• We have updated the guidelines regarding posting political content: please see the stickied thread on Website Issues.

From The Fortean Times To Forteana: Our 10th & 20th Anniversaries

McAvennie_ said:
Just been a bit busy, didn't realise it had been so long since I last darkened the doors...!
Click to expand...

Rats, I've overshot by 10 days! Well, happy 10th anniversary of joining this curious corner of the internet anyway!

Some faces have come, some have gone but it is always good to know no matter how long you've been away you can drop back in and feel a sense of familiarity.

A lot has changed in 10 years, wonder what the next 10 will bring...!
 
McAvennie_ said:
A lot has changed in 10 years, wonder what the next 10 will bring...!
Click to expand...
2023, First flight from London to Sydney in under two hours.
 
Ronson8 said:
McAvennie_ said:
A lot has changed in 10 years, wonder what the next 10 will bring...!
Click to expand...
2023, First flight from London to Sydney in under two hours.
Click to expand...

Yeah! Been waiting too long for the Sub-Orbitals. Maybe the Flying Cars will arrive as well.
 
Actually, that was a firm prediction from a aviation expert on the tv a week or so ago.
 
Ronson8 said:
Actually, that was a firm prediction from a aviation expert on the tv a week or so ago.
Click to expand...

Hope hes right but a design would have to be in the works by now if its to be reality by 2023.
 
Wow. It's officially 10 years today.

I feel odd about it.

There are some posters on here who are no longer around (who I kinda miss), but there are others whose names I've come to recognize (and yes, occasionally, even rely on for a bit of wit or a good source article) and I feel like I actually know most of you without ever having met you in person.

I suppose now I'll have to travel 'cross the pond to some FT related thing just to introduce myself formally. :D

It has been a pleasure, all, and I do hope I can say this again in another 10 years....
 
MercuryCrest said:
Wow. It's officially 10 years today.

I feel odd about it.

There are some posters on here who are no longer around (who I kinda miss), but there are others whose names I've come to recognize (and yes, occasionally, even rely on for a bit of wit or a good source article) and I feel like I actually know most of you without ever having met you in person.

I suppose now I'll have to travel 'cross the pond to some FT related thing just to introduce myself formally. :D

It has been a pleasure, all, and I do hope I can say this again in another 10 years....
Click to expand...

Good to have you here, MercuryCrest.
Did you notice that your last post was post 666? :)
 
Just passed my 12th anniversary! I used to read the board from the start but didn't actually join until I wanted to say something.
 
marionXXX said:
Just passed my 12th anniversary! I used to read the board from the start but didn't actually join until I wanted to say something.
Click to expand...

I'm intrigued to look now and see what that thing you wanted to say was...!

The oldest recorded entry begins thus...

About the Gropec*nt thing...
Click to expand...

:shock: :lol:
 
LOL, I deleted my earliest posts, because reasons. I used to live off a Gropecunt lane in Glastonbury but sadly the council decided not to put up any name signs on it.

ETA My first post was in an IHTM thread about hearing ghostly voices.
 
This could go more or less anywhere, but indulge me.

I'm curious as to how typical or atypical this message board is. I've only ever been a member of three other boards (two now defunct), all smaller and more recently established that this one, and I 'took a break' from the Internet between dial-up bulletin boards and the late-90s, so my knowledge of Internet history is patchy and I slightly lack perspective.

I know all such things are relative, but, in general:

a) Is the FTMB small, large, or very large in terms of total threads/posts/membership?
b) Is the FTMB ancient, old, middle-aged or relatively young in terms of average lifespan?
c) Is the FTMB typical or atypical in the extent of its moderation?
d) Are message boards as communities still a thing, or are we some kind of vestige?

Just curious, as I say.
 
Last edited:
Well, one i go on is roughly 15 years old and their stats are
Threads 75,272

Posts 10,667,531

Members 55,534
And another is relatively new, about a couple years, weve moved a lot, but the stats for that is

50054 Posts in 2218 Topics by 115 Members.


They are both moderated they are PG15, so it was an eye opener when i came here :rofl: But, as with the other two, its a top site, and i am picky

The first one i made friends, then we moved about and the last stats i gave you is our final resting place, we all know each other, very friendly place, much like i have come to view FT
 
Moderation is very easy-going compared to gaming forums, but then again we're not really going to slag off a product and get banned and it mostly manages itself and the ignore function is helpful.

I'm actually surprised you don't have a few more mods, as it's really only Yith full-time with Stu and Merc who pops in now and again.

I'd be interested to know how much work is involved in being a mod at the moment?

I think it's pretty old although the other forums that are non-gaming I drop into are equally as ancient, (football and cycling).

I think the thread count is pretty impressive here as it's mostly made up of Brits, with a few others. Only the really big international forums have more threads.

What keeps this place alive is the core of about 40 people who visit and post regularly. Also the whole Fortean world is so vast that unlike, say cycling, you aren't going to run out of things to talk about.

I'm a little worried that there appears to be only Megadeth1977 who seems to be under 40 and I could be wrong about that. I think the average age is late 40's to mid 50's?

I think the youngsters are all on reddit.
 
Last edited:
Naughty_Felid said:
I'd be interested to know how much work is involved in being a mod at the moment?
Click to expand...

At the moment it's very quiet, although I 'patrol'.

Yesterday, for instance, I banned three spammers, renamed a thread, merged two others, sent a PM about merging two accounts, made a suggestion to Stu about an admin action, corrected a URL and reformatted something ugly looking. Total work time very low, but I probably read 90% of what was posted and very quickly checked in for reports multiple times.
 
Dare I ask what you reformatted that was "ugly looking" - and do I want to know the answer?
 
If i recall correctly, somebody had posted a long post completely in bold typeface and I returned it to usual.
 
Ah, not as terrifying as I had imagined! Thankfully!
 
Yithian said:
At the moment it's very quiet, although I 'patrol'..
Click to expand...
Yeah, there's usually one of us about at any given moment (though I've of late been very elusive owing to real life, I do check in at least a couple of times a day.) As Yith said, a lot of it is housekeeping really.

There are definite phases and cycles in modding. We have had conflicts and fallings-out on here in the past, and obviously some forums - Mainstream news and conspiracy for example - will always generate heat but (touch wood) it's been quite tolerant and respectful overall for a while now.
 
stuneville said:
We have had conflicts and fallings-out on here in the past, and obviously some forums - Mainstream news and conspiracy for example - will always generate heat but (touch wood) it's been quite tolerant and respectful overall for a while now.
Click to expand...

Only ever used one forum before.

It was for teachers of English based in Thailand, or with an interest in the country generally.


That place -

0b60e15cf84fd9bcc71c689087e029b6.jpg



This place -

teatime-648x330.jpg
 
Naughty_Felid said:
I'm a little worried that there appears to be only Megadeth1977 who seems to be under 40 and I could be wrong about that. I think the average age is late 40's to mid 50's?

I think the youngsters are all on reddit.
Click to expand...

I'm exactly 40 so I count.
 
drbastard said:
I don't think the board is 'diverse' enough to attract any grants. Although 'Fortean Lives Matter' has a nice ring to it
Click to expand...

I'm am am first-generation immigrant and a member of an ethnic minority--completely unassimilated, to boot--surely I can get a handout? I read it in the Daily Mail...
 
Last edited:
Been a member of several expatkorea forums, all of which bit the biggie due to infighting. Also made a dubious name for myself on the now defunct Crop Circle Connector forum. On all of those I kept my username as it is now (is that worth something? I nunno.). I kind of 'grew up' as a digital immigrant on those and made almost all of my online errors there. Almost.

This is a board which I consider a true community. Grown ups with the scallywag factor, and a ton of Fortean experience and know-how. I love being online here.

The activity can be sporadic, but even then it is quality. The current moderation team are true gents. Even the girly ones.
 
I'd say in my experience this messageboard is pretty rock solid, well moderated in the style of a teacher who doesn't have to say much but keeps things in line with quiet respect.

I visit a number of other boards but as a spectator only. A couple of them are expletive-ridden shit-storms where it is expected that posters insult each other as creatively and aggressively as possible. It amuses me to read the slanging matches but there's no way I'd post there, I'm too timid.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top