# 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.


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## 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


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## Uminya

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


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## 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.


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## 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.


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## 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


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## Uminya

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


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## 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.


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## Lantarion

FIVE YEARS?!?! *faints*
Are you sure it's that long..? I joined 'TTF' (i.e. the OLD board, with the orange colour scheme ) 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.  

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! . 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.  (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..  So don't expect too much.


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## Talierin

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


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## aragil

*Hey!*

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.


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## Gandalf White

> Haha I still laugh when people mention the name 'Pontifex'


 Oh my word, I seem to remember that name? Is that possible??? 

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


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## 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


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## 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


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## 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!


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## Uminya

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  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?" 

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


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## 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.


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## 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!


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## Persephone

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.


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## Halasían

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

Anyway, where has ReadWryt gone to?


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## 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...


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## 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'  of TTF as a negative thing.. 
But TTF is still small enough for me.. This is a large place, but not too large.


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## 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


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## 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...


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## 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.


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## 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!


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## Celebthôl

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


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## 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.


--MB


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## 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.


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## Uminya

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 

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


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## David Pence

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.


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## Talierin

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


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## 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...


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## Helcaraxë

> _Originally posted by Elbereth _
> *rp *



What's RP?

--MB


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## 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!    *angelic smile* *needs an angelic smile smilie*


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## Persephone

> _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!!!*    

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!!!


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## HLGStrider

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


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## Beleg

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


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## Persephone

> _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!  

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?)


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## 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.


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## 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.


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## 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?)


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## Persephone

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.


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## 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.


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## Uminya

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)


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## Úlairi

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


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## Lantarion

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


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## 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!   

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


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## Úlairi

Wish I was there for that!


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## Khamul

I remember when I cared.


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## Úlairi

I know what you mean man.


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## 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


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## Úlairi

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


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## Eliot

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


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## 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.


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## 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.


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## 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.



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


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## Úlairi

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


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## Lantarion

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

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.


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## Úlairi

Seems so long ago...


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## 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!


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## 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..   

Beware, those two are evil.


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## 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.


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## 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!


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## Ancalagon

I know I should probably let this rest, but it is important for all members to know the roots of the forum. That and this

August 18, 2001 (Year 1, TTF Reckoning)

In other words, the 10-year anniversary of The Tolkien Forum (in its current form) is fast approaching (August 18, 2011). Probably around the time The Hobbit movie is due out. So I wonder what the Architect (WM) would envisage as a fitting celebration of the occassion

It's amazing just how much water has gone under the bridge since 2001.


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## Turgon

I was sending a PM to Chrysophalax earlier and my mind _*actually*_ boggled as to how long it's been since we first met - and I was relatively late to TTF. I was sure the internet was only invented a couple of years ago...


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## Illuin

> _I was sure the internet was only invented a couple of years ago..._




.....and by Al Gore .


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## Úlairi

Illuin said:


> .....and by Al Gore .


 
Whilst inventing a flower-powered car... Hooray for _flower-power_!

*Cheers,*

*Úlairi.*


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## Turgon

Úlairi said:


> Whilst inventing a flower-powered car... Hooray for _flower-power_!
> 
> *Cheers,*
> 
> *Úlairi.*



Hooray for Al Gore!


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## Úlairi

Turgon said:


> Hooray for Al Gore!


 
Yeeeeaaahh!


You could probably run a car on W's BS as well...

Oops... too political. 

*Cheers,*

*Úlairi.*


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## Alcuin

Hooray for Algore!


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## Úlairi

Alcuin said:


> Hooray for Algore!


 
ROTFL...

ABSOLUTELY...

HILARIOUS!!! 






*Cheers,*

*Úlairi.*


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## Thorin

10 years?? Has it been that long?? 

Man do I feel old. 

Time seems to have sure gone fast. I sure do miss the good old days. Those were fun times! It's great to go back and read some of the old threads (like this one!) and relive some of those great discussion threads and earth shaking arguments! I wish I had more time and energy to devote myself back to Tolkien's work and engage in discussions with you fine folks, but alas, there just is no time.

At the moment, I remain devotedly yours,

Thorin
One of the First Born of the Tolkien Forum


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## childoferu

I just wanted to bump this thread.


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## Firawyn

Good thread to bump, especially as were are approaching the eight year mark here.In another month and a half I'll have been here....wait...I joined March 18th, 2003...so what? Six and a half years almost?  Holy cow, how did that happen?! 

Granted, I was not here at the very beginning. BUT - I am _still_ here. Seriously, I just had a look at my stats and I'm shocked and how much time and how many posts (over 1800 now!) have passed since the dumb and scrawny me joined TTF. I've basically grown up with a handful of the members here. HLGStrider (Elgee!!!) and I are fairly close in age. She beat me here, of course, but I think of her almost like a sister just because of how long we've known each other (and the vastness of what we have in common, including, of course, Tolkien). 

Cheers to the history of TTF!!!


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## childoferu

Firawyn said:


> Good thread to bump, especially as were are approaching the eight year mark here.In another month and a half I'll have been here....wait...I joined March 18th, 2003...so what? Six and a half years almost?  Holy cow, how did that happen?!
> 
> Granted, I was not here at the very beginning. BUT - I am _still_ here. Seriously, I just had a look at my stats and I'm shocked and how much time and how many posts (over 1800 now!) have passed since the dumb and scrawny me joined TTF. I've basically grown up with a handful of the members here. HLGStrider (Elgee!!!) and I are fairly close in age. She beat me here, of course, but I think of her almost like a sister just because of how long we've known each other (and the vastness of what we have in common, including, of course, Tolkien).
> 
> Cheers to the history of TTF!!!


 
Wow, that must be awesome to have some history with your forum, I'm building my history here everyday because I post here just about...um...everyday! Maybe I'll known as the guy whose name appears the most on the TTF Index


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## Elbereth

It is scary to think how long I have been returning to this forum. 

It both seems like yesterday and yet so much has happened since my first post on this website. 

What I find so amazing is how all of the little kids who were posting when I first joined are now not so little....and now some of them even have kids of their own.  Scary....

I'm getting old!


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## ltnjmy

Thank you all for this great forum. I love the interesting and informative conversation very much.

very sincerely, ltnjmy


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## Firawyn

Elbereth said:


> What I find so amazing is how all of the little kids who were posting when I first joined are now not so little....and now some of them even have kids of their own.  Scary....
> 
> I'm getting old!




YOU'RE getting old?! When I joined I was barely a teenager...and I'm an adult now! lol 

Think of how old I feel!


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## Uminya

*sets Thorin's slippers out for him*

I wonder where Lantarion/Pontifex Cactus/Lantifex has gotten to. I remember him being one of us crusty codgers from before TTF was TTF.

Who else here was around when this was The Forums @ TheLordoftheRings.com? We should have an "Olde Farts Census" or somesuch. I remember the background being a sort of robins' egg blue, with a big yellow eye at the top of the page around the time I joined.


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## childoferu

Ciryaher said:


> *sets Thorin's slippers out for him*
> 
> I wonder where Lantarion/Pontifex Cactus/Lantifex has gotten to. I remember him being one of us crusty codgers from before TTF was TTF.
> 
> Who else here was around when this was The Forums @ TheLordoftheRings.com? We should have an "Olde Farts Census" or somesuch. I remember the background being a sort of robins' egg blue, with a big yellow eye at the top of the page around the time I joined.


 
I think Barliman might've join when you came, and he still lurks around these parts from time to time


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## Elfarmari

I haven't been around for a while, but I actually joined here in January, 2002, so that's 7 1/2 years ago. . . . wow. Unfortunately real life intervened the last few years in the form of insane physics profs, then a full-time job and now part-time grad school, but I'm hoping to make to time poke around here occasionally. I loved joining the debates when I first joined when I was in high school, and actually had the free time to pour through the books for quotes!


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## Uminya

childoferu said:


> I think Barliman might've join when you came, and he still lurks around these parts from time to time



Barliman may be a real old-timer, but he's not a TTF "old timer" 

EDIT: The euphemism for an old person or flatulence seems to be censored. Welcome to the Nanny State!


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## Firawyn

There's alot of members who were once very active, and have gone MIA...

Mrs. Maggot
Gandalf White
Aragorn21
Powersause (Sausy, I think her user name changed)

Anyone know what happened to these people?


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## Thorin

Ciryaher said:


> *sets Thorin's slippers out for him*
> .



Thank you my old friend *slips said slippers on*

Am proud to be part of the old farts club or whatever it is you called us, Cir.

Sadly, I just don't have the time to be able to devote my slowly dwindling knowledge of things Middle Earth these days.

10 years...sigh. Crazy how time flies!

Well, we shall be back in full force when The Hobbit comes out!


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## Gandalf White

Firawyn said:


> There's alot of members who were once very active, and have gone MIA...
> 
> Mrs. Maggot
> Gandalf White
> Aragorn21
> Powersause (Sausy, I think her user name changed)
> 
> Anyone know what happened to these people?



I just don't care anymore, I guess. Aragorn's at college and busy with other stuff. PowerSauce is alive but I haven't spoken to her in a long time. Mrs. Maggot is probably as disagreeable as always.


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## Firawyn

Hehe, out of the shadows you come nonetheless. Thanks for the update. Tell your brother I said hi, will you?


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## Barliman Butterbur

Jeeze Louise, it's been so long since I checked in here I've forgotten how to navigate around!

Anyway — I've been around TTF for about for six years now. Six years ago the joint really jumped! It jumped because of the quality of conversation and the people who could really sling the ideas around. Then came PJ's version of LOTR, and that started fires all over the place. But when that all died down I began to gradually check in less and less. 

It's been an eventful year for me: damn near had a heart attack last October and missed it by a hair. Had a stent put in. Then about a month ago I fell down on my kneecap on the cement, spent a week in the hospital, had surgery. I'm finally up and around. I do NOT recommend this to anyone on account of the pain involved.

Angels Flight Railway in L.A. is almost ready to open. I have spent the last three years doing archival photography of the restoration project. One of these days the website where a great many of the pix I took will be ready for public viewing, and I'll let you all know. For those of you who get PBS on your TV, Val Zavala will have something on Angels Flight in a couple of weeks. I'll let you know when that comes up.

What else? Oh yeah, I'll be 73 on the 24th!

The Pony is still doing business, although a lot less than when PJ's film crew damn near destroyed Bree. Still, I could use more customers... Speaking of the Pony and my prowess as an inkeeper, I've become a restaurant reviewer out in the real world. You can check out my reviews at http://leonardthefoodie.yelp.com/ . Enjoy!

Barley


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## Firawyn

Barley my friend, I had not realized that you joined nine months _after_ I did! I thought you got here first. Wow. News flash. 

Falling down on cement - bad plan. Especially at your age. Glad to here you're back up and around (and back here). It is never the same without you!


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## Ermundo

Wow, today is 2009. I came to this forum in....2005. 9-5 equals 4. Yeah, I'm ancient. Not as ancient as Barley, but I definitely have seniority on this site.


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## Firawyn

*points to own join date* 



> Join Date: Mar 2003.



Ermundo, if you're ancient, what the heck am I? 

How about you're antique, and I'm ancient. That would make Elgee and the other first and second year joiners "stone age".


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## Ermundo

Haha I'll go with that.


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## Arvedui

Firawyn said:


> That would make Elgee and the other first and second year joiners "stone age".


Hey!!!!!


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## Firawyn

Hehe, yup you're stone age Arvedui!


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## Gandalf White

I have no idea how I joined this early...I was really young and immature at the time, lmao.


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## Ancalagon

> I have no idea how I joined this early...I was really young and immature at the time, lmao.


 and now you're 23, what's changed? 

 lol


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## Gandalf White

Ancalagon said:


> and now you're 23, what's changed?
> 
> lol



Only the age...the immaturity remains intact.


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## Firawyn

I guess a lot of us sort of grew up on TTF (GW excluded, of course! )

I know I did anyway. I look back on who I was when I joined - young, immature, constantly making typos and spelling errors (Thank you Barley!), totally depressed, using TTF as a means of escape...

...and here I am now. Grown up, a bit more seasoned, not depressed (for the most part), not making near the spelling errors, and STILL usually TTF as a means of escape!


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## Elfarmari

Firawyn said:


> I guess a lot of us sort of grew up on TTF



Very true. I was barely 16 when I joined, and now I have a degree, a real job, and once again have a need for Tolkien-related stress release.


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## Firawyn

I was barley fifteen.  I never lost the need for Tolkien related stress release!


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## Arvedui

Gandalf White said:


> Only the age...the immaturity remains intact.


And it doesn't change with the years! Trust me, I know


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## Talierin

Hey everyone! Just popping in to say hi! I see some old familiar names floating around in here, nice to know not everyone from ye ancient times has left!


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## Thorin

Talierin said:


> Hey everyone! Just popping in to say hi! I see some old familiar names floating around in here, nice to know not everyone from ye ancient times has left!



TAL!!! Oh fellow First Ager! How have you been? Good to see you! Yes, we old folk need to come back and get things going again when The Hobbit comes out. Surely there will be FADS and NPW galore to shake Middle Earth once again!


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## Talierin

Thorin said:


> TAL!!! Oh fellow First Ager! How have you been? Good to see you! Yes, we old folk need to come back and get things going again when The Hobbit comes out. Surely there will be FADS and NPW galore to shake Middle Earth once again!




Hah I'm good, surviving through my senior year at college. Graduating in May wooooo! Lol yeah I don't know if I can handle another movie fan infestation again!


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## Uminya

Thorin said:


> TAL!!! Oh fellow First Ager! How have you been? Good to see you! Yes, we old folk need to come back and get things going again when The Hobbit comes out. Surely there will be FADS and NPW galore to shake Middle Earth once again!



I had an interesting conversation just a few weeks ago trying to explain the difference between FADs and NPWs to some friends


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## Firawyn

Aww, come now. At least this time you've got a larger group us book fans to defend the REAL Middle Earth!


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## Squint-eyed Southerner

I thought some of our newer members might be interested in the early history of the forum -- or maybe it should be "prehistory". 😀

Note the date of the first post. What I find heartening is how many of those members from the old days -- several of them young teens when they joined-- are still with us, or have recently returned after long absence. 😊


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## HALETH✒🗡

Does anybody know how TTF appeared?


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## Halasían

HALETH✒🗡 said:


> Does anybody know how TTF appeared?


If you mean _'how TTF looked'_ it was like this








If you mean _how TTF appeared_ on the internet, well some people put some work into creating the site.


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## Elbereth Vala Varda

Halasían said:


> If you mean _'how TTF looked'_ it was like this
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If you mean _how TTF appeared_ on the internet, well some people put some work into creating the site.


I love seeing how much this has developed from people who were originally on the site. So amazing to see how this incredible site came to be the awesome Forum it is currently, and excited for all the upcoming developments! 

Thank you to the entire TTF Staff and to @mazzly ! This is my favorite site on the internet!


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