Just A Thought on New Member Introductions!

[condorlover1]

I hope the world will forgive me for being digitally illiterate! I was wondering if we could put all the new member 'Intro' posts onto one section. Perhaps it could be called 'New Member Introductions' or something of that nature. When I look at the forum fully 1/3 of the topics is someone new popping up and saying hello. This in itself is wonderful but I was wondering if it sort of crowds out other topics. It would be like have a new thread for each post on 'What are You Smoking'. Maybe I have missed something or perhaps the 'algo' is set to keep things rolling along. Anyway it was just a thought. Carry on with whatever you were doing!

 

[Puffaluffaguss]

I hope the world will forgive me for being digitally illiterate! I was wondering if we could put all the new member 'Intro' posts onto one section. Perhaps it could be called 'New Member Introductions' or something of that nature. When I look at the forum fully 1/3 of the topics is someone new popping up and saying hello. This in itself is wonderful but I was wondering if it sort of crowds out other topics. It would be like have a new thread for each post on 'What are You Smoking'. Maybe I have missed something or perhaps the 'algo' is set to keep things rolling along. Anyway it was just a thought. Carry on with whatever you were doing!

If not mistaken it does have its own thread. That's where I was found and been finding other newcomers. It's just a thread in a thread I think lol. I'm not forum literate yet either.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Like this... that already exists?

 

[TheIronMonkey]

All things point to you viewing "Latest discussions" which would display lots of intro threads.

 

[sandollars]

Items pointed out above are forums and they exist for use.

I think what Condor is trying to say is have 1 thread for new member intros. With the influx we are experiencing, I am not sure it would work.

I totally get it about new member intros crowding out the latest topics. An option to help mitigate this might be to look at each forum separately instead of clicking on "What's New"

 

[mso489]

I'm used to the new member introductions as a category of posts, so I am content with this format, but that may just be habit. I try to respond to most of these original posts, though sometimes I put if off and miss a few. You can't tell who is really joining to post and conduct conversation, and who might just have one question or be angling to sell something or get one piece of information, so there is a certain amount of waste motion in welcoming members who won't be posting for long, or maybe at all. But it all may serve to promote the interest in pipe smoking, and that's not a bad effort. My "ask" would be, please don't join unless you intend to participate, of course.

 

[condorlover1]

Sort of makes total sense - as I have often said the internet and even email is quite a wonder to someone like myself who lives in an analogue world.

 

[Streeper541]

As Cosmic already pointed out... I'm pretty sure that's already an established thread category. Good observations though.

 

[beefeater33]

Welcome from Ohio!

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

I don't respond to them because I just don't usually have the time, but I enjoy seeing them in the latest, running summary of what's latest overall - a nice barometer of how many are joining and where they are from!

 

[mso489]

I was surprised by the uptick in new members since the update of the site. It seems as if it used to be maybe one or two a week, and now it seems more like one or two a day. To the degree that people continue to participate, this is all to the good. Better too much traffic than too little.

 

[cigrmaster]

If someone is going to take the time to introduce themselves then the least we can do as a community is welcome them with open arms. There are not enough pipe smokers in the world and we are obligated to welcome every single one of them.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Has anyone thought about hazing new guys? I mean, it doesn't have to be anything derogatory, but maybe just buying some of the Lifers new pipes or sending us tins of tobacco. I mean, I would say packing our pipes for us and water rinsing our pipes, but that is so personal and would probably lead to violence... so... maybe not.

 

[edger]

For the record: I welcome all newcomers! I can’t keep up with all of you old and new members so I ain’t responding unless I’m particularly moved.

 

[OldWill]

I truly enjoy new member introductions from all over the globe. For years I felt like an outcast as an inveterate pipe smoker. Remember that even when cigarettes were allowed on aircraft, pipes and cigars were not.
Now I get a new brotherly feeling just about every time I log on. Let's keep this format.

 

[brian64]

maybe just buying some of the Lifers new pipes or sending us tins of tobacco.

Some of the Lifers? Are the Mods going to pick which Lifers receive these tributes?

(Personally I'd prefer an SPC gift card...just so the new guy doesn't have to make a choice for me.)

 

[balkisobrains]

The New Member Intro posts really should have a single thread.
IIRC, like it had been before. Much more chill.
I suspect at least some of these "new members" are actually external scam/info bots, or internal "traffic bots". Not saying that they are traffic bots, but most web developers offer traffic services as part of the package or for an additional fee.
In any case, a "Whats New" page spammed full of "new member" threads, legit or otherwise, looks fake & is off-putting.
Give them one thread, & everyone can still interact with them.

 

[weezell]

Has anyone thought about hazing new guys?

Satanic ritual of sacrificing a goat or something along that line maybe... ? ?

 

[jpmcwjr]

If you start off with the posts under the bell, top right, you'll avoid a raft of Intro posts. Then click on Forums, and choose some other topics.

I.e., Do not use "What's New" if seeing a lot of Intro posts is not to your liking. Many new member intros contain meaningful dialogue, and would be lost if it were one long thread.

 

[Puffaluffaguss]

Has anyone thought about hazing new guys? I mean, it doesn't have to be anything derogatory, but maybe just buying some of the Lifers new pipes or sending us tins of tobacco. I mean, I would say packing our pipes for us and water rinsing our pipes, but that is so personal and would probably lead to violence... so... maybe not.

Yall can send me your pipes. I'll give them a thorough cleaning. Can't promise I'll send um back though ?????