Hi, everybody:
I’m new to this forum, and I hope to correspond with you all in the future. Talk to you again soon. 
Hello there.
Welcome to the SDMB, independentminded. We usually put introduction threads in MPSIMS, our “miscellaneous” forum, so let me move this over there for you.
As you get started, please take a look at the guidelines and rules in ATMB (About This Message Board), and also read the descriptions of the various forums. We’re pretty laid back around here, but this will help you get oriented.
twickster, Cafe Society (and MPSIMS) moderator
Just curious, I have noticed “newbie” used a lot in the last couple or three years. When did “newbie” replace “rookie”, “beginner”, “novice” or some few dozen other terms?
It probably has something to do with the explosion of online gaming, where new players are routinely referred to as some combination of “newb”, “noob”, or “n00b”.
On computer message boards/Usenet? About 1994, perhaps earlier.
Ah! Usenet. I hadn’t thought of that.
Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary says newcomer to cyberspace, 1970 but it didn’t register with me until the last few years. Usenet could explain it as I somehow skipped over that along the way.
Welcome. Please post photos of your pets and give comments in such a way as to allow us to speculate over your gender.
Or else we send you to Mariah for…testing.
WAIT! How do we know s/he is not some Bing spammer bot??!?? I mean, that other guy/thing was, and his/its first post was much the same as independentminded’s, except for the fact that the other guy/thing’s user name was a rather random string of characters, and there was apparently something about Blng in his/its signature, but I don’t see signatures, so you never can tell.
Welcome (I think), independentminded. To be admitted to the Dope, however, you must answer this question: When is it appropriate to bring pie?
There was a Bing spammer bot on here? What was, uh, its name? I don’t remember this…
So you want the new person to stand in the wind? I suppose that could work, as long as nudity is involved…
I almost never post… I think I should do that more oft, expect this whole typing thing is alot harder to do with voice command…
Welcome Independentminded.
Originally Posted by janeslogin
“Just curious, I have noticed “newbie” used a lot in the last couple or three years. When did “newbie” replace “rookie”, “beginner”, “novice” or some few dozen other terms?”
I first encountered the word “newbie” in the Army in Viet Nam in 1970. By my second tour in 1971, it was considered kind of harsh. It may have been considered harsh in 1970, I just didn’t notice that. I think “newb” is kind of new. I don’t know when that started.
Jon
I wonder what happened, but along the way, newbie has become accepted, and noob is the degratory term.
Meanwhile, welcomes to Independentminded!
Hello **Independentminded, **be welcome. Enjoy your stay.
Is it standard to introduce yourself here? I just came in and started posting. Was that rude?
Nah. Some people do; some people don’t. No biggie. By your posts we shall know ye.
Anyhoo, welcome,** kapri,** too!
Welcome!
Have you been to Baía, independentminded?