had something like 240 posts and had already been here like 2 years. God what a lurker I was.
Just thought I'd mention that, since it was one of my first chats here.
[ September 13, 2003, 04:48 AM: Message edited by: Xavier ]
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
quote:T_Smith and Jon Boy both joined well after me, iirc, and they are both way more accepted and integral to the community than I am
See, that's the thing that always surprises me about Hatrack; people seem to have no idea how they're viewed here. Take Icarus, for example. He can clearly see how central Ralphie is, or TomDavidson, or CT, or aka, or whoever, but he has absolutely no idea how central he himself is. You'll probably end up the same way jexxster--you'll have many, many people here who really enjoy your company, and you'll be central to the hatrack experience for many people, and you'll have no idea. You'll feel like your posts aren't paid attention to as much as other people's, that your threads drop off the first page at a more alarming rate than other people's, etc. You won't know how loved and respected you are. Icarus certainly doesn't seem to.
Icarus, seriously, how can you not be aware of how central you are to Hatrack? You're one of those people whose posts I *always* read, and if your opinion on something is different than mine, that always prompts me to sit back and take a good long look at my opinions to make sure that it isn't just some unexamined bit of thought from my past that would change if it were thought through.
Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :
Newbie here, Hi Bricks-N-Sandwiches.
Well, this discussion seemed to take place last night, but I'll have a go at it...
I find it valuable to lurk, but, most importantly, be light about it! Unless you are prepared to back up your claims, lurk only in the "heavy" threads. There are several threads about Jatraquero expected manners (including the new Ten Commandments) and all have good advice.
But post much more freely in the fluff. Snag Last Post. Throw in a word association. Remember a Lyric. These are ways for Jatraqueros to get to know and like you before you start hitting them with a load of bricks (and sandwiches too!)
Have fun. Welcome. Welcome Jexxter too! Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
See, I have to admit, I've never gotten the alure of the last post thread.
Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :
But you are already well established. And you have no need of such tripe!
Got good taste in literature too! Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Posted by Amka (Member # 690) on :
Actually, you weren't such a lurker, probably. Things used to go a lot slower.
There was a time when you could check this forum once a day, post, and then not need to check it again until the next day.
Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :
Nice and slow this morning, though...
::zzzzzzz--snort!::
don't wanna go to school, Ma!
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
When was that Amka? I've been here since July of '99, and I don't remember it ever being that slow.
Posted by ak (Member # 90) on :
Noemon, I used to hatrack once a day for maybe an hour or two. Read everything new (I read everything at one time) and post my 3 or 4 posts a day and that was it. It DID use to be much slower, I'm pretty sure. Now you have to check page two or else miss stuff that happened just since the day before. And I check the forum a lot more often than once a day now. And just forget trying to read everything! Does anyone manage that anymore? I don't think there's any way I could, though I used to read every blessed word. Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
That's a good point Anne Kate. When I first started I would read every word routinely, and it didn't keep me from getting my work done. Not only that, but I went back and read through all of the old folders, and the archived folders on the old Hatrack system. I must just be misremembering how slow it was back then, if I had time to do all of that.
Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :
Back then I only viewed the internet as a tool for research. I wound up researching whole cartoons on broadband, though.
Most of my experience with BBS's and Chat had been bad, all ASL and that. I'd try to duck out, (sorry guys, thought this was supposed to be a discussion of comic book artists!) then get hit with a porn link or an ASL request.
You guyz iz all riiight! Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
I was fortunate enough to have Hatrack be my introduction to online interactions with people I didn't know. Now I occasionally visit Mike's forum on sakeriver.com and John's forum on grenme.com, and once in a very long while I'll take a look at Ornery's forums, but that's about it.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Aw shucks, Noemon!
Thank you! But honestly, I wasn't doing the self-pity thing this time, simply pointing out that, if being an integral part of this community is your goal, it doesn't really take very long. Heck, as was pointed out to me last night, I haven't been here anywhere near as long as Ralphie, and yet folks like you are so nice to me and treat me like I'm thpecial!
::warm fuzzies::
And heck, speaking of, Cor probably has only a couple hundred posts or so, but people are always nice to her as well, and remember what her interests and hobbies are, etc. So you don't have to have been here since the dawn of UBB to fit in.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
You just have to know someone.
quote:See, I have to admit, I've never gotten the alure of the last post thread.
Amen.
My method of trying to establish myself was to wander in and pick a fight with the person who posted most often. It wasn't a concious method; that was just what it took for me to be invested enough in "what happened next" that I looked often enough to feel comfortable. Go figure. I didn't even really get to pick a fight, because I picked someone who refused to argue with me. Very sad.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
katharina, you're an idiot.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Icky, it takes one to know one.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
weak . . .
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
See? That's what happens. I try and try... Posted by Willy Shmily Tiger (Member # 5647) on :
::last post::
Hobbes Posted by Willy Shmily Tiger (Member # 5647) on :
You know what I think makes it really confusing for newbies? When an old timer changes their screen name.
Hobbes Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
*points to the sig on the post*
You're so cute, Hobbes. Posted by Megachirops (Member # 4325) on :
Hobbes, you are an idiot.
Posted by lcarus (Member # 4395) on :
How about when somebody's postcount suddenly drops by 4000?
[ September 13, 2003, 03:25 PM: Message edited by: lcarus ]
Posted by Megachirops (Member # 4325) on :
Icarus, you are an idiot.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Lickarus just sounds dirty.
Posted by Willy Shmily Tiger (Member # 5647) on :
Katharina:
How 'bout it?
Hobbes Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
A for a little brother. Posted by Willy Shmily Tiger (Member # 5647) on :
I'm 13' tall when I stand on my hind legs. Phh, "little".
Hobbes Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
Hay, I saw my name in this thread.
So, what's going on?
Posted by Willy Shmily Tiger (Member # 5647) on :
Hobbes Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
quote: I was fortunate enough to have Hatrack be my introduction to online interactions with people I didn't know.
Same here, Noemon.
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
quote: I didn't even really get to pick a fight, because I picked someone who refused to argue with me.
Okay. You've piqued my curiosity. Who was that?
Posted by Sid the SIoth (Member # 5654) on :
What crazy old member would go changing his name at random? Thats just crazy talk
Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :
Oops, wrong SN. 'scuse me.
::pads off::
Posted by Chade Fallstar (Member # 5581) on :
I reccomend my method. I don't understand half of what goes on, but that's where I rely on my Hatrack mentor, Ralphie. Thanks Ralphie.
Or you could find a real mentor, Ralphie mainly likes to talk about herself.
Posted by pajeba (Member # 5656) on :
I don't have a mentor, whatever shall I do??
[ September 13, 2003, 07:12 PM: Message edited by: pajeba ]
Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
quote: Or you could find a real mentor, Ralphie mainly likes to talk about herself.
Whacha?!
Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
Is anyone in the chat now? It's always been empty when I tried it.
Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :
Pajeba, you are in luck! I'm offering a two month free mentorship and the great thing about the mentorship is you don't need a credit card to start it up. You can just sell me your soul for 2 months and that will work also.
Benefits of being in my mentorship:
Suddenly, you are cooler than before. You can ask any question about anything and I will answer with a question. I will inform you of all the inside jokes you need to know, along with an extensive profile on every member including phone number, mailing address, age, sex, location, eye color, threads they've started worth remembering, Credit Card numbers.... Well, you get to say you are T's minion. And thats just cool.
Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :
Wow. That's something I'd like to see for myself. Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
Judge me by my size, do you? Size matters not. It's not the size of the jedi, but how they use the force, if ya know what I mean. Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
Uh oh...does that mean you're Yoda?
Posted by pajeba (Member # 5656) on :
Woohoo!! I'm a minion!
...wait...is this a good thing? Does it involve a lot of this ?
Posted by ak (Member # 90) on :
I think that makes you my great grandminion. Ask your evil lord about his wings and boobs.
Posted by pajeba (Member # 5656) on :
What have I gotten myself into?
Oh, and nice to meet you, great grandmasterette.
Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
No but it involves a lot of...
Of...
ok, so it does involve a lot of Posted by pajeba (Member # 5656) on :
Ok then, I better get started T_Smith
Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :
That's right pajeba. This way you'll be on the ground floor of the T_Smith cult!
(My soul is already spoken for, sorry, T!)
BoB
Posted by ak (Member # 90) on :
Greatgrandmistress is the accepted term. I'm very glad to meet you. Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :
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I think Ralphie only joined a little while before me. T_Smith and Jon Boy both joined well after me, iirc, and they are both way more accepted and integral to the community than I am. It's not a function of how long you've been around; it's a function of how much you participate.![[Cry]](graemlins/cry.gif)
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Aw shucks, Noemon!![[Group Hug]](graemlins/grouphug.gif)
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I don't have a mentor, whatever shall I do??![[Evil]](graemlins/evil.gif)
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?
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What have I gotten myself into?