Well, I personally don't want to ever have to moderate something. Awhile ago I realized that I truly was in charge of this site, and that I have the power to maintain enlightened policies. Locking a thread, even if it is completely irrelevant or disproven, is still sort of overbearing, entrenched in that vein that other sites uphold (if you've ever posted in a thread a few months old in any other forum (not just talking about Chrono) and have been flamed for bringing up dead topics, this is what I mean). The Compendium's truly unique because we started with absolutely nothing but four or five musketeers (Ybrik, me, JustinS1985, Ramsus, Radical_Dreamer, Aitrus, others) on a gaming forum and decided that the Chrono series had way too much depth to just be coincidence, and sought to archive our discussion. Since we started writing new content and building things without simply hoarding other data, the site was given a chance to develop its own face, taste, and feel. Chronoshock definitely had such a feel of its own, as does Chronicles and others (as opposed to fanpages that simply post data or pictures).
It was only later that I realized the Compendium was such an interesting institution and that there was so much material and depth to cover that I threw out the idea of being the "best at everything," or at least maintaining a complete database of information and all the analysis we could get. While I would have never tried something like that on my own, since 2003 we've been developing a steady community of regulars and users who have tirelessly discussed things to death (tirelessly; five of the articles we have up right now need to be revised due to new analysis, even!). An incredible task, yes, the encyclopedia is in fact not that daunting and analysis, as I said before, is supported by the many cherished people here. As we've finally got the foundation in place, even though it is not complete, we've been able to expand even more in the direction of maintaining this site as a vessel for Chrono series fandom and a complete resource (my ambitious exclamations aside). Features, an upcoming column, fanfiction -- they're all planned to be here, and we're sitting on a goldmine of potential.
But as several have noticed, starting out from scratch also ensured I had a total underdog attitude. Back then, we had our neat analysis and little else, and I was determined to use that analysis to make us distinct. I honestly was disgusted with Letrimh's website, because it already presented analysis and discussion with no other content (the original Compendium idea). And Chronoshock -- I really disliked it, simply because it had a flashy layout and organized CT content; when version 2 debuted, I honestly thought the game was somewhat lost for awhile. But these things have all passed. I've got my ambitions for the Compendium, and that is enough. Ramsus has given us a killer aesthetic and maintenance that can only be dreamt of by some, and the site has achieved an excellent level of organization. The time has come to make affiliates; if they do not wish to link, their loss, but we shall press ahead and be fine with everyone else. I still have that attitude of "whoa, they have....this amazing, unique content. How can we counter this with our own original material?", but now that the site is fully organized and is growing by the minute (man, a bunch of people registered while I was away), things can be dealt with professionally, collectively, and coolly. The dream stands; anyone who thinks otherwise can check the Long-Term Goals thread in the Chrono Compendium Discussion forum. This website aims to be it concerning the Chrono series, and to other site maintainers who seek the same goal, game on! And be warned, the Compendium carries a certain unquenchable zeal about its work...
And lastly, thank you Daniel for the observation about the discussion. I do want to keep every thread and subject open forever, for anyone to make a claim in. Only when discussion degenerates to personal attacks and belittling of intelligence will intervention be undertaken, and as can be observed, that's hardly ever happened. We have had huge clashes and debates, and more to come (looking at your comprehensive Space-Time theory, Josh), but as long as we can maintain that level of intelligence and well manners, the sky is the limit. No article is set in stone, and neither is any Encyclopedia entry. The links page awaits entrants and fan pages for mutual support in this quest to be. And obsessive? A hobby's a hobby!
Now, in the words of that OCR dude that Ybrik and I remember fondly:
join me my chrono brohters
