Requiescat In Pace

Submitted by M Aurelius on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 2:57pm

Meta

About an hour ago, tacitus.org passed away. I thought I would mark the moment, which is also the official end of the transition period to the forvm.

Tacitus.org took a lot of content with it to the grave, some of which was worth preserving. Under the tacitus.org copyright statement, all the material belonged to the writer. Hence, we will launch a community archives project in order to partially rebuild content posted in tacitus.org. This archive will go as far back as the MT days (a.k.a Tacitus 1.0). This will be a complicated task and I will write about the process within about a week. However, I can anticpate that no content will be posted without express authorization from the author, which means material from Josh himself will not be included. This will not have a major impact for the last year or so, given that he was mostly absent. However for older material it does mean that the record will be substantially incomplete. On the other hand, there will still be a LOT of material, more than enough to give the forvm its proper context.

Cool.

(#572)

Submitted by Walsingham on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 3:07pm.

Just out of curiousity, what program did you use to snag the content?

A number of people...

(#580)

Submitted by M Aurelius on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 3:16pm.

Have been "snagging" content. Then there is the Google Web cache, the Wayback Machine site, and other search engines. I didn't save the MT stuff, somebody else has that. Just like this site, it will be a community effort, but much slower. There is no one complete source, and there is a lot of culling to do as well. Scripting will help but manual labor will be reequired.

This is for the librarian types and pack rats out there. I also have a running bet with somebody, I think M Scott but it could be Macallan, and I want to find it. (Actually this is the real reason for the entire effort :-).

I am not a pessimist. I am an incompetent optimist.

Wasn't Me

(#617)

Submitted by M Scott Eiland on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 4:18pm.

I haven't even made any sports-related bets with anyone at Tacitus--political ones would be a sign of lurking insanity on my part. Of course, I've made enough indiscreet comments that I may wish that I had been betting instead. . .

The universe may well have been created without a point--that doesn't imply that we can't give it one.

Okay, So Just to be Sure

(#577)

Submitted by Harley on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 3:11pm.

My Plame diaries will be saved, right? Every single one. :)

“Two clichés make us laugh but a hundred clichés move us, because we sense dimly that the clichés are talking among themselves, celebrating a reunion." - Umberto Eco

I hope they're saved,

(#771)

Submitted by sebastien on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 9:06pm.

but I expect that the best Plame diaries are yet to come!

"There are sneakers that cost more than an iPod." -Steve Jobs

I wonder what the tallest building on Maui is? nt

(#772)

Submitted by jackson mead on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 9:11pm.

xxx

I'm trying to make the best out of a bad situation. I don't need to hear crap from a bunch of hippie freaks living in denial! Screw you guys, I'm going home!

They've been sent to Richard Armitage

(#778)

Submitted by tomsyl on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 9:38pm.

with a cc to Fitzgerald. Apparently Armitage plans to start a State Department alumni blog from his cell and will be using your diaries as its kernel. When last heard Fitz was muttering something about an as-yet unindicted co-conspirator "with connections to some of the biggest lefties in Hollywood."

I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was. Now what I'm with isn't it, and what's it seems scary and weird. It'll happen to you.—Abraham Simpson

And long live the Forvm

(#588)

Submitted by Kierkegaard on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 3:32pm.

I realize that my views are universally scorned and unpopular, but I say this is a better place already, thanks to the hard work of our mods, engineers, and designers. I think it's brighter, more attractive, faster, and at the same time, more faithful to the spirit of Antiquity--an amazing feat to achieve in such a short time.

I say, too, that in a matter of months, no one will remember the old place at all--they'll be too busy enjoying (and abusing) the new. Well done to you all!

Since when does "universally"

(#591)

Submitted by HankP on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 3:36pm.

not include me? There's only a few of your views that I consider ... unsound.

I also prefer the new site. Time to start blog-whoring and telling people to check us out!

I blame it all on the Internet

Well,

(#717)

Submitted by M Aurelius on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 6:37pm.

I for one do consider his views unsound. But his writing is great. I really enjoy reading it. And once or twice he has even expressed a view which IMHO was sound.

I am not a pessimist. I am an incompetent optimist.

Just because you're scorned

(#776)

Submitted by tomsyl on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 9:33pm.

doesn't mean you're unpopular. And vice-versa. Or something.

I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was. Now what I'm with isn't it, and what's it seems scary and weird. It'll happen to you.—Abraham Simpson

Sniff

(#594)

Submitted by Platosearwax on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 3:40pm.

Not sure whether I can bring myself to delete the bookmark. It's been there up amongst the top for four years!

But seriously, this place so far is fantabulous. I really love the look and feel of the new place. Many thanks to everyone for their hard work.

Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so. - Bertrand Russell

Don't delete it.

(#803)

Submitted by M Aurelius on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 10:08pm.

Just edit the properties!

I am not a pessimist. I am an incompetent optimist.

Seldom has the word

(#601)

Submitted by aireachail on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 3:57pm.

Done (lower left corner of the captured browser window) looked so apt.

finis

Boats for sale

(#631)

Submitted by Bill White on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 4:51pm.

Note the last diary.

I've been browsing classified ads perhaps to purchase a sailboat in the spring. One ad in particular caught my eye.

There is this Tartan Ten racing sloop named "Twins" for sale and one of the advertised features is "first class wenches" -- a boat equipped with first class wenches? Who can resist?

The proper balance between defense and welfare are the tectonic plates that lie beneath our political discourse.

Re: Boats for sale

(#659)

Submitted by uh_clem on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 5:34pm.

So re-post it as a diary here. It'll be interesting to see the sailors come out of the woodwork.

Damn, did I just out myself?

Freakin blowboaters. Give me a couple of Cummins diesels

(#669)

Submitted by jackson mead on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 5:40pm.

jammed into a Tiara 35 and cranked up to top speed making me look like Rodney Dangerfield in Caddyshack anytime!

I'm trying to make the best out of a bad situation. I don't need to hear crap from a bunch of hippie freaks living in denial! Screw you guys, I'm going home!

Why I am not surprised?

(#684)

Submitted by Bill White on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 5:49pm.

;-)

Twelve Chicago-Mackinac races for me before I traded in last boat for a little baby boy.

He's six now, time for another boat.

The proper balance between defense and welfare are the tectonic plates that lie beneath our political discourse.

Need a

(#671)

Submitted by Inigo on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 5:42pm.

first mate?

That's how it is on this bitch of an earth.

A suggestion for MA:

(#643)

Submitted by Kierkegaard on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 5:14pm.

May I suggest that for the next week at least you weight this post to stick to the top of the front page? This is easily done in Drupal. The reason I think you should do this is that it will continue to act as a 'welcome mat' to those familiar with Tacitus. It will also display the continuity of one to the other to those new to both sites.

Great Idea K. See no scorn...ok, limited scorn :) nt

(#648)

Submitted by jackson mead on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 5:21pm.

xxx

I'm trying to make the best out of a bad situation. I don't need to hear crap from a bunch of hippie freaks living in denial! Screw you guys, I'm going home!

Very Good Idea

(#672)

Submitted by Inigo on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 5:43pm.

That's how it is on this bitch of an earth.

I love the idea and to that end think that we might want to

(#712)

Submitted by Davinci on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 6:30pm.

include a link with a brief history and the final capture at the top for new comers and to reminds us of the beginning of our adventures.....

Ask courageous questions. Do not be satisfied with superficial answers. Be open to wonder and at the same time subject all claims to knowledge, without exception, to intense skeptical scrutiny. Be aware of human fallibility. Cherish your species and yo

Even better

(#718)

Submitted by Kierkegaard on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 6:37pm.

;)

I'll let...

(#729)

Submitted by M Aurelius on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 7:11pm.

...someone else do that. I don't want to impose my own stories on the site that way.

I am not a pessimist. I am an incompetent optimist.

fvck the old site

(#733)

Submitted by HankP on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 7:23pm.

it's gone, I'm suere some of you will shed a tear, but I'm concentrating on the new site and not looking back. Onward and vpward!

I blame it all on the Internet

I can see ...

(#735)

Submitted by Livia on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 7:28pm.

... that the 'v for u' substitution is fast going to become an emblem of this place.

Not for long

(#738)

Submitted by M Aurelius on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 7:35pm.

With all the distraction from the move, enforcement has been lax. That's OK, but we will get back up to speed within a few days. The v for u trick will not be allowed AFAIC.

I am not a pessimist. I am an incompetent optimist.

I meant in general.

(#740)

Submitted by Livia on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 7:38pm.

I fully agree that profanity should still be out, regardless of spelling.

Hardly very Roman of you

(#757)

Submitted by Kierkegaard on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 8:27pm.

but keeping in character with the historical Livia, anyway ;)

Yvp.

(#750)

Submitted by kenb on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 7:57pm.

Maybe someone can add a javascript button in the Comment toolbar to convert them all avtomatically.

Kierk's point...

(#739)

Submitted by M Aurelius on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 7:38pm.

...is that people who are still unaware of the change find us easily. It wasn't about nostalgia or anything.

Nor the proposal to gather up old material a question of the old site. Rather, it is because some of the material took quite a bit of effort to put together. Some dicussions were in depth and others were well referenced. Stuff like that takes too much time to just throw away.

I am not a pessimist. I am an incompetent optimist.

Lighten vp, man

(#745)

Submitted by HankP on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 7:51pm.

it was a joke, except for the part about not looking backwards but forwards.

I blame it all on the Internet

Sorry...

(#748)

Submitted by M Aurelius on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 7:55pm.

...didn't read it that way.

Forwards is good. Backwards, can't do that. Entropy and all that.

I am not a pessimist. I am an incompetent optimist.

You have my permission....

(#662)

Submitted by uh_clem on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 5:36pm.

...to re post any of my posts in whatever archive you'd like. Just don't ask me to help 'cause I don't think any of what I wrote is particularly worth saving.

You have my permission also if you can break my code...

(#714)

Submitted by Davinci on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 6:35pm.

not that my writing is even par but the record should be as complete as possible....

One question I do have.... I had thought that the old site

(#713)

Submitted by Davinci on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 6:33pm.

would have a redirect or link to the new for the first few months?????

At this point I get a blank without a redirect or link to the Forvm????

Maybe I was mistaken but some lurkers with be lost without it for the next bit of time....

I don't recall,

(#728)

Submitted by M Aurelius on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 7:08pm.

Josh ever promising anything like that.

Anyway, only he has access now. Scoop is completly gone. My concern is that some people may not figure out what happened and I don't know how they can hope to find us if they don't have anybody's e-mail.

I am not a pessimist. I am an incompetent optimist.

Their best

(#731)

Submitted by aireachail on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 7:20pm.

chance, it seems to me, would be to google familiar usernames. Then I suspect that if they ever saw this front page, they'd know right where they were.

Otherwise, what happened to all those email addresses we provided when we established accounts during the transition to Scoop? That would have been a decent avenue for notification. A start, at least.

No database access...

(#775)

Submitted by M Aurelius on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 9:24pm.

We would have had to grab them one by one.

I do have a list of users, but only users who have posted. Lurkers are not on it because the web spiders only go to linked pages and if you didn't post anything you didn't generate any links towards your profile. Most of the posters appear to have made it through.

Still, converting a bunch of pages to a database requires some effort. Many posters are spammers and we definitely don't want to notify those. We'll get to it.

I am not a pessimist. I am an incompetent optimist.

That's essentially

(#793)

Submitted by aireachail on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 9:57pm.

what I thought. It certainly isn't a "top of the list" thing to do.

Besides; if they can't manage to find their way here after a few weeks, perhaps it's for the best ;-)

Ah...

(#801)

Submitted by M Aurelius on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 10:06pm.

I see we have a Darwinist in our midst!

I am not a pessimist. I am an incompetent optimist.

I Had thought that he had alluded to that in the least...

(#737)

Submitted by Davinci on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 7:35pm.

Still since I have not way to contact Josh and ask I was just curious about it .......Thanks...

I Remember That Too,

(#752)

Submitted by Inigo on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 8:11pm.

I think. Wasn't it in the initial post announcing Tacitus' demise? Oh, well.

That's how it is on this bitch of an earth.

Me, Too, But Don't Recall Who Said It

(#786)

Submitted by jerseycityjoan on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 9:49pm.

But my recollection is that a redirect to the new site was mentioned.

I Have Copies. . .

(#751)

Submitted by M Scott Eiland on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 8:04pm.

. . .of my sports stories from the front page, along with a few others that might be of interest (no stories from the 2004 campaign, thank God) if anyone is interested in them for the archiving effort.

The universe may well have been created without a point--that doesn't imply that we can't give it one.

Hey, Hang On

(#767)

Submitted by Harley on Mon, 10/16/2006 - 9:02pm.

If an election prediction is made in a vanished forest, did it ever actually happen?

No way, I say!!

“Two clichés make us laugh but a hundred clichés move us, because we sense dimly that the clichés are talking among themselves, celebrating a reunion." - Umberto Eco