The History of the TOLKIEN FORUM

[Flammifer]

Hey guys!

I've been wondering about this for a long time but never really got round to starting a thread about it........and I'm not sure whether this is the right place to put it.......but anyway.......

What's the history of this great place? Who has been here since the begining? I'm guessing WM and Beorn for a start.........and I'm sure there are plenty more................I'd be guessing a few of the Mods, as well as Yay, Aule, and Elgee, and Nom as well? I don't really know..........

But I really would love to know the history of TTF.....where were its beginnings? Was it always called "The Tolkien Forum"? How long has it been around? How did it develop into the wonderful place that we all love today?

This is absolutely fascinating to me...............could anyone who knows help me pleeeeeeeeeease? :)

Thanks,

Flammifer.

[Celebthôl]

I dont think any of them were, except WM, Grond was, Tal maybe, Anc possibly, Aule is a new member that me, he hasnt even been here a year yet ;)
Elgee i thinks been here 1 1/2 years or so. . . Nom and YAY havnt been here from the begining. . .
Thats all for now, ill look into it, this is a good idea :)

[Ciryaher]

The people who have been here since...a long time ago. Several TTF's ago, we'll say ;)

Thorin (formerly Guibox)
Lantarion (formerly Pontifex)
Ciryaher (formerly Hyarmendacil)

And of course the Webmaster :)

As far as I know, Thorin, Lanty, and I are the only members around from way-back-when. A lot of members came around in early 2001, and still more came when the forum made it's biggest change yet in August 2001 and then they continued to flow in like a stream. We always get the most new members around Christmas, because that's when the LOTR movies have been coming out. :)

I can remember..1..2..3..4..5 different versions of this forum :) At one point there were even two forums. There was a BB for www.thelordoftherings.com and yet an independent www.thetolkienforum.com. TTF was dead for a while until WM removed the other BB and made www.thetolkienforum.com the only Tolkien forum (let's face it, those others? ha!).

We've been through several color schemes...there was the original light blue that I was introduced to; the first TTF proper was dark, dark red; then I think we went to white and red; and then there was the Black Forum for a while after September 11, 2001, and then I think we went back to red and a creamy sort of color, and I think we stuck with this green after that. I don't remember exactly, though :)

[Beleg]

I'm guessing WM and Beorn for a start.........and I'm sure there are plenty more................I'd be guessing a few of the Mods, as well as Yay, Aule, and Elgee, and Nom as well? I don't really know..........

Elgee and YayGollum joined in December 2001.
Aule Joined in December 2002.

Beorn aka Mike B joined on the last day of the old forum.

Rangerdave joined in March 2002.
Nom Joined in April 2002.
Ithrynluin joined in April 2002.

Aragil joined in August 2001.
Talierien I thought went back to the old forum.
Ancalagon used to be on the old forum.

Kementari probably was also on the old forum.

Grond joined in December 2001.

There have only been four bannings in the history of TTF.

Mrs. Maggot is most probably the eldest member and the disappeared Ecthelion the youngest.

[Talierin]

You're going to make me use my memory, aren't you?
Originally it was WM, and RW, and then Cir on the old board as mods. I joined three months before we moved to this board. Beorn joined the day before we moved as Mike B. Other old board members:

Thorin (GuiBox)
Ancalagon (DancesWithSharks [I always did like that one better than Anc ;) ])
Kementari (Lady Goldberry)
Asha'man (the one troll we've kept around ;) )
Was Adrastea around? I can't remember if she was or if she joined right after the move

After the move, we found we needed more mods, so we had a poll to vote for two new ones. On the poll was Anc, Greymantle, Grond, and myself. I won (oddly enough :|), and Anc was second, so we became mods. After that Beorn and Grond became mods, and most of you prolly know the rest of the story.

[Niniel]

You can see who are around the longest by sorting the members by 'date joined', so that people won't have to use their memory;)

[Ciryaher]

That only works for *this* version of TTF. As I said, there have been several others.

Thorin, Lanty, and I have been members here for just about 5 years.

And I was the first mod, for about a year before the Forum switched to it's current state, RW showed up as a mod just before or after the switch :)

[Thorin]

Ah yes. You could say we are the Eldar :) and Tolkien Forum is now in the Third Age.

I can't even remember how long I was Guibox on the old forum but it was well before August 2001 when the board was switched. Do any of you TTF vets remember Delian (Delia)? She was the most literate of Tolkien that I had (and still have) seen on this forum (other than Cian). Mrs. Maggot reminds me of her a bit.

[Lantarion]

FIVE YEARS?!?! *faints*
Are you sure it's that long..? I joined 'TTF' (i.e. the OLD board, with the orange colour scheme :D) only a few months before it became 'thetolkienforum'.. I remember being annoyed because Beorn (Mike B back then :)) joined before me and posted the first message. :D

When you mentioned www.thelordoftherings.com I was reminded of a (less organized and different format) Tolkien discussion forum, which was subsidiary to something like www.myprecious.org/net/com (something like that).. It was called the 'Green Dragon', and I used to go there VERY often.. It was the first palce I used the name Lantarion, and I remember some guy there asking me what significance a lantern had in a eprson's internet nick! :D. Haven't been there for over two years now I think.. :( I'd really like to drop in and see what's going on there. It was 90% spam, but still a lot of fun. (Oh I think it was closed a long time ago... Shame.)
And a similar place was called the 'Quendi' forum.. That was similar in format but a lot more organzied and Tolkien-based. I'll look around for it and tell you if I find it. :)

Hmm and I was made Mod after about half a year (or so?) of being a member at the 'current' TTF.

That's all from this vet, for now. :D (Haha I still laugh when people mention the name 'Pontifex'.. Or 'Lantifex'!)


PS: WOW I found the Quendi Forum! And it's still up and running (they haven't even changed the layout). Check it out at http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/80629. :)
Er.. things were never very lively there, and things haven't changedd.. :p So don't expect too much. :D

[Talierin]

Beorn wasn't on the old board... he joined it the DAY before we moved to this board

[aragil]

I was on the old board- same name, even same capitalization. My first post was an old Celtic rhyme that I had translated into Quenya- only Lantarion and Ciryaher (Hyarmendacil at the time) took swings at it.

[Gandalf White]

Haha I still laugh when people mention the name 'Pontifex' Oh my word, I seem to remember that name? Is that possible??? :eek:

Edit: I can't believe I joined before Elgee and Yay... :eek:

[Helcaraxë]

I'm confuzzled. So are the very first posts still viewable on this version of the site? And when you say "versions," do you mean that the site underwent reforms; like, when you said it split then rejoined?? And did Webmaster actually create the site, or did he just own it? And (a little off topic; mods can delete this is if they want) what are the "Debate Guilds"?

--MB

[Talierin]

I KNEW I was forgetting someone! I do remember you, aragil, now that I think about it...

MB - TTF has gone through board software changes. Currently we're on vBulletin (which is the best!), but I believe we've been on two other kinds of boards. We had to move to vBulletin because the one we were on was going out of business. And WM owns the board... what you do is buy the software (such as vBulletin) that generates boards, and then upload it onto your server. You also have to have a domain name for it as well. There's another kind of board where you pay for a board, but the software company hosts it on their own server. It's cheaper I believe, but you don't get the control over it like you would your own server.
And no, unfortunately we don't have any ancient threads at the dawn of TTF :(

The Debate Guilds are simply the guilds that take part in the debate tournament, i.e. Periaur, Tolkienology, Ost-en-edhil, Scholars, Outcasts, and Guild of Elves/Dwarves

[Flammifer]

Wow!

This is so interesting...........obviously I was wrong about my guesses.............I should have looked at the 'Registered' thing..........but then again I didn't know how old the forum was..............I love this stuff!

Thanks so much guys......and keep it coming! :)

[Ciryaher]

aragil! I knew there was another fogey on here from the mists of time ;) You're only a fogey if you were on two forums ago :p So that makes 4 of us that are still around so far.

Delia rings a bell, Thorin, though she must have left long ago, because the memory is only of the name.

I think someone found some old pages from the last version of TTF, they are internet archives of some sort, though I don't remember where they are.

The "Registered" function only goes back to August 2001 when the software was changed....otherwise we'd still have RP's 1, 2, and 3 around, as well as a plethora of threads along the lines of "So they're thinking about making a LotR movie?" :D

I remember the first "Do Balrogs have Wings?" thread, if that tells you anything :)

[HLGStrider]

I'm sort of flattered I was assumed to be an original. . .I guess I'm just too prevalent.

Though I do have a bit of seniority.

[Flammifer]

Originaly posted by Ciryaher
The "Registered" function only goes back to August 2001 when the software was changed....otherwise we'd still have RP's 1, 2, and 3 around, as well as a plethora of threads along the lines of "So they're thinking about making a LotR movie?"

I remember the first "Do Balrogs have Wings?" thread, if that tells you anything

Hehe. So you remember the first "Do Balrogs have Wings?" thread eh? Wow! I'm sure that was a long time ago...........also the movie ones. This is great!

Originally posted by HLGStrider
I'm sort of flattered I was assumed to be an original. . .I guess I'm just too prevalent.

Though I do have a bit of seniority.

Hehe.......yep you sure do! I mean, you do have the highest post count........and you are very prevalent!

[Narya]

I think the better question is, will TTF still be as popular as it is now, after ROTK ends its run? I have no doubt that there are many members here who are here because of Tolkien, not because of the movie (I am one of them - though I am not an original here, I only came here out of desperation - long story!) Anyway, I just noticed that the streaming number of "joiners" are here because they thought the movie was cool and are interested to find out more.

I do hope that we sustain the momentum. It's nicer when there are many people in a message board.

[Halasían]

I remember posting to one of the older TTF, I believe an EZ board????

Anyway, where has ReadWryt gone to?

[Beorn]

Originally posted by Beleg
There have only been four bannings in the history of TTF.

Not to be overly negative, but that's not quite true. There have been four major bannings (well, they can be considered major). There are dozens of others (like people who joined for advertising, etc)....

ReadWryt took a long Tolkien sabatical...he may be returning soon...

[Lantarion]

Originally posted by Narya
I think the better question is, will TTF still be as popular as it is now, after ROTK ends its run?
Haha, I'm absolutely sure it won't be; but that's only a good thing in my eyes. I really loved the small-town community feel that TTF had in the beginning.. I even remember commenting on the rapid 'industrialization' :D of TTF as a negative thing..
But TTF is still small enough for me.. This is a large place, but not too large.
:)

[Ancalagon]

I would give anything to read threads from the original forum, especially Dagorlads thread regarding the Paths of the Dead. If I recall Aragil, RW, Cir, myself and others fought over it for many moons. Ahhh, still one of my favourite threads, lost but not forgotten:)

[Talierin]

I remember Dagorlad! He was something else.... ;)
hehehe, him and Asha'man got into a huge fight in that weapons thread he'd started.... boy, that was a long time ago...

[Celebthôl]

Originally posted by Ancalagon
I would give anything to read threads from the original forum, especially Dagorlads thread regarding the Paths of the Dead. If I recall Aragil, RW, Cir, myself and others fought over it for many moons. Ahhh, still one of my favourite threads, lost but not forgotten:)

Is it totally lost?
I wouldnt mind reading it, this isnt the first time you've brought this up, it must have been a great thread! :)
Surely someone saved it.

[Talierin]

All I have printed out somewheres is ash's two "Let's bash tolkien!" threads, my welcome thread, and my profile........ I should try to find those, my very first post is truly scary!

[Celebthôl]

LOL, i think we all made asses of ourselves on out very first posts :D
I know i did ;)

[Helcaraxë]

When WM changed software, were all the previous threads deleted, and did everyone have to start from scratch again? Or was WM able to transfer some of the threads? I hate wax nostalgia.:D


--MB

[Lúthien Séregon]

In which year was the first version of the Tolkien Forum in place? 1998? I always thought this place was only just over two years old, because I assumed that the forum was always this board.

Oh BTW, I found one of my first posts when searching through the Two Towers reviews the other day:

http://www.thetolkienforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7821&perpage=15&pagenumber=65

Jeez I made a fool out of myself. :eek:

[Ciryaher]

I remember the weapons thread! We argued over the word "darts"...Dagorlad or Asha'man (can't remember) thought that "darts" was just another name for arrows, and I argued that with men from the South, they could have been blow-darts. I remember the Paths of the Dead argument, too :D

Those were the days, to be sure. Many a heated debate, without the tainting of the movies upon civilization as we know it *sniff*

And WM put up the very first incarnation of TTF in 1998. TTF has been in existence in two millenia :D

[dapence]

The history of The Tolkien Forum has something of a Tolkienesque nature to it. Much of it lost or veiled in the mists of time. :)

Just as in "The Matrix," TTF has had a couple of earlier iterations, and need to be rebooted due to software problems. Sadly, the member roll and threads of these earlier versions of TTF were lost. TTF, as it is now, was launched in August, 2001.

Perhaps we should have a "History of The Tolkien Forum" section, done in a Tale of Years format.

August 18, 2001 (Year 1, TTF Reckoning)

Foundation of The Tolkien Forum by David Averill-Pence.
Mike B, later known as Beorn, becomes first member.

Might be an interesting project. :)

[Talierin]

He's only first member cause Cir and I weren't quite fast enough! :p HA! *says the lowly 4th member....*

[Elbereth]

I only wish I could have seen this thread earlier.

Great idea Flammifer!

Well, I guess you can say I'm a vet here on TTF ....but often times I still feel like a newbie.

Well, some of the most memorable things that I can remember since I joined TTF in Jan 2002 was:

*The sinking of the Silver Dragon (Feb 2002)
*The opening of the Dragon Singles Bar & the invention of YayG's favorite drink, Vodka and Fish (Feb 2002)
* My forum wedding (the second rp wedding, the first being Korhal and Arisen Pheonix) (May 2002)
* The tiresome debates concerning the restart of the rpg wars
(Spring/Summer 2002)
*Hempdread's Hot Summer Music Festival
* the Ulairi Issue (Summer/Fall 2002)
* The Creation of the Periaur (Late Summer 2002)
* The Narya Death Scandal (fall 2002)
* My resignation as guild leader of the Scholars (Fall 2002)
* TTF's Big Clean (Fall 2002)
* Mr & Mrs. TTF
* RPG's get a new home (March 2003)

to be continued...

[Helcaraxë]

Originally posted by Elbereth
rp

What's RP?

--MB

[Celebthôl]

Its an abrevition of RPG which is itself and abreviation of Role Playing Game, it means Role Playing. People just get lazier and lazier when they cant even be bothered to write out 3 letter! :rolleyes: ;) :D *angelic smile* *needs an angelic smile smilie*

[Narya]

Originally posted by Elbereth
* The Narya Death Scandal (fall 2002)


AW GAWD!! You had to remind them of that, I feel like I'm melting!!! thanks a lot Elb!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

But I loved your wedding. You forgot about the contests in my Pub!!! The pie eating contest and the caber toss, and of course the hobbit-dangling of the dragon-guard of weeping willow!


Good times!!!

[HLGStrider]

I doubt any newish members know what she's refering to. . .and most of those who read this thread will be newish members.

[Beleg]

hey Elgee some 'newish' members do read old threads! :(

[Narya]

Originally posted by HLGStrider
I doubt any newish members know what she's refering to. . .and most of those who read this thread will be newish members.

Don't worry Elgee, I know Elb knows I was only joking! :D

Besides, it's in the past, I just found it a bit disturbing to be reminded of it - not one of my glorious moments believe me. And Elb knows that.

I would also like to point out that at one point, TTF's sister website was a StarWars Forum. So this should end discussions about TTF members and starwars. I believe most of us like both trilogies (Is there such a word?)

[HLGStrider]

hey Elgee some 'newish' members do read old threads!

Do those thread exist anymore? I remember everything about it was edited out of the Prayer Request thread.

[Khamul]

Hmm, very interesting. I have been here since just before FOTR came out in theaters. Been a long time...lots of things have changed since then.

[Gil-Galad]

I have been here since April 2002 and I remember many great threads and many great members who were part of TTF.And some who do not have so much time nowadays to participate.
I miss Grond and his posts,and many other people.
Let's remember all those great members who are not here anymore,or who do not have time to be here often......
Grond,Gate7ole,AnatamarIV .....(who will continue?)

[Narya]

Well, Valar, I am sure Elbs misses him, and I'd say YayGollum. He's busy with school I think.

Plus Greenwood. He was the person who got me inside TTF in the first place. We played in LOTRO then our system administrator blockd the ip address of LOTRO so he said I can go to TTF insteadl.

[Thorin]

I do miss Grond, Greymantle and ReadWryt. Greymantle, Ancalagon and I were some of the first purists to really lock horns with the incorrigable FADs of old, Harad, Foe-Hammer and markrob (even aragil was part of that group though much more civilized ;) )

Ahh, the good old days of the forum.

[Ciryaher]

FADs...bah! You'd be amazed at what those...things...will do if you stir them up. Like sticking your arm in a ground-hornet nest!

(recalls having to delete entire strings of posts because he said something about PJ to markrob)

[Úlairi]

Musn't forget the banning of Harad, and my return (;)).

[Lantarion]

haha we haven't even mentioned you Ulairi! Something psychological, I should imagine. :D ;)

[Elbereth]

What are you talking about Lanty! I mentioned Ulairi a few posts ago....do you not read my posts! Argh!

But anyway....I remember when Mike/Beorn was an ordinary member. Now that was a LONG time ago....or at least it seems like it. I just referred to him back then as TTF's resident computer expert...and actually I still refer to him as that now.

And does anyone else remember when Goldberry introduced us to the ever so memorable "Diary of the Ring"....I will never look at FOTR the same way again! :D :p

I also remember when ReadWryt showed us the ever memorable pic of WM...now that was a vision I won't ever forget! ;)

[Úlairi]

Wish I was there for that!

[Khamul]

I remember when I cared. :(

[Úlairi]

I know what you mean man.

[Húrin Thalion]

I feel very set aside, please, someone, speak to them about my glorious achievements in nearly every field on TF, almost a year ago...

Måns

[Úlairi]

Hurin Thalion, I remember Grond mentioning you. What exactly happened?

[Eliot]

Man, that situation was just a mess. I would suggest you don't ask that question, but it's already asked. :)

[Adrastea]

I'm still here Tal (just)!

I joined in early Spet 2001 (I think), under another acount and name, which was Chippy. I remember that only 20 people posted. I also remember having a silly little fight with Anc, I can't remember what about. I can also remember I was the youngest person posting on the board. (I was 13). I can remember thinking Tal, Kem and Cir were so old and that they knew everything that could be known about Tolkien. :D

[Úlairi]

I believe I logged on just as Harad was on his way out. I remember a thread of his called: "Balrog's Free Agents or just whistling around the graveyard?". That was my earliest memory of the forum.

[Ancalagon]

Originally posted by Adrastea I can remember thinking Tal, Kem and Cir were so old and that they knew everything that could be known about Tolkien. :D

It is amazing how one's perception can be so clouded:)

[Úlairi]

Anc, I had always considered you for a little boy! ;)

[Lantarion]

Ulairi careful with the smoothtalk, dragons are very unpredictable!! :D :D

Ooh Adrastea hi nice to see you around.. Man I remember your posts from when you were Chippy.. Hehe your thread 'Quiz/Trivia' in the Hall of Fire is alive and well. :D

[Úlairi]

Seems so long ago...

[Elbereth]

*bump*

Ok...there has to be some history that has not been mentioned....so think back folks...even recent history is worth chatting about...so lets get that memory working and get this thread up and running again!

[Gandalf White]

I remember Thol and Rog (then Aule) trying to set me up with Draug as Mr. TTF. Then I remember laughing at them when they completely and utterly failed.. :p ;)

Beware, those two are evil.

[Valar]

Talking of ancient history, i thought i would say hi, i doubt very many of you remember me, hopefully Elbereth does :)

I was just taking the time to brose the net today, and thought, where haven't i been in far too long, and TTF seemed to type itself.

Anyhow just to say i hope everyone that i knew are well and i hope indeed the forum is still the lovely place it always was.

Take care everybody, i'll Pop back soon

Valar.

[Elbereth]

Wow...what a week!

First korhall returns...and then Valar returns from the vast unknown reaches to return to our lovely little forum. I hope that is a good indication that the forum is having a revival.

Well, it is good to see you are alive and well Valar ;) We missed you greatly. Hope to see you again sometime!