ODN 6-month Anniversary!

[Apokalupsis]

State of the Forum Address

_{Written by Iluvatar, posted by Apok}

Yesterday marked the six month anniversary of the founding of the Online Debate Network(11-11-03 to 5-11-04). I know most of you were not here at the start, and weren't here to see all of the progress we've made. We thought we would put out this announcement to let everyone know what we have to offer, and what we are planning to do.

The Past

ODN was founded on 11-11-03, by Apokalupsis, our current administrator. He was trying to create a better debate forum than what was already out there, and what he had in his other forums. While the forums were up and running on that date, it wasn't until the beginning of the year in Jan '04 that it was promoted and took on the shape that it currently has.

Since then, ODN has grown to house a staff of 6. With all you demanding riff-raff out there growing in numbers, Apok needed to recruit some of the community regulars to assist with site moderation and content creation.

One of our goals was not simply to create another debate site, but to have a large collection of content and resources for debaters to refer to. Our goal is to make ODN the online debating site (we realize there is still a lot of work to do and are working behind closed doors to keep ODN up to date and competitive with other communities).

Present

We are currently growing rapidly. We currently have over 800 threads, over 22,000 posts, and over 340 members!
Here are some stats:

Date	Days Open	Members	Threads	Posts	Registrations/Days open	Posts/days open	Threads/days open	Posts/member
1/14/04	62	45	113	1005	.73	16.2	1.8	22.33
2/9/04	89	105	206	3383	1.18	38	2.31	32.21
4/29/04	169	310	709	19,111	1.83	113	4.2	61.65

Here are some currently offered features:

Resources Our ever-growing list of resources for debate provides debaters with relevant information for almost any topic you can think of.

The Debates One of the central parts of ODN. We have many active and interesting thread topics ready to be debated and discussed. Everything from mass theological battles to one on one political matches. From debates-to-the-death to calm discussions. We have several sections:

• "The Arts" Debating philosphy, and debate itself.
• "General Forums" For anything that isn't quite a debate. We have thought games, riddles, announcements, a test forum, advice, site feedback, even a philosopher 'bot to argue with . Also, there is the book club here, where we debate books voted upon by the memebers.
• "Debate forums" Here, you can debate serious things. We have a category for pretty much anything you want to discuss, from conspiracies, to hypothetical events, to current events. It's all there.
• "One-on-One" The purest form of debate, head to head debates spawning from specific challanges.

Groups: So far, we have just the Book Club, but more groups will soon emerge (Film Club is in the beginning stages of creation).

Chat rooms To promote more open debate, and to get to know fellow debaters, you can activly discuss most anything in our chat rooms.

Staff (not all shown - Apok has been busy and has been a bad boy by neglecting the current site, while working on the new) A dedicated staff, keeping ODN safe for ideas and opinions of all sorts, working to improve our site, and putting out the occasional state of the forum adress.

The Future

Here are some features we will be offering very soon:

• A literature section - Where users can submit poetry, stories, or whatever, to debate, discuss, and critique. We already have a small informal poetry contest, which we will expnad and improve when we get this up and running.
• An improved layout/look to the site, more professional, easier to use, easier to update/maintain.
• More content, user essays, informational pieces, etc.
• A review system, for the purpose of debating the value of a given movie, book, or other product.
• Awards for best post, most posts, most threads, worst thread, etc
• User blogs
• a few surprises that we will not disclose at this time

With more members, there will be more ideas, and more ways to improve the site. We will continue to grow and improve until we are the premere debate site on the internet.

We thank you for your contributions to the community, and hope we will be able to offer you a most enjoyable experience debating online at ODN.

Sincerely,
The ODN Staff

---------------------

-=]Iluvatar[=-
Super Moderator, Fascist Book Club Dictator

Many people view the world as a battle between good and evil. I see it as a battle between wisdom and ignorance. Ignorance is often accepted for the false happiness it brings, for the ability to take action without worrying about what will come of it. But ignorance is not happiness. Being oblivious the consequences of our actions does not mean they do not happen. Therefore, I vow never to refuse knowledge for the sake of bliss.

---------------------
-=]mrs_innocent[=-
Forum Moderator

"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please." Mark Twain
"To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge."
Benjamin Disraeli, Sybil, 1845
---------------------
-=]Symantix[=-
The signature-les supermod
---------------------
=]AntiMaterialist[=
Forum Moderator

Assume nothing. This includes assuming that you should not assume.
---------------------
-=]RTShatto[=-
Super Moderator

Do or do not, there is no try. - Master Jedi Yoda
He's Kermit on acid who happens to carry a big stick when pissed off. Big deal. - Apokalupsis
Actually, didn't Frank Oz do Bert as well? We're cousins! - Withnail in reference to Bert and Yoda

[Booger]

Great work guys. I really enjoy participating in the debates/cage matches with the ODN community, especially beating up on Spart. I stand ready for ODN v2.0! Bring it!

Big ups to my main man Apok for having the vision, skills and dedication it takes to create a community like ODN. You a true baller, dog. Much respect.

[tinkerbell]

Happy 1/2 Birthday ODN! (holding up an imaginary Waterford champagne flute) Here is to many more..

Thank you Apok, we all enjoy your vision..

[Iluvatar]

Cool, we finaly got it up. I think we covered every important announcement to date in this one.

BTW, Nice new Sig, Apok. It's a little different than mine, but still maintains the main points. It not as good as mine thoug

[Apokalupsis]

Like any good dissenter, it mocks yours. It pwnz j00 baby!

[HappyLady]

I just got a warm and fuzzy feeling. I know I haven't been here long. I belonged to another debate forum that was far less superior than this one. I tried a couple others, but they never held my interest for more than a day. This place felt homey from the start.

Seeing what you already have, and what you are planning to do to improve an already wonderful site, I am grateful there are people out there with the skills and foresight to make a common vision of the ultimate online debate forum (of probably thousands and they just don't know you exist yet) come to fruition.

Thank you Apok and all of those who have helped along the way. We newbies truly appreciate it.

[Iluvatar]

Like any good dissenter, it mocks yours. It pwnz j00 baby!

The only thing that stays my hand from wiping away your puny sig with one blast of logic, is that a swifter and surer blow will come to you as others see your inferior immitation in lite of the real and laugh at the lesser immitation!{Sucks in air after that one huge sentence}

I belonged to another debate forum that was far less superior than this one.

Any debate site has those that are less superior than it, but is it inferior also?

I am grateful there are people out there with the skills and foresight

did you hear that Apok? We're not lazy bums, were skilled and foresighted! I'm getting a warm fuzzzy feeling.

[KneeLess]

Ditto.

[HappyLady]

Any debate site has those that are less superior than it, but is it inferior also?

Hehe. We could debate that point. ODN is my reference point and central focus. I believe it is superior. I have belonged to other sites, that are not my focus point. Therefore, the other sites are less superior than this one.

I just wanted ODN and Superior in the same post.

[Apokalupsis]

Hey, that sounds good to me. Leave her alone Iluvvy, I'm fine w/ that statement.

[Snoop]

Congratulations on three years!

The more things change, the more they remain the same
Good times or bad, it still affects the brain
I'll still be here when I'm walking with a cane
While my brothers and sisters dance on Soul Train
Remembering the debates down memory lane.

[Snoop]

Someone has a birthday and everyone posts a comment. ODN has a birthday and everyone ignores the post

It's three years and counting in case you lost track.

Members: 1,339
Threads: 7,550
Posts: 184,142
... quite a leap from the six month numbers!

[Apokalupsis]

Yeah, happy birffday ODN.

I should have made a separate announcement, but your bumpage of this thread beat me to it.

[Dionysus]

Dog gone it, I forgot to bump this on our 6th anniversary...

[Loller65]

Here's to 6 more years of debating shenanigans, everyone!

[Sigfried]

Hurray for ODN!

[Aspoestertjie]

I love ODN

[ladyphoenix]

Why did Aspo sound like Winston just then???

[Aspoestertjie]

I didn't know you can hear me.