MOD ANNOUNCEMENT: RE: MOVING

[archimedeia]

Hello, Ataraxites! In light of the recent changes made to Livejournal’s commenting system and general usability as a result of Release 88, we think it’s time we had The Talk about moving off of Livejournal.

Comments

[uncodlyawwesome]

I will say that this game is the only game I've made a plan for moving off of LJ for, so it's not like it's gonna cause me many problems if we do move. I do wish there was a way for us to get some kind of definitive answer from LJ about what the hell they're doing, and I really do wish we didn't have to leave, because I've been with LJ since 2002, but things happen, right?

Also, I'd like to point out that if we move, the safest bet would be to move to Dreamwidth. First, they're going to be releasing a way to transfer communities (have already?). Second, they seem to be much more interested in keeping the fandom-goers like LJRPers, kink memes, etc etc, happy and generally seem to care about their userbase like LJ did back in the day. Third, if you want to have a large game or at least a game connected to the rest of LJRP as it stands, DW is the safest bet as most people seem to only consider games from LJ or DW. (IJ to an extent, but IJ is nonetheless not quite as... idk nice? as DW seems to be.)

The one main issue I have,

[suitedforcoffee]

Just throwing in a note, DW rent servers rather than buying them, so it's easy for them to toss a new one on the pile to cover an influx without having to worry too much about added cost. I wouldn't worry too much about overloading them.

[uncodlyawwesome]

I've heard that, I'm just woefully understudied when it comes to "how fast rented servers can add up" mathematics, so I'm worried that they might not get enough funding for the rent, or something.

[suitedforcoffee]

I'm admittedly not an expert, but as I understand it, if you run your own servers, you basically have to buy the server ($200+ easily), then pay a technician to install and maintain it ($10.25/hr min. wage in SF beginning Jan, and techs cost way more than that). This also means there may be downtime between the time they go "oh crap, overload commencing" and the time they can physically lay hands on the server.

When renting, you pay a monthly fee per server for someone to do all this crap for you. The cost per month to "own" a server is less than the cost of the server itself, and it includes professional tech support. Adding a server to your number is easy and practically instantaneous because the company you're renting from already owns a building full. And the cost breakdown usually means that the more servers you rent, the less you pay per server, if that makes sense.

[wiener_bonbons]

My only qualm with moving is the money factor. I really don't want to pay for two places at once. Will an icon-cheat be allowed in posts? That way we can link back to icons we want to use from an old account. It may look lopsided, with the icon in the comment box, but it might do in a pinch.

Would there also be a chance of a poll to move back (I know, what a pain, etc etc) if the S2 is decent? Or holding out until the S2 is released to decide?

icon is how i feel bawww.

[uncodlyawwesome]

I kind of like the idea of holding out until the S2 release (or at least find out when the fuck it's coming out), just because I don't want to leave for those reasons either :|;;

who knows though maybe some magical paid account fairy will help

[umuh]

Just want to say I've always been a supporter of the icon-cheat in general, for folks to capitalize on expressions they feel suit the moment/comment most. /slides back out

[mistermanther]

It really pains me to have to say it -- ESPECIALLY as I was recently bought a paid account, which was an amazing, thoughtful gift -- but this has been in many ways the final straw. LJ has made a lot of very poor choices before, but have never to my knowledge been outright rude, just stupid. Now they are being both rude AND stupid. Ilya Dronov, the LJ Russia CEO who made the style changes, has been openly contemptuous of anyone who is unhappy with the change (even before he was spammed with crude free gift messages).

Essentially, I wouldn't want to stay in a restaurant where the waiters are offering me only forks and knives and, when I ask to have a spoon because I've ordered soup, they tell me that it's my problem because I ordered soup. LJRP may not be the end all be all of things to do on Livejournal, but we are a very active community -- to the point of comms being featured in the spotlight -- and they can't be completely oblivious that we're a large -- often paying, thanks to the usefulness of extra icons -- segment of their

[umuh]

Adding in a plus one! I really love Ataraxion, and I'm also really done with Livejournal. If the game ends up moving in the future, I'm sure as buck going to do what I can to stick around and stick with Ataraxion as it makes the transition from here to whatever other place it may go. Speed of a move isn't important to me, if that makes sense? The intent and follow through would be.

If it ends up being a vote to stay, you guys are awesome, and I will miss you -- and I'd be one of those fuddy-duddies choosing to go, regardless.

I know folks have sunk money into their accounts, and it's never coming back, and I really understand that. I understand the frustrations of not getting to use that paid time, or have the extra icons. There's no perfect solution, and I wish there really was.

[mistermanther]

Yeah, how fast we do it doesn't really matter so long as LJ loses us as customers either way, agreed.

I personally am going to stay if just because I don't want LJ's poor decisions to cripple Ataraxion too, but it's a tough spot to be in. DW has been fantastic about facilitating a move, at the very least, which helps put a little balm on it, but that doesn't really change the fact something needs to happen to show LJ that this is dumb from a marketing standpoint, not just a visual one.

[unparental]

I CAN ADMIT IT NOW I was said paid fairy. That said: as the fairy, I would not at ALL feel like my gift was somehow cheapened by you wanting to move, and I actually whole-heartedly agree with all you've said.

[starstripedhero]

I love this game so freaking much, it really doesn't matter one way or another whether we stay or go in my opinion. The way the layout is now is tolerable for me at least, and I wouldn't have a problem if we stayed put. However, if this game moves, all of my accounts are moving with it.

I'm just really tired of this awkward UWAHH WHERE DO I RP predicament since half of the users are moving and half aren't. But really, all that really matters to me is this game, pretty much, and I'll be faithful to it no matter what happens. *A*

[fourpartplan]

I do not have a terribly strong opinion, just that I am very fond of this game and will follow it wherever we go.

[handsofasoldier]

+1 on this

[statsraaden]

+ all the numbers

[deducings]

+1