The way it was explained to me, the old server couldn't handle the challenge because it had grown so much and the volume of stories is so much larger, and the traffic to the server was killing it. The new servers (plural) have load-balancing, which means fewer crashes. They've been working all year long to get the AO3 servers up and running specifically so it could handle Yuletide this year.
As for the side challenges like dark_agenda and I think just about encouraging people to write more stories focussed on characters of colour. They're not part of Yuletide per se, but taking advantage of the AO3 tagging system.
The Big Store is "stealing a ficathon" much the same way--encouraging people to write tweats based on the comm's fandoms.
Fair enough. It was inevitable that the old server would give out and a new solution would have to be found, but it still seems like awkward timing and an awkward setup. Hell, it's still beta, though, so we'll see what kind of improvements they make.
The thing that bothers me about the whole "characters of color" type of tags is that they come across as patronizing. The intentions behind them may be good, but it seems like the phrasing, at the very least, could use a little work.
I try and think of dark_agenda as akin to halfamoon, celebrating and encouraging more, rather than "zomg yuletide is made of white privilage fail. WE SHALL FIX IT." tho I didn't even know it existed until the post on the comm the other day...
My only annoyance is with the tags themselves. I understand and support dark_agenda's movement to have more focus on characters of different races, I just feel that the tags being used on the archive smack of smug condescension.
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As for the side challenges like dark_agenda and I think just about encouraging people to write more stories focussed on characters of colour. They're not part of Yuletide per se, but taking advantage of the AO3 tagging system.
The Big Store is "stealing a ficathon" much the same way--encouraging people to write tweats based on the comm's fandoms.
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The thing that bothers me about the whole "characters of color" type of tags is that they come across as patronizing. The intentions behind them may be good, but it seems like the phrasing, at the very least, could use a little work.
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