Notes on catching up on two days' worth of paranoia and fury in one sitting

[constance]

1. Sometimes it sure does suck to be a pervert.



2. I'm afraid it's not about free speech, folks. It's about Big Business. Do we all agree that corporate entities fail egregiously at openmindedness, or indeed anything that's not about protecting the fucking bottom line? Do we all agree that LJ's TOS, which of course we all read very carefully when we signed up, provides them with ample space to "suspend" whatever journals they feel like "suspending?" I thought so.
   
   Still. Big Business does suck. See #1.



3. I wonder how much work it would take to set up a blogsite for media fen? Like journalfen, you know, but more open-like. Probably an awful lot. :?

Comments

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

You just summed it all up, friend. And I'm not leaving (unless I'm forced off, of course), because 90% of my online life is here and I don't see how any other entity is any "safer" in the long run. It happens. And at least it all still proves that art and writing matter, if people out there find it all so fucking terrifying.

Vive l'arte! Vive la revolution!

[tofty.livejournal.com]

I'm not going anywhere unless forced, either. (And I seriously doubt I'll be forced.) But I think a backup plan is in order just in case, you know? And I hate to see my beloved trainwreck of a fandom sent scurrying to fifty different blogsites, all of which have TOS statements virtually identical to LJ's.

If someone sets up a new blogsite, it won't be me -- I don't have the time or the resources -- but it's kind of nice to dream about.

Re: Vive l'arte! Vive la revolution!

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'd love A Blogsite For Us(tm), but I wouldn't have a clue how to set one up and I don't know if they'd be any safer from various forms of harassment in the long run.

Re: Vive l'arte! Vive la revolution!

[tofty.livejournal.com]

Probably not. Not unless whoever set it up was willing to set it up from the ground up, starting with the forming of a special hosting company. Which would be a metric shitload of work, and that's not even to mention the expense.

[thalia]

I'm hoping this blows over fairly quickly. Of course it's ridiculous, but fandom has been through crap before, and this probably won't be the last time. I really, really don't want to have to move.

[tofty.livejournal.com]

Nor do I want to move -- my journals here have gone from being primarily about the fanfic with a little personal stuff thrown in, to being mostly personal with bits of fandom. I really don't want to set up another shop, much as SixApart is pissing me off right now.

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

Also, I'm cynical--I've lived through at least three other "mass" fandom exoduses (exodi?) that completely failed to materialize past the grand pronouncements. Here I be. I'm too lazy to move.

[tofty.livejournal.com]

HAHAHAHAHA So true! We are hair-triggered, in fandom.

I'm lazy, too. Plus I don't like change. Plus I love lj's formatting and commenting systems the best of all the blogsites I've been part of. So.

[dahlia-777.livejournal.com]

Yeah, big business does suck. But judging by the latest news it seems they've realised pissing off fandom might affect their bottom line, therefore it might pay to support free speech after all. Perhaps they'll reinstate some journals and communities, if only to appease their customer base. Does this make me sound as cynical as they are??

[tofty.livejournal.com]

Nice icon!

Well, you may be cynical, but I (who am clearly by my post equally cynical) have absolutely no doubt that you're right.

This is reminding me of the bit of Fight Club where the narrator confesses that the car company he works for won't do a recall unless they anticipate that the financial fallout of a class action lawsuit outstrips the cost of the recall. I wouldn't be even a little bit surprised if, once SixApart did the math and weighed the (pretty much guaranteed) loss of revenue from fandom journals against the (potential) loss of revenue from advertisers, they made a similar sort of decision.

[dahlia-777.livejournal.com]

Haha, that's Lister from Red Dwarf going "Eurgh". It expresses my general feelings about Six Apart.

Are you around on Sunday evening? I'm visiting my family this weekend but I'll be back and available for a chat around 6-ish?

[tofty.livejournal.com]

I didn't get this comment! I was indeed around, but livejournal is apparently punishing me for the snide comments I made about it, because I haven't been able to post all weekend, and only this morning am I actually able to post comments or receive notifications.

>:O

Are you working this coming weekend?

[dahlia-777.livejournal.com]

Lj, oh dear. You know, if it's true about the IPO I'm not sure how much longer we'll have here.

I'm not working this weekend but I might be busy on Sunday eve. I can let you know later in the week if that's OK? It would be great to have a catch-up.

[dahlia-777.livejournal.com]

Hey again. I could be around online from 8pm my time on Sunday - but isn't it your birthday that day?? If so I expect you're busy!

[tofty.livejournal.com]

Heh -- I was actually sort of waiting to answer your first comment until I knew one way or the other whether I had plans! It turns out that I do, and I'll probably be out of town on the day of. Mmmm, Middle Eastern food.

So maybe we could catch up some week soon? I miss you!

[dahlia-777.livejournal.com]

Ha, well, it's perfectly acceptable to have plans on your birthday :D. I'm throwing a BBQ tomorrow so I wouldn't be around until late anyway (and then probably the worse for wear...)

But it's Sat 5.10pm my time at the moment. I'm going to turn on YM now, just on the off-chance. If not maybe next weekend? I miss you too!

[tofty.livejournal.com]

I'm just now logging in. You still there, kid?

[dahlia-777.livejournal.com]

Yes! I just went off to watch Doctor Who but now I'm back.