Poisoned Paradigm - Missing in action?

[Bluestone]

Looks like the site and all files were abandoned by the owners, and no one seemed able to contact them to try to save PP and/or its files. The server host took over the site, and is using it for their own advertising purposes. By now they, no doubt, have deleted the entire message board, including all files... stories... postings... everything. What a shame. It just goes to show that a message board is only as strong as the financial stability and dedication of its owner(s). PP was a free site, so it hit the owners every month right in the pocketbook, and I believe that they never asked for donations to help pay the bills. If I ever decide to stop producing, I intend to set up a trust fund that will keep FF operating long after I'm gone. That's my pledge to this community.

Blue

[Bhael]

As someone who played Second Life and was decently close to Sedira in an online fashion, I have at best a good idea. They did ask for donations originally which kept it going for another year, Im not sure who helped, but they said someone did. A few months before the board went down, she disappeared from SL as well without and fancy goodbyes. Knowing the conversations that led up to that disappearance I put together that the increasing drama in both this community and in SL were becoming a wedge in Sedira and Sadie's relationship.

There were constant demands to prove she was who she was, or far less civil or appropriate demands because she was a female on the internet. From what I gathered, this even came from online friends she had been playing with for years, though I got no names. Sadie had a simple rule that forbade her from any sort of interaction beyond text because (as I heard it from Sedira), one of her early relationships was ended when Sadie's significant other met someone online as a friend in a game, began talking to her, and eventually left her for this other person. It apparently left a scar that led up to a fairly understandable if a bit heavy-handed rule. Again, I dont know details, this is just gathered from many months of interaction in SL.

The last few weeks (looking back it was clear) there were apparently a few arguments between her and Sadie because even close friends were starting to put pressure on her, and Im guessing she made her choice - up and leave the games, community, etc. Everything I know about Sedira (I never much knew Sadie) revolved in some way around how much she loved Sadie. In my best 'knitting together' of details I would say she chose Sadie over everyone else and went cold turkey. I almost cried when I realized she probably wouldn't be back :(

Anyways, there is what I know.

[Bhael]

I don't know how it feels firsthand, but it cost me one of my best online friends. Some of you may think that sounds silly or not very big a deal, but online or off, a friend to me is a very important thing. I still hold some Mariana-Trench-deep grudges against people I know added to the weight of stress on her, and given any opportunity I would punch them in the kidney. Repeatedly.

Probably why I normally stay away from these threads about PP :/

[DaleCar]

Hmmm.. I never remember any posts asking for donations to run the board, I was always under the impression Sadie and Sedira just dabbled in the community. For a very short time they were very active on DS till Geno was an ass. On there own Board I only rarely saw any posts from them. Janet, Jessica, and a few others seem to be all the traffic on PP.

Dale

[Steph]

Dale,

For a while at least they were pretty active. Then they had some financial difficulties over Sedira's job going and their participation dropped away, both from tiredness and because of some very unhelpful people. I suspect they didn't want to give those hassling them the pleasure of proclaiming they couldn't cope with the finances. I know many would gladly have helped but under pressure it is sometimes hard to believe that people do care.

[Vanessa]

Wasn't Poisoned Paradigm started by Paul of KHP? If it was, it's gone because he's gone.

V.

[Peter]

Wasn't Poisoned Paradigm started by Paul of KHP?

Most emphatically, no. Paul absolutely did not start PP, nor did he have anything whatsoever to do with it's startup or administration.

[Nyghtfall]

I sometimes wonder what would happen if I started my own community board, completely separate from my clip site. I already have access to forum software via my hosting service. All I'd have to do is set up a new domain name just for the forum, and then flip a switch to have my service install the software.

[Bluestone]

I sometimes wonder what would happen if I started my own community board, completely separate from my clip site.

Hi Nyghtfall,

Well, you'd first find that administering it would take time away from your other pursuits. I have assembled a great team of moderators to help me, and G-Man was an invaluable assistance in FF's first two years, but without them it would be a real strain to manage this site alone. Luckily, I have an overpowering need to make sure that there is a community messageboard such as FF in existence for the enjoyment of our community. Otherwise, I may have found that the effort without monetary compensation was simply not worth the time and many challenges involved.

You'd also find that it would have to fill a need that wasn't being filled elsewhere. It is a shame that those who left DS to form PP didn't simply move over here, since FF predated PP, and we could have joined forces. Then, all of that wonderful material (stories, postings, etc.) would have been preserved. The need was certainly there when FF was founded, as was evident yesterday with Geno's mini-meltdown.

Many producers and contributors have put up their own forums associated with their websites, and these can be a great source of feedback, but also require regular monitoring. So, when I started FF, I simply took down my Bluestone Silk Videos message board and now post all of my material and get all of my feedback here. It's worked out much better for me, because the feedback is now from a much wider membership base.

Just some thoughts to help you with your musings.

Blue

[Nyghtfall]

Well, you'd first find that administering it would take time away from your other pursuits.

That's why Ive never followed through with the idea.