Sign of the Fishes

[dr_mabeuse]

Looking around the AH, I see a lot of changes, people coming, people going, a lot of feelings being vented or repressed, a different feel to the board overall.

I guess it's been what? Two or three weeks since the New Look? I wonder if it's had an effect on how you feel about the board or how you interact.

We're also well into the sign of Pisces now, which always seems to be a difficult time of year for me. Winter's gone stale and the weather's ugly; things seem to fester. The whole world seems to have a Lenten feel: denial, sorrow, exhaustion, a sense of corruption and decay waiting for the change of spring. The two fish chase each other's tails in the sky.

Or is that just me?

---Zoot

 

[cantdog]

Most of the "homey" feel is gone, for the moment. The new software. Eh. I guess it comes down to how much the familiarity of the place was important to one's enjoyment of it. Someone who joined up this past couple of weeks will of course be at home. That group will increase. And really, nostalgia for an interface is ludicrous, isn't it? I think it catalyzed some people who were merely lingering anyway to finally cut it off with Lit for good and all.

But the season is certainly the one for it. Leave in high summer, it's a break, you'll be back. But many of our losses are for good, this time.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

I don't feel much difference (caused by the new layout), to tell the truth. It felt weird for the first couple of hours, but now it's home again.

 

[impressive]

Probably a combination of the season and the software.

It's been extraordinarily difficult to resist participating in the ranting and pontificating and general bitchiness. I've fallen into it myself. (Perhaps I need to go to confession. *grin*) I've been trying to stick to the "writerly" threads ... honest, I have ... but it's tough.

Change is inevitable. Adaptation to it is not.

 

[cantdog]

And most of those who have left were leaving. I do think the added annoyance triggered it, though.

 

[neonlyte]

I seem to recall it was much the same this time last year. A lot of dismay and questioning the purpose of AH. People come and go though I suspect cantdog may be right to a limited degree, the new interface catalyses action, if you were thinking of leaving, it doesn't 'look' like 'home' anymore.

I think the membership is younger, that's good, as long a few old timers lend a hand at the paddle and offer sagacity born on experience. Mischief makers abound in all spheres of activity hell bent of disturbing the equilibrium - ride the wave, Spring is round the corner.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

If you aren't pretty good with computers, the new layout is rough. You have to relearn everything, and for us challenged folks, you are almost back to square one, that is, unable to do anything and asking newbiesque questions constantly.

If you were already feeling something of a disconnect, in either the old freinds gone or the turn the Ah has taken from a more scholarly bent, it would seem starting again might not be worth it. Online communities go through changes, as people arrive, drop out and new people add their ownflair. Like an Rl community, if your old freinds have left you sometimes consider moving yourself.

I don't think the new format was the soul factor in anyone leaving. I do think it may have been the deciding factor, for those already making a withdrawl but not yet ready to cut all ties.

 

[cheerful_deviant]

I don't feel much difference (caused by the new layout), to tell the truth. It felt weird for the first couple of hours, but now it's home again.

I feel much the same. I find I actually like the new layout more for teh most part. And currently I feel very 'At Home' in the AH, even more so than usual... not really sure why. Maybe because I like several of the current threads such as the Voice thread.

 

[Guest]

I dunno, where am I? What day is it? Who am I?

I certainly feel it's lost a certain something, but a lot of that is because I'm missing certain people and some people who I love spending time with here just haven't been here much recently.

This place is about the people, not the software, it always has been and always will be.

This phase will pass, but with changes along the way.

Lou

 

[Lauren Hynde]

This place is about the people, not the software, it always has been and always will be.

Absolutely.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I've been thinking about people leaving. I remember SweetnPetite once not too long ago posted a thread called something like "Do You Think You Could Ever Leave the Author's Hangout?"

I saw where Svet had resurrected some old threads and I saw the names of people who aren't here anymore. A lot of people. People I used to take for granted.

I thought about people leaving when I found myself twice in the space of a few hours responding to threads with the same answers I'd given a year or two ago, the last time the topics came up. I suppose at some point almost every topic becomes something you've responded to before. I suppose that's one reason a lot of people leave.

Personally, the skin I use does affect how I see this place and how I feel about it. I guess I'm just sensitive to things like that. (I still detest the sans serif font our stories appear in and always have. Everything comes out looking like a Swiss railroad schedule to me. I miss the gentle civility and grace of serifs. I always write in Times New Roman, and when my stories appear on Lit they seem to take on a certain brutality and bluntness.)

I'm using vbulletin 3 and have been since the change, and the environment feels very tight and highly-structured to me. It's a feeling I just can't shake. I kind of feel like we were running wild in the schoolyard in the old format, but now the adults are out watching us, and things have been designed so we don't hurt ourselves.

Or maybe it's the pale blue background in this skin that makes things feel chilly and people more remote.

Or then, maybe it's just the fishes in the sky.

---Zoot

 

[Guest]

I'm using vbulletin 3 and have been since the change, and the environment feels very tight and highly-structured to me. It's a feeling I just can't shake. I kind of feel like we were running wild in the schoolyard in the old format, but now the adults are out watching us, and things have been designed so we don't hurt ourselves.

Or maybe it's the pale blue background in this skin that makes things feel chilly and people more remote.

---Zoot

Zoot, try the "Imagize - fixed" one. It's not a patch on the feel of the old board, but it is the best of the new bunch, for me, at least.

I so agree with your analogy there, btw. I miss the old place.

Lou

 

[rgraham666]

Looking around the AH, I see a lot of changes, people coming, people going, a lot of feelings being vented or repressed, a different feel to the board overall.

I guess it's been what? Two or three weeks since the New Look? I wonder if it's had an effect on how you feel about the board or how you interact.

We're also well into the sign of Pisces now, which always seems to be a difficult time of year for me. Winter's gone stale and the weather's ugly; things seem to fester. The whole world seems to have a Lenten feel: denial, sorrow, exhaustion, a sense of corruption and decay waiting for the change of spring. The two fish chase each other's tails in the sky.

Or is that just me?

---Zoot

It's the season for me. Sick of the dark and cold.

And there's been a lot going on in my life and I don't handle stress well.

Went out and got shit faced last night so doing better today.

I'm sad to see people I really like moving on, but there's little I can do to stop them.

I have to remember that I can't change others, just my reaction to them. Tough for a control freak like me.

 

[impressive]

Or then, maybe it's just the fishes in the sky.

---Zoot

I've heard that LSD flashbacks can also cause these feelings.

I'm quite comfortable with the new feel of the place now, but I've always been one to adapt quickly to change. I'm not as comfortable with the ratio of newbies to old timers ... and I'm wondering now if it has more to do with the Lit season (annual awards) than the climatic season.

 

[cloudy]

I've seen some people leave since I've been here, and I miss them, however there's some new folks here that I enjoy as well. Not all of them, mind you, but most.

Everything changes. Life is about change, however uncomfortable it makes us when it happens.

I love my friends here. At some point in the far future I may feel the need to go, like others have, but hopefully, not anytime soon.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Have you tried "Literotica Retro"? It's as close to the old default style as possible.

 

[Guest]

 

[English Lady]

*gives Dr M a long snuggly hug*

And I'll hand more out for anyone who needs them.


Dr, you're right it is partly the time of the year, you see it everywhere and I seeit in my husband in real life. It is a depressing time,yes a lenten time. I feel as if we are waiting for the new life Spring and Easter bring.

I love the new look but I have an advantage, my husband has been using this set up over on other forums I frequent for a long time so I feel at home with this.

I o think folks who were out of sorts any with Lit might have found the quick harsh change a catalyst to leaving but as someone else said it's the people that make this board.

I am much like CD -I feel really at home here right now...maybe I feel I have a purpose now as happiness fairy *grins* and mediator.

Change is hard and there is no denying that, but it's not always a bad thing you know?


Anyone who needs some positive vibes come to me...I've got some I can give you

 

[Guest]

 

[English Lady]

Jammies...I feel a bit springful too...but I think I always do *hugs*

 

[BlackShanglan]

The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves ...

Cassius has the occasional point.

 

[Guest]

 

[BlackShanglan]

Need some hugs or a bucket of Maltesers, horsie?

Many thanks for the offer, but I am myself feeling relatively chipper for someone facing a weekend of work. I only meant to champion individual responsibility over astrological domination.

Bastard stars

Shanglan

 

[Guest]

 

[The_Fool]

I’ve been online and chatting for almost ten years now. Some of you may be in the same position. I’ve lost count of the number of forums and the number of loose acquaintances I’ve developed over the years. What I haven’t forgotten are the small number of very close friendships I’ve developed over the years. Some of whom I still contact, and some I don’t, sadly.

I’ve developed any number of theories about human interaction on the thread, most of which are meaningless anyway. But one that is applicable to this discussion is that the constantly evolving technology of the Internet affects relationships. We tend to become closer quicker and part faster. I also think we try to lay our real life paradigms on Internet relationships and they simply don’t apply, since the physical and verbal cues are not present. In person, we receive so many nonverbal cues that are part of the message that are simply not present in a text only environment. One learns quickly to be erudite in ones phrasing. This is also present in the world of email and a focus of the business world.

One other issue I’ve considered is that while chatting on the Internet, we feel somewhat safer that during discourse in person. The CRT offers a physical and psychological barrier behind which we hide ourselves. Consequently, we feel more daring about baring our souls to our fellow compatriots in cyberspace. What we neglect to understand is that still opens up to those verbal barbs and interactions of others that inflict psychological pain.

To circle back to the original question, I think that the migration in and out of the AH is normal for the Internet. What makes uncomfortable is that we are unused to such rapid influx and outflow of people in and out of lives, at least those of which we care about. Normal doesn’t make it better, easier or more comfortable.

I’m going to miss them too…