It seems that recently a lot of writers forums are biting the dust. In the past hour I have seen that writingforums.com is completely off the map, no reply to the URL at all. This following problems from an infected database. Writers Beat, a newbie forum, shows a page, but can't produce php data: I interpret this as an infection of hack. Writers Cafe forum was hacked and demolished. Due to incompetence and lackadaisicalness (word for the day) by the admin, but still, somebody did it, it didn't just happen. The forum no longer exists. SkyTribes, a newbie SF forum, has been abandoned by its owners. So. Is this a plot or is it a conspiracy?
I honestly think there is an attack going on at every main writing forum. I know they're all having troubles, although I won't make comments. Daniel (our admin) is more than competent. This place is well and truly safe.
Well, I do think there is cause for concern. Attacks do take place. Sites can also fall prey to software bugs, or worst of all, simple economics. Sometimes the cost of running it exceeds what the owners can afford. I'd like to think we're different, but there is always the possibility of collapse. The struggle for survival takes place on the net as well.
I noticed writingforums.com was down. There are alot of writing forums out there actually (look at the invisiofree boards) but the problem is that most writing sites have only a handful of consistently active members. WF.org has about two-three dozen consistently active members with everyone else being a little static. ANother problem is alot of admins tend to start something but don't keep up with the tedious work of maintaining the site and its community. Luckiy WF.org doesn't ahve that problem.
I would hope this place doesn't go under...I just got here! But yeah, a lot of forums are going down now. Some say they're just...refurbishing them, and then neglect to put them back up, and others are the victims of outright attack. Like Cogito said, economics figures into it a lot. But with all the members here and the due attentions of the supporters of this site, I don't think this one will submit to the fall.
What's the difference? Writers' Beat is working okay, you probably signed in at a bad time. Like all of the forums, it slows up at times and the pages time out. WF.com still seems to be down. I don't think that mamma is to blame MotB... Lin might have other ideas.
Hey, wait, I'm a comrade...uh-oh, it sounds like I've been roped into work. *shudder* I don't frequent any other writing forums, so I wouldn't know, but...apparently, this place has made a good stronghold so far. Here's to staying alive (In a way that is totally unassociated to the Bee Gees. Eurgh).
WF.org can fall like any other forum. But with a admin who is more adamant than most I've ever seen about maintaining the site and community (I've been to places where I have not once seen the admin or the moderators), a good team of moderators (I'm not sucking up or anything but seriously, WF.org has some of the most attentive and responsible moderators I've ever seen on a forum) and a community more active than other writing forums I've been too WF.org is in excellent shape for a survival of the fitest event.
lol, I think you're at the mercy of hackers and downloaders, to be honest. You'd be surprised how a forum can just vanish without trace, regardless of how well the place is monitored. Let's just hope it doesn't happen here and that .com can sort the problems out.
This happened on Imperial Literature last year it completely destroyed the site in the end. The Abmin had to rebuild his site from scratch everyone had to start from 0 posts again. It also happened on Black Library but they switch forum software and domains again a 0 post starter. Its different here and we really are onto the case in some cases on aPre- emative but we will remain.
So here's a question for you. What would you do, and this is more aimed at the regualr uses of this forum, if the site closed for whatever reason? Would you just go on and find another one or be a bit more devastated like me?
Last night we dealt with a certain number of spam attackers and again this morning another two have copped my wrath. The Mod team here works hard and I mean really hard to protect this site. Cogito and ILTBY have worked incredibly hard this past 24 hours along side myself with good communication. to rid the forum of those annouying spammers. Fear not we really are ontop of things here and will continue to carry fourth the flag of WF.org. Just keep reporting your problems as they arise. and we will get to them. ~Raven. Senior Super Moderator
Super-Moderators the rescue! Someone needs to write a song for them. Anyways, I'm impressed with the moderators here, and quite happy to know that they actually care about the rules, although it means I'll have to stay on my toes.
God I hope not lol Stuff nose sore throat back pain pain in my shoulder and my eye is as sore as hell. Other than that I'm fine.
I am here to stay. Heck I just found you guys a little while ago. So let's do all in our power to protect the shall I call it a castle? I don't know what we could do exactly but there must be something. If it is financial I would gladly chip in. If it is numbers needed let's find them and rope them in. I think most of us would be left high and dry if this safe haven was lost to us. I know I would. I don't think mammamaia would go on a rampage over something stupid but this isn't and I would gladly support anyone who would rampage for the board. Two grandmothers can be pretty intimidating and fiesty.
I don't want anybody to get the wrong idea but I believe it's my fault-sites crashing that is. I got a story that came out in redfez.com :: this domain is for sale (Seduction by Pickle-Dean West) last week and that very afternoon, before I could even call the relatives, Turkish terrorist hijacked the site and ran up a skull and crossbones. I'm not making this up-everywhere I go recently, things break, crash, people run away. I don't know but I'm starting to take it personal. Even now, when I previewed this message, I see the redfez site owners are trying to sell out! Maybe I could make a living threatening to write. Adrian
