It's been fun and it's been interesting, and I've really enjoyed the discussions I've had on this forum. But, there are some indications that it's days are numbered -- Y2K is now more than six months in the past.

So, I'd like some recommendations. Where (other than here) do the rest of you go to discuss those things we like to discuss here? I've heard of "Boks"; what's that, and where is it found? Any other suggestions. Obviously, I'm not interested in Yourdon's EZBoard forum, but I'd appreciate knowing where the rest of you hang out when you are not here.

-- E.H. Porter (Just Wondering@About.it), June 20, 2000

Answers

E.H., "Boks" is at: http://homest ead.deja.com/user.bok0non/index.html

Password: newt

Have been there a few times, see a different side of people there, usually a better, lighter, more friendly side.

I personally don't post at any other forums.

-- FactFinder (FactFinder@bzn.com), June 20, 2000.

"Y2K is now more than six months in the past."

You need a new calculator, or maybe a brain.

-- Albert Einstein (second@grade.math), June 20, 2000.

Albert -- both are too expensive for me to afford at present. If, however, you'd like to send a significant donation, I'm sure I can set up a web site to accept it. Ed Yourdon seems to have some expertise in this area; perhaps I can hire him as a consultant to set it up.

-- E.H. Porter (Just Wondering@About.it), June 20, 2000.

Dear E.H., some are born Hunters of the Truth, some seek to boast, some seek to share. You have to make the choice.

-- Oh Gawd, won't (Yabuyme@mercedesbenz.com), June 20, 2000.

No I will not. that car is much too flashy for you. How about a Mazda Civic?

-- God (up@heaven.net), June 20, 2000.

E.H.,

I can't speak for everyone, but I know I've been enjoying this forum for about 2 years now, and I never gave Ed Yourdon any money, not one red cent. I would guess that less than 10% of the regulars even bought his book, which is hardly a get-rich quick scam.

-- Hawk (flyin@hi.again), June 20, 2000.

Hawk, thanks for the answer-- you're an interesting guy. Productive when you want to be; often obstructive at times. Perhaps this is why I like this forum (although I still think many of your views are out on the fringe).

But, the question still remains. This forum seems doomed by the passage of time and the fact that Y2K is fast becoming a distant memory. Perhaps I am wrong, and this forum will remain in the years to come.

So, any suggestions as to where to hang out in the future?

-- E.H. Porter (Just Wondering@About.it), June 20, 2000.

E.H.,

I haven't tried many forums so I don't know what to recommend. Seems like most forums have a theme, which I don't think I would like. I've had a lot of fun here because we can talk about anything and get as weird as we want, like the Art Bell show. After a while it's like "Cheers", the place where you know most people and feel at home. I noticed it has slowed recently because of the beautiful outdoor weather, but I'm sure it will get more active again in the winter. Happy trails, explore!

-- Hawk (flyin@hi.again), June 21, 2000.

Where to from here? Somewhere. It's hard to know, hard to predict and impossible to control.

Group dynamics being what they are, and an open door policy being what it is, no one can predict the direction(s) or atmosphere of this group any more than one can predict the stock market's fluctuations.

I am just along for the ride. As I have said before, as long as I can wring a drop of enjoyment from this forum, I'll stick around. When it ceases to have any meaning or to provide any enjoyment I'm gone.

The best way to ensure a vibrant future for the group and a meaning for it in you own life is to make the best contribution you have room to make, as often as you can manage. Beyond that, it's a free for all.

-- Brian McLaughlin (brianm@ims.com), June 21, 2000.

EH,

You said it yourself, "y2k is fast becoming a distant memory". Good riddance. This forum is morphing into a many dimensional place with a variety of themes and participating personalities. I think we should change the name of the forum so as to eliminate any reference to y2k and then just let it find it's own way. It's a forum of adults who want to discuss (or rant) about many subjects. Hawk's comparison to Cheers is right-on. It's a home away from home where everyone knows your (fake) name. I've learned here, laughed here, made a few virtual friends here and improved my language skills here.

EH, have you started a thread? I think you must have but I can't remember. Why don't you start, say, 2/month? I bet they'd be good ones.

My personal pet peeve is not with theme posters like al-d or even AR(gag) but with folks who feel obliged to post huge copy N paste jobs. BORing!

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), June 21, 2000.

Yes, must admit I agree with Hawk's analogy that this place is like Cheers.

-- E.H. Porter (Just Wondering@About.it), June 21, 2000.

Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got.

Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot. Wouldn't you like to get away? Sometimes you want to go

Where everybody knows your name,

and they're always glad you came.

You wanna be where you can see,

our troubles are all the same

You wanna be where everybody knows

Your name.

You wanna go where people know,

people are all the same,

You wanna go where everybody knows

your name.

-- Norm (one.more@for.the.road.sam), June 21, 2000.

I don't think of this as a Y2K forum, I think of it as a place where people who interacted because of Y2K continue their interacting because they have come to enjoy the company of the others here.

It's kind of normal for people who have come together for a specific reason and gotten to know and like each others company, to continue their "relationship" long after the initial reason for getting together is gone.

Being involved in a forum like this satifies a need of people to congrigate and talk, the advantage is that it is a low maintenance form of doing so.

I don't have the time or desire to dress up and go out to be with a group of adults very often, now kids I got, lots of interaction with lots of kids in my home every day. But not adults.

Interacting in this forum satisfies my need to converse with people I choose to talk to, unlike attempting to talk to neighbors, most of whom I have no desire to talk to.

Since a lot of us have found out that we like talking to each other, the fact that this was a Y2K forum is no longer relevent to our being here. Keep the name-change the name it does not matter, it has evolved into a general discussion forum.

I don't think anyone still considers it strickly as a Y2K forum any more. Of course newbies stumbling in may get rather confused~~~

-- Cherri (sams@brigadoon.com), June 21, 2000.

The dynamics of this forum over these past 18 months have meant I lurk every day for a daily dose. Originally my reason for coming was the Y2K possibilities and how it might impact on distant provincial OZ.

Over time I've had this unreasonable urge to throttle some gun-nuts with their mal-understanding and wobbly views about our social impetuous to take out of circulation some weapons of a certain type. It says volumes that the entire costly exercise was a momentous flop. It says a bigger volume about our resolve to trace any illegally cached stuff. No resolve at all really.

My lark was to post about OZ and I'm unsure whether it was worth it. I find America and my patch are culturally so far apart, both in a physical sense and often emotionally. This gap is a highlight on my visits here and I return for another lurk-n- surf to continue pondering on the differences.

While sometimes I wonder about the honesty of how you are portrayed on TV and in the tabloids, gritty truths appear to permeate through this forum and then I feel I am a little bit closer to everyone. The biggest surprise to me was to identify with an America that is not necessarily media hyped and homogenized by tinsel-town.

A contemplation of forum shutdown is surely the crass-n-rash notion of those malodorous NWO freakz and rodent haters. I'm sure Bro Possum's constipation today came from reading this tripe, damn near choked myself.

Anyway, the troops are curious about the Squirrel Dude. Any news?

Regards from OZ

-- Pieter (zaadz@icisp.net.au), June 21, 2000.

Cheers?? Did somebody mention Cheers? One of the best ever.....

NORM!!!!

SAM: "What's shaking Norm?"

NORM: "All four cheeks & a couple of chins."

SAM: "What's new Norm?"

NORM: "Terrorists, Sam. They've taken over my stomach & they're demanding beer."

SAM: "What'd you like Normie?"

NORM: "A reason to live. Give me another beer."

SAM: "What'll you have Normie?"

NORM: "Well, I'm in a gambling mood Sammy. I'll take a glass of whatever comes out of that tap."

SAM: "Looks like beer, Norm."

NORM: "Call me Mister Lucky."

SAM: "Hey Norm, how's the world been treating you?"

NORM: "Like a baby treats a diaper."

WOODY: "What's the story Mr. Peterson?"

NORM: "The Bobbsey twins go to the brewery. Let's cut to the happy ending."

WOODY: "Hey Mr. Peterson, there's a cold one waiting for you."

NORM: "I know, if she calls, I'm not here."

SAM: "Beer, Norm?"

NORM: "Have I gotten that predictable? Good."

SAM: "Whatcha up to Norm?"

NORM: "My ideal weight if I were eleven feet tall."

WOODY: "How's it going Mr. Peterson?"

NORM: "Poor."

WOODY: "I'm sorry to hear that."

NORM: "No, I mean pour."

SAM: "How's life treating you Norm?"

NORM: "Like it caught me sleeping with its wife."

SAM: "What's going down, Normie?"

NORM: "My butt cheeks on that bar stool."

WOODY: "Pour you a beer, Mr. Peterson?"

NORM: "All right, but stop me at one.... make that one-thirty."

WOODY: "How's it going Mr. Peterson?"

NORM: "It's a dog eat dog world, Woody and I'm wearing Milk Bone underwear."

SAM: "What's the story Norm?"

NORM: "Boy meets beer. Boy drinks beer. Boy meets another beer."

WOODY: "What's going on Mr. Peterson?"

NORM: "The question is what's going in Mr. Peterson? A beer please, Woody."

WOODY: "Can I pour you a beer Mr. Peterson?"

NORM: "A little early isn't it, Woody?"

WOODY: "For a beer?"

NORM: "No, for stupid questions."

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), June 21, 2000.

EH:

Your are on of the people whose posts I respect. I guess depending on our motives for being here, the forum is, to folk like you and Decker, petering out, or to folks like me, Bingo, Anita, Eve, UnkD, CapnFun, etc it is just starting. I think our circle could keep this forum going by itself with philosophy, psychology, spirituality, and plain old silliness when needed.

I find it interesting that two regulars posted similar posts in the space of three weeks. EH, What was your original motive for hanging out here, and how has the lack of fulfillment of that motive led to this post?

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), June 21, 2000.

Well, "Future," my motive was always to engage in interesting discussion on subjects of personal interest. The focal point of Y2K facilitated more than a few interesting conversations. In fact, one's views on Y2K often depending on one's "meta-view" of the universe. Are people inherently good or bad? Is technology good or bad? Is society stable or crumbling? Were previous generations of Americans smarter, stronger and more decent?

Y2K provided a frame for an interesting picture. The issue attracted a diverse group of individuals and the deadline created a sense of urgency. The supposed "stakes" created passion.

Now, the "spinoff" forum has slowed into a group of familiar people who enjoy the social conversations and general "bull session" enviroment. Oh, there are a few odd balls, but most are utterly predictable and deadly boring (like Andy Ray and his "quoted" posts).

The "serious thinkers" like Anita, Eve, etc., want to grapple with heavy philosophical and spiritual issues. For me, an Internet forum is a poor venue for a discussion of metaphysics. It also seems rather dull without a "framing issue." Without Y2K, it feels a bit like navel gazing.

My original motive was to participate in the Y2K discussion. From my perspective, this discussion is over. My interest in the "spinoff" forum was based on what it might become.

I used an analogy earlier, and think it still stands. The old forum was the "war." This forum is the local American Legion. Some people can't stop talking about the war. Others find it's a great bar full of familiar faces and shared experiences. This is a social forum. For people who really enjoy net-based socialization, it may well be a great place. I prefer my real life, in part because it's easier to talk while holding a cold beverage than type.

-- Ken Decker (kcdecker@worldnet.att.net), June 21, 2000.

I too am perplexed about the imminent demise of the forum,Y2k as a topic may be dead but we are still quite alive.I never really thought of myself as an internet forum kinda guy but I have come to enjoy the diversity that presents itself here,the accumulated knowledge is astounding.Where else can you go to discuss molecular laser surgery and mutiple orgasms all in one fell swoop?

The forum is indeed what we make of it,from the intellectual to the whimsical this place is a unique amalagamation of humanity,with a range of experiences that leaves almost no stone unturned.

The analogy of the forum to "Cheers" is definetly 100% on target,good one Hawk.

One of the things I find the most interesting is that we are a combo of(God I hate to use this) polly's and doomer's,that for whatever reason like and continue to return to the forum.From the one side,people who are still hung up on Y2k to people who were barred from EZ to the people who refused to go on principle to others who cross the lines with ease.What a dichotomy,one that I believe serves us well.

Now,can I have that Bloody Mary barkeep? : )

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), June 21, 2000.

I agree with Cherri. Real life friends are certainly nice, as Ken stated. However, not all of our real life friends would appreciate meeting at 4am because Anita woke up with a goof-ball idea and wanted some feedback. We'd all have to dress, drive, etc. to handle that one, even if we had the interest.

Some folks have coffee and read the newspaper first thing in the morning. SO does that. I grab a glass of milk and hit the PC. He says it's the equivalent of my morning newspaper. Some days the "news" is of no real interest to me. I read it and log off. On other days, I like to discuss the news. On those days, I'll likely log on again later in the day to continue the discussion. Each day brings new topics, so one day's loss may be the next day's gain.

If I weren't so wordy, E.H., I'd have time to engage in other fora. There are other websites I visit regularly, but few with an attached forum. This is good, as by the time I read all of interest to me, I've already spent too much time online.

Chat usually starts late in the day. I'd rather spend time with SO late in the day, but if he's consumed with sports, HE'D rather I spent time on the P.C. He's never said this, but he KNOWS I have no interest in T.V. sports, so if I sat on the couch during a game he'd ask if I'd like to watch T.V. He's really asking if I wouldn't RATHER occupy myself with something else, but is too kind to say that. I've watched these signals, and now tend to gravitate toward the P.C. if I hear sports, or I see him enjoying a book. When he thinks there's something on T.V. that we'd both enjoy, he calls me.

I'm perhaps answering Ken's post more than yours, E.H. If I'm online on a given evening and see no action here, I check out Bok's. Folks are usually there.

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), June 21, 2000.