When does a newbie stop being a newbie?

July 28, 2002 10:24 PM

I'm just curious, could someone please tell me when a newbie stops being a newbie? How is this decided and by whom?
posted by Tarrama to Etiquette/Policy at 10:24 PM (44 comments total)

Beats me.
posted by y2karl at 10:25 PM on July 28, 2002

But since we signed up on the same day, Ms. Tasmanian Devilette, we're in the same boat status wise.
posted by y2karl at 10:27 PM on July 28, 2002

It's not about time. I think I am still a newbie, though I've been here almost two years.
posted by Nothing at 10:43 PM on July 28, 2002

Anyone naive to ask a question like that.... just kidding!

I think newbie is a state of mind rather than some sort of definition which all users can be measured by.
posted by insomnyuk at 10:45 PM on July 28, 2002

Also, newbies exhibit poor grammar late at night, as I just did. Sheesh.
posted by insomnyuk at 10:46 PM on July 28, 2002

Newbies.

The Cabal™ decides.

But seriously, folks. Does it actually matter to you? I'm guessing you're not actually serious in asking those questions...
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:47 PM on July 28, 2002

(Now that was weird. I somehow slipped into a parallel universe for a minute there, one related to the topic of this thread : on preview, mousing over usernames went to (for example)

http://www.metafilter.com/username.mefi/stavrosthewonderchicken

rather than

http://www.metafilter.com/user.mefi/2238

which it is now back to again.)

Eerie.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:51 PM on July 28, 2002

y2karl, I consider myself to be in good company then.

Just curious Stavros, like I said.
posted by Tarrama at 12:00 AM on July 29, 2002

Eerie.

Wonder if that's a glimpse of the next feature that's coming.  An attempt to put us on more equal ground.
posted by nath at 12:05 AM on July 29, 2002

t r a c y and I have been here for 2 years, but we're hoping to retain our amateur status indefinitely 8)
posted by zarah at 12:10 AM on July 29, 2002

Eerie.

This behavoir is mentioned over in MeTa thread 1142 2411.
posted by gluechunk at 12:20 AM on July 29, 2002

You are no longer a newbie when you cease to feel compelled to preface your posts with "I realize I'm new here, but..."
posted by kindall at 12:28 AM on July 29, 2002

What? But there's so many to choose from! How can you be so sure?
posted by y2karl at 12:32 AM on July 29, 2002

Worst metalk post

Metalk? Funny book!
;)

My idea about the newbie debate: you stop being one when there are more user numbers after yours than there are before it
posted by matteo at 1:31 AM on July 29, 2002

If that's true, I gotta long haul ahead of me...
posted by readymade at 1:36 AM on July 29, 2002

You stop being a newbie when you resort to botox injections :)
posted by elphTeq at 2:48 AM on July 29, 2002

Botox injections in your user number?
posted by matteo at 3:15 AM on July 29, 2002

You stop being a newbie when you start seeing lots of questions (about this place) to which the answers seem obvious. And the people asking those questions are newbies.

If you are a newbie, relax. There's nothing wrong with being newbile.
posted by pracowity at 3:57 AM on July 29, 2002

To post, or not to post, that is the question:
Whether 'tis newbier in the Grey to suffer
The flames and spankings of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of old farts
And by opposing end them. To read: to weep.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:05 AM on July 29, 2002

A newbie is someone who thinks a newbie can be defined. Look at the problems veterans have defining a "weblog". ;)
posted by MiguelCardoso at 4:25 AM on July 29, 2002

How is this decided and by whom?

Arbitrarily, by me. And you're all fired.
posted by jennyb at 4:45 AM on July 29, 2002

Let's not concern ourselves with 'newbies'. I say identify the 'oldies'.
posted by Frasermoo at 5:06 AM on July 29, 2002

Oh, we know all too well who they are.
posted by pracowity at 5:37 AM on July 29, 2002

You stop being a newbie the first time you notice a double post.
posted by briank at 6:27 AM on July 29, 2002

and then there's the newbie snipe hunt initiation. once you've been approached by a member of the Cabal, you must follow his/her instructions to move on to the phase following newbie. i may have said too much.
posted by eyeballkid at 7:49 AM on July 29, 2002

I think if you get called out in meta and still stick around, you are no longer a newbie, sorta a trial by fire...

you ignorant slut.

;) there, don't you feel like a grizzled veteran now?
posted by Mick at 8:18 AM on July 29, 2002

I think if you get called out in meta ...

Seems to me just visiting MeTa lessens the likelihood of your being called a newbie. This place is crawling with grisley old war veterans. It's like a VFW, only without the cheap drinks.

<old codger voice>"You think we're in some kind of Golden Age? I'll tell you about the Golden Age of MeFi...</old codger voice>
posted by me3dia at 8:35 AM on July 29, 2002

Newbies kick ass because they bring some new ideas to Metafilter, which is desperately needed. No one here should be intimidated for being new, because your opinion is just as valid as anyone elses, regardless of those people here who have the time to post thirty times a day, think they're far smarter than you or would be thrilled to sew your mouth shut so you can't speak.

Never be intimidated by people on the internet.

Please, just don't double post!
posted by mark13 at 8:47 AM on July 29, 2002

What newbie you be?, Can my fellow classmate, from high school, please stand up. We are asking for you.
Mr. D. "Newbie." (his last named rhymed with "newbie") During my high school years, we yelled the above phrase just to make noise. It was our class' catch phrase that would make the teachers scratch their heads and make them have a look of "wonder." Who knew then, I would still hear it into the computer age. That was over 19 years ago I first heard it, and said it. When does high school end?
posted by thomcatspike at 8:59 AM on July 29, 2002

You are no longer a newbie when you have this at the top:

There have been 354 links and 11063 comments posted since your last visit



Wow.

(And that was just in MeTa!)
posted by norm at 8:59 AM on July 29, 2002

Never be intimidated by people on the internet.

only a newbie would say that.

posted by Frasermoo at 9:06 AM on July 29, 2002

it's all about whether or not you can tell that you're reading a thomcatspike post from the first few words.
posted by interrobang at 9:13 AM on July 29, 2002

When does high school end?

On the internet, it lives forever.
posted by insomnyuk at 9:15 AM on July 29, 2002

This is what makes you a newbie
posted by nathan_teske at 9:38 AM on July 29, 2002

Ouch.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 9:45 AM on July 29, 2002

And in my defense, this, not by a newbie.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 10:01 AM on July 29, 2002

you stop being a newbie once stavros stops reading your posts.
posted by jcterminal at 10:17 AM on July 29, 2002

Do you still think Moby is cool?
`Cause only newbies will do that.
posted by dong_resin at 11:19 AM on July 29, 2002

When the burning stops, you'll know.
posted by brittney at 12:14 PM on July 29, 2002

We were all newbies once. Don't let the rude people who seem to forget that get you down.

Some of us who appreciate the content that members of whatever era provide might not be loud about our praise, but we're out there, and we read, and we applaud internally.

There are some folks who are able to learn good manners and the feel of an online forum quickly, and then there are those who get into petty pissing contests even after they should know better.

Somehow, a thin golden thread of signal gets through the noise. Sometimes.
posted by beth at 1:23 PM on July 29, 2002

I've been here since '99, and I still feel like a newbie. My sparce posting history can attest to this fact being valid and true.
posted by Jeremy at 2:15 PM on July 29, 2002

interrobang, wow, you read my thoughts. You must be really good at Scrabble.

insomnyuk, your answer makes complete sense, especially with nathan_teske point added to it.

Might I add this, so when you know, your no longer a newbie? From what I wrote above, when your like minded ......ta da..........

PS, I'm sure interrobang, insomnyk, and nathan_teske consider their like minded minus me.....
posted by thomcatspike at 2:49 PM on July 29, 2002

...could someone please tell me when a newbie stops being a newbie?

I'd like to know too. I've been waiting months for MeFi to issue me my big boy pants.
posted by jonmc at 4:18 PM on July 29, 2002

...your opinion is just as valid as anyone elses...

And that, right there, is the very nub of the gist of the whole problem, isn't it? :-)
posted by rusty at 8:47 PM on July 29, 2002