FanLib and LJ deletions/suspensions

[icarus]

The CEO of Six Apart speaks: Well we really screwed this one up.

They recognize they suspended journals that should not have been suspended. Now we'll see what they do to fix it.

In the meantime, my name at Greatest Journal is the same as the one here.

Interesting fun facts about FanLib:

Someone told me the 40 Highlander stories they have are all by the same author. Curious, I checked out the Stargate Atlantis stories.*

Two-thirds, 87 of 137 Stargate Atlantis fics, are by the same two people.



* Yeah, FanLib made its advertising money off me today -- and may I add what a pain in the ass it is to click through stories ten at a time? This is the most awkward, difficult to use site.

Comments

[chronolith.livejournal.com]

Oh lord.

Everything that I've heard about the technical side of that site has been that it sucks great big donkey balls. Even if the Williams' hadn't managed to thoroughly infuriate the entirity of the Fen, how on earth did he think that he could entice us over to it? We code better than he does and he's got 3 million to throw at the project.

I'm willing to take back Mr. Berkowitz if he gives me back my p0rn.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I get the feeling they designed it in comparison to ff.net and MySpace, but never looked anywhere else.

Icarus

[mylexie.livejournal.com]

Hi! I'll add you at GJ.

I've put up a poll, because a friend of mine and I thought that in part problems with adult fic come from US law. Since he and I are Dutch, we may be able to set up a blogsite here. I am now trying to see whether people would be interested if LJ doesn't really clean up its act. (If all gets better here, all of us would prefer to stay at LJ, I think.)

Would you please pimp it for me?
Thank you!
The link is: http://mylexie.livejournal.com/159135.html

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I'm feeling like I want to wait to see if LJ undeletes (un-suspends) pornish_pixies. I'd like to give them a chance.

Icarus

[mylexie.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm not planning to move just yet. I'm waiting for the same thing. I'm just trying to see how people feel, because if it turns out we don't have freedom of fiction anymore, the sooner we get something set up, the better..

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

If Pornish is still down, then I'll check femmequixotic's LJ for what she has to say. If there's no progress and Pornish is going to stay down, then I'll start posting about alternate options. A few people have talked about grabbing the open source code and setting up a fandom only version of Livejournal, for example.

Icarus

[mylexie.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :)

*If* it comes to that, we'd like to do it here (in The Netherlands), because the laws are better at protecting the freedom of speech..

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm not the hub of fandom, though people have been reading that article of mine a lot lately. But I'll certainly post about options people suggest if Six Apart doesn't come through.

Icarus

[mylexie.livejournal.com]

I'm really grateful about that. I'm only going to push this if SixApart doesn't get their stuff together.

Thanks!

[lebannen.livejournal.com]

"... a fandom only version of Livejournal ..."

Isn't that what Journalfen is for? (I haven't seen much discussion the last couple of days, just what's on my rather small flist, so I might be mising a point here somewhere....)

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh, there've been a lot of ideas kicking around. People brought up Jouralfen, but the problem there was the problem in getting new accounts. I'm not sure why you can't. I suppose they still use invite codes?

Icarus

[lebannen.livejournal.com]

I think they have something even more vague than invite codes going on at the moment, and they seem to be doing some site maintenance or something right now, anyway? So yes, not the easiest place to get into, I suppose!

I have now gone into the 'head in sand, maybe it'll all go away' phase of dealing with drama, and am reading fic instead. Just started a reread of Primer to the Dark Arts :)

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Good idea. Maybe I'll re-read Primer to the Dark Arts.

Icarus

[celtic-tigress.livejournal.com]

I also have to say that if their goal was (as stated) to gather the most talented and popular authors together on their site, they failed miserably. I surfed around over there yesterday as well, and looked for anyone or any story that I knew, and knew was popular, and yet I found none, either in SGA or in the HP sections. It seems as if the only people who have fallen into their site are ones who are either too new to fandom and too naive, or ones who are too lazy to do their own PR and actually contribute to the community the way the rest of us do. Thinking about it, that must have seemed like a great opportunity superficialy to some authors who have had little exposure, but on second glance it is a real quagmire of potential fuck-ups over there.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh, you know, I think that was just sucking up to us. Maybe they hoped to differentiate themselves from the Pit of Voles by bringing in better writing. Maybe individuals with FanLib had that on their agenda.

Honestly, though, I think the fact that they rewarded people for the number of stories uploaded tells the story.

I've never seen a single author I've ever heard of there, though I guess lttledvl is going to play guinea pig and give us the inside scoop.

[teaphile.livejournal.com]

Honestly, though, I think the fact that they rewarded people for the number of stories uploaded tells the story.

Which is why I went over there the other day -- looking for stories I recognize. This is a grand opportunity for plagiarism, especially if none of the good writers go there.

[lttledvl.livejournal.com]

that was a contest that they were running which has recently ended - and it was also for posting and reviewing of fics (though I'm not clear if it was if you got reviews or if it was if you gave reviews)

but yah, I saw that contest and was like wtf?

[lttledvl.livejournal.com]

I decided to guinea pig myself and created an account (and wouldn't you know it, they don't ask for your ff.net info anymore - morons!)

I've noted the same thing in just about all the fandoms - only 1 or 2 writers (my big thing right now is Power Rangers - silly I know, but hey, at least I'm doing). There is currently only 11 stories there (of which 8 are by one person) compared to 7000+ on ff.net.

And the PR stories on fanlib? Make me want to stick my finger down my throat...

But I took the plunge and posted 2 fics - I'm waiting to see what all happens...

Wish me luck!

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Interesting to have a guinea pig, though I'm worried about the credibility it gives FanLib. Still, two stories in the rather unobtrusive Power Rangers fandom? Okay. Let me know how it goes. :)

Icarus

[lttledvl.livejournal.com]

Well, I suppose I could post the almighty 1 fic I have for SGA ;) (I was gonna write for that; honest, then my muse did a 360)

I'll definitly let you know how it goes - I have yet to plunge into their forums. there are some who have commented against fanlib but most there are all 'what's the problem?' and 'people are overreacting' blah, blah, blah. but there have been a few replies from the mods? admins? I'm not sure but some yahoo that obviously works there and those responses to the supportive fanfic-ers is 'you guys are great' and 'thanks for your support'. Yah, like I can't see the obvious 'let's stroke their egos so they'll stick around and hopefully do our work for us'. People are blind, dumb and stupid sometimes...

Interesting to have a guinea pig, though I'm worried about the credibility it gives FanLib.

I don't think you have to worry about credibility too much - I'm not that popular or well-known.

[lttledvl.livejournal.com]

Oh, and the one thing I'm really not sure if I like is the way the members list is organized.

The drop-down menu gives the following options:
Oldest to Newest
Newest to Oldest
Member Name
Most Viewed
Featured

Just like the options for Fanfics, it defaults to Newest to Oldest, which is okay, I guess, but why not just stick with the alphabetic list like most places? With this system, I feel like we're being offered up on the fanfic version of ebay...

Not to mention that the 'Featured' just really sticks in my craw in a bad way. How does one become featured? I suppose some competition among writers is okay, but I have a feeling that this could turn into a war as authors begin to vie over the 'top position' of the featured list. Fandom in general has enough 'sticky spots' on it's own without adding to it...

[mmeguilotn.livejournal.com]

Well, pornish_pixies is back. Does that mean we don't all have to leave in a huff? (Seriously I haven't been on LJ in weeks, and I check back in right as it all hits the fan? The LJ gods hate me.)

Thanks for all the FanLib stuff by the way; it's been informative.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

That's my plan. Oh, and write porn. That's on the agenda, too.

Thanks for all the FanLib stuff by the way; it's been informative.

You're very welcome. :)

[rike-tikki-tavi.livejournal.com]

And the number of fics on FanLib seems to be shrinking further. I only figured out today how to turn off the adult filter so I can't say anything about the M-fics but the others are down from around 5,000 fics a few days ago to not quite 4,800 just now. Not moving real fast but at least the trend goes in the right direction.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Ah, that's good news. Not wish any ill will on the brothers' Williams, but the smaller the site is, the less impact it'll have when goes up in flames.

Icarus

[lttledvl.livejournal.com]

fandom journals are back!!! (http://www.livejournal.com/)

whee!

the cruix of it can be found right on the LJ home page:

The class of suspensions that are being reversed are;
1. All Fandom journals
2. All fiction journals

I don't think a massive migration is in order (but I will still keep an eye out)

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Thank god. Let's celebrate. :D