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Posts Tagged: '%21+news+posts'

[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup
[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup

How much is the asylum in the window?

[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup
I'm quitting.
I've been thinking about this on and off over the last months, and last week I decided I couldn't make it work any longer. The asylum itself has nothing to do with it... there are other factors, such as increasing RL stress since I started working again, and the fact that I moved even further away from Fandom and fannish interests. Getting into that mindset where I'm interested in the goings-on and also have the energy for updating MR has gotten pretty difficult lately. And I think that I'm doing the asylum a huge disservice trying to be its admin under those circumstances.

Therefore, it is up for adoption. I'd like to give it to someone who has the enthusiasm for Fandom that I'm now lacking, plus ties to IJ (but that probably goes without saying.) They'll also need some basic HTML skills - enough to link to entries and do simple formatting such as bold and italics.

To answer some questions in advance:

- MR has always been just me, so you'll be on your own. (Of course you can add co-mods if needed)
- The volume of work you need to do is much smaller than on other journal services, due to IJ's smaller user base - less updating... lots of browsing though
- I wouldn't mind helping by finding links and/or be there for advice, but it won't be my place anymore to decide about matters
- There are a few settings/linking policies I'd like to have respected, though (more on that when we get to that stage)
- Essentially, I'll give you admin rights to the asylum and hand the editor journal over to you as well. The last step will be removing myself as admin, and voila.


If you're willing to become the new admin-editor, please send me a private message (it would be nice if you could add a few words on why you want to be a maintainer/think you're qualified, though if I know you already this might not be necessary). I'm giving this a few days. Once I've made my decision I will contact the user in question and also make an official announcement.

The asylum is a Permanent Account and even when discontinued will stay as an archive, for as long as IJ exists.

[info]meta_roundup was created in August 2007, a bit longer and I would have celebrated its third birthday. Whatever the outcome, I want to thank you for reading and writing all this interesting, helpful, funny, or thought-provoking content I could link to over the years. Some of you didn't write meta, but helped keeping IJ and Fandom alive by commenting on the posts of others. Last but not least, you gave me encouragement and support. Thank you.
[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup
[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup

Missing Comment Notifications

[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup

I noticed yesterday that currently comment notifications don't seem to work on IJ.

So far, when this happened, it was only temporary and the emails got through with a delay. Until then, you can either visit your inbox, or check the 50 most recent comments page.

[info]mero_update
[info]meta_roundup
[info]mero_update
[info]meta_roundup

Issue #110

[info]mero_update
[info]meta_roundup

There are a lot of posts on the issue of warnings on fic (or the lack thereof, and everything related to these points). IJ has less quantity overall, but it's still enough that I decided to split up the newsletter, so people have an easier time reading (or scrolling, depending on the individual).

This entry deals with general meta and IJ, whereas the next entry will have the links on warnings.

Editor's note: Since Dreamwidth opened, there's a lot of content being cross-posted -- well, more than before -- and chances are high that posts are also being read or linked elsewhere, or show up on people's friendslists multiple times. But as there are still many users on IJ who prefer reading / commenting (or getting comments) on InsaneJournal, in my opinion that outweighs the issue of double or triple posts.

~

InsaneJournal is going to move to a different hosting provider, in the hopes of reducing costs which might also benefit the users (source). Because of this, the sale of Permanent accounts for $50 each -- initially started to celebrate the disappearence of comment rot -- has been extended, and also offers 6 month Self-Committed account time for $10, and 12 months for $20. For updates about the server move, please follow IJ on Twitter: http://twitter.com/insanejournal .

In [info]ideas, [info]edison suggested modifying the "Newest (Updated/Created) Asylums" list on the main page in a way that would have RP asylums listed separately.

~

[info]betbethbeth: (The Return of )The Best Spin-offs That Were Never Made: "If you were Queen (or King) of the T.V. Programming Universe, what sort of "we'll never see it in our lifetime" spin-offs (of current or long-gone shows) would you like to see on the fall schedule?"

[info]rubyfruit_pixie asks for advice on writing slave fics, for example: What research do I have to do, if any at all? Are there guidelines to writing slavefic that go across the board?

[info]mero_update
[info]meta_roundup
[info]mero_update
[info]meta_roundup

Issue #108

[info]mero_update
[info]meta_roundup
Asylum news: during the recent account sale I purchased a permanent account for [info]meta_roundup and switched the layout to Complete Style, which offers tags on the sidebar. (Soon I'm going to re-organize the tags slightly for better readability.)

~

Two posts by [info]yourlibrarian:
Fanfic hostility (notes on an article about fandom where it's "the fact that fans are writing romantic stories about the leads that has [the author] hyperventilating, not the incessant tales of rape, pedophilia, and exploitation")
Tracing usage: "I've mentioned in my personal blog that I think 2009 is the year when fan fiction has become, if not a mainstream pastime, at least a term understood by many in the media and requiring less explanation in the press. What interests me though, is how this term is being re-interpreted by a wider audience to become, less about actual fan fiction, than about what the speaker sees as related issues."

[info]rood: Fandom, Zines & Profit: "I am rather new school when it comes to fandom, but that doesn't mean I don't understand the appeal of zines (even though I don't own a single one). In fact, I wish I had the money to buy them, because zines have some advantages."

[info]elethian: untitled post (on changing attitudes towards short vs. long fics, uses stats from the Severus Snape Fuh-Q Fest)
[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup
[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup

Quick Note: journal/asylum purge

[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup

By default, InsaneJournal sets the status of journals or asylums that haven't been active for over two years since January 1st, 2008 to "deleted". It then sends out emails to notify you of the change, that you have 14 days to change status back to "activated", and where to do it (http://www.insanejournal.com/accountstatus.bml).

So, if you look at your profile and wonder why there are a lot of struck-out names, or suddenly the number of "also friend of"-users has dropped significantly, this is probably the reason.

ETA: This is not an automated feature, but due to a username purge after the database moves have recently been completed.

[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup
[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup

The State of This Asylum / Call For Volunteers

[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup
Hi! Uh, I suck at introductory stuff, so I'll get straight to the point, okay?

You'll have noticed that the updates have been very infrequent. Of course, I never started out with a strictly set posting schedule in the first place, but it's been getting worse. The overall posting activity on IJ has increased over the year, while my own spare time and energy have decreased, and I finally admit that I can't keep doing this newsletter on my own.

I'm really sorry that I didn't react earlier... I kept hoping that I'd soon have more time on my hands again and things would get back to normal, you know? Well, that was rather stupid of me, as it only reduced the usefulness of this asylum for everyone, and I apologize.

Fact is, if I want to maintain [info]meta_roundup and do regular updates, I'll need help. I'd definitely need someone help me collect links, and perhaps even someone who'd help posting individual issues.

As a first step, I've created a poll in my journal to ask who'd be willing to become a compiler or editor, and see what I/we could work with in theory. Comments are open, for questions and discussion. All news and decisions will also get posted here.

The poll will stay open for a week. In the meantime, I'm going to post a regular roundup issue on Wednesday.

Thank you for your patience, and for sticking with this project over time; [info]meta_roundup had its first 'birthday' a few days ago, actually (Aug 3rd), and I remember how anxious I was in the beginning whether it'd even get that far. *feels nostalgic*
[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup
[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup

About the recent IJ downtime

[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup

[info]squeaky explains the reasons here. No data has been lost.

I also recommend bookmarking IJ's twitter page - Squeaky is usually quick with the updates and giving us relevant information, i.e. what is wrong, what is he going to do to fix it, and how long will it probably take.

General question: as myself and various other people suffered from the typical journaling withdrawal, do you know if there's some sort of "refuge" community elsewhere, where users could post and exchange news during downtimes? I guess GJ is still too unstable, and I don't know much about other journal services, but on the other hand, I'm not sure if people were happy about using an LJ community for that sort of thing. But a central meeting point would be nice. Suggestions?

Eta: I'll set up a poll this Friday to outline the options you mentioned and see what people would prefer. Will link to it here.

Eta2: the poll.

[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup
[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup

[News Batch] On Meta Friday, the IJ Asylum Meme, and Metafandom

[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup

Today is a bit peculiar. One, it's LJ Content Strike Day, and two, during the recent LJ upheavals and strike/boycott planning stages, it eventually lead to Meta Friday on [info]metametameta. The premise was: let's not just stop producing content on LJ for that day, let's also have a content party on IJ! People are encouraged to post their meta and leave a link on the master list post, or comment on the meta posts of others. (If you're interested in how it all came about, read this post.)

Many entries that I'd usually link on [info]meta_roundup are already there, and in this case I think it'd be more convenient to let you browse the master list to avoid repetitions. When the Meta Friday is over, I'm going to compare notes and collect the links that aren't on the master list for the recent issue of MR.

For the users who aren't that much into meta or feel unsure about posting their own essays, I've revived the IJ Asylum Meme. (This doesn't mean that fannish contributions aren't allowed, only that one of my main reasons was the wish to offer non-meta fans an option to still provide content on IJ.) It would be great to have more asylum activity, especially with the influx of new users, and the meme hopefully helps with that. The main post -- meme text, FAQ, and participation stats/list of entries -- is located here.

Last but not least, a few words on Metafandom -- you probably remember how it was first set up as a feed, which then refused to work because of feed limitations? In January 2008, the feed was changed into a regular community, [info]metafandom. Commenting and linking on IJ is encouraged, as Metafandom now covers all of the main journal "clone" sites, and they have revised their FAQ accordingly (see here).

It caught me completely unaware, as I don't follow Metafandom -- I had a phase when I needed to GAFIAte and left all kinds of meta-ish comms, and somehow never got back on track -- but I think it's a good thing, helping to connect fandomers which are now partly scattered over various journaling sites. I also think MF and MR can co-exist without any problems -- some MF editors have already stated that they see similarities, but also differences in our approach and our target groups, and I'd agree. I focus exclusively on IJ, including content that may not be fannish but specific to the site (e.g. tutorials and announcements), and have no intention of changing that.
However, there will be double postings where you see the same link(s) appear in both newsletters, and although that may be a bit annoying for readers of both communities, I think it would be rather silly to implement some policy where you can't link to a post in B when it has already been linked in A. Just for the record.

(I've also edited the [info]meta_roundup profile to reflect the changes.)

And... that's it, I think. If there are any questions, feel free to ask, okay?


P.S.: In case you didn't notice (I certainly didn't until last week or so), InsaneJournal's main page now has a line specifically for fanfic writers: Yes we are fanfic friendly. We believe works of fiction are just that. And unless such work infringes on a copyright that does not fall under "fair use" we believe you have the right to post that content.
[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup
[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup

Issue #49

[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup

First, a note on asylums:

When Fandom-with-a-capital-F was still relatively* new on IJ (and so was [info]meta_roundup), I often included friending memes or new asylums. Now I feel that Fandom has gained its own momentum, the number of asylum creations has increased greatly, and at this point it would be difficult for me to decide where to draw the line. At the same time, users have tried to come up with their own solutions by creating index asylums and/or master list posts beyond the [info]fandomdirectory or [info]07refugees. (* I say "relatively" because I don't want to imply that before the Strikethrough et al there were no Fandom people at all on IJ.)

So, what I'd like to do in the future: stop promoting asylums individually in the roundup posts, instead create a fixed post with a reference list for available indexes, promotion asylums, and other relevant lists that can help you get an overview as well as getting the word out. A Meta Index, so to speak. (Probably one for tutorials as well, there's still a demand for that because of the influx of newcomers and the slight but important differences between the LJ and IJ code versions.)

Somewhat related; I'm going to create an editor account for [info]meta_roundup, for two reasons: 1. in case it might become too much work for one person and I need co-editors; 2. in case I might have to give up working on the roundups completely -- I want others to be able to update the index lists et cetera after I'm gone. Starting with the next issue, all entries (regular roundups, not news) will be posted with the new editor account.



On with today's Meta:

[info]liz_marcs: You did not just go there...: "Look, I understand that the Organization for Transformative Works (hereafter referred to as the OTW) is a big deal to some people. I've read the various arguments in support of it, and I'm still not horribly impressed. [...] That said, posts like "fanfiction is like gay marriage" is not going to win me over."

[info]the_willow: Is Fusion Only For Cuisine?: "And I've found myself thinking of the experiences I wanted to have in certain rpgs I was a part of. [...] So, was I trying to have Fannish AU Experiences in the wrong venue?"

[info]diyanni: Fan fiction pet peeve #7: "Every relationship story has to end in sex." (Link removed Feb-1st-2009 as the journal has been deleted)

[info]yourlibrarian (in [info]mind_over_meta): The long-haul girl?: "A conversation with shadowscast about her drabble at the LJ site churchofjoss led me to think about religion, Riley and his relationship with Buffy." (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, deals with character development over the course of several Seasons)

---------

For the people using Hotmail accounts and having their IJ mails blocked: [info]squeaky contacted Microsoft and the issue should be resolved soon.

[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup
[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup

Holy ... !!!

[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup


Okay, whoever it was -- dear Anonymous Person, you ROCK. [info]meta_roundup has been gifted with six months permitted account time! I don't know what to say. When I got the email notification, I stared at the screen with an expression of disbelief and made weird squeeing noises. We can now have polls! I love polls! This is so awesome. And I'm babbling. Uhm. So, yes. Thank you. Thank you very much! *beams*

[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup
[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup

News Post #1

[info]das_dingsi
[info]meta_roundup
Just wanted to announce that the profile page has been updated properly, and that I'll hopefully get the first roundup done tomorrow.

Because this is all very new, I'd like to say that I also accept older entries. I've got a few in my folders that are from the beginning of June. But if you have an interesting meta post -- be it yours or someone else's -- that's from spring 2007 and the content isn't date-specific (meaning, it hasn't become obsolete by now), that's fine, too!