They never actually existed. There was a thread attempting to create them, and someone (Phobos?) put all the ideas from it up on the Wiki, but the concept never really got off the ground.
So if you're volunteering to shake out the problems with it... well, here goes:
The purpose of the houses (as opposed to just having people ask for a Big Sib) is to let folks focus their search. So if your main reason for being in the PPC is to talk in the IRC, say, then you want a Big Sib who can help with that, rather than, say, me, who'll go 'I'unno'.
So, houses. The list as it currently stands, ignoring the two 'I've come up with a name and want to be special' entries, is:
-PPC stuff
-Writing
-Concrit
-Fandom
-The PPC community
That's a fairly decent breakdown of what the PPC does, actually. I might be tempted to combine Writing and Concrit, since they're covering mostly the same ground (ie, 'how to write'), and I'd probably be tempted to add a house for RPs, since they come up quite frequently, but it's decent.
But... I'm not sure we're really divided that strongly. People don't join the PPC just to talk about fandom (I hope); they join it because they like the stories, and maybe they want to write as well, and and and. So the houses are artificial lines, and I think they might be too strong.
They also don't help with the 'hS knows nothing about the IRC' problem; what if someone signs up to whatever I'm in because they're really into that, and then wants to go into the IRC? I can't offer a single bit of advice.
Furthermore -- which house would I, for instance, be in? I write heaps. I'm The Walking Encyclopaedia of the PPC. I write decent Quenya and have a site for that. So should I be in Kind Word and a Grave, Darjeeling, or Parmandili? Or all three, and render the concept superfluous?
So much for 'pointing out problems'. How about some solutions, huh, hS? Gods of all stars, all you ever do is whinge! Do you think just because you've been here since before mankind awoke you can just put everyone down? Be constructive for once, ya grumpy old elf!
Well, never fear, me: I
do have some suggestions.
-I already said I'd suggest rejigging the houses. I say we merge to make Grave and a Two-by-Four (or whatever), delete 'Fruitbat' and 'Tryforce Area', and consider a new house for RPs.
-EITHER:
--All Big Sibs should have a broad understanding of all the houses: that is, they should be able to write, should have a decent knowledge of the PPC, and know how to use the Board and the IRC. They then set up shop in the house that they focus
most on. Basically, a Big Sib can answer any question a Little Sib will ask; the houses are basically so's you have something in common to chat about.
-OR:
--Big Sibs in each house should post their names on the Wiki page. They should then be willing to consult/answer questions outside another Big Sib's area. So if a Parmandili Little Sib wants to ask about the IRC, their Big Sib can direct them to a listed Skull Goblet Big Sib (or ask for them). The best way to do this is probably through Wiki talk pages. The main problem with this version is it's liable to break down as people leave.
-I volunteer to make house crests/badges a la Plort, once there's a finalised list. Hopefully that'll stop me picking on me. (I'm not sure this counts as a suggestion...)
hS
