VernonNemitz's Journal: First Post!

What sort of "geek factor" is associated with getting to be the first poster in response to an ordinary Slashdot article? None that I can see, since the availability of a new article is independent of the presence of the readers. I can understand the ego factor, but after a while it gets old. Does Slashdot have so many new users constantly signing up that there will apparently always be people for whom that dinky competition has not grown old? Or is it just a "immaturity" phenomenon, about which if I said or even suggested more, ridiculous amounts of flame-thowing would be aimed my way?

I suppose I should confess that in the ordinary usage of Slashdot, I think I managed a 2nd post once, without particularly trying; must have been a slow forum that day. I admit I felt a kind of rush, wondering if the message I was hurrying to write (which did NOT merely try to make a "First Post!" claim! -- that WOULD have counted as "particularly trying"...) would end up in first place. When it came out 2nd, I didn't feel a let-down so much as a kind of, "Yep, that was indeed a likely possibility." acceptance. So, if the opportunity arises again, will I be in a hurry? Probably. Will I just dash off a "First Post!" claim? NO. There will almost certainly be something else I'd be interested in writing.

Well, then, what about the "First Post!" claim which is the title of this posting? Easy! In my own Journal here on Slashdot there is no way this cannot be the first post! I have no competition to worry about! So, I can enjoy a little heady feeling about it for real, have a little fun with the whole concept, and blather some generalities about the topic, as if I was writing some sort of serious essay, all at the same time. (And yes, I'm sure the comments of others, if any, will let me know how it went over.)