KA-BOOM

I am starting to think of doing a little Autumnal cleaning of the Moon.

At the moment we have three areas.

1. Outer - anyone can party.
2. Inner - for people who are clearly serious members of the community.
3. Secret - the aim of this area is to create a community of creators.


The outer forum is trundling along fine - however, I would like to see this area develop into something that attracts more members and is a little more active, also an area where we can let out hair down an have a little fun.

The Inner forum is working well too. I think everyone 'gets it' - realises that this is not a normal forum, but a repository for thinking and serious discussion.

However, the secret forum for developers is all but dead; a mausoleum into which the odd undead visitor ventures now and then to see if the other corpses have stirred.

This has been a problem for some time - maybe there is no need for a secret forum. In an age where no one seems to perform, but everyone seems to make products and start forums (yes I am talking about myself here too!), maybe this need is met elsewhere. I remember when I was a young hippy and lived on communes, there was an odd phenomena that Skinner did not take into account; as soon as someone had a baby, they left the commune.

I had considered pm'ing the less active members of the hidden forum to ask them if they still had a use for it - to make room for new blood - however, I did not do this, as I do not want to make valued members of the community feel unvalued. Also, I do not want to pressurise anyone into feeling they have to make regular contributions.
However, the original idea ofa small group of trusting individuals whom openly talk about their ideas and co-develop radical thinking - is not working.

It seems to me, that any function that the Secret forum has now could be well served by the Inner Forum.
For this reason I am thinking of archiving the whole secret forum and relocating everyone into the Inner Forum.

However, I feel that the Moon does still have a function on this level. Everyone who joins is aware of the special nature of this place, and a feeling that 'something is in the air'. The moon does have a function to take thinking forward in some form. At first, I though that the arena for this was mentalism. As a observer, I no longer think that this is the case. It is just that many of us here have a connection to mentalism, magic and the bizarre.
It is interesting that some of the more stimulating conversation here have had nothing much to do with mentalism at all (but could be of great use to a mentalist's thinking non the less). I am fascinated by the overwhelming feeling I have that this is a ship that is sailing to an important destination - I am even more fascinated that none of us know what that destination is. Frankly, I am tired of any discussions that may talk of a new technique for a double lift - there are plenty of places that will talk about this, should you wish for it. However, I am very interested in the deep thinking shared by various individuals here.

Maybe, our little ship is heading off into uncharted waters - oh, I hope so! Maybe the map we had is of no use any more, and we have thrown it overboard. Maybe we have no idea where we are heading, other than it being an exotic and strange land that lies yet undiscovered.

This excites me.

If I can stretch this extended metaphor a little further - I am not the captain, and do not want to be seen as such. So, these are just the thoughts of a crew member sitting in the crow's nest.

What do we all think?
Where would we like to see the moon going?

I have ideas that I will implement by default. However, what do you want to see?

This forum is unique and has a significant value.

I feel that the Secret area is without activity because instead of coming into that section of The Moon, many of us have our trusted friends who we share and develop ideas with, therefore, I feel people don't see the need to bring their creations (or the seed of their creations) out for the group to discuss and comment on even though there are benefits to this and all members in there have done it in the past. It could just be a matter of convenience.

Chris and I are guilty of the same thing, because we regularly discuss ideas, brainstorm, test, and create. Mostly, we're not doing it in the Secret section, though we have. Chris (and others) have been quite active in the past.

I say leave it for now because it's just a matter of reminding people the place exists and is of use. Having read your post, I visited the Secret area and it has made me want to contribute and comment.

I want to see this forum remain as is for the time being. AMA launch is upon us, there are other developments in store, there will be time for restructuring the Moon later, if necessary. Besides, as the launch of AMA approaches, more will join, and who knows what will happen?

I think this is an important forum too, and agree with Alexandre that perhaps sometimes topics are discussed with others off forum, I have discussed a few things with Claas.

I for one have been a little quite of late, just nipping in to check what is going on and not really contributing.

But this has been down to personal circumstances more than anything else.

I do intend returning properly in the near future with a continuation of what I have started and a few new ideas too.

So lets keep it for now and see how things develop once the Moon is in full flow.

Yup I too am guilty of developing away with peeps.

I guess the whole thing for me as well is that I do not know everyone personally within the hidden section and that makes me a little more cautious than perhaps I would normally be.

Im also wary of the fact I am not releasing anything through AMA but my own site and dont wish to be seen tromping on AMA's ground so to speak.

So maybe in each of our rooms in the private section maybe once a week we just post a little update ? Not mandatory but just touching base with each other and faciliatating a little discussion ?

E x

Well, I am listening - but I am a great believer in things developing as they should.
If something is not serving a function, it should be let to die. There was a dream to create a collective of great minds who would develop ideas in this community, where they would be released under the mystic glow of the Moon.
However, this was not needed, and as Alex has pointed out - not even the boards creators were engaged in this activity. I still think it is a great dream to have, but not to be realised yet. Frankly, I am so busy getting AMA together that it would be totally devastating if it took off.
However, three members high up in the rafters of the secret lodge feel that it should stay - I am not sure why. - I will go with the majority. My own opinion is if I torch the hidden chapter, the blood will flow into the inner chamber.
BYT, I have posted this in the outer forum to give new members a chance to post an opinion too.

The majority viewpoint wins!

Seems to me: In so far as discussions in the secret area further the general project, they'd do it better in the inner area. In so far as they're the equivalent of email exchanges, might their being on the board be more a prestige-gesture, a potentially vain one, than a practical thing? Which doesn't mean the section shouldn't exist.

Incidentally and generally, I like your comment about regular contributions, because I think the attempts by some private message boards to limit membership to active posters go futilely against the nature of forum participation. Most forum readers don't post (talk about pathologizing the majority, as 'lurkers'); and I don't think lots of posting is a good measure of any kind of legitimacy, just volubility.

Agreed Merlin.

On a tangential note - I have grown to dislike most of the boards that attempt some sense of false exclusivity in a vain attempt to confer some status on themselves. It all stinks of 'old boys club' to me.

At the same time, it is important to keep the idiots out - just look at the 'discussions' on 'pennies' at the Cafe - we would not want that here, I think we would all agree!
Also, there is a need where members can talk comfortably with their peers and people they trust - it is all a matter of getting the balance right.

Although I have been a little quiet of late, it's certainly not through disinterest. I have been working on a couple of books and the next few issues of Mystic Menagerie plus working on a series of bizarre magick effects which hopefully will see the light of day.

This is the best forum out there and is one of the only ones free of spam and 15 year old kids asking what Ellusionist deck is the best.

All hail the Moon!

Here's a couple of ideas... let's invite lots of fifteen year olds with no experience or knowledge in mentalism, and only a basic knowledge in magic. They will then ask stupid questions that we can answer... this will go on forever, it's an infinite source of idiocy. That will keep the forum active, for sure

More to the point, I've always dreamt of a place online, where people can share freely without hesitation, or fear of someone taking their idea and releasing it as their own etc. Unfortunately none of us can be trusted, even though we are supposedly keepers of secrets, the theft goes on and on and on. So what to do? I don't know, but I like the idea of having a group of individuals to share with. Especially since most of my friends in real life are magicians and not mentalists. It would be nice to bounce ideas with people on the same wavelength.

So in a way it has to be an exclusive thing, by exclusive I don't mean it's open for anyone with over 50 posts, nor is invite only that great either. For someone like me, who doesn't really have many friends within mentalism I could never get in to these groups and I feel like I do have a lot of thoughts I could share with people. So how to keep it exclusive? Again, Im not sure, all I know is that I would like to, I wanna be in "the circle of trust", I've always been on the outside, so damn it... I wanna be in for once!
(I feel a bit like a petulant child)

//Daniel

Dan you are in my circle haha

You can see my room and you should feel bluddy honoured !!

E x

How you knew it was outside the window is beyond me. I was wearing a wig (£14.99 from Hamley's), a fake moustache (£1.00) and a monocle (actually a broken pair of glasses i found), well I can probably refund the wig, but the moustache got jam all over it. That's a bloody waste of a pound.

//Daniel

I smelt the alcohol mate ! ...

Dammit... you can't drive a car drunk, you can't play with children either. And now you can't even spy on people...

well drunk or not, its still wrong hun !

lol x

Christopher J. Gould:

"Well, I am listening - but I am a great believer in things developing as they should. If something is not serving a function, it should be let to die."

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One could argue that the Secret section is dying naturally on its own from lack of use. Does it cost you anything (monetarily or in effort) to leave it as is? If it does, then you must make a calculation whether it's worth keeping the Secret section around. But if it doesn't, why not just leave it? It's there if people want to use it, and not hurting anyone if it's ignored.

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On striking a balance between inclusiveness and excluding the idiots - I think this is also a natural process. Idiots will flock to boards where their pronouncements will receive answers, and avoid the ones where they're ignored.

If I am honest I like secrets and special sections but only becuase they make me feel special.

They so stop the 12 year olds who may invade at somepoint as its getting close to Spook time

D

You may, or may not have noticed that I have not been around here much, due to the fact that I am working to get the AMA launch on schedule - so Freddie, I more than understand where you are. It is good that we are all doing interesting things and being interesting people! I did not make this post to get folk feeling obliged to make a post - I don't think this place should work that way - one of the reasons we treasure it here - virtual Jamaica, hammock and spliff (substitute Lilt, if you read the Daily Mail)...... what was I saying - man, I have been sniffing to much printing ink!

Oh, yeah - the point I was making is do we need a secret area for developers, when it is not being used?
The general feeling is to keep the dusty old room, just in case something happens there sometime. I like this, it is like having a creepy old house with an attic where no one has been for years. Wouldn't it be spooky if you were to wander in there..... and someone else was already in there!
So, we keep it - God knows, it may reveal it's purpose yet!


I have been hearing bad things regarding a certain other board that sprang Manatou like from the Moon, this genuinely saddens me. I think it is important that we avoid the problems that poison the blood of other boards. What irritates me about most boards are the opposite poles of - idiocy and 'old boy' syndrome. So it is a matter of how do you keep the idiots out without having a 'you are not worthy enough to join my gang' - it's puerile and largely exists to puff up damaged egos. As Groucho Marx said - I don't care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members.

Anyway, as has been pointed out stupid people only exist if given oxygen. Someone joining here to have a discussion about the latest Ellusionist deck would soon find themselves in uncomfortable company, and slide out through the back door coughing into his fist.

....hey, maybe we keep things as they are!