What's the point?

[MNJetter]

Okay, I'm not trying to start a revolution here or anything, but...

...can any of the administrators or moderators (or anyone else, if you know the reason) tell me a good reason for why people must keep their self-introductions on the "self-introduction thread"?

Once you're a member, you can start a new thread on any subject....except for your own introduction.

The existing self-introduction thread is very long and stickied, and I don't know about other people, but I haven't looked at it since I left my own introduction up there.

Nowhere in the rules does it state "you can't introduce yourself by starting your own personal thread." The rules don't even state that you can't start a thread that's related to another thread, regardless of topic.

...okay, maybe I am kind of trying to start a revolution. Don't hate me, moderators! Personally, I think that the introductions thread should be un-stickied and allowed to die, and all new members should be allowed a single introduction thread. There aren't that many of us that it will clog up the forum too much, and I don't know about you, but I would personally like to get to know other members by asking questions and interactions that you just can't do on a thread with 700+ posts.

[Citizen]

Not making a new thread when an intro. thread exists is one of those things that's been done on forums for so long that nobody even bothers to put it in the rules anymore. It's just commen sense. Same goes for pointless clone topics.

The intro. thread works well enough. Better than having multiple threads for the same thing floating around. Besides, there's always PMing, messengers, and RWPW to get to know people better.

p.s. Not sure what rules you read, but rules 1-4 outline various types of posts/threads that OP9 doesn't allow. 5 and 7 are also thread-related.

[MNJetter]

Not making a new thread when an intro. thread exists is one of those things that's been done on forums for so long that nobody even bothers to put it in the rules anymore. It's just commen sense. Same goes for pointless clone topics.

Maybe it takes a newbie to point out silly "common sense" rules, then. This is my first forum, so I'm not indoctrinated into the culture yet, and personally, I still think it's silly. Even if everybody does something, it doesn't mean it's the best or most efficient way to do things.

The intro. thread works well enough. Better than having multiple threads for the same thing floating around. Besides, there's always PMing, messengers, and RWPW to get to know people better.

I wouldn't know. I haven't visited it since I posted, since I hate long threads. And if it's the same person introducing themselves over and over again, I can see the "same thing floating around" point, but we're all different and each introduction thread might spur a different discussion.

p.s. Not sure what rules you read, but rules 1-4 outline various types of posts/threads that OP9 doesn't allow. 5 and 7 are also thread-related.

Yeah, I read them - no trolling, no porn, no offensive stuff, no spam, no re-posting closed threads, and no sneaking weird things into the forum without labeling them as non-worksafe or non-school-safe first. Nowhere does it say "no talking about yourself" or "no posting a thread that doesn't really have a point."

I didn't intend to start a discussion on this, and if nobody replies, I'll let it go. I actually was hoping someone could convince me, so I'd be satisfied with the reason why. But I still think it's silly to have a long and useless introduction thread when individual introductions are indeed part of my definition of "general discussion." Indeed, when you start up small-talk with a stranger in real life, don't you start by getting into a discussion about yourself and your own personal interests?

If I started up a thread saying "I'm not a newbie, so this isn't an introduction, but here's a 'get to know MNJetter' thread!", would it be deleted? Maybe nobody would reply, but it's in the bounds of the rules. Why is it different for newbies?

[Osucka]

It's not the worst idea I've ever heard. I actually think the introduction thread is worthless. I never used it here or in any other forum. It doesn't make sense. It's not like I, as an established member of any forum, ever went to see who was new this week... It's more of a waste of space, I think it's like saying "Honey, I'm home!" everyday after work when you live alone.
I myself wouldn't care if there were seperate threads. If the title caught my eye I would check it out, if not, then, well... Not.
Thread falls to the last page, dies, the end.
Man, life is so simple sometimes!

[FOBulous]

I'm used to seeing whole Intro sections where newbs start their own thread. But whatever works...

[Lateli]

I kind of like the Intro Thread. On another forum I go to we have a newbie-intro section to post in, but there aren't nearly as many people introducing themsevles either. I can see the value of keeping it to the thread only, keeps clutter to a minimum.

Clutter not just when opening a forum section, but when requesting new posts too.

[Decade]

I myself am a fan of the one introductory thread rule.

It's pretty annoying when I come back every day only to find more and more

"Guess I'm the new guy!"

threads pop up.

...good for you, wanna hotpocket?

[akitaka]

Post "hello, I'm..." all you want, but in the bottom-line, thread participation and familiarity are what divides the members from the floaters.

This is why I agree with Osucka; but also share minds with Lateli in that the into thread is a good filter.

And Decade, don't tell me you've succumbed to microwaveables. Hotpockets. For Shame.

edit: Decade's avvy is confusing me with Idlethought. My mistake.

[Decade]

Im sowwy :(

For what it's worth, I dont eat em, I serve em to who deserves em (usually the not so mentally blessed and pitiful)

[Pierrot le Fou]

I think it's time to rearrange the forums again.

Make a 'newbie forum' for introductions and whatnot or somesuch, so that we can go to the forum to check up on new members, discussions can be had with those members, and new members can ask questions if they'd like.

[akitaka]

It seems welcoming due to the already exorbent member count, but I'd wonder if this idea would make that count larger, and whether it would become the next RWPW (with heavier modding).

On the other hand, it would be a bit easier than having a mod rip through PMs on "if I can do this or that", if such was the usual.

[Citizen]

Coulda swore that I locked this. I'll mention a Welcomes/Goodbyes forum to Az, although I still support just having one intro. thread in GD. He can decide what to do with intros, as I don't much care, as long as GD doesn't get cluttered up.

Locked.