When is a newbie not?

[jomar]

Hi Folks,

My RL social skills are fine, but never had experience with an online community. I sort of tip-toed in and never introduced myself as I see others doing now. So, "Hey." I was thinking about this the other day and I want to thank everyone - I've had very pleasant, entertaining, and informative experiences with you all since I joined in 11/06. But I have a full-time job dammit, and I'm not getting my work done. So quite being so enticing!

Anyway, I now have have 373 posts. In a thread the other day 3113 referred to me as "the new guy" (in a good way). Then in another post someone with 100 or so more posts than I do (wish I could recall the thread) basically asked the title question.

So, all you vets, what's the cutoff for newbie to other? Number of posts? How many? Join date? How long? A secret logarithm involving time zones and DST? Smartass reponses are also welcome - you know who you are.

 

[SeaCat]

Sory but I can't really answer this. I'm still a newbie here in many ways.

Cat

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Joined after me - newbie.
Joined before me - not newbie.


(Mostly) just kidding.

 

[Tom Collins]

Yer a newbie till I say otherwise.

Seriously though, I kind of think it depends on the person you talk to. There are people who've been around so long that I'd still seem like a newb even though I've been hear well over a year. For some it's a matter of time (how long you've been around regardless of post count), or familiarity (how offten to they see you here).

I think that's the case for me. How familiar am I with you, or at least how familiar am I with seeing your posts in threads that I find interesting.

I'm sure that was delightfully informative...*loads of sarcasum aimed @ self*...but that's about the best that I can do.

 

[SimpleGifts]

I think "newbie" is a term measured by organizational culture rather than some objective metric like number of posts or years on the board. I look like a relative newbie but I posted on Lit extensively back in 2003 (under a different handle, natch). But I never posted here in the AH, so for this forum I consider myself a "newbie."

One measure I've used is this--if you get into a disagreement with a prominent member of the forum and it doesn't degenerate into a flamewar, then you're might NOT be a newbie. Emphasis on the "might."

I wonder if this thread is going to take a turn into a Jeff Foxworthy routine..."You might NOT be a newbie if..."

SG

 

[jomar]

Okay...so far, so good. I'm smiling...you guys are good.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Slightly off topic, but:

When is a newbie not?

When the newbie is an alt

You're not a newbie when a substantial number of regulars recognize you (this varies depending on the size and activity of said forum).

I nver had a Hello topic either, on any of my forums (I've been on close to 20). I don't care for them.

I especially hate people who open their activity with "Long time _____ first time ____," whether it is on the phone on the radio, or on a forum such as this. It's really trite, to me.

 

[cloudy]

I've been here so long I don't even remember being a newbie.

 

[jomar]

I wonder if this thread is going to take a turn into a Jeff Foxworthy routine..."You might NOT be a newbie if..."SG

I hope so! You first!

 

[jomar]

I recognize you all - you're not newbies.

 

[SimpleGifts]

I hope so! You first!

Sure, I'll give it a shot.

"If everyone knows your answer to the "What color is your underwear" thread...BEFORE YOU POST IT...then you might not be a newbie..."

SG

 

[jomar]

Sorry, bedtime. See you in the morning. (You might be a newbie if you go to bed...sigh, I got nothing).

 

[starrkers]

Bedtime? But it's not even 3 o'clock yet!
(I'm still a newb, so don't ask me!)

 

[elsol]

I measure it by whether I've seen one those 'Your box is full' postings. I'm never going to be a not-newbie by that measure, but anyone I've seen a posting like for is definitively not a newbie.

Another good measure is whether you're included in Amicus's List of Usual Suspects or have been called a woman (if you're a man) by him or something in the vicinity of 'dumb cunt' (if you're a woman, though he might use it for a man too) by him.

You're probably also not a newbie if you can outline the reaction of the AH denizens to a post (Amicus's, Pure's, Shereads's, Dr. Zoot's) almost word for word and post for post.

Another one if you can draw up a map of who would fuck who if they got a fuck-for-free card from their spouses, sig-others... etc.