Private Forum Application Thread

The new online application can be found here.

If you've submitted your application in this thread, please resubmit your application via the application above.


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This is a temporary thread for people to post a request for access to the private forum until we get an actual form system up. This thread will be hidden from the front page in order to prevent clutter.

In order to apply, please reply to this thread with why you should be allowed in.

Moderators: Please soft-delete the applications you've dealt with them and make the reason for deletion whether the user was accepted or declined. (A and D are fine if you're lazy).

Quick question, when will the form be up? (A.K.A. when should it be up?)

To be completely honest, the only reason why I don't post all that much anymore is because I discovered the joys in lurking, and I feel too tempted to start debates with some of the more ignorant members on the forum. However, because of my lurking, I feel personally that I've grown as a member, and that I could more effectively contribute than in the past. I've been waiting for something like this, so that I can start contributing more effectively, without "distractions". Of course, I don't expect to be added, it would just be convenient. Maybe Stachu or some of the others already included could speak for me. I've been a member of the forum for almost 2 years, and have always been active in one way or another. One thing I would like to do is help to increase the quality of the overall forum through more effective methods of discipline and precautionary rules and warnings. Of course it's only convenient to put rules and regulations right in front of a new member's face, however, I think we should stress that these are not your regular terms & conditions to be scrolled through and just hit the 'accept' button. I feel that it needs to be more strongly enforced that if you continuously cause trouble on the forum, you're out, but also to try to improve the post quality of members through informative and helpful posts by more experienced members. I feel that I could contribute to this cause, admittedly somewhat through personal experience. To add, I also frequently compete in WCA competitions, most recently the Battle of Appalachia 2011 on September 17th, which I was the main organizer for. I will be boarding my flight to Bangkok for World Championships in less than two weeks, which I could not be more excited for. One of the things I am most excited for is to meet international cubers that I have heard of and exchange knowledge and ideas, and I feel that adding me to the private forum would allow me to do the same on Speedsolving with the more experienced members, which is a group that I'd like to call myself a part of. I do take speedcubing seriously and am working at an official sub-10 3x3 average, as well as an official sub-20 one-handed average. My most notable official achievement, however, is probably 45th place in the world in 2x2 (3.31 average). I would like to think that I have a good understanding of the cube, as I have researched and practiced several different methods and always work to understand how an algorithm/method really works without just mindlessly doing moves/steps without ever putting thought into it. I would very much like to apply this knowledge in the private forum in order to contribute to the betterment of the speedcubing community and to help others not just cube, but truly understand what they're doing when they do so.

Whoever goes over this, thanks for your time.

Edited for greater detail.

I would like to be a part of the private forum. I've have been a member for over 3 years, and have been actively reading and posting for the last year and a half. I am very interested in the future of speedcubing and would like to contribute to the cause of moving speedcubing forward. I have been competing in official WCA competitions for over a year and have plans to continue competing, hopefully making it to US Nationals 2012 with David Woner and other midwest cubers. Being able to communicate directly with the most intelligent members of our forum in a subsection specifically designed for productive discussion is key in motivating members, myself included, to create well-thought-out, informative posts. I hope to be able to join my peers in furthering Speedsolving.com's overall post quality and share my knowledge with the community as a whole, while avoiding the countless members who, at times, degrade threads with spam and flaming.

Thank you PJK, PatrickJameson and all the mods for putting forth the effort that is needed to keep this site running smoothly.

Ryan Potts

I was orginally going to PM this to a mod about three days ago but for some reason the PM wouldn't send and I've been too busy since. Any way here is my application.

Hello, I am a big time lurker. I think that the biggest problem with the private forum is with people like myself. A lurker like myself does not post a lot because it is very hard to find a good thread or post to respond to. But now that you are creating a private forum it will be very easy to find the constructive threads. For example I really want to post a response to a few of the threads in the forum already.

Now that I have talk about my thoughts on the new forum, I would like to be able to post in the new forum. Almost all of my post have been very constructive to the topic at hand. Also I have made a few contributions to speedsolving and I will definitely contribute more in the new forum.

Thanks for reading,
Bennett

PS. I have decided to extend my application due to macky's post.

1. Specialized/valuable knowledge/skill: competition organization, delegating, extremely knowledgeable about (advanced/experimental) speedcubing techniques, history, regulations, theory, etc.

I do have a huge base of cubing knowledge that I have absorbed though lurking around the forums for nearly two years. Unfortunately this is very hard to prove due to that I am a big lurker and now that I have more cubing knowledge I post less. For example posts of my cubing knowledge see the linked posts below.

2. Role in well-developed projects (some overlap with 1)): new concepts/substep/method, overhauling neglected ones, documentations of previously scattered info, tools and programs, notable community mobilization efforts, other notable content provider (writing, podcast, interview, contest, etc.), etc.

I have made some contributions to some methods, especially to Petrus.
Petrus has been my one and only method I have ever used throughout my cubing life, so I have tried to make efforts to improve it. My biggest contribution to petrus would be my extension of EJF2L (see thread 1). In that thread I don't just stop at describing the sub-step, I went on to find algs for it which I put a lot of time and effort to not coming up with algs but going through about 30 algs per case and find out which one was the best.
Also I have made a few programs but I am not the best programmer so the programs are either not so good or I am stuck on them.

3. Insightful contributions to discussions, even general ones or those outside your expertise.

Threads: I have only created two threads excluding the two I made within the month of joining the forums.

1. EJF2L extension
2. Tripod guide

Good quality posts:

1. Post showing knowledge in megaminx
2. A little attempt at documenting some more restricting solving on 4x4x4
3. Cubedesign (took a lot of work)
4. Help some one out with programming (I not actually sure if he used my code in the Acube GUI)
5. Helped create some algs for 3x3x3 move restriction technique (also see some more posts below it)
6. Megaminx Edge comms
7. First of many post with case counting
8. Documentation of SuneOLL

Hello!
I think I should be accepted into the private forum. Even though I haven't been a member as long as some people applying, I still believe that I have contributions that are of some value. Yes, some people I have been obnoxious at times, but if the environment of the discussion is serious, I will be sure to make sure that my postings are serious. I do think I have "legit" posts to offer. I also like to read posts well through before making a post. Thus, I would say I read more than post.

IRL, I have helped organize Arizona tournaments and meet-ups. I have worked with Ryan Simmons in creating the "Arizona Speedcubing" website known as an "official" website for cubers in the area. . I would also like to thank Justin (ubercuber) for helping out so much with this also! I also frequently travel to California for competitions. I am planning on also attending US Nationals 2012 in Las Vegas. If needed, I can surely help out.

Austin Reed

I would like to be in the private forum's for the actual intellectual conversations that come with more intellectual people. I don't spam and am probably one of the most rational and calm people you could talk to. I take cubing seriously as a sport and like the chat with other cubers who are worth talking to and reading about. I don't find joy in constantly seeing people who post about the cubes they should buy, even if it IS in the designated thread. I log on less and less when I see less that interests me, and maybe ACTUAL conversations could bring me back here. I would enjoy the private forums if they are as promising as they seem to be. :]

I would like to be part of the private forum as I love posting on speedsolving and always think before I post. I am going to my first competition in a month. Posting on the private forms would be awesome as I could have good conversations with members and share nice ideas. I don't post stupid things.

I would like to be part of the Private forum because I love to be involved in constructive topics/discussions without shoveling through all the trolls. I think before I post or start threads. I am really annoyed by all the trolls and useless threads, and am glad that there can be a sub-forum with "the good stuff". I think I would be more active and could contribute more on SpeedSolving if I could be involved in constructive conversations. Thank you.

I started speedcubing when 8.72 was the 3x3 world record and joined the forum when 7.08 was relatively new. I have attended 21 competitions and am the current holder of the One-Handed North American Record Average. I believe that I should become a member of the private forum because I have practical knowledge of one-handed speedcubing that comes only with hundreds of hours of practice. I have a lot of knowledge in some areas of speedcubing that could be very beneficial in some discussions. Also, I always try to make my posts helpful and insightful when it is appropriate for the thread. I'm usually very careful to make my posts as concise and clear as possible.
Lastly, I should be in the private forum because the standards for being in the private forum are so low.

I'd just like to be a part of the potential I see :T
I'm still learning, but I think I could contribute a bit. I would like to think I've come a long way from *shudder* elcarc.

Hello,

I would like to join private forum. I am one of WCA delegate from Indonesia, and I'd like to participate in some discussions in private forum.
Especially about WCA regulations, like in those threads:
http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/s...ive-speedsolving-–-participation-of-delegates
http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/showthread.php?32756-Improving-WCA-Regulation-A5b

I just realized that I can't reply to those discussion few days ago :fp

Apologies about the delay on these applications. We will get to them within the next couple days, please be patient. We're currently sorting out a few organization things.

Here are ten reasons I feel I should be added to the private forum:

1. I am a dedicated speedcuber. I have been speedcubing pretty much nonstop for the last 8 months and I take cubing very seriously. In this time I have gone from averaging 2 minutes plus to currently averaging 14 seconds. Cubing is not just my hobby; it is my sport, relaxer, motivator and social outlet.

2. I am a very simple and concise person. You can feel free to check the posts I have made, but almost all of them have been very short and helpful.

3. I teach a class a UC Berkeley on how to solve the cube (LBL and 4LLL Fridrich). I can and will represent the desires and opinions of over 200 cubers.

4. I do not post fluff or useless information/questions. Every single one of my posts and threads have been geared towards either: useful discussion of a current issue in speedcubing, research for my speedcubing class or tips and tricks to new members.

5. I do not haze, call names or start useless battles. The only time I have ever reached out in a non positive manner towards someone in the forum was when they were being rude towards another member and even then I simply pointed out that they were being rude.

6. I help organize 4 competitions a year at UC Berkeley and thus am very involved and affected by the topics likely to be discussed in the private forums.

7. I do not repeat what others have said in the same forum. One of the most annoying things new and old members do is they simply repeat what others have said ad nausium i.e. "Just practice and look ahead". I do not do this.

8. I almost always read every post made in a thread before making my post (unless there is 25+ pages in the thread) and consequently always strive to make informed decisions.

9. I do not post on topics that I know little to nothing about. Many members of this forum feel as if the need to post a reply to every new thread even if they are not well informed on the topic; I don't.

10. I am a really fun and passionate person who will make the private forums even better.

If you need more reasons feel free to pm me. Thank you for considering my application

Sincerely,
Skyler

Most of the applications above are weak. In particular, many simply state point 3 below with no support.

If I were handling admissions, I would especially look for these things.
1. Specialized/valuable knowledge/skill: competition organization, delegating, extremely knowledgeable about (advanced/experimental) speedcubing techniques, history, regulations, theory, etc.
2. Role in well-developed projects (some overlap with 1)): new concepts/substep/method, overhauling neglected ones, documentations of previously scattered info, tools and programs, notable community mobilization efforts, other notable content provider (writing, podcast, interview, contest, etc.), etc.
3. Insightful contributions to discussions, even general ones or those outside your expertise.

Give 1 and 2 in resume format (bullet points with brief info) with links when appropriate. To prove 3, provide links to several of your highlight posts. A one-paragraph personal statement clarifying your role in the community, if you feel that these items don't suffice, could be useful.

If you're top 5 in 4BLD, that counts under point 1 because the documentation is still sparse, and it's still a very specialized knowledge. If you're sub-10 3x3, simply your opinions on some very advanced speedcubing techniques are of value, so you'd contribute as long as point 3 is good. If you're just sub-12, these days people might not even care much about your opinion in speedcubing, and I wouldn't automatically conclude that you have anything new to contribute; you need to prove yourself in other ways. If you don't have much for points 1-2, make a strong case for point 3. Back up each claim (common sense, ignore trolls, concise, new insight) with sample posts.

I've largely ignored any social aspect because that's hard to judge. Ordinary cubers with common sense are nice to have, but I wouldn't lightly accept them unless they've very noticeably been a beacon of reason. Of course, this attitude comes partly from my particular emphasis on development.
__

Here's an incomplete attempt at my application.

Name: Shotaro Makisumi (2003MAKI01)
Started out as world-level competitor. Now more interested in development, especially development/documentation of methods and history (see 2). Have and will continue to push the community towards development (see notable articles/writing and this thread, especially posts #10 and #15).
1. Organizer (see 2), university club founder, US Nationals staff, cube theory (see 3), world-level competition experience.
2. List of major contributions, projects, and selected articles
3. Several recent quality posts: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

macky said:

Most of the applications above are weak. In particular, many simply state point 3 below with no support.

If I were handling admissions, I would especially look for these things.
1. Specialized/valuable knowledge/skill: competition organization, delegating, extremely knowledgeable about (advanced/experimental) speedcubing techniques, history, regulations, theory, etc.
2. Role in well-developed projects (some overlap with 1)): new concepts/substep/method, overhauling neglected ones, documentations of previously scattered info, tools and programs, notable community mobilization efforts, other notable content provider (writing, podcast, interview, contest, etc.), etc.
3. Insightful contributions to discussions, even general ones or those outside your expertise.

Give 1 and 2 in resume format (bullet points with brief info) with links when appropriate. To prove 3, provide links to several of your highlight posts. A one-paragraph personal statement clarifying your role in the community, if you feel that these items don't suffice, could be useful.

If you're top 5 in 4BLD, that counts under point 1 because the documentation is still sparse, and it's still a very specialized knowledge. If you're sub-10 3x3, simply your opinions on some very advanced speedcubing techniques are of value, so you'd contribute as long as point 3 is good. If you're just sub-12, these days people might not even care much about your opinion in speedcubing, and I wouldn't automatically conclude that you have anything new to contribute; you need to prove yourself in other ways. If you don't have much for points 1-2, make a strong case for point 3. Back up each claim (common sense, ignore trolls, concise, new insight) with sample posts.

I've largely ignored any social aspect because that's hard to judge. Ordinary cubers with common sense are nice to have, but I wouldn't lightly accept them unless they've very noticeably been a beacon of reason. Of course, this attitude comes partly from my particular emphasis on development.
__

Here's an incomplete attempt at my application.

Name: Shotaro Makisumi (2003MAKI01)
Started out as world-level competitor. Now more interested in development, especially development/documentation of methods and history (see 2). Have and will continue to push the community towards development (see notable articles/writing and this thread, especially posts #10 and #15).
1. Organizer (see 2), university club founder, US Nationals staff, cube theory (see 3), world-level competition experience.
2. List of major contributions, projects, and selected articles
3. Several recent quality posts: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Click to expand...

Macky, I appreciate your desire to have intelligent and skilled people in the private forum, however I have a few problems with your expectations. First of all, not everyone in the private forum needs to be great at something or have reinvented the wheel; what is important (IMO) for the private forums is that the people involved are passionate, interested and mature enough to provide legitimate responses. To expect everyone in the forum to be great is unreasonable and rather elitist.

Some people will never be sub 15 at 3x3 or able to think up a new method (which becomes increasing difficult as time goes by btw), but this doesn't mean that their feedback is not valuable. Sometimes it is good to hear from the average cubers to see how they feel about possible changes as they will affect the average cuber as much as the great cuber. If we exclude those who aren't the best or well known, then the opinions and decisions made in the private forums will only reflect the opinions of the best cubers, and not the cubing community as a whole. It is important that we remember that 95% of the cubing community are average people with average times and little to no genius and there is nothing wrong with this.

Secondly, the biggest problem with the non private forums is that the grand majority of the members are either immature, stubborn, or lazy and thus clutter our forum with repetitive, annoying threads. The private forum is, from my understanding, supposed to be a place where this doesn't happen; not a place where only the elite can participate. Don't get me wrong, if I were as great of a cuber as you, I would probably only want to listen to those who were at or above my level, but that is not what speedsolving.com was made for and it would be an incredible loss if that is what it turned into. Plus, you don't need to be fast in order to know a lot. For instance, I only average 14 seconds, but I use multislotting, COLL and edge control during my f2l. I have no doubt that I will be at your guys level eventually, but just because I am not there not doesn't mean that i can't bring a lot to the table.

Finally, to expect each applicant to the private forum to write a resume is absolutely ridiculous. This forum is not a job. Cubing is supposed to be fun and enjoyable, not stressful (I find resumes stressful:0). PLus not everyone has or wishes to spend the time creating a resume, especially when it is just for a section of a cubing forum. Sure there are many that would be willing to do this if it were required (myself included), but to expect this is ridiculous. People are not just their stats, they are human beings.

With all of that being said, I do like your idea of posting links to threads where you have participated, that would be beneficial to see, however; I don't think we should expect people to make amazing discoveries in these threads.

Please don't take my opinions offensively, I am just stating my mind.

Hi!
what can i say? i´m rather new to speedcubing, just a few years, however, i´d like to take part in this, since i spend long hours reading threads and i love learning new stuff, methods, theory, etc. i´m not sub20 on 3x3x3, nor sub2 on 4x4x4, but i´ve learnt many methods and i think i could easily explain all of them quite completely. i don´t like trolling or +1ing, or post "new pb, new avg" etc. just giving my opinion on things that matter.
if this is about being part of something serious, i´d like to be included.
also, being from a place with not many cubers, it´s a perfect way to get quality information, without much noise.
regarding projects or achievements, i can proudly say that with a couple of friends, we founded the first organized cubing movement in our city/country. we have now our forum, our delegate and i´m working on a page to gather all usefull info on methods/techniques in our language.
i consider that is a great contribution to the cubing community =)
hope you let me in!

Hi jskyler,

Thanks for the message. No offense taken.

I think you focused too much on my application. The spirit of the actual criteria I listed don't seem to me much different from yours, though (as I admitted) they have a bias towards development.

macky said:

1. Specialized/valuable knowledge/skill: competition organization, delegating, extremely knowledgeable about (advanced/experimental) speedcubing techniques, history, regulations, theory, etc.
2. Role in well-developed projects (some overlap with 1)): new concepts/substep/method, overhauling neglected ones, documentations of previously scattered info, tools and programs, notable community mobilization efforts, other notable content provider (writing, podcast, interview, contest, etc.), etc.
3. Insightful contributions to discussions, even general ones or those outside your expertise.

Click to expand...

jskyler91 said:

First of all, not everyone in the private forum needs to be great at something or have reinvented the wheel [snip] To expect everyone in the forum to be great is unreasonable and rather elitist.

Click to expand...

Yes.

jskyler91 said:

Some people will never be sub 15 at 3x3...
[snip]
Plus, you don't need to be fast in order to know a lot. For instance, I only average 14 seconds, but I use multislotting, COLL and edge control during my f2l. I have no doubt that I will be at your guys level eventually, but just because I am not there not doesn't mean that i can't bring a lot to the table.

Click to expand...

Yes, and what's more,

macky said:

If you're just sub-12, these days people might not even care much about your opinion in speedcubing, and I wouldn't automatically conclude that you have anything new to contribute; you need to prove yourself in other ways.

Click to expand...

That is, just having the standard knowledge of a good speedcuber doesn't mean much.

macky said:

If you don't have much for points 1-2, make a strong case for point 3.

Click to expand...

Given this, as we both agree,

macky said:

Back up each claim (common sense, ignore trolls, concise, new insight) with sample posts.

Click to expand...

jskyler said:

Finally, to expect each applicant to the private forum to write a resume is absolutely ridiculous.

Click to expand...

Again, I think you're inferring this from my application than the actual points I listed, which I still fully support. A resume format forces the applicant to concisely and precisely present his activities. For example, competition results should be at most one bullet point, with a one-line summary of length of experience, best results, and a link to WCA. This helps cut out things that aren't very important: PB, practice time, method knowledge (unless you reall know something), claimed dedication (yes, of course you take cubing seriously, that's to be expected).

I also fully stand behind my bias towards development and, more generally, original content. I placed the highest requirements in point 1 for admission based on speed, competition experience, or specialized knowledge (because only a select few can contribute in this way), but point 2 isn't nearly as strict.

macky (added emphasis) said:

2. Role in well-developed projects (some overlap with 1)): new concepts/substep/method, overhauling neglected ones, documentations of previously scattered info, tools and programs, notable community mobilization efforts, other notable content provider (writing, podcast, interview, contest, etc.), etc.

Click to expand...

There should be 100+ active cubers who have something to list. Here are some contents you might not think of. (Of course, some of the cubers are known for many other things.)
Andrew Kang: CubeCast, the first regular cube podcast and video. great source of information and possibly a vehicle to affect many cubers.
Brest: turning reconstruction into a systematic project, effectively a community mobilization effort
Mike Hughey, MatsBergsten: the weekly competition
Kenneth: various work on the wiki
Luis: TwistTheWeb
Bryan Logan: competition distance traveled
Waffo: The Top 99 Things All Cubers Should Know; the effort should be praised, though I wish he'd clearly define the purpose of and finish this project

jskyler said:

...what is important (IMO) for the private forums is that the people involved are passionate, interested and mature enough to provide legitimate responses.

Click to expand...

This is for me the absolute minimum. Without cubers who contribute content, pose new thoughtful questions, or attempt to mobilize the community, the forum would still be reduced to chitchat and reposting of old information. That's why I stress developers and content providers over passive cubers with common sense.

I may be unfairly interpreting you too literally; you likely implicitly included something like providing original content in "passionate, interested and mature enough," though you might still disagree with the extent to which I stress such contribution. In any case, I hope this answer makes my criteria clear for others.

___

This is how I would have written your application. Isn't the personal statement and resume format a lot better?

I am a dedicated speedcuber of 8 months, averaging 14 seconds. Cubing is not just my hobby; it is my sport, relaxer, motivator and social outlet. As a Berkeley Cube Club organization member and a regular teacher of over 200 cubers, I can and will represent the desires and opinions of many cubers. I am a really fun and passionate person who will make the private forums even better.

Berkeley Cube Club
* Helped organize 4 competition a year. [Since when? In what capacity? I can't actually tell how much experience you have. Resume format forces you to provide these info.]
* Cube DeCal: taught LBL and 4LLL Fridrich to over 200 cubers. [Again, since when? In what capacity?]

Sample posts
Please feel free to check my posts. You will find that I do not repeat what others have said, post fluff or useless information/questions, or post on topics that I know little to nothing about. [No need to dwell on bad things you don't do; that's the absolute minimum. Your supports should show positive contribution.]
* I am a very simple and concise person. [links?]
* Every single one of my posts and threads have been geared towards either: useful discussion of a current issue in speedcubing, research for my speedcubing class or tips and tricks to new members. [links to useful posts?]

macky said:

Hi jskyler,



This is how I would have written your application. Isn't the personal statement and resume format a lot better?

I am a dedicated speedcuber of 8 months, averaging 14 seconds. Cubing is not just my hobby; it is my sport, relaxer, motivator and social outlet. As a Berkeley Cube Club organization member and a regular teacher of over 200 cubers, I can and will represent the desires and opinions of many cubers. I am a really fun and passionate person who will make the private forums even better.

Berkeley Cube Club
* Helped organize 4 competition a year. [Since when? In what capacity? I can't actually tell how much experience you have. Resume format forces you to provide these info.]
* Cube DeCal: taught LBL and 4LLL Fridrich to over 200 cubers. [Again, since when? In what capacity?]

Sample posts
Please feel free to check my posts. You will find that I do not repeat what others have said, post fluff or useless information/questions, or post on topics that I know little to nothing about. [No need to dwell on bad things you don't do; that's the absolute minimum. Your supports should show positive contribution.]
* I am a very simple and concise person. [links?]
* Every single one of my posts and threads have been geared towards either: useful discussion of a current issue in speedcubing, research for my speedcubing class or tips and tricks to new members. [links to useful posts?]

Click to expand...

Macky, I completely agree that an application like the one you described is easier to follow and more concise, however I still hold that it is overly tedious and incorrectly focused and is consequently changing the way this forum is supposed to work thus increasing the chances that valuable feedback may not be heard. Again, I, and I am pretty sure the creators of this site, feel that this site is a place where all cubers of all speeds and purpose should be able to freely participate and learn. I base my assumption that the creators of this site feel similarly on the about section of Speedsolving.com:

"Speedsolving.com is a website focused on speed-solving puzzles, particularly the Rubik's cube and alike. It is also a place to discuss the latest results of WCA competitions across the world.

As the most popular site of its kind, Speedsolving.com attracts a broad audience of both experienced competitors and beginning hobbyists interested in the latest news, times, and techniques of the sport of "speedcubing". The site also boasts an active community focused on discussion of solving puzzles fast, in the fewest moves, blindfolded, and more.

With news, live event coverage, discussion forums, tutorials and a comprehensive speedsolving guide, Speedsolving.com commands the attention of individual competitors and hobbyists alike."

No where in the description of this site does it state that people must be of a certain speed to fully participate. In fact it subtly hints to the contrary in the second and third paragraphs where it explicitly incudes the term hobbyists.

If this forum is going to proceed, as it has, with a private section of the forum, it should do so only because it feels that the main forum has become too cluttered and unproductive. Applicants to said private forum should only be judged upon their ability to not clutter the forum (that is by being mature members who act and respond to threads responsibly) and their passion for cubing. Any other requirements upon these applications would be going against the stated welcoming openness of the forum, at least as how I read the forum's purpose in the about.

I wonder what exactly those faster cubers fear will happen if those who aren't fast or can't create new methods, but who are still passionate and don't clutter the forum are accepted. I cannot see any negatives to them having the ability to post and quite a few of them not (what if they suddenly have an epiphany and have something to contribute or they have a serious concern with some WCA rules or regulations that should be heard). Excluding persons who aren't fast or ingenious seems to be is simply elitism and this is not what the forum was created for, so unless there is some real concern you have with responsible members having the ability to post if they need to, I think that speed and ingenuity should not be a consideration in the application process. I know that you want productivity, but those members I described above will not be limiting it in any way.

I would also like to state that while it is true that others may not listen to those people who are not fast, we as a forum should not promote that narrow-mindedness.

What you describe as requirements for the private forums seems to be overstepping the goal of creating the private forum in the first place which was to limit clutter and to promote intelligent discussion of issues. Sure speed can be of consideration if the applicant wishes to state it, but it should not be favored. Things like passion and maturity should be equally if not more so valued if we are truly wishing to only solve our issue.

What is seems that you want Macky, and this is only supposition based on your claims of favoring progress and speed over character, is a forum where only the best can participate, but Speedsolving.com is not that place. If you want to start a new website and make that part of your requirements then feel free to, but it would be a great loss to the general public if Speedsolving.com became this.

I would like to yet again step back and say that this tirade is in no way meant to be directly against you, but rather against the concept which you are proposing. And trust me, you are not the first to suggest this, but I feel my argument still holds given its considerations. On a side note, you go to Stanford right?

jkskyler91 said:

Macky, I completely agree that an application like the one you described is easier to follow and more concise, however I still hold that it is overly tedious...

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It's certainly not overly tedious for the moderators, who would otherwise be forced to suffer through unsupported claims of "I never do this and this bad thing." I also don't expect anyone who can't even write about themselves concisely to be able to clearly express their thoughts on unfamiliar topics. As for the rest of your post,

jskyler91 said:

No where in the description of this site does it state that people must be of a certain speed to fully participate.
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Applicants to said private forum should only be judged upon their ability to not clutter the forum (that is by being mature members who act and respond to threads responsibly) and their passion for cubing.
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I wonder what exactly those faster cubers fear will happen if those who aren't fast or can't create new methods, but who are still passionate and don't clutter the forum are accepted.
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I would also like to state that while it is true that others may not listen to those people who are not fast, we as a forum should not promote that narrow-mindedness.
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Sure speed can be of consideration if the applicant wishes to state it, but it should not be favored.
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What is seems that you want Macky, and this is only supposition based on your claims of favoring progress and speed over character, is a forum where only the best can participate, but Speedsolving.com is not that place.

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Uh, read my post more carefully.

jskyler said:

On a side note, you go to Stanford right?

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No, I go to Princeton.