Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Empty_of_Clouds
Mob mentality exists on both sites. Over there it's the mods, here it's the members. Human nature I suppose.
It all depends on you.
Some people have a sign on their arse saying Kick Me.
Take the sign away and, surprise surprise, the kicking stops.
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
Quote:
Originally Posted by
TSherbs
Quote:
Originally Posted by
guyy
How much gets edited out?
Dunno. On pen-related information, facts, suggestions, procedures...very little. On opinion threads, more. When I need crowd-source info, I go there. Not many active posters here, really.
I have been very critical of FPN on FPN and I have always been tolerated. I follow the rules about generalizations and ad hominem attacks. I have had a few posts removed. I have deserved it each time. I have been critical of some of my experiences with pens. Again, just follow the rules. I don't feel muzzled at all because they only curtail me when I am generalizing beyond the facts of my experience.
Sent from my Moto E (4) using Tapatalk
See, my problem is that my technical pen posts get disappeared. (The enforced/produced happy happy in FPN’s chattier sectors is creepy, so i avoid them.) I really can’t figure out why unless it’s for narrative flow.
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Empty_of_Clouds
Mob mentality exists on both sites. Over there it's the mods, here it's the members. Human nature I suppose.
Mob mentality? What are you raving about now? I'm not fond of FPN (as you might have guessed) but the last thing I would accuse that controlled environment of is mob mentality. Indeed, it's hard to see how such an appellation can be applied to something as disparate as a web-based discussion board.
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
As you may recall, I was once a moderator there. My statement is a simple observation based only on what I've personally witnessed.
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
Quote:
Originally Posted by
carlos.q
:focus:
Agreed. :)
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
Quote:
Originally Posted by
carlos.q
:focus:
Sorry, I was just reflecting on the insights that were offered by others in earlier posts. Hadn't realised it was drift.
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
Isn't it Polonius who says "Drift is the soul of wit"? ;)
Sent from my Moto E (4) using Tapatalk
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
I'm not well (or at all) read in the classics, so I don't know. Isn't Polonius some kind of Italian sausage?
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
Did anyone mention The Fountain Pen Community? It's still there but there has been no activity for years. It was started by Dennis Lively, if memory serves. I think this was another case of someone with nowhere else to go starting his own board. I think it faded away because it had nothing special to recommend it - nothing that wasn't being done better elsewhere.
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Deb
Did anyone mention The Fountain Pen Community? It's still there but there has been no activity for years. It was started by Dennis Lively, if memory serves. I think this was another case of someone with nowhere else to go starting his own board. I think it faded away because it had nothing special to recommend it - nothing that wasn't being done better elsewhere.
I have heard that Dennis could be fractious, at best, I recall that he had a real bust up with Ian at Cathedral Pens, the most easy going of men. If that is true then Fountain Pen Community may be one to avoid.
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Deb
Did anyone mention The Fountain Pen Community? It's still there but there has been no activity for years. It was started by Dennis Lively, if memory serves. I think this was another case of someone with nowhere else to go starting his own board. I think it faded away because it had nothing special to recommend it - nothing that wasn't being done better elsewhere.
I didn't know of this board. Thank you!
Attachment 54248
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Fermata
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Deb
Did anyone mention The Fountain Pen Community? It's still there but there has been no activity for years. It was started by Dennis Lively, if memory serves. I think this was another case of someone with nowhere else to go starting his own board. I think it faded away because it had nothing special to recommend it - nothing that wasn't being done better elsewhere.
I have heard that Dennis could be fractious, at best, I recall that he had a real bust up with Ian at Cathedral Pens, the most easy going of men. If that is true then Fountain Pen Community may be one to avoid.
I haven't heard of Dennis for several years. I don't want to go too deep into history and repeat old gossip but he was a character, to say the least. He announced his own death at least once, maybe twice. On the other hand he produced pen repair videos that were a good start point for those who wished to do that.
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
Didn't it become the Fedralist pen forum or was that something else? Before it demised?
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
According to information from an earlier post, FPN started out late June 2004. If you happened to visit the site on February 12, 2005 this is part of the front page you would have seen:
Attachment 54257
If you had clicked on the top left side to find out "About FPN" this is what you would have read:
Welcome to the Fountain Pen Network where the pens are abundant and the ink and chatter flows freely.
FPN is a site for Fountain Pen enthusiasts and provides dedicated forums to discuss every aspect of fountain pen use.
We are a member driven site where all aspects of fountain pen collection/addiction are discussed and where the input from the forum members has shaped and continues to shape this friendly community.
This site is 100% non-commercial and we do not have or wish to solicit sponsors. We are hosted for free, we use freely available software, and the members of the Administrative team are unpaid volunteers.
The respective forums you will find reflect the members' interests we have identified and the number and content of these forums will evolve under the direction of the community. You will find forums to discuss general pen topics, History, Repairs, Penmanship, Inks, Photography, Trade, and there is even a forum for off topic Chatter and a forum dedicated to all things "Sheaffer".
The forums will be regularly edited, to keep them readable and to assure quick information access. There is no cut-off time for most forums, so the information contained in your posts will be publicly available as long as the site lives.
We hope you will enjoy the site. See you soon on the board !
The FPN Admin Team.
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
Quote:
Originally Posted by
top pen
Didn't it become the Fedralist pen forum or was that something else? Before it demised?
May well have been. I gave up on it.
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
Quote:
Originally Posted by
carlos.q
According to information from an earlier post, FPN started out late June 2004. If you happened to visit the site on February 12, 2005 this is part of the front page you would have seen:
Attachment 54257
If you had clicked on the top left side to find out "About FPN" this is what you would have read:
Welcome to the Fountain Pen Network where the pens are abundant and the ink and chatter flows freely.
FPN is a site for Fountain Pen enthusiasts and provides dedicated forums to discuss every aspect of fountain pen use.
We are a member driven site where all aspects of fountain pen collection/addiction are discussed and where the input from the forum members has shaped and continues to shape this friendly community.
This site is 100% non-commercial and we do not have or wish to solicit sponsors. We are hosted for free, we use freely available software, and the members of the Administrative team are unpaid volunteers.
The respective forums you will find reflect the members' interests we have identified and the number and content of these forums will evolve under the direction of the community. You will find forums to discuss general pen topics, History, Repairs, Penmanship, Inks, Photography, Trade, and there is even a forum for off topic Chatter and a forum dedicated to all things "Sheaffer".
The forums will be regularly edited, to keep them readable and to assure quick information access. There is no cut-off time for most forums, so the information contained in your posts will be publicly available as long as the site lives.
We hope you will enjoy the site. See you soon on the board !
The FPN Admin Team.
That's quaint.
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
An even earlier iteration of FPN was this site named fpnet.tk. If you had visited this site on July 9, 2004 this is what you would have seen:
Attachment 54258
That day the board had 9 registered members and a grand total of 37 posts.
The site's creator was Denis Richard and the first person who volunteered to help with the site was KCat, who I believe is still over at FPN.
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
Since there is no published "History of FP Forums" and given the limits of the Wayback machine it is very hard to say who was truly the first. After the USENET and BBS systems that were prevalent at the dawn of the internet, the World Wide Web (WWW) became an ever increasing phenomenon beginning with the release of Mosaic in 1993, Netscape in 1994 and Internet Explorer in 1995. The oldest mention I have found to a WWW FP site is Penthusiasm who proudly proclaimed to be "YOUR Information Center to the WWW of Fountain Pen Collecting since 1996".
Here is a screen capture from August 2000:
Attachment 54322
Re: Researching the history of internet FP forums
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Deb
I was a member of Isaacson's Fpnuts from its inception until it faded out when he moved to Facebook. I think there might have been a couple of occasions when he launched into one of his well-known diatribes or never-ending arguments - if you can call what he does arguing. For the rest of the time he behaved surprisingly well, allowed debate to run uninterrupted and, in all, did a fine job. Nobody knows better than me how obnoxious he can be and almost always is but credit where credit's due, he made Fpnuts the place to go for serious pen discussion and sharing of information, free from the nagging of the sturmbannfuhrers of FPN. I don't know how he behaves in the Facebook version. I don't go there.
He behaves the same. At least the last time I was there before leaving the group. Last I was there the group was David's charm amplified by the mire of civil discourse Facebook can bring.