New CT poll in development - your two cents, please

[nakymaton]

But I'd just like to throw in my observation that the makeup of the groups who post regularly on CT and on the OF have fluctuated quite a bit since I've been here. Some people run out of things to say about BBM or get involved in "real life" things and fade  , some feel tied to the community in other ways and stick around  , new people come in from other boards or because they've just seen the movie recently  , and so on. From what I've seen, frequent posters on both boards (and the OF board, though not as finitely conceived as the CT board, can also feel like a fairly close-knit group) are flexible enough to adjust to, even welcome, newcomers.

I think that's true, that CT can adjust to newcomers. And I should add that the posters on CT have been some of the friendliest, most welcoming people that I've seen in any group on the internet. (And that's saying a lot.) I'm only vaguely aware of the conflicts that are stressing people out right now, but from what I've seen in public posts, the group still seems very open to new posters.

I think that what's hard about CT, from a newcomer's perspective, is that it isn't quite clear what CT is for. Existing threads, yeah -- I think it's possible to read back a ways and figure out how to join in without disrupting the flow of the conversation. But it's less obvious what kinds of new threads would fit in, especially given that there are a number of subcommunities developing on different threads within CT. So right now the CT board has a weird dynamic to it.

BetterMost is a lot more flexible and responsive to the needs and desires of the posters than other message boards I've been on, and that's really refreshing. I don't know if CT needs a rigid definition. (I like having it as a place to plan and talk about gatherings, at the very least -- that's different from what goes on in any of the other parts of the board.)

[Mary Twist]

I believe that is always best to reach out to all of the people all of the time.  Some of the terms i have read above like veterans and we could be overwhelmed sound more like wartime terminology.

God bless all those of good hear.

Mrs. Mary S. Twist

[YaadPyar]

OK - 2 more cents.  The CT thread is really about community, not content, making it a tricky thing to define/refine.  And I don't know if it needs more definition or refinement other than to gently place topics with a more obvious home in those places, like Movie Resources, Polling, etc.

The CT community is not a closed place, and lots of folks have come and gone and will surely continue to do so.  Plenty of people who were not originally on IMDb have found a warm welcome at CT, which will also continue no doubt. There are connections among those in that community that, in terms BBM cyber-life, are old and dear, and from what I've understood, members want that to remain intact.

And maybe the idea of it being available to members only (not guests or the general public) is nice - a bit of a cozy place for more personal/private communication.  It's a thought...

Maybe CT is more a social networking forum than anything at this point, and a good place to emphasize that more.  OK.  That's it.  Ya don't get much for 2 cents.

[Lumière]

ok.. Nobody throw rotten tomatoes at me .. , but ..

We all know that CT is for everyone .. not a closed place, as Celeste said ..
so how about changing the name of the forum? (especially if newcomers are wondering what or who Tremblay is and the history behind it) ..

[YaadPyar]

ok.. Nobody throw rotten tomatoes at me .. , but ..

We all know that CT is for everyone .. not a closed place, as Celeste said ..
so how about changing the name of the forum? (especially if newcomers are wondering what or who Tremblay is and the history behind it) ..

Every time change to CT has been suggested, it has met with great and understandable resistance.  Maybe you can provide some ideas for names that honor the past and invite the future?

[vkm91941]

It’s been six months, and just like there came a time when CT no longer needed to be hidden on Bettermost, perhaps the time has come that it  has out lived that moniker.  Especially if the consensus is that, the name is somehow off putting in it’s ambiguity to newcomers, even though it is acknowledged that some of the warmest welcomes on the web are to be had here at CT, and many newcomers have found their home here.  Perhaps the point of one poll should be suggestions for that name change.

Nothing stays the same for ever, we’d grow quickly bored if it did.  But, that said, just exactly how do you define the wonderful, mixed up, social and creative mess that is CT?   Some of Bettermost’s brighter more creative lights need to help out with that analysis.

Whatever direction it goes, it will still have it's history and heritage, holding a special place in the heart of those who came here to establish it.  Whatever direction, Phillip and Clarissa and David choose to take us, I support them.

[Front-Ranger]

Okay, I will try to make a stab at defining the Tremblayans... (deep breath)

They came from small computers in opposite corners of the world, drop-outs from the bureaucracy, inured to hard slogs on the boards, depriving themselves of food, sleep, and entertainment, rough-mannered, rough-spoken orphans, estranged ones, and lost souls looking for a home. And here's where they found it.

[Lumière]

Every time change to CT has been suggested, it has met with great and understandable resistance.  Maybe you can provide some ideas for names that honor the past and invite the future?

Don't be starting no tomatoe fight in here Celeste .. lol..I warn ya, I got big ones ..

Names that honor the past and invite the future?..Hmmm.. we can all work on that if need be.

[Meryl]

In this United States of Brokeback, Philip, a refugee from the Old Country (IMDb), could be said to have founded Jamestown, the first settlement, and the Tremblayan Pilgrims founded the second, Plymouth. 

Joking aside, though, if there is one community in Brokeback Mountain that could be said to be a hub in the story, I think it would be Riverton.  Although Jack doesn't live there, he returns to it periodically to meet up with Ennis.  And as far as we know, the story ends in Riverton, or not far from it at least, in Ennis's trailer.

How about calling it the Riverton Coffee Shop or the Riverton Bar and Grill, or the Riverton Social Club (or Elks Club), or something similar?  We can keep a post stickied that has the Tremblayan story ready to hand.  Also, any one of the afore-mentioned establishments is very likely to have a Tremblay Room set aside for special meetings. 

[littleguitar]

Okay, I will try to make a stab at defining the Tremblayans... (deep breath)

They came from small computers in opposite corners of the world, drop-outs from the bureaucracy, inured to hard slogs on the boards, depriving themselves of food, sleep, and entertainment, rough-mannered, rough-spoken orphans, estranged ones, and lost souls looking for a home. And here's where they found it.

LOL, I'll second that definition... especially the depriving themselves of sleep, food and entertainment part, there were many days when I went without all of those in favor of chatting with the friendly folks here....