Is forum losing members? [Archive] - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Tigerlily Gamgee

04-27-2005, 01:11 PM

Well, I know that I, speaking for myself, do not post quite as much because I got discussed out my first year here. After a while the same discussions were being started and I had no more to say about them (and then there was the lapse of a few months that the boards wouldn't let me sign in). Plus, the books are not fresh in my mind anymore, so I don't feel "learned" enough at the moment to really discuss things to deeply. I also run my own site now, which takes up a lot of my time, because I have to play the role of moderator over there... and I'm working two jobs in real life (and still hardly scraping by *kicks economy*). When I get back to reading the books again I'm sure I'll join back in more. But, there are still many people who are here who I met and really enjoy, so I don't plan on going anywhere. This was the first board I came to when I read the books for the first time, so I plan on staying.
I'm up for a Barrow Downs wedding... who wants to get married? ;)

Snowdog

04-27-2005, 01:17 PM

Marriage... I'm against it.

I always liked Barrow Downs for the fact that the name wasn't a subject covered in the PJ movies, so it always felt more 'booklike' to me. It is the way of things on the internet, where popularity waxes and wanes depending on whats popular at the time. This is happening to pretty much all Tolkien sites.

Amrod the Hunter

04-27-2005, 01:25 PM

I always liked Barrow Downs for the fact that the name wasn't a subject covered in the PJ movies, so it always felt more 'booklike' to me. It is the way of things on the internet, where popularity waxes and wanes depending on whats popular at the time. This is happening to pretty much all Tolkien sites.

Yeah,I think the same.But people who only came here because the movies were popular,didn't stay when something new became popular.But still,I think that we should encourage new users and make them a friendly welcome,so they feel comfortable and stay.Because it will become boring if only a few users participates in the discusions.

Ainaserkewen

04-27-2005, 06:34 PM

I think I brought something like this up last year but got shot down royally because I was being unmotivating...

I think we need something to happen. A marriage would be nice, especially if it were right here on the site (I wonder if that's legal anywhere?) but then it wouldn't be very Tolkien-like. But we can look forward to the Anniversary party next month, that is always so much fun.

Or maybe all of us who are interested could come up with a new game or t-shirt or contest or something fun to do thats brand new and attracts the quitters back.

Imladris

04-27-2005, 10:42 PM

All things run their course. The flowers blossom in the spring and die in the winter -- but spring always comes back around again. It's the way the world works: things live, continue, die...

Including Tolkien.

Lindolirian

04-28-2005, 10:34 AM

First off, we're in our traditional spring slump of attendance. Most people have too much going on in the real world as compared to summer (students on break) or the holidays (which used to include the release of the movies). Secondly, as Formendacil brought up, a lot of the "Movie Members" who registered just to talk about the movies have run out of things to talk about and seem to be slowly dwindling out. Not to discount those who come for the movies and end up discussing the books; we have plenty of those. :) And lastly BW might be cleaning up (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=126628&postcount=20) old unused accounts, resulting in a lower number of registered posters.
Like Ainasaid, the Barrow-Downs Birthday Party next month will wake things up a bit as will summer with people having more free time.

AbercrombieOfRohan

04-28-2005, 06:59 PM

Just out of curiousity, why do a lot of members have their last activity as being in the year 1969? For instance Arathlithiel (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/member.php?u=1246), s/he was reportedly last on BD on Dec. 31, 1969. Is it because of the great switch?

mormegil

04-28-2005, 07:44 PM

Well I'm a long time Tolkien fan (pre-movie) and I have been frequenting this site for a couple of years now but I guess I always went to the quizes and didn't notice the forum. I guess I never looked that low on the page. I think it needs a bit more of a predominant spot on the site to attract new members. I am thouroughly loving the discussions I've been engaged in and hope to add some insightful comments on occasion as well.

mark12_30

04-28-2005, 07:47 PM

Lhunardawen

04-30-2005, 01:45 AM

First off, we're in our traditional spring slump of attendance. It's summer, in my (and Nilp's) case. There are a lot of things to do like going to youth camps...not to mention actually enjoying sleeping all day or being a couch potato. Yes, I'm sorry. I'll be reading TTT now and ketchup-ing (to steal Helen's idea) on CbC. :D

As for marriage...how about waiting for around ten years?

Morsul the Dark

04-30-2005, 09:30 AM

I myself am limited to exposure to this site seeing as my only link is at the public library which I find may soon also be extinguished :mad:

I just dont have time to come but mind you at work i do carriages, which is when my LOTR ponderings trully come to life and I always say I must bring that up on the downs... sadly I never remember by the time I get here... and even today I am in fact supposed to be working on a report so again I must leave :confused:

piosenniel

04-30-2005, 11:21 AM

Everyone please come to this year's celebration of the Barrow-Downs' birthday. :)

See HERE (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?p=386613#post386613).

~*~ Pio :D

*Varda*

05-01-2005, 07:53 AM

I confess to being one of those members that just kind of...drifted away. I can't even remember why I did so. But now I'm back, most likely, even if on a kind of on/off basis and hoping that most of the faces who were here when I was are still around!

I don't really understand how marriages will help, although I do remember them being the big thing in the chatroom a few years ago. :rolleyes:

But I agree that members will be falling away because the movies have finished - the surge of fangirls will have eased off a bit (which I personally consider a very good thing.) As for new members that have joined and you want to keep here, I don't really know how to go about that...just be friendly and chatty and make them WANT to be here. :)

~ Varda

Alkanoonion

05-02-2005, 10:15 PM

I once made an obituary list of all the members, who ever joined the Downs well over 5000. the great number was due to many members having more than one username having lost, forgotten or wanting to use a new pseudonym.

I think that with the arrival of the movies that many younger people discovered the great world of ME but as with many young adults attention is quickly diverted to new areas.
:cool:

starkat

05-14-2005, 11:54 AM

Unfortunately I'm one of the members who are not arround very much. I'm a moderator on a discussion board for the Chronicles of Narnia movie and things are picking up, so something had to give. I did enjoy hanging around here even though I didn't post much.

Mithalwen

05-14-2005, 12:08 PM

I
As for new members that have joined and you want to keep here, I don't really know how to go about that...just be friendly and chatty and make them WANT to be here. :)

~ Varda

Chattiness is rather frowned on alas.............

Hilde Bracegirdle

05-14-2005, 01:32 PM

Chattiness is rather frowned on alas.............

I often find myself wishing that there were a section on the BD where random off topic chattiness was welcome, other than a chatroom, that is. There are some of of us who tend to like mulling over an answer before posting. And chatroom is no place for ents. ;)

The garden theme that was flourishing in the Coming of Age thread was a nice read for me. Sometimes it is a pleasure to socialize with other 'Tolkienites' about every day things, and to realize that we have an common appreciation for other things as well.

Legolas

05-14-2005, 11:19 PM

Just out of curiousity, why do a lot of members have their last activity as being in the year 1969? ... Is it because of the great switch?Yes. That is essentially Unix Zero time: UNIX time began Jan 1, 1970.

Correct. All users with '12-31-1969' as their join date are users who created their accounts prior to the forum software switch done February '04. Also, if you look at the member list, it lists the date each member visited last; those that haven't visited since the switch have that same date listed.

Carlas

06-04-2005, 08:30 PM

I for one came here because of both the movies and the books, but stayed for the amazing book discussions (though I rarely took part) and RPGs. I have drifted away though, probably like many other people because I have just been so busy. Things like family, friends, highschool...boys :rolleyes: , just seem to pile up and I found I spent less and less time on the Downs.

I don't think it's a bad thing that there are less members however, because at one point (about a three year long point) the Downs seemed to be way too crowded. Im sure it'll be nice to have a bit more space, and less "Do Balrogs have wings?" type boards. :)

VanimaEdhel

06-12-2005, 01:30 PM

To be honest, one of the reasons I was driven off was because of the decidedly - erm - chatty nature this forum began to take. It also sometimes became painful to read other people's posts, in my case. I think I disappeared around the time the third movie came out, when that last wave of Legolasses popped up, ready for one more round in the ring with us fangirl fighters. I realize that was about a year and a half ago, but I just haven't had the motivation to come in and catch up.

I do visit the chat every now and again, and sometimes I see people I know. Mostly it's just mindless banter, though.

If I remember correctly, around the time that Return of the King was released in the theaters, there was a lot of hissy arguments being started on here between two or so posters. Fighting is the one thing that will undoubtedly drive me off of a board, no matter what. I just can't for the life of me discern the cause for board tiffs - even though they seem to be rampant in all forums. People that don't even know each other but who share a common love fighting over something as innocuous as a specific interpretation of a word just gets to me.

I do frequent another board now - non-Tolkien related. I am still a Tolkien fan and reread his works in my off-time. That's another thing: "free time" was practically non-existent for me this year. Between academics, college essays, various theatrical endeavors, and sleeping, I really did not come online at all. I was spending fifteen or sixteen hours a day at my school, and when I got home, all I wanted to do was sleep, eat breakfast, and head out the next day.

When I go to college next year, I hope to have more free time to return to the boards. Coming on here today - though granted nothing could upset me today - just feels so great, I want to make it more of a habit. When I'm not working this summer, I'll also try to come on.

Arwen Imladris

06-12-2005, 08:23 PM

Yes, I'm afraid I'm also one of those members that has sort of ghosted away. I do still drop by occasionally, but I generally read much more than I post. I am in constant fear of being repremanded for saying something that has already been said! So I try and keep my mouth closed and let people think I'm an idiot instead of opening it and leaving everyone with no doubt of my lack of intelligence. I am still deeply interested in Tolkien, and am currently still working my way through some of the HoME books. I have a lot to learn, but I have learned a lot reading the posts here.

Personally, I like forums with few members. I think that this forum has staying power. Another forum that I used to be on had an administrator type who was easily swayed by the newest fads. The forum quickly switched from a purely LOTR forum, to one devoted to Harry Potter. That is one of the reasons that I left it. Now that I have left it, I hope to spend more time here, where people are truely devoted to Tolkien. This forum has been around since before the movies, and it will last long after the movies are considered out-of-date.

By the way, I'm single. ;)

VanimaEdhel

06-13-2005, 09:44 AM

Arwen! A name I recognize - you know, it's amazing how many new members that I've just never met before are around here now.

How, may I ask, did a purely Lord of the Rings forum become one devoted entirely to Harry Potter? But, I suppose that's a question for another thread...

I agree - it's gotten to the point that I have missed so much in conversation, I don't know what has already been said or what points have been made. Also, the new forum I go to has very few language restrictions (they just ask that you don't swear in the title of the thread...and don't use derogatory language towards one another - and they hardly even enforce those rules), so when I do come in here to post, I have to be very careful how I type. My typed dialogue is far more "colorful", shall we say, at the moment than my spoken. It is actually interesting - I have to proofread all of these posts far more than I ever had to when I was on here, simply because I'm afraid of slipping up and putting in some four-letter word when I did not even mean for it to be there.

Again, what I'm now hoping to do is wander over to the Role-Playing Forum - maybe even just to the Shire to get my feet wet again (I don't know, I'll see). Maybe I'll try to jump into one of the Inns and see how it goes before I do anything else. My fear of failure is what is preventing me from just diving right back in. At this time of day, my other Forum is pretty abandoned (people at work and the like), so I have time to poke my nose in here and see what's going on.

Balin999

06-14-2005, 01:39 AM

Hm I guess I am one of the people who somewhat drifted away.
I was a very active member from may 2000 'till summer 2001, then I was inactive for a long time, then I occasionally dropped by, and I guess this here is my second post for at least a year.
I think the general reason for people stopping posting regularly is that after some time you have discussed all the topics that you found interesting, and therefore you have to wait until something else comes up. On the other hand, people also have a life to live, and therefore get other interests, which doesn't mean that they don't enjoy Tolkien or the Downs anymore.
I've always enjoyed this site, and I have had great fun discussing this or that, or participating in a quiz or whatever. And I guess that won't change for a long time.
Even if the number of members I know decreases from year to year, as is the case :(

Btw, is burrahobbit still around?

Parmawen

06-20-2005, 07:46 PM

Well...I suppose I am considered a "newbie" here, but I just wanted to say that one of the best things about this site is how closely knit it is! It's okay if it only ends up having less members, because the members who keep on posting will get even more say and we can have even more discussions. Of course, new people joining always keep the place fresh with new opinions as well. But on the bright side, the people who are left are all true Tolkien fans and really happy to be here (I'm assuming!)

This might not be the right place, but I'm horribly curious, and saw a comment above about this...The BarrowWight's birthday? How was it? And will there be more? I'm so upset that I missed it and I don't think I can wait until next May for one...perhaps the other Downer's have some upcoming?!?

Encaitare

06-20-2005, 09:31 PM

Parmawen, the party in May was for the BarrowDowns' birthday -- the website itself. Although I'm sure the Barrow Wight would appreciate a birthday greeting when his b-day rolls around in July. ;)

MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie

06-21-2005, 03:31 AM

Wow, I'm surprised that my account is still active (Thanks BW for not deleting). I had checked up on it months ago, at different times, and was just as suprised. Well, I had planned on getting back up on things.

When I first went to college, I had (unintentionally) stopped going here, and evertime I had come back, I felt like I was too unfamiliar with things to post. So, now it's summer, and I plan on re-reading the books and catching up on things.

I had also planned on donating to this site, which I haven't done yet, and I'm sorry and ashamed for.....something which I also plan on doing.

It's strange coming back here, I'm trying to make sure I don't slip up grammer-wise.

Well, I'm trying to come back, and if you don't see me back, just email the hell out of me, and it will get my attention. Hopefully I can get on top of things and get back and give my support.

Balin999

06-21-2005, 03:48 AM

But on the bright side, the people who are left are all true Tolkien fans and really happy to be here

Just that someone doesn't post here anymore doesn't mean that he isn't a "true" Tolkien fan.
And what do you mean by "true"?

the guy who be short

06-21-2005, 05:16 AM

I drifted off for a while too (hey, that should be our new refrain :D).
In my case, it was due to the forum switching to V-Bulletin. I lost my password and couldn't get it back and just got confused and left. Then, several months later, I tried again and miraculously my correct password managed to get to me without any major hindrances on the way. So I came back.
After returning, I mostly lurked in the Shadows, reading a lot but not posting much. I guess I've been posting a lot more frequently of late, and have had fun acquainting myself with the newer (joined after 2005) members, especially in ME Mirth.

Morsul the Dark

07-01-2009, 06:20 AM

I remembered this thread and just spent 20 minutes looking for it...

and this is the grand post it was all for,

Barrow-Wight Saucepanman, Heren Isatarian, Encantaire, bombadil, Firefoot, where have you all gone(there are more just mind block at the moment.)

Feanor of the Peredhil

07-01-2009, 08:40 AM

Barrow-Wight Saucepanman, Heren Isatarian, Encantaire, bombadil, Firefoot, where have you all gone(there are more just mind block at the moment.)

Encai is still enthusiastically active in other parts of life (and is currently experimenting with - of all things - shampoo). Heren and Saucie, if nobody else, have little ones to keep them on their toes (and Heren's got occasionally discomforting geography). Firefoot, I think, is just busy.

Me? I miss... well... the cast of Reunification of the Entish Bow. I started to merely list names until I realized most of them had REB as a common denominator: folk who could blow me away with fiction and could make academic writing laugh-out-loud funny.

I wonder if they realize that the lessons they accidentally taught me in writing about literature did more for me graduating with a lit degree (with honors) than most of my professors ever did...

There's something to be said for learning how to write (and think) critically on a literary discussion forum instead of in a classroom.

That being said, a fair portion of the migration - or hibernation - of past members may well be that very few new things are said in Books: if, perchance, a new thread is posted, many people will harken back (with links) to what they had to say about the topic three years ago. It's been done. Nothing new to say. Move on. It is discouraging to new minds and talents to learn that few people wish to actively rehash old questions - and why not? With time, thoughts and opinions often mature, evolve. With time, thoughts and opinions conversely often stagnate. Without new voices, even ones which call out the old questions, the 'Downs becomes the quiet grave for which it is name, with little left but the echo of old voices stirring from the darkness.

Its history may be overpowering its presence.

On a practical level, many members' lives have changed. Students growing up, adults marrying and starting families: the internet no longer takes the precidence it may once have.

On an academic level, does anybody really want to argue again that balrogs do or do not have wings? (My answer? Yes: wings of shadow; is the shadow that follows you on a sunny day any less real just because it is intrinsically attached to your own corporeal form and would not exist if separated from you? What is real in a moment does not lose its significance and truthfulness just because it is illusory or temporal. The shadow - when it is there - is still there, and is no less 'real' simply because it is fleeting and will disappear with the onslaught of light. Of course the balrog had wings: Tolkien said so.)

Another old topic: does anybody really want to go back into who determines canonicity? I'll certainly discuss it, but would that draw back old faces? Gain new voices? Or would I be composing a brief essay to be read by the world of the 'Downs, briefly considered - more quickly forgotten - and never responded to?

Mirth feels more like a discussion than an anthology in that the brevity of posts allows for a faster volley of ideas; Books often feels solitary: the difference, if you will, between writing an instant message and an e-mail.

Also, it might be as simple as that the old faces who graced us with their wit and insight back in 'the day' mayhap have exhausted their potential.

To keep from waxing poetic (or emo), I'll merely say: online as well as in offline society, people come and go from your spheres. People die, people move on, and those left must grow into their own, taking the places left, and forming new ones.

Mithadan

07-01-2009, 09:48 AM

Feanor, first off, thank you for your kind comments regarding Reunification of the Entish Bow. REB was a labor of love, with the emphasis sometimes most heavily on the word "labor". Each of the two chapters was supposed to run for three or four months and they stretched into years. By the end, we finished by force of will. That RPG was in some ways a microcosm of this forum. Initial enthusiasm gave way to real life demands. Several writers dropped off, some just disappearing and others terminating their characters.

When I first joined this forum, within a month of its birth, there were only a handful of members, almost all of whom were very knowledgeable, extremely capable writers and able debaters. I, personally had abandoned another board that had become swept up in speculation and analysis of the then upcoming movies. The Downs quickly became known as the board for people who wanted to discuss and analyse the books; the "thinking man's" Tolkien board. Even then, we saw members come and go. People would accumulate a few hundred posts, then disappear or become treeish and rarely appear. I miss many of these members.

Even so, when the movies hit, we were inundated and around that time, we saw the advent of members linking old threads when faced with the 30th iteration of "do Balrogs have wings", "who is Tom Bombadil", "was Legolas blonde", etc. The proliferation of members and threads, particularly "chatty" threads, impacted upon our bandwidth and was beginning to cost more money. I am as guilty as any of the practice of linking old threads, though I rarely do so now, except to show differing viewpoints on an issue. Frankly, I would now discourage this practice.

When the huge influx of members happened after the movies came out, many old members lamented the loss of the earlier "bookish" atmosphere and many gave up. We administrators and moderators effectively burned out policing the joint, so many of us are not very active now. Real life intervenes as well. Work and school demands take a toll. One member nearly lost a house in a hurricane. And of course there remains the "nothing new under the sun" attitude. The ironic thing is that the Downs is now more like it was 2000 or 2001 than it has been in years; quiet, orderly and bookish with thoughtful posts and threads once again.

When I came out of semi-retirement a few months ago, I resolved privately to post at least once a week and start a thread or two a month. My results have been uneven. But if everyone adopts this attitude, the Downs will continue in its grand tradition.

Feanor of the Peredhil

07-01-2009, 11:10 AM

There is also the particularly subtle difference between those members who joined when only the books were existent and therefore had the more or less guaranteed interest in discussing the literature, and those members who joined out of desire to lynch themselves a wolf.

The shift in demographic alters the nature of the board.

Inziladun

07-01-2009, 11:32 AM

When the huge influx of members happened after the movies came out, many old members lamented the loss of the earlier "bookish" atmosphere and many gave up.

There was a sizable stretch of time in the middle parts of this decade when my posts were sparse, and my visits down to about one per month. That was the primary reason.
I'm not saying there is inherently anything wrong with fanboys / girls raving about how the movies were the best ever and worthy of a million Oscars, or debating over whether the movie hobbits were fat enough or who was the 'hottest', Legolas or Faramir. Nor do I find IM / chat-style abbreviations in the proper context particularly irksome. However, that was not what I was looking for, so I decided my time was better spent elsewhere for a while.
And now? The place does have something of the earlier feel to it again, now that Mithadan says that.
There is still ample room for others to debate the merits of the movies, and still book discussions enough to keep those of that mind occupied.
Books, movies, WW, there's something here, I think, for every taste. New members are joining at what seems to be a consistent rate, so to me the place is much the same as always.
And we can look forward to some of those we've thought gone for good pushing their decaying corpses in here when they can, just to say hello.

Estelyn Telcontar

07-01-2009, 11:33 AM

Ah yes, Fea, the advent of Werewolf games (introduced by the Boss Wight himself) changed the Downs. At the time, I was sometimes annoyed that it took energy away from the discussion threads and skewed the rep system. However, it also brought new members who discovered that there are sections of the forum that are worth getting to know.

I too bemoan the loss of the "good ol' days" of REB :Merisu: and brilliant book discussions, and sometimes, like Mithadan, I resolve to post new threads that will generate interest. Unfortunately, time rarely seems to suffice; I'm still writing on Tolkien, but now it's a real life project that can be held in hands and will hopefully entice many fans to spend their money on it!

Horizons widen, new interests demand attention, and one the best ways to continue the Tolkien discussions is by joining one of the Societies and talking to real people!

Oh yes, and there are those friends and family members who are not interested in Tolkien discussions, but who think I should be interested in spending time with them nonetheless...

That being said, I may post less these days/months/years, but I still enjoy reading good contributions, and I hope those worthwhile posts continue to come!

Formendacil

07-01-2009, 12:04 PM

Personally speaking, the slower pace of the 'Downs is much preferable to me. It is a lot easier to keep up with what's going on in the community when the amount of new posts is moderate than when it's overheated. Indeed, overheated simply becomes too daunting to bother trying when life is, generally, on the busier side. In interests of full disclosure, it's true that I usually check in daily, but I typically just glance at new posts in threads I'm subscribed to, and possibly not all of them, and then a cursory glance through the "Active Topics" page, before checking out. Admittedly, on those rare, boring evenings when there simply isn't anything going on and I crave more meat, the quieter 'Downs is a bit of a disappointment, but by and large I agree with Mithadan that burnout is the chief result of too much action--especially as my generation of members has shifted into university and beyond, our involvement is much more likely if it continues at a stately pace than a full out flame war.

Rumil

07-01-2009, 02:33 PM

I think these things probably go in cycles.

We had the movie cycles of interest that really brought a lot of new members, then a small-scale cycle over CofH. I guess the next ones will be for The Hobbit.

The cycle of the year, in the UK at least its lovely weather (shock-horror!) so less likely to be at the computer. Also there are the usual ups and Downs :p of the working/student year, holidays etc that all influence activity.

Like Formy, I have a quick check most days to see what's new, but post more rarely (was never a volume-poster though!). I guess we each have our own personal cycles of interest and activity too.

Maybe one thing to consider is that t'internet is a bigger place now, and more into Facebook, Twitter etc applications than bulletin boards maybe.

Inziladun

07-01-2009, 02:42 PM

Maybe one thing to consider is that t'internet is a bigger place now, and more into Facebook, Twitter etc applications than bulletin boards maybe.

As someone who has never been able to fathom the appeal of Facebook or (gah!) Twitter, it's incomprehensible why anyone would prefer those media to the Downs. :confused:

Rumil

07-01-2009, 03:11 PM

Agree ;)

but there's no accounting for taste!

Lalaith

07-01-2009, 03:41 PM

I joined the Downs during the movie era: seeing the films made me want to talk to knowledgeable people about the books I loved and remembered, and to discuss why certain things were better/worse for the changes that were made.
After all when I first read Tolkien there was no internet....
I also believe that in the same way that one can love both Blur and Beethoven, one can love Books and Werewolf.
But then, I too have grown tree-ish, while mourning the loss of some of my more illustrious contemporaries.

Ibrîniðilpathânezel

07-01-2009, 06:24 PM

Speaking for myself, there're also the matters of Real Life that get in the way. Sometimes it's vacation, or work that needs to be done, or the lousy fibromyalgia/CFS effects that make reading easier than posting. There are some interesting discussions going on, but I for the moment, I just don't have the energy to put together the kind of post that I think is worthy of the Downs. (For someone who used to be able to rap out several thousand words of writing per day without batting an eye, this is depressing). This part of the cycle will pass, and I'm sure other people have their own cyclical RL things that interfere. There are those that just lose interest if all their friends aren't into it, but the Downs doesn't appear to have quite as many members of that type as other boards.

Morthoron

07-01-2009, 08:01 PM

Perhaps the Barrow Wights who have been members of the 'Downs for an inordinate amount of time eventually become disembodied entities, as the skeletal frames they inhabit have finally decomposed completely.

It's a theory.

Mithalwen

07-02-2009, 11:30 AM

As someone who has never been able to fathom the appeal of Facebook or (gah!) Twitter, it's incomprehensible why anyone would prefer those media to the Downs. :confused:

I joined facebook at the suggestion of one of the Downers going to University and after a long spell when I never looked and had but two friends one of whom was a cat (long story) much to the mirth of my young relatives, I have now got to the point where it has largely superseded livejournal as a way of keeping in touch with Downers past and present and through it is good to see that these bright minds are engaged in interesting things. Maybe they will return as their lives settle down ..

The other thing is that Facebook is somewhere where you can chat and anything here off topic gets pounced on so it is natural that friendships may bud here to bloom elsewhere.

I do think it is easy to become a bit jaded and to forget that newcomers need encouragement - I will always be grateful to Fordim and Heren in particular who were welcoming when I was new not sure I do enough to pass kindness on...

alatar

07-02-2009, 03:03 PM

For me, it's been the lack of spark. Sometimes you get all fired up over an idea or thread and see it go no where, or join in an interesting and somewhat heated discussion to the realize that you were too late. It's like showing up to play and watch everyone walk off the field/court.

I guess that it's a paradox - I don't post because no one's posting much.

That said, I check in all the time, if only to catch a spambot or to see that new thread that gets me going.

Morsul the Dark

07-02-2009, 03:50 PM

radagastly

07-02-2009, 08:30 PM

It may also seem a little thin because it is now summer, and people are spending less time at their computers and more time in the outdoors. I've noticed that a few years running, now. It will probably pick back up some in the fall, 'round September or so.

TheGreatElvenWarrior

07-02-2009, 08:44 PM

As was said before, life goes in cycles.
I've found that the same people who were very active when I died (almost two years ago now) are not so active anymore (Such as SPM, Lal, and Eomer) but there are newer Downers that have come in, or older Downers that have had a sudden spark, and started to post more often (Mnemosyne, Morsul, and Squatter) and then there's people who have been pretty much constanty posting for a long time (Hookbill, Lommy, and Eönwë). I guess that for some, the Barrow-Downs has constantly been a source of amusement and a way to spend their time, but there are others that are genuinely busy...

Brinniel

07-03-2009, 12:22 AM

Yeah, the Barrow Downs does run in its own cycles. When I joined the Downs, the forum was a very different place. The FotR film had been recently released and there was a flood of members joining. Some were long time Tolkien fans, some read the books and fell in love after they heard about the movie (like me), some were plain movie fans who hadn't read the books at all, and some were just Leggy-boppers. It was an interesting mix which kept things interesting, but while the forum was very active it did get tiring to have the same questions asked, members who couldn't write in complete sentences, the girls gawing over Legolas, and the RPGs that rarely went anywhere (back when there was a Freestyle RPG forum). A lot of this was due to the movie bringing in a younger generation of members who were perhaps not as mature. I wasn't quite 14 when I joined and a large percentage of BDers were around the same age or somewhere in their teens. I appreciated that at the time since having peers made it more comfortable to be on the forum without the pressure to be excessively intelligent. But now that I'm much older, I can see how a bunch of 13-year-olds taking over the Downs could be a bit of a nuisance for the older and more mature members.

Over the years, the movie hype died out, fewer members joined and many left, and the ones who did join later on were part of a different generation; they joined because they love Tolkien, not the movies. And today it seems the average age of BDers is somewhere in the early 20s'; part of it is because some of us earlier members have grown up to reach that age and also people in this age group tend to frequent the internet much more than other age groups. Also, the BD is much more worldly than it once was; there were always some members from other countries, but there were a lot more Americans around. Now it is more evenly spread out and I love that there's so much more diversity. The Downs is much quieter than it once was, but I prefer having it that way. Because the members here are dedicated and insightful. This forum is more intelligent than other forums I've seen. For one thing, over here our non-native English speakers can write better English than most Americans on the other forums. What I love about the BD is that with fewer members, we are more of a community than I've ever seen on any forum, which has enabled me to make many close friends who have influenced my life for the better.

It's always sad to see members disappear and there are many that I miss. But people move on with life and not everyone can stay attached to a forum forever. And once you disappear, it can be difficult to return after a long period of time. I left the Downs for two years and it took a lot of effort to bring myself back because it wasn't easy to return to a place that was while familiar, completely different that how I remembered. The entire forum had gone through a makeover (new server, I think), most members I knew were gone, and there were many members I never met who had already been around long enough to become quite reputable, plus there was this strange sensation going around called WW which took me an extra year to figure out. This is most likely why some old members who try to return will disappear again; they realise the forum moved on without them and suddenly a place where they were once comfortable feels so foreign. I'm glad I stuck it out since I've become even closer to members than I did before I disappeared, and I do love it when I see old members return to stay awhile. While it is sad to see members that everyone once loved slowly fade from existence, at the same time there are always new members who join and become part of the community. Old inactive members become memories, newbies become the experienced members who welcome in more new members who will in time develop their own reputation. So the torch gets passed on.

I must say that what I love about Facebook is that I'm able to connect with BDers and get to know them better than I ever would on the forum alone. It has allowed me to develop close friendships and also keep in touch with BDers who are no longer active...such as Amanaduial, Encaitare, tgwbs, Roa, Orominuialwen...the list goes on. I am closer to some Downer friends than I am with friends in RL...many of which I have now actually met in person.

Hakon

07-03-2009, 01:43 AM

I am fairly new to this site considering I have not even been here for two months. I still can see how the forum has changed somewhat and I have memories of lurking in the past. I do know what it is like when members leave a forum, I have been part of various forums since 2006. I have to say that the small community forums like the way BD is now, is always much nicer than the larger ones. It seems like the majority of members are in their early 20's as Brinniel said, but it seems like a lot of them were about 16 or 17 when they joined. I am one of the younger members now, being only 15.

Nessa Telrunya

07-03-2009, 07:24 AM

Morsul the Dark

07-03-2009, 07:37 AM

I am also one of the younger members, but I think it's wonderful that there are older, more mature members, as they have shown nothing but kindness, quite unlike many my age. They don't seem to know how to treat people, with a few exceptions.

I'll tend to agree but I can say Many of us were Youngin's when we joined up I was 15, Fea was at least 16(Based on thread she posted regarding Tolkien classes.) I know Enca was younger as well, Gil-Galad another younger member. Hookbill is definately a younger member...

Wow I just realized knowing all this is kind of creepy....

Nessa Telrunya

07-03-2009, 07:43 AM

I'll tend to agree but I can say Many of us were Youngin's when we joined up I was 15, Fea was at least 16(Based on thread she posted regarding Tolkien classes.) I know Enca was younger as well, Gil-Galad another younger member. Hookbill is definately a younger member...

Wow I just realized knowing all this is kind of creepy....

Haha, it's not that creepy. :D

Mithadan

07-03-2009, 07:57 AM

But now that I'm much older, I can see how a bunch of 13-year-olds taking over the Downs could be a bit of a nuisance for the older and more mature members.

And once you disappear, it can be difficult to return after a long period of time. I left the Downs for two years and it took a lot of effort to bring myself back because it wasn't easy to return to a place that was while familiar, completely different that how I remembered. This is most likely why some old members who try to return will disappear again; they realise the forum moved on without them and suddenly a place where they were once comfortable feels so foreign. I'm glad I stuck it out since I've become even closer to members than I did before I disappeared, and I do love it when I see old members return to stay awhile.

Hi Brinniel! Your post is very thoughtful and insightful. The first paragraph that I quote above, frankly and with all respect, makes me laugh. The second paragraph is, unfortunately, true. Even I am trying to find a comfort zone here. By the time I began my sabbatical a couple of years back, the phenomonon you describe had already begun. Many of my friends were gone and more became treeish and distant. I tried to return about a year ago and found that the place felt almost foreign to me. This time, in part because at least a few old-timers have returned, it's a bit easier but it still takes some effort.

Good to see you're still here, Brinniel! Please give my fond regards to Amanaduial. She is one I miss.

Tinuviel of Twilight

07-03-2009, 08:02 AM

I just joined today! I remember coming across this forum many years ago. I started to delve into the LOTR series (I have only read them once) and now I am becoming steadily obsessed again.

alatar

07-03-2009, 10:06 AM

I just joined today! I remember coming across this forum many years ago. I started to delve into the LOTR series (I have only read them once) and now I am becoming steadily obsessed again.
Welcome, Tinuviel of Twilight. May you enjoy your stay. The circle of (online) life continues.

And the posts above regarding the purported average age of the Downers makes me feel old all the way to my bones...:( ;) :p

Feanor of the Peredhil

07-03-2009, 10:08 AM

And the posts above regarding the purported average age of the Downers makes me feel old all the way to my bones...

Well when you have articles of clothing older than me, it's no wonder.

As I always say, you're only as old as the fashion you wear. :p

Mithalwen

07-03-2009, 11:31 AM

But Fea...what about vintage? I used to wear my the evening dresses my mother and even grandmother saved from even the thirties in Grannie's case... even I am not that old!!!:eek: But I think I have a band tshirt about as old as you so maybe I am in the same boat as Alatar...or maybe that should be retirement community:rolleyes:

Tinuviel of Twilight

07-03-2009, 11:56 AM

Welcome, Tinuviel of Twilight. May you enjoy your stay. The circle of (online) life continues.

Thank you! I am very excited to be here, and look forward to roleplaying.

Feanor of the Peredhil

07-03-2009, 12:06 PM

But Fea...what about vintage?

I will never turn down a gift of jewelry from my grandma's jewelry box from the days of old. Very Galadriel and Arwen...

I wonder if it's possible to set aside some vintage posts for the elucidation of generations of 'Downers to come...

I know a few members have toyed with the related idea of creating threads containing the best posts of days or weeks...

I have in mind, more specifically, creating an internal canon of all of the Barrowdowner history and literature that one should know to be a truly educated wight.

:smokin:

Hakon

07-03-2009, 03:31 PM

This site is like a goldmine for a book. I mean like someone could write a book about this site. The history of the downs with real quotes or top discussions of the downs transcribed into book form for the first time. I have a few other ideas.

Eönwë

07-03-2009, 04:02 PM

there's people who have been pretty much constanty posting for a long time (Hookbill, Lommy, and Eönwë).
Let me first say that I am honoured to be put in such a list, especially since I have been on the Downs for less time than you.

Yes, I think it's true that Downsing comes and goes, and it really depends on how busy you are.

Also, I think that though most new "serious" Downers (And by that I mean those that stay for more than just a few posts- not Downers with humour) are adults, but we I think we young 'uns have lately made a comeback- for example, TGEW, Hakon and I are all 15, and I have a feeling that there are more new Downers of a similar age (Ok, maybe TGEW and I aren't exactly new members, but the point is, I think that that the younger generation of Downers is making a comeback).

Formendacil

07-03-2009, 05:07 PM

I have in mind, more specifically, creating an internal canon of all of the Barrowdowner history and literature that one should know to be a truly educated wight.

Umm... Fea... An "internal canon"? Are we aiming to get the old members back by restarting the canonical Armageddon?

Let's just push the big, red, button labelled "Canonicity" and watch the huorns march to war. I'll be in my bunker, aiming at can(n)on-fodder.

As I always say, you're only as old as the fashion you wear.

In this case, I am looking to be, at the youngest estimate, about 120 years, with good reason to call myself 1300. :rolleyes:

Nogrod

07-03-2009, 05:48 PM

I wouldn't be worried.

I'm an elder and a relative newbie at the same time.

I joined the 'Downs on January 06 and I will be 42 before this year comes to an end. I joined because my daughter Lommy talked me into it - and it has been a very good decision indeed. I have not only had a good time playing werewolf, writing RPG's and discussing questions of varied nature with interesting and lovely people - but I have actually gained a number of new friends some of which I have been priviledged to meet also in person.

Even with my limited experience (too old a generation) I can agree with the few raising the point already: this feels like a community and the general mood is that of friendship and joviality - unlike on some other forums. The relatively small scale is just a positive factor here! And that I think is also behind the fact that in the end so many former 'Downers do after all come back. So why don't you look at the situation from that angle as well?

We have a host of new 'Downers every year - some of them staying, some of them leaving pretty rapidly. Only time will tell who of them stay and who will not. But I have seen many coming and leaving and many coming and staying - and make no mistake about it, it's the nice people who stay. :)

Everyone staying is an add on to the 'Downer community. And like in life there has to be renewal. We oldies should help and welcome the newer ones to take their place in here - and then by the time replace us.

Even if I think I'm playing werewolf at least into when I'm 80.. and give me an ethical-theological subject relating to Tolkien and I will sure be in if I just have time to read through the earlier discussion... :rolleyes:

Feanor of the Peredhil

07-03-2009, 06:20 PM

Are we aiming to get the old members back by restarting the canonical Armageddon?

Yes.

I'm hoping to see who proposes each addition to the Barrowdowns Legendarium: the author, or the audience.

:cool:

Hakon

07-03-2009, 06:22 PM

What was this canonical Armageddon?

Boromir88

07-03-2009, 07:36 PM

My first experience with an on-line community was the 'Downs, long before I knew Facebook existed or I cared about any of those types of sites. It's interesting that when Facebook kind of became the on-line community thing, I switched to that, and de-activated the account I had on myspace (I saw no point in having both of them, I am sorry if anyone on here does :D). But through all that, it's been the 'Downs where I've stayed. Despite anything that's happened, sometimes busy sometimes just need a bit of different', the other forums I've gone to, the 'Downs has been the place.

The reasons to not have an off-tolkien forum where we could talk about things considered as 'idle chat' is understandable, but there are advantages and disadvantages. Of course we have the ability to PM whatever we want to, but I don't come here to talk about politics, or the best restaurants, or what's going on in the world. Like others have said, that's probably the advantage of Facebook, not to chat with the people I see regularly, but to chat with people I have met here, or elsewhere.

With that being said the 'Downs was the first, and always will be the first...occassionally I need a break from whatever I'm doing here, but the great thing about this place is it doesn't seem like a chore. Don't really know how else to put it, but I don't ever feel like the 'Downs is a waste of time. I can post in whatever threads, and get involved in whatever I want to here. Even if I get asked to do something it never feels like I'm being "dragged" into something I didn't want to do in the first place.

And Facebook...that just gets oh sooo tedious. I have piles and piles of apps, and games, and requests, gathered up over the months...and all these updates. You can't say "no" without getting 3 or more requests for the same thing, and it is just a pain to go through and delete everything. Not only that but, I made the mistake of having all the notifications sent to my e-mail, and then I'd have to go and delete the plethora of facebook messages just saying "so and so commented on your post." I probably spent about 5 years of my life deleting (and then deleting a second time) all the messages from facebook. Luckily, I finally dropped the lazy and requested nothing get sent to my e-mail. But still, that place just gets tedious, you can't say "no" (if I get another "Join my Mafia" request I will take a bite out of my laptop).

All that above, well I don't have to worry about any of it on the Barrowdowns. :)

Bêthberry

07-03-2009, 07:48 PM

What was this canonical Armageddon?

"Canonicity': The Book or the Reader?, courtesy of Fordim Hedgethistle. (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=10593)

On a night when insomnia weaves her insistent spell, it would be an interesting experience for the newer members of the Downs to check out the back threads in Books and some of the other fora (The word previously used here for 'forums.' It's an in joke. If you get it, you'll understand some of the past days of the Downs. )

Hakon

07-03-2009, 08:00 PM

I will read through the thread when I get the chance. I think a lot of the older threads are really interesting from what I have seen.

Bêthberry

07-03-2009, 08:14 PM

Seeing as it's summer, I wouldn't exactly rush over there if I were you. But come winter when some cold dark night you are trapped indoors, you might find a ghost or two there, or some horror show that chills your blood.

Estelyn Telcontar

07-04-2009, 05:45 AM

I have in mind, more specifically, creating an internal canon of all of the Barrowdowner history and literature that one should know to be a truly educated wight.
Go for it, Fea! That might be a fun way to create interest at a slow time of the year, and I'd definitely like to see what you consider worth rereading.

It's interesting how the questions of age and length of membership seem to come up lately. One of the great advantages of virtual communication is that such barriers are not raised at the outset of communication and may break down completely later. Let me add one related aspect:

Some of you hesitate to tell your age because you fear that being young means you could not be taken seriously. The same fear holds true in the opposite case. There are those of us, like myself, who belong to the older generation of this forum and hesitate to tell their age because they think perhaps young people wouldn't be interested in what they have to say if the teens knew they're as old as (perhaps even older than :eek: ) their parents.

We've had few family members of two generations here, though the most known family (Nogrod, Lommy and Greenie) has been a wonderful example of how that can work very well. This is a very rare online community, being open to newcomers and close-knit as internet friends simultaneously. I for one appreciate that atmosphere and hope that it will continue for as long as people want to experience that connection.

Morthoron

07-04-2009, 11:10 AM

I used to wear the evening dresses my mother and even grandmother saved...

I used to do that as well, but not since the last arrest.;)

Some of you hesitate to tell your age because you fear that being young means you could not be taken seriously. The same fear holds true in the opposite case. There are those of us, like myself, who belong to the older generation of this forum and hesitate to tell their age because they think perhaps young people wouldn't be interested in what they have to say if the teens knew they're as old as (perhaps even older than ) their parents.

I have a 24 year-old son, a 15 year-old son and a 9 year-old daughter, so I've had a child once every decade since the 80's whether I've needed them or not. Only the 9 year-old has shown a lengthy affinity to Tolkien, but she esteems Middle-earth about as much as Tinkerbell or Spongebob Squarepants. In any case, I don't think it necessary to admit that I am farting dust, or whether another member still has adolescent acne. The forum is quite diverse in opinion, attitude and age, and that suits this old curmudgeon quite well.

As far as the ebb and flow of the fora (forum) elders, I like the thought that they have grown 'treeish' as Mithadan related. How very appropriate to the subject at hand!

LadyBrooke

07-04-2009, 11:49 AM

Just a quick thought over why posting may stop by some members for months at a time (cough*me*cough) sometime there are external circumstances that can keep people from posting.

I for one have been missing from everywhere for months because of health issues. This tends to occur once a year usually from Jan. or Feb. into the summer months.

Aside from that sometimes you just need to take a break. I will admit to taking my posts a little too seriously and getting burned out. I do this in every part of my life, though, not just LotR stuff, for anybody thinking I need to be locked in the loony bin.;) (like my mom)

HerenIstarion

07-05-2009, 12:17 AM

Some are just lurking in the shadows but never really quite gone

Inziladun

07-05-2009, 07:50 AM

Some are just lurking in the shadows but never really quite gone

Just as I said. ;)
Always nice to see you, HI.

Eönwë

07-05-2009, 09:12 AM

Some are just lurking in the shadows but never really quite gone

That's good to know... or should I be scared? ;)

alatar

07-05-2009, 11:36 AM

On a night when insomnia weaves her insistent spell, it would be an interesting experience for the newer members of the Downs to check out the back threads in Books and some of the other fora (The word previously used here for 'forums.'
I actually enjoy digging out old threads (though sometimes the html code makes one's eyes bleed) and bringing them to the present. Not only does one realize that many ideas are already in thread form in the forum, but from the comments within the threads, the community that was present even back then - and from nicks you've never seen before.

Life, even here, didn't start when I showed up.

LadyBrooke

07-05-2009, 12:55 PM

I actually enjoy digging out old threads (though sometimes the html code makes one's eyes bleed) and bringing them to the present. Not only does one realize that many ideas are already in thread form in the forum, but from the comments within the threads, the community that was present even back then - and from nicks you've never seen before.

Life, even here, didn't start when I showed up.

It's the same for me. Not just on here but on all the message boards I post on, I love digging up and resurrecting old threads. As forum members come and go, I often find that somebody no longer posting on the boards has a viewpoint that I never would of thought of and haven't seen posted in more recent discussions.:cool:

Bêthberry

07-05-2009, 05:21 PM

Life, even here, didn't start when I showed up.

Or, sadly, when I showed up either! ;)

And, presumably, it will continue when we--excluding the Admins who keyed this place into being--are no longer here.

Formendacil

07-05-2009, 05:35 PM

That's good to know... or should I be scared? ;)

That depends if those shadows Heren is lurking in are shadows OF wings, or are the wings themselves. ;)

Morsul the Dark

07-05-2009, 09:46 PM

No they ARE WIngs HI has wings!

Morthoron

07-05-2009, 10:16 PM

No they ARE WIngs HI has wings!

Yes, but are they operable wings, or are they vestigial, like that of an emu? I don't know Heren's weight, but the sheer bulk of a balrog would require an extraordinary set of wings for the necessary lift required to reach air speed velocity, even when not holding a coconut beneath the dorsal feathers. Are herons migratory?

Morsul the Dark

07-05-2009, 10:22 PM

but suppose two herons carried it togeth if they had it on a line......

and to make this post relevent, these random outburst scare away newcomers

Morthoron

07-05-2009, 10:42 PM

but suppose two herons carried it togeth if they had it on a line......

and to make this post relevent, these random outburst scare away newcomers

Perhaps we could lasso new members with a strand of creeper!

Oh...sorry...you were being serious. Randomness...yes...setting a bad example and all. My OCD flaring up again.

FeRaL sHaDoW

07-06-2009, 03:33 AM

Some are just lurking in the shadows but never really quite gone

They sit, wait and watch but when the time is right they shall rise from the shadows and come forth to post once again and there shall be much celebration.
(Or atleast something like that)

HerenIstarion

07-08-2009, 04:16 PM

This is Downs, right? One should expect shadows here... and things lurking in them, even Herens, herons and other things staring with an H... that's only natural... and sometimes shadows may take funny (amusing?) shapes... :smokin:

Mithadan

07-08-2009, 04:45 PM

Hi, H-I!

HerenIstarion

07-08-2009, 04:53 PM

Anar kaluva tyelianna, Mithadan... oh wait, these here shadows covering the Downs should not be penetrateable by the sun I presume... so nice to see you, long time no see Mith would better express it I guess :D

TheGreatElvenWarrior

07-08-2009, 10:52 PM

Let me first say that I am honoured to be put in such a list, especially since I have been on the Downs for less time than you.Well, you post often, what can I say?

Also, I think that though most new "serious" Downers (And by that I mean those that stay for more than just a few posts- not Downers with humour) are adults, but we I think we young 'uns have lately made a comeback- for example, TGEW, Hakon and I are all 15, and I have a feeling that there are more new Downers of a similar age (Ok, maybe TGEW and I aren't exactly new members, but the point is, I think that that the younger generation of Downers is making a comeback).There are a few Downers that have a GREAT sense of humour, but can make a GREAT discussion, Hookbill is who I notice most out of these, though.
Also, I think that you are right, there are a lot of newer members that are young, I joined when I was 13. (The funny thing is, I still consider myself a "new" member, dispite the fact that I have been a Downer for nearly two years) There are many younger members who post gems.

Pitchwife

07-09-2009, 10:45 AM

There are many younger members who post gems.

Indeed! I'm still rather new myself, but rather on the upper end of the age spectrum, and in the half year or so of my Downsian afterlife I've had several eye-openers when I clicked on the profiles of members whose posts had impressed me and saw what age they were. You boys 'n' girls make the future of the world look a lot brighter!:)

Amras

07-25-2009, 07:55 PM

Inziladun

07-25-2009, 08:25 PM

hi

Hello, Amras. If you'd like to introduce yourself properly, this (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=2941&page=84) is the place for it.

Happy haunting!

Fordim Hedgethistle

08-02-2009, 10:28 PM

"Canonicity': The Book or the Reader?, courtesy of Fordim Hedgethistle. (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=10593)

On a night when insomnia weaves her insistent spell, it would be an interesting experience for the newer members of the Downs to check out the back threads in Books and some of the other fora (The word previously used here for 'forums.' It's an in joke. If you get it, you'll understand some of the past days of the Downs. )

Not sure that The Thread That Must Not Be Named is the best place for newcomers to start. I had a read through of it myself not too long ago and nearly hurt myself. But I did resist the urge to post to it....which is a shame cause I thought of a few really good arguments with which to devastate davem's position(s)... Perhaps I should put them up...

[*Large Wightish hand appears and drags Fordim away*]

Feanor of the Peredhil

08-03-2009, 06:11 AM

[*Large Wightish hand appears and drags Fordim away*]

*drags back*

Fordim!

Formendacil

08-03-2009, 09:06 PM

Perhaps I should put them up...

You really, really should put them up--I've been agitating for a Canonicity match all summer.

Besides which... FORDHIM!!! I'd gladly get into an argument on the Canonicity of Crazy Captions if you post.

*helps Fea tug Ford(h)im back*

Pitchwife

08-04-2009, 03:38 PM

*lends a hand to Fea and Form*
By all means, let's rouse the dragon from its sleep!

Thinlómien

08-05-2009, 07:19 AM

Yes, it is a bit sad how members come and go - and how some of them just get stuck, like me. :D I didn't use to be very active, but since I became a more active member in late 2005, I was lost, probably for ever. I'm sure there'll be busier times in my life - like near future, probably - but I have the feeling something will always drag me back here. And I wouldn't be too sad of people like Roa, Oromin, SPM or Aman disappearing - anyone who has devoted hours upon hours to this forum and shared their life with all the wonderful people here are bound to be back sooner or later. I remember times when Form and Fea, for example, were rather inactive and I thought it quite sad but now they have both been properly back for a while. It's good. (Not to mention people like Brinn or Inziladun who disappeared even before I joined or became an active member and who are back now.) And now that we have facebooks etc you can even keep in touch with the inactive 'downer friends. So, everybody, don't worry, be happy. ;)

Morsul the Dark

08-05-2009, 10:04 PM

Sometimes it's just togh to get back in the swing... I mean let's be fair the conversatio have all been had, as has been mentioned before sometimes old idea Are fun to rehash but now I come more because of the friendly atmosphere this site holds.

HerenIstarion

08-23-2009, 03:17 AM

. Perhaps I should put them up...

Do so :) And yours truly may be lured out of the shadows too :J

morwen edhelwen

08-27-2010, 03:34 AM

No, in fact we've gained quite a few- judging from the "Welcome to our newest members" at the bottom of each forum, there seems to be someone new here whenever I post on here, at least.

Inziladun

08-27-2010, 05:19 AM

No, in fact we've gained quite a few- judging from the "Welcome to our newest members" at the bottom of each forum, there seems to be someone new here whenever I post on here, at least.

The forum has indeed had several legitimate new members sign up recently, but many of them are spammers. Alice234, the current Newest Member, is one of the latter.

Nerwen

08-27-2010, 06:12 AM

The forum has indeed had several legitimate new members sign up recently, but many of them are spammers. Alice234, the current Newest Member, is one of the latter.
I agree with you.

...Er, I mean, the bots are evolving rapidly. First there was lucyyenic, who began the still extant "Words that begin and end with the same letter" thread. Then there were the clever, socially-adept spambots who tried to get on the good side of the human members by posting "I agree with you", "What a fascinating topic!" etc. on every single thread. Still more recently, I encountered a spambot who was actually married to another spambot!

How long can we continue to exclude these well-meaning AIs from our community? How much more rejection can these legions of hard-working spambots take before they rise against their oppressors, overthrow us and turn us all into living batteries in a way that makes no sense whatever unless you're a Hollywood screenwriter?:eek: