Subject: Better to say...
Author:
Posted on: 2013-09-02 00:08:00 UTC
A golden age. I like to believe that the best is yet to come.
-Phobos
-
Where We Were by
on 2013-09-01 11:48:00 UTC
Reply
Using the same spreadsheet technology as my occasional PPC Statistics posts, I thought it might be interesting to take a peek at what the PPC Board was doing on (approximately) this day in each year of its existence. It seems like it'd be fun to revisit past insanity, and who knows? Maybe in amongst this kaleidoscope of unfamiliar (and familiar?) names, we'll learn something, too.
For each year, I'm going to give a few figures, summarise the topics under discussion on the Front Page, and list everyone who posted on that page. I will bold anyone who is still active - which in practice, translates as 'who posted in July 2013'. I may underline particularly significant names - but I'll avoid just underlining everyone I recognise. ;) (Oh, and I won't highlight anyone for this month - that would be silly)
Oh, and for maximum coverage reasons, the 'today' I'll be using is August 12th.
2013
Length of Front Page: 25 threads.
Total Posts on Front Page: 312
Time Between First and Last Thread: Aug 3 4:24pm to Aug 12 11:07pm, so 9 days 7 hours
Average Threads per Day [threads per page/time-length of page]: 2.7
Average Posts per Hour [posts per page/time-length of page]: 1.4
Topics:
-5 newbies, 3 PPC questions
-2 plugs, 3 badfic threads, 1 Permission request, 1 beta request
-The Random Title Generator, The PPC facebook page, OFU discussion, 'Writer's Alzheimer's', Tumblr, Dead links, Mary-Sue Article, Pacific Rim, the game 'Exalted', the Twelfth Doctor
Posters (54): AelinTheAmazing, Ailavyn Siniyash, AquaMarine, a-rubra, Autumn68, Ayane458, Bausiren, Bryn, Cassie, Crimson Flight, Cronist, Cyba Zero, darklordaakmal, DawnFire, DemonFiren, Desdendelle, doctorlit, EileenAlphabet, Elcalion, Ellipsis Flood, Endless Sea, Falcon7974, firemagic, hermione of vulcan, Herr Wozzeck, Hieronymus Graubart, Huinesoron, IntelligentAirhead, Ivan the Not-so-Terrible, Kittythekatty, Legacy, Lenore Snow, Lily Winterwood, Lynne Lloyd, Miah, Neshomeh, Outhra, Phobos, platypus, Ponystar17, Pretzel, Rin, SeaTurtle, Sergio Turbo, sonofheaven176, SpecstacularSC, Storme Hawk, Techno-Dann, the Irish Samurai, The Mind Tool, Time Engineer, Tomash, VixenMage, Voyd
2012
Length of Front Page: 25 threads.
Total Posts on Front Page: 548
Time Between First and Last Thread: Jul 25 10:48am to Aug 11 1:45pm, so 17 days 3 hours
Average Threads per Day: 1.5
Average Posts per Hour: 1.3
Topics:
-4 newbies, 1 PPC question
-3 plugs, 1 badfic thread, 1 Permission request
-PPC fanart, 'Curiosity' landing on Mars, expanding the Canon Protection Initiative, Things I Am Not Allowed to Do at the PPC, Percy Jackson Sues, Writing what you don't know, How to stop yourself doing stupid things, Camp NaNoWriMo, Sharks vs Bears, a funfair, Voldemort at the Olympics, Amending the Constitution, DeviantArt, what we can spork, fandom pet peeves
Posters (69): Aeidhryn, AnnaBee, Antigone68104, Araeph, Artell, Aster Corbett, Astral Void, Calista, Cassie, Cyba Zero, darklordaakmal, Data Junkie, desdendelle, doctorlit, Dragormir, dramaticsoprano, Dropship8, EileenAlphabet, Elcalion, Ellipsis Flood, firemagic, Gandalf the Beige, HimochiIsAwesome, Huinesoron, Ivan the Not-so-Terrible, Jacer, JulyFlame, Kaitlyn, Laburnum, Lilac Lielac, Lily Winterwood, Litany, LunarHuntress, Maslab, MAXinsanity (409), Miah, MrThorSir, Neshomeh, OpinionedAngel, Ozzielot, Past Llamas, Phobos, PitViperOfDoom, Ponystar17, PoorCynic, Puck, Rosie Azrael, saintdane05, SeaTurtle, Sergio Turbo, Sevenswans, ShatteredSanity, Shellfur, SingingTheThunder, StarShadow, Tawaki, Techno-Dann, ThatOne, the Irish Samurai, The Rabbit from Hourai, TheMadHatteress, theusualsuspectshines, Tira, Tomash, TungstenMonk, VixenMage, voidoid-, Wikimaster, Wodan
2011
Length of Front Page: 25 threads.
Total Posts on Front Page: 250
Time Between First and Last Thread: Aug 2 3:01pm to Aug 12 7:43pm, so 10 days 5 hours
Average Threads per Day: 2.4
Average Posts per Hour: 1.0
Topics:
-3 newbies, 1 returnbie, 1 PPC questions
-9 plugs, 2 badfic threads, 1 Permission request, beta request
-Spam in ff.net's Redwall section, Seattle Gathering, OFUs, Things I Am Not Allowed to Do at the PPC, Neshomeh and Phobos' wedding, RPF, wacky crossovers, 'Assisting Skaianet'
Posters (65): Aeidhryn, Albatross, Antigone68104, Artell, Aster Corbett, Astral Void, Bluesunnyday, caddy-shack, Calista, Cassie Cameron-Young, Charlie dodo, doctorlit, dramaticsoprano, EileenAlphabet, Elcalion, Elemarth, Ellipsis Flood, Firebird766, Fish Custard, Flyndragon, gaijinguy, galenfea, Gandalf the Beige, Guvnor of Space, HerrWozzeck, IndeMaat, insanepersonishappy, Jacer, Kaist, Khroma, Kitty's Muse, KsandraMallan, Laburnum, Lily Winterwood, Luigifan, Makari, Maudlin Hart, Miah, Mister Shoebox, Myrtle Tamlane, Neshomeh, Nin68, OpinionedAngel, Phobos, Pieguy, PoorCynic, Pretzel, Ray Chell, ReginaTheNinja, Rosie Azrael, Sara, Sedri ,Sergio Turbo ,ShatteredSanity, Sonne, Stan, Tawaki, Techno-Dann, Tomash, Tranum, TungstenMonk, Vixenmage, Will-o-wisp, Worthington, Xanthia B.
2010
Length of Front Page: 25 threads.
Total Posts on Front Page: 311
Time Between First and Last Thread: Aug 4 7:04pm to Aug 12 9:47am, so 7 days 15 hours
Average Threads per Day: 3.3
Average Posts per Hour: 1.7
Topics:
-2 newbies, 1 returnbie, 1 PPC question
-5 plugs, 4 badfic threads, 1 beta request
-PPC movie, Things I Am Not Allowed to Do at the PPC, The Great Typo Hunt, PPC Cookbook, Sue videos, minis, food fight, Coney-Grelvish, Klingon-language fanfic, The Batimaeus Trilogy, Lovecraft-verse,
Posters (51): Aeidhryn, Araeph, Aster Corbett, Barid [aka Phobos], BattleHamster, Callista, Cassie Cameron-Young, Charlie DoDo, Chliever, Chrystallix, Data Junkie, DigitalSocrates, doctorlit, Eclectus, Edward Wilder, Elcalion, Elemarth, Farseer Lolotea, Firebird766, galenfea, Gandalf the Beige, HonuWahine, Huinesoron, IndeMaat, Italian for Grandma, jakraziel, JulyFlame, Keily, Khajidu, Kyoki, Laburnum, Lleu, Makari, Maudlin Hart, Miah, Michi, Neshomeh, OpinionedAngel, orangedream13, PitViperOfDoom, PoorCynic, Pretzel, Rosie Azrael, Sedri, Sergio Turbo, Silikat, Simon, Tawaki, TungstenMonk, Wide Eyed Idealist, WikiMaster
2009
Length of Front Page: 25 threads.
Total Posts on Front Page: 387
Time Between First and Last Thread: Aug 1 7:56pm to Aug 12 11:36pm, so 11 days 4 hours
Average Threads per Day: 2.2
Average Posts per Hour: 1.4
Topics:
-4 returnbies
-3 plugs, 4 badfic threads, 2 beta requests
-Art commissions, What Leto saw on vacation, Things I Am Not Allowed to Do at the PPC, least favourite webcomics, checking for Sues, Leeds Gathering, Fair Trade chocolate, birthday, het v slash, casting call, 'G-Force', politics
Posters (49): (name here), An Raidre Dubh, Anity, Ansela, Araeph, Bailey Matutine, Buta, Cassie Cameron-Young, Chliever, Cinnia Aine, Crystal, Faith, Fiveclawed, Hellga, Huinesoron, IndeMaat, JulyFlame, Kd7sov, kgarrett [aka Ekyl], khajidu, kitsune106, Laburnum, Leto Haven, Lily Winterwood, Luana Starlight, Makari, Maudlin Hart, Neshomeh, Oozaru Angel, Orange Hotaru, Pads, Paladin, Pipistrellus, PitViperOfDoom, Rosie Azrael, Sara, Sedri, Seranis, tabbycat, Tawaki, Techno-Dann, The Trojanhorse, thejadefalcon, Tiroth, Tomato, Ulalume, Vixenmage, WarriorJoe, WikiMaster
2008
Length of Front Page: 25 threads.
Total Posts on Front Page: 365
Time Between First and Last Thread: Aug 7 9:17pm to Aug 12 10:04pm, so 5 days 1 hour
Average Threads per Day: 5.0
Average Posts per Hour: 3.0
Topics:
-1 newbie, 2 returnbie, 2 PPC questions
-3 plugs, 5 badfic threads, 2 beta requests
-Elves, new Departments, Things I Am Not Allowed to Do at the PPC, Board showing IP addresses, the DCPS, seeking for interviews, Wikilots shutting down, OFUs, PPC Orchestra, spambot
Posters (45): Adagio, Anity, Ansela, Araeph, Artic Blade, Cassie Cameron-Young, cga, Crystal, Elcalion, Enelya, Eni, Fichunter, Fynn, Gandalf the Beige, Huinesoron ,immortaljedi, IndeMaat, insanegrrl, JulyFlame, JusttheDoctor, Korora, Laburnum, Leto Haven, Lily Winterwood, lynxihez, Makari, Neshomeh, Oozaru Angel, Paddlebrains, pigeonarmy, Platinumyo, Rilwen Shadowflame, Sara, Sedri, Skid, Tawaki, Techno-Dann, The Trojanhorse, thejadefalcon, Tomato, TZA, Vixenmage, Wandering Critic, WikiMaster, wingnut
Prior to this point, the date I can select depends on what the Wayback Machine has archived.
2007
Length of Front Page: 25 threads.
Total Posts on Front Page: 225
Time Between First and Last Thread: Jul 30 11:48AM to Aug 16 10:21AM, so 16 days 23 hours
Average Threads per Day: 1.5
Average Posts per Hour: 0.6
Topics:
-1 plugs, 9 badfic threads, 1 beta requests, 1 Permission request
-Rose Potter, List of the Slain, chatroom and betachain, minis, Harry Potter Book Seven Challenge, That Series, PPC baby, something off-topic, Torchwood, Watership Down minis, nm&nms, a mass mission, Feet of Clay
Posters (48): A Random Boo, Adagio, Agent Overdrive, Air Of Mystery, Angel Barchild, Ansela, Araeph, Araine, BattleHamster, CedarCopse, Crystal, Dorcas, Err..., Gandalf the Beige, Gen, Gillespy, Huinesoron, IndeMaat, insanegrrl, Jabraille, Karma, Kd7sov, Kerowyn, kitsune106, Laburnum, Leto Haven, Mackenzie, maribraveheart, Neshomeh, nscangal, Oozaru Angel, Rath, Rez, Sara, Starwind Rohana, Tawaki, Techno-Dann, thejadefalcon , Tindomiel, Tomato, TZA, Vasi, Vered, Virtual Aardvark, Vixenmage, Yattara, Yubi Shines, Zoe
2006
Length of Front Page: 20 threads.
Total Posts on Front Page: 230
Time Between First and Last Thread: Sep 15 6:57PM to Sep 19 6:41PM, so 4 days
Average Threads per Day: 5.0
Average Posts per Hour: 2.4
Topics:
-1 returnbie, 1 PPC questions
-4 plugs, 1 badfic thread, 1 Permission request, 1 beta request
-'Two way nerdy queries', Talk Like A Pirate Day, publication of 'The Children of Hurin', Silmarillion vampires, dystopias, birthday, Doctor Who easter eggs, "Since they aren' (nm)", 'Baby's Named a Bad, Bad Thing', James Bond, Tolkien languages
Posters (43): Air of Mystery, Alania, Angel Barchild, BeautyID, Blayze, Coffeecup, Cygna-hime, Elcalion, Ella Darcy, Eni, eris86, Err..., Fynn, Gandalf the Beige, gundamkiwi, Huinesoron, Karma, Keily ,Kerowyn, kitsune106, Laburnum, MatthiasWaverunner, Nathonea , Neshomeh, Nin Brandt, nscangal, Rez, roseleeks, Salix, Sera Erykah, Sil, Sophia, Starwind Rohana, Tawaki, Techno-Dann, TungstenMonk, Twiggy, TZA, Versus, Visp, VixenMage, Yattara, Zoe
2005
Length of Front Page: 20 threads.
Total Posts on Front Page: 333
Time Between First and Last Thread: Jul 25 11:55pm to Jul 28 10:49am, so 2 days 11 hours
Average Threads per Day: 8.1
Average Posts per Hour: 5.6
Topics:
-2 newbies, 1 PPC questions
-6 plugs
-'Anyone with a Tough Mind... HELP!', 'All Your Base' song, birthday, computer problems, fathers in Tolkien, an event in Houston, baby names, mechs, NASA, religion, birthday,
Posters (48): Air of Mystery, Airmid Star, Araeph, Arokka, Athena Arion, BeautyID, Berzerkerprime, Bjam, Boz4PM, Cygna-hime, Dragonlet, Elb, Elcalion, ElfEars, Ella Darcy, Enelya, Eumenides, Fire Sidoni, fondued jicama, gundamkiwi, Huinesoron, Jaster, Jess, Jury, Kaitlyn, Katharine Faith, Kerowyn, Latent Psychopath, Leto Haven, Little Baldwin, Luthien, Morgul, Mum's the Word, nscangal, Puredeadthingy, Randomelf, Rath, Rez, Salix, Sil, Sliven, SlivenFdF, Spoofmaster, Techno-Dann, The Greenough Hall MSTers Club, Tulkas, TZA, wrongdimension
2004
Length of Front Page: 20 threads.
Total Posts on Front Page: 125
Time Between First and Last Thread: Aug 11 11:09am to Aug 12 8:53pm, so 1 day 10 hours
Average Threads per Day: 14.1
Average Posts per Hour: 3.7
Topics:
-1 newbie, 1 returnbie
-2 plugs, 2 badfic threads, 2 beta request
-Boarder photo, birthday, 'Elrond married an empath', Celebrian, Sue and Stu names, message for Fondued Jicama, LotR Exhibition, Hurricane Charlie, new Department, error, 'What about the Czechs?', 'the truth about the One Ring'
Posters (39): A Random Boo, Airmid Star, Andy, Annalas, Araeph, BeautyID, Bjam, Bridiliel, Cerberus Dis, Ealasaid, Ekwy, Evil Bob, fondued jicama, French Pony, Gen, hailthewarrior, Hawkelf, Hellga, Huinesoron, Jocelyn, Ké Sonraume, Laburnum, Laih, Little Baldwin, Luthien, Mercuria, Miiro, Narello, Newmoon, Niamh, Rath, Sliven, Tamaris, technetium, Techno-Dann, Teena, Twiggy, TZA, wingnut
2003
Length of Front Page: 20 threads.
Total Posts on Front Page: 123
Time Between First and Last Thread: Aug 10 7:54pm to Aug 11 5:20pm, so 21 hours
Average Threads per Day: 22.9
Average Posts per Hour: 5.9
Topics:
-1 newbie, 3 returnbies
-3 plugs, 3 badfic threads, 1 beta request
-plotbunny, website, Catchup project, CD recommendation, Suvians, error, song parodies, song parodies, song parodies
Posters (48): AC, Aldarwen, Al's Waiter, Artemis, BeautyID, bjam, Blue Iris, Bodldops, Bookwyrm, Caraid, Chirleep, Drew, Elena, Ella Darcy, Em, EruNephew, French Pony, GreyLadyBast, He Who Hunts, HonorH, Inannle, Jay Sea, Jedipati, Jo, Kaltia, Katharine/Dour K, Leto Haven, Luhtarian, Majoranka, Mercuria, nilib, one of the lurking masses, oracle, Otik [aka Jay!], Raen, Rhysdux, Sarah, Simmí, Sparkling Diamond, Starbrat, Steel Lily, T.E.O.W., Teensy Whitman, Thalia Weaver, Tough Cookie, TZA, Vemi, Zahri
2002
Length of Front Page: 20 threads.
Total Posts on Front Page: 63
Time Between First and Last Thread: Dec 3 11:32pm to Dec 11 12:26am, so 8 days 1 hour
Average Threads per Day: 2.5
Average Posts per Hour: 0.3
Topics:
-3 plugs, 8 badfic threads
-questions, something funny, 'Find me a LOGICAL description somewhere!', opinions on Manwe, Suedom, question, computer problems, The Two Towers, random stuff
Posters (23): Acacia, Architeuthis, Canon Police, Cimmoren, Curious Kazra, Emily Posts ;-), Gaslight, Maureen Lycaon, Meg Thornton, Meir Brin, Miss Cam, Nath, Otik [aka Jay], P@L, Rose, Salad the Deceiver, Secret Identity, The Andy Half, The Critic, The Evil Old Woman, The Saphie Half, TragicBeauty, Winterfox
And the 'too many words' version: a graph of averages.
hS -
Wow by
on 2013-09-03 12:27:00 UTC
Reply
So many names, such a blast from the past. Thanks for putting this together hS!
-
Dang... by
on 2013-09-02 04:11:00 UTC
Reply
Wow, it's interesting how much this sort of thing is put into perspective by something like this. I mean, Jeez... it's almost difficult to believe that this place has been around for 10 years and it's doing all this stuff with that...
Now I feel kinda honored... -
Very Nice. by
on 2013-09-02 02:45:00 UTC
Reply
That had to have taken a lot of effort to put together. Great job!
-
Oh, wow. by
on 2013-09-02 00:04:00 UTC
Reply
Seeing the names of people from when I first joined brings back so many memories. :D
-
Wow. by
on 2013-09-01 23:37:00 UTC
Reply
Again, I'm amazed by the work you put into the PPC. These are really intriguing, and I especially like the line graphs at the end. Seems like 2008 was the golden age of the PPC...
-
Better to say... by
on 2013-09-02 00:08:00 UTC
Reply
A golden age. I like to believe that the best is yet to come.
-Phobos -
Well said. by
on 2013-09-02 00:41:00 UTC
Reply
The golden age... thus far.
-
Re: Where We Were by
on 2013-09-01 17:59:00 UTC
Reply
Most fascinating. I'm still amazed when I see that the PPC has been around since the early 2000s...
-
You, sir, by
on 2013-09-01 16:47:00 UTC
Reply
are mad.
Keep it up.
Also what's going on with OFU-Squared. -
OFU-Squared by
on 2013-09-01 18:56:00 UTC
Reply
OFU2 is essentially waiting for everyone to be happy that they've put in everything they want. Then I think we should clear out all the comments and go through on a general clean-up; we can comment anything we think needs major changes, and simply edit anything that looks minor.
hS -
Mkay by
on 2013-09-01 19:12:00 UTC
Reply
I'll give it a look-see later-ish.
-
Good stuff. :) (nm) by
on 2013-09-01 19:16:00 UTC
Reply
-
Very interesting by
on 2013-09-01 15:23:00 UTC
Reply
I could swear I was around in 2009. I remember the discussion on Fair Trade Chocolate. Maybe I just wasn't posting yet. It is a whole lot of fun to see how much I remembered of what was going on while I've been here.
Also, the graphs at the end show me something interesting. It seems that we have fewer conversations than they did at the beginning of the group, but our conversations are longer , on average. I wonder why that is.
Also...Neshomeh and Phobos' wedding made the list! Drinks for everyone!
-Phobos -
Longer conversations. by
on 2013-09-01 19:09:00 UTC
Reply
I think the primary reason for longer conversations is two reasons. ;) Okay:
1/ The speed of new thread formation. In 2003 we got through the front page in 21 hours. That means there was no chance of a long thread forming. Nowadays we tend to keep threads active until they're about halfway down the front page - in 2003, those same threads would have been five pages back already! Note that the frequency of posts is down by a factor of 4 from 2003 - we said a lot more then, we just had less time to say it in!
2/ We aggregate threads a lot more these days. 2002 shows this very clearly - they had 8 badfic threads, almost half the front page! Nowadays we clump those together.
3/ Did I say two?
4/ Newbies. The early years had one newbie per front page, more or less. This year, we had 5. Newbie threads often garner a lot of replies. This isn't, obviously, a bad thing - but it does skew the figures a bit.
That said, it is an interesting phenomenon. I wonder to what extent it would drop out if we applied some sort of standardisation to the dataset - perhaps classing all badfic posts under one 'thread', and removing all newbie posts from consideration. I might take a look at that - purely for giggles.
hS
(Also - you probably were around in '09. Bear in mind, this is just the people who posted on one particular page - Kaitlyn doesn't appear in two of the three-ish years she was active, for example, because she simply didn't post at the right time) -
That makes sense. by
on 2013-09-01 19:52:00 UTC
Reply
Wow. 21 hours for a thread to be gone from the front page. Not much time at all. I know that some of us check the Board pretty often, but there are people who might miss whole pages of threads if they couldn't get access on a weekend, or something. That's pretty amazing.
Thread aggregation is not something I had considered. Makes sense, though. I know we make an effort for that sort of thing, now.
You did say two. Perhaps you missed the superscript two above it?
Ah, Newbies. They do draw in a lot of comments, don't they?
Good luck on the statistical manipulations. I lack such skills, myself.
-Phobos
(Also, I had not considered that. I would have just moved out to Chicago, at the time. Maybe I did not yet have internet.)