KimS might have qualified with this post, had it hit the feed just 30 minutes later...

Help out, OSticates. As you discover them, post the URLs here. To hotlink them, type

As of 1 a.m. EST (I'll pretend it's midnight, on average, in the U.S.), here's your newest member of O.S.

http://open.salon.com/user_blog.php?uid=13328

13,328 members. Now who is the newest actual writer?

Creaven84, resident at this page, is the latest new writer on Open Salon.

Keep it going, folks. And visit the newbies. Otherwise, let's just close up shop, pull up the drawbridges, and consider ourselves a closed salon.

Nice to see I'm No. 1. I hope I kicked off a good day for newbies.

And Randy, no, this isn't my first blog post ever, just my first on Open Salon.

I'm so new I doubt anyone has even seen the blog: I added around 20 'friends' in the 'never met' category just to not feel so utterly alone. It hasn't helped. I'm scared to go back there. It's like a dungeon, with just the silent faces of my 'friends' on the walls, and the echo of my own voice.

Now that you mention it, Nada, it is like a dungeon in there, isn't it. It's a total slog to check off new posts from friends. Here's hoping we all find a better way to track our favorites while still checking out those coming aboard the Good Ship Open Salon.

For the record, Nada Holland seems to bring a little leaven to the bread. Check out this evocative piece of writing: Purple haze against the grey: we're in the sticks

Randy: nice piece of OS solidarity. Hope it works.

Are you sure that the last 4 digits of your blog represents the number of bloggers here when you joined? Do you really think that there are over 13,000 bloggers here? How'd you figure that out.

If so, that is singularly depressing. I know there are inactive bloggers or people who sign up, look in, and never come back. If your numbers are right, how the hell does a newbie have a chance getting read?

Monte

Yeah, Monte, that's what the identifier is...and I understand the blog posts are numbered, too, and increment each time a new one is posted. That might be a decent way to index them for ourselves, too.

I think things will work out. I have a hunch that newbies are cut a little slack, but how they'll handle it when 200 a day join, I don't want to venture.

Here's the real problem: The only way to draw notice is to comment on the popular writers' blogs. And then to "friend" them. That will tend to limit them somewhat to reading the front page and then tracking regular frontpagers. The frontpagers will be overwhelmed at trying to nurture, mentor, and encourage them.

A fractured community (really a spider web) will result. It will be difficult for us to organize our browsing and we'll fall back on tools (like editors picks). Those who e-mail new posts will have the only advantage at getting read, but without the ability to hotlink, even that will be a mess.

It's an interesting challenge. Not that it worked out all that well, but I think the early AOL model where certain members were trained and paid to nurture a portion of the community would be worth trying. But the Web resists hierarchical structure.

It would be interesting to schedule a team live blog to discuss some solutions, but even then, it's going to become rather corporate and rather soon.

Interesting points, Randy, thank you. I've been here on OS for about three weeks, and it's not easy to become noticed, or to get 'the nod' from one of the old hands. I am (apparently) 11,717 so the forum is growing very fast. Those of us who are new are very appreciative of the seasoned vets who notice us, even for a moment. Thank you.

As best I can tell, Otis Galloway is December 17th's last, newest blogger.

http://open.salon.com/user_blog.php?uid=13388 or this is his first entry into OStication.

I'm 6125? I guess if there are that many posters I should be happy with my results. I wish I lived in Indiana so I could visit your store.

Ummmmm, I'm 13259- old hat by now, eh? :D

12199 - guess I'm older than Bees