Wednesday night, sleepy

[cleolinda]

Still congested, tired and lightheaded, so am taking it easy on the journaling front, backlog be damned. Been trucking on with my Sherlock, however--these are the books I have (I'm in the middle of the first one), and this is the third book I'm going to get. I particularly want the annotated A Study in Scarlet in the third book, for reasons that... will someday be clear, let's put it that way. Also, my soul craves the complete 12-disc Granada series set, because my first introduction to the Sherlock Holmes stories was in eighth grade when we had to read The Hound of the Baskervilles, so my English teacher also had us watch some of the Granada episodes. So basically, Jeremy Brett is Sherlock Holmes to me, even though I've seen other versions; I always liked how he got Holmes' manic-depressive energy, the way Holmes would brood and then a case would turn up and it'd be all like THE GAME IS AFOOT! And Watson would be like, "Uh, no more cocaine for you today." And didn't Natasha Richardson randomly show up in "The Copper Beeches"? Good times.

Meanwhile: The latest LJ hoohah. I'm simply going to set this information out here and let you decide as you like:

1. SUP discontinued (new) Basic, ad-free accounts. Only they didn't really bother to tell anyone.

2. When LJers protested, they shot back that they had already said that they were going to make changes. This was one of them.

3. Then SUP started filtering certain "controversial" fandom interests. Then the filter disappeared mysteriously.

4. A user boycott--"No posts, no comments, no content"--was proposed for this Friday.

5. Anton Nosik then gave an interview in Russian where he compared the boycott to blackmail, purportedly saying, "In this situation, where they attempt to blackmail and to intimidate us, threatening to destroy our business, there is a business-reason not to reward this behavior.... It would probably be best to reconsider the recent changes. But from our point of view it is now necessary to wait until after the boycott has faded. Let it pass and have the voices of protest fade. Then we can consider changing this policy."

6. People were unhappy. Translations varied ("Russians in general tend to be more direct in speech (and use stronger language) than English-speaking Westerners are used to. Translating a Russian interview into English directly will make pretty much any Russian sound like a complete dickwad, because cultural expectations are completely different. It just really frustrates me that people are not taking into account that we're dealing with a different culture here, not just a different company").

7. And then it was alleged that SUP tried to blackmail Brad with a prostitute. According to... someone. Allegedly.

Here's my problem: as I explained it elsewhere, I'm between a rock and a hard place here, because I think SUP is even shittier at customer service than Six Apart, and they seem to understand their customer base even less--to the point where I'm not even sure they care about it at all. On the other hand, I was given a permanent account as a gift, and I love love love my LJ. It's like having your dream house and neighbors you love... in a town with a really corrupt mayor. (Note: This is an analogy, not a specific allegation.) It might cause people you like to leave, and people might get mistreated, but... it's your dream house! You don't want to leave! Where would you even go? YOU LOVE THIS HOUSE!

(My ideal solution, actually, would be that SUP gets just as sick of the easily-riled LJ userbase as Six Apart did and sells it again--maybe to Google? Please? Doesn't Brad work there now? It's totally possible, you guys.)

At the same time, I am starting to look into mirroring my journal at other locations. I'm mostly trying to figure out the laziest most convenient way to do this--InsaneJournal is an option, and I'll probably start mirroring it there at some point, but IJ just doesn't entirely cut it for me. It just doesn't look professional enough, for one--the Tweak mascot kind of turns me off. I actually started this journal with the intention of it being a writer's official webspace--as John Scalzi has pointed out, the moment you hit the big time, if you're that lucky, is not the time to start a blog. Ideally you've been keeping one for years; I personally find it to be a lot of fun, and it's definitely increased my ability to blather on the fly. And I like LJ as a venue for that because it's informal and it's fun, but you can customize the look of your journal so that it's at least a bit spiff; a number of published authors have LJs as well. InsaneJournal's "asylums" and "inmates" and such just land on the wrong side of Trying to Look Even a Little Professional for me to use it as a primary journal. I don't know. I do start to wonder what SUP would have to do to drive me away--how heinous it would have to be. And I really don't know. But I did sign up for a WordPress account last night, just in case. And I have my old Blogger account as well. I don't know what to do with them yet, but... they're there. I don't know if I'll participate in the boycott as such, but... you know, sometimes I don't update for a day or two, and I've been sick and fatigued anyway, so...

Comments

[sound-of-bells.livejournal.com]

Yeah -- I'm basically WAY too emotionally attached to my LJ to ever give it up. But that doesn't mean I'm not really, really irritated by all this shit. Ugh.

[sigma7.livejournal.com]

Wow. I thought SUP would be amusing because I could always imagine their statements being said by a sawed-off Ed Asner in a big fuzzy hat and horrible faux-Smirnoff accent. But being worse at PR than 6A? Whoa. That's something we can't even credit to a language barrier and pure capitalistic investment in something they don't give two tugs of a dead dog's Gorbachev otherwise.

And as for them calling a boycott "blackmail" -- hee. That's so cute. (Like a one-day boycott would mean, well, anything as long as everyone keeps paying their fees.)

As far as a fallback, now might be a brilliant time for everyone to get their Blogger accounts -- of all the alternatives, it's the easiest, most professional, closest thing to ubiquitous so far. It lacks my huge f-list, so no, I won't be migrating full-time until the Cyrillapocalypse continues to whatever the next stage is. (And if it keeps Brad in hot and cold running hookers, well, who're we to complain? At least they didn't insult him by using American dollars. Better exchange rate in female companionship...if you stay off Long Island.)

[spectralbovine.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I agree about IJ. I created an account there today just for kicks, and, yeah. The Tweak thing is weird, and the terminology turns me off.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I'm not offended by it or anything; it's just not what I want.

[auraesque.livejournal.com]

I am in the same place as you. I like the feel of LJ, and I like the community. But their customer relations are terrible. This is basic, undergrad PR stuff, and it is ridiculous how they think that such a tech savvy userbase isn'[t going to notice the giant mounds of dirt under the rug. I would have so much more respect for this company if they were just *honest.* It doesn't matter whether LJ is privately owned, the fact remains that a vast majority of users are free, and they don't feel like they are respected by SUP.

That all said, I am comfortable. I have my livejournal on this account, and my professional one over at hollygrande. I don't have the hundreds of friends that you have, but I have quite a few, many of which are also comfortable with LJ.

But I have also looked into Blogger. I love the utility of a friends list, but I think my favorites list can serve a similar purpose. It's more work in checking everyone's entries, but I know I would certainly add your (and many others') journal(s) to my blogroll.

I am in for the boycott, because whether it technically works or not, it certainly makes a statement. If SUP does not get with the program, I will uproot and move to blogger or a similar service.

[viorica8957.livejournal.com]

*gazes longingly at the DVD set* I was raised on Brett!Holmes and Hardwicke!Watson, (back before I even understood what cocaine was) but we're missing all of the Return episodes. And I do seem to remember Natasha Richardson in one of them, but it's been awhile. I need to re-watch the Baskerville one. Why on earth is the complete collection so expensive?

[melchar.livejournal.com]

I love Brett the best, he is the best Holmes evar. ^_^ Before he played Holmes, I was annoyed by Rathbone - but I really liked Peter Cushing when he did Holmes in a version of 'Hound of the Baskervilles' that was very, very good. [It also had a wonderful actor playing Watson.]

But Brett & Hardwicke are the best ever - and I had to buy all the DVDs. [For a tip, buy them on deepdiscountdvd.com or half.com, the prices are usually much better.]

[bibliotech.livejournal.com]

If Google bought LJ, I'd weep with joy. I have at least five Google-related tabs open right now, I'm a shameless fan.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

If Google Reader didn't exist, it would take me HOURS to put together a linkspam.

[misachan.livejournal.com]

If fandom jumps ship en mass I'll drift along with it; that's what I did when all of my favorite writers abandoned mailing lists for LJ, but until then I'm staying put. IJ just gives me flashbacks of everyone on my flist talking about how everyone was going to migrate to GJ the Great Blogging Utopia, and we all know how that turned out.

Annotated Sherlock Holmes is love. My only quibble is that the annotations are sometimes a little too Watsonian for my tastes; every so often when I read them I wish there was more on why Doyle made this choice or that choice instead of why Watson wrote it that way, but as a whole they're so shiny it's a minor issue, at best (and also, they make a great bludgeoning weapon. One good smack to the head with those and it's lights out burgler:).

Jeremy Brett is my Holmes too, BTW. I can't even watch the Basil Rathebone pictures; nothing against him, he's a fine Holmes (if not quite as crazy as I'd like) but the way they treat Watson makes me rage. They write him as a complete buffoon and I just can't take it. He deserves better.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

My only quibble is that the annotations are sometimes a little too Watsonian for my tastes; every so often when I read them I wish there was more on why Doyle made this choice or that choice instead of why Watson wrote it that way, but as a whole they're so shiny it's a minor issue, at best

That is the ONE thing that bugs me about the annotations, and it's starting to bug me a good bit. I understand that really hardcore Holmesians dig this fiction that Watson wrote the stories and that everything is real, but it's just so apparent so many times that there are weird inconsistencies and discrepancies because Conan Doyle didn't care. We know that he got sick of Holmes at one point, often wrote stories for the money, and even when he did care, he was probably more focused on the actual mechanics of the mystery than whether a train actually ran from Winchester to Victoria Station. Klinger even cites Conan Doyle saying, "I've never gotten too nervous about detail," and that people busted him up and down for inaccuracies in "Silver Blaze." And that he still didn't care. I'd rather have Klinger discuss Conan Doyle as an author, not "Watson," and point out his inconsistencies than spend so very, very much time discussing so many crackpot attempts at reconciling them. If Watson's wife calls him "James" instead of "John," I'm pretty sure it was just Conan Doyle's mistake, rather than OMG MARY USED TO GO OUT WITH JAMES MORIARTY! I think there's actually an interesting discussion to be had as to whether there were two different snakes in "The Speckled Band," since the two victims die at different speeds, but I don't know that we really need a huge discussion of what kind of snake the swamp adder really was. Here's a hint: HE MADE IT UP.

[kijikun.livejournal.com]

Jeremy Brett is Sherlock Holmes to me Jeremy Brett is Sherlock Holmes. Full stop. ^_^

(My ideal solution, actually, would be that SUP gets just as sick of the easily-riled LJ userbase as Six Apart did and sells it again--maybe to Google? Please? Doesn't Brad work there now? It's totally possible, you guys.)

Word.

I don't want to give up LJ. All my stuff is here!

[hana-ginkawa.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm not leaving, I don't think. I've got a paid account here and I enjoy it immensely, however I have opened up mirrors in various places just to give myself a choice if I do decide that I want to leave LJ if something more heinous shows up because of SUP's ownership.

I hope they sell it because that would be awesome, but I don't know. I saw a thing on BBC about the Russian police raiding the BP offices in Moscow (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7306007.stm) and I'm not exactly sure this is a good thing.

Anyhow, I never comment, or hardly ever, but I do enjoy your posts. Also, I think WordPress is very professional if that's the direction you want, if you do move. ^_^

[grnarmadillo.livejournal.com]

The fundamental problem is that a site this large costs money. You can't get that money without exploiting the userbase in ways that the userbase isn't going to like. Really, it's the standard Web 2.0 business model at this point - start a FREE site with no abusive ads (cause the ads aren't worth anything when you're starting anyway) and sell out when your userbase gets large enough to be worth selling, promising the buyer that people won't leave because all their friends are on the site. See also, Facebook. It works - even if I "left" LJ, I'd need to keep my account active so I could read my friends pages.

Don't get me wrong, there are less abusive ways to go about it, and it boggles my mind that they actually tried the "no one will notice" approach to (not) announcing unpopular decisions, but there's no getting around the price of "free".

[padawansguide.livejournal.com]

Nice summary, thanks! I'm not sure what I'll do as far as the boycott either, but wow does Anton Nosik sound like someone not familiar with dealing with customers. Or something. Boycotts are not blackmail, they are a way for people to peacefully express displeasure. It's not like hacking into LJ's servers to bring them down, it's just choosing not to use LJ that day to send a message. They already have my money, so it's not like I'd be even costing them anything.

I dunno - I kind of agree with you though - I like LJ, my friends are here - leaving for another blogging service would deprive me of the community that is here, which is the whole point for me, honestly. I don't mind them getting rid of basic accounts even. It's their company. I just don't like the sneaky way they are trying to slip these changes past, instead of just making an announcement and dealing with the ensuing shitstorm. It's just best to be upfront. It's caused a bigger shitstorm the way they chose to do it.

And yes, please, google!

[mokeyhokey.livejournal.com]

Honestly, to Russians, things like boycotts probably do look like blackmail. The cultural and language divide between SUP and Internet People is not going to end well for anybody.

I don't think it's bad enough to leave yet, but what irks me the most about all of this is that nothing quite has everything that LJ has. Throughout my internet existence I've journaled here (and at clones) and at a standalone blog. I would just as soon go back to a domain-centric blog but it's just so hard to keep track of everyone. RSS feeds certainly make things easier but it's not the same as checking your flist. And then commenting. It's getting better with stuff like Gravatar, but... sigh.

[mormish]

Honestly, first of all, what do you know about russians? For sure you don't know that this boycott is also supported by huge russian LJ community. Actually, some of them are going to delete their accounts for one day. Second, it is wrong to associate SUP with some abstract russians, no, it's perticular people, SUP executives and managers. And third, this was just posted, a few minutes ago http://community.livejournal.com/lj_2008/3846.html

[cpip.livejournal.com]

Jeremy Brett is Sherlock Holmes much as David Suchet is Hercule Poirot. They just ARE.

I am glad to know the full set is out -- I may have to consider getting it to show my girlfriend, who has lived a sheltered life and not really been exposed to Holmes...

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Well, start saving your pennies, because the set is something like $150. USED.

[sweetle.livejournal.com]

The ironic thing about Nosik's comments, to me, is that the only way a boycott = blackmail is if you believe that the user-generated content adds value to the site. (Which I do, obviously, or I wouldn't be here.) I mean, if he thinks that his business is purely selling ads and paid accounts, then what damage does it really do if people don't post for a day? That only makes sense if you recognize that the free users are a big part of the reason why you can sell those ads and paid accounts in the first place.

In other words, SUP = morons.

[particle-person.livejournal.com]

I don't know how you feel about 6A these days, but, after LJ, the Vox service seems like the next nicest.

Also, would you consider a Real Grownup Blog, with Movable Type or something?

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Well, that's what I was thinking with WordPress, although, to be honest... my journaling style wouldn't change. So I don't know how Grown Up it would be. I'll probably always be on a journaling system, even just as a mirror, because that's where people tend to be. Also, I've heard that Movable Type is kind of a pain in the ass to try to deal with--I'm looking for something as Tab A/Slot B as I can find. Although people say that LJ can be complex and confusing--maybe it's just because I understand it? I don't know. It suits me.

[eofs.livejournal.com]

Just for info, it's currently still possible to make communities which don't have ads. Given that paid communities are largely pointless I'm hoping this will not change, but in case it does it's probably worth people creating any communities they were considering.

Also, I wondered earlier if they might consider reaching a compromise and bringing back basic accounts with invite codes. I reckon it could work.

[mysticowl.livejournal.com]

I never would've thought that Anton sounded like "a dickwad." He doesn't at all in my opinion, is it really such a big cultural difference? I read the article at http://www.izbrannoe.info/30184.html and translated it myself, posting the translation in my journal. I haven't read anyone else's translations.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Well, keep in mind that American consumer culture (I can't speak for the rest of the world) is based around the truism that "the customer is always right." Even when businesses have to disagree with customers or implement something their userbase doesn't like, they usually couch it in terms of, "We really value your patronage and we regret this inconvenience, but we hope that we can all grow together." I mean, yes, it's very touchy-feely, and no, Six Apart wasn't very good at it. But compare that to "We have no business reason to reward this behavior." It's a completely alien perspective to an American customer. And I think it's the attitude that spooks people more than the discontinuation of Basic accounts--it's kind of like, if this is how they operate, what will they do next? Put ads on paid accounts? Do away with permanent accounts and revert the ones that have already been sold? Make LJ a paid-only service?

By the way, the new apology (see latest entry here) is more in line with what we're used to.

[fengi.livejournal.com]

I clicked the links and found no proof of this hooker allegation, just a random comment in a LiveJournal blog. From someone who posts stuff like this (http://krevetka-float.livejournal.com/103694.html), someone I'm sure those repeating it don't know, posting in a language they don't speak. I'm suspecting a prank or a vendetta against the other journal targeted.

Hell, y'all could be getting pranked by the Russian equivalent of LJDrama, or the Nick Zedd (http://fan-thing.livejournal.com/708.html) sockpuppet art pranksters. Or just the garden variety mental case.

Yet this gets repeated, Drudge style, without a single word indicating the complete lack of substance. Now I understand how the "Obama is a muslim" thing gets spread.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I guess I wasn't clear with that--it was so obviously ridiculous on the face of it (I thought) that people wouldn't take it seriously. Hence "It was alleged that they did," rather than "They did." Like, it was the allegation that was ridiculous, not the blackmail. Maybe I should clarify that.

[sonneta.livejournal.com]

Also, apparently some of the anti-semites are all for this boycott, because Nosik is Jewish:
http://chopchica.livejournal.com/125090.html
http://technosage.livejournal.com/249085.html
http://beckyzoole.livejournal.com/396326.html

[farasha.livejournal.com]

I personally know that when Scribblit (www.scribblit.com) is done with beta testing (which could be any time between now and the next century at the pace they're moving), I will be packing up and moving over there. Screw LJ. The only reason I still have an LJ is because I hate GJ, don't want my personal journal on IJ, and haven't found another decent alternative.

I also like that Scribblit will be 18+.

[foresthouse.livejournal.com]

I love Sherlock Holmes sooo much. So much that when I was in Best Buy at Christmastime, I actually bought a completely random collection of old SH movies (the "Sherlock Holmes Case Files") and TV shows because, hey, it was 12 bucks for 10 movies and 5 shows. Heh. Haven't watched it yet, though, as I'm still working through Carnivale.

and I love love love my LJ.

You and me both, sister. Seriously, that's where they get us - some of us have been around for years (my journal hit the 6-year mark a couple of months ago, OMG) and we have a ton of entries, comments, friends, icons, communities...hell, it really is like a whole town's-worth of social life. Much as I hate what SUP is doing, SO FAR it hasn't been quite heinous enough to make me leave my journal and my friends network (and people like you!) It's frustrating to feel so powerless, though.

[cindyg.livejournal.com]

Also, my soul craves the complete 12-disc Granada series set,

Oh, YES. As someone who lives in a country with an exchange rate worse than that of the US dollar, that there is a pretty big dream for me.

:)

[imitatesfiction.livejournal.com]

I only use LJ for fen-stuff, otherwise I prefer Wordpress over Blogger. Free WP is not as completely customisable as Blogger, but there are a number of good-looking themes and you can pay (I don't think it's very expensive) for the ability to edit the CSS. I've heard that Typepad is good too, but have not tried it. It does look good though.
OR YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING ON JOURNALFEN YAY

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

My only real problem with JournalFen at this point (besides layouts--does it really have all that many layouts?) is that it's not easy for new people to sign up, and if you're trying to help your readership follow you, that's a problem.

[highlystrung.livejournal.com]

Jeremy Brett = Holmes. Oh so true. I think he made the performance very much about the character rather than just following the tropes of a detective story to their inevitable conclusion. Also, he was in fact what got me to read the books. ^^

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Am I the only one who was under the misapprehension that SUP stood for Six Uh-Part?