OTW?

[ithildin]

I admit that I've only been keeping up with the OTW project with half an eye, and today, I see they are opening up memberships. I don't know anyone involved in the project -- I don't travel in those fandom circles -- and I've read varying opinions of the whole project over the last few months, so I was wondering what all of you think? Will you be joining?

Colour me curious :)

Comments

[boji.livejournal.com]

I joined and donated today. The big thing for me from the start of this whole procedure/adventure last summer was the fact that OTW are coding a centralised archive for fic. Yes, the aka-fan meta rocks but the fact that part of the goal is the rescuing - and reposting - of 'lost' fanfic (the stories you never saved and then the archives went poof? Those) and being multi-fannish and having been on-line since 96 well archives have a soft-spot in my cyber heart.

I also wanted a centralised place where I'd feel safe to house my fic. Without judgement and it looks like with legal advice onside.

If web 2.0 is going to be a battle ground between old time producers, consumers and fan-producers well I'd rather be fighting with those in the know.

I'm thrilled that the archive launches in August. Really I am.

[beeej.livejournal.com]

I think the archives and stuff is probably a good idea, and I know quite a few people who're involved, but I just rarely do the meta thing. Maybe I should care, but I just can't make myself do it. I'd rather be reading fic than all those pages and pages of meta discussion. I think it's more fun in the shallow end of the pool. *g*

[amand-r.livejournal.com]

I actually don't care either way. I don't care for meta, and yes I know some of the people involved. However, I have been in fandom too long to actually be impressed by a call for a universal archive.

[juniperphoenix]

I joined. I don't know any of the organizers well, but I've been excited by their ideas and impressed by the level of followthrough so far. I look forward to seeing where it goes.

[unovis-lj.livejournal.com]

I joined. I've seen the posts from the beginning and most recently the dog and pony show at Escapade. $10 gets you a voting membership. Whether or not they succeed as a comprehensive archive, their associated efforts are interesting and a much better public face of fandom than the pit of voles. If only in terms of history and record, it's worth being involved.

[fides.livejournal.com]

I'm involved in designing some of the specs for the archive and will probably be in the technical side of things in the archive. I also have a few friends who are involved in it at various levels and have met a few of the others.

I think they have some good aims, and I think they do realise that they aren't going to be able to achieve all of them, but I think they are going to make a good stab at it.

[silvercobwebs.livejournal.com]

*clears throat, stares at shoes*

What the heck is OTW?

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

It's a group of people who are putting together an archive, and I believe eventually, something that would work like LJ.

They have a comm with a little info: otw_news

[silvercobwebs.livejournal.com]

Ah, thank you!

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I have fic from email lists in a folder, some dating back to 95/96 when i got online. And my own fic is archived in so many places at this point, I've lost track of where they are in many cases.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

There's archives, and isn't there supposed to be some sort of journaling option at some point? Don't know about the meta stuff. But I haven't been paying that much attention :)

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

I've archived my own fic on my own website for years, so I'm not really neeeding yet one more place to put it.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

It does sound like they have quite a plan.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

It will be interesting to see what happens.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Cool! I didn't realize you were involved.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

You be welcome :)

[unovis-lj.livejournal.com]

Look at the news LJ and their site. They have aims beyond setting up the archive that involve the self-definition of fandom and the works we create. It could possibly be an important interface between fandom and the commercial/academic/other public.

[fides.livejournal.com]

I'm not massively involved but it seemed like a good way of feeding back some of the research I did into the community :-)

[amand-r.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I have mine about. I'm not as attached to as I used to be.

[franzeska]

I'd love to see us do a journaling service, but that's not in the works currently. No reason it couldn't happen at some point in the future though.

I did see a mention of some kind of journal project recently. I don't exactly know who's involved, but if you're interested: http://synecdochic.livejournal.com/205203.html

--Franzi (wandering by from google blogsearch)

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info :)