Forgot your password?
Close
typodupeerror
The Matrix

Journal GeckoFood's Journal: [misc] Online community 27

Journal by GeckoFood

A lot of chatter has gone on regarding slashdot, multiply, and other stuff related. Here's how I feel about it all.

People come. People go. People come back again. People leave again. Wash, rinse, repeat.

There is no perfect online community medium. Slashdot had a good thing going for a while but you can't overtax the residents or they will move out of state. I have to agree with some of the comments happening in HBI's current JE - there's a huge leftist slant here and those of us that don't embrace it do not fit in as well as the liberazzi. That's true in most places. Slashdot's editors went above and beyond to booger up the sight, though, and made life miserable for *everyone* that participated here. Voicing discontent with the editors is not good justification for downmodding entire discussions. Putting your users in timeout because they happen to share a subnet with an abusive troll is also poor practice.

So, a good number of people left, and signed up on Multiply. I got an account but I decided to "test it out" a little. I discovered that I am ignored there about as much as I am/was here. So, why move? Multiply is no better than here except that there is no editor playing Sheriff of Nottingham on Multiply. Never mind the fact that as one astute 'dotter pointed out, Multiply reserves the right to use EVERYTHING you post for its own gain.

I post on Multiply once in a great while. The feedback I get there is as minimal as it is here, so what's the point?

(Oh yeah, no one's listening. Shut up, you fool.)

I have read some of the things that have been posted 'over there'. Same old crap. Only, some members seem to have degraded themselves to subhuman status. I have no desire to associate with some of the sociopathic idiots that moved. Don't get me wrong - there are some great people there that I do miss, but with them went some of the bottom feeders too. No, I won't name names.

Ok, back to this place. The complaints are valid. The problems are real. The editors treat the users like toddlers and expect to be worshipped. Screw that. Take away my mod priviledges. Limit my posts. Ignore me and hope I go away. Who cares? I certainly don't. I happen to have a life, and I happen to have some good friends, some of whom I made here in spite of the legalistic, political dog puke that has risen in place of what used to make slashdot worthwhile. Some of the most interesting people stayed, in spite of the way they're treated. Others visit occasionally. Others simply moved on.

Just as has happened here, Multiply will eventually self implode. There will come a time when either the group will get fed up with changes in the system or there will be mounting tensions from within. Regardless, it will flicker and die, just as it did here. Will it move to another place? If so, I hope they pick a better site!

No, I am not leaving. I have no intention of leaving. The site is basically useless, except that there are still some friends here that I value. The alternative - Multiply - offers me nothing that I can't get here except for a few friends that rarely respond to my posts anyway.

I do participate in other forums, and I have different sets of friends. They are separate from here. That suits me.

This discussion was created by GeckoFood (585211) for no Foes, but now has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

[misc] Online community More

[misc] Online community

Comments Filter:
  • Each and every community does have its problems. I still use Multiply and Slashdot, but reserve most of my material for Jonesblog and people can drop in when and if they wish as it is simply a means to remain connected to family and friends as well as a creative outlet for me.

  • I have been "here" one way or another for a decade.

    Moving is acquiring a new habit - If I am to make an effort, it will be to retire a habit, not add one!

    Thanks,
    JC
  • I really enjoyed the Circle while it was around, but, like any other group, virtual or real, eventually it goes on its way. I've tried tuning into multiply a couple times, but the "spark," as johndiii called it, just isn't there. I really do miss reading about your bread and the little snippets of family life you shared. I know you didn't get a lot of comments, but I think you got many a read. You're just too sensible to disagree with;-)

    I'm wondering though what's going on over at multiply for you to

  • Even though it has it's problems, I still think it is one of the best online communities. Could it be better? Gad yes - and I don't think the changes would have to be all that revolutionary. But still, the current implementation is mostly good.

    Of course, if I had said that quickly, I'd be told to slow down, because....

    ;-)

  • I indeed miss a lot of the folks that moved on, in that they became such a routine part of my interactions here, that there has been emptiness left in their departure. However, the migration was also good for me in a way. I developed personal concern over several people who were terribly self-destructive and it simply couldn't have a positive effect on my life. I found myself feeling obligated to read their posts, which is silly, and their downward spiral was frustrating to say the least.

    I will miss ma

    • I miss rdewald--I don't know if he migrated with the flock, or simply isn't posting, but I was intrigued with his weight loss endeavor, his lifestyle minimization (did he ever successfully simplify his life to--what was it--600 items?), and his random observations of life.

      He migrated to *, I'm afraid, but hasn't posted much besides political rants about impeaching Bush because he thinks Gonzales is a stupid liar and listening to Al Qaeda's phonecalls is wrong. A few updates on ".6k", one about his weight.

    • Just a couple of things in response...

      I'm encouraged to see that you're still here too. You never posted a whole lot but I always thought of your posts, whether journal entry or comment, to be well thought out and logical - the "voice of reason", so to speak. I remember you being the one who actually paid attention to Multiply's TOS as well.

      The reason I haven't written about bread in a while is simply because my work schedule has made it difficult to get in the kitchen for any length of time. I have mad

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by arb ( 452787 )
        All communities change over time. Every now and then there will be a mass exodus or an influx of new blood. The only reason I have taken up camp at Multiply is that there appeared to be a critical mass of Circle refugees. I still read stuff here (obviously) but won't be posting new JEs here...

        The Circle we knew is gone, but something new has already started to develop here. Something that fits those that are left better and something that will (hopefully) embrace new members and become just as vibrant a com
    • Rdewald moved here [multiply.com]. He posts fairly often, but his more personal journal entries are set to only allow his contacts to read, which is actually the one feature multiply has that I really like.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Tet ( 2721 )
        his more personal journal entries are set to only allow his contacts to read, which is actually the one feature multiply has that I really like.

        But LJ already had that for years. In fact, I still don't really understand why the circle went to Multiply rather than LJ...

        • i have an LJ ...but LJ does not offer image hosting for photo galleries. at least that is a big reason why I went there.

          I still go through my message every once and a while and I still read front page (usually via google plugin to my home page).

          I realy didn't like the 2 minute wait. that killed me here. i would have 15 minutes every once and a while so I didn't want some stupid time limiter keeping me from commenting before I had to jump back to whatever task I needed to do next.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by Tet ( 2721 )
            LJ does not offer image hosting for photo galleries

            Errr.... yes it does: LJ Scrapbook [livejournal.com]. There's a storage limit (I think it's 1GB for free accounts, and more for paid accounts), but if Multiply doesn't have that now, I'm sure they soon will have, after the first time someone tries abusing the system.

            • ahhhh then it looks like i missed that. I do like the better control I seem ot have with postings on multiply. it could also be that Multiply won over LJ simply because LJ alread had a niche market. who knows.
        • I also have a livejournal and also like multiply's free image hosting.
  • Never mind the fact that as one astute 'dotter pointed out, Multiply reserves the right to use EVERYTHING you post for its own gain.

    Do you really believe this claim? If you do, I suggest you read the TOS of Multiply and Slashdot. You will find that contrary to popular belief, Multiply do not reserve the right to use ANYTHING you post for their own gain. Slashdot does however. Multiply explicitly limit the rights they claim to using your content within the context of the service. ie, Displaying your posts on

    • Overall, it does not matter much. I am not putting things on here (or there) that would get me all up in arms if they used it for some other purpose. If I have something that I REALLY want to make sure remains mine, I'd be silly to post it in a public journal on the net, regardless of what site is used.

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by arb ( 452787 )
        That's the best approach to take, rather than relying on a privacy policy or TOS to protect your interests anyway.

        For me it matters not - I don't post anything worth reading, let alone stealing. ;^)
  • Bravo. I couldn't have said it better myself.
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion

    • But I'm mostly surprised because you never really wore your politics on your sleeve.

      That's because I am one of those off-the-charts conservative right-wing nutcases that a lot of folks around here take (took) special pleasure in bashing at every opportunity. Outnumbered by a factor of at least six, I don't see much point in arguing unless I want to make myself much more unpopular. I did not come here to talk politics. When I have ventured into the waters, though, it has been "colorful" to say the least.

      • Comment removed based on user account deletion

        • I hope I never made you feel that you needed to keep quiet

          You, of all the people here, have been one of the most accomodating. You have never even come close to ruffling my feathers (feathers - as in right *wing* nutcase). On the occasions that I have engaged others in political jousting, I usually got swarmed by others who just knew that, because I am a conservative, I must be a total idiot and needed to be told as much. A notable exception to that was TheMadPoster - he and I had a couple of written ar

          • Comment removed based on user account deletion
          • Comment removed based on user account deletion
          • I agree about the political thing, as a Libertarian things are different than being a straight up conservative, but in the end political conversations can be had as long as people remain civil and try not to assume anything (like the other guy being a dunce.) Also: it appears as though people do care, there are a lot of comments on here :-)

  • The editors treat the users like toddlers and expect to be worshipped.

    I treat people like toddlers and expect to be worshipped, too, but do I get a mention? Pshee!

    Cheers,

    Ethelred

    • I treat people like toddlers and expect to be worshipped, too, but do I get a mention? Pshee!

      I didn't know you were one of the editors... :-D

Slashdot Top Deals

Torque is cheap.

Close