Real questions asked via. Email or at http://fortfamilyforums.com
Last Updated: Wednesday, April 9, 2008 6:45 PM

Q - Where did "The Fort" come from?
A - That's an easy one. Check out the note from me on the main page, it explains it all. You can also select "Fort History" in the Features drop down and see the path that led to our name becoming what it has. There's a lot of meaning behind it.

Q - What caused you to begin writing and posting online?
A - Peer Pressure! I was forced to do it, completely against my will. Actually, I enjoyed reading online and now and then contacted the authors I appreciated and let them know. One became a very close friend and after reading something I had written, urged me to give it a shot.

Q - Where do you guys come up with some of those crazy ideas on the forum?
A - We have a very elite staff who dedicate obnoxious amounts of time to fun events and unique ideas. That or we're all a little crazy ourselves. You decide ;)

Q - Don't you have a life?
A - Um... Next question please.

Q - How long do you think the sites will be online?
A - For a really long time I hope. It's meant an awful lot to quite a few people over the years. I'd personally love to see it out live me, but who knows :)

Q - Do you do web design as a profession?
A - You can make money doing stuff like this? Where do you sign up? Actually, no. It's just a hobby.

Q - Why do you guys pretend to be characters from your stories in the forum?
A - It's a fun way to have an alter ego and let everyone play along. We never knew that particular sub forum would become as popular as it has. That and our characters demand equal time as is required by their union ;)

Q - Do you guys know each other in real life?
A - A good handful of us have actually met face to face now. More than I have ever seen from any online gathering I've been associated with. It's actually really cool!

Q - Do you like Pirates?
A - Yarr. Anythin' that has to deal with plunderin' and plottin' be ok as far as I be concerned. Hehehe... That was pretty random :)

Q - What's the deal with names in your stories? Daniel Page, Michael Page - Is there a reason you used the same last name for the main characters in two seperate stories?
A - There's no hidden meaning if that's what you're hoping to learn. The name Page was simply a name I came up with when planning out the cast for "A Penny on the Train Tracks" while using my own initials. (JMP - MJP) I liked the last name so, Danny ended up with it as well. If I ever start another story, I'll have to decide on a new one or, make it my "Page" tradition. (Update: Sorry Jack Page, it was bound to happen. LOL!)

Q - Can Fuzzy get an RND(0) function, so we don't see 11 identical posts except for the new member name?
A - That depends on the capabilities of the forum software itself and to my knowledge, no one has ever looked into it. Fuzzy is utilizing a feature that was built into the forum software itself. We also would have to get him to script something for it... You wanna be the one to tell him he has more work to do? Hehehe!

Q - Can you clue us in on which parts of the forum are exceptions to the majority? eg: What areas allow non-members to post, or which ones are moderated, or which don't allow smilies or font changes?
A - If you log out of your account, you can see which forums are available to the general public. I don't actually have a list. Tech support forums do not allow formatting. This is only to prevent issues for members who may already be having issues displaying the extra formatting. Moderated forums would be "Helping Hands" and any non previewed stories events. Both to be sure misleading or inappropriate posts don't happen where they could do real damage.

Q - What technical/financial issues are needed to set up a chat? I wouldn't be looking for anything but a basic way to go live with two or three members.
A - It's true, we did have a Java Chat added on to the forum for a decent amount of time. They open too many security holes and allowed us to be severely hacked twice. I can't guarantee it but, I'd say it was a safe assumption that we won't try that again anytime soon. I'd recommend Skype since it's free, very available and takes no programming skills to set up.

Q - Is there a way to archive unfinished stories (ones that haven't been added to in years or have been abandoned by its author?
A - In a way we do already. I've never seen an inactive Author pulled from a site. Heck, Gary's Garden is a complete site archiving the works of an author we haven't seen in years now. Even with that said, I'd suggest to anyone who truly enjoys a particular story to make local copies for themselves. As much as we wish many things would, nothing lasts forever.

Q - How many web sites do you guys actually host. Everytime I think I've found the last one, I find another.
A - Right now (April 2008) I believe we currently hold the licensing for 19 domains, 3 of which are not Fort Family sites and owned by the businesses they are attached, and simply obtained through us. I think that puts us roughly at 14 stories sites and of course the forum.

Q - How did you think you could compete with all the other archive sites and forums out there?
A - We don't want to compete with anyone, never did. The forum was originally set up so a hand full of us could be more interactive with feedback. The idea is still the same just a whole lot bigger now because word spread about what we were doing. Many of us are active members within the communities that we are supposedly in competition with. Heh, you don't have to look hard to find links from us to many other similar communities.

Q - What's your favorite color?
A - Red, although it's hard on the eyes when you base a site on that as a primary color. Tons of people assume blue just because of this site.

Q - In Chapter 7 of "Sentenced to Life" Joey says: "ISA BEEN DA AWSIN AHN UNKAH DOO EET!!!" What does that even mean?
A - I've had a ton of conversations based on that one quote. The easiest answer would be that it is intentional gibberish to make Timmy's following line "Yeah, what he sed!" funnier since no one could understand him. If the reader could understand it then it wouldn't be as funny. (Not to mention the humor from the outtake "CTRL-Z" where even little Timmy really doesn't get it and says so, blowing the line. "I dun get it! " You can "kinda" make out parts of it but, there is no hidden meaning, which is the most humorous theory that has gotten back to me over the years. I got my own Urban Legend!!! WooHoo!!!