Although these are covered in mails received during the Registration process, it seems time to post a reminder about Membership levels...especially Barfly status.
There are in fact three general Member levels....
Ain't Said Much Yet is the usual entry status for new Members. It gives one the right to read and post in most Downstairs areas.
Member is the next stage. It allows one full access to all Downstairs areas, and also gains one access to our Private Messaging (PM) system. For most people, Member status is pretty automatic after a few posts.
Barfly status indicates full general membership...beyond that there are only Moderator or Administrator accounts that very few members will attain. Barflies can access anything Downstairs, as well as a whole new Upstairs area that is much more private, and visible only to other Barflies. It allows one to post exclusively to a known and trusted audience. It also gives one access to the gender-specific Men's or Ladies' forums if one so desires.
Elevation to Barfly status used to be fairly quick and automatic. Sadly, the presence of some rather nasty and embittered old assholes have changed all that...getting there now takes much longer than it used to, and is much less automatic than before. Nevertheless, with patience, perseverance, and goodwill, most people who join us and stick with us will eventually get there.
Some points to consider:
- Barfly status is a privilege to be won, not a right to be demanded. Indeed, public "Hey-where's-MY-Barfly-upgrade?" inquiries generally tend to piss off the Admins who make these decisions, will only serve to slow down the upgrade process, and are strongly NOT recommended. You'll get there when and if you get there;
never before. Your best bet is to keep posting well, to be patient, and to be cool. Both Nolefan and I are happy to consult with you privately- PM or e-mail- but public inquiries will not be welcomed or received cheerfully.
- Becoming a Barfly is not- repeat NOT- simply a function of your Post count. Post count is a part of it, sure, but other factors such as tenure and attitude are at least as important. I recognize that the process likely seems irregular and inscrutable... but it has worked well for us and will continue to do so. Getting upgraded to Barfly, if it happens at all, will happen on OUR terms and OUR schedule. Period.
- Becoming a Barfly does not involve a vote, a "Star Chamber", or a popularity contest. Current Barflies ARE allowed the courtesy of opining upon a Barfly candidate before an official invitation is issued, but if an Admin thinks you rate the upgrade then the other Members can't block you unless their reasons are quite compelling.
Again, if you have questions about the Barfly process, you can PM either Nolefan or myself for a private consultation. You can also e-mail me at
yochinaraoul@yahoo.com with the same result.
Bear in mind that we LIKE bringing people up to Barfly status. Just keep being a good poster, and let US carry the ball for you, and you'll most probably get the tap to come on Upstairs when the time is right.
