# Members Map?



## Firawyn (May 20, 2008)

I was thinking the other day about how I wonder where the vast majority of TTF members were located. Then I was surfing the web today and found this. It's a cool little thing, I think. 

I was wondering if anyone else thought that TTF might like to get one of these.


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## Barliman Butterbur (May 21, 2008)

That's okay, I already know where I live. 

Barley


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## Firawyn (May 21, 2008)

Alas, I know where you live as well...but this wasn't a suggestion for a "where do other members live" feature, but a "Let's have an easy to read, what members live close to me" idea.

 (back at ya!)


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## Prince of Cats (May 21, 2008)

How does it work? Would we place ourselves there, or would it be through info sent automatically? This would screw it up for users who use anonymous proxies


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## Firawyn (May 21, 2008)

No, members would put their own pins on wherever they reside. I've only ever seen this map on MySpace, and I don't know if we could have one here. However, (hint to mods and admins), since most of those on TTF now are younger and a good portion of them have Myspace, it wouldn't be a bad idea to actually set up a "TTF Myspace". A place where members wouldn't only be accepted as "friends" and those interested would be free to have off topic discussions.


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## YayGollum (May 21, 2008)

*reads a hint sent to him* I have no say in such things. Did not that Webmaster person mention something along the line of a blog type thing that he was considering setting up? Is that the same thing as this Myspace of which you mention? I am no part of such a place. What is the point of such things? Being sociable on? You write that off topic discussions could be had. *checks this particular website* Yep. We've got those here already. Is there some other reason? *hides* I don't know how you humans think. Towards merely the map idea, I have no huge problem with it. Mayhaps it would help me with ideas towards where to move. Would the map show spare rooms in the various houses of the best conversationalists here?


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## HLGStrider (May 21, 2008)

Cute idea. Kind of a novelty. Something I'd look at if it were there but not something I'm going to beg for.

We already have the location feature which you can use or not use which is nice. Members need to be able to keep their anonymity. If someone knows your city and your last name it is very simple for them to track you down. Even state and last name provides a risk.


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## YayGollum (May 21, 2008)

Dang. And I've been wandering around holding up my YayGollum sign (from this picture ---> http://www.thetolkienforum.com/showpost.php?p=106885&postcount=58), hoping that I'd bump into somebody here in the horrible city of Fort Myers, Florida in the United States of North America, Earth, Sol system. oh well.


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## Firawyn (May 22, 2008)

You should move to Pennsylvania....I'm here. It's a nice state. No hurricanes. No earthquakes. No floods. No tornadoes. No mudslides. No volcanoes.

Good stuff. 

And yes I do suppose there is a bit of off topic discussion here, but aren't we more than not discouraged to do that? 

And I'm aware of how easy it is to find people with merely a last name and state. Hell, I've done it. (not as a stalker , just as the overly curious creature I am) But with this particular Map, it's just point and click, here's round abouts where I am, what other members also have dots in this area... People could post it with their TTF names...no need to display anything of personal nature.


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## YayGollum (May 23, 2008)

I might still have some relatives living in Pennsylvania. Too scary. To be avoided and hissed at. 

Anyways, more than not discouraged? You mean more often than not discouraged? Probably. But still. I don't detect any warning glances being given at those who write a lot of non-Tolkien type stuff here. Of course, I happen to be fairly evil as well as self-centered. Which means that, besides not noticing why other might be hesitant, I wouldn't notice any warning glances at myself, either. Write where you want. If I happened upon someone who had only ever written non-Tolkien type posts for a really long time, I would write something along the lines of, "Ah. The human is kept entertained. The website's job is done." Should such not the expected satisfaction of a place that provides the entertainment?


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## Ermundo (May 27, 2008)

Wow, I haven't been here in a while. I bet y'all forgot about me. 

Anyway, I gotta go with HLGStrider on this one. Everyone has a right to privacy, right? Plus, couldn't this map open opportunities for all those stalkers/pedophiles/pervs on the internet who stalk people? 



Firawyn said:


> You should move to Pennsylvania....I'm here. It's a nice state. No hurricanes. No earthquakes. No floods. No tornadoes. No mudslides. No volcanoes.



But it does have the Pittsburgh steelers....the worst sports team to ever have been conceived.


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## Firawyn (May 29, 2008)

I hate football...so I really don't care.


AND - the beauty of this thing is that you are not required to use it. You can if you want, or don't if you're worried about stalkers. 

I don't generally worry about things like that...waste of time IMHO. _Carpe Diem._


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## Ermundo (May 29, 2008)

...ok, well, just as long as you hate the Steelers, I'm not complaining...

The members map might be better if people could choose to hide themselves from others. That way, anyone concerned about their privacy would get exactly that. Anyway, I'd personally like to see a link to this program.


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## HLGStrider (May 29, 2008)

or you could have it where it shows a dot for each member but not the name of the member . . . just a thought. Give you a general idea of where are people are located without risking anything.

Anyway, I'm a little cautious about this because I know from personal experience that people you meet online can show up unexpectedly in your neighborhood and while my personal experience didn't involve someone with ill intent and did involve a much younger me being much more foolish than I should've been, I know it can happen and it's something that is scary even when everything ends up all right.


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## Uminya (May 29, 2008)

Well anyone that *wants* information can get it. One should be prudent in giving out information, though. The map things I've seen have always had just peoples' screen names on them, so even if they know where you live, it's not as though they know who you actually are.

That is, if you're not so silly as to reveal your full name.


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## Firawyn (Jun 1, 2008)

Firawyn said:


> ...and found this.



Link is right there.


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## redline2200 (Jun 4, 2008)

I thought the map was a good idea....I mean let's face it, if you look at the age of the majority of people on this forum, many are in their early 20's (and probably pretty nerdy at least in some way or another....I admit it!!! ). If a perv, pedophile, or stalker really wants to find some "prey", there are probably a million better forums online to go to than this one.




Firawyn said:


> I was thinking the other day about how I wonder where the vast majority of TTF members were located.



I had also found myself wondering where many people are from. I noticed that on this forum very few people actually put where they are located (and that is neither here nor there, just a curious observation). I do not think it would be too easy to find someone with a fantasy screename and the state where they are located , but what do I know.

At the same time however, I completely agree that everyone has a right to their privacy, so maybe it wouldn't be such a good idea...


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## Firawyn (Jun 5, 2008)

redline2200 said:


> At the same time however, I completely agree that everyone has a right to their privacy, so maybe it wouldn't be such a good idea...





AGAIN, may I please point out that this is a suggested elective. It would not be mandatory. If you don't feel comfortable letting others know what state or country you live in (or what general part of a state or country, in case of the larger segments of our world), then DON'T. If you want to contribute to this sort of project, feel free. 

That's all I'm suggesting.


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## Illuin (Jul 8, 2008)

> from Redline2200
> _"If a perv, pedophile, or stalker really wants to find some "prey", there are probably a million better forums online to go to than this one."_


 
 LOL. Can you just imagine some weirdo saying to himself: _“Where can I find myself some ignorant, naïve young blood…….ah yes…of course; the J.R.R. Tolkien forum”._

What maps are you talking about anyway? Also, and this is a bit off topic; but can anyone tell me what this is all about? http://www.simarillion.com/ 
Something about the Sims or something. I’ve never played _The Sims_ before, or really know what it’s about, and I don't understand this.


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