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

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And the 'too many words' version: a graph of averages.



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