Okay, part of the survey is going to be telling me which of those options you like best.
The last one is not really viable, though I'm also curious how many people are going to throw a hissy fit because I changed my name. I guess I could be persuaded to change it back, but I have good reasons for the switch, and I do like Lupine. Some people will always think of me as Clover, but that's okay. Some people may always think of me as twelve years old, too.
Anyways, this is another multi-parter, starting out with a lot of questions about wotmania/RAFO/design-oriented things. I make no promises, but I may try to develop a new layout (as an option, not the default) over the next few weeks, and it would really help me to know what people are looking for. (If you completely love what we have and don't care for change, tell me that too. It would save me time. )
After the information-gathering, there is the usual miscellany, so feel free to skip ahead if you like.
But before the layout questions, some nostalgia.
The last one is not really viable, though I'm also curious how many people are going to throw a hissy fit because I changed my name. I guess I could be persuaded to change it back, but I have good reasons for the switch, and I do like Lupine. Some people will always think of me as Clover, but that's okay. Some people may always think of me as twelve years old, too.
Anyways, this is another multi-parter, starting out with a lot of questions about wotmania/RAFO/design-oriented things. I make no promises, but I may try to develop a new layout (as an option, not the default) over the next few weeks, and it would really help me to know what people are looking for. (If you completely love what we have and don't care for change, tell me that too. It would save me time. )
After the information-gathering, there is the usual miscellany, so feel free to skip ahead if you like.
But before the layout questions, some nostalgia.
1. What remnants of wotmania did you save? If you chose not to save anything, what was your thinking on the matter?
Um, my NBs, from both SNs, obviously (thanks to Aemon for the help, and for moondog for explaining to me that it actually DID work, despite the software denying it. ) Camillas screencaps of LastChat, thanks to her for that. The Directory, thanks to Tim for that. The Theory Post, thanks to Trebor Nadroj for that. The final shirt, thanks to nossy, Birdeye, Milla and Jonielle for that, as well as anyone who made contributions of which I'm unaware. The LastChat Users List when it went down, both on my own and in Camillas screencap. My last wotmania sonnet in tribute to it. My 20k thread. Ras' Scratchpad. My Journal on Buddy, and another drunken maudlin one from a very low point in my life I didn't then realize was about to infect wotmania, plus another that Danu seemed to like in which I tried to play damage control. Sols LDS thread, to which I never got to respond. A list of wottie couples I requested one night in Chat after becoming one of them; thanks to Amy, Sol and StarENight for that the high resolution image of the w! that's now my desktop. Some screencaps from the last Saturday in Chat, when we had 39 people at one point. I can't recall anything else right now, but don't quote me on that.
2. Did you stick around for the closing?
I waited for someone to come in looking for work and bolted out of my shift at 2303; made it home in time for the last 20 minutes of the laggiest Chat I've ever seen. Even my message window was messing up; kept giving me weird characters where I tried to type, and correcting typos meant remembering exactly where I screwed up the words. I somehow managed to be there for about as long before leaving for work, which meant I got Admin powers I never had the chance to abuse and got to see Pentos rapidly growing banner, but was too rushed to apologize to him for all the crap in which I played a role, or thank him for not sitebanning me when I deserved it.
3. How did you feel about the whole thing - and about the subsequent transition?
How do you think I felt...? I'm still conflicted in many ways over the Transition, but if it and the community are sustained I have no complaints.
4. Name changes are obvious, but are you intending to do anything differently in terms of site activity here? (Frequenting more boards, posting more thoughtfully [hahaha, I crack myself up]).
Due to the impending release of TGS and a very good point someone made about the difficulty of gaining new members via WoT if no one here contributes worthwhile things to the WoTMB BEFORE TGS, I intend to be a little more active there, though still not like when I first joined wotmania. I'm TRYING to be less active on the CMB because it's a huge time sink I can no longer afford; on the other hand, I've been here pretty much since I got home four hours ago. Be less interesting and sweet! (No, not really *hurgs* )
5. Is there anything you miss about wotmania so far? Any RAFO-related change that really pleases you?
The main thing I miss that I didn't already is the people who haven't, or haven't yet, made the Transition. I'm hopeful that a lot of the long time Admins, as well as Mike and Pento, pop in periodically to enjoy the community with a lot less of the responsibility and aura that seemed to make that difficult at wotmania, but I don't know I'm optimistic. I miss bcondray and Nekro (not to mention some very special others) but had already been doing so. I miss the WoT focus, but may miss it less in five years or so as WoT sites start closing their doors for lack of interest.
I LOVE being able to edit email notification into my posts, and the availability of seemingly all character sets, as well as the no doubt temporary decrease in page loading time that comes with new boards. Not having to split paragraphs myself is nice, too, and previewing edits and NBs. Email notification of NBs was something I thought of but didn't suggest on the grounds that "if you really worry about it, login" but I'm glad it's coming. That's just off the top of my head.
6. What's your pick for our collective identity? (Rafolites, Rafonauts...)
Rafomaniacs. The Legend Continues (but without David Carradine.... )
Now onto issues of layout.
7. What colors do you currently use?
"Default" blue, same as it ever was. I like blue. A lot.
8. What color palettes would you like to see?
Champagne Supernova. Not really, but it sounds cool. I'm not a graphicy person (sorry) though I've nothing against those who are so long as it doesn't take me three days to load an interesting posted article just because they think all their posts need the Numa Numa Kid at the bottom (this actually happened on another site. )
9. What font do you use? (Did you know you can customize that? ) What fonts would you like added?
The default; I've no idea what that is. I'd love to see Bookman Old Style, and tried to change to it as soon as Mike implemented font changes, but everyone else seems to hate it, so I don't expect it.
10. You prefer navigation bars that are:
A) On the left
B) On the right, or
C) Across the top
Top.
11. Do you like the current set-up, where you have to click to see the options, or did you prefer the old wotmania version, where a mouse-over would cause the menus to drop down?
I prefer to click. Even that can be annoying with the hypersensitivity of my new mouses wheel.
12. Do you like all of the icons? Would you like to see more graphics? If so, what kind?
I'm cool, but suspect many will answer something like "there can never be too much graphics!" Just don't force me to load umpteen dozen of them on every page and I'll be happy.
13. Do you like the current logo? If not, what would you like to see?
I like it; elegant simplicity.
14. If you've given any general thought to the matter, please tell me your thoughts here. (Sketch something out in words, maybe?)
Please note that I am not even going to think about changing the way threads and subthreads are displayed. I like it the way it is, and such fiddling is beyond my capabilities anyway. I may try messing with the identations, but again, I'm not even sure I know how to do that, so I'm not making any promises.
Thread-tease! ' /> Meh, I'm used to it, I guess....
Miscellany
15. Do you think it is possible for an established politician to undergo a major ideological shift? That is, a genuine one, not one for political gain.
File under possible but improbable. Obamas Audacity of Hope has some interesting impressions of his first meeting with Robert Byrd as a Senator; it's clear Byrd deeply regrets his role as a Dixiecrat, and he didn't alter his behavior or views to keep a Senate seat that's never been in jeopardy.
16. What is your favorite way to experience nostalgia?
Places.
17. Are you content with your given name & surname? If not, how come? What would you change it to if you could?
I didn't used to be, because my middle name is fairly uncommon--unless you're a Gentile, in which case it's downright rare. As indicated by using it here and the last year at wotmania, it's grown on me since I learned its translation, and since I've done some growing of my own. I still prefer my first name (which was my fathers) with most people, but close friends and family use the middle one, and what began as teasing in most cases I've come to accept as endearing.
18. Are you good with time management? If yes, any advice?
Hello?!!!
19. What was the first piece of genuine "literature" that you remember appreciating?
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. I read it the night before I excitedly started first grade, and reading it twice and Huck Finn once became an annual summer tradition I kept up until graduating HS.
20. Are you on friendly terms with your neighbors? (Apartment neighbors count too.) If so, how did you get that way?
Some of them, not others. The guy who lives across the street built the gazebo my mom ordered a few years back, and his father has done a lot of work around here, including converting the garage into a room. The folks next door to him are new, but seem nice, and were very helpful and understanding to my mom when we lost Buddy, as well as when she was in the backyard one evening when I left for work and went over there to wait for me to leave the line and come unlock the door. I used to be closer with the folks next door when we first moved in, after walking their dogs one stoney Thanksgiving week, but less so now. The elderly couple next door to us is very nice, and one of the few in the area who share my views on religion and politics. A strong counterpoint to the neighbors on the other side who introduced themselves by swearing at Buddy for things he didn't do and inviting me to join their celebration that "we've got a good Texan in the White House!" (he's from CT, idiot.... )
21. When you hang out with people, do you have the most fun on your own turf (in your apartment or home), at their place(s), or in a neutral spot, like a pub or a mall?
I'm a homebody, so if I can't be at my place I prefer theirs. I'm a lot better with strangers than I used to be, hide my discomfort a lot better, but I still don't really LIKE it.
22. If you could invite a foreign/distant friend to visit your city/town at any season or time of year, which would you pick as ideal?
The friend, or the season? I'm hoping to get Maht here in winter some time soon; I think she'll enjoy it more than she did the summer.
2-. Do you participate in any community-ish events? (Local markets, library book clubs, church events, etc.) Which ones?
Not really. I'm a homebody.
Oh, that's my favorite number. Best stop here. I censored it for Amy's sake.
O...K...? *is a newb*
Thank you all very much for answering; I especially appreciate detailed and thought-out answers in the "layout" section.
Yeah, not much I can give you there, since you say you won't do the only thing I really want (you are mean. ) But very welcome, always.
EDIT: I forgot how much I also like the fact I didn't have to immediately click something after submitting this or end up on the homepage, and that, as when I click notification links, I see the post rather than having to find it and then click the response to finally read it. Probably my biggest objection to nested threads was eliminated right there.
Honorbound and honored to be Bonded to Mahtaliel Sedai
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!
LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
This message last edited by Joel on 05/09/2009 at 05:45:20 AM
A Luvey. Lurvey? Lupinevey? FormerlyClovervey?
05/09/2009 04:38:40 AM
- 769 Views
Lurvey, definitely! *lurves*
05/09/2009 05:43:21 AM
- 671 Views
Oh, that's who you are. :I kept wondering when Clover would show up. *NM*
05/09/2009 06:03:55 PM
- 292 Views