I think the timing was as simple as putting their needs before our needs. Election posting means lots more moderation and, I think orenwolf outright said, an influx of trolls and right-wing troublemakers. That’s a lot more work for a community they were planning to essentially ditch very soon, so they decided to do it before the election instead of after. Whether leaving so many vulnerable people adrift at that critical moment was justified is a different question. Maybe they felt they literally could not handle it and felt it was better to not even try rather than try and fail, if we’re being charitable.
I’m aware, and I hope if he is reading my posts he doesn’t take my criticism of BoingBoing and its admins personally. I don’t hold any ill will against him specifically. Don’t shoot the messenger and all that.
I suspect even current gen AI can see right through that. Even those closest to these technologies would probably say they don’t understand their true capabilities yet.
I don’t think anyone here is unjustly being harsh, just processing how they feel. I stand by all of my comments and i think i’ve been fair with what i’ve said. And if he wanted to participate here i’d be happy to have him around.
I too would welcome Ken here with open arms, i don’t blame him personally for how this was done and how casually it seemed like the community was trashed. I can well imagine how difficult it is for him to see that place get shuttered after years of nurturing it.
I decided to be quiet at the BSS and Substack instead of complain, it’s better for my mental health to just worry about my own shit. Especially considering the current political events, i just can’t right now so having this place here is really helping me cope.
My guess is that the man is indescribably busy right now.
I’ve done data migrations, and the one he is facing ATM is plenty complex, and he is still taking time out to periodically post over at The Other Place to answer some user questions.
My guess is that if he is going to answer your page, it may not be any time soon.
Please be advised there are other bOINGbOING authors etc. who likewise have account(s) on Elsewhere. I am not entirely sure just how “free” Ken could or would feel, to express himself, here.
I stopped posting there on Monday and wasn’t going to look anymore, but habits are hard to break that that place meant a lot to me. It’s sad being there now
I 100% feel the same. I find myself opening the BBS and the homepage, refreshing, staring at it and just… being reminded that i don’t need to be doing that any more. It’s been hard.
Exactly the same.
But then I got worried about having my photos, comments etc. all over the site.
Then I got less worried as no-one knew who I was anyway.
Then I realised that the BB was truly fucked and there was no way I was going back there anyway.
Then, I asked Ken to anonymise me.
I logged back in to try and disable email notifications and saw that. It mostly looks like he is trying to get topics for his journalisms. It ends with this:
I’ve wanted to change mine for a while. It stems from a geocities page I maintained for a commercial kitchenware site back in the '90s, and since I’m lazy I just kept the email and handle from that endeavor. Easy to remember.
But what should I change it to? I’m open to suggestions (wrong answers only please!)
Might be a good idea…
