Newbies

Word count : 686

Newbies

Most of us will be familiar with the term newbie. It is a common internet term for a new member to an existing community. That community could revolve around anything where people gather; a website, a game, a forum, a group or club etc.


What's in a name
Newbro/Newsis is a similar term I came across recently in an online game and is really quite endearing. That game has a lot of pride for its newbros and works hard to make life fun and interesting for them. Similar to the efforts WdC goes to to bring their newbies up to speed and involved with the community.

Noob or nub is another variation that is less common these days and generally not associated with new members any more. Instead it is more of a derogatory term for someone not performing well at whatever activity the group is involved with, usually through lack of effort than their natural ability.


HELLO GUYS!!!!!
Being a newbie can be quite a scary time. You've stumbled across a group where something goes on which on a basic level you enjoy. However there's now a multitude of rules, cliques, in-jokes, systems, processes, jargon and social niceties to navigate. Chances are if you hit too many barriers between this point and the point where you get to engage in what you enjoy then you'll leave and just find another group which is more penetrable. You tightrope down the line between wanting to ask questions and wanting to appear capable and self sufficient. Often the answers are all to be found somewhere, but finding them isn't necessarily easy and lurking silently trying to do everything yourself isn't always the best start to getting involved with the community.


Why they are important
If we consider a community like a human body then we can break it down fairly clearly. The body itself is made up of the technology infrastructure that allows the community to gather. Whether that's an online game, website, forum or ICQ room. The admins and techies make up the brain (and heart?), whilst the moderators and seniors set up shop across the different organs keeping various activities working. The core population is the blood, flowing through everywhere, enjoying the activities, and giving cause to the body and organs. But none of these systems last forever. Cells are constantly dying and it is the inflow of newbies that are vital to replace them. The term new blood is quite literal here. Without a steady supply of newbies, that stay to become core members and maybe seniors/moderators later on, communities inevitably die off. It's easy to see why newbros are so valued.

The costs - me, me, me, help me!
A constant flow of newbies isn't without its costs though. To support newbies takes up the vital energy of many core members and veterans. Questions to be answered, guides to be written, tutorials to be designed, welcome systems to be implemented, newbie-friendly rules to be considered. It all takes energy from the body to maintain, and if the supply of newbies is fickle and doesn't include a goodly number of quality members who go on to become core members and beyond then the act of using energy trying to enthuse newbies can itself speed up the death of a community. The balance has to be right.

At the same time, all the energy thrown into newbies is energy not necessarily used to entertain and keep the core members. Core members need to continue to be made welcome and feel part of the community. If the moment they lose the tag of 'newbie' they're suddenly forgotten this can undermine all the effort of getting them to stay in the first place. Veterans and Core-members love the in-jokes, love the cliques. It's what makes them feel part of something, and included. The sense of belonging. Finding the balance between these and yet still letting it be penetrable by newbies is what helps a community survive.

Summary
Now you're done reading this perhaps you could help share the load and take a moment to head on over to "Noticing Newbies" . Say hello to someone new!

Happy Writing