Happy Tenth Anniversary to TORN

[Voronwë the Faithful]

TORN is celebrating its tenth anniversary this weekend. I wanted to send them best wishes. I remember when I first started looking for information about the upcoming LOTR films, I found TORN to be the most reliable source. I checked their front page daily for years. Once I joined TORC, however, I made the mistake of taking the word of certain people there about the TORN community, which was a shame. I have since discovered that there are many fine people in that community, and some who are very knowledgeable about Tolkien. I'm glad that I was able to overcome the ridiculous bias. After all, we are all part of the same greater community, joined by a common interest in Tolkien and the worlds that he generated.

Happy anniversary, TORN!

[N.E. Brigand]

Once I joined TORC, however, I made the mistake of taking the word of certain people about the TORN community, which was a shame.

I vaguely gather that the hostility went both ways, though I've never been sure how each side characterized the other. I was late in discovering online Tolkiena (in December 2003, searching for anyone who might share my disappointment in the LOTR films -- as against the overwhelming box office and critical acclaim) and arrived at TORN rather than TORC (or elsewhere) entirely by chance (or Google, I guess). By then the rivalry had quieted, as I didn't see a bad word against TORC, of whose existence I gradually learned.

It looks like HoF was created in fall 2005, is that right? I look forward to your fifth anniversary!

[Voronwë the Faithful]

It's hard to believe that it will be five years this year. It seems like just yesterday!

[Primula Baggins]

Four years, but even four years. . . . That's . . .

That's just . . .

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Oh yeah. Four years. I'm tired today.

[Frelga]

I've never been to TORN, except lately for Hobbit news, but hey, congratulations to them!


And, congratulations to TORC, which turned 10 earlier this month. It's a great place that brought me many happy days and many, many wonderful friends all over the world.

[yovargas]

[Primula Baggins]

I miss TORN. (:x)

I went to TORN-the-site all the time for news, back when the LotR films were in progress. But I never made any headway with their threaded messageboards; they were too frustrating for someone who cut her teeth on Usenet, which in the 1980s and '90s worked much like this board, though more primitive (NO graphics). The posts on TORN were interesting and the company was lovely, but I couldn't get comfortable with the interface. My deficiency, not TORN's.

TORC was just what I was looking for, in terms of quality of conversation and interface (I still usually went to TORN for news—still do, actually). It's a bit startling to realize I started reading TORC not all that long after it opened, within a year or two.

I am very grateful for the whole spectrum of Tolkien boards, even though this one has become my online home. We're richer for the choices they offer.

[Lalaith]

That's neat that TORN is 10 years old. I found it first when I looked for Tolkien info online (7 years ago), but I couldn't make heads or tails of its format. I never joined. Then I found TORC, and that was perfect for what I wanted!

That being said, all the best to TORN!

[Padme]

Happy 10th TORN




I agree the early TORN threaded messageboard was hard for me to undrestand. But I still visit it, and finally registered a few years ago, mostly because of the movie information. I pop in there a few times a month to check on things.

[Anduril]

Hmm, TORN tended to attract lowest common denominator-types while TORC had book zealots right? Of course that's not true, both had both. But by now, the former can have their merchandise, while the latter still have their books.

[Primula Baggins]

I don't think anyone here has said anything like that, Anduril, nor have I heard anyone say it elsewhere.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I won't comment about that (in fact, our rules here forbid me from commenting on that). I'll just say that I was pretty surprised to learn what a vibrant group of Tolkien lovers they had over at TORN. It's no accident that a group of them end up contributing a number of entries to Michael Drout's voluminous J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia.

[Siberian]

TORN and AICN were my primary sources of LOTR movie news. TORN were nice enough to host a Russian LOTR movie site for which I translated news.