Illuminatrix

/msg natrix!

Illuminatrix Quest - Yes. Another one. Much more open in topics than the last, and designed to get experience in all types of noding. Based vaguely on this, perhaps? Msg the usergroups with any ideas!

Illuminatrix is:

1. A group of 'newbie' (L4 or less) noders aged 18 or younger at time of joining
2. A group of users who will critique and proof-read young newbies' drafts
3. A place to meet up and ask questions
4. A place to learn how to node without sounding young or creating bad nodes
5. A place to get advice for re-written nodes
6. Also, if there are any young L4+ noders who would like to share their knowledge, you are welcome to join

The purpose of Illuminatrix is not to vote tag - it is to learn

Users: (/msg Illuminatrix or Posmella if you are interested in joining)
Currently: 55 (includes 2 'sponsors' and 2 'honorary patrons')

-Posmella*-rdude*-Pedrolio*-Xemorph-SlackinWhileSleepin*-Velocity-Tauress*-Mikkel-Ersatz*-Cornflakes*-
-Fred Bloggs (the)* -HamsterMan*-Addien-O Boy-yeshua*-Desterado*-Big Alba*-Hexter-lunarius*-ieke*-
-^Davion^*-emoin*-Mortice*-queenofhearts*-Ryouga*-goddess_73*-Bitriot-izubachi*-Heitah*-zoebaby*-sjoshi64*-
-ethereality*- nine9*-TheChronicler*-Supermerp*-Queenjen-grunt3r*-KGBNick*- QuietLight*-DeadEyes*-
-Oni no Ng*-stringer*-RoyHoo33*-rawden*-bookw56*-satansrubberduck*-no_one*-KilroyWasHere*-GoldenDuck*-Hawkeye-Warrior*-agirlnamedfury*-Tanis*

-TheBooBooKitty-Fruan-Gritchka-Apatrix-

you...?
(NB: asterisk shows that user is currently in natrix usergroup)

» » » » » » »
(click to those links: they'll save your life!)

Although the Content Rescue Team are no more, the work they did, and the list they maintained still stand as examples of good factnoding. And ideas, of course!

• Can I use heading tags in my nodes? - Yes, to a point. Re-titling (putting a node title that says exactly the same thing as the nodeshell itself, at the top of your writeup) is discouraged, but heading tags can give a writeup, particularly a factual, an edge. Not to mention making it easier to follow! DIfferent resolutions can do interesting things to how they appear though, so some playing around with sizes might be needed. Your scratchpad is good to use for this.
• What is the difference between Illuminatrix and natrix? - Illuminatrix is the account of the group, and is simply a normal account. You sign into it with the password, same as you do with yours. natrix is the usergroup and you treat it like a user. To msg (for example) Posmella, you type "/msg Posmella"; to msg *all* the users listed here with a question etc, type "/msg natrix", then your question.
• A user with less writeups and XP leveled up faster than me... why? - This is the joys of the newest XP system, the Honor Roll. This calculates your mean merit, and compares it to the e2 average. If you're a bit higher (higher reputation), then you'll level up faster, as a "reward" of sorts. This is to take into account that the creation of a quality writeup takes longer than a troll. Honor roll also only takes into account XP gained by people voting on your nodes (not XP generated by your voting), which can look inconsistent with levels. Node trackers, turning on your epicentre nodelet (preferences) and and going here or here will help you sort out what's happening in respect to you.
• How do I get people to notice my re-written nodes? - For a start, advertise on your homenode. If it is a good, factual re-write, check out wertperch's homenode for information on 'Don't Nuke That Writeup'. Finally, send a msg to natrix, and we'll have a look.
• What are usergroups for? - Usergroups are for groups of people with similiarities, so that they may quickly msg many people with a common interest. A FAQ is currently being created. The usergroup for this particular group is called 'natrix', and you type "/msg natrix" to send a message to all the Illuminatrix users with an asterisk next to their name.
• What is natrix? - 'natrix' is the usergroup of the people listed above (or most of them). Sending a /msg to natrix will msg the people listed here, who will respond (sometimes the asterisk list is not always up-to-date). Any questions go to this usergroup.
• What are all these 'groups'? - E2 has groups (known as usergroups) of people with similar interests/aims, who join the groups to get in contact with others. Some examples are: e2prose, e2classics, e2verse, e2science, e2medicine, e2film, e2comix... (more besides)
• What should you write here? - Anything at all, as long as it's good, and you put in a bit of effort!
• How do you change your password? - Go into your homenode, go into 'edit user information'. Up near the top is where you can type in a new password, then type it in again. Down the bottom of the page, press 'submit'.
• How do you get tags to show? - < is created by typing &lt; and > is made with &gt;. E2 HTML Tags for more formatting fun.
• Should I make my writeups multi-paragraphed, and how? - Making your writeups multi-paragraphed is a very good idea. Single paragraph nodes look really ugly and disorganized. And they get downvoted, too. Put all the text of a single paragraph between a <p> and a </p>. Like this: <p>paragraph goes here</p><p>second paragraph here</p>
• How do you create a nodeshell? - Go into 'Create a Node', and type in the name of the nodeshell. Click 'create' without typing anything into the writeup box. Done. (NB: currently, nodeshells are being deleted, so think hard before you create!)
• Do writeups eventually get deleted? - Not if they're good quality! Top writeups will be around for as long as this site exists (however, nodes can get superceded from time to time), and may gain reps of 100+!

• Breaks and Paragraphs DO NOT Mix - As much as possible, do not use the break tag 'br' in a paragraph 'p' tag. Editors and the gods to NOT like this. Try other formatting styles like listing 'ul', 'ol' etc (for example, go into 'edit info' and have a look).
• Softlink - You must integrate your write up. Using multiple windows to softlink makes this quicker. Any softlinking questions, send in.
• Hardlinks are Boring - Click on plain hardlinks to softlink and make sure to do some pipelinking to other users writeups that are related to yours... this gets some traffic happening, and traffic means XP
• Nest your Tags - If you open it, close it - in the same order... so each tag is opened and closed (eg italics) after your paragraph is opened and before it is closed. Why? Some browsers like this... and it's just tidier.
• There is NOT a Guy Called Klaproth Who Hates You - Klaproth keeps eating you? This is E2's way of saying "We killed your writeup". Don't take offense... improve!
• Do NOT visit a node called 'punch thyself' - It hurts, and when you don't have many XP to play with (or haven't got into XP Stoicism), it hurts badly!

• Add username to all msgs to the account when using it
• Please don't delete msgs until they have been logged/seen
• Anybody want an HTML point per week as a tutorial?
• Anybody interested in a node audit (read every node and critique) - Pos will do a couple... (14/5/2002 Cornflakes and Desterado have been done)
• Posmella has a challenge - write a biography of somebody from your country with no previous writeup - if it is good (and I know it will be), you will get a reward!
• SlackinWhileSleepin suggests that another challenge is issued - any ideas?
• Please send in your vote (to the usergroup or Pos) on the possible raising of the age to 18... - OK. Vote done. Age is now 18 by unanimous vote of those who replied within a three week period.
• NODE QUEST - votes in on the following: a) Prodigies; b) Noble/Heroic Quests; c) Linguistics or d) Military

Pass holders are welcome to use this homenode to experiment/check out any HTML techniques used in E2, and add new ones so it can be seen how they're done. Msg in any node ideas you have that you'd like a second opinion about, and and nodes you would like looked at by Illuminatrix.

Newbies: Start Here
(click the Start Here link)

MORE QUICK-TIPS

NODING YOUR HOMEWORK
(to summarize the Node Your Homework node)

Homework is a great source of writeups for E2. Yet, I have found that you can't take just any homework and stick it on E2. Never worked, never will. I learned the hard way. For example, if your History teacher gives you a worksheet to complete, you can't copy the entire thing onto E2. Another bad idea regarding this issue is noding about something you aren't done studying. As someone has pointed out time after time, a writeup should be a finished work, not a work in progress. Wait until you're done with a topic in class, and you grasp the concept, then node about it. The Node Your Homework node is highly recommended reading for any noders who have are still completing high school.

POSITIVITY AND CONSTRUCTIVITY
(to explain that we still love you)

When you write a writeup, people are going to send you messages about it. If this comes a shock to you, I'm sorry. But, nonetheless, people you don't know are going to send you messages. Some of these messages will be positive, like this:

[  ] rdude says: Great writeup! I especially loved that last paragraph!

Others will not contain compliments, but will be like this:

[  ] rdude says: I think
that you should use a spellchecker before you post
your writeups, since your writeup has too many errors.

We are not trying to be negative. We do not hate you and your work. Well some of us do, but not most of us. We do not think that you are inferior and should leave. We are being constructive. You may not believe this, but we're simply trying to help. We all want to see E2 soar, and want to help you fix your writeup.

GENERAL ADVICE ON NODING
(complaints go to Pos about this! ...under construction as of 2/22/03)

You've signed up to this place called e2. What, without reading all of the FAQ and Everything University (although I strongly recommend the FAQ!), do you really need to know to get started? ie If I could start over again, what would I do?

• Lurk - The quickest way to get a feel of this place is to lurk around and read nodes for a bit. Good nodes, bad nodes... all nodes. Note what gets deleted. Note the comments (softlinks) under the writeups. Note C!s. Note topics... just note stuff, OK?
• Use Your Scratchpad - Advice is good. Go into your preferences, and turn on the feature that allows others to see your scratchpad. Then, hop down the sidebar until you find 'Vitals - Noding Utilities', and click on your e2 scratch pad (that link probably works anyway!). Write drafts here, then msg natrix or send a polite plea to the catbox for people to critique your work.
• Consider the Noder Who You Would Like to Be - This sounds cheesy, but it's true. Why are you here? NB: The mission of e2 is to gather the sum of the human conciousness in one place... how can you add to this? What can you give? Do you want respect, or are you here to troll? Try to start how you intend to continue, if possible.
• Consider Nodes Before You *Sumbit* - Have you checked the database in case others have already noded the topic under a related name? Is (this is of the utmost importance) the node going to be useful? Have you made the best node you possibly can, or in the case of one where there is too much information, have you kept it relevant and succinct? Are you noding towards your strengths?

Feeling down about E2? It can happen to everyone. Sometimes your best node will be thrashed the first time round. If there is a node that you think has been poorly treated, msg it in, and we'll check it out. Lick your wounds. Check out Orange Julius's homenode (or any of the gods/editors for that matter). Just don't give up.
We're a community, remember?