What if we call this process a census, say The Great Buffista Census of Aught Seven :Files and Records Wants You! (or something, I’m trying for light hearted)
We can ask the questions msbelle and others have raised, but get the census out there to more people and try and get the most number of people to participate/
We could do questions like:
Location – either using geography or maybe timezone
Is b.org your primary online community/ if not, is it your secondary?
How often do you access b.org? (several times a day, daily, several times a week, weekly, several times a month, monthly, only if there’s a threat of Ascension)
How often do you post? (I’m a lurker, once a year, a few times a year, monthly, several times a monthly, weeky, several times a week, daily, are you kidding? I’m always here (aka several times an hour)
What threads do you post/read?
Which thread(s) do you consider to be part of your core experience ?
What originally brought you to this community (whether it was on table talk, worldcrossing, or here): Buffy, Angel, Firefly, my friends seduced me to the Buffista side
I'm not sure if it's possible, I'm not a techy person at all, but I really think this information would be helpful.
What are we going to do with all this information (I mean -- in addition to arguing over what it means)?
We are going to add it to your permanent record.
We're gonna need a bigger boat.
What are we going to do with all this information (I mean -- in addition to arguing over what it means)?
That would be telling. We want...information. Information. Information.
I am not a number, I am a free Buffis -- oh wait, I'm number 20.
Location: Boston; Timezone: Eastern
Is b.org your primary online community/ if not, is it your secondary?: B.org is one of my of three primary communities.
How often do you access b.org?: Daily or more, except for when I don't.
How often do you post? It depends, generally between several times a week, daily, and are you kidding? I’m always here, unless I've fallen out of love with the board, which happens semi-regularly.
What threads do you post/read?: It depends on my mood and how much time I have. I read the threads for the shows I watch and the right hand threads. Sometimes I devour Bitches, Natter, and Minearverse. Sometimes I avoid them like the plague.
Which thread(s) do you consider to be part of your core experience? COMM, Beep Me, the threads for the shows I watch, and Bitches, Natter and Minearverse (except for when I'm avoiding them like the aforementioned plague).
What originally brought you to this community (whether it was on table talk, worldcrossing, or here)?: (WXing) Buffy and Angel -- my friend Julie seduced me to lurking on the Buffista side, by linking to shrift's rantier posts. The crazier the Buffy fandom got during season 6, the more time I spent reading here, as opposed to elsewhere. Then one day I accidentally fell out of lurk.
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Okay, now imagine we get somewhere between 100 and 200 of these (with different answers, of course). What will that tell us that will be of any use to ending the TV show thread creation angst?
It seems to me that the best way to judge what we come here for is by looking at what threads are most active, and those threads for which people regularly clamour. It seems to me that if we can get stats from the board, we'll have some our answers.
I still don't know how that will help with this conversation, though. There are always people who are going to oppose most new threads, others support most new threads, and those people whose reaction will depend on the thread being proposed. We already decided that Talky Meat people who like bureacratic conversations (Gang of 14 Represent!) shouldn't win the day.
And so why are we collecting this information again (other than to argue about it, and put it down on our permanent records in a bigger boat, and because we geek out over information, especially when it's about our narcissistic little selves)?
I for one would like to know if a majority of people who are active enough to do the survey, want big changes at all.
I was thinking the questions would be set up like a poll where everyone has only one choice to select.
Which isn't perfect but it's something and would be easier to track than complicated answers.
As for the reason why it's rather selfish I admit. People keep talking about majority and minority opinions on things, but I can't get my head around how many peple that is and how big it is.
I have no idea how many people we have that regularly either post or lurk. I know it's more than 100 but in the past 6 (Excluding the SPN poll) 100 or less people voted and some of those peole were lurkers.
People have said that Bitches and Natter are the core experience of Buffistas but then there are others who don't go to either thread. How many people are we talking about? What if it's not as big a difference as people think?
I'd like to see some solid numbers and data. It would make things a lot clearer for me.
