For a drearier, scarier, better ‘downs. - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

piosenniel · 11-01-2006, 10:45 PM

Big Wig?!

*hack . . . cough . . .

I need a public-relations consultant!

I'm such an accomodating noodle . . . PM me w/o fear . . .

~*~ Pio

Estelyn Telcontar · 11-02-2006, 12:14 AM

Me, intimidating??!!

Oh dear, I know that being a moderator means I have do unpleasant things occasionally, like getting threads back on topic, deleting spam posts, and PMing 'suggestions' to posters who need to learn the basics of forum discussion. But I hope members realize that I am patient, have a sense of humor, and am definitely not perfect myself. If I remember correctly, my first post was on a thread called "Does anyone else have a sister as stupid as this?"

where I related my experience of seeing the FotR movie with my extended family - not a particularly learned topic.

Since I, like the other administrators and moderators, am here in my spare time, just like all other members, my main purpose for coming is to enjoy myself. I'm delighted to see so many of you thinking on this thread about ways to improve discussions and encourage many to participate. I was away, travelling, when it began, so it's taken me a few days upon returning to catch up. As I see it, the Novices and Newcomers forum gives those who are intimidated by the Books forum lots of leeway for posting less seriously, with just their opinions or feelings to express. There was very little going on there for quite awhile in recent months, so I'm happy to see more posting.

I agree with what has been said about new discussion of old topics. Several years ago, when I began moderating, the forum had a policy of discouraging new threads and asking people to use the existing ones. That was in part because of the forum software! Now that we have this nice nifty base, we have much more leeway, and our policy has changed. If there has been no recent discussion of a topic, you are welcome to open a new thread. If you missed seeing a thread that is still active, we will simply merge the two (yes, that's something we can do easily now, though it used to be very difficult with the old software). If you are unsure of yourself, just PM me or whichever moderator is in charge of that particular forum section, and we will be happy to answer your questions.

Suggestions are always welcome, and we do consider them and have adopted those we feel will be helpful in the past. We would like to keep things as simple as possible, though, so for now, let's concentrate on reviving 'newbie' discussions before we think of creating an additional forum section.

Thinlómien · 11-02-2006, 03:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

Me, intimidating??!!

Don't worry, Esty, I, for one, have always concerned you the least intimidating of all the mods and admins....

Fordim Hedgethistle · 11-02-2006, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

Don't worry, Esty, I, for one, have always concerned you the least intimidating of all the mods and admins....

Are you kidding?!?!?!?!? Esty -- sorry, Dame Telcontar -- is a terror!

And don't even get me started on Pio. Brrrrr.......

***Mister Underhill*** · 11-02-2006, 08:56 AM

Esty, pio, Child... they are moderators from the Ancient World, or Balmods, as we name them in Sindarin.

Estelyn Telcontar · 11-02-2006, 11:28 AM

@ Fordim and Underhill:

piosenniel · 11-02-2006, 12:00 PM

& I for one do have wings . . .

~*~ Pio

*just returned from Hithlum

. . . go ahead thow the chat skwerl at me!

11-01-2006, 10:45 PM	#1
piosenniel Desultory Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pickin' flowers with Bill the Cat..... Posts: 7,779	Big Wig?! hack . . . cough . . . I need a public-relations consultant! I'm such an accomodating noodle . . . PM me w/o fear . . . ~~ Pio __________________ Eldest, that’s what I am . . . I knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.

11-02-2006, 12:14 AM	#2
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	Me, intimidating??!! Oh dear, I know that being a moderator means I have do unpleasant things occasionally, like getting threads back on topic, deleting spam posts, and PMing 'suggestions' to posters who need to learn the basics of forum discussion. But I hope members realize that I am patient, have a sense of humor, and am definitely not perfect myself. If I remember correctly, my first post was on a thread called "Does anyone else have a sister as stupid as this?" where I related my experience of seeing the FotR movie with my extended family - not a particularly learned topic. Since I, like the other administrators and moderators, am here in my spare time, just like all other members, my main purpose for coming is to enjoy myself. I'm delighted to see so many of you thinking on this thread about ways to improve discussions and encourage many to participate. I was away, travelling, when it began, so it's taken me a few days upon returning to catch up. As I see it, the Novices and Newcomers forum gives those who are intimidated by the Books forum lots of leeway for posting less seriously, with just their opinions or feelings to express. There was very little going on there for quite awhile in recent months, so I'm happy to see more posting. I agree with what has been said about new discussion of old topics. Several years ago, when I began moderating, the forum had a policy of discouraging new threads and asking people to use the existing ones. That was in part because of the forum software! Now that we have this nice nifty base, we have much more leeway, and our policy has changed. If there has been no recent discussion of a topic, you are welcome to open a new thread. If you missed seeing a thread that is still active, we will simply merge the two (yes, that's something we can do easily now, though it used to be very difficult with the old software). If you are unsure of yourself, just PM me or whichever moderator is in charge of that particular forum section, and we will be happy to answer your questions. Suggestions are always welcome, and we do consider them and have adopted those we feel will be helpful in the past. We would like to keep things as simple as possible, though, so for now, let's concentrate on reviving 'newbie' discussions before we think of creating an additional forum section. __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

11-02-2006, 11:28 AM	#6
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	@ Fordim and Underhill: __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

11-02-2006, 12:00 PM	#7
piosenniel Desultory Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pickin' flowers with Bill the Cat..... Posts: 7,779	& I for one do have wings . . . ~~ Pio just returned from Hithlum . . . go ahead thow the chat skwerl at me! __________________ Eldest, that’s what I am . . . I knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside. Last edited by piosenniel; 11-02-2006 at 02:03 PM.

11-02-2006, 08:56 AM	#5
*Mister Underhill* Dread Horseman Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Behind you! Posts: 2,744	Esty, pio, Child... they are moderators from the Ancient World, or Balmods, as we name them in Sindarin.