Online Communities (updated)

[jtaylor]

Specifically, the communities of video websites such as LoadingReadyRun or vidcasts or video blogs or whatever.
Discuss.
I am studying this type of community with the possible goal of being able to help people set up and manage these sorts of things.
More promptings later when I think of them.

EDIT:

I totally failed to specify what I wanted.
I am studying the software setups themselves and how the community uses the software. I am going to call them social interfaces because that sounds like a good term.
The LRR social interfaces are this forum, which uses phpBB, the IRC chat channel, and the wiki, which uses MediaWiki. Each has its own part in the community.
What do you all think about these social interfaces as a way of communicating and collaborating with the community and how can they be creatively utilized to benefit the crew, the community, non-community viewers, and the actual videos and related content?
LoadingReadyRun has an active community in which the crew and the community can easily interact, I am trying to figure out what is being done right and how can other videographers set up their own communities.

[Allen!]

Specifically, the communities of video websites such as LoadingReadyRun or vidcasts or video blogs or whatever.

Full of douchebags who don't really give constructive criticism when asked for serious discussions or opinions, but just post things that are mildly amusing, and sometimes ironic.

[tak197]

I agree with some of what you're saying, Allen. But the key thing to remember is that once you get past the fact that you will be a jackass at least once or twice every month, you can enjoy the forum much more.

[The Happy Friar]

I agree with some of what you're saying, Allen. But the key thing to remember is that once you get past the fact that you will be a jackass at least once or twice every month, you can enjoy the forum much more.

i hope you're referring to you because i'm a jackass at least seven dozen times a month.

I just proved allen right! now everyone shall follow in his wake! (pun intended).

[tak197]

i hope you're referring to you because i'm a jackass at least seven dozen times a month.

I'm referring to anyone who feels like they are a normal, well-adjusted human being with morals and such.

[Allen!]

I'm referring to anyone who feels like they are a normal, well-adjusted human being with morals and such.

So... Nobody here, then.

[JesterJ.]

I agree with some of what you're saying, Allen. But the key thing to remember is that once you get past the fact that you will be a jackass at least once or twice every month, you can enjoy the forum much more.

I think it went over your head.

[tak197]

Ok let me simplify it.

Upon entering any forum or message board there is one truth that all must acknowledge and affirm within themselves...

"I am a dick and I accept that about myself."

Once they say that to themselves, they are fine. Denial of such usually makes the person even more of a dick and thus will collapse under the truth.

[Allen!]

Once they say that to themselves, they are fine. Denial of such usually makes the person even more of a dick and thus will collapse under the truth.

You mean like Wraith?

[JesterJ.]

"I am a dick and I accept that about myself."

You know, this becomes incredibly apparent while playing WoW. Absolutely ANYBODY In that game will gank someone if they know, or even think, they can get away from it. They'll do it to people over 10 levels lower than them, too, just to be a jackass. Because it's fun to ruin people's days.


Just figured I'd share.

[TheRocket]

This is the short bus.

[The Happy Friar]

"I am a dick and I accept that about myself."

you mean you don't say that to yourself every morning? I must be the only one!

[Mouse]

This is the short bus.

The comment is so perfect that I feel no need to attempt some sort of witty agreement.

[The Pious Flea]

You want suggestions for how to set up and run communities like this?

This should be written in the sky in letters of fire: If you're going to set rules, you have to stick to them.

I've been to too many communities where they were extensive systems of rules that weren't actually followed or enforced, and the actual rule was not to do anything that, directly or indirectly, annoyed the moderators.

What's nice about LRR is that there aren't any written rules, and very reasonable unwritten ones. If LRR had written rules, the guys would be obligated to live up to them.

[Wraith]

Once they say that to themselves, they are fine. Denial of such usually makes the person even more of a dick and thus will collapse under the truth.

You mean like Wraith?

I'm sorry, did I collapse under something?



I don't recall collapsing under anything.

I do recall feeling the sheer magnitude of your failure pressing down upon me, but collapsing, not so much.

[Allen!]

Once they say that to themselves, they are fine. Denial of such usually makes the person even more of a dick and thus will collapse under the truth.

You mean like Wraith?

I'm sorry, did I collapse under something?



I don't recall collapsing under anything.

I do recall feeling the sheer magnitude of your failure pressing down upon me, but collapsing, not so much.

Didn't say you collapsed under anything.

I said you're a dick.

[Wraith]

Look, man, I realize that every time I'm around you, all you can think about is dicks. Not that that's too much different from your usual mindset, but really, try to control yourself.

[The Pious Flea]

The number two rule for Internet communities:

Let neither Allen! nor Wraith onto yours.

[Allen!]

You're trying too hard, Wraith.

[emma]

Allen, so are you.

[jtaylor]

Will you all shut the hell up and read what I am asking.

[Lord Chrusher]

By now jtaylor you should know that threads have a life of their own often growing beyond what their authors intended.

[god0fgod]

[Morgan]

allen and wraith: one of you two needs to man up and quit being a dick here. as soon as one of you stops there will be nothing for the other person to feed off.

now, as per the ACTUAL POINT OF THE THREAD: the wiki is quite beneficial to us, as we can check it to find out when something happened etc. you guys seem to know more about us than we do.
the forums allows constructive criticism and discourse (sometimes) and allows us to find our strengths and weaknesses. both of these things allow us to improve as time goes on.
i've never once gone into the irc channel. once i took over graham's comp when he was on there, but that's pretty much it.
for people who're trying to set up a community: you need quite a few people coming to your site before it's worthwhile to set up a forum. if you launch a new site with a forum right off the bat, it will just be dead space for quite a while. we waited a year before we had a forum, and even at that it was a sad state of affairs for rather some time.
finally, i know next to nothing when it comes to the software side of things.

[jtaylor]

By now jtaylor you should know that threads have a life of their own often growing beyond what their authors intended.

Oh I know. I'd like an answer though. Such as Morgan's. Yay Morgan.