I loved mudcat as a newbie & had a name etc, but am jaded now & just mostly post as a guest - mainly because I don't like to trip across my former selves.
I find it all a bit too "noisy" now & try not to get too drawn into the chit-chat side.
As a newbie though - it was a very welcoming place with plenty of advice offered & no ridicule if I posted a stupid question. As in life, some characters you take to & some you don't. Didn't take long to find my way around - because being new you are full of enthusiasm & like to poke about & see what everything does. Was first experience of online comunity, & not at all scarey. More scarey nowadays probably since querulousness became so popular!
As a newbie I was curious about other members in real life & made effort to meet some. Not so sure now that that really works for me though.