Behold! Fangirls with computers!

[alias_sqbr]

So, Dreamwidth is starting up soon(*).

I find it and the OTW (specifically an Archive Of Our Own) interesting (I think I have an invite for that if anyone's interested, btw). Both were formed by groups of mostly female fans(**) who got sick of being messed round by badly written and run online facilities for fandom and decided to create their own, egalitarian, professional, fan-run alternatives. Time will only tell if they work, but they seem to be doing ok so far. (EDIT: Dreamwidth is not just fannish)

They make an interesting contrast to more "male" geek open source projects etc. From my limited experience I'd say there's a lot of differences and a lot of similarities too, certainly the camaraderie and idealistic imagery. I guess fanfic writers and open source programmers both tend to emphasise a free and unfettered sharing of ideas (especially those who are both, like Naomi Novik :)).

Now I'm wondering if there's much/any fanfic written about Linux...

(*) There's a lot of broken links still, if you're interested in seeing what an actual account looks like here's one off metafandom.
(**)I'm not sure how much crossover there is between Dreamwidth and OTW. I'm sure there's some, they certainly seem to come from the same broad social group of lj based fanfic writers, but they're not formally affiliated afaict.

Comments

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

I have been excited about DW for a while.

[black-samvara.livejournal.com]

We have people who contribute to both projects but we're not formally working together as such.

[elaran.livejournal.com]

omg i would be superhappy to mooch a dw code off you. <3333. [or an AoOO one!]

yeah, not officially affiliated.

ALSO NAOMI NOVIK WAS GONNA COME TO SWANCON BUT COULDN"T I WAS SO SADFACE AT THIS

[http://users.livejournal.com/peasant_/]

I have to admit I am always trying to suppress a small hissy fit and the temptation to throw my toys out of my pram as regards the OTW, purely because they decided to write the Archive code in Ruby - a language which I don't like and which many cheaper hosting companies don't support, including my own. I don't want to learn a language which I can't then use on my own site. This has coloured my whole view of them! Mind you, I don't play well with others when it comes to coding so it's probably a good thing I never volunteered.

Also, as a writer the control I want over my work is 100%, so I archive it myself and don't let anyone else get their sticky paws on it, hence a multi-fandom archive is nowhere on my wishlist, so I can only support it in a distant 'that might be useful to other people' sort of way.

I am interested in Dreamwidth. I want to actually see what they are offering though, and then I guess it will be the usual case of waiting and seeing who migrates and who doesn't. Generally when these things come up I assume inertia will win, and so far I have always been right, but fandom has moved before so presumably one day it might again.

[alias_sqbr]

HMMM. I THOUGHT I had an AoOO (Aooooooogah! I never thought about the acronym before :)) invite but now can't find it. If I do I will send you it. I don't have a DW code, and if I did I would use it for myself :)

ALSO NAOMI NOVIK WAS GONNA COME TO SWANCON BUT COULDN"T I WAS SO SADFACE AT THIS

*sadfaces*

[alias_sqbr]

Mm, that's the impression I got.

[alias_sqbr]

It certainly looks pretty cool.

[alias_sqbr]

Heh. I'm married to a programmer, so I am familiar with the attitude.

Generally when these things come up I assume inertia will win, and so far I have always been right, but fandom has moved before so presumably one day it might again.

Yes, there's no easy way to tell if it'll take off except waiting and seeing. Still, it at least looks like it will offer a better alternative than IJ etc for those who want one.

AoOO!

[black-samvara.livejournal.com]

We use it a lot, it makes us happy :)

Invite code: turned off until we move to co-located servers with enough grunt to handle the load. Given you got your hopes up though I will issue an invite :)

Naomi *sobs* I am going to Sydney now :P

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

Though the involvement of Certain Fannish People has made me :/ a few times.

Re: AoOO!

[alias_sqbr]

That's very nice of you, thanks!

[foxfirefey]

But Iiiii'm involved!

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

:3