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Is FA Going to Die?
a year ago
General
Heck if I know. Yeah, sorry, probably a clickbait title, but I thought I'd give my thoughts on things.
First off, not really sure how I feel about Dragoneer dying. On the one hand, I don't think the man did anything to me personally. While I do believe he may have unfairly targeted and banned some people (one of them a friend of mine, or at least a close associate), he may not have been fully to blame for that. FA isn't run by just one person after all; it's a team keeping things running. And it's not like I wanna be ungrateful to the guy who made it possible for me to post things here. On the other hand, he's likely done quite a few things that I wouldn't agree with, and maybe some of them were legally and/or morally questionable. So, I'm not really weeping for his loss. Not like I'm gonna go outta my way to harass his surviving friends and family, nor call on others to do so (and the fact I'd have to expressly tell anyone following me not to do so is rather irritating to me; we're supposed to be better than that). I just... don't know if I care that much. Mostly just feel sympathy for those who did care for him and lost him. Heck, I just lost an uncle of mine the other day, and while we weren't close, it still kinda hits hard. Another door closed, like my grandmother last year, another relationship I can't improve or deepen. Also, I can't worsen it either, but y'know... the opportunity is gone. And I think that's what hurts the most for me.
Wurf, I'm rambling. Sorry.
Anyway, I've no idea what's gonna happen to this website. Will it die? I guess that depends on what's actually going on behind the scenes. Some think Dragoneer has mishandled donations and the debt is way more than anyone knew. It's possible. I don't know that he was all on the up-and-up, though it's likely it was more incompetence if it did happen. Some people wanna imagine guys like Dragoneer are some cunning, devious mastermind plotting to skim a bit off the top deliberately. But most furries are pretty much nerds and/or geeks (with the difference arguably having to do with how good their social skills are), so I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. It's possible he just took on more than he could handle and didn't want to tell anyone for various reasons. Not the least because the internet loves drama, even if it's just an exaggeration of the truth.
Still, FA dying rather relies on the belief that what's going on in the background is insurmountable. That there is no way for the website to recover from the loss of Dragoneer and the impending debts the current staff inherited. We really have no way of knowing that one way or the other, not unless the people in charge tell us. And quite frankly, considering how the furry fandom often reacts to stuff like this? I wouldn't blame them for sitting on it and hoping to handle things quietly. Even if that means not warning anyone before shutting things down. And demanding answers from them probably won't convince them to open up. Just saying.
In any case, I'm not sure where I'd go if FA shuts down. In truth, this website doesn't feel like a community to me, as I haven't treated it that way. I do have accounts on other websites, but each have their own problems. And most don't have the same amount of traffic as FA is kind of the World of Warcraft of furry art websites. Everybody wants to kill it and draw in the userbase, but they just can't seem to do it. FA has too much momentum. Not that it's the best website in the world (not really that great for writers, if you ask me), but it's functional enough. And part of me kinda appreciates how old the UI is because it's likely not as resource-intensive on browsers and older computers. Probably could use better functionality on mobile devices (though I could never quite get the log-in to work for me for some reason), but it still works, even if it doesn't have some of the fancy things other websites have. Like a blacklist. Which would be nice if you wanted to avoid seeing scat and/or diaper stuff in your feed when you search, though it would probably require very strict tagging rules. And even then, you'd have the occasional jerk who has to be forced to tag their stuff properly... not to mention you'll have people arguing and nit-picking over every little ruling, especially on the edge cases.
In any case, I expect people will panic the next time FA goes down, even if it's just for maintenance. Not everybody, but enough.
If you're worried about losing stuff on this website, back it up. Got an artist you like that you fear you'll lose touch with? If they haven't posted a journal with it already, go see where else they've got an account where they're posting stuff. Follow them there, or at least keep an eye on them. You might lose a few still, but most should have alternatives. If you've posted stuff here, make sure it's backed up. Especially things you like. That way, if the worst should happen, you'll be able to post it elsewhere when you find a new home.
As for me? I dunno. Not sure I care if FA goes down. Sure, I'd miss out on a lot of stuff (partly due to letting my anxiety over something keep me away for a year, giving me a massive backlog in my inbox), but it'll probably get posted elsewhere, if it hasn't already. Though the more obscure artists and creators I may not be able to find. That'd be a loss. Even if I should probably watch or follow fewer people so I can focus on making my own stuff.
In any case, you can probably find me reliably if you search for me under this name. I don't plan on changing my alias any time soon. Wherever the majority of furries go, I'll probably end up there.
Except Inkbunny. I don't like cub porn and I think it's bad for your mind and soul. Yes, there are ways to avoid it or block it on that site, but remember what I said about some jerk who refuses to tag their stuff? Yeah, it happens. So, if you go there, make sure you follow artists who don't draw or write that stuff, and be careful if you search on that website. You'll run into that stuff sooner or later. Which is a shame, because they have an awesome in-browser reading extension for stories. I had an account there once, but I nuked it, and I don't wish to return. Better to keep your distance, I'd say.
Also, if anyone has tried to contact me on Discord or Telegram and I ignored you, I apologize. I've gotten a bit paranoid about things now and don't really accept friend requests from perfect strangers. You're better off finding me in one of the few servers I'm in and talking to me there first. That way, I can judge what you're like and see if you're friend material. I'd recommend joining the Questor Tales Fans server as it's pretty much my main community on the internet. They've kept me stable and sane through the years, and I really wish I could hang out with them in the real world. Got to do that once and it was great. And I pretty much see them as a good defense if anyone sketchy is trying to get in touch with me. They have my back, and they can help vet people. So, if you tick them off, I know you're probably not friend material.
Wurf, that's enough rambling. Look, if you're worried about this ship going down, make preparations. Don't wait for someone else to tell you to abandon ship. Keep your wits about you and pay attention. Find your favorite artists elsewhere, and ask your friends for contact info if you haven't already. Save anything you fear might be lost and back it up. Look into other websites that might appeal to you. You can do this. It won't be the end of the world, just a massive change.
Good luck, and God speed.
First off, not really sure how I feel about Dragoneer dying. On the one hand, I don't think the man did anything to me personally. While I do believe he may have unfairly targeted and banned some people (one of them a friend of mine, or at least a close associate), he may not have been fully to blame for that. FA isn't run by just one person after all; it's a team keeping things running. And it's not like I wanna be ungrateful to the guy who made it possible for me to post things here. On the other hand, he's likely done quite a few things that I wouldn't agree with, and maybe some of them were legally and/or morally questionable. So, I'm not really weeping for his loss. Not like I'm gonna go outta my way to harass his surviving friends and family, nor call on others to do so (and the fact I'd have to expressly tell anyone following me not to do so is rather irritating to me; we're supposed to be better than that). I just... don't know if I care that much. Mostly just feel sympathy for those who did care for him and lost him. Heck, I just lost an uncle of mine the other day, and while we weren't close, it still kinda hits hard. Another door closed, like my grandmother last year, another relationship I can't improve or deepen. Also, I can't worsen it either, but y'know... the opportunity is gone. And I think that's what hurts the most for me.
Wurf, I'm rambling. Sorry.
Anyway, I've no idea what's gonna happen to this website. Will it die? I guess that depends on what's actually going on behind the scenes. Some think Dragoneer has mishandled donations and the debt is way more than anyone knew. It's possible. I don't know that he was all on the up-and-up, though it's likely it was more incompetence if it did happen. Some people wanna imagine guys like Dragoneer are some cunning, devious mastermind plotting to skim a bit off the top deliberately. But most furries are pretty much nerds and/or geeks (with the difference arguably having to do with how good their social skills are), so I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. It's possible he just took on more than he could handle and didn't want to tell anyone for various reasons. Not the least because the internet loves drama, even if it's just an exaggeration of the truth.
Still, FA dying rather relies on the belief that what's going on in the background is insurmountable. That there is no way for the website to recover from the loss of Dragoneer and the impending debts the current staff inherited. We really have no way of knowing that one way or the other, not unless the people in charge tell us. And quite frankly, considering how the furry fandom often reacts to stuff like this? I wouldn't blame them for sitting on it and hoping to handle things quietly. Even if that means not warning anyone before shutting things down. And demanding answers from them probably won't convince them to open up. Just saying.
In any case, I'm not sure where I'd go if FA shuts down. In truth, this website doesn't feel like a community to me, as I haven't treated it that way. I do have accounts on other websites, but each have their own problems. And most don't have the same amount of traffic as FA is kind of the World of Warcraft of furry art websites. Everybody wants to kill it and draw in the userbase, but they just can't seem to do it. FA has too much momentum. Not that it's the best website in the world (not really that great for writers, if you ask me), but it's functional enough. And part of me kinda appreciates how old the UI is because it's likely not as resource-intensive on browsers and older computers. Probably could use better functionality on mobile devices (though I could never quite get the log-in to work for me for some reason), but it still works, even if it doesn't have some of the fancy things other websites have. Like a blacklist. Which would be nice if you wanted to avoid seeing scat and/or diaper stuff in your feed when you search, though it would probably require very strict tagging rules. And even then, you'd have the occasional jerk who has to be forced to tag their stuff properly... not to mention you'll have people arguing and nit-picking over every little ruling, especially on the edge cases.
In any case, I expect people will panic the next time FA goes down, even if it's just for maintenance. Not everybody, but enough.
If you're worried about losing stuff on this website, back it up. Got an artist you like that you fear you'll lose touch with? If they haven't posted a journal with it already, go see where else they've got an account where they're posting stuff. Follow them there, or at least keep an eye on them. You might lose a few still, but most should have alternatives. If you've posted stuff here, make sure it's backed up. Especially things you like. That way, if the worst should happen, you'll be able to post it elsewhere when you find a new home.
As for me? I dunno. Not sure I care if FA goes down. Sure, I'd miss out on a lot of stuff (partly due to letting my anxiety over something keep me away for a year, giving me a massive backlog in my inbox), but it'll probably get posted elsewhere, if it hasn't already. Though the more obscure artists and creators I may not be able to find. That'd be a loss. Even if I should probably watch or follow fewer people so I can focus on making my own stuff.
In any case, you can probably find me reliably if you search for me under this name. I don't plan on changing my alias any time soon. Wherever the majority of furries go, I'll probably end up there.
Except Inkbunny. I don't like cub porn and I think it's bad for your mind and soul. Yes, there are ways to avoid it or block it on that site, but remember what I said about some jerk who refuses to tag their stuff? Yeah, it happens. So, if you go there, make sure you follow artists who don't draw or write that stuff, and be careful if you search on that website. You'll run into that stuff sooner or later. Which is a shame, because they have an awesome in-browser reading extension for stories. I had an account there once, but I nuked it, and I don't wish to return. Better to keep your distance, I'd say.
Also, if anyone has tried to contact me on Discord or Telegram and I ignored you, I apologize. I've gotten a bit paranoid about things now and don't really accept friend requests from perfect strangers. You're better off finding me in one of the few servers I'm in and talking to me there first. That way, I can judge what you're like and see if you're friend material. I'd recommend joining the Questor Tales Fans server as it's pretty much my main community on the internet. They've kept me stable and sane through the years, and I really wish I could hang out with them in the real world. Got to do that once and it was great. And I pretty much see them as a good defense if anyone sketchy is trying to get in touch with me. They have my back, and they can help vet people. So, if you tick them off, I know you're probably not friend material.
Wurf, that's enough rambling. Look, if you're worried about this ship going down, make preparations. Don't wait for someone else to tell you to abandon ship. Keep your wits about you and pay attention. Find your favorite artists elsewhere, and ask your friends for contact info if you haven't already. Save anything you fear might be lost and back it up. Look into other websites that might appeal to you. You can do this. It won't be the end of the world, just a massive change.
Good luck, and God speed.
But I've already got accounts on most sites, and a carrd to compile them
I don't know what I'd do, if FA were to close tomorrow. I often save my works on a hard drive as well as commission works and faves and stuff. The thought of having to reupload everything though is so discouraging that I'd probably not. Have you ever looked at FA's donations page? It used to be incredibly hard to find. I can tell you that there are practically no donators though and that the amount of resources required to keep this site going are staggering.
Dragoneer would've never mishandled donations because there are no donations. Dragoneer also shouldered the debt as he'd said he'd do, in past articles. So, I'm not surprised that Dragoneer's family keep finding new sources of debt. I don't doubt that Dragoneer desperately prevented one accreditor from learning about another, and so now the family are finding accreditors, one by one.
Dragoneer was a very distant acquaintance of my acquaintances. I'd only possibly met him at conventions. But, I am sad that such a dedicated member of he furry fandom is gone now.
God bless you, Bandit'. 'See ya' later.
PS: I'm just now replying because of timing of a house move and cleaning out my mail box again.