ZOMG EASTER RISING

[sabotabby]

While I think the timing is silly, I'm always up for a strike.

Info
Demands
Times


Credit: marnanel

Register your complaints via snailmail:

Jason Shellen
576 Folsom St
San Francisco, CA 94105

Six Apart - Sales Department
548 4th Street
San Francisco, CA 94107

Comments

[fengi.livejournal.com]

I thought you'd be against misspelling, isn't it b-o-y-c-o-t-t? I mean, I've been on strike against Vox for over a year.

Edited to add: Argh. I hate when I spell wrong when writing about spelling.

That said, I like it as a test: can you put down the crack pipe for one day? Because if you can, they may never get you back.

[sabotabby]

I have been known to put down the crackpipe for two whole weeks. Granted, I was in Russia and had better things to do.

[misfitina.livejournal.com]

hah- since it's also "No internet from home" i'm a rebel!

[sabotabby]

It's "sabotabby will not actually be near her computer" day as well. But it's the principle.

[caprinus.livejournal.com]

What principle?

[sonjaaa.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it will actually make a difference or be noticed or if they really care.

[sabotabby]

They've already noticed.

[marnanel.livejournal.com]

I am rather fatalistic. I think they probably will (did) notice, but they probably won't (didn't) care. But then I don't think the government gives a shit about me going on protest marches either and I do anyway.

[springheel-jack.livejournal.com]

WHy six apart? They don't own the site now.

[cacahuate.livejournal.com]

They're still involved though—the site's in transition.

[sabotabby]

Their customer service attitudes have certainly transferred to the new ownership.

[cacahuate.livejournal.com]

Absolutely.

why 6A?

[pir-anha.livejournal.com]

the ads are still served from 6A's servers.

[xturtle.livejournal.com]

My question: if I mostly lurk anyway, and rarely update my journal, am I still on strike if I don't post on friday?

[sabotabby]

If I'm not even in town, does that count?

[symbioid.livejournal.com]

I was a paying user, but stopped automatic payments. I should be reverting to basic (if not, I'll figure out how, since I've been grandfathered in).

I have my post on the issue at the top of my LJ entries.

I don't think a strike will do any good, unless it's from Basic users, who have no other way of making a point, short of leaving.

Paid users, IMO, should stop payments. They should also friends lock their entries so sponsored accounts who view their journals don't get the pleasure of sending our post data for ad-targetting purposes.

Those are my two positions and what I've been doing. I suppose I could strike, but to me, it's like the gas boycotts... One day ain't gonna amount to much, and you really have to get a majority doing this. The timing is wrong, as you say, as well.

One thing you might be interested in, if you haven't seen my post last night (via lj_speaks):

Anton Nocik, from SUP, said the following. It indicates how they view their users who are upset with their policies and are trying to make a point...

"In this situation, where they attempt to blackmail and to intimidate us, threatening to destroy our business, there is a business-reason not to reward this behavior. This is not the simple reaction of being more resistant the more pressure is applied. The fact is that through history no successful enterprise runs by being subjugated by unfriendly forces. No change, even the most correct one, will not experience some resistance.

It would probably be best to reconsider the recent changes. But from our point of view it is now necessary to wait until after the boycott has faded. Let it pass and have the voices of protest fade. Then we can consider changing this policy."

We're "unfriendly forces" who "intimidate and blackmail and attempt to subjugate". That's how they see us. We're beyond mere nuisance, I guess.

[sabotabby]

gaybortion is Basic, so I do care somewhat (even though I rarely update it); I will just close it if they start putting ads on it.

I love being an unfriendly force!

[thebigbadbutch.livejournal.com]

but i <3 gaybortion :/

[caprinus.livejournal.com]

Basic accounts stay Basic.

[fengi.livejournal.com]

I don't find this offensive at all, especially as it is a crude translation by people with more drama than knowledge leaving out the larger context. Here's a more thoughtful version.

I also question the tsuami of hysteria around this the fensters arenow spreading rumors about hookers and blackmail based on nothing but a comment by some russian user who seems to have vendetta against another member (who they call a whore) or who may be a prankster.

To me, this is reaching "Obama is a muslim" levels of stupid rumor. I'm striking against that.

[symbioid.livejournal.com]

Ok, fair enough.

I have still to read the thoughtful version you linked to. The version that I initially read was translated by babelfish, and I certainly understand that nuance and context are lacking with an online translator. So I look forward to reading something more nuanced.

Honestly, I never heard about the rumors, nor do I engage in silly speculation like that. I also strongly dislike the apparent anti-semitism when it comes to Anton. His comment that I've read recently alludes to that.

Unfortunately, this is one sad thing with a language barrier like this. If he does an interview, he may have to post an accurate English translation as soon as he can, if he doesn't want to be tarred and feathered like this constantly. He can wait and let others do that duty (as happened here), but by then you've got a lot of people aggravated.

My main beef is with actual actions taken by SUP (admittedly, that interview with Anton didn't help). In fact, the slow response on his part to clarify is symptomatic of SUPs behavior these past few weeks. And it's one of the most frustrating things.

1 - They took a major action without consulting their advisory board.
2 - In the process of explaining why, they effectively called their users too stupid to understand 3 levels of accounts.
3 - Their apparently "apology" which sounded more like "we're sorry you are upset".
4 - The initial deletion of potentially "offensive" words from the top 100 list. Thankfully, that has been rectified. And it's *possible* it was a technical glitch, but lovely how those words just happened to be in the filter list (bisexual, fairy, etc...)
5 - Poor business decisions/lack of understanding of how community based networking happens. brad said it best when he said it's the free accounts that make the content. Without content, there are no paying subscribers. Of course, that's an extreme version, but its' true the vast majority of content comes from non-paying users. What happens when that stream of content slows down or dies.

I have not left LJ, because I have hope that they can rectify things. However, I've voted with my money, because time and time again, they have indicated a lack of responsiveness to mere vocalization of user concerns.

Their recent statements (I saw before I went to bed, not sure what the link is right now, LMK and I can find it -- but you seem pretty on top of things so I'm sure you are aware), certainly indicate an attempt at fixing the situation.

But I've heard many hollow assurances before, from SUP and from 6A. So while I hope, I don't give it the best odds. I'm sticking out for now. Ultimately, I think a community owned/co-op based journal fits with my ideals more than a company owned site, so I ponder that. I've never heard of such a thing before, really.

[thebigbadbutch.livejournal.com]

I'm all for a productive protest but this shit will be about as effective as the 1 day gas boycot. Maybe even worse because on Thursday most people who are boycotting are going to post about what they plan to do that Friday, on Friday people are still going to log on or lurk to see who's posted, and Saturday everyone is going to post about how hard it was to live without LJ for a whole 24 hours.

[sabotabby]

I don't think it's going to be effective, but it's already pissed off SUP, which is at least entertaining.

[profane-stencil.livejournal.com]

That's the best argument I've heard yet in favor of the boycott.

And I've seen some really stupid arguments against it.

[esizzle.livejournal.com]

i don't get why "it's not gonna make a difference" is such a big issue. do people go to an anti-war demostration cause they think it's gonna bring peace on earth? no one sensible enough would be that optimistic, not even peace loving hippies. peoples just wanna be heard.

[sabotabby]

Sadly, I think that half of the people at anti-war demonstrations actually think that the powers that be will be swayed by their heartfelt cries of "SHAME!" This is why we're all doomed.

[cyborg-kitty100.livejournal.com]

the future is upon you

[sabotabby]

I DO NOT HAVE A HOVER CAR.

IT IS TWO-THOUSAND-AND-FUCKING-EIGHT.

PLZ SEND HOVER CAR.

[cyborg-kitty100.livejournal.com]

I like how they predict email, wrist cellphones, water shorttages, and the short-sightedness of ideas like ohI don't know... towing glaciers towards cities maybe?

[marnanel.livejournal.com]

it amuses me, looking back on it, how we always thought that a phone you could carry in your pocket or on your wrist would be called a "personal communicator" or a "risto" or whatever, and we never thought "oh, it's just a phone, innit? people will call it a 'phone'."

[cyborg-kitty100.livejournal.com]

Pretty much every "futurist" is also a fanfic author.

[marnanel.livejournal.com]

um, I'm not seeing the connection between your comment and mine. sorry to be slow.

[cyborg-kitty100.livejournal.com]

Ok, too much of an inside joke.