Nursery for New Members

hello.

See that little 'quote' text over there >> it's your friend in these situations. :-)

They can't qoute or delete whilst in the nursery period.

Just basking in the warm embrace of the forum...

Just basking in the warm embrace of the forum...

Hopefully you read the last X number of pages and have decided to make all your future posts useful or at least interesting.

Hello

I'm from Australia, isn't that great?

I ride a Chesini road bike. It's columbus SLX.

Hello

For

I'm from Australia, isn't that great?

Fucks'

I ride a Chesini road bike. It's columbus SLX.

Sake

Have you taken on Balki's mantle now Tim? :-)

I think i'm just grumpy this week. Especially as he posted that shit right underneath my last grumpy post... almost like he did it on purpose.

cheer up!
look - it's not even raining outside.

Yet......

I'm from Australia, isn't that great?

Oi dick head..

"Can you evade the nursery period?

Don't try. Really. It's a public forum which means everyone can see you do it, and if you post 5 meaningless posts in an attempt to sidestep the nursery chances are that someone will report you... when that happens, I will ban that account permanently."

So you've just joined and you're wondering what the hell this nursery thing is all about and why this site has it when few to no other sites you've visited have such a thing.

Please read all of this post!

We had a few problems in the past with things like:

• **Spammers **signing up and posting adverts

• What makes a spammer a spammer when there's a classifieds section? The difference is whether those posting items for sale take part in the wider community... if they are doing that and the majority of their posts are not spam, then they're not a spammer... if all they do is sell stuff and have no interest in the community, then they're a spammer.

• **Spammers **signing up and **sending PMs **to 60 or so people

• Invasions from other forums, so basically mass trolling

• Individual trolls

• New people asking **questions that have been asked and answered **what feels like a hundred times already

• New people starting little flame wars against themselves by asking such **stupid questions **that a quick search would've saved them embarrassment and spared their reputation

Those are a wide and varied set of problems, and we worked out that nearly all of them could be stemmed by just putting up an artificial obstacle for those joining the forums.

Effectively there is a cooling-off period in which new members should get acclimatised to the forum and get to see how it works, and the forum should get a moment to become familiar with the new person. We are basically forcing you to ease yourself in gently... but honestly, doing so is better for you, this place can be harsh so just go with it.

The name for this artificial period is "the nursery". Until you learn to walk here, you can't run.

And what does being in the nursery actually amount to?

Well members in the nursery can:

• Search the forums
  
• Reply to existing threads
  
• Upload a profile picture (non-animated)
  
• Join an existing social group
  
  

What nursery members can't do is:

• Start new threads
  
• Use Private Messaging
  
• Have a custom avatar
  
• Upload a animated profile picture
  
• Edit their posts (they can't undo what they say)
  
• Rate threads
  
• Give reputation
  
• Post on polls
  
• Anything else not explicitly granted to them above
  
  

What defines a "nursery member"?

It's pretty simple, you are no longer in the nursery when you have both:

• Posted 3 times
  
• Been on the site for 24 hours
  
  

And this is an automatic thing, as soon as that threshold is passed the system will promote you to full membership within an hour or two.

Now, a lot of people don't like the nursery. And that's very understandable, but let me just underline some qualities of this site that don't really exist elsewhere.

First up, moderators... we have none... not one, none. Other sites pride themselves on having 20 or 30 moderators, we just don't bother. We have an administrator, that's me VelocityBoy... but really I do the technical stuff like run the software and server and ensure that the place functions well and doesn't get blacklisted. What I don't do is to subjectively police the place. Point is, if we have no moderators we really do need a system that from the outset reduces the kind of work that leads to the creation of moderators... basically to reduce spam and trolling from the instant that a new member signs up.

Next up, jostling. Every forum has it's fair share of new members being initiated by the old timers by some friendly ribbing. But sometimes this can go too far, especially if (without searching first) you ask an oft-repeated, tired, or dumb question in your first post. It's not pleasant to watch new members get ripped to shreds, and really I'm doing you the biggest favour by forcing you to search first and look around before you ask... the guys here can be merciless towards the new, so say hello first and search thoroughly before you ask stuff. The result, yeah there's still some jostling, but not much, and the place is a hell of a lot friendlier for it and that is priceless.

** Can you evade the nursery period?**

Don't try. Really. It's a public forum which means everyone can see you do it, and if you post 5 meaningless posts in an attempt to sidestep the nursery chances are that someone will report you... when that happens, I will ban that account permanently. You're free to register again, but then you start the nursery again too. So don't try, we're not that dumb and as this is our one piece of moderation it's purposefully harsh, really, don't try.

But what if you're not a spammer, not a troll, not a internet and cycling newbie, you aren't going to ask a dumb question, and you have experience of other fixed gear forums. Well, why didn't you say? If all of this is true, then you can contact me (the administrator) using the Contact Us form at the bottom of the page and outline why you need to be out of the nursery. If you can persuade me with a paragraph that you need to start a new thread, or send a PM, or something... then I will get you out of the nursery as soon as I can (i.e. when I've checked my email and seen your message). I do this a lot, it's cool. So do just ask, I'm not that scary really.

I think that covers all of the basics about the nursery... key thing, just say hi, chat to us... the nursery period will fly by before you know it. It's the best way, and it's the one that works best for everyone.

Nearly got took out on the way home today, old twat on her mobile started to drift into me, I tapped on the window before she ran me into the curb and she looked pissed that I interrupted her call!

Do they come in waves?

A bunch of new folk come on and they are all about posting silly questions without doing some research first, then they all catch on and the next wave of new kids DO utfs, but they don't notice when things have been posted.

Can we study this so that we can predict the patterns?
How about a warning message before anyone in the nursery is allowed to post?

"Wait! Make sure you really want to send this comment. Do you think this is something that someone else might have already asked multiple times? If so, don't post about it again or you will have an angry deaf bob jackson enthusiast grumbling at you.
Have you checked the date on the thread your posting to? If your inquiring about something that was offered for sale more than six months ago, you might want to wait and send a PM (when you are out of the nursery) addressing the fact that you doubt the seller has it anymore, but you thought it was worth a go anyways. Do this or you will have a cranky American woman taking the piss out of you.
If you are certain that the post you are about to submit will not cause people to create tags about you or ridicule you unduly, then post away!"

plus one

i am keeping that on my clipboard for use today

I am on a few boards that get filled with drivel from "passers by" and think this is a great Idea !

regards Allister

Welcome.... introduce yourself on the 'Welcome' thread and use the search before starting topics :)

I need a dust cap cover for a campagnolo pedal. Help!

Join the queue. These things a worth their weight in gold.

I need a dust cap cover for a campagnolo pedal. Help!

Clearly you have exhausted all other avenues....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PAIR-OF-CAMPAGNOLO-RECORD-PEDAL-DUST-CAPS-NOS_W0QQitemZ350239580997QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR?hash=item518be7e345&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MKS-Pedal-Dust-Cap-NEW-ALSO-FITS-CAMPAGNOLO_W0QQitemZ160356041724QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR?hash=item2555f703fc&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NOS-CAMPAGNOLO-ROAD-PISTA-BIKE-PEDALS-DUST-CAPS-CHROME_W0QQitemZ350239040231QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCycling_Parts_Accessories?hash=item518bdfa2e7&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NOS-CAMPAGNOLO-ROAD-PISTA-BIKE-PEDALS-DUST-CAPS-CHROME_W0QQitemZ380148378236QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCycling_Parts_Accessories?hash=item58829bea7c&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

cool i have been lurking, i will now wait in line

Welcome, sorry about your bike.

i don't understand why people are so eager to get out of the nursery? what is the first thing you want to do? create a thread, quote someone and delete it all at once? i was for 3 months.