Introduce yourselves

[Stuartbe]

Originally Posted by bexy

david..... i do know how you feel, when i first joined the site (more so with .com) i found it very hard to get into conversations and felt like a real outsider, but if you make an effort, you do begin to get to know people...... i don't think their is a clique, i think the majority of the main posters are friendly to everyone

i know i have a high post count, but this was mainly due to me being out of work for three months at one point, and having no money so nowt else to do

David.... I felt the same when I joined, like bexy I did not know what to say to intruduce myself....

Like any comunity it takes a while to settle in. Post on a thread or two - I know that you will find we are very nice when you get to know us.....

If your a bit shy PM one of us and we will be pleased to introduce you

Originally Posted by deewee

Hi, I'm David.
I'm not doing this because Incog bumped up the thread, I'm doing it because I WANT to. I have a been with computers one way and another since the Sinclair ZX81. (anyone remember 'Control a Nuclear Power Station with 50 lines of basic'?) - yes before you ask I have moved on, I still own a BBC model 'B' but have difficulty loading programs since the tape recorder stopped working! Anyway NTL couldn't support it - so had to upgrade (I'm not sure that is the right word) to windows XP.

I have lurked and posted occasionally, sometimes to point out potential mistakes (call me pedantic if you must); I stay a member because there is nowhere else to get such good response to a question or problem, but tend to think that lone lurker has a valid point to make. I don't find the forums particularly welcoming unless you are NTL or ex NTL staff. It seems quite cliquey at times with lots of 'in' jokes (Thats OK, but tends to EXCLUDE people).

I wonder how people have the time to make so many posts on the forums - don't you have a life? By the time I have finished reading I usually don't have time to reply!

I don't understand the rep system and therefore find it pointless. It just seems to re-inforce the reputation of those who, for whatever reason, already have a reputation. I get my strokes in other ways.
Surely the whole point of Forums (or is it Fora?) such as these is to allow people to express their views. It would be a bigger problem if they were not divided into threads!


Perhaps, like me, he feels there is no better alternative?

P.S. It's very easy to get on your high horse, and get emotive about a subject when interacting with your computer isn't it? Perhaps I should get out more.

Thanks for your post David. I have yet to see someone name the people within the 'clique', some members are active and some members are very active and they want to be involved in the community spirit more, not this 'clique' that people keep mentioning. I happen to think that this community is opening to new people, ok the 'in' jokes probably makes this otherwise. Perhaps it would be wise to leave private jokes to PM or the nthw chat facility (link on front page) and use the forums for serious discussion and debate for anyone is free to enter and cast their views.

[Bex]

Originally Posted by Dr. Plummer

Thanks for your post David. I have yet to see someone name the people within the 'clique', some members are active and some members are very active and they want to be involved in the community spirit more, not this 'clique' that people keep mentioning. I happen to think that this community is opening to new people, ok the 'in' jokes probably makes this otherwise. Perhaps it would be wise to leave private jokes to PM or the nthw chat facility (link on front page) and use the forums for serious discussion and debate for anyone is free to enter and cast their views.

IMHO i don't see that many 'in' jokes.....people get to know each other, mainly through the forum and thus the 'in' jokes are mainly forum related

[paulyoung666]

Originally Posted by Avatar

well um i guess i should post here too

Im Avatar Aka Jay, 23 year old Boro lad living in luton and working as a call monkey for the IT company from hell.

i was forced on pain of death by Stuartbe to join the forums

up the boro , see ya bolton

Originally Posted by bexy

IMHO i don't see that many 'in' jokes.....people get to know each other, mainly through the forum and thus the 'in' jokes are mainly forum related

Yep but to an outsider bexy, the jokes do not mean anything, I think that is what David is highlighting and the jokes might seem private...

[Bex]

Originally Posted by Dr. Plummer

Yep but to an outsider bexy, the jokes do not mean anything, I think that is what David is highlighting and the jokes might seem private...

fair enough dr p.... i do see your point.....

as stu said, and i ahve mentioned before, if anyone feels to shy to post before having spoken to someone, then let one of us know, and we can have a wee chat in pm...for a while i used to pm all the new member and say hi and welcome, but the site is growing soo fast i can't feasibly do it anymore

Originally Posted by Dr. Plummer

Thanks for your post David. I have yet to see someone name the people within the 'clique', some members are active and some members are very active and they want to be involved in the community spirit more, not this 'clique' that people keep mentioning. I happen to think that this community is opening to new people, ok the 'in' jokes probably makes this otherwise. Perhaps it would be wise to leave private jokes to PM or the nthw chat facility (link on front page) and use the forums for serious discussion and debate for anyone is free to enter and cast their views.

Hi Dr P.Can you tell me what constitutes a private joke?

And why should regular contributers not have their in jokes?If someone doesn't understand,it doesn't take much effort to ask for enlightenment surely?I also don't see why the 'regulars' should feel that they are being unwelcoming in anyway because they are already part of the community and enjoying being part of that community and accused of being a clique.How am I part of a clique?I just post here on a regular basis.Others don't have to do so if they don't want to.
I can see that some of the rather more controversial threads might be rather scary(yep they scare me too)and the 'protagonists' get quite heated but on the whole we stay friendly and if an attack is unwarranted then we get rapped across the cyberknuckles for it(and not just by the mods)

To the lurkers
Fine if you want to lurk,then lurk but you can hardly expect us to know that you feel out of things unless you contribute.Again I see little point in hanging around a site unless you are considering joining or contributing.If I'm visiting a site as a guest and I decide to do neither then I just move on.

All I've ever suggested was that maybe if you as a lurker were considering joining us then jump right in and you are welcome.This is a welcome thread and a chance to get to know everyone IF YOU ALREADY FEEL LIKE JOINING.If you don't well ok we don't really mind.

I just want to have MORE people to communicate and commiserate with.I wasn't setting out to be controversial in any way.I was just offering an opening and a open hand.

To those newbies who are registering and contributing already,welcome.

Incog.

Originally Posted by deewee

Hi, I'm David.
I'm not doing this because Incog bumped up the thread, I'm doing it because I WANT to. I have a been with computers one way and another since the Sinclair ZX81. (anyone remember 'Control a Nuclear Power Station with 50 lines of basic'?) - yes before you ask I have moved on, I still own a BBC model 'B' but have difficulty loading programs since the tape recorder stopped working! Anyway NTL couldn't support it - so had to upgrade (I'm not sure that is the right word) to windows XP.

I have lurked and posted occasionally, sometimes to point out potential mistakes (call me pedantic if you must); I stay a member because there is nowhere else to get such good response to a question or problem, but tend to think that lone lurker has a valid point to make. I don't find the forums particularly welcoming unless you are NTL or ex NTL staff. It seems quite cliquey at times with lots of 'in' jokes (Thats OK, but tends to EXCLUDE people).

I wonder how people have the time to make so many posts on the forums - don't you have a life? By the time I have finished reading I usually don't have time to reply!

I don't understand the rep system and therefore find it pointless. It just seems to re-inforce the reputation of those who, for whatever reason, already have a reputation. I get my strokes in other ways.
Surely the whole point of Forums (or is it Fora?) such as these is to allow people to express their views. It would be a bigger problem if they were not divided into threads!


Perhaps, like me, he feels there is no better alternative?

P.S. It's very easy to get on your high horse, and get emotive about a subject when interacting with your computer isn't it? Perhaps I should get out more.

For you too
[img]Download Failed (1)[/img]

[Ramrod]

Originally Posted by deewee

I wonder how people have the time to make so many posts on the forums - don't you have a life? By the time I have finished reading I usually don't have time to reply!

I feel that one is aimed at me. I have a job where I have small blocks of time between working that I choose to often spend here. The result is a sky high post count (most of it utter cr*p in Duffys dorm). So what? Why on earth should some members high post counts be cited as a criticism of this site? Whats that got to do with the price of rice in china?

[Stuartbe]

Originally Posted by Ramrod

I feel that one is aimed at me. I have a job where I have small blocks of time between working that I choose to often spend here. The result is a sky high post count (most of it utter cr*p in Duffys dorm). So what? Why on earth should some members high post counts be cited as a criticism of this site? Whats that got to do with the price of rice in china?

Here Here - Well said m8

[Frank]

Ahem right I think that's enough medal spam thanks

We are going to install the medal and reward hack for vB when it goes to final release so that should make people happy

What this hack does:
This hack allows you to add awards/ medals or cards to your vbulletin and assign these to members who you think deserve them.

These graphics will then show up in their member profile and/or their postbits depending on where you choose to add this hack.

Coming Soon:
- Awards added to the search and memberlists.
- Extra page showing all awards available as well as all the users who have earned an award.
- Added functions to the addition of awards as well as cron functions to assign awards automatically to those members with 'X' posts, registered 'X' days etc...
- Option to show award name rather than graphic.
- Option to turn awards OFF & ON in postbit and memberinfo
- Request award on awards page (at Cyricx' request)
(not necessarily in that order)

[Ramrod]

Originally Posted by Keyser

Ahem right I think that's enough medal spam thanks

We are going to install the medal and reward hack for vB when it goes to final release so that should make people happy

That should be a laugh
But remember, one mans spam is another mans medal

Originally Posted by Keyser

Ahem right I think that's enough medal spam thanks

We are going to install the medal and reward hack for vB when it goes to final release so that should make people happy

Nice one!

[cjay]

Originally Posted by Incognitas

one for you

Thanx for that xx

[abailey152]

Okay, I've missed this thread over the past few days..........work keeps getting in the way.

Bleedin' job! Always buggering up my social life!

Anyway, here goes.....my name's Andy, I'm too old to remember my age, and I live in sunny Stoke-on-Trent (don't laugh, some of us have to live here!). I poke my head up out of the pond now and again to add a comment or two, but I do enjoy lurking and watching some of the threads unfold. Some of the comments are great!

Andy B