# General > The Literature Network >  members only

## fayefaye

well, I think it'd be cool if we had our own part of the forum that not just anyone could come in and read. [that only members can enter]

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## emily655321

Hehehe. Our clubhouse you mean? I call dibs on emergency junk food runs!  :Biggrin:

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## amuse

clubhouse, dollhouse,  :Biggrin:  treehouse, does it matter when we've got our secret password?  :Biggrin: 

oh i have to fill out apps; this is a bad waste of time so early in the day!

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## IWilKikU

Nah, I think members only sections are to entice people into signing up. I think that our conversations in the other forums makes people want to join. I don't think we need an exclusive area to spark curiosity. Besides, how would we discern between what should be posted in general chat and what should go in the members area?

But if we do start members only area, we should call it "our cave inwhich I power animal resides." SLIDE!!!

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## crisaor

> _Originally posted by IWilKikU_ 
> *But if we do start members only area, we should call it "our cave inwhich I power animal resides." SLIDE!!!*


LOL.  :Smile:  
What a great movie.

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## emily655321

Yeah, I can't say I'm quite sure what the purpose would be either. Or how you would be able to keep guests from seeing it, anyway? I was planning to wait and see what it turns out to be first. (Ooh! I love rhyming by accident.  :Biggrin: )

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## den

I dunno ... it would probably entail a lot of (?) code work for Admin and may not be possible with this existing version of vBulletin. 


I frequent another forum that deals with highly personal matters and where some people are in `crisis' and need a lot of support. After a certain number of posts members can see another `room' for them. So it's based on post count, but there's also continual debate about that. 

The idea behind it that people who stick around and contribute a lot are `rewarded' with this hidden `room', where they can share yet more personal stuff only with people they have gotten to know well, if they want. (as much as `online' life makes it possible to `know' people  :Tongue:  ) 

So there's a false sense of security that people think once they've achieved access to this room they are protected from online stalkers and people who want to make trouble for them etc. And it's backfired a few times.

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## Admin

It wouldn't be alot of work, but I don't like the idea.

Iwilkiku hit it on the nose. If it did exist what would go in general chat?

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## fayefaye

general chat could BE the members only area, perhaps? and it'd fit in with stan's idea about a place for members to introduce themselves, and we could get beth's forumer year book thing up.

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## imthefoolonthehill

you guys mentioned fight club... the book is, once again, better than the (great) movie.

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## random_hero

I still gotta read that and the other book.

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## imthefoolonthehill

oh that other book? yeah! ........................ ok, I admit it... I don't know what the heck you are talking about.

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## ajoe

> _Originally posted by IWilKikU_ 
> *Besides, how would we discern between what should be posted in general chat and what should go in the members area?*


Maybe in members only area we can discuss politics.  :Tongue:

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## emily655321

Meep! Not the P word!  :Eek:   :Tongue:   :Tongue:

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## subterranean

It's not really a bad idea about the members only section..For example, Admin doesnt allow us to have political discussion. in this member only section, that rule can be erased and we can discuss anything we want freely, though of ourse members have to respect each other. So it's like a section for "mature dan responsible" members only..

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## ajoe

^ Hey, don't steal my idea! >:( (j/k)

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## Koa

I was thinking about this private room only for members... I think if we had that I'd feel even more 'free' to post personal stuff or very serious stuff, or to be totally open... because I'm often open cos I 'know' the people here but everytime I'm concerned about the fact that the forum is public and potentially anyone can see... So it puts a bit of a limit... In a private room I'd probably lose any filter...and instead the quality of the public room would decrease, cos most deep stuff would be posted in private...

Take the poems, for example...I'm not shy anymore about posting them cos I know the people who will respond... But everytime I'm dead scared to think anyone can see them...If we had a room for super-members, I'd post poetry only there cos I'd be sure it'd be safe and would be seen only by selected eyes...

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## emily655321

I know how you feel, Koa. Now whenever I try to write poetry, in the back of my mind I think, who's going to see this? It'll still be there years from now. What if someone I know sees it, or happens upon it in search engine results? That's why I've only posted one poem so far.

But there's a down side to that too. Like you said, the public room wouldn't get the benefit of all our personal stuff. If new members, or shy people, or just people who don't post much, don't see the personal poems isn't it probable they would feel discouraged from opening up and becoming regulars? There are a lot of really deeply personal things new people, especially kids, have posted that they may not have had the courage to if they felt they were the only ones doing it. Personally, I've had to develop that courage since I started coming here. It was only through seeing how warm and open everyone else was that I made myself start to bare my own soul. It's been a scary but really good learning process for me.

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## Koa

Same here... if you browse back in time in the forum, there's so much embarassment in the first ones I posted, while now I find myself thinking which of the old ones to post...

Thankfully and surprisingly, I'm still able to think nooone will read what i write...unless i write not too deeply, then i have a bit of public in mind, i fear... It feels a bit like we are a group of poets reading our stuff to each other and getting encouragement  :Smile:

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## emily655321

LOL I know, doesn't it? Like ...oh, now I'm blanking. But the little "club" that gathered in the pub in Oxford, where Tolkien read LOTR to Lewis and the rest while he was writing it.

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## Pickles

Read twice, post once.

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## subterranean

hooray.....

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## nome1486

The Inklings. I love that name!

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## Admin

Making something members only does not make it private. There are 3,000 members and it takes 5 minutes to register.

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## baddad

Yeah......things that make you go...Hmmmmmm?

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## mono

I like the suggestion, but I feel unsure whether it would necessarily enhance the site. As Admin said, it takes a mere 5 minutes to register. For smaller circles of contact, I would recommend the private messages feature of the site; personally, I have never sent nor received one, but if you intend for certain people to read your posts, and respond, it seems the easiest solution. Then again, I give kudos for those who can share their own original work in the forums - I'm waaaay too shy! Best of luck, regardless.

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## Stanislaw

What about a certain post amount needs to be reahed befor a person can enter the Private Members Club, Like 750, 800,1000,

After all we needed a certain amount befor we could change our title.

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## fayefaye

lol... I had to get a big stupid grin on my face when I realised people were still discussing this. Maybe y'all need a life?  :Smile:   :Biggrin:  :P

[anybody who sits around discussing my ideas must do]

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## Taliesin

> What about a certain post amount needs to be reahed befor a person can enter the Private Members Club, Like 750, 800,1000,
> 
> After all we needed a certain amount befor we could change our title.


That's a good idea.
But what shall we do there?

I saw an idea in another forum. Here is it- and I know that this sounds crazy:

I know that this forum is very friendly and no offenses or insults are tolerated here.

This would be the opposite.
It's purpose would be insulting other people. 
But noone should take offense because noone really means the insults. It's purpose would be humor and wittiness. And it would take place in pairs: A insults B; B insults A; People vote for them; A insults B etc. Many pairs can compete at once.

It should begin with like 250 posts because then you can see who are mature enough to "fight" and not to take offense nor take it serously nor attack people in other subforums.

I am not sure if you got the idea.

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## crisaor

Insult other people for fun??  :Confused: 
Besides, I figure most of us have to deal with enough insults in real life, so we don't really need it in forums (not me, at least).

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## subterranean

well taliesin if admin granted your wish, i'm sure you can't hardly wait to reach your 250 posts... :Rolleyes:

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## fayefaye

lol... I need an outlet for my heavy sarcasm since my hella sarcastic friend moved schools..... so I love the idea of an insult forum - I'm tired of sittin here insulting myself!! Plus I am - so I've been told - quite the masochist..... so no, not enough insults! (but only if they're funny!)  :Smile:   :Goof:

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## baddad

Again.......things that make you go, "hmmmmm...?"

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## michela

This is not intended to be offensive,so please read it peacefully.

this forum already looks as a private area 'cause there are some members in it who just speak between them as if there were just them...anyway i understand that you are all "old friends" but hey let us to get used with the forum too!
So, no i'm not agree with you forum as to be ALL a free Area where every one who is interested in literature or something else can just log in and speak (in a polite way of course)....
PS exuse me for my poor english!

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## Logos

Michela, your english is just fine  :Smile:  

I think you will find that new people are welcomed very much here, and there are a number of new people who join everyday. I'd say just jump on in anywhere, General Chat is a great place to start!

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## smilingtearz

> Again.......things that make you go, "hmmmmm...?"



things that make my mind go blank!

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## subterranean

Hey michela, I suppose I haven't say hello to you...So, hello..

Yes, I think people, both in real life or in virtual world such this forum, tend to do that. I mean when we got used to know some better we tend to talk more with them, and it's natural. But as Logos said, I think there's no such thing as separation between old and new lads...We're all the same. In a very short time, many "new" lads look as if they have joined the forum "ages" ago.

And no worries, we will never have such thing as "members only" section.

 :Wave: 




> This is not intended to be offensive,so please read it peacefully.
> 
> this forum already looks as a private area 'cause there are some members in it who just speak between them as if there were just them...anyway i understand that you are all "old friends" but hey let us to get used with the forum too!
> So, no i'm not agree with you forum as to be ALL a free Area where every one who is interested in literature or something else can just log in and speak (in a polite way of course)....
> PS exuse me for my poor english!

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## Nightshade

heres my question where do all these old threads come from do people jus randomly search for them?
I mean I get people who were around when it was started bumping it but how do all you newbies find these threads??
I would love to dig up things that happened before me
 :Nod:   :Biggrin:

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## Koa

> In a very short time, many "new" lads look as if they have joined the forum "ages" ago.



That's definitely true, I often have that feeling.

And Nighty, I think they just browse around pages of old threads and open ones that catch their interest really...

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## Scheherazade

And also, at the end of each thread page (if you scroll down), there is the 'Similar Threads' section, which brings up any thread with similar discussions regardless how old they are.

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## Stanislaw

> heres my question where do all these old threads come from do people jus randomly search for them?
> I mean I get people who were around when it was started bumping it but how do all you newbies find these threads??
> I would love to dig up things that happened before me


Tis a grand hobby, but beware the spectre of the member who can't be named, any thread associated with im is generally shutdown, but other than that death trap, tis alot like spelunking, good fun!

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