Migrants to IJ, 2007

Thanks to everyone who commented on my post the other day about cross-posting between WordPress, InsaneJournal, and LiveJournal.

For those who were interested in more details, I've written up a proper guide for how to migrate from LiveJournal to WordPress. It includes how to cross-post your entries to LiveJournal, InsaneJournal, and/or other journaling sites, and how to pull in userpics if your commenters come from LiveJournal, InsaneJournal, or Journalfen.

You can read it here.

I recently moved from LiveJournal to a WordPress blog on my own server, with a backup on InsaneJournal. I'm *really* happy with it, so I thought I'd share my experience in case anyone here may be interested in doing something similar.

( Awesome things about WordPress, and how to duplicate your journal and cross-post to WordPress, LJ, and IJ )

Edited to add: I've written up a proper guide on how to migrate from LiveJournal to WordPress. It includes a couple of custom plugins that I modified. You can read it here.

(Note: I know this is kind of a borderline case, but I've talked to the maintainer to make sure it's not against the rules or something. I'll keep myself short!)

As we have a lot of newcomers and co-refugees from LJ, I decided to revive the InsaneJournal Asylum Meme. Initially I created it in January 2008, with the main purpose of raising activity on IJ and, as a side effect, the awareness of existing asylums. In short, you cross-post one of your old entries (be it essays, general [i.e. non-fandom] discussion, icons, fan fic...) or otherwise post to asylums that haven't been active in a while, and then all updates are compiled in a master list. More info in this post.

Apparently not, since their latest idea is to allow users to have their entire journal "sponsored" by an advertiser, in exchange for running a banner ad in the userinfo and "subtle" branding.

But remember, kids--three account types is too confusing! So...we'll take away Basic and add...a third account type!

Actually, I'm thinking fandom could have a lot of fun with this. Create a sockpuppet journal, and for the initial "trial period", post nothing but pictures of kitties and cookie recipes. Then, once the trial is over and you've shown yourself to be a good corporate citizen, go back to posting the porn: sponsored by Pepsi!

Did anyone see the latest LJ news post?

Particularly this part:

Moving On
Jason Shellen, our VP of product development, decided to resign from his position at LiveJournal, Inc. at the beginning of the week. His decision was for family and personal reasons. We wish him the best for the future.

I don't think he lasted very long!

I look at GJ every now and again, just waiting for the day when all I get is a 404 error, but for today it looks like the link to the News Community on GJ is gone?

Anyone else see this?

I figured someone here would know how to do this. I'll also need to ask people who have me friended to add the OpenID, correct?

*winces*

Anton Nossik has posted a clarification (in English!) in his own LiveJournal.

"The announcement last Wednesday was a mistake in regards to Basic accounts, as the change was not clearly stated, it did not allow for you to provide feedback, and went into effect immediately. Many of you have pointed out that the decision worried you less than the way it was communicated. You should have been given a voice, and you were not; we didn’t follow our own rules, and we apologize."

Hi all, just a note that I've looked around my LJ flists and determined that there's a huge need for the moving community discussed in my last post. Too many scattered pieces of information. Obviously not going to open it before the Strike, but I have organization and format starting to come together on the blueprint.

The irony is that it will need to be an active community on LiveJournal. Many hands make light work, though, so if we have enough helpers, it should work itself out. Not just tech skills needed, either -- people who can track comment threads and organize information would be helpful too.

eta: Posted.

See: http://community.livejournal.com/the_lj_herald/80784.html

And read comments. Apparently, all the edited-out popular interests have returned - Sex, Boys, Guys, Girls, Fanfiction, Yaoi, Hardcore, Porn, Bondage, Faeries, Pain, Depression, and Bisexuality are all back on the Most Popular list.

You guys hear of this? Plans for this friday-
refs to other journals....
http://beckyzoole.livejournal.com/394548.html
and I got it from
http://nightstalker.insanejournal.com/24225.html

Given the most recent flap about LJ interests, I thought it might be fun to do a bit of comparison of the LJ stats and the IJ stats and draw some conclusions.

I have a question. I'm toying with the idea of starting a comm on LJ to *actively* help people move (provide tech support, correct misconceptions, and move people *anywhere*, not just InJ, but Wordpress, etc). Sort of like popping a six-pack and getting your friends over to help move.

Anyway, I can wrap my head around everything (icons, commenting, setting up feeds) ... except tags. When I moved, the tags didn't move with me. At 4,000 LJ entries, that's no small thing. Is there a method of moving that will take the tags along too?

BTW if you'd like to form this kind of comm, please do. I have little tech knowledge myself. And increasingly the people left are not hold-outs, they're *stranded*. Also someone who speaks Russian might be an idea -- it seems silly to be separated from a population of bloggers who're living in an even more dire political situation.

Please forgive me if this has already been beaten to death, it's just I only noticed it yesterday. What is the point of the 'Adult Content Notice' if when you click it, it doesn't take you to the link? You can click "Yes, I am 18" but unless you log in, nothing happens. Of course, you shouldn't have to be logged in, that's the whole point.

This also forces you to keep an LJ if you want to read anything there at all (well, that is 'Adult Content').

I guess if they've disabled that feature, they ought to just change that screen to say 'Not Accessible' or something.

Just kidding.

The latest smooth move by 6A/SUP (no more accounts without ads unless you pay up) put me in a nostalgic mood.

I've summarized LiveJournal's greatest customer service disasters, going back to April 2005.

Remember Nipple Gate!

It's a history lesson of fail.

In the latest news on LJ is this sort of apology for not being forthcoming about the change in accounts.

This comment though is the best of the bunch. I must warn you all though don't be drinking anything when you read it.

From May March 12 on, it's see ads or pay up:

Basic Account is an option available to accounts which were created before March 12, 2008. No account created after this date can be turned into a Basic Account. Basic Accounts will not have any advertising displayed on their accounts, but will have fewer benefits and features.

Source: FAQ 38

ETA: fix the date in my text.

ETA 2: Jason Shellen, VP of Product Development for LiveJournal" says it was to make the registration process "easier for new users to understand" To which I say, Apparently they think their users are STUPID. The new ones for needing it "easier" and the old ones for taking that crap.

Also, Brad says no one really asked him. And he's on the LJ Advisory Board -- that was the whole point of the advisory board!

ETA 3: Another advisory board member and "thought leader", Esther Dyson, says that no one talked to her either. And that the person who emailed her can quote her on that.

*headdesk*

First, the policy entry for comment.
Second, the draft proposal for review.

( Ranting and cursing underneath the cut )

They do, however, finally have a provision about Self Harm (specifically, "Material posted which encourages or instructs others on how to engage in destructive behavior such as, self-injury, self-mutilation, anorexia, drug or alcohol overdose, or suicide.") so that's something. I know one of the primary complaints during the brouhaha last spring was that LJ did nothing about the anorexia and self-harm communities that promoted the behavior, only pulled down artwork about fictional characters nominally under the fictional age of consent.

But then, further on, there's a provision about Unwanted Friending. This is a problem people have reported? Are they insane? How can you stop someone from friending you without banning them? Complete idiots.

Cross-posted from my journal.

LJ News has announced LiveJournal has been selected as a finalist in the 2008 Webware 100 Awards. Webware 100 is CNET's yearly awards program where users nominate and then vote for their favorite Web 2.0 apps and sites. You can vote three times in each category so let your voice be heard and Don't Vote For Livejournal!



{EDIT} Changed the link, thanks skuf!