I just wanted to say I was actually impressed by the content of the birthday forum this year. We hit some really emotional topics without dialog devolving into worthless 'I said'/'you said'.

Looking back on the forum, I take it as proof that the Forge is not a hive mind, as it is sometimes depicted. It's just a bunch of smart people, who don't necessarily agree, having (relatively) civil conversation.

That's what I took away from it anyway.

I agree completely. I'm glad that the Forge has established the birthday forum tradition, and I would hope to see it continue.

Seth Ben-Ezra
Great Wolf

I'd like to add, at the risk of hypocrisy, that I find myself glad both that there is an annual birthday forum and that it is not a constant forum for general discussion. It was fun, and fascinating, but it did distract heavily from what else usually goes on here. I look forward to it next year, but I think it's good to have it only once a year.

Just a vote of agreement (not that it was needed) with Ron and Clinton's adamant stance that there never be a "general discussion" forum here at the Forge.

I'll second Chris on both points!

I loved the birthday threads! A refreshing injection of both levity and discourse!

It reminds me a little of some of the Post-Final exam party mentality from college.

Great Stuff, but not the thing to do every week.

The birthday period seems just about the right length to me, it ended right as I was getting to my threshold of maximum thread reading...about to go 'enough already' right as it ended.

Good stuff!
Kind of clears the air, relieves pressure, and even inspires new game stuff!

But it does bury potentially interesting threads (for those who click the 'new threads since last visit')... so I'm glad its not a fulltime thing.

They can be pointed out to folks who cry 'elite robots' or whatever. Its clear we are all individuals...very different ones!

I was intrigued, surprised, amused, and inspiried by them!