Sunday, August 27, 2006

I FORGOT

It was J-Land's third anniversary a few weeks ago.  Ho-hum.

What's to celebrate?  That there are still people here?

All the movers and shakers who made this place great, with a few exceptions, are now writing "blogs."  And those blogs feel so different and distanced from their AOL journals.

Graphically for starters. There's a textbook feel to them. They've lost their bright, cheery, let's turn on some music and dance feel and assumed a somber, let's be serious, we're writing a blog tone. No matter that they're writing the same kind of stuff for the most part.

The blogs also feel distant, certainly less accessible, because commenting, adding pictures, etc., requires so much effort on Blogger. AOL for all its lame attempts to make you feel like this is a community actually remains more user-friendly. But only if you're on a PC.  Not for those of us on MACs.  One word:  Spellcheck. Not for Macs. Another word:  Firefox.  If I don't use Firefox I can't do anything but type in one size font. Forget links.

Meanwhile, AOL continues treating its paying members with their usual disdain -- now offering AOL service almost entirely FREE when you use another internet provider. Yep, they can do that because they have so much revenue from those banner ads on paying members' journals. 

The only nice piece of news from headquarters was hearing that some heads did roll over the member information screw up. Remember that heartwarming story? When half a million computer logs were handed over to nosy internet research types.

So, the third anniversary of AOL Journals arrived in July to considerable ennui. On my part at least.

The community was rent asunder last fall. The party ended. The VIVIs are gone. This place is a cemetery of dead journals. But it's home. 

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

A cemetery......it does feel that way, but like you say, it's home.

Anonymous said...

I know lots of journallers have mysteriously disappeared but there still seems to be lots left.  Like you say it`s home and I ain`t going anywhere...lol! :o)

Sandra xxxx

http://journals.aol.com/labdancer51/SandrasScribbles/

PS: the least said about AOL the better :o(

Anonymous said...

I've found in my life that some people go, and some people stick.  I'd rather like to think some of us decided to stick. AOL has nothing to do with the relationships I have found here. Including you.

I miss you, Girlfriend.  :)


doxoxo,

andi

Anonymous said...

I tried Blogger...hated it.  Some have come back.  I know we lost the best of us and it still sucks....Sandi

Anonymous said...

well, we might be a bunch of dead old biddies, but we still be kickin and screaming....

even if only occasionally, that is.

good to see you Mrs. L.

carry on.

Anonymous said...

I hear you.  I kept wanting to write something like "what's the big deal?"  I lost a ton of my readers once the ads hit and haven't gotten them back.  Not that it is the only reason, but it was nice to know that more than one or two people were reading what I put out there.  OK, now I am just whining.  By the way, you've written some great stuff the last two weeks.

Jim