Ten Grand Celebration

[Iarwain]

With the upcoming release of Peter Jackson's final film, we are likely to see another influx of new members. I'm guessing that this will put the Downs to over the ten thousand mark. I'm wondering if anyone in the administration has considered plans for a grand celebration for such a grand number? smilies/smile.gif

Iarwain

[Diamond18]

Hmmm... I doubt it will increase that much; according to the meter at the main forum page, we're at 3592 now and that's a long way from ten grand.

Would that really be something the mods would be celebrating, though? smilies/wink.gif

[Yavanna228]

I'm thinking closing ten thousand repeat threads might be something closer to the truth... smilies/wink.gif
Perhaps the Birthday Party will be extra special this year?
Peace

[Iarwain]

Ah, but those are only active members, right? What happens when we have member number 10000? Wouldn't the ten thousandth registration be a thing worth celebrating? The Mods could send out a mass e-mail, detailing the time of the festivities, and calling our lost members back to the Downs.

Iarwain

[Iarwain]

Now I'm confused. What does the registration number go by?

[Sharkû]

Number of all accounts ever created - deleted accounts = registered members

The latter is to the top right of the forum; the first is 'internally' remembered by the forum software and shows in one's member number. We're at 9061 at the moment.

[Balin999]

The Mods could send out a mass e-mail, detailing the time of the festivities, and calling our lost members back to the Downs

I don't think that they would do that. They didn't even do that when The BD had its 3rd Deathday. There was only a thread mentioning the Death day Party on the RPG forum. Those people who didn't join that forum regularly and hadn't seen the thread of the announcement (including me) didn't have the slightest idea that sth like a party would be celebrated.
So why should they bother and send emails to let's say 5000 members?

[Orofaniel]

So why should they bother and send emails to let's say 5000 members?


Er...good question. Why should they bother?

I didn't know about the party either, and when I finally got to know it, it was to late. smilies/frown.gif

I do think the idea of celebrating is good, though. But I don't know how the Mods could do it otherwise than: Mass E-mail! smilies/smile.gif

[Diamond18]

There was only a thread mentioning the Death day Party on the RPG forum. Those people who didn't join that forum regularly and hadn't seen the thread of the announcement (including me) didn't have the slightest idea that sth like a party would be celebrated.

Actually, there was an identical announcement thread started in all the forums. The one that got the most replies, as I recall, was the one here in the Barrow Downs forum.

[The Saucepan Man]

There was only a thread mentioning the Death day Party on the RPG forum.

The invitation to the Third Annual Barrow-Downs Birthday Party and Downies Awards was in fact posted in every forum, so all active members should have been aware of it. There were many present (including myself) who are not regular RPG'ers.

[Gwaihir the Windlord]

Alas, I missed it in my abscence.

Iarwain, though, do we in fact want to celebrate a deluge of such members?

[Balin999]

Actually, there was an identical announcement thread started in all the forums. The one that got the most replies, as I recall, was the one here in the Barrow Downs forum.

I guess I was rather inactive at that time. Somehow I haven't noticed it and I thought it rather a pity that I couldn't take part at the festivities.
But I think sending 5000 emails would mean some work for the mods, and I can imagine that they have better things to do than that.

[Eruanna]

Iarwain, though, do we in fact want to celebrate a deluge of such members?


Gwaihir, do you mean "a deluge of such numbers?" which I agree, could pose a problem for the mods for a while.
Or, "such members"...and here I admit the emphasis is mine, but you seem to imply that members who are brought to the Barrow Downs because of the movies are somehow undesirable.
I have been a Tolkien reader for many years; but it was the movie of FotR that first brought me to this wonderful community.
I would be distressed if I thought that I, or any others who joined because they followed a link from a movie site were considered to be "not quite US"

[Iarwain]

I see, that's true. Perhaps we'll just have to wait a few more years, perhaps six or seven, until we can celebrate ten thousand active members. That, however, would be more than enough to populate a small town. Then we could truly boast the hosting of " as society of tolkienites"

Iarwain

[Ainaserkewen]

Oh I'd love another party!!! smilies/biggrin.gif
They're so much fun, you get to meet people that you wouldn't normally come across and new people can really introduce themselves grandly.
Personally, I can't wait for the new flood, whatever the number may be. But then I say to myself, now now don't be hasty, that means there's prabably going to be a backup of new threads to fish through, trying to find relative ones. But all the new people! It's exciting, I'll probably recruit some new people myself.
The movie will bring so many new people, oppinions, threads, problems smilies/frown.gif
But it will be fun, I'm sure of it.

[Balin999]

Eruanna, I think what Gwaihir meant were members who only know the movies and post in advanced threads about the books and keep saying things like "Tom Bombadil? Who are you talking about" or "Why does Pippin have such a funny accent?" (just examples).
Of course, no one can know everything about the books, but there are some members who are just ignorant and keep annoying you. Of course, there will be such members after the third movie, but I guess it won't be that bad. And everyone makes mistakes, don't they? Most of the new ones will know how to post here soon enough.

[ September 24, 2003: Message edited by: Balin999 ]

[Eruanna]

Balin, I also find the "Orli is Hot" and "Viggo Rocks" posters tiresome ( although he is, and he does smilies/wink.gif )

Most new people do eventually settle in, especially when they are gently sent in the direction of the faq and search functions. So many times on the 'Downs I have read members posts saying that they had not read any Tolkien before, but seeing the movies had inspired them to want to read the books and many have done so.

As for "ignorant" questions...How else can someone learn? No one should be dismissed for their perceived lack of Tolkien knowledge. If they are asking a question then presumably they want to learn more. It is up to those on the Barrow Downs to help them if possible. We are not, after all, an elite "club" trying to discourage "outsiders" from joining our ranks. Are we?

[Balin999]

When I wrote this I didn't actually think of those Orli-lovers. And that is a positive sign that this type of posters has eventually died out. Of course, if you favour an actor, you should be able to share your views on him, but reading "oh, I love Orli smilies/biggrin.gif smilies/biggrin.gif smilies/biggrin.gif . he's so handsome!!!!!!! What was the guy he played supposed to be?" for the 100th time can be rather annoying.
Then there are of course those members who have seen the movies and were so impressed that they wanted to know more. One friend of mine who has not read a book in his whole life has actually started to read LotR, and that says sth.
I actually agree with your last message, Eruanna. I just wanted to tell what type of members Gwaihir was referring to.
And, we are of course no elite group. New members are important, and, as I said before, one can't know everything and everybody makes mistakes.
And I'm terribly sorry for not going into detail that much, but I have to go now. I'll write more tomorrow.

[Morgul Queen]

Uh, people.

Shouldn't we have celebrated the 9000th member, because, as Lord Elrond says, "You shall count to nine, nine is the number of your counting. You shall not count to ten, nor to eleven. Nine is the number of the Fellowship.'”

And by the way, does anyone else mentally pronounce celebration like the 'C' is a 'K'?

[Gwaihir the Windlord]

Hmm, I wondered if I'd offend someone with that... that is what I meant though of course, 999.

No such thing as an ignorant question? My dear, of course there is! I don't think you post much on the Books forum, but it honestly did get quite tiresome in there for a few weeks after the screening of both movies. The second one in particular, I think.

The reason people, such as myself, like to frequent the Books forum is for interesting and enjoyable discussion, you see. Whether overly intellectual or simply explaining things to newcomers, if they want. (There's no reason not to welcome such people just embarking on their Tolkien quest, asking perhaps quite elementary questions which I can easily explain (although embarassingly I got one of those wrong the other week :/), into our 'elite club' very willingly.)

Newbies, who appear in flocks for a couple of weeks after the movies and have never read a JRRT book, and ask questions in there not about Tolkien's works, but entirely about Peter Jackson's (it doesn't help my tolerance that I hold these in contempt, of course smilies/smile.gif) - it's supposed to be about the Books, for God's sake, that's the whole point! Neither you, Eruanna, nor the above category of newly-started Tolkienists fit into this movie-newbie category at all. Of course not! So don't worry, I wasn't implicating anyone that I can think of who is involved here at the moment. I daresay we'll see a few early next year again, but they'll have to be weathered out; it will be the last time, after all. If they want to stay and get into it, they're welcome.

But before engaging, you do need to read the real stuff. Can't discuss Tolkien on the totally incapable platform of the movies, eh.

[ October 06, 2003: Message edited by: Gwaihir the Windlord ]