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Altaira
Superuser
Aug 23 2021, 12:18am
Post #1 of 50
(3591 views)
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I come bearing gifts
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No, not lElven cloaks, a phial full of light, or even a plain gold ring. I think it's something much better. 
First, Calisuri made some tweaks to the ad scripts last weekend, and all of you should have noticed the boards loading much faster on all your various devices. Yay, Calisuri!
Second, (and please make sure you're sitting down), I have all of the posts from all of the boards from the old TORn site. I'll let you read that sentence a few times to let it sink in. 
Yes, I have them all, thanks to Corvar. Don't be too quick to thank him or me though. Honestly, it's been a long slog of going down wrong paths, procrastination on his part, procrastination on my part, forgetfulness on both our parts, unanswered emails, following links that only led back to the new boards, etc., etc. For my part in it taking so long, I apologize profusely.
The good news, at long last, is we have them *and* it isn't going to take too long to clean them up to the point we can finally start deciding what their final form will look like, where their final home will be, and getting them there!!
After spending a few hours with the files, a few things I identified:
1) they're in the format of 'flat' text files in chronological order from the first post on each board to the 2nd, etc., etc.
2) there's one file for each year except for 2007, the year we set up the new boards; those files are by day.
3) the Reading Room was set up in April of 2000. For some reason, all the posts from June 1 to December 31 of 2000 are missing. I've asked Corvar about it but from comments in old threads on our current Feedback board about not being able to access them, I think they're gone for good.
4) each post has a numerical post identifier and a numerical root post identifier, if applicable, so it's possible to tell whether a post started a thread, was a reply within a thread and, if so, which post it was a reply to.
5) it looks like deleted posts are not in the files judging by doing a search on 4-letter words and finding only one or two that must have been posted when all the Admins were asleep, or fell off the board before we could get to them. Thinking back to some of our heated discussions, infamous trolls, etc., I'm positive we deleted a TON more than 2 or 3 4-letter words.
6) In a matter of an hour, I was able to open the RR file for the year 2000 in Excel, study the formatting, add a numerical identifier for each of the 40,000+ lines, sort them alphabetically, remove all the sensitive information such as email addys and IP addresses, then sort them back into the correct order. After checking the integrity of the data after I'd done that, I think by the end of next weekend I should be able to have all the sensitive data cleared out of the RR files, ready for someone (or someones) to work on. (It would be sooner, but I actually have to work the beginning of this week!). I do want to take my time and do it carefully. The 40,000+ line RR file I already worked on was one of the smallest files by far.
If you'd like to take a look, I'm happy to provide the example I have so far (4/1/00 to 5/31/00 for the RR) if you PM me or email me at altaira@theonering.net and let me know what email to send it to. The text file is a relatively small 2Mb. However, I think a leader and/or team should be identified who eventually get all the the files/posts to work on, and divvy out assignments as needed. I know Notta Sackville has offered to work on them. Not sure of his availability, but all hands are welcome if needed. Honestly, they look much better than I imagined, so I don't *think* it's going to be as horrible as many of us thought. Once we finish with the RR, we can move on to other boards, if desired. I'll clean those up eventually too just in case.
Regarding a home, TORn is a possibility as is the Mathom-house site which I took over from Magpie and now own. However, I think that's a ways down the road.
So, if I may, WooooooooooooooHoooooooooooooooooo! 
Here's a bit of trivia I gleaned from looking through the files:
1) First posts on each board were always welcome posts by either Corvar or Calisuri.
2) Here's the order each board was created in:
Sun, June 13, 1999:
- LOTR Casting Rumors
- LOTR Music
- Main
Sun, July 18, 1999
- Site Feedback
- Gaming
- The Arena
Wed, April 5, 2000
- Reading Room
Tue, July 4, 2000
- Movie Discussion (the old Casting Rumors and Music boards were archived at this time)
Koru: Maori symbol representing a fern frond as it opens. The koru reaches towards the light, striving for perfection, encouraging new, positive beginnings.
"Life can't be all work and no TORn" -- jflower
"I take a moment to fervently hope that the camaradarie and just plain old fun I found at TORn will never end" -- LOTR_nutcase
(This post was edited by Altaira on Aug 23 2021, 12:40am)
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Lily Fairbairn
Half-elven
Aug 23 2021, 4:21pm
Post #2 of 50
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Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?
Where is the helm and the hauberk, and the bright hair flowing?
Where is the hand on the harpstring, and the red fire glowing?
Where is the spring and the harvest and the tall corn growing?
They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow;
The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow....
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N.E. Brigand
Half-elven
Aug 23 2021, 10:55pm
Post #3 of 50
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Thank you so much for keeping at this! I'm sure it's been a long five years of other projects that had to be tackled first: like Niggle, never able to get back to the painting. I'm finding it hard to express how much this news means to me. And I look forward to assisting in any way I can.
For me, the Reading Room definitely would be highest on the list for recovery, but I would also push hard to save everything possible from the old Movie board (which included much of the best commentary on the movies in any form: there have been whole books published in the past decade that fell short of the work done on Movie), and more than a little from the old Main forum: not every Fiesta, perhaps, or, say, every Estrogen Island, but that board was often the source of some real gems relevant to either the books or the movies or both, and I am willing to put a lot of time and effort into curating a "best of" selection that can live in the archived location you describe.
Congratulations on this achievement!
Treachery, treachery I fear; treachery of that miserable creature.
But so it must be. Let us remember that a traitor may betray himself and do good that he does not intend.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Discuss Tolkien's life and works in the Reading Room!
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
How to find old Reading Room discussions.
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Aug 24 2021, 1:27pm
Post #4 of 50
(3352 views)
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WOOHOO!!! *hand shoots up after geeky hand clapping!* :D
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THIS IS AWESOME NEWS! Bless you all!!!!!
Thank you so much for hanging in there, Altaira! This is incredible :D
Count me in! This is thrilling!!!!! I'd definitely love to see as many of the boards/rooms recovered as possible. I know I was rarely in the Reading Room *hangs head*, so the other boards like Main and Movie would be so wonderful to visit again!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
We have been there and back again.
Join the "Tolkien Fandom Oral History Project"
TIME Google Calendar
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Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Aug 24 2021, 9:03pm
Post #6 of 50
(3339 views)
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not every Fiesta, perhaps, or, say, every Estrogen Island
Those threads were great for community-building and they'll feature a great many old nicks that aren't on the boards anymore. I'd like to see them all captured for posterity.
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Fantasy novel - The Arcanist's Tattoo
My LOTR fan-fiction
(This post was edited by Ataahua on Aug 24 2021, 9:04pm)
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Altaira
Superuser
Aug 25 2021, 3:10am
Post #7 of 50
(3333 views)
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Thanks for the feedback so far!
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...feedback both in this thread and via PM/email.
It occurred to me that by the time I get done scrubbing out the sensitive data, we'd have perfectly searchable text files we could host somewhere that would require little to no extra work (formatting, etc). If we do want to try to eventually get them back to their original 'threaded' format, it will possibly require some programming skill, web/cloud software and a place to host. For now, I think, that can wait until we have a chance to look at the files and absorb what's in them and how they're formatted.
Still - exciting times!!!
Koru: Maori symbol representing a fern frond as it opens. The koru reaches towards the light, striving for perfection, encouraging new, positive beginnings.
"Life can't be all work and no TORn" -- jflower
"I take a moment to fervently hope that the camaradarie and just plain old fun I found at TORn will never end" -- LOTR_nutcase
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Otaku-sempai
Immortal
Aug 25 2021, 8:23pm
Post #9 of 50
(3313 views)
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I'm a bit surprised, though, that you made the announcement in Feedback and not in Main.
#FidelityToTolkien
#ChallengeExpectations
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SirDennisC
Half-elven
Aug 25 2021, 9:04pm
Post #10 of 50
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I do like what you’d done with the place recently, but this latest news is beyond incredible! Thank you so much!
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ElanorTX
Tol Eressea
Aug 26 2021, 7:19am
Post #11 of 50
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Regarding a home, TORn is a possibility as is the Mathom-house site which I took over from Magpie and now own.
I'd like to see the home on TORn because I think newbies would have a greater chance of finding and benefitting from the old boards.
"I shall not wholly fail if anything can still grow fair in days to come."
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Greenwood Hobbit
Valinor
Aug 27 2021, 6:31pm
Post #13 of 50
(3263 views)
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My non-techy brain cannot imagine how complicated it must be, and what a huge project, to make them accessible again. I bow in awe at the expertise of all involved! However it does hold out a hope that I might finally be able to discover when I joined the boards; I can't remember but I think it was 2002 sometime, which means it's coming up for twenty years ago.
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Alassëa Eruvande
Valinor
Aug 31 2021, 2:30am
Post #14 of 50
(3197 views)
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I pop in at a random moment to discover this wonderful news!
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Well done, Altaira and Calisuri! The technodoofus in me is seriously impressed!
And a vote for the Arena to be restored, whenever you get around to it. I spent a lot of time there when I was too shy to venture onto the other boards. There were some great battles!
Thanks again!
I am SMAUG! I kill when I wish! I am strong, strong, STRONG!
My armor is like tenfold shields! My teeth like swords! My claws, spears!
The shock of my tail, a thunderbolt! My wings, a hurricane! And my breath, death!
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Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Aug 31 2021, 3:27am
Post #15 of 50
(3182 views)
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Oh wow, the Arena - that brings back memories. :) /
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Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Fantasy novel - The Arcanist's Tattoo
My LOTR fan-fiction
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Ethel Duath
Half-elven
Sep 1 2021, 12:05am
Post #16 of 50
(3168 views)
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I knew it! Just from your subject line!
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Thank you, thank you, thank you and Corvar! Can't wait! I can almost feel the juice running down my chin . . .
Oh, and somebody will tell Magpie?
Thanks to Calisuri as well!
Hip, Hip, Hurray!
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Ethel Duath
Half-elven
Sep 1 2021, 12:06am
Post #17 of 50
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" . . . which included much of the best commentary on the movies in any form: there have been whole books published in the past decade that fell short of the work done on Movie."
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Ethel Duath
Half-elven
Sep 1 2021, 12:08am
Post #18 of 50
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*Joins hands with Grandma and dances
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round a virtual Maypole.*
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NottaSackville
Valinor
Sep 1 2021, 2:08pm
Post #19 of 50
(3139 views)
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Happiness: money matters, but less than we think and not in the way that we think. Family is important and so are friends, while envy is toxic -- and so is excessive thinking. Beaches are optional. Trust is not. Neither is gratitude. - The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner as summarized by Lily Fairbairn. And a bit of the Hobbit reading thrown in never hurts. - NottaSackville
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NottaSackville
Valinor
Sep 1 2021, 2:20pm
Post #20 of 50
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Sorry for my late reply, wish I was around for the initial excitement. I'm not too sorry, since my week+ absence was due to vacation, but still.
Anyway, my offer to help in whatever way I can is still definitely on the table (despite Gramma probably dancing the Springle-ring on said table....).
Based on what you've said, I'm confident I can write somethat that automates reading the files (stripping out data we don't want to include), and writing new files in whatever format we want (flat text, linked web pages for each post, etc.)
The real question is going to be what format do we actually want the files in?
My web expertise is dated somewhere around 1999, so I'm a *bit* behind, but I'll bravely say that even that ought to be enough to create something that looks like:
An entry page for the room that links all top-level posts
The page for a top-level post shows threaded links to all posts in that discussion
Each post page shows the post, some info about the post, and hopefully includes the threaded links for that discussion as well.
So basically similar to what the old rooms were.
I just throw that out there as a starting point for the discussion.
Altaira - I'll send you my e-mail, maybe we can exchange a sample file, and use the Mathom house as temporary storage to post possible examples and let people try out/comment on the format?
Happiness: money matters, but less than we think and not in the way that we think. Family is important and so are friends, while envy is toxic -- and so is excessive thinking. Beaches are optional. Trust is not. Neither is gratitude. - The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner as summarized by Lily Fairbairn. And a bit of the Hobbit reading thrown in never hurts. - NottaSackville
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SirDennisC
Half-elven
Sep 2 2021, 1:39am
Post #21 of 50
(3152 views)
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Now this is a femine board, again, truly -
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So nice to see you AE!
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sevilodorf
Tol Eressea
Sep 2 2021, 2:32am
Post #22 of 50
(3133 views)
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So late to respond but Thank all the moderators and PTB
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for all that they do to support this Fellowship.
Fourth Age Adventures at the Inn of the Burping Troll http://burpingtroll.com
Home of TheOneRing.net Best FanFic stories of 2005 and 2006 "The Last Grey Ship" and "Ashes, East Wind, Hope That Rises" by Erin Rua
(Found in Mathoms, LOTR Tales Untold)
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Altaira
Superuser
Sep 3 2021, 5:56pm
Post #23 of 50
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Greetings, everyone. I wanted to give you a quick update on the progress.
Corvar sent me more files in an effort to see if the missing RR posts were in them, but they weren't.
In the meantime, concerning the very first RR discussion of LOTR, N.E. Brigand worked out that between a TORn 10th anniversay mathom posted by Inferno, and the fact that the 1st discussion started on Main before the RR was created, we can probably at least recreate that entire first discussion even though the last 1/2 of the year 2000 is missing from the data files.
I sent Notta a copy of the RR file I cleaned up for the year 2000. I was diverted this week by looking at the additional files Corvar sent, plus getting ready for new carpet next week (at our house, not in the RR, lol), but should have all the RR files cleaned of confidential info by the end of the long weekend.
Over the weekend, I'll also look more into hosting the recreated files somewhere on the Mathom-house site, and also email Corvar about the possibility of housing in on TORn.
So, progress is being made!
Koru: Maori symbol representing a fern frond as it opens. The koru reaches towards the light, striving for perfection, encouraging new, positive beginnings.
"Life can't be all work and no TORn" -- jflower
"I take a moment to fervently hope that the camaradarie and just plain old fun I found at TORn will never end" -- LOTR_nutcase
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NottaSackville
Valinor
Sep 3 2021, 6:39pm
Post #24 of 50
(3116 views)
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I have indeed received the file, and it looks like the format is clean and easy to deal with.
No guarantees, but I'll try to take a look this weekend to see if a very first rudimentary attempt can be made at converting that text file to a series of webpages. If not this weekend, I'll try to get to it soon.
I know we're all eager to see what gets uncovered! To quote part of my first response to Altaira:
I was just scrolling through to get an idea of formats, etc, and I found myself lost in some interesting post about why Aragorn carried around the shards of Narsil in the wild. Looked at the poster....Blue Wizard, of course!
Happiness: money matters, but less than we think and not in the way that we think. Family is important and so are friends, while envy is toxic -- and so is excessive thinking. Beaches are optional. Trust is not. Neither is gratitude. - The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner as summarized by Lily Fairbairn. And a bit of the Hobbit reading thrown in never hurts. - NottaSackville
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Ethel Duath
Half-elven
Sep 4 2021, 4:41pm
Post #25 of 50
(3094 views)
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Carpet the Reading room anyway.
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It should help with the acoustics . . .
We're getting new carpeting next week too! I'm so excited.
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