Thread: FAQs - History of the Ship Board: The Styx / Ship of Fools.


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Posted by Shaun (# 348) on :
 
Hi i was reading the info about the history of SofF, and i was just wondering why there was no mention of Murray Watts or Paul Burridge? i may have got their names slightly wrong but when i was introduced to this website by my uni lecturer, she mentioned these names as if they were really important, with regards to the conception of SofF.

Could you shed some light on this, or am i just going completely mad?

[ 05. January 2011, 21:22: Message edited by: Tubbs ]
 
Posted by Simon (# 1) on :
 
Hi Shaun... sorry for the delay in replying -- I've been away. There's no mention of Murray Watts or Paul Burbridge in the background notes to SOF because they haven't had any involvement in the magazine either in its print or web versions. We did publish a feature by Murray way back in (let me see... must have been 1982), but that's it.

Murray and Paul had a big influence on the 1970s evangelical culture in the UK that SOF originally started off in (through their work with Riding Lights), and maybe that's what your lecturer was talking about.
 


Posted by Shaun (# 348) on :
 
ah now i see!

I remember the riding lights part as well, now things are a lot clearer! Many thanks Simon!
 


Posted by The Wanderer (# 182) on :
 
This is idle curiosity, or just plain noseiness, but it's something I've often wondered about. The two key figures on Board are Simon (definitely English, seems to based in UK) and Erin (most definitely American and firmly rooted in the USA). How did you two come to meet and get the whole thing going?

(And if this is already described somewhere I apologise. If it turns out to be a FAQ I grovel in the dust. Certainly I can't find the History that Shaun refers to, so I must be missing something.)
 


Posted by Erin (# 2) on :
 
How much time do you have?

The thing is... Simon and I have never met. We've spoken on the phone a fair few times, but there has never been a face-to-face meeting.

I stumbled across the Ship about a month or so before the official launch in the spring of 1998, via a link from Anglicans Online. The original board was implemented in July of that year. (Trawl around in the Ship's Archive for an article that Steve Tomkins wrote, it's freakin' hilarious.) I remember when there weren't that many of us, and looking around, the only people still left from that first month or so on the boards are me, David Rayner, Steve T, Dyfrig, Chris, rachel (not rachel_o, the rachel who had Sven in Minnesota), DP, rosemary and Fudge. (Apologies if I left anyone out.)

Anyway, in January of 1999, I was a regular member, just like you, until the Ten-Horned Beast of the Apocalypse descended upon the poor, unsuspecting souls of the bulletin board. I'm not going to get into the details, unless someone really, really wants to know, but I will say that it took three months before she finally left us alone, and to make that happen Simon, Suse (no longer here) and I spent days and nights deleting thousands of posts; we shut the board down in order to implement the registration and subscription requirement; and David, Simon, Douglas (no longer here), Claudine (again, no longer here) and I spent countless hours doing battle on other (now-defunct) bulletin boards where she had gone to rally people against us.

Because of ALL that we had been through, and because we were also the group that put the original 10Cs together, we sort of became board advisors. At the time I was working a job from 3~11p which was SO BORING that I would pray "please, God, let someone post a message". So I became very active in overseeing the boards, and gradually Simon ceded various responsibilities to me.

Believe it or not, that's the short version. If you want the long and boring one, just ask.
 


Posted by The Wanderer (# 182) on :
 
Thank you. For myself I would like to hear more, if you have the time. In fact if anyone else from the early days wants to post their memories I would be fascinated to read them.
 
Posted by Steve Birks (# 1413) on :
 
originally posted by Erin, Administrator, member #2:-
quote:
If you want the long and boring one, just ask.

we are asking.......

(when you have the time, of course)
 


Posted by starbelly (# 25) on :
 
And Erin, If you could put it all in the form of a Traditional Folk Song, that would be even better!

Neil
 


Posted by babybear (# 34) on :
 
It would be very interesting in hearing the story of the led up to the ship becoming aa web-entity. Perhaps some 're-prints' of some old articles?

bb
 


Posted by strathclydezero (# 180) on :
 
[Waiting eagerly]

(I love a good story)
 


Posted by Steve (# 64) on :
 
I'm with bb on this one - I think a place on the ship ( probably somewhere in the lower bilges ) where important historical documents - sorry articles - an be stored, that would give newcomers ( like myself! ) a historical insight into ship-building and crew press-ganging. A longer version of your tale, Erin, would be interesting!
 
Posted by sophs (# 2296) on :
 
Im with every one who asked, it would be intresting to hear about the ship!
 
Posted by Erin (# 2) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by starbelly:
And Erin, If you could put it all in the form of a Traditional Folk Song, that would be even better!

Neil


The trouble with that is now the only melody that is echoing through my brain is the theme song to Gilligan's Island. Thanks a lot.

More memories, huh? It took us about three months to get to a situation where we needed the 10Cs. And that, interestingly enough, came out of a discussion on tolerance!!

Oh, and Laura the admin was the person who proposed the board split that happened about two years ago.

[ 28 March 2002: Message edited by: Erin ]
 


Posted by Chapelhead (# 1143) on :
 
Yes, the unexpurgated version, please.

Not only would it be interesting in its own right, but it might help those of us who are more recent recruits to understand what is going on in the (thankfully rare) moments when when somebody (either by accident or design) presses the button marked "don't go there - the last time we went through that the Ship almost sank".
 


Posted by Erin (# 2) on :
 
The hottest topic of all was a series of... shall we say... misunderstandings re: the United States. I don't want to reopen old wounds, because a lot of the people (on both sides of the argument) are still posting, but suffice to say that it was so bad that I quit as administrator a little over two years ago. It was hideously ugly, and there weren't a whole lot of Americans posting at the time, and nearly every one of us was ready to bail. Clearly we worked through it, but that is the main reason we are so quick to jump on any form of racism, sexism, nationalism, etc. Outside of the fact that it just shows an appalling level of ignorance that we really prefer not to have displayed on our boards, we have seen what it does to the community to let that stuff go unchecked.

The other hot topic, which was so very recently resurrected and subsequently beaten to a bloody pulp, is the likening of a member's position to that of a universally-reviled group. That generates far too much heat, and absolutely no light, so in the interest of community preservation that is simply out of bounds. A big explosion a year ago over this particular technique (note: I was not involved in that debate AT ALL) led us to implement this policy.

We also had a shipmate who was in the habit of telling those who did not agree with his interpretations of the Bible that they were going straight to hell. Again, huge argument, so that's out of bounds.

Those are the major no-go areas that I can think of at the moment.
 


Posted by Erin (# 2) on :
 
Actually, I don't want to bore y'all with extraneous stuff that you couldn't care less about.

How about we do it like this: y'all ask questions about things that you don't understand or are curious about. Could be anything from what is perceived to be an inside joke, to how did we get certain rules, to why we're set up the way we are, and so on. I think it would be easier than us trying to recreate the last four years or so.
 


Posted by Chapelhead (# 1143) on :
 
Fair enough, and now that I’ve rattled my brain cell into action I realize that my last post wasn’t terribly sensible.

I think what I would find very interesting is a “behind the scenes” glimpse of life on the bridge of the SoF (unless this would be too much like letting daylight in upon magic!). Who does what and how? We have some idea of what the hosts do, but much less with “Community Editor” or “Administrator Member” (I’m not even sure I have those titles correct) and so on. Speaking for myself, but I suspect this would be echoed by others, I have very little idea how the ship works and knowing a little more might help shipmates to appreciate the work that goes on behind the scenes.
 


Posted by Erin (# 2) on :
 
Who does what and how... well, let's see. I won't get into the main site stuff right now, I'll just look at the boards.

Simon is editor, owner, designer, and basically The Final Word. Just about all the board functions are delegated to me, as he has loads of other things to worry about outside of them. I, in turn, have delegated them outwards. Once upon a time, when there was one lonely bulletin board, I was it.

I am the Community Editor, which basically translates to manager of the bulletin boards, along with other community functions. (There are six editors, total.) Besides the stuff y'all see (responding to 10C violations, tech support, etc.), I manage the hosts behind the scenes. I'm responsible for the direction and high-level maintenance of each forum, recruitment and management of the hosts, and decisions about threads, posts and members. If members have complaints about hosts, they are referred to me. I spend a lot of time in trend analysis, too, to see if we're headed in the right direction and what the next step in our evolution should be.

David and I sort of split the overall, high-level functions -- he deals with a lot of the technical stuff and I deal with the people aspect of the boards, though we cross-cover each other's functions quite regularly.

Clare and Laura are member administrators, which means that if (the general) you continue to argue with a host after a ruling, the host turns it over to one of them and they deal with it. They do everything that David and I do, with the exception of major board maintenance and disciplining hosts.

The hosts are the people who are responsible for the day-to-day running of the boards, as well as communicating to the administrators and editors any problems, suggestions or comments that come from the members. Each board's hosts are the primary guides, so to speak, of the boards, but all hosts offer opinions and suggestions about the direction of each board. For example: David, Ruth, Tom and 'frin run Hell. With rare exceptions, they make 100% of the decisions about how the place operates on a daily basis, but it is not done in a vacuum. They get input from me, from other hosts, and from Steve Tomkins and Simon before they make the decision, but in the end the decision is theirs. They interpret the 10Cs through their board's guidelines, which is why some things that earn a nudge from a host on one board are engaged in by a host on another.

A lot of discussion happens behind the scenes, between hosts, between administrators, between editors and writers. We propose ideas, talk them out, weigh the pros and cons, look at it from every possible angle, see what our options are, and then make decisions. A perfect example would be the sex edition -- this had already been discussed by the writers and editors for the main site, then the boards were brought into it as it is the point of interaction for all of our readers. We had to determine what the potential problems were, how we could best deal with them, and who would take on which responsibilities in all of it.

So them's the basics. Does that help at all?

[ 28 March 2002: Message edited by: Erin ]
 


Posted by Shaun (# 348) on :
 
Very good Erin, but could i be an administrator?

i could take over from Karl! Think of the fun we'd have!
 


Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
I'd like to know more about the Joanne episode. Last year Suse posted her account of spending eight hours one night deleting Joanne's posts. She said there were over two hundred.

I take it you and Simon took turns doing this for a couple of weeks.

You also said something about helping prevent Joanne from shutting down other boards.

This whole thing sounds really bizarre.

I'm very glad you guys managed to keep the ship afloat.

Moo
 


Posted by Chapelhead (# 1143) on :
 
Thanks Erin.

Perhaps Simon could be persuaded to tell us about the very drunken party where he first thought it sould be a good idea to set up this Christian-unrest website. At least, I presume you were drunk when you first thought of it (and it still seemed a good idea in the morning ).
 


Posted by Simon (# 1) on :
 
In the beginning was the board. Just one board. It was 17 July 1998 and there was just one message on it, by me, which said: "testing... testing..." In the first few weeks and months this was a free-for-all space: no rules, no hosts, just conversation. You can read about this Eden-like period in the article Erin mentioned, by Steve Tomkins. It's here.

The first time we ever had to consider having anything approaching a rule was when someone posted something about their personal experience and someone else responded insensitively to it -- which led us to caution people about the wisdom of posting overly personal stuff. After that, the first version of the 10 Commandments was assembled in response to specific events onboard.

Hurricane Joanne struck us on 7 January 1999. It's memorable to all old-timers here because it was so completely unexpected and traumatic. Joanne was warmly welcomed, like all newcomers. She debuted by asking us all to spam another website that she violently disagreed with. When we checked the site, it turned out to be a role-playing game, so various people told Joanne that they thought spamming it was unnecessary. This was met with incredible hostility, and Joanne heaped personal scorn and ridicule on anyone who attempted to calm her down.

At this point, she also started large numbers of new threads, all designed to start flame wars, and she dominated every active thread on the board. Basically, we were being spammed ourselves, and normal conversation very quickly became impossible.

Our board software at this point was pretty basic, so when I finally asked Joanne to leave us, she simply refused to go, and there was nothing we could do about it. The incident you mentioned, Moo, took place on Sat/Sun night 30/31 January, when Joanne posted many hundreds of messages on the board, which Erin and Suse deleted manually... no wonder it took 8 hours. I seem to remember the night concluding with the entire text of Amazing Grace, with Erin and Suse posting the verses alternatively.

The only way to be rid of our unwanted guest was to shut down the board, which we did the next day. We reopened a week later with newly-written software that gave us a registration procedure and some protection against people who wished us harm.

Joanne then registered a few times under different usernames (but her unique style quickly gave her away, of course), and we repeatedly booted her back out. She then took her quarrel with us to another bulletin board, The Godless Zone (sadly no longer running), where our banning of Joanne was hotly debated and where we were initially taken to task for censorship.

A few weeks later, The Godless Zone banned her themselves, as she did to them what she had done to us. Erin wrote about it: "They, like us, sought to engage her in dialogue. They, like us, tried to ignore her, warned her, and finally banned her. She took that fight to still other boards, and then dragged Ship of Fools there with it." I think the fight continued on a further three boards across the Net.

One of the things this episode taught me was that it is very difficult to draw solid lines between "real life" and what happens on the Net -- it was a line a lot of people tried to draw solidly in those far-off days. Joanne's behaviour was cruel in the extreme (I especially recall her vicious attacks on one poster's marriage, which was at an already agonising point of collapse at the time) and she left in her wake a lot of confused, distressed and wounded people -- all through words typed onto a screen. The wounds were real, not virtual.

The rest of our structure (rules, hosts, admins, the separate boards) evolved over time in response to quarrels, growing numbers and our desire to try different and better ways of doing things.

Hope that's long enough on Joanne... As for the drunken party, Chapelhead, I'll post something on it when I've had a whisky or two.

[ faulty date fixed ]

[ 29 March 2002: Message edited by: Simon ]
 


Posted by Erin (# 2) on :
 
When all was said and done, I believe that she was the primary cause of 22 other boards on the Internet either shutting down or significantly altering their moderation practices.

Ooooh... rereading through what Simon posted, there's one bit he left out -- she was originally booted in mid-January, but she refused to go. Neoworks logged her IP address and then banned that ISP's customers from posting on the bulletin board. She joined AOL to get around the block on her original ISP, which is when we finally decided that the registration software needed to be implemented.

(The Amazing Grace thing happened the night Simon chucked her the very first time.)

[ 29 March 2002: Message edited by: Erin ]
 


Posted by Shaun (# 348) on :
 
ooh this is exciting! I wonder if this Joanne will one day return to try to bring SoF to its knees?!

The battle between good and evil, simon (obi wan kenobi?), and erin (luke skywalker?Princess leia? yoda!?!??!) versus Joanne, the darkest, cruelest christian poster on the internet!

But seriously though, you wanna be careful against nutters like this spiking you with virus' i know its very possible. We had a guy at uni who got kicked out, who very nearly brought the entire university computer system down. Scary stuff.
 


Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
Thanks. That was interesting.

Moo
 


Posted by The Wanderer (# 182) on :
 
Yes, that was great. One change that happened just before I joined was you went from a subscription-only system to the present free boards (I might not have joined the old system - I am well known for being extremely mean). Why did you change, and what number was the membership when you did? (Personally I think there is real status in having a member number below 100. Is there any way of buying one, like a rare car number plate?)
 
Posted by sacredthree (# 46) on :
 
Hmm, sell my Number ... I could put it in the Shop!

Down Below... mentions some of the other people involved with the ship and some handy links.
 


Posted by Erin (# 2) on :
 
The subscription changes were discussed here.

The membership on the Neoworks board hovered around 250, but I would say that there were only 50 or so active participants at any one time. In less than a year our membership has grown to ten times that. Everyone had to reregister for the new boards, so the hosts, administrators and editors at the time we bought the software got the lowest numbers.
 


Posted by sophs (# 2296) on :
 
(Time for me to look really thick)
Yes i know its stupid person but i had to ask anyway.....
IS there really such a person as St Simon the holy fool?
 
Posted by 'Chorister (# 473) on :
 
I assumed he was synonymous with Simon Jenkins
by the way, has he really written lots of books, on sale at amazon.com,or is that a namesake too?
 
Posted by babybear (# 34) on :
 
St Simeon, the holy fool

There are at least two Simon Jenkins. One is our dear Captain, and the other is a writer for The Times. Both are published authors.

bb
 


Posted by Cuttlefish (# 1244) on :
 
What an interesting thread. Many thanks to Simon and Erin for taking the time to post their memoires.

quote:
Originally posted by The Wanderer:
Personally I think there is real status in having a member number below 100. Is there any way of buying one, like a rare car number plate?

Wow! And I look up with great awe at anyone with less than four figures!
 


Posted by Arietty (# 45) on :
 
And just to confuse us even more, 'twas the other Simon Jenkins, I believe, who wrote the Good Church Guide......
 
Posted by The Wanderer (# 182) on :
 
When I first started posting on SoF it was on another set of discussion boards - noth the ones you had to pay for, something else - before I didscovered these. What were those, and what happened to them?
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
This time last year, and for a while before that, there were two sets of boards running on the Ship. The main boards (Purgatory, Hell etc) you had to pay to contribute to. In addition, there were some additional free to post to boards; MW was one of these (it is somewhat unfair if people at a church that's been MW'd then have to pay a subscription to respond to the report), there was also a general discussion board (I've forgotten what we called it) where I reckon the intention was that people could try out the boards before subscribing.

With free registration on these new boards the division between free and subscriber boards became irrelevant. The old free general discussion board vanished into Purgatory.
 


Posted by Mrs Tubbs (# 440) on :
 
The subscription charges were introduced after the departure of the "Ten-Horned Beast of the Apocalypse" to ensure that nothing like that would ever happen again. The rational was, if I remember rightly, that paid access would act as a discouragement ...

And I paid my tenner ya skinflint!

Tubbs
 


Posted by Steve (# 64) on :
 
I started on the old boards, and didn't quite get round to paying my subscription . But I only posted on Small Fire ( which was free ), so I didn't feel a need to progress at that time.

IIRC, the deeper boards ( Heaven, hell and purg ) were subscription only, and the others ( MW, SF, UM? ) were free, because they benefitted from a wider audience participation.
 


Posted by babybear (# 34) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by The Wanderer:
When I first started posting on SoF it was on another set of discussion boards - ... what happened to them?

Check out the Caption Competition. The neoworks software is used for the displaying the captions.

bb
 


Posted by The Wanderer (# 182) on :
 
Aha! I thought it looked familiar.
 
Posted by David (# 3) on :
 
Better yet, check out the Archive.
 
Posted by The Wanderer (# 182) on :
 
Thank you. Never seen the Archive laid out like that before - and that is exactly what I remembered. Sadly, on a quick look, I can't find any threads with my name on them. Am I being discriminated against? Am I terminally boring? Is it 'cos I's black?

(Note to non UK shipmates - the lasr question is a humourous reference to Ali G, not a serious accusation of racism. )
 


Posted by Erin (# 2) on :
 
We stopped archiving threads a few weeks before we made the switch.
 
Posted by clare (# 17) on :
 
Huw, the Shiptalk board started life as the letters page. In fact, the whole thing did, as far as I know when the ship first sailed the letters page started to take on a life of its own, which led to the bulletin board format, as being more discussion friendly.

When the boards became subscription the letters page was kept as a way for non paying readers to put up comments on the ship content. People would email Simon, would would format it into html and post them up as a list of links. I imagine this became increasingly tedious for him, so a bit later the neoworks board format was used so that people could post their own 'letters'. There was something in the blurb about there being a bit of a time delay (just so people didn't think they were getting the full bulletin board experince maybe?!) though I'm not sure if this was ever the case or a bluff!

IIRC when the boards did the heaven/hell etc split this was renamed from the 'letters page' to 'shiptalk board'.. and in reality became a sort of parallel discussion comunity to the main boards - yeah... the skinflints! So when the boards went free again it made sense to integrate them all.

clare
 


Posted by Erin (# 2) on :
 
The resurrected E-pistles page was moderated for a while, so Simon would have to go in and approve all posts before they'd show up. That was to prevent both a Joanne-style spamming AND to mitigate against the conversation aspect. But that got tedious, so it was ditched.
 
Posted by The Wanderer (# 182) on :
 
E-pistles - that was it. Sorry, at my advanced age (I'm 97 and still got my own teeth) the memory needs a bit of jogging.
 
Posted by The Wanderer (# 182) on :
 
Another thing I've wondered about - has the Ship really grown bigger, and if so by how much? Yes, I know there are now over 2500 registered members, but most of those are not active. Sadly quite a few people never seem to post at all, while others make a splash for a while and then just fade away (Matt the Mad Medic are you out there?).

Is there any way of finding how many people posted on Friday, say, and comparing that with the number a month earlier, six months, a year? It would just be a way of getting a snapshot of Ship activity, and seeing how we're going. Not sure if it's of any use, but I would be interested to know.
 


Posted by Erin (# 2) on :
 
There's not really any way to show that, other than by a manual count. However, last month we had approximately 450,000 hits for the bulletin boards, which is our busiest month to date. We did start with less than 300,000 hits per month, so it's been steadily increasing.

Other useless fact: there are 318 people who qualify for shipmate status.
 


Posted by The Wanderer (# 182) on :
 
Grief - only 318? out of over 2500? Now that dose surprise me. It would seem that more people "fade away" than I had realised.
 
Posted by Orcadian (# 1564) on :
 
Wanderer - suggest you put Quizmaster onto the case. He has ways of getting people to answer these sorts of questions!
 
Posted by Erin (# 2) on :
 
Actually, that's fairly typical of bulletin boards I've seen. Usually only between 5 and 10 percent of the membership are active at any given time. Some register to specifically comment on an article, some are lurkers and post very rarely.
 
Posted by Fiddleback (# 395) on :
 
So when was 'The Gods' set up then?

('The Gods', for those who don't know, is a top secret board that only hosts and administrators are allowed to post on.)
 


Posted by The Wanderer (# 182) on :
 
You mean you don't post there? I thought everyone was given the secret password when they achieved Shipmate status?

Oh (shuffles feet nervously) wasn't I supposed to say that......
 


Posted by sacredthree (# 46) on :
 
It's a conspiracy I tell you!

However in a spirit of openess I have decided to serialise transcripts of editorial discussion I have. So lets starts with todays:

s3: Hi, can I speak to Catherine Please?
Receptionist: I'm afraid she's on another call.
s3: Ok, it's Edward Green here, I was returning her call about the interview.
Receptionist: Okay. I'll get her to call you as soon as she's available.
s3: Okay. Thanks. Bye.
Click

Next in this exciting series, emails sent to to marketing departments of major publishers ... watch this space!
 


Posted by sarkycow (# 1012) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Fiddleback:
So when was 'The Gods' set up then?

('The Gods', for those who don't know, is a top secret board that only hosts and administrators are allowed to post on.)


It's hardly 'top-secret' is it now? It's been mentioned several times in different threads by shipmates. And none of the hosts/admins have ever denied it's existence - IIRC they've acknowledged it's existence when it's been mentioned. So what definition of top-secret are you working with?

Or do you mean that it's not listed on the main board page? That would get really confusing for people, particularly newbies who tried to click on it, and found that they didn't have access, and then got confused, and then started repetitive threads in styx about it.

Maybe you mean that there shouldn't be a special board for hosts and admins to talk about threads, and hosting changes, and issues that come up? Then they would have to do all that through PMs, and making sure everyone had all the information would be difficult. Much easier to have a board, and simply post it up, so that all hosts/admins can read it, and reply etc.

Viki
 


Posted by Sean (# 51) on :
 
Its a pretty reasonable assumption the hosts and administrators talk to each other. How else could they do their job. Does it matter one iota how they do it?
 
Posted by Ann (# 94) on :
 
It even says so in the FAQs - just not what it's named.
 
Posted by Simon (# 1) on :
 
The Gods was set up just after Hurricane Joanne, which must make it just over three years old. Coordinating our efforts in dealing with the hurricane had to be done by email, which was very inefficient, so the board was set up in the aftermath.

The board was then called Editorial. The name change to The Gods only happened a few months ago. There's still a private board called Editorial for discussing main site features and projects, in contrast to The Gods, where issues relating only to the boards are discussed.

There is absolutely no truth in the rumour that there is a Paranoia board hosted by Fiddleback.
 


Posted by Fiddleback (# 395) on :
 
Ah but its contents are strictly top sectret. However the spies tell me that there are whole threads dedicated to troublesome shipmates. They're keeping dossiers on us, folks...
 
Posted by seasick (# 48) on :
 
Of course, in the UK, Data Protection requires that they tell us what they say if we ask . . .
 
Posted by jlg (# 98) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Fiddleback:
Ah but its contents are strictly top sectret. However the spies tell me that there are whole threads dedicated to troublesome shipmates. They're keeping dossiers on us, folks...

[joke alert ON - please do not take any of the following statments seriously in any way]

Oh goody! So if I go around the Ship causing problems and arguing with the hosts and admins and generally be obnoxious I can have my very own thread? Wheeeee...I can't wait. Just as soon as I iron my husband's underwear and polish the copper pipes in the basement, I'll be sure to find time to do this. What could be more wonderful than to be famous on a board that's not open to the public.

[joke alert OFF]
 


Posted by Ann (# 94) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Fiddleback:
Ah but its contents are strictly top sectret. However the spies tell me that there are whole threads dedicated to troublesome shipmates. They're keeping dossiers on us, folks...

Will there be a prize for the shipmate with the longest thread?
 


Posted by ChastMastr (# 716) on :
 
(looks very nervous) (joke!)
 
Posted by starbelly (# 25) on :
 
As a fairly new host I was all excited about access to the Gods board, only to be sadly dissapointed.

Typical Gods thread:-

Viola - Look, heaven is 4 pages again
Clare - Bother
Viola - I may delete some tonight
Clare - Good idea, so might I
Belisarius - Oh good
Clare - Thats better
Starbelly - Yes.

And the thing is - I am not joking!

Neil
 


Posted by Fiddleback (# 395) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Ann:
Will there be a prize for the shipmate with the longest thread?

According to my mole, Cosmo still has this honour with a four page thread, but I should imagine that Ultraspike is rapidly catching up.
 


Posted by Ultraspike (# 268) on :
 
But I don't think we'll catch up with you, Father!
 
Posted by Simon (# 1) on :
 
Fiddleback, do you have a point to make here? If so, please get to it. I'm happy to receive either well-argued negative points or (better) positive suggestions on how the boards can be run better. The sniping you've done so far is a bit of a pain, though, because it's not clear whether you want a serious go at the issues or just a bit of a laugh. And it would be very tiresome for me to enter into the former if all you were doing was the latter... I have better things to do with my time. So. What's it to be?
 
Posted by sarkycow (# 1012) on :
 
Now that starbelly has revealed secrets from threads on the Gods board to us mere mortals, will he be taken out at dawn and shot? Or merely slapped on the wrist? And will Erin come all the way over from America to administer the correct punishment?

Viki
 


Posted by David (# 3) on :
 
Might I also add that you can have Your Very Own Private Board?

Granted, there is a small fee involved, but this is trivial compared to the cost involved in having access to The Gods.

We pay with our sanity.
 


Posted by jlg (# 98) on :
 
Sorry, Capn Simon, sir, for giving in to the urge to stir the Fiddleback pot. For those of us who don't know the whole story, things are sometimes just amusing. But I've been on the other side of the table, so I understand that "information not available to everyone" is not synonymous with "no information" or "pack of lies".

jlg (who has held elected office in a very, very, very small town with lots of people who assume all elected officials are always lying or trying to get away with something unnecessary just to make people pay higher taxes.)
 


Posted by ChastMastr (# 716) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by sarkycow:
Now that starbelly has revealed secrets from threads on the Gods board to us mere mortals, will he be taken out at dawn and shot?

Nothing so violent as that. However, everyone listen up! Everyone who has seen those secrets! There's one more... do you see that little red light? Look carefully now...

*FLASH*

What were we talking about? Oh, yes, the weather is nice this time of year, isn't it? I do wonder what those "secret boards" are all about... guess we'll never know!

Men in Black II will be out this summer, for those who care.
 


Posted by sarkycow (# 1012) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Fiddleback:
According to my mole, Cosmo still has this honour with a four page thread, but I should imagine that Ultraspike is rapidly catching up.

quote:
Originally posted by Ultraspike:
But I don't think we'll catch up with you, Father!


Awwwww I want a thread as long as Fiddleback's : pouty smilie :

Viki

[the evil smilies won't behave]

[ 12 April 2002: Message edited by: Erin ]
 


Posted by starbelly (# 25) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by sarkycow:

Awwwww I want a thread as long as Fiddleback's : pouty smilie :

Viki


Thats just vanity.

Neil

[it's an epidemic]

[ 12 April 2002: Message edited by: Erin ]
 


Posted by duchess (# 2764) on :
 
Does anybody remember the news bit about Robert Novak, a pet-store owner who sued a community Web site last year? Somebody made the mistake of putting his particular petstore into a discussion on the net so Robert Novak decided to sue. If you want more details
link here

[fixed horizontal scroll]

[Mad]

[ 24. November 2002, 05:23: Message edited by: RuthW ]
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
(as if y'all haven't enough to do already...)
(and I'm sure someone's already thought of this...)
Has anyone ever thought of writing a Book of Fools? This thread is fascinating, as are the archived histories.
Plus...Y'know..income...(cough,cough)
 
Posted by jlg (# 98) on :
 
duchess has brought up an example of just the sort of thing the admins and hosts have to worry about.

Kelly, you are a mind-reader. Go to this link in Styx"Looking for board junkies" and you will find a project underway.
 


Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Is that so! Was wondering what that was about!
 
Posted by linzc (# 2914) on :
 
It was great to read this thread and get some background on SoF. (Thanks Eutychus!)

I had one question if I may. I'm fascinated to know what the following involves. Erin?

quote:
Originally posted by Erin:
I spend a lot of time in trend analysis, too, to see if we're headed in the right direction and what the next step in our evolution should be.


 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
Erin is going to buy a pair of hot pants, kinky boots a Mary Quant cape and a crocodile handbag? [Eek!]
 
Posted by Willyburger (# 658) on :
 
An alligator carrying a crocodile handbag is a forward step in evolution? [Eek!]
 
Posted by Erin (# 2) on :
 
You should have asked me this before, when I was still in charge. Now I just sit back and give the admins a hard time. [Smile]

Seriously... just making sure the boards are on the right track, that we're not in danger of losing sight of what we're about. Every now and then I would have to freak out and start shutting down threads left and right. About a year ago -- before T&T! -- suddenly threads about people's sexual habits were EVERYWHERE, to the extent where Simon and I began to wonder if somehow we'd slipped into a coma and the Ship had converted to an adult site while we were out of it. So I had to put the brakes on (lots of bitching, but that's par for the course).
 
Posted by RuthW (# 13) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Erin:
You should have asked me this before, when I was still in charge. Now I just sit back and give the admins a hard time. [Smile]

Six freakin' months since she roped other people into doing this and she's still gloating.
 
Posted by kenwritez (# 3238) on :
 
I enjoyed reading about the history of the Ship; fascinating stuff. If I was wearing a hat, I'd take it off to you, Simon and Erin, and to all the hosts, admins and support staff who make the SoF possible.

Having begun and then abruptly broken off a relationship with a woman who somewhat resembled Joanne, I certainly understand and sympathize with the reactions against her.

A few questions for you, Simon and Erin: Where is the Ship headed? What developments do you both foresee in her in the next year or three? What are you both most proud of concerning the Ship?
 
Posted by chukovsky (# 116) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by kenwritez:
Having begun and then abruptly broken off a relationship with a woman who somewhat resembled Joanne, I certainly understand and sympathize with the reactions against her.

[Confused] [Confused] [Confused]
 
Posted by Ancient Mariner (# 105) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by kenwritez:
A few questions for you, Simon and Erin: Where is the Ship headed? What developments do you both foresee in her in the next year or three? What are you both most proud of concerning the Ship?

Ken, we've been growing something in the dark here for the past six months that is going to steer the ship into some very entertaining and highly original waters in 2003.

Suffice to say at this stage that it is highly interactive, very shipmate orientated - and that nothing like it has been attempted in the mainstream/secular or religious world before.

We hope to do a pre-launch of this project before Christmas - so keep [Eek!]
 
Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
quote:
Ken, we've been growing something in the dark here for the past six months that is going to steer the ship into some very entertaining and highly original waters in 2003.
Many things that grow in the dark are not very nice to be around. [Help]

Are you sure you know what you're doing?

Moo
 
Posted by da_musicman (# 1018) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Ancient Mariner:
quote:
Originally posted by kenwritez:
A few questions for you, Simon and Erin: Where is the Ship headed? What developments do you both foresee in her in the next year or three? What are you both most proud of concerning the Ship?

Ken, we've been growing something in the dark here for the past six months that is going to steer the ship into some very entertaining and highly original waters in 2003.

Suffice to say at this stage that it is highly interactive, very shipmate orientated - and that nothing like it has been attempted in the mainstream/secular or religious world before.

We hope to do a pre-launch of this project before Christmas - so keep [Eek!]

I'm intrigued.
 
Posted by sarkycow (# 1012) on :
 
AM's been growing magic mushrooms again...

Viki
 
Posted by JoyfulNoise & Parrot, O'Kief (# 2049) on :
 
Oh good - I've just noticed I've run out.
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
How exciting - I can't wait to see what it is. An adopt a baby mole project, perhaps? [Cool]
 
Posted by Chapelhead (# 1143) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Ancient Mariner:
Suffice to say at this stage that it is highly interactive, very shipmate orientated - and that nothing like it has been attempted in the mainstream/secular or religious world before.

We hope to do a pre-launch of this project before Christmas - so keep [Eek!]

I'm [Eek!] , I'm very [Eek!] .

Can't wait.
 
Posted by strathclydezero (# 180) on :
 
I can.

There are other things I can't wait for ...
 
Posted by W (# 14) on :
 
quote:
strathclydezero:
There are other things I can't wait for ...

Well you'll just have to. We can only afford one cubicle and there's certainly no budget for a cleaner.
 
Posted by ChrisT (# 62) on :
 
Good point W, and SCZ please wait in line like everyone else.

I want to come back to a couple of earlier points. Firstly the ShipMate number thing *coughs politely, hoping people will notice his very impressive 62*

And secondly this, as posted by Erin about 8 months ago or something...

quote:
the only people still left from that first month or so on the boards are me, David Rayner, Steve T, Dyfrig, Chris, rachel (not rachel_o, the rachel who had Sven in Minnesota), DP, rosemary and Fudge. (Apologies if I left anyone out.)
Is that Chris me? Was I part of the Original 250 who paid up? Have I been around that long? I wish I had taken more of an active role back then now, I seem to have missed out on the Hurricane and probably several other interesting goings on... oh well.

Very interesting reading though, I salute all you who lead this Ship so magnificently.
 
Posted by brodavid (# 460) on :
 
Fascinating history. It has given me some appreciation for what all you early shipmates did to get the Ship going and keep it afloat. Personally, I want to know how the Ungodly Fear board came about, since that was what sucked me into the boards and community.
 
Posted by Simon (# 1) on :
 
Hi brodavid... How did the Ungodly Fear board come about? We were planning to run a few extracts from Stephen Parsons' book of the same name, and it struck us that rather than just give the author's text, we might be able to generate a lot of useful debate if we linked it to a dedicated bulletin board. It worked a treat, as you know.

I've been on the lookout ever since for another book which might be worth giving the same treatment to, but haven't yet found anything to equal UF's documentary, cover-blowing approach. Glad you found us through the UF board. It's still online, in our archive, at this address.
 
Posted by ej (# 2259) on :
 
*sitting here feeling respect levels increasing regarding rest of team, and feeling somewhat humbled and envious of the long-termers*

I'll admit to some dubiosity around SOF when i first arrived when things got ugly around the 'secret boards' thingy... But having stuck with it I'm glad I did... and having just perused another board yesterday for chuckles, I realise how important and developed and mature this place is... The journey it's taken has clearly brought it in the right direction... Here's hoping (actually, I'm sure that it will) that continues in the future.
 
Posted by David Carrington (# 2541) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by ej:
*sitting here feeling respect levels increasing regarding rest of team, and feeling somewhat humbled and envious of the long-termers*

I just wanted to echo EJ here. Thanks to Simon, Erin and all the other responsible parties for building an online christian community where I feel so welcome. [Not worthy!]

Is the print version of the Ship still published?
 
Posted by Wood (# 7) on :
 
The print version of the Ship went the way of the Titanic about twenty years ago.
 
Posted by sarkycow (# 1012) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Wood:
The print version of the Ship went the way of the Titanic about twenty years ago.

It hit an iceberg cause Simon had his eyes on something else?

And who were acting Leo and Kate?

[Big Grin]

Viki
 
Posted by Rhisiart (# 69) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by sarkycow:
quote:
Originally posted by Wood:
The print version of the Ship went the way of the Titanic about twenty years ago.

It hit an iceberg cause Simon had his eyes on something else?

And who were acting Leo and Kate?

[Big Grin]

Viki

Wood and Britney? [Big Grin]

(Sorry Wood, couldn't resist this on a 'history' thread)
 
Posted by Pyx_e (# 57) on :
 
Is it true that a recently a young girl found an old biscuit tin in a cave in mid-Wales? In it were several, slightly worse for wear, copies of the original SoF magazine. I understand that this is all being kept very quiet because those, hard to decipher, writings actually shed a new light on the origins of SoF.

A shady “y” character, serious discussions about whether irony was a permissible from of debate and “Did God use irony?” It seems also that St Simon may not have been the only progenitor. That others were found strangely half chewed by a shadowy crocodilian figure.

Most sadly that other versions of the story were also found, ship of tools, shit of pools and even a apocryphal story that there were never meant to be any “commandments” and that hosts could talk bird language.

Sigh, the glory days that we have missed, maybe we should strive to be more like the early ship of fools.

P
 
Posted by sarkycow (# 1012) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Rhisiart:
Wood and Britney? [Big Grin]

Oh yeah?

So, Wood, what's she like in the carriage? [Snigger]

Viki
 
Posted by jlg (# 98) on :
 
quote:
posted by Pyx_e:
...and that hosts could talk bird language.

You assume that this is no longer true?
 
Posted by Wood (# 7) on :
 
Tweet.

Tweet tweet tweet.

Tweet tweettweet tweet. Tweettweettweet. Tweet.

.
.
.
.
.

Quack.
 
Posted by Stoo (# 254) on :
 
cock a doodle doo
 
Posted by jlg (# 98) on :
 
Host communicating in birdsong

(This link requires RealPlayer -- you can download it for free and you don't need the paid versions to listen to this link.)
 
Posted by Amorya (# 2652) on :
 
OK, I have a question: when and why was T&T disbanded?

Amorya
 
Posted by RuthW (# 13) on :
 
TnT was always meant to be a temporary board. It was launched in conjunction with the "sex issue" of the magazine site last spring. We shut it down after about two months, IIRC. As it was quite successful, we're planning to bring it back again this spring, again as a temporary board.

Why don't we have it all the time? Don't you folks have other things to talk about besides sex?!?! [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
As per the question I asked back in May (was it?) is there still a "Book of Fools" in the works?

If so, it is going to boast the fattest wait-list in the history of Amazon.uk.

(Seriously, I think it would make a great read, be an important document in internet/religious history, and not only would I buy a copy for myself I would for everyone else I have ranted to about SOF)
 
Posted by duchess [green] (# 2764) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Ancient Mariner:
quote:
Originally posted by kenwritez:
A few questions for you, Simon and Erin: Where is the Ship headed? What developments do you both foresee in her in the next year or three? What are you both most proud of concerning the Ship?

Ken, we've been growing something in the dark here for the past six months that is going to steer the ship into some very entertaining and highly original waters in 2003.

Suffice to say at this stage that it is highly interactive, very shipmate orientated - and that nothing like it has been attempted in the mainstream/secular or religious world before.

We hope to do a pre-launch of this project before Christmas - so keep [Eek!]

[fearful thought] A role playing shipmate game? Pray tell no! [Eek!] I am confident that will NEVER happen ever. Sorry, having a nightmare. Done now. [Embarrassed] [/fearful thought]
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
[Eek!] [Eek!] [Eek!]

AAAAAAUUUUUGGGGHHH!

That's all we need, is a bunch of geeks running around at Dundracon with Alligator hats and big red "T's" on their shirts.
 
Posted by duchess [green] (# 2764) on :
 
Oh God help us all. [Waterworks]
 
Posted by Wood (# 7) on :
 
I think I can safely say... no, that isn't it. [Roll Eyes]
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
How appropriate to have the TnT boards resurrected every Spring (when a young man's fancy turns to...... [Love] ) [Big Grin]
 
Posted by da_musicman (# 1018) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Chorister:
How appropriate to have the TnT boards resurrected every Spring (when a young man's fancy turns to...... [Love] ) [Big Grin]

Yeah because it only ever turns that way in the spring. [Roll Eyes]
 
Posted by duchess [green] (# 2764) on :
 
You poor thing.
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
you are obviously an animal [Wink]
 
Posted by da_musicman (# 1018) on :
 
Rargh [Wink]
 
Posted by tomb (# 174) on :
 
Anybody with a big red "T" on their shirt (yes, I know, it should be lower case) is gonna have to pay me royalties.

I signed up for the Ship (and started paying money) right after the Joanna incident. It took me the longest time before I figured out why everyone was so edgy.

Anybody want to go into any detail about Miss Monica? Interacting w/ her was my apotheosis and the reason I got invited to be a host. Talk about the wages of Sin being Death....
 
Posted by Ultraspike (# 268) on :
 
Do tell us about Miss Monica. Sounds like a cyber dominatrix. [Eek!]
 
Posted by Erin (# 2) on :
 
See for yourself.
 
Posted by Kalagiya (# 3622) on :
 
I notice that several of your subheadings make a big deal out of belief in the Trinity. One was "mystery worshipper," the other was that Christian dating service you were promoting awhile back.

Granting that the Trinity is a big deal to those Christians who believe in it, but since you do not otherwise seem to have a specific denominational identity, it seems odd to single out this one element as a mini-creed (and only in the odd subheading).

What's going on here? Do one of the moderators just not like Unitarians, Swedenborgians, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, or certain Church of Christ / Disciples of Christ members? But don't care about any other theological position?
 
Posted by chukovsky (# 116) on :
 
As I understand it, the Mystery Worshipper section reviews churches that have a trinitarian theology, rather than requiring posters to have a trinitarian theology. However I can't find anywhere it says this on the boards.

The Christian dating service was a paying advertiser, completely separate from the Ship, and presumably has its own ideas of who can be members. If you wanted to complain about their policies, maybe you should do so to them, rather than to the Ship.

How is this "a big deal"? What other subheadings exclude those who cannot subscribe to trinitarian theology? We have regular and well-liked posters who don't.
 
Posted by Simon (# 1) on :
 
Hi Kalagiya. You can't have this both ways, you know. You can't say that we're making a "big deal" out of it and also complain that it's hidden away "in the odd subheading"!

As far as I know, the only trinitarian statement on the editorial section of the ship is in the notes for Mystery Worshippers, which isn't a publicly available part of the site. The note states...

quote:
The Mystery Worshipper project only deals with trinitarian Christianity (we have in the past made a few forays into nearby traditions such as Unitarianism, but don't plan to do so again).

The project is guided by the principle that it's not fair of us to critique mosques, synagogues, Mormon temples, etc, since they represent faiths which belong to others and not to us. The Mystery Worshipper is about the Christian Church engaging in self-criticism, rather than criticising other faith traditions. Reports from places outside the trinitarian Christian tradition cannot be published.

We draw the line at trinitarian Christianity simply because that is our faith tradition. No judgment of faith traditions outside trinitarian Christianity is intended by that. So while it's true that we don't have a specific denominational identity, we do belong to the trinitarian tradition.

You'll find a more general statement of where we're coming from on this page.
 
Posted by duchess [green] (# 2764) on :
 
Thanks Simon, for a deeper look at Phil. 3:8 & Gal. 5:12 [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Simon (# 1) on :
 
Sigh... they're two of my favourite verses in the whole Bible, duchess. Thanks for reminding me of them.
 
Posted by OgtheDim (# 3200) on :
 
Back to the trend watching thing...so..just to get this straight.

This trend watching is internal, not external?

Just being curious,

Og the Dim
 
Posted by Kenwritez (# 3238) on :
 
<bump>

So what is a typical day of SoF life like for you, Erin and/or Simon?

(Images of velvet chaise lounges, nubile body servants wearing gauzy vestments carrying silver salvers of peeled grapes, and eunuchs slowly waving huge ostrich plume fans come to mind....)
 
Posted by jlg (# 98) on :
 
They wish, Kenwritez, they wish...
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
Actually, Erin dresses up in her Miss Monica outfit, snarling 'Simon, you disobeyed me, I will have to punish you!' and Simon quivers, a huddled wreck, saying 'sorry, sorry, sorry, I didn't mean it, your majesty'....... [Wink] [Snigger]

all appearances that it is Simon captaining the ship are illusory......
 
Posted by Sean D (# 2271) on :
 
[grape tangent]

Why do people in those kinds of settings have their grapes peeled anyway? I always find the chewiness of the skin the best part. [Roll Eyes]

[/grapes]
 
Posted by ChrisT (# 62) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Chorister:
...all appearances that it is Simon captaining the ship are illusory......

Yep, that's true enough.

And a day in the life of a Host/Admin (at the moment):

6:03am: get up, log into Ship, catch up on nights events
7:32am: breakfast, back onto the Ship for an hour before...
8:38am: rushing to work
9:06am arrive at work, late, log into Ship
11:32am: decide to do some work ... later
12:21pm: lunch, check the Ship
2:02pm: answer a couple of emails, check the Ship while the browser is open
3:42pm: get bored of checking the Ship, do some work
3:48pm: get bored of work, get back on the Ship
4:57pm: leave work, early, drive like a maniac home to...
5:27pm: log back onto Ship
9:42pm: remember to eat something; cheese sandwich sat in front of Ship
9:52pm: log into Ark
11:00pm: log into Ark chatroom
12:42am: log out of chatroom, catch up with the Ship boards
2:17am: crawl into bed

At all times your email client is set to pick up emails/PMs every minute, so every 2 minutes you reply to someone (normally another Admin).

Once every three weeks you let yourself have an evening off. This means you log off the ship at 8:17pm, watch a film and eat chocolate, then check the Ship again from 11:32pm until about 2am.

What a life, eh? [Roll Eyes]
 
Posted by Stoo (# 254) on :
 
You too, Chris?
 
Posted by jlg (# 98) on :
 
(Looks wildly around and then lunges at something off-screen...)

Sh*t, I thought I had the web-cam turned off!
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
God bless the obsessed [Not worthy!]
 
Posted by sarkycow (# 1012) on :
 
It's alright for those hosts/admins who are at work, and so have access to the net 24/7. What about us students? Sometimes I have to leave the Ship for a whole 2 hours to go to a lecture! I had to *beg* for permission to do this...
 
Posted by Janine (# 3337) on :
 
Some of us are Kept Women and can get on board any time we want.
{gloat mode}

Of course, I'm only a Shipmate here, so it's all beer & skittles for me on the Ship.

Sometimes I take a moment to delete posts or dispense advice or do some actual w*rk on my other boards... then I run back here.
 
Posted by The Wonderful Nanny Ogg (# 1176) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by sarkycow:
It's alright for those hosts/admins who are at work, and so have access to the net 24/7. What about us students? Sometimes I have to leave the Ship for a whole 2 hours to go to a lecture! I had to *beg* for permission to do this...

I envy anyone who can access the Ship at whatever time of day they like, especially those who can do so at w*rk.

Some w*rkplaces have very strict rules on internet use - and they're tightening up.

Imagine - no access for over 8 hours a day?
 
Posted by ChrisT (# 62) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by The Wonderful Nanny Ogg:
Some w*rkplaces have very strict rules on internet use - and they're tightening up.

Yes. So? [Snigger]

Thus speaks senior web developer and head of the department
 
Posted by Laura (# 10) on :
 
I'm bad. I don't do anything like ChrisT's schedule. Hope Simon doesn't notice.
 
Posted by Og: Thread Killer (# 3200) on :
 
For those of you wondering about my name change, please note I asked a, in retrospect, rather already answered question back in December and this thread died until resurrected in May.

Fascinating reading this all again.
 
Posted by Scot (# 2095) on :
 
Any of you who think that ChrisT's post was humor... are wrong. I'm just shocked that it sounds so pathetic when it's all written out like that.
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Thanks for the explanation, Og. I wwas wondering.
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
As a teacher I am very envious of people who can access the Ship at work - in my job you have to spend all your time with the kids, and even admin work has to be done out of hours. If you don't have an assistant, you can't even go to the loo when you want! (so I work part-time, to get the best of both worlds)

Mind you, in teaching, it often seems like you are on a real-life, permanent Ship of Fools! you never know what's going to happen next...... [Yipee]
 
Posted by ChrisT (# 62) on :
 
In case people are thinking I was joking with my daily schedule above, Scot is right - it's not that far from the truth.

Laura, I'm intrigued. Is it because you're an Admin that means you get all that time off? If so, how do I apply?
 
Posted by Erin (# 2) on :
 
My main Ship-related activity consists of sticking pins into various dolls.
 
Posted by Arrietty (# 45) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Erin:
My main Ship-related activity consists of sticking pins into various dolls.

I admire your energy, it must have taken a lot of pins to make my eczema this bad. [Razz]
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Erin:
My main Ship-related activity consists of sticking pins into various dolls.

Ah, I understand now.... you are a Barbie doll clothing manufacturer [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Ham'n'Eggs (# 629) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by tomb:
Anybody want to go into any detail about Miss Monica? Interacting w/ her was my apotheosis and the reason I got invited to be a host. Talk about the wages of Sin being Death....

quote:
Originally posted by Ultraspike:
Do tell us about Miss Monica. Sounds like a cyber dominatrix. [Eek!]

quote:
Originally posted by Erin:
See for yourself.

<fall guy>Please, Miss Etheridge, what has Miss Monica got to do with the history of the Ship?</fall guy>
 
Posted by Erin (# 2) on :
 
Her humble beginnings were the original Hell board on Ship of Fools. She doesn't even speak to us now.

*sigh*
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
Miss Monica was one of the first links I ever clicked on from the Ship. Hmmmmm, this is no ordinary Christian website, I thought......

I have been proved right time and time again [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Ham'n'Eggs (# 629) on :
 
Any chance of some actual history please?

Like a quick summary of Miss Monica's Ship career. Or is that too much to ask?
 
Posted by ChrisT (# 62) on :
 
Miss Monica scared me. And was rude to me. At the time I thought that Not Very Christian™, but now I'm worse than that a lot of the time.

I can see why Hell was started with her in mind. Her Monkeyboy must have balls of steel - either that or she pays very well.
 
Posted by Alliebellie (# 4383) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Chorister:
As a teacher I am very envious of people who can access the Ship at work - in my job you have to spend all your time with the kids, and even admin work has to be done out of hours. If you don't have an assistant, you can't even go to the loo when you want! (so I work part-time, to get the best of both worlds)

Mind you, in teaching, it often seems like you are on a real-life, permanent Ship of Fools! you never know what's going to happen next...... [Yipee]

I agree with all of the above. Specially the last bit!!!! Just posting to boast, really.. my classroom has just been networked, and I snuck a sneak peek at the ship while my class did a test yesterday....!!!!!

It's been REALLY interesting reading all of this. Wouldn't have bothered, for quite some time probably, if MM in 'that' hell-thread hadn't mentioned it in derogatory terms. I think there is NOTHING self aggrandising on this thread at all, posted by or on behalf of Erin or any other of the exalted ones. And I've learnt a lot. Enough to know that this is a place I like to be, and feel comfortable in already. (so, what was that story about the frogs in the pot, again??)

Thanks to all who contribute, moderate, host and edit:)
(and anyone else I may have left out)
 
Posted by Janine (# 3337) on :
 
Ya left out the lurkers. [Big Grin]

The MM link doesn't work for me.
Erin, is it too old or somethin'?
 
Posted by Alliebellie (# 4383) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Janine:
Ya left out the lurkers. [Big Grin]

The MM link doesn't work for me.
Erin, is it too old or somethin'?

Hehe!! bloody lurkers should go get registered!!!
That's weird about the MM link, cos it was working for me about an hour ago!

What wasn't working, tho, were all the links on the first couple of pages of this thread. Especially the ones that started with cargo.ship..... I'm guessing they've all been well and truly buried and no longer cluttering up cyberspace
 
Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by kenwritez way back on page 2:
A few questions for you, Simon and Erin: Where is the Ship headed? What developments do you both foresee in her in the next year or three?

Ancient Mariner replied to this at the time outlining what we now know is the Ark. But, great though the Ark is, and no doubt there'll be other bigger, even better projects in time, I'd be interested to know where you all see the ship more generally going, rather than (or as well as) the specific one-off projects. Thanks [Smile]
 
Posted by Erin (# 2) on :
 
I can only speak to the community/boards side of things, but... I am heading up a couple of projects that I'm not quite ready to announce yet, but we're really excited about. Of course, the Ark has consumed ever-increasing quantities of time from us since last winter, so they've been put on hold until after this is over.

The Ark itself isn't necessarily a one-off project, either. Will we do this again? Maybe, maybe not in its current state. The Ark has been quite the learning and growing experience for us -- we've broken some significant ground on the Internet, and we'd really like to continue exploring new ideas and opportunities. But after we've all recovered from this, there are many, many things we can take from it and move forward.

It is just the beginning. [Smile]
 
Posted by Janine (# 3337) on :
 
I suggest renting the Ark out for therapy sessions.
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
What will happen to the Ark once the 40 days are up - will it just sit there, blank? will it sink without trace? will we just get an error message when we try to access it, or what?
 
Posted by Kenwritez (# 3238) on :
 
OK, so I'm trying to get a feel for where the Ship is sailing. Where do the Simon, Erin, RuthW and the other Admins see the Ship in a year, two, three?
 
Posted by Laura (# 10) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Kenwritez:
OK, so I'm trying to get a feel for where the Ship is sailing. Where do the Simon, Erin, RuthW and the other Admins see the Ship in a year, two, three?

Gee, I'm "other Admins", even though I've been here forever. [Disappointed]

Personally, I see the ship in the British Virgin Islands. Tortola, say.
 
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Laura:

Personally, I see the ship in the British Virgin Islands. Tortola, say.

I once started a game in Heaven where shipmates had to post in order of longitude, just to see if we could really span the globe. We sailed west as I recall, via Exeter and Ireland, right through Colorado and all the other places that don't have coastlines, and got becalmed in Japan and never left it. I don't think the Virgin Islands ever featured on our route.
 
Posted by jlg (# 98) on :
 
I remember that thread! The problem was that westward folks jumped in too quickly. About 48 hours after it started, the poor Ship was already leaping across the US and preparing to splash into the Pacific. I was planning a nice little detour north from Boston and/or New York and suddenly the Ship was sailing the Great Plains!

Hmmmmm. I think I have an idea for a more structured version.
 
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
Go for it. I was just wondering about reviving it but decided I couldn't be bothered.

And I don't think you are going to find Sheep 3. [Devil]
 
Posted by Dyfrig (# 15) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Kenwritez:
OK, so I'm trying to get a feel for where the Ship is sailing. Where do the Simon, Erin, RuthW and the other Admins see the Ship in a year, two, three?

September 2003 - new poster arrives. Within 6 posts she has offended thirteen racial minorities, the gay community and Wood. Four days are lost to the ensuing arguments. 27 Heaven regulars threaten to leave because of the heartache involvde. pyx_e insults Nightlamp.

February 2004 - Simon asks for money

May 2004 - apprentice starts "Mornington Crescent" game in Heaven.

January 2005 - further changes to board software mean Ship is down for two weeks

February 2005 - Ship goes back on line. Fiddleback starts thread in Styx complaining about how things were better befoer the change. His fourteen multiple posts of the same message have to be manually removed because he has managed to crash the system.

August 2005 - Simon asks for money
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
nothing new there then [Roll Eyes] [Wink]
 
Posted by Pyx_e (# 57) on :
 
Am I that predictable ?

P

(no points for the obvious "yes" answer)
 
Posted by Gill H (# 68) on :
 
Just wondered if a good title for the history of the ship would be 'All Gas And Gators'?

[Razz]
 
Posted by Sparrow (# 2458) on :
 
practising the url thing

BBC
 
Posted by Sparrow (# 2458) on :
 
Well it didn't work that time. Let's try again.

BBC
 
Posted by Sparrow (# 2458) on :
 
Oops, wrong thread. I thought I was in the "practise your code" thread. That's what comes of trying to surf furtively in an open plan office with people looking over your shoulder to see what you're doing!
 
Posted by Wood (# 7) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by ChrisT:
Miss Monica scared me. And was rude to me. At the time I thought that Not Very Christian™, but now I'm worse than that a lot of the time.

I can see why Hell was started with her in mind. Her Monkeyboy must have balls of steel - either that or she pays very well.

Both, actually.
 
Posted by jlg (# 98) on :
 
Checked this thread to get some dates right and figured it wouldn't hurt to bump it up so the apprentices had a chance to trip over it. [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Amazing Grace (# 4754) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by jlg:
Checked this thread to get some dates right and figured it wouldn't hurt to bump it up so the apprentices had a chance to trip over it. [Big Grin]

Thanks, I was sort of looking for it the other day and was about to make that Helpful Suggestion ... it was very informative to me.

Charlotte (aka Amazing Grace)
 
Posted by dorcas (# 4775) on :
 
Originally posted by jlg:
Checked this thread to get some dates right and figured it wouldn't hurt to bump it up so the apprentices had a chance to trip over it.

_______________________________________________

Thank you!
Very interesting!
[Wink]
 
Posted by mrs whibley (# 4798) on :
 
Thank-you!

Tripped over, banged nose and now have to rush to church clutching hankie! [Ultra confused]
 
Posted by RuthW (# 13) on :
 
Yikes. Sorry about that, mrs whibley! You can have my hanky if you need another - though it's rather wrinkled from all the squeezing.

Glad you've found the Styx. Have a look around at the Ship's commandments, the FAQs, the guidelines for each board, and enjoy your stay aboard the Ship of Fools.

RuthW
Member Admin
 
Posted by Amazing Grace (# 4754) on :
 
Posting to bump this thread up. The newbies are no longer coming fast (and often furious [Roll Eyes] ) but people should be able to find this easily.

Charlotte (aka Amazing Grace)
 
Posted by jlg (# 98) on :
 
You could rename yourself "Amazing Grace (Ship's History Thread Bumper)". [Big Grin]
 
Posted by EllieC (# 2547) on :
 
[Not worthy!] Of all the people who run this ship! [Not worthy!]

I've just had a fantastic read of SOF's history and trials and tribulations and am glad to be a part of it! [Yipee]
 
Posted by Amazing Grace (# 4754) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by jlg:
You could rename yourself "Amazing Grace (Ship's History Thread Bumper)". [Big Grin]

Ya know, there really should be a "Raspberry" smilie [Razz] (this one ain't enough for what I'm feelin' here).

I have to say I did wonder about all the posts that just said "*bump*". I wondered, did I need some kind of sooper seekrit shipmate or hostly powers to do this. Was there a BUMP button I wasn't aware of? But no, I just need to find the thread and make a post.

(where's the "D'OH" smilie when I need it... I think I'm getting the hang of these UBB thingies ...)

Charlotte (aka Amazing Grace)
 
Posted by Amazing Grace (# 4754) on :
 
bump, bump, let's all do the bump ...

is the "future history of the ship" thread still in heaven or did it get moved?

Charlotte (aka Amazing Grace)
 
Posted by RuthW (# 13) on :
 
As it is truly a deserving thread, it's been moved to Limbo - where it is filed under "Heaven."
 
Posted by pepper (# 3895) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Erin:
Usually only between 5 and 10 percent of the membership are active at any given time. Some register to specifically comment on an article, some are lurkers and post very rarely.

I was interested to learn this. Could you tell us what the increase in membership numbers has been like over the past couple of years? Has the growth been continuously exponential?

What about the percentage of active members - is it still the same? Does it fluctuate significantly according to different ship events (eg. the Ark) or media exposure?

Thanks!

pepper
 
Posted by Jonah the Whale (# 1244) on :
 
Shipmate #1000 joined in July 2001
Shipmate #2000 joined in December 2001
Shipmate #3000 joined in July 2002
Shipmate #4000 joined in January 2003
Shipmate #5000 joined in September 2003

So it's a roughly linear increase, about 1000 new shipmates every seven months or so. Hmm, what are you going to do with this info now? Plot how to win the member 6000 sweepstake?

JtW.
 
Posted by pepper (# 3895) on :
 
Curses!
Rumbled. [Waterworks]

No, honestly, I just wanted to know. I like to lick on the ice cream of trend analysis.
 
Posted by Amazing Grace (# 4754) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by RuthW:
As it is truly a deserving thread, it's been moved to Limbo - where it is filed under "Heaven."

Thank you Ruth.

Posting on this thread to bring it to the attention of those new to the Ship. I seem to be a bit silly about linking to threads now (must go practice UBB) but I would like to draw people's attention to another truly deserving thread in Limbo, the "Fields of Gold" thread. Should be near the top. It was one of the reasons I decided to stick around.

Charlotte (aka Amazing Grace)
 
Posted by melonman (# 4038) on :
 
To make the above figures useful, we would also need to know how many people leave, or just stop partipating...
 
Posted by TheGreenT (# 3571) on :
 
Did the ark bring new members? Have many stayed?
 
Posted by Amazing Grace (# 4754) on :
 
*BUMP* so the new folks can see this

Charlotte
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
Reading through this again, I can't seem to find details of when the ship had to go in for maintenance and was closed for 2 weeks (although HoosierNan did kindly provide a lifeboat for those who couldn't swim). It was during this time that I discovered the Wibsite (which has a bulletin board in a similar format to the way Ship of Fools used to be, but much dafter of course [Yipee] ).

Please remind me what actually was done during that time to improve the boards - I'm having trouble remembering what was new and what was there before.

There was also a board called 'Urban Myths' for a while......
 
Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Chorister:
Please remind me what actually was done during that time to improve the boards - I'm having trouble remembering what was new and what was there before.

I think that's when we acquired 'Preview Post' and the arrow that will jump you to the most recent posts on each thread.

Moo
 
Posted by bessie rosebride (# 1738) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Moo:
quote:
Originally posted by Chorister:
Please remind me what actually was done during that time to improve the boards - I'm having trouble remembering what was new and what was there before.

I think that's when we acquired 'Preview Post' and the arrow that will jump you to the most recent posts on each thread.

Best of all, this was when we gained the ability to have avatars and personalized Shipmate titles.
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
oh yes, of course - I forgot the avatars were as recent as that! seems like they've been there for ever..... how would we manage without them now? How would we know what everyone looks like, for a start [Biased] [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Never Conforming (# 4054) on :
 
Well, you certainly look like your avatar, chorister!

Jo
 
Posted by Talitha (# 5085) on :
 
A meta-History of the Ship question: why did the guy who started this thread get banned? His posts on this thread seem pretty innocuous - did he go on to do something unforgiveable later?

Also - where did the name Ship of Fools originally come from?

(Oo, I like this thread.)
 
Posted by Simon (# 1) on :
 
Hi Talitha. The first instance I know of the name Ship of Fools is in a 15th-century allegorical poem by Sebastian Brant, who set his drama on a ship crewed by all the fools of the world. Here are the relevant lines from the poem's prologue...

I have pondered how a ship
Of fools I'd suitably equip -
A galley, brig, bark, skiff, or float,
A carack, scow, dredge, racing boat,
A sled, cart, barrow, carryall -
One vessel would be far too small
To carry all the fools I know...

This site got the name Ship of Fools from a different source, though.

When I was a theology student, I was in the library one day reading a biography of the theologian Karl Barth (like you do) and came across a letter he wrote to a friend. The two of them were planning to launch a journal and the friend had suggested giving it the name, "The Word of God". Barth thought this was a bit over the top and replied: "better to call it 'The Ship of Fools' than burden it with this sacred millstone!"

I looked at that and immediately thought: that's the name of the magazine I want to edit! Ancient Mariner and I launched Ship of Fools as a print magazine a year later, and it floated onto the internet in autumn 1997.

For me, the Ship of Fools name has always been linked with Noah's Ark and the disciples of Jesus in their boat in the storm on Galilee. Both Noah and the disciples were fools in a boat, and yet they proved to be wise, and the world foolish. And I've thought of Paul's words in 1 Corinthians: "God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."

[ 05. December 2003, 14:41: Message edited by: Simon ]
 
Posted by Erin (# 2) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Talitha:
A meta-History of the Ship question: why did the guy who started this thread get banned? His posts on this thread seem pretty innocuous - did he go on to do something unforgiveable later?

This is not the only thread that he posted to. He was warned and suspended on more than one occasion for some pretty rude and blatant racist crap.
 
Posted by Tori (# 5207) on :
 
As a new member of this ship I have found this thread really informative about the ethos of the ship. I have to admit that I got frustrated when my first thread was closed down after being opened a few days, but I think I understand why now. Just wanted to say I appreciate all the hard work you all put in, and am looking forward to being more integrated into the ship in the future.

Victoria

[Overused] [Overused] [Overused]
 
Posted by tomb (# 174) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Simon:
...
For me, the Ship of Fools name has always been linked with Noah's Ark and the disciples of Jesus in their boat in the storm on Galilee. Both Noah and the disciples were fools in a boat, and yet they proved to be wise, and the world foolish. And I've thought of Paul's words in 1 Corinthians: "God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."

Well, I am surprised. I always assumed that the name was taken from the 1965 film written by Abbey Mann and directed by Stanley Kramer starring Vivian Leigh that won the Academy Award for cinematography and was the inspiration for the Grateful Dead song. A precis of it by a popular author summarized the movie, "in which everyone who didn't die went mad."

You mean to say that, after all these years, I've been mucking about on a website based on the Bible?
 
Posted by sharkshooter (# 1589) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by tomb:


You mean to say that, after all these years, I've been mucking about on a website based on the Bible?

So, you didn't think this was a Christian website?
 
Posted by jlg (# 98) on :
 
For me, "Ship of Fools" always brings to mind the novel by Katherine Ann Porter. Not that I remember a single thing about the novel except the title, since I read it when I was ten or so.
 
Posted by jlg (# 98) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Tori:
[....]I appreciate all the hard work you all put in, and am looking forward to being more integrated into the ship in the future.

Victoria

[Overused] [Overused] [Overused]

I think you'll find, Tori, that the proper phrase isn't "integrated into" but rather "addicted to" the Ship.

Welcome to the Ship. [Devil]
 
Posted by kentishmaid (# 4767) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by tomb:
Well, I am surprised. I always assumed that the name was taken from the 1965 film written by Abbey Mann and directed by Stanley Kramer starring Vivian Leigh that won the Academy Award for cinematography and was the inspiration for the Grateful Dead song. A precis of it by a popular author summarized the movie, "in which everyone who didn't die went mad."

That wouldn't happen to be based on the book by Katherine Porter, by any chance? I do own the book, I just haven't got round to reading it yet, and am now being very lazy, clearly.
 
Posted by Paul W (# 1450) on :
 
According to the IMDB info for this film, it is based on that novel. Maybe you should read it and find out if there are any similarities with this site? [Big Grin]

Paul W
 
Posted by Arrietty (# 45) on :
 
The synopses sound uncannily familiar:

quote:
Passengers on a ship [...] represent society at large in that era. [...] La Contessa[...] A young American woman [...] David [...] [...]sleazy dance troupes and bitter lovers [...]

 
Posted by musician (# 4873) on :
 
Brilliant thread guys...thanks!
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Arrietty:
The synopses sound uncannily familiar:

quote:
Passengers on a ship [...] represent society at large in that era. [...] La Contessa[...] A young American woman [...] David [...] [...]sleazy dance troupes and bitter lovers [...]

Wanna hear something cool?

About the time "Calling God to Hell" was running,I caught the 1965 movie. About 3/4ths of the way thought the movie, there is a riot in steerage. A priest is sent down to talk sternly to the crew below deck. He exhorts the ringleader to be a Godly man. The ringleader goes on a tirade about how God is meaningless to him and if God were standing before him, he would send him to Hell. Then he and the crew trash steerage.

I thought,"Wow. Simon is a prophet."
 
Posted by Jeff Featherstone (# 4811) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Arrietty:
The synopses sound uncannily familiar:

quote:
Passengers on a ship [...] represent society at large in that era. [...] La Contessa[...] A young American woman [...] David [...] [...]sleazy dance troupes and bitter lovers [...]

All that's missing is an Orthodox priest
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
I had a children's anthology free in my breakfast cereal, with a story in it called 'Ship of Fools' by Terry Jones. On board is chaos and everyone in the story is a total fruitcake. Yup, that sounds familiar...... [Big Grin]

Here are the opening few sentences:

"A young boy named Ben once ran away to sea. But the ship he joined was a very odd one indeed.
The Captain always wore his trousers tied over his head with seaweed. The Bosun danced the hornpipe all day long from dawn to dusk wearing nothing but beetroot juice. And the First Mate kept six families of mice down the neck of his jumper!
'This is a rum vessel, me hearty!', said Ben to one of the sailors, who was at that moment about to put his head into the ship's barrel of syrup.
'It's a Ship of Fools!' grinned the sailor, and he stuck his head in the syrup."
 
Posted by Norman the Organ (# 5477) on :
 
[busybody]

I hope no-one will think me too presumptuous if I just B-U-M-P this excellent thread up to the top - we have had some new people just recently who could benefit a lot from reading this.

(Seriously, I'm not thinking of any one person in particular, several names spring to mind)

[/busybody]
 
Posted by Ophthalmos (# 3256) on :
 
Top thread. I was alarmed to read there were only 318 people registered who had made Shipmate status in 2002!! [Eek!] How many are there now?! [Confused]
 
Posted by Belisarius (# 32) on :
 
Within this past minute, 1,041.
 
Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Ophthalmos:
I was alarmed to read there were only 318 people registered who had made Shipmate status in 2002!!

You have to remember that we got new software in the spring of 2001. Up until that time there were no such categories as 'shipmate' and 'apprentice'.

Some old-timers who were infrequent posters had not made fifty posts by the beginning of 2002.

Moo
 
Posted by Late Quartet (# 1207) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Belisarius:
Within this past minute, 1,041.

I'd be interested to know one more thing about those who have become Shipmates, if its easy enough to find out, please. Of 8,000 registrations 1041 have made Shipmate status. Of those 1041 shipmates how many of them have posted in the last 10, 20, 30 and 40 months?
 
Posted by MaryFL (# 7482) on :
 
Well... not everyone is a compulsive poster, I guess. [Biased]
 
Posted by Belisarius (# 32) on :
 
The UBB Boards have not yet been here 40 months, but to give an idea of stats as of this morning:

1,042 registrations have achieved Shipmate status.

987 of these have had posts since 01/01/02.

956 of these have had posts since 07/01/02.

865 of these have had posts since 01/01/03.

790 of these have had posts since 07/01/03.

705 of these have had posts since 01/01/04.

539 of these have had posts since 07/01/04.

270 of these have had posts since 07/21/04.
 
Posted by MrPiccolo (# 7103) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Late Quartet:
quote:
Originally posted by Belisarius:
Within this past minute, 1,041.

I'd be interested to know one more thing about those who have become Shipmates, if its easy enough to find out, please. Of 8,000 registrations 1041 have made Shipmate status. Of those 1041 shipmates how many of them have posted in the last 10, 20, 30 and 40 months?
Jem, IIRC Yahweh had a lot to say when King David came up with the plan of taking a census of "his" armies.. [Eek!] [Confused] [Biased]
 
Posted by Blancmange (# 5446) on :
 
I notice that there are nearly 200 pages of people in the directory who never posted after registering, are these people all living in the cafe? Or did they just register for fun?
 
Posted by Marvin the Martian (# 4360) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Belisarius:
539 of these have had posts since 07/01/04.

So basically, over half of all shipmates have posted this month (July 04).

Not bad.

[but my code was [Roll Eyes] ]

[ 23. July 2004, 15:20: Message edited by: Marvin the Martian ]
 
Posted by Goodric (# 8001) on :
 
Dear Blancmange,

When you are a Newby (like me) then sometimes it is difficult to pluck up courage and join in the discussion.

All sorts of issues hit your mind just as you are about to put fingers to keyboard. Am I using the right protocol? Isn't it a bit rude to jump in un-introduced? Will they detect my halitosis over the internet.

I think many people would have the intention of communicating, but then at the last minute, through lack of confidence - they bottle out. This may account for some of those who are registered but not participating.

I on the other hand am just one of those idiots who despite not knowing the rules and protocol, and having never done anything like this before - just says "to hell with it" and gets stuck in. You can imagine it gets me into all sorts of trouble.
 
Posted by Holy-Stone (# 2900) on :
 
Welcome to the Ship Goodric. Glad to have you aboard.

quote:
Originally posted by Goodric:
I on the other hand am just one of those idiots who despite not knowing the rules and protocol

You can find the rules under the name 10 Commandments, and the Protocols for the Boards at the top of each one. I'd recommend reading them, they're not P. G. Wodehouse but will certainly stand you in good stead.

Enjoy!

HS
 
Posted by Inspector Hovis (# 7049) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by tomb:
I always assumed that the name was taken from the 1965 film written by Abbey Mann and directed by Stanley Kramer starring Vivian Leigh that won the Academy Award for cinematography and was the inspiration for the Grateful Dead song. A precis of it by a popular author summarized the movie, "in which everyone who didn't die went mad."

I often think of that movie when I see the phrase Ship of Fools, but for different reasons. There's a scene in the book 2061 by Arthur C. Clarke, where a film star onboard a marooned spaceship with other artistic noteworthies discusses the movie.

[ 23. July 2004, 17:53: Message edited by: Inspector Hovis ]
 
Posted by Late Quartet (# 1207) on :
 
Thank you Belisarius.
quote:
Originally posted by Belisarius:
The UBB Boards have not yet been here 40 months, but to give an idea of stats as of this morning:
1,042 registrations have achieved Shipmate status.
987 of these have had posts since 01/01/02.
956 of these have had posts since 07/01/02.
865 of these have had posts since 01/01/03.
790 of these have had posts since 07/01/03.
705 of these have had posts since 01/01/04.

That look pretty impressive: 70 per cent of shipmates have posted in the last 6 months or so.

quote:
539 of these have had posts since 07/01/04.
270 of these have had posts since 07/21/04.

I'm even more impressed that over half have posted in the last 4 weeks, and more than 25 per cent in the last two days -- that is quite stunning.

[ 24. July 2004, 04:41: Message edited by: Late Quartet ]
 
Posted by kiwigoldfish (# 5512) on :
 
Great thread,

Now I'm wondering about fiddleback who popped in on page 2, apparently unregistered. How'd that work?
 
Posted by Pyx_e. (# 57) on :
 
Oh My Gawd! [Eek!]

P
 
Posted by Coot (Such a nice boy) (# 220) on :
 
Adjusts Nana Mouskouri style glasses:

This is a song about a boy... and a girl... and... love.

[Sex of protagonists should not be inferred from this statement]

[ 24. July 2004, 12:53: Message edited by: Coot (Such a nice boy) ]
 
Posted by Goodric (# 8001) on :
 
Thanks Holy Stone, they seem to make common sense and hopefully most reasonable people would adhere to them. Ploughing my way through the FAQ's was helpful too. For those who may prefer disorganised religion, this seems really, really organised. Not quite up to the EEC regulations on Cucumber shape and size though... I think I may enjoy this. I like church of fools as well -brilliant idea. How much does it cost to keep an operation like this on the road? - or is that information somewhere on the site but I havn't found it yet? Am I allowed to ask that one - or ask it here? Can't you just tell I'm new at this?
 
Posted by jlg (# 98) on :
 
I don't know if there's ever been a financial report, but it does cost money to keep the site going. Click on Organ Fund if you want to make a contribution.
 
Posted by pirate sunny (# 7106) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Erin (a long time ago):
<snip>
How about we do it like this: y'all ask questions about things that you don't understand or are curious about. Could be anything from what is perceived to be an inside joke <snip>

I was wondering if that offer still stood. If I asked about ice cream forks, would I get an answer? Or would I be laughed at? Or am I just imagining that there’s a joke going around about ice cream forks anyway?
 
Posted by Grits (# 4169) on :
 
pirate sunny, I would never be able to remember the thread now, but apparently the talk got onto utensils, very special utensils. We have some Shipmates who are just swimming in refinement, and one happened to mention he possessed ice cream forks.

Well, people went absolutely mad over this: "What are they?" "Why do you have them?" "Do you really use them?" "Are they silver?" It was a hilarious mixture of fascination, incredulity and admiration.

I don't think folks will ever let him forget the forks. Or his rug burns...
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
The original rug burn joke can be found in Limbo, on the archived Hell thread, "An Experince in Small Group Formation"
 
Posted by Koovie: The Ship's Supply Organist (# 4434) on :
 
I've read the whole thread and found it fascinating.

I give my thanks to the hosts, admins and other people who keep the Ship afloat on a daily basis. Without you, well, I'd probably get a lot more sleep! [Biased]

Oh, and while I'm here...let's give the thread a BUMP for the apprentices who haven't had the opportunity to read this magificient thread yet.
 
Posted by Duo Seraphim. (# 3251) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Grits:
pirate sunny, I would never be able to remember the thread now, but apparently the talk got onto utensils, very special utensils. We have some Shipmates who are just swimming in refinement, and one happened to mention he possessed ice cream forks.

Well, people went absolutely mad over this: "What are they?" "Why do you have them?" "Do you really use them?" "Are they silver?" It was a hilarious mixture of fascination, incredulity and admiration.

I don't think folks will ever let him forget the forks. Or his rug burns...

It was a Hell thread that featured a fascinating discussion about dinner party settings. The rug burns made their celebrated debut in the "small group experience" thread, also in Hell.
 
Posted by Avalon (# 8094) on :
 
Alright, I've read the small group one and found a table setting one;and I think Limbo will be the death of me.Any estimates on whether anyone embarking on reading their way through Limbo ever comes out again - and, if so, when?
 
Posted by Gremlin (# 129) on :
 
Reading the whole of Limbo is something I'd leave to the obsessive... or the plain mad. Same goes for Dead Horses.

I've not heard of anyone successfully escaping with their wits... but there's always a first time. [Smile]

ETA: see you in a couple of years!

Gremlin

[ 14. September 2004, 12:45: Message edited by: Gremlin ]
 
Posted by pirate sunny (# 7106) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Avalon:
Alright, I've read the small group one and found a table setting one;and I think Limbo will be the death of me.Any estimates on whether anyone embarking on reading their way through Limbo ever comes out again - and, if so, when?

When you do come out, don’t forget to read Beryl AND the nativity play AND The One True Holy Catholic Apostolic AND TnT………. [Two face]

See ya at Christmas
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
Christmas??? So soon???
 
Posted by dolphy (# 862) on :
 
[Killing me] More like Christmas 2008.

Seriously though, it is sometimes nice to read certain parts of certain threads in Limbo but if you do read it all and manage to come out in one piece, perhaps you should start a thread on 'things I learnt in Limbo'. [Two face]
 
Posted by Koovie (# 4434) on :
 
*punt*

because I can...
 
Posted by Wood (# 7) on :
 
Actually, you can't.
 
Posted by Koovie (# 4434) on :
 
I can't? Oops. I'm sorry.
 
Posted by Pyx_e (# 57) on :
 
Koovie, you can. He's just practising being "not nice."

P
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
Well, obviously, you can ... it just takes a post saying "*punt*" or something similar to return a thread to the top of the list. It does seem a bit odd to do that, however, without a decent reason. Generally the prefered reasons for posting on a thread that's been inactive for a while is to add something substantive to that thread - some new information, a new question, or similar. Occasionally a thread gets *punted* because there's a good reason why people should be made aware it exists - someone mentions the subject on another thread, or it relates to a coming event (eg: a meet thread in AS).

That you have the capability to do something doesn't automatically make doing that the right thing to do.
 
Posted by Mousethief (# 953) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Alan Cresswell:
That you have the capability to do something doesn't automatically make doing that the right thing to do.

That almost sounds like something St. Paul would say.
 
Posted by seasick (# 48) on :
 
*whistle* *whistle*

[kick]

*whistle*
 
Posted by Sinisterial (# 5834) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Dyfrig [Posted 28 July, 2003]:

August 2005 - Simon asks for money

OMG! [Eek!]

They had the auctions board worked out that long ago!
 
Posted by Triple Tiara (# 9556) on :
 
[Killing me] [Killing me] [Killing me]
 
Posted by Auntie Doris (# 9433) on :
 
Great thread... it has taken me 401 posts to find it though!!

Auntie Doris x

[ 09. September 2005, 17:38: Message edited by: Auntie Doris ]
 
Posted by professorkirke (# 9037) on :
 
Just found this thread by searching for it, after 1000 posts and almost a year on the Ship.

Good read. This is quite the story.


What was the Ark?

What was the special surprise project that had been worked on "in the dark" and was going to be released "soon" way back in '03?

-Digory
 
Posted by Joyfulsoul (# 4652) on :
 
check this out re: ark.
 
Posted by RooK (# 1852) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by professorkirke:
What was the special surprise project that had been worked on "in the dark" and was going to be released "soon" way back in '03?

That was our stash of Weapons of Mass Criticism (holy Mass, that is). I seem to recall that they got lost somewhere.
 
Posted by 103 (One-O-Three) (# 5846) on :
 
Wow! Reading through this thread feels like reading an old usenet forum or something!

-103
 
Posted by jlg (# 98) on :
 
Which isn't the point of the thread. [Roll Eyes]
 
Posted by LynnMagdalenCollege (# 10651) on :
 
Having read the whole puppy, the entire enchilada, I do have a question (!!) - can you explain how the Dead Horses board works? I came on late last year and assumed it was dead threads, but... apparently not. Asking the question (which is serious) also serves to bump this thread back to the first page on the Styx... thanks for everything -

now, go do that voodoo that you do so well...
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
The Dead Horses board is reserved for discussion of the select group of subjects that fall into that category - those that keep reappearing here and every other Christian discussion board, have no right answer, and cause headaches for the hosts. They're aren't closed threads, you can still contribute to the discussion (especially if by some miracle you have something new to say). Only admins or the board host can start threads there.

For threads that are read-only, go to Limbo where we preserve most of the better threads we've had once they've reached the end of their life on the regular boards.
 
Posted by fisher (# 9080) on :
 
It's an interesting read! I'd also like to hear any opinions (don't have to just be from hosts and admins) on how the character of the boards has changed and is changing.

Are things much busier now than a few years ago - how many more posts a day, say (roughly)?

Is it still as interesting?

Do as many new and original subjects come up?

Is the Ship now more confessionally / theologically diverse?

Was the atmosphere originally more "clubby" - everyone knowing each other?

Am I correct in thinking that the orthodox online magazine element has declined at the expense of the boards and occasional (but no doubt very labour-intensive) "specials"?

And, of course, if those In The Know want to drop any hints about what's planned for the future then I'm a sucker for that.

Thanks!
 
Posted by Real Ale Methodist (# 7390) on :
 
Was the long awaited project The Church of Fools? It was certainly what attracted me to the site originally - although it was not to my liking and I settled here instead.
 
Posted by Scooby-Doo (# 9822) on :
 
I have just read this thread in its entirety. Absolutely fascinating.

I want to say a big thank you to all those who work so hard behind the scenes to make the Ship the wonderful place it is.
[Overused] [Overused] [Overused]
 
Posted by Ann (# 94) on :
 
Now you've read the history of the Ship, try the future history.
 
Posted by Belisarius (# 32) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by fisher:
Are things much busier now than a few years ago - how many more posts a day, say (roughly)?

...Was the atmosphere originally more "clubby" - everyone knowing each other?

So far, 1,491 registrations have made Shipmate status, of which 697 have posts for this month, compared (per previous page) to a 539/1,042 ratio in July 2004. The percentage of active posters has gone down, but the overall traffic has probably gone up about a third.

Overall, the Neoworks incarnation must have been clubbier, as it had only between 100 and 200 registrations, but in absolute numbers the UBB "In Crowd" must be larger.
 
Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
Just finished reading my way through this thread (got through a giant bar of Aero in the process!) - very interesting, especially for a newbie, and answered some of my wonderings on the life of the Ship! Thanks.
 
Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Belisarius:
Overall, the Neoworks incarnation must have been clubbier, as it had only between 100 and 200 registrations...

At one point Erin said there were about 50 people who posted regularly. There wasn't nearly as much on the boards, so people read almost everything.

I don't think the day will ever come again when Erin, Gill H, and I post on the same thread.

Moo
 
Posted by Ian Climacus (# 944) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Simon:
The first instance I know of the name Ship of Fools is in a 15th-century allegorical poem by Sebastian Brant, who set his drama on a ship crewed by all the fools of the world.

On the historic usage of Ship of Fools(*), but from the following century, a friend set me this entry from the complete Oxford Dictionary: thought you might be interested.
quote:
1517 Watson Shyppe of Fooles a ij, I am the fyrste in the shyppe vagaunte with the other fooles.

OED Volume V. p 10

(*)and I recall a thread which mentioned the wonderful woodcuts from this book: here they are for those interested: thanks to whomever it was who first posted them.

[ 25. May 2006, 03:43: Message edited by: Ian Climacus ]
 
Posted by Gill H (# 68) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Moo:
I don't think the day will ever come again when Erin, Gill H, and I post on the same thread.
Moo

Wanna bet? [Biased]
 
Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Ian Climacus:
...and I recall a thread which mentioned the wonderful woodcuts from this book: here they are for those interested: thanks to whomever it was who first posted them.

It's nice to learn the Latin for Ship of Fools--Stultifera Navis.

Moo
 
Posted by The Wanderer (# 182) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Dyfrig (on 28th July 2003):
quote:
Originally posted by Kenwritez:
OK, so I'm trying to get a feel for where the Ship is sailing. Where do the Simon, Erin, RuthW and the other Admins see the Ship in a year, two, three?

September 2003 - new poster arrives. Within 6 posts she has offended thirteen racial minorities, the gay community and Wood. Four days are lost to the ensuing arguments. 27 Heaven regulars threaten to leave because of the heartache involvde. pyx_e insults Nightlamp.

February 2004 - Simon asks for money

May 2004 - apprentice starts "Mornington Crescent" game in Heaven.

January 2005 - further changes to board software mean Ship is down for two weeks

February 2005 - Ship goes back on line. Fiddleback starts thread in Styx complaining about how things were better befoer the change. His fourteen multiple posts of the same message have to be manually removed because he has managed to crash the system.

August 2005 - Simon asks for money

This is astounding! Dear mystic Dyfrig, do you have any more predictions to guide us into the future?
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
I predict that this thread will hold what you're looking for.
 
Posted by The Wanderer (# 182) on :
 
Ah, what it is to be well read. Many thanks; that's a thread I had missed completely. (Now when am I going to find the time to read it?)
 
Posted by Tractor Girl (# 8863) on :
 
Facisnating thread & mucho [Overused] & thanks to Erin, Simon and co. Until I read through this and read about the Hurricane Joanne incident,etc I had no idea how much s**t you guys had gone through at points to keep this running.

Also the Ark looked facinating any plans for a rerun?
 
Posted by liturgyqueen (# 11596) on :
 
(Bump!) Here's one: What was Small Fire?
 
Posted by Gracious rebel (# 3523) on :
 
It was a special interest board for discussing Alt worship. Along with one called The Mystery Worshipper, they were combined to form what we now have as Ecclesiantics.
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
In the distant past, Small Fire was also a column on the magazine dedicated to alternative worship. The board was a place to discuss the contents of that column. Though, rather like the MW board that existed to discuss MW reports, it did grow beyond merely discussing the column. Which is why it survived long after the last SF column.
 
Posted by Jengie Jon (# 273) on :
 
When Emergining Church was not yet coined, but after NOS had done its bellyflop at Ponds Forge, there were across the country small bands of Christians who gathered together see if they could find what was meant by the term Alternative Worship.

This was noticed by Ship of Fools who asked Steve Collins as a participant to report on a selection of these groups in a column. That Column was called Small Fire and the board that went with it was also called Small Fire. It became a rather unusual space even by Alternative Worship fraternity as the majority of participants were female but it was small as were all alternative worship things at the time. It depended on the input of a few, mainly male posters to keep lively discussion going. When these got caught up into things like Emergingchurch.info it ran out of steam and was merged with the Mystery Worship board to make Ecclesiantics.

As I hope I have indicated it was very much a night camp on a journey for many. Necessary at the time but now part of events they have moved on from.

Jengie

[ 26. September 2006, 18:55: Message edited by: Jengie Jon ]
 
Posted by Belisarius (# 32) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Tractor Girl:
...the Ark looked facinating any plans for a rerun?

Not in the forseeable future (if nothing else, would there be an adequate number of new biblical characters?).
 
Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :
 
In the great tradition of reality game shows how about "Ark Allstars"? [Biased]
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
How the transformation from Small Fire and MW to Ecclesiantics was announced. Which is an interesting read in itself.
 
Posted by Avalon (# 8094) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Avalon:
Alright, I've read the small group one and found a table setting one;and I think Limbo will be the death of me.Any estimates on whether anyone embarking on reading their way through Limbo ever comes out again - and, if so, when?

Oh, wow, did this project just get a major renovation around my ears! Down to 7 pages and the dust not settled yet apparently.

[Hot and Hormonal] And I think I just admitted to being mad and obsessive. (Do you think I could paint that as inquisitive and methodical?) And I've cancelled Christmas in favour of pagan festivals (solves so many family politic problems) since I wandered into Limbo so I don't have that landmark either...

wanders off into oblivion...
 
Posted by Cranmer's baggage (# 1662) on :
 
Avalon,

Hope you haven't wandered so far into oblivion that you don't see this. I just tried to reply to your PM (okay, it's taken a while, for which I apologise), and find that you've gone ex-communicado. If you're happy to continue the conversation, please get in touch.
 
Posted by Mr. Rob (# 5823) on :
 
Yes, many thanks for those readings from the Ship's log. [Smile]
 
Posted by dj_ordinaire (# 4643) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Chorister:
How the transformation from Small Fire and MW to Ecclesiantics was announced. Which is an interesting read in itself.

Yes, I remember. We had a special requiem for MW, as I recall, eventually settling upon black chasubles in the gothic cut, but with birette allowed. Not sure what setting we plumped for.

This was followed by a short-lived and unhappy attempt to resurrect the GIN thread on the new board, although it has since found a new home on Via Media.
 
Posted by Lynn MagdalenCollege (# 10651) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Chorister:
How the transformation from Small Fire and MW to Ecclesiantics was announced. Which is an interesting read in itself.

Well, I cruised in and was intrigued by this but am currently getting a "you've requested a thread that does not exist" message... hmmm...
 
Posted by KenWritez (# 3238) on :
 
I'm wistful for the return of the Nativity Play. I'd love to see it become an annual event.
 
Posted by jlg (# 98) on :
 
I re-read the entire Nativity Play about six weeks ago. It really was fun!
 
Posted by basso (# 4228) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Lynn MagdalenCollege:
Well, I cruised in and was intrigued by this but am currently getting a "you've requested a thread that does not exist" message... hmmm...

Apparently some of the threads intended for Oblivion instead went into. . .um. . .oblivion.

b.
 
Posted by Arleigh (# 5332) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by jlg:
I re-read the entire Nativity Play about six weeks ago. It really was fun!

Me, too. Strange to think we were there together ...

Reading the Nativity Play [Killing me] for the first time (Christmas 2003) and subsequently crossing to the Miss Molly thread Fields of Gold [Tear] made me realize how special this community is.

♥Arleigh
 
Posted by Gill H (# 68) on :
 
I think when the merger of MW and Small Fire was announced, I suggested a new name of 'Let's Talk Tat'n'Tealights'. [Razz]
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Heh. I was just thinking the other day about starting a thread called "Nativity Play Reunion Call."
 
Posted by Scarlett (# 1738) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
Heh. I was just thinking the other day about starting a thread called "Nativity Play Reunion Call."

OMG! Would you??? [Yipee]
 
Posted by Lynn MagdalenCollege (# 10651) on :
 
um.... where would I find the Nativity Play, if I was wishing to read it...?
 
Posted by Scot (# 2095) on :
 
Click here to read the Nativity Play.
 
Posted by Gwai (# 11076) on :
 
Seriously does look wonderful. The ship should do it again.
 
Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
I am particularly impressed so far with the performance of Sheep3!
 
Posted by Gwai (# 11076) on :
 
And I am absolutely positive that Steve Tomkins should feel guilty for making me laugh out loud so often (at work). And I was holding it in whenever I could, too!

[ 27. October 2006, 21:25: Message edited by: Gwai ]
 
Posted by Stoo (# 254) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Scot:
Click here to read the Nativity Play.

Er... can I register a complaint that Herod doesn't feature in the distinguished cast list?

Quite possibly, it's because he wasn't that distinguished, but any way...

(Yes... I have only just noticed)
 
Posted by jlg (# 98) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Chelley:
I am particularly impressed so far with the performance of Sheep3!

Sheep3 gazes adoringly at Chelley

Baaaa.
 
Posted by Miffy (# 1438) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Stoo:
quote:
Originally posted by Scot:
Click here to read the Nativity Play.

Er... can I register a complaint that Herod doesn't feature in the distinguished cast list?

Quite possibly, it's because he wasn't that distinguished, but any way...

(Yes... I have only just noticed)

Well you certainly threw yourself into the spirit of the part I seem to remember. [Big Grin]

While four years down the line I think I've got over the trauma of being called...what it was you called me one scene. I was only trying to keep you on the straight and narrow. (To those not in the know - Herod had problems holding his drink.) [Biased]

And if we're in the business of laying claim to the title of Most Humble Cast Member could I give a big hand to Chris T - musical director who was the one who really kept the show on the road!
 
Posted by Moth (# 2589) on :
 
I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed being Chief Comic Shepherd in the nativity play. I think I was channelling ShadoK, though. All that talk about beer!
 
Posted by JennyAnn (# 3131) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Stoo:
quote:
Originally posted by Scot:
Click here to read the Nativity Play.

Er... can I register a complaint that Herod doesn't feature in the distinguished cast list?

Quite possibly, it's because he wasn't that distinguished, but any way...

(Yes... I have only just noticed)

You've been busy [Big Grin]

J
 
Posted by luvanddaisies (# 5761) on :
 
[idle speculation] I wonder what the annals of Shipstory will say about the whole Cosmogate thing... [/idle speculation]
 
Posted by Roseofsharon (# 9657) on :
 
I have just returned to SoF after a computer meltdown took me offline for a couple of months. I have gradually been checking out threads that I have missed, and have spent two long and painful evenings trawling through 'the Cosmogate thing'.
I found all the bad feelings expressed by some shipmates over the handling of the case most distressing, but the thing that bothered me more were references to something involving Unicycle/Curious Buddhist/sockpuppets which seems to have caused some upset during my absence.

Although I didn't post on the Curious Buddhist thread I had followed it closely, with much admiration for what she had endured, and for her bravery. I know many shipmates had been closely involved in supporting her in those last weeks, and would hate to think that their care had been abused in some way.

I've had a look around the Ship, but am not very well versed in using the 'search' facility, and have not been able to find anything about the problems referred to. If there is more information somewhere that I haven't located, could someone post a link for me, please?

When I first joined SoF I thought it was too fiercely moderated. Since then I have read some of the Ship's history. Having seen how some people like to overstep the boundaries, and seeing how quickly feelings can boil up and posts become intemperate I am glad we have firm hands on the tiller!
 
Posted by sakura (# 1449) on :
 
I asked the same question via PM to a couple of Admins when I returned after an absence and saw vague references to the "Unicycle/CB affair". They were very helpful and I suggest you do the same for the full story. Like you I had followed the CB story closely.

But, in a nutshell, Curious Buddhist, Al and Yish et al did not exist. They (and some other identities) were all the creatures of some very twisted person's brain. Apparently there was a long thread about it which has since been placed in the (non visible) archive. Sorry to be the one to tell you! [Frown]
 
Posted by Roseofsharon (# 9657) on :
 
Thanks Sakura, and those Shipmates who have PM'd me. I don't need, or want, any further information than that which you have provided.

My thoughts and sympathies are with those who had opened their hearts to CB, you must feel betrayed and abused, and very wary of trusting other shipmates at the moment.

What a twisted, pathetic person, with a life so unrewarding that so much time and effort can be wasted on a complicated and spiteful scam?
 
Posted by altarbird (# 11983) on :
 
It has taken me a while to figure this thread out, as I didn't notice the dates at first and thought all the references to "two years ago" meant 2004!

Having started at the beginning, I found myself wondering why Shaun (who I think was the second or third poster) got banned, and that was long before Cosmogate and the Bhuddist thing, whcih confused me even more at first, but at least now has been explained. And I loved the Nativity Play! (Only through scene 1 so far, but I'll keep going. It is great.) Was Shaun in fact banned, or is this just a Ship injoke, like Erin being tiny little judge? And was is Fiddleback unregistered? Or is that also a little joke?
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
Shaun was banned long ago. For reasons other than anything posted on this thread.

Fiddleback was de-registered a long time back. Again for reasons other than anything posted on this thread. He was let back on after repenting in sackcloth and ashes.
 
Posted by altarbird (# 11983) on :
 
Is there a difference between being banned and un-registered?
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
Banned is usually just a matter of checking boxes on the profile that prevent the user from posting on the Ship or sending/receiving PMs. It's the same as a suspension, but for an indefinite period. So, posts by that person will remain with their avatar, sig etc still in place.

Un-registration totally removes all record of that user from the system. It's a much more substantial action, reserved for those who manage to seriously piss Simon off.
 
Posted by altarbird (# 11983) on :
 
I'm confused. If you can come back from un-registration, but not from banning, wouldn't that make banning more serious?
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
People have returned from being banned too. If someone has been banned by simply having their ability to post deactivated they can be reinstated by simply having their account reactivated. If someone has had themselves un-registered they can only return by re-registering as a new user (with the permission of the Admins, of course).
 
Posted by the giant cheeseburger (# 10942) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Alan Cresswell:
Un-registration totally removes all record of that user from the system. It's a much more substantial action, reserved for those who manage to seriously piss Simon off.

I'm confused by this unregistration thing - surely it would muck up all the threads the person posted on. Or is it more useful in cases of extreme trolling that you want to remove completely, like Dattaswami's self praising homilies not too long ago?

Anyway, I just thought I would throw in my 2c worth and draw your attention to this rather special avatar I noticed on this thread. Surely that is the visual definition of scary! Maybe people with that avatar need a special status in place of "BANNED" - maybe "Gator snack?"
 
Posted by altarbird (# 11983) on :
 
The avatar is part of what made me think his banned thing was part of the joke! Since it was obviously a parody of Erin's avatar.And there do seem to be a lot of in jokes here.
 
Posted by mrs whibley (# 4798) on :
 
It seems to be a bit like being in a family - there are Things Which Are Not Talked About, and I wouldn't expect to find the answers on this thread!
However, since there are questions being banded about, I am puzzled that oftentimes in Limbo/Oblivion I come across a banned person called Reepicheep. While I wouldn't dare to ask why she was banned, the most puzzling thing is that even in her 'most recent posts' she refers to herself and others refer to her as Angel. So I imagine some sort of meltdown involving a second evil identity etc. etc.
Wouldn't it be sad if any of us, offered a time machine, chose to use it reading the whole and unexpurgated Ship from beginning to end! Of course, Erin, if offered such a machine might choose to escape the whole darn thing.

Mrs Whibley
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by altarbird:
The avatar is part of what made me think his banned thing was part of the joke! Since it was obviously a parody of Erin's avatar.And there do seem to be a lot of in jokes here.

Over the years the admins have changed. There was a time when Erin and David did practically all of the member admin tasks, including banning those who deserved it. The avatar was an entertaining, and in many ways fitting, way to mark that Erin had done the booting. We haven't actually used it for a booting in a long time, partly because the member admins are more likely to do the deed than Erin.
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by mrs whibley:
I am puzzled that oftentimes in Limbo/Oblivion I come across a banned person called Reepicheep. While I wouldn't dare to ask why she was banned, the most puzzling thing is that even in her 'most recent posts' she refers to herself and others refer to her as Angel. So I imagine some sort of meltdown involving a second evil identity etc. etc.

Nothing quite as convoluted as a meltdown with a second evil identity. Simply that Angel/Reepicheep was banned when the ability to change screen names was still activated, and that she changed name just before she was booted.
 
Posted by mrs whibley (# 4798) on :
 
Thanks Alan

You see, that's the whole problem with the truth, it's boring!

Mrs Whibley
 
Posted by fabula rasa (# 11436) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Alan Cresswell:
quote:
Originally posted by altarbird:
The avatar is part of what made me think his banned thing was part of the joke! Since it was obviously a parody of Erin's avatar.And there do seem to be a lot of in jokes here.

Over the years the admins have changed. There was a time when Erin and David did practically all of the member admin tasks, including banning those who deserved it. The avatar was an entertaining, and in many ways fitting, way to mark that Erin had done the booting. We haven't actually used it for a booting in a long time, partly because the member admins are more likely to do the deed than Erin.
But please, please don't ever get rid of the "Erin eating a Troll" avatar--it's too wonderful for words.
 
Posted by the giant cheeseburger (# 10942) on :
 
Maybe we need an avatar like this for miscreants of the newer sockpuppetish type.
 
Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:
Maybe we need an avatar like this for miscreants of the newer sockpuppetish type.

Just the threat might make people shape up.

Moo
 
Posted by monkeylizard (# 952) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Alan Cresswell:
The avatar was an entertaining, and in many ways fitting, way to mark that Erin had done the booting.

I've always thought that was Shaun's avatar by his choice and a way to make a dig at Erin. Now it's not as funny...or amybe it's funnier. I haven't decided yet.
 
Posted by Pure Sunshine (# 11904) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Alan Cresswell:
quote:
Originally posted by altarbird:
The avatar is part of what made me think his banned thing was part of the joke! Since it was obviously a parody of Erin's avatar.And there do seem to be a lot of in jokes here.

Over the years the admins have changed. There was a time when Erin and David did practically all of the member admin tasks, including banning those who deserved it. The avatar was an entertaining, and in many ways fitting, way to mark that Erin had done the booting. We haven't actually used it for a booting in a long time, partly because the member admins are more likely to do the deed than Erin.
Come on, I'm sure a little imagination could be used here. Impaled on Stoo's hook ... squashed by Scot's hand ... I bet even Chorister's teddy bear could turn into a grizzly if required. [Snigger]
 
Posted by The Great Gumby (# 10989) on :
 
It's a lovely thought, but Stoo and Chorister are Hosts, not Admins. Scot's hand, on the other, er, hand, sounds like an excellent idea! [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
don't mess wiv me on this ship or that's your bones I'm wearing
 
Posted by Pure Sunshine (# 11904) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by The Great Gumby:
It's a lovely thought, but Stoo and Chorister are Hosts, not Admins. Scot's hand, on the other, er, hand, sounds like an excellent idea! [Big Grin]

Ahh - I'd not quite got the difference yet.

Chorister - I'm scared now - I'll play nicely in the Circus from now on ... [Ultra confused]
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Scarlett:
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
Heh. I was just thinking the other day about starting a thread called "Nativity Play Reunion Call."

OMG! Would you??? [Yipee]
Now that December is officially on us, I composed an OP. Am now in revision stage.

Keep an eye on Heaven! [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Viola (# 20) on :
 
bump.

Seems appropriate right now...
 
Posted by JonahMan (# 12126) on :
 
Thanks for bumping this (except for doing so when I have loads of things I should be doing instead of reading it). Very interesting, and gives a good insight into why some comments are made and some actions taken.

I'm still in the dark over the details of Cosmogate if anyone would like to enlighten me - though this is only morbid curiosity, not anything important!

Jonah
 
Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
There is a thread in Oblivion about Cosmogate

Moo
 
Posted by rufiki (# 11165) on :
 
Could someone explain the significance of GIN?
 
Posted by Manipled Mutineer (# 11514) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by rufiki:
Could someone explain the significance of GIN?

It is a food substitute traditional amongst Anglo- and Traditional Catholics.
 
Posted by Professor Kirke (# 9037) on :
 
Well, rufiki, it's one of the foulest tasting substances on earth. A long time ago, someone who was Exceptionally Cool decided it would be funny to pretend that he liked GIN. Ever since, other people have also been pretending to like it (and to like it very, very much) so as to be Exceptionally Cool as well.
 
Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Professor Kirke:
Well, rufiki, it's one of the foulest tasting substances on earth. A long time ago, someone who was Exceptionally Cool decided it would be funny to pretend that he liked GIN. Ever since, other people have also been pretending to like it (and to like it very, very much) so as to be Exceptionally Cool as well.

Gin is a fine drink. But there's a great deal of pretension surrounding the myth that it's good to drink neat - for example, all the arrogance as to how dry one can make a martini.

T.
 
Posted by rufiki (# 11165) on :
 
I think you're not telling me the whole truth. Why, for example, is it always in CAPITALS? I smell a conspiracy. [Paranoid]
 
Posted by Viola (# 20) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by rufiki:
I think you're not telling me the whole truth. Why, for example, is it always in CAPITALS? I smell a conspiracy. [Paranoid]

Because once upon a time, a long long time ago, threads on gin were taking over the old Mystery Worshipper board. At some point, they were closed, on the basis that they were not relevant to the Mystery Worship reports that the board was there to discuss. It was suggested that if threads on a particular drink had to exist, they should do it in Heaven. However, a group of (mostly now departed) shipmates who saw the MW board as their only home on the ship complained and thus GIN in capitals became a sort of little protest.

And it seems that the folk memory likes to keep it that way as a sweet little memorial to an old dispute.

Or something like that anyway.

K.
 
Posted by Real Ale Methodist (# 7390) on :
 
Important things have initial capitals, proper nouns are in many ways more important than other nouns, so they get initial capitals, really important people get capital initials on their personal pronouns, GIN is extra specially important so it gets two extra capital letters.

Also G, I and N are the initials of the three highest grades of a spiky anglo-catholic masonic sect. I daren't tell you the full importance of same, and fully expect the conspiracy to get to this bit of the thread and delete my post...
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
On one of the Mischief Days / Hosts and Admins Days, the word 'gin' was eliminated from the boards altogether, even if it was part of a longer word. See my profile for example. No wonder singing is so much fun! [Biased]
 
Posted by Jimmy B (# 220) on :
 
cof cof, Viola missed out the integral, H&A day *** censoring. If memory serves correctly, the capitalisation came after the censoring; incited by Fiddleback (but of person I'm not certain). I thought it amusing at the time: a bunch of tat queens dancing around shouting GIN with unbridled glee after being repressed for a coupla days.

Nowdays it seems to be capitalised by anyone who really really really loves it.
[Projectile]
I cannot understand why. Satan uses it for enemas.
 
Posted by Spike (# 36) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Jimmy B:
If memory serves correctly, the capitalisation came after the censoring; incited by Fiddleback (but of person I'm not certain).



Sorry, but memory serves incorrectly. I think Viola's explanation is the most accurate as far as I can remember. Capitalising the word pre-dated the first H&A day by at least 3 years and was started by Cosmo I think. It was certainly He who started the first thread.

quote:

Nowdays it seems to be capitalised by anyone who really really really loves it.
[Projectile]
I cannot understand why. Satan uses it for enemas.

That's true, but Jesus gave us tonic water to drink with it.
 
Posted by Gort (# 6855) on :
 
Ah, yes! G&T, the social lubricant; clean, tart, refreshing!

[scotch should be reserved for solitary, spiritual introspection]
 
Posted by dogwonderer (# 12169) on :
 
Please could someone give me a brief history of what is mysteriously referred to as 'Cosmogate'?

This seems to have been an important event for the Ship, but extensive searching through the boards reveals only whispered references.

Thanks.
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
The main magazine article that covers most of 'Cosmogate' is here, which contains the basic story. Don't forget the follow up piece linked to from the bottom of that article.

There was an extensive discussion in the Styx, which is now here in Oblivion.
 
Posted by dogwonderer (# 12169) on :
 
Thank you, Alan- very helpful indeed.
 
Posted by PeteCanada (# 10422) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Real Ale Methodist:
Also G, I and N are the initials of the three highest grades of a spiky anglo-catholic masonic sect. I daren't tell you the full importance of same, and fully expect the conspiracy to get to this bit of the thread and delete my post...

I must strongly protest that I am neither anglo-catholic, masonic* or a tat-queen, yet I do love GIN with all my heart and soul!

*Masonic! Masonic? I must hie to report this heretical organisation to the Holy Inquisition ...
 
Posted by piers ploughman (# 13174) on :
 
This thread has to be one of the most disturbing reads I've had in a while. I find myself torn between admiration for the Ship's founders and administrators and deep disturbance at the dark hints of a history of recurrent bannings and exclusions - often for reasons that had nothing to do with the recipients' on-site behaviour. One has the impression of a collective mind behind it all that dearly loves control and and sense of its own seniority in a sub-system and despises critical questioning and genuine dissidence. Increasing age makes me wary of such behaviour, especially away from work.

There was, of course, a strange medieval cult called the Ship of Fools that reflected many of the same characteristics and about which Malcolm Lambert once wrote it: 'should remind us how odd and excitable an illiterate peasant population, subject to the uncertainties and pressures of the time, could be.'(!)
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by piers ploughman:
the dark hints of a history of recurrent bannings and exclusions - often for reasons that had nothing to do with the recipients' on-site behaviour.

I don't recall a single instance of a banning, or even a suspension, that wasn't the result of something other than behaviour on this site. Perhaps I'm being blind, but I don't see any "dark hints" of such activity on our part on this thread either.
 
Posted by piers ploughman (# 13174) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Alan Cresswell:
Shaun was banned long ago. For reasons other than anything posted on this thread.

Fiddleback was de-registered a long time back. Again for reasons other than anything posted on this thread. He was let back on after repenting in sackcloth and ashes.

This is one of the things I had in mind.
 
Posted by Dave Marshall (# 7533) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by piers ploughman:
One has the impression of a collective mind behind it all that dearly loves control and and sense of its own seniority in a sub-system...

Probably true, because management are clear about what the Ship is and what it isn't.
quote:
... and despises critical questioning and genuine dissidence.
Despises??? Nah. Critical questioning is blatantly obviously allowed. As for genuine dissidence, how does that work on a private website? If we can't persuade management, we're absolutely free to dissidence ourselves off to another site.
 
Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by piers ploughman:
This thread has to be one of the most disturbing reads I've had in a while.

Really?! Personally I find the thread entitled
Ear Worms in heaven, much more disturbing.
quote:

I find myself torn between admiration for the Ship's founders and administrators and deep disturbance at the dark hints of a history of recurrent bannings and exclusions - often for reasons that had nothing to do with the recipients' on-site behaviour. One has the impression of a collective mind behind it all that dearly loves control and and sense of its own seniority in a sub-system and despises critical questioning and genuine dissidence. Increasing age makes me wary of such behaviour, especially away from work.

I find that putting the kettle on and having a nice cup of tea does the trick when dark hints of history and the collective mind get a bit worrisome.

[cross posted with Dave Marshall's very similar response!]

[ 17. December 2007, 11:34: Message edited by: Chelley ]
 
Posted by Viola (# 20) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by piers ploughman:
quote:
Originally posted by Alan Cresswell:
Shaun was banned long ago. For reasons other than anything posted on this thread.

Fiddleback was de-registered a long time back. Again for reasons other than anything posted on this thread. He was let back on after repenting in sackcloth and ashes.

This is one of the things I had in mind.
He said 'on this thread' not 'on these boards'. Big difference. No-one has been banned here (as far as I recall) unless they've broken the commandments of these boards on these boards.

K.
 
Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
I've sometimes thought (more so in the past) that the "Hosts and Admins have it in for me" but what the heck, it's a bulletin board, not like my bread-and-butter living and the H&A's don't make a penny out of it either. If they decide to do something to make their lives easier so be it. We're guests, some of us paying guests.
 
Posted by piers ploughman (# 13174) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Chelley:
I find that putting the kettle on and having a nice cup of tea does the trick when dark hints of history and the collective mind get a bit worrisome.

Excellent advice, and well taken. It's a long thread and I'm learning that it's all too easy to go a tad potty after too much time on the Ship in one session without a break. [Ultra confused] Trouble is, I'm lovin' it!
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by piers ploughman:
quote:
Originally posted by Alan Cresswell:
Shaun was banned long ago. For reasons other than anything posted on this thread.

Fiddleback was de-registered a long time back. Again for reasons other than anything posted on this thread. He was let back on after repenting in sackcloth and ashes.

This is one of the things I had in mind.
Just to repeat some of what Viola had said. That comment was in response to a post by altarbird just over a year ago, who asked about Shaun and Fiddleback. My point in posting that was to clarify some confusion as the OPer (Shaun) was banned after starting this thread, and Fiddleback was unregistered after he posted here (top of page 2). In both cases their banning/deregistration was for their actions elsewhere on the Ship - they did nothing wrong on this thread. The actual posts where they created enough problems to warrant the action taken against them have long since been removed.
 
Posted by luvanddaisies (# 5761) on :
 
Was wondering whether this thread might benefit from a journey back up to the top of page 1, given the birthday celebrations yesterday...
 
Posted by Organ Builder (# 12478) on :
 
I'm bumping this up. I could say it is because it has been linked to in another thread and it would be useful for new members and I appreciated it when someone pointed it out when I first joined the ship and...

But the truth is I want/need to re-read it myself. I won't be able to do that in one sitting, and I want the thread near the top where it will be handy.
 
Posted by Apothecary (# 3886) on :
 
I've just searched for this thread, and suspect it may be of interest to others who do not know of its existence, so I'm bumping it.
 
Posted by booktonmacarthur (# 14308) on :
 
Thanks, I had forgotten about this thread.
 
Posted by Tazman (# 12891) on :
 
Erin and Simon, et al, it's amazing how Hurricane led to the Ship-of-Fools name being spread over other net sites. Do you think it played a part in getting the magazine known? - Not to credit Joanna with it, just asking if there was there a link between the persecution [my word] and the success?

Thanks for the work that make SoF possible.

Another question. How has SoF been portrayed/reported in the press since then? (I might google it tomorrow, but wondering also about offline press/media, Christian and mainstream.)

I couldn't read the whole thread through tonight. I was skimming through to find out if the OPer was HJ back in a hat *shudder.*

Taz

(Ed. to make sense)

[ 08. September 2009, 00:49: Message edited by: Tazman ]
 
Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :
 
Taz, you could start with the "Ship of Fools Media Sightings (general)" thread here in the Styx.
 
Posted by Tazman (# 12891) on :
 
[Hot and Hormonal]
 
Posted by Late Quartet (# 1207) on :
 
Noticed the stats on here for active members in 2004 and 2006: any chance of an update?
 
Posted by Belisarius (# 32) on :
 
Sure--at the time of writing:

There are 1,965 Shipmates (Active Registrations with 51+ posts).

1,107 Shipmates have posted this year.

663 Shipmates have posted this month.

ETA:

1,572 Active Registrations have posted this year.

755 Active Registrations have posted this month.

[ 06. January 2010, 15:08: Message edited by: Belisarius ]
 
Posted by jlg (# 98) on :
 
And as that little bit of data attached to the previous three posters shows (low post counts but been around nearly forever), our lurkers and low-activity members are just as important as any of the five-digit ones. If not more so.
 
Posted by Campbellite (# 1202) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by jlg:
And as that little bit of data attached to the previous three posters shows (low post counts but been around nearly forever), our lurkers and low-activity members are just as important as any of the five-digit ones. If not more so.

There are only 45 Shipmates with five digits. We are WAY outnumbered by the lurkers and low- activity members. Without y'all we would just be talking to ourselves. So no change there. [Razz]
 
Posted by jacobsen (# 14998) on :
 
Nice to find this thread again. I love history.

[Biased]
 
Posted by Tallis' Canon (# 67) on :
 
As a Shipmate with a low membership number and lower post count, I really value the ship and the thoughts it gives me about life and faith. I don't post very often, but lurk a quite a bit and am made richer for the experience.

Thanks to all for helping me stumble along my faith journey.

[Overused] [Overused] [Overused]
 
Posted by Late Quartet (# 1207) on :
 
Thanks Belisarius for the new info. so quickly arrived at for month 105(?!) of the boards!

Here's my little go at a very brief analysis.

When you posted back in April 2006 (month 61) you compared back to July 2004 (month 40 for the ubb boards)
quote:
Originally posted by Belisarius in April 2006:

So far, 1,491 registrations have made Shipmate status, of which 697 have posts for this month [April '06], compared (per previous page) to a 539/1,042 ratio in July 2004. The percentage of active posters has gone down, but the overall traffic has probably gone up about a third.

I can see that shipmates posting in these random months (40, 61 and 109) are 539, 697 and 663, which I guess looks like a constant against the total number of shipmates which has continued to grow 1042, 1491 and 1965.

What's most significant though for me is that of the 1965 people who've achieved shipmate status nearly 60% (1107) have posted this year, showing a sustained connection for many of us (however infrequently we post here).
 
Posted by frin (# 9) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Tallis' Canon:
As a Shipmate with a low membership number and lower post count, I really value the ship and the thoughts it gives me about life and faith.

This very post just took your post count above your member number - congratulations!

'frin
 
Posted by Vulpior (# 12744) on :
 
I have just read this thread and it has prompted me to venture into Limbo. I can see I am going to spend hours there, having just laughed my way through the whole of "A small group experience in spiritual formation"
 
Posted by Hennah (# 9541) on :
 
For those made as curious as I was about the above, this is the thread Vuplior is talking about from Hell. Sine at his best.
 
Posted by Vulpior (# 12744) on :
 
Oh, Hennah, you've spoilt the fun! People might now go straight to the thread rather than browsing for it. That means that they could miss so many gems and only spend one hour in Limbo rather than four or five... [Devil]
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
That's given me an idea.
 
Posted by Traveller (# 1943) on :
 
The fun part I find about the ship's history in Limbo is that you see and then remember shipmate's previous names, as any post edited by them has their name at the time noted.

I can just about remember that "The Amazing Mavis" was "Left at the Altar" for a long time, but now I find a post from 02 April 2004 where the message was edited by "Shagged at the Altar". [Eek!] [Big Grin] [Razz]
 
Posted by jlg (# 98) on :
 
Having seen two threads started with Gadget for God suggestions, I went poking around in the Styx cellars looking for the consolidated GfG thread. Didn't find it, so I guess the hosts decided it was time for a new one, which I'll let them start.

But I did find this ever-valuable thread languishing on page 3 and am hereby bouncing it up for both the edification of any newbies and the joy of reminiscence for any and all.

I think I'm due for a re-read myself.
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
This thread had been accidentally deleted. It's worth reading now more than ever.
 
Posted by wilson (# 37) on :
 
From this thread:

quote:
Originally posted by Erin:
My main Ship-related activity consists of sticking pins into various dolls.

[Smile]
 
Posted by Marvin the Martian (# 4360) on :
 
Thanks Alan. I'm glad the thread was salvageable [Smile]

[ 06. January 2011, 09:24: Message edited by: Marvin the Martian ]
 
Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on :
 
Thanks, Alan - I was looking for this thread the other evening after the news broke. I just assumed I didn't know how to use the search function properly!

For anyone who doesn't know it already, the "Future History of the Ship" thread, which ran in 2003, is currently on page 5 of Limbo. Full of in-jokes involving Shipmates past and present. Also, just now, rather poignant. From Erin, on that thread:
quote:
Originally posted by Erin: June 2005 In a stunning development, people figure out that they can simply avoid threads they do not like. The admins suddenly gain 64 hours every day from not having to explain this fact to griping shipmates. The price of gin plummets.


 
Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Here's a link to the Future History of the Ship thread.
 
Posted by Taliesin (# 14017) on :
 
thanks for that link. I went there, and in 2003 Chorister said:
quote:
December 2010 - Bill Gates throws a tantrum because in a 'most famous computer personality of all time' national TV opinion poll, Erin Etheridge scores more votes than he does.

In light of the all the tributes and all the love pouring out for her now - not just here - it seemed almost prophetic.
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
If we're very, very lucky, this from Ariel might prove to be prophetic, too:

By 2032, Erin has had herself cloned, and runs the Ship in perpetuity.

Only I'm not sure whether the cloning device had completed its test run by December 2010. [Frown]
 
Posted by itokro (# 16135) on :
 
Another one from the Future History thread:

quote:
Jan 2011 Erin breaks in the new year by randomly flaming newbies, just for the hell of it. Everyone else realises that it's going to be a great year.
I wish this one had been prophetic. Even if it means I'd have to endure a flaming.
 
Posted by mrs whibley (# 4798) on :
 
I've been re-reading about the 'Mystery Bullshipper'(aka Cosmogate). There appear to be two completely separate churches in Reading involved, Most Holy Trinity and St Mark's. OK, they are very close geographically and both appear to be FiF and under the see of Ebbsfleet, but they seemed to be merged into one in the Mystery Bullshipper report. One of the original MWs was of Most Holy Trinity, and the letters of complaint came from St Mark's. What's going on?
 
Posted by Arrietty (# 45) on :
 
According to Day 29 of this Forward in Faith list of intentions, they are two churches but with the same vicar and the same curate.

[ 09. January 2011, 17:23: Message edited by: Arrietty ]
 
Posted by Qoheleth. (# 9265) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Arrietty:
According to Day 29 of this Forward in Faith list of intentions, they are two churches but with the same vicar and the same curate.

That's my understanding, too. ACNY reports them as distinct parishes.
 
Posted by mrs whibley (# 4798) on :
 
Thanks Arietty, it would explain it if they were (or at least had been in 2006). The contacts given by the Diocese of Oxford are different, and neither are the names mentioned in your link. Most Holy Trinity has quite a nice website, which you would think would mention another charge under the same 'management'. I wonder if the background upset described in the Mystery Bullshipper lead to a splitting of the charge?
 
Posted by Viola (# 20) on :
 
Arrietty is correct. At the time of the reports, the personnel was as in the link she gave.

Church 'teams' always seem to be changing around here, so I imagine there have been change in Reading also over 4 years.
 
Posted by itokro (# 16135) on :
 
While we're on the subject of Mystery Worship: how did the MW project come about?
 
Posted by Ancient Mariner (# 4) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by itokro:
While we're on the subject of Mystery Worship: how did the MW project come about?

I had the idea when consulting in PR for a trade show on the market research industry. It was, at first, a play on words in my mind - mystery shopper sounded wonderfully, playfully close to mystery worshipper.

Simon and I then constructed the 20 questions before the launch of online SoF in 1998. The rest is history - and a lot of hard work on the part of those who edit the reports (thanks, folks [Overused] ).
 
Posted by Eutychus (# 3081) on :
 
I've found the MW questions to be an excellent informal test of various churches, and once used them in a very productive home group meeting in (and about) my own church.
 
Posted by Siegfried (# 29) on :
 
This thread is allowing me to date my arrival on the ship to sometime in 2000, then. Interesting read!
 
Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
I was just having another read of the Future history of the Ship thread. Who is Wood? [Snigger]

On another note - what has happened to the 'archive' link, as it doesn't lead anywhere? And where has the famous TnT gone?
 
Posted by Spike (# 36) on :
 
Which archive link do you mean? It may be an old link still hanging around from the days when we had a board called "archive"

As far as TnT goes, this question came up recently

It would appear that it was deleted, along with a few other redundant boards when we upgraded the software a few years ago.
 
Posted by Belisarius (# 32) on :
 
Yes--the Archive was the original version of the Limbo Board; at one point, it was discontinued and its threads returned to their original boards.
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
assumed it was the archive link in the intro text for Limbo. That, IIRC, went to an archive of threads from the Neoworks boards pre-2001. The link went dead when the Ship moved servers a couple of years back and somehow the archived stuff from the old days didn't quite make it where it should have gone.
 
Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
Thanks for the answers! I knew I'd read various ex-threads in the time I've been here that seemed to have vanished. That explains why.
 
Posted by wilson (# 37) on :
 
The TnT board was shut down and subsequently moved but the posts were copied to oblivion.

See e.g. here for starters.

(Lest it cause confusion- at the bottom of that page there are threads from a temporary Orthodox board set up to celebrate Mousethief hitting 10,000 posts IIRC)
 
Posted by passer (# 13329) on :
 
If it's of any interest, someone (Jengie? apologies if not) posted a link to this revered place recently. This is the magazine, of course, not the boards, and there are a number of dead links, but still interesting to browse.
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
Purple is cool. [Cool]
 
Posted by Persephone Hazard (# 4648) on :
 
Yes, this whole thread has taken on a new poignancy now; and Erin is not the only person who has posted on it who is no longer with us [Frown]

On the matter of 'asking about things you might not be supposed to ask about' - which is something that this thread, that I've just read right the way through for the first time, seems to have oft been used for - may I please enquire about Max? I've seen a few dark hints and a small amount of fuss in Hell, and am curious. I remember him from before my shore leave. I even met him once or twice.

[ 09. September 2011, 18:31: Message edited by: Persephone Hazard ]
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
Max played one too many silly games with the community here. Juvenile practical jokes may have their place somewhere, there's only so much we will take of people treating others on the Ship as playthings for their amusement.

When your dad sees the light and becomes a Young Earth Creationist then we might consider letting Max back on board.
 
Posted by leo (# 1458) on :
 
I saw Max a month or so ago - he is incredibly grown up since the time he was banned. People change.
 
Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
I suppose that his growing up in at least some senses was inevitable. The fact that it may have occurred in others is also incredible.

[ 11. September 2011, 08:24: Message edited by: Gee D ]
 
Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
Just another Ship history-related question. Although I'm not a very prolific poster, I was around at the first three Host&Admin days that were celebrated when Erin, Mousethief and Chorister (I guess in that order) hit 10.000 posts on the Ship.

I remember that these H&A days used to have themes relating to the poster we celebrated, and that we changed our screen names according to the theme (the Ship's software still allowed for name changes in those times). For example, with Mousethief we had an Orthodox theme, and I changed my name to LeRostov. Wich Chorister we had a musical theme, and I had something like LeRock'n'Roll.

I can't seem to remember very well: did we have a theme at the first H&A day, celebrated for Erin? Was it alligators or something like that? And did we change screen names for that day?

Thank you.
 
Posted by Think² (# 1984) on :
 
I recall a ship awards ceremony - can't remember the year - is there still an active link to that board ?
 
Posted by JFH (# 14794) on :
 
Wouldst it be that ye be referring to this?
 
Posted by Think² (# 1984) on :
 
Yes, ta muchly ...
 
Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by JFH:
Wouldst it be that ye be referring to this?

wow. fun. great memories. what a bunch of freaks we all are.
 
Posted by Marvin the Martian (# 4360) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by LeRoc:
did we have a theme at the first H&A day, celebrated for Erin?

The fact that it was a H&A Day was the theme [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Spike (# 36) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by LeRoc:
Just another Ship history-related question. Although I'm not a very prolific poster, I was around at the first three Host&Admin days that were celebrated when Erin, Mousethief and Chorister (I guess in that order) hit 10.000 posts on the Ship.

I remember that these H&A days used to have themes relating to the poster we celebrated, and that we changed our screen names according to the theme (the Ship's software still allowed for name changes in those times). For example, with Mousethief we had an Orthodox theme, and I changed my name to LeRostov. Wich Chorister we had a musical theme, and I had something like LeRock'n'Roll.

I can't seem to remember very well: did we have a theme at the first H&A day, celebrated for Erin? Was it alligators or something like that? And did we change screen names for that day?

Thank you.

There wasn't a theme other than to allow the H&As to do whatever we wanted. The other "special" days for reaching 10000 posts (Chorister, Mousethief and ken) weren't H&A days as such, particularly as only one of those posters was a host anyway. They were just allowed to pick a theme for the day.
 
Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
quote:
Spike: There wasn't a theme other than to allow the H&As to do whatever we wanted. The other "special" days for reaching 10000 posts (Chorister, Mousethief and ken) weren't H&A days as such, particularly as only one of those posters was a host anyway. They were just allowed to pick a theme for the day.
So, for Chorister, Mousethief and ken we didn't do the full H&A mayhem? That's not really how I remember them (but I can be wrong of course).

IIRC, Chorister's 10k were during Church of Fools, a time when the Ship got a large stream of new members. At that time, I remember one of the regulars complaining: "Is it a good idea to have all this mayhem with so many newcomers arriving? What image will they have of us?" (Said member was then told by Erin to lighten up, in her own, er... particular way [Biased] )
 
Posted by Spike (# 36) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by LeRoc:
So, for Chorister, Mousethief and ken we didn't do the full H&A mayhem? That's not really how I remember them (but I can be wrong of course).

Not as such. I think we may have had some "guest" hosts for the duration. A full blown H&A day means anything goes which includes random thread movement/closure, members being suspended on a whim, entire boards disappearing and, best of all, Marvin hosting All Saints. [Big Grin]
 
Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
Hehe, I can't wait for the next H&A Day. (Although I guess they come when you least expect them. I'm sure there's something in the Bible about that [Biased] )

But if I may ask: what did we do during the theme days for mousethief, Chorister and Ken? I was there, but my memory isn't very detailed.

I remember that we had orthodox/musical/... name changes, and that we opened many threads with orthodox/musical/... themes. Or did we do more things than that?

And what was the theme for Ken's day? I'm not sure if I was around for that one.

I'm asking just out of curiosity, and to refresh my memory of these days, which were quite nice. But I guess it could be interesting for newer members as well, who weren't around at the time.

[Duplicate post deleted - T]

[ 15. November 2011, 10:48: Message edited by: Tubbs ]
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
On the music theme day, we had musical name changes and the Chorry Awards - prizes of medals with foil covered chocolate in the centre. I can't remember what they were awarded for, though - perhaps a winner could post and remind us. It might have been poetry with a musical theme. Otherwise, I'm really struggling to remember now, it was a long time ago.
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
Just googled it - this is the only reference I could find: Chorister's Groupies. It was back in the day when threads weren't automatically oblivionated, they could be deleted without trace. So I think the rest were lost. (Unless anyone with powers of greater detection than mine can find them.)
 
Posted by Ann (# 94) on :
 
I remember with Mousethief and Ken we were allowed (or encouraged if the facility had not been stopped by then) to change our names to something relevant to the theme of the day - Mousethief was Orthodoxy (with a side-order of circumcision IIRC - either then or on some other H&A day) and Ken was Roundhead 17th Century. There was much weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth when people found out they could not return to their screen names (unless they were the same as their log-in names) because the system hadn't released them and thought they were still in use.
 
Posted by Marvin the Martian (# 4360) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Spike:
and, best of all, Marvin hosting All Saints. [Big Grin]

Next time I will not be so forgiving.
 
Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Marvin the Martian:
quote:
Originally posted by Spike:
and, best of all, Marvin hosting All Saints. [Big Grin]

Next time I will not be so forgiving.
You know you love it, honeybuns!
 
Posted by Dark Knight (# 9415) on :
 
This wonderful thread had slipped to page 3. I thought it an opportune time to bump it back up by asking the question: How did the Hell board come about? And how (if it has) did it develop? I have formed the impression that it was the product of the unholy admin union of Erin (peace be upon her) and David.
 
Posted by Hedgehog (# 14125) on :
 
I was reviewing this thread earlier this morning, DK, for the same reason. Page 1 seems to have the most info about the development of the Boards. What I have gleaned (and more seasoned members please correct me) is as follows:

clare commented:

quote:
...the Shiptalk board started life as the letters page. In fact, the whole thing did, as far as I know when the ship first sailed the letters page started to take on a life of its own, which led to the bulletin board format, as being more discussion friendly.
A portion of the Boards started out life as a subscription service, as a way to keep away abusive posters (see the whole discussion on "Hurricane Joanne"). There were both pay boards and free boards Tubbs recalled:

quote:
The subscription charges were introduced after the departure of the "Ten-Horned Beast of the Apocalypse" to ensure that nothing like that would ever happen again. The rational was, if I remember rightly, that paid access would act as a discouragement ...
Erin provided a link to something that was supposed to explain the whole subscription changes, but sadly the link no longer works.

clare continued (with some editing from me):

quote:
When the boards became subscription the letters page was kept as a way for non paying readers to put up comments on the ship content.

* * * *

IIRC when the boards did the heaven/hell etc split this was renamed from the 'letters page' to 'shiptalk board'.. and in reality became a sort of parallel discussion comunity to the main boards - yeah... the skinflints! So when the boards went free again it made sense to integrate them all.

The split creating Heaven, Purgatory and Hell seems to have occurred around the same time as the subscription changes. On April 5, 2002, Alan Cresswell recalled:

quote:
This time last year, and for a while before that, there were two sets of boards running on the Ship. The main boards (Purgatory, Hell etc) you had to pay to contribute to. In addition, there were some additional free to post to boards; MW was one of these (it is somewhat unfair if people at a church that's been MW'd then have to pay a subscription to respond to the report), there was also a general discussion board (I've forgotten what we called it) where I reckon the intention was that people could try out the boards before subscribing.
With free registration on these new boards the division between free and subscriber boards became irrelevant. The old free general discussion board vanished into Purgatory.

Similarly, Schroedinger's cat wrote:

quote:
I started on the old boards, and didn't quite get round to paying my subscription. But I only posted on Small Fire (which was free ), so I didn't feel a need to progress at that time.
IIRC, the deeper boards ( Heaven, hell and purg ) were subscription only, and the others ( MW, SF, UM? ) were free, because they benefitted from a wider audience participation.

None of this tells us WHO came up with the idea of the Heaven/Purg/Hell split, but the impression that I get is that the split came at the time that some of the boards were subscription based. I welcome any more seasoned shipmates to correct me if my reconstruction is wrong.

As a side point, could we possibly thumbtack this History thread to the front page of Limbo?It does provide a great service to new shipmates and it is rather a shame when it falls off the active page.
 
Posted by monkeylizard (# 952) on :
 
You're correct about the paid vs. free and what went where. As a general rule, the boards dedicated to discussing items on the main Ship pages were free. So that would include MW, Small Fire, etc. Boards meant for general discussions of Christian Unrest were subscription. That's the way I remember it, but we're going back more than a decade now.

I had been reading the main Ship pages since within a month or two of its launch, but didn't register on the boards until a little while after the merger. The 3 main boards were already in place at that time to the best of my recollection. I don't recall a time w/o those 3 (Heaven, Purgatory, Hell).

With this crew, I'd say that the need for a way to keep discussions on track while still allowing the requisite name-calling became apparent rather quickly, even during subscription days. [Smile] The Hell board is one of the best ways I have seen this done on any web forum that has a need for that kind of seperation and containment.

[ 01. May 2012, 17:45: Message edited by: monkeylizard ]
 
Posted by no_prophet (# 15560) on :
 
This was a very interesting read. I'd not noticed the topic before. As a recent joiner here, I had no knowledge or acquaintance with some of the famous people. I joined after my ISP stopped carrying newsgroups, and another hosted board where I was first a mod (host in SOF parlance) then an admin with, had closed.

It would seem that that many of you are along the lines of 'original disciples' and 'gospel writers', and those, like myself, are only glimpsing small tidbits after the fact from mostly shadowy references, e.g., regarding admin person Erin. Many of you seem to me to be the gospel writers, have written the letters, or are sources for the written history. The newer of us have limited information outside of threads like this one and mention of how so-and-so would have responded to this or that.

To start on a board where much history is part of its culture, was intimidating and sometimes off putting. It is difficult to appreciate 'summer camp last summer' (and summers before) when you weren't at the camp last summer or earlier. It takes a little perseverance to weather through some of that, confronted with an in-crowd some of whom wish to ensure, it has seemed at times, that we know our places as newbies. I will be a newbie forever I should think, given late joining and no original knowledge of the saints or glorified members.

I understand, given the reading of the thread, the 'apocalypse beast' trouble, and developmental progressions. I suspect that with or without intention the ship will develop in new directions with new members, or perhaps that's hopeful arrogance (?). Finally, I wonder, what current statistics reflect in terms of numbers of active posters, active threads, etc., compare over some samples of time.
 
Posted by Jengie Jon (# 273) on :
 
As one of the more weatherbeaten members I can give some idea of some of the answers. In some ways as far as Erin is concerned, she was a person with clear boundaries. She stuck to them and was respected for doing that. I suspect this is one of the reasons why ever since I can recall there have been admin and hostly discussions that ordinary ship members were not included in. These have rarely been divulged on the ship.

Early days were more ephemeral than now and some things are gone for good. This is the second incarnation of the UBB boards since they became public. The older one did not have avatars or smillies irc. Threads could also only be ten pages long. There is nothing remaining of that board afaik as they were over-written in the upgrade. I like other shipmates were on those boards and just signed up automatically for these.

I think there may be something left of the Shiptalk, Small Fires, Mystery Worship and Godly Fear boards but I do not know for sure. Even so when these boards started there was a tendency to delete threads when they became old. Since then first Limbo and then Oblivion have been created.

Numbers on the ship peaked around 2004/5 I think both in terms of active members and people online at any time.

The early two thousands were also more into role play, not just the Nativity play but the Ark and such as well as party threads in Heaven where I was amazed at peoples creativity but I rarely posted in Heaven then because a lot of the current circus activity happened there. T&T also came and went.

The updating of the cafe caused a change. I believe the old cafe was fairly active, with a crowd often there, the current one is much quieter. People seemed to find other places to talk and that with the growth of Flickr, Facebook and Twitter have led to a more dispersed community as people who know each other from the ship keep in contact in other ways.

Is that useful?

Jengie
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
A few of the old threads are available if you are interested enough to Google them.

As for no prophet's comments, if you wish to belong to an organisation enough, you will be willing to wade through the nostalgia and close friendships that have built up over the years and find a niche where you belong. Just like in real time churches. Stick it out for a while, and you'll be fine. [Smile]
 
Posted by no_prophet (# 15560) on :
 
That's good additional info. I have indeed weathered a few things and learned about the ship's culture. It was inordinately and surprisingly helpful to have essentially anonymous contributions toward some very difficult life evens, with radically kind people behind some of the rather odd ship-names.
 
Posted by Mary LA (# 17040) on :
 
I've also found this thread helpful and very funny in places, some useful existing links that show how policies evolved.

I don't know about the similarities with joining a church community -- I haven't had that in real life for a while, but I do frequent another kind of forum where I feel at home after five or six years of accumulated history and friendships with regulars. It does take time to get the sense of belonging and acceptance.
 
Posted by luvanddaisies (# 5761) on :
 
Thought this thread might be a useful bit of supplementary reading to the "This is a great place, seriously" thread currently hovering near the top of The Styx, so this is partly a bump...
...but it's also wondering if there ever will be a book about SoF's history, as mentioned by Kelly way way back in this thread. It'd be an interesting look at the development of a very successful online community, challenges to it along the way (Hurricane Joanne, Curious Buddhist, Cosmogate), the online community's reaction to bereavement (and this thread has a few people's posts on it who are now memorialised on the Glory board, which is always strange to read their posts now, still present in a conversation after their authors' death. A strange feeling, that), innovations over time (the different boards, especially the use of the Hell boards, the Ark, the CofF, St Pixels, and how it's now a pretty much entirely separate community), an interesting reflection of people discussing faith online, and how that's played out over the years, and might be a reflection of how the prevailing approach, and individual posters' opinions on some topics (various Dead Horses being the most obvious things) has changed (or not) over time.

It'd be a book that might be interesting to a lot of people - posters here, current and former, Christians, people with an interest in internet communities...

I wonder how much in the way of Organ Fund donations or something it would take for SoF to be able to maybe commission a writer or two to take it on, maybe with an initial consultation thread here on what people would be interested to know. There are people here whose jobs are word-smithery, research, number & statistic crunching... I'm sure they're all busy, but if we could pay them something they'd be the people to do it - with an understanding of the community and stuff.
Anyway, that's all just speculation. It'd be really interesting though, although has the potential to be pretty lengthy, but I'd be really interested to read it, and (if I ever get a job and earn money again, fingers crossed for the one I've just applied for), I'd be willing to chuck some cash into a pot.

.


I suppose some of the threads in Dead Horses are old enough to show the development of attitudes a bit anyway, about their own topics - for example the ancient Homosexuality and Christianity thread , its 93 pages currently resident on page 3 of DH. (I actually read through that whole thread once. It got somewhat repetitive. That said, there are some great posts on it, Joan D-O-D, Arabella-P-W and Inanna - ?is that the right name? - particularly stick in my mind for some of their posts.)
 
Posted by scuffleball (# 16480) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by luvanddaisies:
It'd be an interesting look at the development of a very successful online community, challenges to it along the way (Hurricane Joanne, Curious Buddhist, Cosmogate),...

What is curious buddhist? Google is not my friend.
 
Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
Curious Buddhist was a Shipmate who told a number of tragic stories and garnered a lot of sympathy. There were a number of supporting sock puppets feeding into the stories of sickness and car crashes - but the whole lot was later revealed as a version of Munchausen by internet.

Didn't Curious Buddhist return later as Unicycle? We had a whole prayer thread deleted to remove Unicycle's posts. And Shipmates became a lot more cynical
 
Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
The really bad thing about Curious Buddhist and her sockpuppets was that she kept telling very tragic stories about herself, seeking help and sympathy. Many shipmates responded, and when they learned it was all a fake, it was a massive letdown.

Moo
 
Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on :
 
If one performs the Google search "Curious Buddhist Ship of Fools" this link is the first.
If accurate, this gives a broader picture of the events than only searching on SOF.
 
Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Curiosity killed ...:
Didn't Curious Buddhist return later as Unicycle? We had a whole prayer thread deleted to remove Unicycle's posts. And Shipmates became a lot more cynical

"Unicycle" was posting at the same time as Curious Buddhist and all her wider sock puppets. S/he was also posting as "tryingtobefriendly" IIRC, also around the same time - but that character mainly migrated to St Pixels and ended up causing havoc there too. If memory serves me, wasn't one of the things that led the PTB to put two and two together that Curious Buddhist and co here and tryingtobefriendly on St Pixels were both posting about their cat, and posting pictures of the same cat? The other feature in common was lots of dramatic back stories - CB and all that Bosnia stuff, unicycle claiming to be married to someone who died in a real-life motorway crash, and tryingtobefriendly as severely autistic. It must have been exhausting and a full-time job trying to maintain all those personae at the same time.
 
Posted by Tubbs (# 440) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Jack the Lass:
quote:
Originally posted by Curiosity killed ...:
Didn't Curious Buddhist return later as Unicycle? We had a whole prayer thread deleted to remove Unicycle's posts. And Shipmates became a lot more cynical

"Unicycle" was posting at the same time as Curious Buddhist and all her wider sock puppets. S/he was also posting as "tryingtobefriendly" IIRC, also around the same time - but that character mainly migrated to St Pixels and ended up causing havoc there too. If memory serves me, wasn't one of the things that led the PTB to put two and two together that Curious Buddhist and co here and tryingtobefriendly on St Pixels were both posting about their cat, and posting pictures of the same cat? The other feature in common was lots of dramatic back stories - CB and all that Bosnia stuff, unicycle claiming to be married to someone who died in a real-life motorway crash, and tryingtobefriendly as severely autistic. It must have been exhausting and a full-time job trying to maintain all those personae at the same time.
People had suspicions for a while as it should have been possible to confirm some of the details from third party sources. The cat pictures were the confirmation that they were all one and the same, although there were other things as well. It may have been just one person or a group of housemates seeing how far their prank would run before they got busted.

Tubbs

[ 01. September 2013, 15:49: Message edited by: Tubbs ]
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Nev Schulman ain't got nothing on us...

[ 01. September 2013, 17:16: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]
 
Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on :
 
Given that it is at least possible that Catfish might not be a textbook documentary, what are you saying about the Ship, Kelly?
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
He's got a tv show now, and walks the viewer through helpful tips on how to research a person's FB profile, stuff like that, while stalking "catfish". And whether the show is staged or not, he's fuckin' cute as hell.

But it was more or less a flip remark, so, you can take it that way, too. [Big Grin]

[ 01. September 2013, 18:06: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]
 
Posted by Pyx_e (# 57) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by luvanddaisies:

...but it's also wondering if there ever will be a book about SoF's history,

Graphic Novel!!!!!
 
Posted by Robert Armin (# 182) on :
 
Written and drawn by Frank Millar?
 
Posted by Ariston (# 10894) on :
 
Even considering Hooker's Trick, I don't think there are near enough whores for the average Miller comic.

Violence, in Hell maybe. Gray area anti heroes, a dime a dozen—ITTWACW, after all. But that last trope? We got work to...not do.
 
Posted by passer (# 13329) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Jack the Lass:
S/he was also posting as "tryingtobefriendly" IIRC, also around the same time...

That all pre-dated me . Perhaps s/he just wanted to belong?
 
Posted by pererin (# 16956) on :
 
This thread's been an interesting read. Pity the TnT board has vanished from the face of the internet. That one sounds hilarious for all the wrong reasons...
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
The TnT board wasn't created to be funny, though there was certainly some humour there. Basically, there was (and probably still is) in some parts of the church this idea that Christians shouldn't talk about sex. Of course, it's a very stupid idea and the best way to challenge it was to have a section of the Ship specifically devoted to the discussion of sex. We ran it a couple of times, by which time the message had sunk in that there's nothing dirty or sinful about discussing sex and such discussions can have their rightful place on the main boards like any other subject.

It's not all gone. There are still some threads in Oblivion. This one was the first I found
 
Posted by pererin (# 16956) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Alan Cresswell:
It's not all gone. There are still some threads in Oblivion. This one was the first I found

Yes, but from what I've read, the worst bits didn't even make it to Oblivion, which gives a rather less than rounded overview of that experiment as a result. (And I totally appreciate that it was meant to serve a sensible purpose. Maybe on that basis its temporariness was a mistake. But I imagine it was a moderation nightmare.)
 
Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by pererin:
Yes, but from what I've read, the worst bits didn't even make it to Oblivion, which gives a rather less than rounded overview of that experiment as a result.

IIRC Oblivion was not set up until years after the T'n'T boards were discontinued. Before Oblivion was set up, outstanding old threads were sent to Limbo, and all others were deleted.

Moo
 
Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
Yes, the threads in Oblivion are mostly those that had originally been put in Limbo. When we set up Oblivion, we took the opportunity to thin Limbo down to just the very best of the best. By definition, therefore, those threads that still remain from TnT are the ones that we thought were the best exemplars of that board.
 
Posted by Scot (# 2095) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by pererin:
And I totally appreciate that it was meant to serve a sensible purpose. Maybe on that basis its temporariness was a mistake. But I imagine it was a moderation nightmare.

Initially, TnT was home to some fantastic discussions on topics that would have been over-the-top anywhere else on the Ship. Over time, however, the sexual topics because less shocking and more accepted on the main boards. TnT spiraled downwards into silliness and rampant oversharing. In my view, TnT accomplished its purpose of bringing a wide range of sex-related topics into general discussion, leaving itself no reason to exist.

Scot
former TnT Host
 
Posted by Tubbs (# 440) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by passer:
quote:
Originally posted by Jack the Lass:
S/he was also posting as "tryingtobefriendly" IIRC, also around the same time...

That all pre-dated me . Perhaps s/he just wanted to belong?
Saw what you did there. Don't do that. Personal atacks belong in Hell.

Tubbs
Styx Host
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Pyx_e:
quote:
Originally posted by luvanddaisies:

...but it's also wondering if there ever will be a book about SoF's history,

Graphic Novel!!!!!
I'm still waiting for Pyx_e to prick it out in leather.

(Everyone knows that in Christianity, as wall-paintings and stained glass windows prove, the great unwashed can only read in pictures.)
 
Posted by Robert Armin (# 182) on :
 
quote:
I'm still waiting for Pyx_e to prick it out in leather.
That Might tempt Chast back.....
 
Posted by frin (# 9) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Pyx_e:
quote:
Originally posted by luvanddaisies:

...but it's also wondering if there ever will be a book about SoF's history,

Graphic Novel!!!!!
There is a ship of fools generated book. There was a thread, which made lots of use of the pseudonym feature on the old boards, in which a very long and convoluted story was told with various ship personalities drafted in as characters. Like a circus thread, people took turns to add an entry into the story, and they did it from character perspectives - diary entries, letters, emails, a 'found story' kind of writing. When the thread had been going long enough that people were running out of steam, we were encouraged (by Miss Monica) to keep going and keep moving the plot forward. Some time later, Miss Monica had copies printed up as a book. I have mine still. It wouldn't mean much to people who joined the board later, as it is full of in-jokes. But it is great for reading back and remembering (or guessing) who was contributing as who.

'frin
 
Posted by Og, King of Bashan (# 9562) on :
 
This seems to be the best place to ask this. Every time a new troll comes along, someone laments that Erin isn't here to take care of it. I don't think I really got my sea legs before Erin left us, which makes me sad. Can anyone suggest a classic thread down in Limbo where I can really see the Gator doing what she did best?
 
Posted by Tubbs (# 440) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Og, King of Bashan:
This seems to be the best place to ask this. Every time a new troll comes along, someone laments that Erin isn't here to take care of it. I don't think I really got my sea legs before Erin left us, which makes me sad. Can anyone suggest a classic thread down in Limbo where I can really see the Gator doing what she did best?

Try these two for starters - Calling Erin to Hell and Incompetence 1, Democracy 0 . Marvel at the razor wit, the creative turn of phrase and the ability to cut through bullshit in two words or less. But, behind the scenes Erin had a heart as big as a whale and was extremely kind.

I'm sure that others will have other favourites to recommend.

Tubbs
 
Posted by Viola (# 20) on :
 
My Apartment Smells like a Urinal Cake was quite a classic.
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by frin:
When the thread had been going long enough that people were running out of steam, we were encouraged (by Miss Monica) to keep going and keep moving the plot forward. Some time later, Miss Monica had copies printed up as a book. I have mine still. It wouldn't mean much to people who joined the board later, as it is full of in-jokes. But it is great for reading back and remembering (or guessing) who was contributing as who.

'frin

I didn't realise Miss Monica wrote a book. Bound in Leather to be whipped out under duress, no doubt?
 
Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Tubbs:
quote:
Originally posted by Og, King of Bashan:
This seems to be the best place to ask this. Every time a new troll comes along, someone laments that Erin isn't here to take care of it. I don't think I really got my sea legs before Erin left us, which makes me sad. Can anyone suggest a classic thread down in Limbo where I can really see the Gator doing what she did best?

Try these two for starters - Calling Erin to Hell and Incompetence 1, Democracy 0 . Marvel at the razor wit, the creative turn of phrase and the ability to cut through bullshit in two words or less. But, behind the scenes Erin had a heart as big as a whale and was extremely kind.

I'm sure that others will have other favourites to recommend.

Tubbs

dammit you lousy motherfuckers made me cry! well, laugh myself to tears, but still. shit. good stuff. *singing* mehmmmories........
 
Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
WHOOPS!

sorry, Hosts!

apparently some dumbass left my cage unlocked and I wandered out of my safe-zone without even knowing it and oozed my badstuff all over the wrong board....

sowwy....

I know, I know. Go to hell, comet!

*hangs head in shame*
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Mental note, if comet calls you "motherfucker," she is being affectionate...
 
Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
it's like a love bite, really...
 
Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Surely, a Ship graphic novel would have to be done by Jack Chick? Or in his style?
 
Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Or done by Crumb? Besides his classic stuff, he also put out a Genesis comic a few years back.
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Golden Key:
Surely, a Ship graphic novel would have to be done by Jack Chick? Or in his style?

Rather different message, though, I should think!
 
Posted by leo (# 1458) on :
 
Well, he'd have the liberals in Hell
 
Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by leo:
Well, he'd have the liberals in Hell

That would be about everybody, then. Even our "conservatives" would be too liberal for Chick.
 
Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Chorister:
quote:
Originally posted by Golden Key:
Surely, a Ship graphic novel would have to be done by Jack Chick? Or in his style?

Rather different message, though, I should think!
Yeah, but that's why he'd be so perfect! [Smile] And his style is considered to be really good, regardless of the content.
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by leo:
Well, he'd have the liberals in Hell

Haw! Haw! Haw!
 
Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
Wasn't sure where to put this, but...

I was having a hard time finding a very old thread, even with Google. So I went to the Internet Archive, looked up the Ship, and tracked down the thread.

This is the portal for the archive's copies of our boards.

Basically, there's a graph showing all the archived years. You pick one, and then you get a calendar for that year. You'll see that some dates are links. Click on one, and you'll get what they archived from the boards on that date. Then you can go looking for a particular thread.

Takes a little work, but an alternative when you can't find something in *our* archives.
 
Posted by Offeiriad (# 14031) on :
 
That reminds me, very early on I seem to remember a series about a spoof diocese, whose Bishop's diary seemed to mark every Sunday as a day off. At this distance I've even forgotten the name of the diocese, sorry! Anybody know where this material might still be around please? - I'd love to re-visit it.
 
Posted by Spike (# 36) on :
 
Sounds like the Diocese of Foulness. I'm sure it's in the archive somewhere. I'll have a dig around.
 
Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
Is that with the stress on the first or the second syllable?
 
Posted by Qoheleth. (# 9265) on :
 
Or are you thinking of the Diocese of Bolsover, with Bishop Rodrigo Borgia and his Chaplain Fr Bildad? Products of the fevered imagination of Fr David Rowett, IIRC.
 
Posted by Qoheleth. (# 9265) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Qoheleth.:
Or are you thinking of the Diocese of Bolsover, with Bishop Rodrigo Borgia and his Chaplain Fr Bildad? Products of the fevered imagination of Fr David Rowett, IIRC.

Exempli gratia:

quote:
The diocese would like to apologise for the interruption to its news service during the month of May. This was due principally to the following:

As widely reported in the national press, the May Day Procession of Our Lady at St. Mary's, Cleavage ended in disaster. The supplier of the rose petals is has been served with notice of a civil action for damages. Nevertheless, the diocesan server was down for several days, and even now walks with a pronounced limp.

Even more disastrously, a chance, in-all-probability innocent but ultimately unwise comment by the Bishop's Chaplain, Fr. Bildad, during the May-Morning liturgy of the diocesan Feminist Theology Encounter Group led to him being chased up the impromptu anti-masculinist May fertility symbol, all seventeen feet of it, there to languish for a full week, meanwhile being in possession of the bishop's engagement diary. After negotiations, basic food was sent up to him, but the diet of vegetarian macrobiotic high fibre muesli meant that at the end of his enforced exile, not only had he lost three stone in weight, but there were only two pages of the diary still in a fit state to be read. Bishop Rodrigo pronounced himself 'delighted' so to have gained a month without engagements, but as we write Fr.Bildad is still going in to the Bishop's office every morning at 8.00 to catch up on 'missing' correspondence.




 
Posted by Spike (# 36) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Qoheleth.:
Or are you thinking of the Diocese of Bolsover, with Bishop Rodrigo Borgia and his Chaplain Fr Bildad? Products of the fevered imagination of Fr David Rowett, IIRC.

AFAIK that was never part of The Ship.

[ 23. December 2015, 11:16: Message edited by: Spike ]
 
Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 
The one Qoholeth quoted sounds like a cross between Lake Woebegon and Nightvale!
[Two face]
 
Posted by Oscar the Grouch (# 1916) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Qoheleth.:
Or are you thinking of the Diocese of Bolsover, with Bishop Rodrigo Borgia and his Chaplain Fr Bildad? Products of the fevered imagination of Fr David Rowett, IIRC.

Never part of the Ship, but hugely entertaining while it lasted.
 
Posted by Offeiriad (# 14031) on :
 
One memorable feature I remember was called:
'Is your church (or parish?) really necessary?'
This featured the Diocesan Stewardship Officer, Fr Chainsaw......
 
Posted by TurquoiseTastic (# 8978) on :
 
Ah yes - "Is Your Congregation Really Necessary?" it was called.

I also remember the Lenten discipline in which clergy had to eat less during Lent compared to the previous month so that those High Churchmen who had spent Jan/Feb swilling down litres of Bombay Sapphire could "be waved through in righteousness of life" merely by switching over to Gordon's. On the other hand the "luckless Tubby Claypole" who "with an evangelical's disregard for the liturgical calendar" had "embarked mid-January on a crash diet" found himself permitted only Evian and crackers throughout Lent. "Even so, he would have survived had his parish been of the tradition to hold a midnight Easter Vigil" - alas, the additional time until the All Age Family Service proved too much "even for his iron constitution..."
 
Posted by Oscar the Grouch (# 1916) on :
 
Is Bishop Rod still around?

Is there any chance that he could be persuaded to archive the Diocese of Bolsover onto the Ship?
 
Posted by Qoheleth. (# 9265) on :
 
Google suggests that his alter ego is still in active ministry in one of the more distant corners of Lincolnshire.
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Offeiriad:
That reminds me, very early on I seem to remember a series about a spoof diocese, whose Bishop's diary seemed to mark every Sunday as a day off. At this distance I've even forgotten the name of the diocese, sorry! Anybody know where this material might still be around please? - I'd love to re-visit it.

Would it have been the Diocese of Wenchoster? The only other one I can think of is St. Bastard's and the Niblets, which was definitely a ship one, created by Dyfrig.
 


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