External 001
Planted: October 22, 2023
Last tended: November 9, 2023
Purpose: To consolidate, backup & tag external content like thoughts.page, Mastodon, internet forum posts, online chats, emails, bookmarks & Agora Road ‘Profile posts’.
Process: Everything is archived manually. Nothing is dependant on an external site once it’s here.
RSS Feed: This project does not have one. My Mastodon feed would be the next best thing imo.
Tags
~devastatia, ~email, ~guestbook, ~mastodon & ~thoughtsTag Navigation: Ctrl + F / Command + F / Find in page
8461~mastodon
@vanzasetia So good to see you're back, my friend!
9879~mastodon
#webrings watch No. 30
Heaven Tree #webring
https://heaventree.xyz/An alliance of brothers in Christ. Its theme is #christian masculinity. Created by tfaz, the group has its own search engine, forum and feed aggregator. Praise be to their project and efforts, yo! ⛪
#faith #christianity #jesus #god #patriarchy #bible #forum #web #indieweb #smallweb #webdev #retro #tech #html #programming
5765~mastodon
If you have a personal blog and would like to talk about the concept of community / belonging, this month I'm hosting the IndieWeb carnival on this theme.
It's open to everyone and you can participate in French, so don't hesitate :)https://alexsirac.com/indieweb-carnival-community-and-belonging/
5977~mastodon
I've only used #Syncthing from phone to desktop, but it is also incredible from phone to phone, especially migrating stuff and such
1648~mastodon
websites do not need to have ads
9310~mastodon
#webrings watch No. 29
the Self-Insert #webring
https://webring.koinuko.pink/index.phpWith nearly 900 members this special clique is back, and better than ever, in V2! You'll be hard pressed to find a manager as diligent and passionate as Koinuko; be sure to give them both a look!
#love #relationships #anime #fantasy #indieweb #smallweb #webdev #retro #tech #html #web #cartoon #show #fiction #fun #programming
7139~mastodon
In praise of syndication by @thefranke
https://www.tobias-franke.eu/log/2019/08/07/in-praise-of-syndication.html
8232~mastodon
#webrings watch No. 28
The #IndieWeb #webring
https://xn--sr8hvo.ws/directorySince 2018,
@schmarty has been kicking butt and writing code in an effort to bring the Personal Web just a little bit closer together. This is one of my favorites, join today!#tech #webdev #retro #html #programming #web #smallweb #random
4130~mastodon
I'm a big fan of 'Over the Garden Wall'. If you like animation and love the autumn season vibe, I strongly recommend it. It only takes 11min to give it a chance and less than 2 hours to finish 😊 🍂 🎃
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over_the_Garden_Wall
#cartoon #fall #autumn #tv #show #holidays #holiday #halloween #spooky #fun #pumpkin #overthegardenwall
4566~mastodon
#webrings watch No. 27
the AutisTBH #webring
https://autistbh.neocities.org/While centered around personal & special interest pages, any site made with #autism is welcome! Join today!
#tech #webdev #retro #html #programming #web #SmallWeb #indieweb #autistic #rights #accessibility #a11y
1352~mastodon
@accordionpolar That's totally okay! :D It was a fun topic. I'm really excited for your topic in January!
4896~mastodon
@pablo Hello! Hope all is well! Just writing to let you know that while I had every intention of participating in your IndieWeb Carnival this month, I didn't make it :( I'll be reading each and every one though! Thank you for your effort and topic this month!
0320~mastodon
@accordionpolar oooh yay it looks nice and active too!
9915~mastodon
@sarajw Awesome, yo! Consider checking out the forum: https://forum.melonland.net/
1120~mastodon
@accordionpolar @mk ooooo!
I'm also very tempted to join the https://melonland.net project! Love the look and feel :)
3863~mastodon
#webrings watch No. 26
MelonLand Surf Club #webring
https://melonland.net/surf-clubAre you aware of #web revival? From forums and guides to art projects and blogs @mk is working hard to keep the web wild! Join today!
#SmallWeb #indieweb #retro #forums #art #tech #webdev #html #programming #fun #friends #blog
7360~mastodon
My Lolcow & Me
https://foreverliketh.is/blog/my-lolcow-me/Moo 🐮
#comedy #funny #lol #cow #milk #blog #writing #indieweb #smallweb #hugo #web #friends
9445~mastodon
#webrings watch No. 25
*nixRing 🐧
https://teethinvitro.neocities.org/webring/linuxring/Do you own a website? Do you use a Unix-like operating system? Are you an enthusiast of the GNU/Linux kernel? Then this is the place is for you, join today!
#linux #tech #retro #indieweb #foss #smallweb #webdev #html #code #programming #web #gnu #webring
5261~mastodon
You've Never Seen Copyright
https://blog.giovanh.com/blog/2023/10/25/youve-never-seen-copyright/by @giovan
And that's a damn shame...
2064~mastodon
#webrings watch No. 24
Lainchan #webring
https://sizeof.cat/post/lainring/Started by yukinu.com, this webring is incredibly unique. Diverse and decentralized, the project is a testament to what strangers can accomplish when they come together online. Consider contributing today!
#anime #tech #retro #90s #indieweb #SmallWeb #webdev #html #code #programming #web #cyberpunk
6718~mastodon
#webrings watch No. 23
#a11y #webring club
https://a11y-webring.club/Made for digital accessibility practitioners and managed by @eric
Digital accessibility is the practice of making technology able to be used by disabled people. Join today!
#accessibility #retro #indieweb #smallweb #webdev #html #code #programming #web #css
5731~mastodon
@accordionpolar Fair enough! I don't expect everyone will suddenly drop the use of 88x31 buttons, but I think more options would be very beneficial.
8765~mastodon
@yequari I don't agree with this post, but I really enjoyed reading it, homie. Thanks for writing it!
5639~mastodon
Why are we still using 88x31 buttons?
https://yequari.com/blog/2023/10/no-more-88x31-buttons/
1179~mastodon
#webrings watch No. 22
retronaut #webring
https://webring.dinhe.net/"Some of us miss the messy old days of the Internet where we tried to get along and we'd link to each other's sites and it was all so much fun." If you feel the same, then join today!
#retro #90s #indieweb #smallweb #webdev #html #code #programming #web #random
2225~mastodon
#webrings watch No. 21
Yu-Gi-Oh! #webring
https://whimwitch.neocities.org/ygoring/It's time to d-d-d-d dive into this card game / anime inspired clique. The owner, Whim, is a legitimate fan and avid webmaster. Consider giving both a visit!
#yugioh #tabletop #anime #trading #indieweb #smallweb #webdev #html #code #programming #web
2771~mastodon
"As you gather more of the quiet web into your readership, you will notice the negative effects of the traditional loud web more. And once you get used to the quiet web, you may never want to go back."
2409~email
Amy / angeleyesprings.neocities.org —> Me
October 23, 2023
Hi,
I added your button back on my site. Yay! Thanks for displaying mine : )
Hope you’re having a nice day (´▽`)
3081~mastodon
#webrings watch No. 20
Generation Lissa #webring
https://genlissa.neocities.org/Time for a blast from the past! Did you start making websites in the late 90s/early 00s and are still here, making personal websites or blogs? Then @darnielle has the clique for you! Join today!
#90s #retro #blog #indieweb #SmallWeb #webdev #html #code #programming #web
3254~mastodon
If you aren't reading Manu's 'People & Blogs' series, truly consider checking it out, yo.
Always insightful to read what, why, how, etc. people are cultivating the Personal Web!
P&B: Jim Nielsen
https://manuelmoreale.com/pb-jim-nielsen
7907~mastodon
I've had a go at my own response to Bix and Kev :)
7347~mastodon
Blogs, Gardens, And Thinking Aloud In Public - BDB: https://bix.blog/2023/Oct/20/blogs-gardens-and-thinking-aloud-in-public/
Kev Quirk's response: https://kevquirk.com/blogs-gardens-and-thinking-aloud-in-public
5666~mastodon
#webrings watch No. 19
silly city
https://silly.city/a #webring for nerds, sillies, queers & miau! If your on the Personal Web to kick back and have a good time then does @ari666 have the clique for you!
#nerd #geek #queer #gay #silly #indieweb #SmallWeb #webdev #html #code #programming #web
9461~guestbook
Me —> Amy / angeleyesprings.neocities.org
10/20/2023, 5:53 AM (EDT)
Hi there! Thanks for visiting! I’ve added your site to my button wall! Consider having one of your own and if you do, add me :^) I’m a fan of some animes and manga too, consider checking out cabbage sorter! She loves the stuff too and does tons of cool writing on it: https://cabbagesorter.neocities.org/anime_manga_reviews
9442~mastodon
More people should #blog just for the hell of it.
5442~mastodon
#webrings watch No. 18
Alterhuman Summoning Circle
https://feelingmachine.moe/alterring/Alterhuman individuals are people who have experiences or an identity which they perceive as being alternative to or outside common societal ideas of humanity. Sound like you? Then join nephro's altering today!
#furry #otherkin #vampire #indieweb #SmallWeb #webdev #html #code #programming #web
3553~mastodon
#webrings watch
No. 17: geekring
https://geekring.net/Y'know? I was gonna define #geek but everyone seems to have a different definition... Tell me yours! And then join this #webring today!
#nerd #indieweb #smallweb #webdev #html #code #programming #web
9482~mastodon
#webrings watch
No. 16: draconic #webring
https://www.cyberdragon.digital/rings/draconic/Are you a #dragon devotee? "If your website features dragons, you yourself are a dragon, or you just love dragons", then join frost's flight! 🐉
#indieweb #smallweb #webdev #html #code #programming #web #medieval #fantasy
7818~mastodon
i made a smol project: a collection of articles written by other people on their stories of the internet, love letters to personal websites, resisting capitalism's hold on the web, etc: https://projects.kwon.nyc/internet-is-fun/
8119~thoughts
Oct 16, 2023 - 12:34PM
“For some reason we forget that the goal of an influencer’s existence is simply to sell us something. We forget that they are the new marketing billboards, the most efficient ever created.” - Living the Life of Others (LLO) by Yaidel
9809~mastodon
#webrings watch
No. 15: void.shrooms
https://void.shroom.ink/Are you a #fungi freak? Well then, does @rodfire8181 have the clique for you! With custom art and a lot of effort this webring is worth the truffle!
6618~mastodon
#webrings watch
No. 14: #freespeech #webring
https://thecozy.cat/web-revival/join-the-webring/Are you a first amendment fanatic? Well then, does @TheCozyCat have the clique for you! Check it out! Sign up! :fediverse:
2722~mastodon
Into the Personal-Website-Verse - Matthias Ott: https://matthiasott.com/articles/into-the-personal-website-verse
5879~mastodon
WOOHOOO! https://marigold.town/ is LIVE! <3 the webhost with a small-town vibe is up and residency applications are open!
i hope if you have any interest in personal websites, #indieweb, or #webdev, you'll give it a look over and check out all of our amazing residents! :) they put in a lot of work to get their shops up by launch, but we did it! :')
thank you to everyone who's participating so far and those who have been interested. i'm so glad there's so many people who are interested in bringing some whimsy back into the #internet <3 i hope they inspire you to create your own whimsical personal website, if even it's just about something you enjoy.
this project has been super fun to launch, and there's more coming! residency applications are open, if you're game! :)
5009~thoughts
Oct 03, 2023 - 10:28PM
I swear I’ve heard this s— irl:
“If your life was a movie genre, which would it be?”
Cringe comedy. Your question is proof.
6748~mastodon
IndieWeb Carnival October 2023 - Self Care and Routine: https://lifeofpablo.com/blog/indieweb-carnival-october-2023
3809~devastatia
Me –> 💕 Devastatia 💕
Wow, you seem kinda nuts… A-W-E-S-O-M-E, yo! I love intensity. Nice to e-meet ya!
So, my current #1 forum is Agora Road and we have a thread I think you should consider checking out: The Personal Web
Welcome to basement community, btw! Sorry I haven’t been posting on there recently but I keep meaning to, lol.
4166~mastodon
The round-up of September's IndieWeb Blog Carnival is now up at https://www.jeremycherfas.net/blog/delightful-weathers, with contributions from @accordionpolar and many others.
See how people like you responded to the prompt “My Kind of Weather”.
9614~mastodon
@etp My IndieWeb Carnival Submission!
https://foreverliketh.is/blog/my-kind-of-weather/
Nice to e-meet you btw! Also, I was interested in hosting a month, let me know yea?
8417~thoughts
Sep 26, 2023 - 2:59PM
It’s the vitamin D. It’s gotta B.
9662~mastodon
Blogging, old-school style, with a call for you to consider submitting something to the IndieWeb Blog Carnival, now on its fourth successful month.
https://www.jeremycherfas.net/blog/indieweb-blog-carnival-reminder
9629~mastodon
https://brisray.com/web/webring-tech.htm Web Ring Tech. What's old is new again. #webring #smallweb #yesterweb
4044~mastodon
Predicting childhood trauma? Lol
https://foreverliketh.is/blog/world-of-troubles/
#blog #writing #indieweb #smallweb #webdev #oldweb #retro #hugo #parenting #children #future
3374~mastodon
New site just dropped :cheesy:
3647~mastodon
so excited to announce my webhosting project! part webhost, part collaborative project, part visual search engine of the personal web.
marigold town is now taking residency applications, especially those interested in becoming early adopters: https://marigold.town/
4729~mastodon
Hello, authen! Nice to e-meet ya! I'm writing cause I've been meaning to grow my button wall and was wondering if you'd be willing to exchange buttons? This is mine:
https://foreverliketh.is/docs/connectivism/home-page/buttons/foreverliketh.is.png
I've already added yours, no hard feelings if not, yo. Peace!
4675~mastodon
New blog post about #BearBlog, a blogging platform for the small web: https://lostletters.neocities.org/2023/09/14/static-blogging-small-web #neocities #StaticSite
4848~mastodon
New blog post about #BearBlog, a blogging platform for the small web: https://lostletters.neocities.org/2023/09/14/static-blogging-small-web #neocities #StaticSite
2132~mastodon
@bradenslen Hello! Nice to e-meet you. Am I correct in understanding you run indieseek.xyz? I've been interested in adding my site for almost a year now... Do you think that would be possible? Also, do you know what happened to the forums?
4579~mastodon
Rediscover the Personal Web!
~ Kagi Small Web ~
Blog Post:
https://blog.kagi.com/small-webWebsite:
https://kagi.com/smallwebRSS Feed:
https://kagi.com/api/v1/smallweb/feed#blog #writing #webring #webrings #indieweb #smallweb #webdev #oldweb
9556~mastodon
@accordionpolar Thank you for the kind words! They inspire me to write more about my web adventures LOL.
5740~mastodon
@darylsun Your small web adventures are great, yo! Thank you for always taking the time to write about them
7477~mastodon
This week — Blog Customization 2: Electric Boogaloo & Week 10's Revenge:
https://blog.darylsun.page/2023/08/28/week-16-accessibility-speed-cliques-fanlistings
4620~mastodon
Sometimes I feel like people consider a life without travel a lesser one. So I wrote this as a little bit of a dark side to all the rainbows and unicorn poop people hype up traveling to be. Hope you get something out of it, reader!
https://foreverliketh.is/blog/wherever-you-go/
#blog #writing #indieweb #smallweb #hugo #travel #vacation #tourism #life
5616~thoughts
Aug 11, 2023 - 9:58PM
It is 2023.
Friday is our holy day.
Saturday, if you disagree.
But anybody saying Sunday,
is a “man out of time”…
Or Luke Smith.
Whichever comes first.
3097~thoughts
Jul 04, 2023 - 2:28AM
“everything lost will be recovered, when you drift into the arms of the undiscovered”
~ Melon (The Monkees - Me & Magdalena)
Hmm.
9694~thoughts
May 24, 2023 - 4:08PM
There was some good, there was some bad.
I’ve got to listen to the flags.
8734~thoughts
Apr 20, 2023 - 9:04PM
“You’ll never amount to anything.”
I wonder if I’d be a better teacher if I occasionally told my students that.
Prove me wrong, kid.
2812~thoughts
Mar 30, 2023 - 12:04AM
~ Diamonds, Yo ~
Students gifted with light.
To witness is a sight.
Hold a candle? Not quite.
I don’t put up a fight.
7764~thoughts
Mar 28, 2023 - 6:53PM
Have something that serves as a bill / subscription reminder app. You’ll appreciate having your payments organized and not being caught by surprise.
5847~thoughts
Mar 04, 2023 - 4:05AM
Beautiful lecture: Allegory of the Cave
4257~thoughts
Feb 27, 2023 - 9:23PM
I seem to never find the space.
No, I can never maintain pace.
Will I ever stop this chase?
GEORGE, please grant me some digital grace.
4768~thoughts
Feb 14, 2023 - 6:28AM
“The more you expect love, the more difficult it will be for love to flow back to you.”
9837~thoughts
Feb 06, 2023 - 5:20PM
Beneath the waves,
sinking deeper.
I do.
5605~email
Me —> Ray “brisray” Thomas
February 5, 2023
Thank you for taking the time to let me know. I’m relieved to hear my worst thought was not the case.
It seems the MelonLand Forums are becoming more private, and it seemed the reason was because quite a few members did not feel comfortable having their writing be public. After I left, I confess: I still read it. I left only in participation. It’s how I learned about your work. Reading that non-members reading the forums made members upset, got me a little down. And while I was down, I sent you my message. I’ve left the forum completely now.
I’m not surprised to hear how hard you work, your site also reflects that.
I look forward to reading your article, I’ll keep an eye on https://brisray.com/utils/updates.htm
I respect a lot your reverence for webrings and their intent. I have joined a few webrings that do not apply to me… I choose to hot potato the remorse to their managers. I’m treating the endeavor a bit like a game. What do I have to do for a webring (or similar) to let me join? If it’s doable, I’ll probably do it. “Jayden” came about because I was in communication with the manager of nownownow.com, Derek Sivers and he told me that true anonymity meant not sticking out. He wrote me his thoughts and then told me he was going to write an article about it, and then he did: https://sive.rs/anon
Honestly, though, it’s really more just about my site fitting the mold of his website, all the pages have a profile, see example here: https://nownownow.com/p/3c5D It inspired me to write that blog post as a symbolic response. I choose deliberate anonymity, it is a personal artistic choice for my site. He hasn’t gotten back to me, I’m assuming because it’s the weekend. I would quite like to join already.
Google says Jayden means thankful.
I am very much Jayden to you, Mr. Thomas.
3618~email
Ray “brisray” Thomas —> Me
February 4, 2023
You haven’t upset me at all. It’s Jayden isn’t it?
Sometimes I get busy with other things and my emails take second place to those for a little while. Sometimes I have so much running around my head I don’t know what to do first. I have lists of things I have to or want to do. I’ve got a list at work and a couple at home. Things I have to do around the house and things I want to do with the websites and my server. That last is 32 pages long at the moment.
I think of myself as the “public face” of a college at a university. I look after their websites, social media and help with conference organization - mostly creating posters, advertising the things, that sort of stuff. A two line email from some of the people who work there can mean a week’s worth of work for me.
The best was “Can you change the style of my department page for me? It’s only a little bit of CSS.” The CSS that controls our sites is compressed and even then is 5,000 lines long! It’s just grown over the years because we have to cater for all sorts of weird and wonderful things. We’re going through a site design and those take us around 2 years to complete. It’s not my first rodeo!
The emails I get about my own site are the same. Because of the things I write about, some people think I am the fount of all knowledge on some subjects. “My great, great uncle was at Muller’s Orphanage in 1883. Do you know anything about it?” Emails like that, if I take them on, can take weeks of research.
It’s certainly not your site that upset me. I find it interesting. It, among other places, especially those writing about Web 1, retro sites and Neocities got me thinking about writing a new article. I started writing websites in the olden days and can remember what Web 1 actually was, what we thought Web 2 then Web 3 and even what is now called Web 3.0 should be.
Web 1 was about getting ourselves seen, it was completely democratic, we could write about whatever we wanted, share what we knew about any subject with anyone and everyone without going through publishers and reviewers. It certainly wasn’t just about dumping every bright sparkly gif we could find on the pages - even though some did.
Then there’s the Fediverse. There has to be better ways of communicating than the huge commercial sites, but chopping yourself off from the mainstream probably isn’t the way to do it. That was tried in the olden days as well with the various newsgroups, chat programs and so on. I don’t need to make any more accounts on places like Discord or Mastadon, I’ve got more than enough as it is.
I don’t think I am eligible to join https://macaque.neocities.org/autiring/. I have some autistic traits but am not autistic, but then I have never been tested. I think I might be mildly dyslexic and have some little symptoms of Tourette’s (it’s probably not, but I move my hands a lot and sometimes talk aloud about things I’m thinking about) but I haven’t been tested for those either. You have to remember I come from a generation where little of things were known about and we certainly were not tested for them unless our behaviour was more than a little odd.
Take care,
Ray
6248~email
Me —> Ray “brisray” Thomas
February 4, 2023
Mr. Thomas. I just wanted to write that if my last message upset you in any way, that it was not my intention, and that I am sincerely sorry. I recognize some parts of the message could have been written with more care.
I… meant everything in the most positive way possible. If it was my site that upset you, I’m sorry, I know some parts of it can be intense.
If you don’t want to speak me to me, that’s fine as well. I will not communicate with you any further beyond this message.
Thank you for pointing out Will and Injuries with me, they were indeed very relevant to my inquiry.
Forever in your debt (and at your service), Ever
6558~mastodon
~ #webrings watch ~
No #webring today 😢 , but here is an awesome web page about their history written by Ray Thomas (brisray):https://brisray.com/web/webring-history.htm
A must-read in my opinion!
8927~email
Me —> Ray “brisray” Thomas
January 30, 2023
JESUS-CHRIST. No wonder you think you’re immortal! I’MMM STARTING TO BELIEVE IT! There’s something– How can– Fuck! And who puts their “wisdom” on the “injuries” page?
No, but in full seriousness: it’s perfect.
Introspection. Yes, I suppose that’s the term for it. But I find it fascinating how insignificant it is to you. And I believe you… your website exudes that attitude. I worry that comes off as having insulting intent, it does not. I basically live in my head, which you makes you interesting to read to me, but like in addition to how compelling your stories are on their own.
Yes, your writings are incredibly thorough. Obsessive is a good word. I’ve only borne witness to that kind of thing in the autistic. Again, no insulting intent, just trying to build a case so you can join: https://macaque.neocities.org/autiring/
Back on track, I stand by my request for an introspection page, but a Ray one. I’ve no interest in it otherwise. I’m sure I don’t have to say that, but your uncertainty compels me to reassure. If a Ray one means no page… Wonderful! Halfheartedness is certain to disappoint me.
I pissed myself repeatedly reading https://brisray.com/will/ It is an incredible tribute, majestically written. I could feel the love. I wrote briefly about preservation recently. The page’s beauty could never match the real thing’s, but through it, you give visitors a piece. And with the quality of that page, it is one heck of a piece. I’m sorry for your loss. 🕯️
Thank you for all your time and effort in communicating with me,
Ever
9235~email
Ray “brisray” Thomas —> Me
January 29, 2023
Mr. Thomas? So formal! it’s just Ray. And what do I call you?
Self-hosting is great. I just run Apache web server and all you need is a domain name, some sort of DNS manager, an editor and some sort of file transfer mechanism. I use WinSCP but there are loads of others.
A modern setup would use Docker which is more secure, but I’ve never had any problems with my “old school” setup.
An Introspection?
Lol. I don’t know about that. Perhaps I will. I think I’ve had an interesting life. I’m 64 years old, British, and been living in the US for the last 22.
I am probably one of the least demonstrative people you’ll ever meet but I am an Alpha Male according to tests I took in the army and at college. A strange mixture of traits, but it means I do more or less what I want and am very independent. I refused to become a sergeant in the army twice because I’m certainly not “Sergeant Rock” material, but it turned out I wasn’t bad at leading people. But I’m not like that as my natural nature, but I am empathic, but not to myself. I do not examine my own feelings in any great way.
I’m also a bit obsessive. I always have been. Once interested in something, I follow it through to the end.
I’m not unintelligent, and with my other traits, am usually successful in anything I put my mind to. That doesn’t include making a ton of money as I’m not particularly materialistic. I’m probably an advertisers worst nightmare.
22 years ago I got asked something similar by the owner of a website called The Angel Harris Collection. An interesting site, now long gone, but all I could think of writing about was about one aspect of my life which led to the writing of the pages at https://brisray.com/ray/injury1.htm
I am the eternal optimist and happy with who I am. I just have one disappointment. When I was 18, I got it into my head that I was going to live forever. Now I’m 64 and already lost some really good friends, some I’ve known for 40 years, I think I might be mortal after all. My mate Will, who I knew for 40 years and who committed suicide. The longest, loneliest, most miserable flight back to the UK I ever had to make - https://brisray.com/will/
Wow - I’m crying again thinking of him! My friends are dear to me.
Anyway, maybe I’ll write something about myself, an introspection. Perhaps it’s time to. Then again, I might not. We’ll see.
Ray
2015~email
Me —> Ray “brisray” Thomas
January 29, 2023
I imagine one-day, not far from now, I too will have to undergo a pilgrimage to Mt. Self Host. It’s an interesting dichotomy, convenience and resilience. It’s because I’ve read your story of the lost webrings that I’m heading more in that decentralized direction. Maybe not a good word to use right now (decentralized), with all those cryptocurrency influencers / grifters throwing it about. I don’t mean to attack cryptocurrencies if you’re into that, by the way, just a certain type of people.
I’ve never been more social than I am right now with the website. The anonymity-distance helps a bit with it, I guess, I certainly could never use social media in the normal sense. In my opinion, online communities are their strongest when small; though Melon has wisely pointed out faults specifically with even that characteristic.
Anyway, I have a personal request. And based on what I’ve read from your website, you, at the very least, consider those. I want to emphasize that this is a humble request, not a demand, nor a suggestion. And that I could never harbor hard feelings if you said no. I’m also quite certain you don’t have this on your site, I looked pretty hard…
One of my favorite things to find on any website I visit is… well, I don’t really know what to call it. Reflections? Life advice? Wisdom? I’ve read a letter of advice a father wrote for his daughter, writings of what a person would say to their younger-self, reflections of lessons learned over the course of years and decades. They are my favorite things to read, but you’ll have to forgive that I don’t have a personal example to share with you (the audacity of my request, right?).
I do not know you, Mr. Thomas, but from the window you’ve shared, I feel you’d be capable of fulfilling this request. Do you think you’d be willing to write something of this nature? To share it on your site? I… would not comment on it; I’d just want to read it.
Thank you so much for responding to my last email, All the best.
2049~email
Ray “brisray” Thomas —> Me
January 29, 2023
Hiya,
What a nice email! I’m not creeped out at all.
20+ years ago when I started the site I had no idea what I was doing! It turned out the way it did because I like writing about what I get interested in. Compared to some it’s very plain, but that’s because I’m not very artistic as all, all I know is how to research and write.
When I started it, search engines were not very good and the only way our smaller personal sites could get found was through the webrings and that’s why they were so popular. Now the search engines are huge, but so is the internet - 2 billion websites now! The new webrings are a bit disorganized but I hope they get better. They should be just as important now as they were back then but I think many of them will simply disappear. People will get bored and move on to the next shiny thing.
Centralization of them wasn’t too bad. People made the big systems because they saw the need for them and saw them as a service to us all rather than anything commercial. The Rail, one of the first, ran for over 20 years until the guy running it just ran out of steam and didn’t want to do it anymore.
WebRing had a very mixed history. I think the guy running it wanted to make a little money from it but didn’t know how, then when Yahoo! got hold of it, between them they ruined it. Yahoo! did that a lot back in the day. It was disheartening when they all started to close down. For many sites that was the end of nearly all their visitors.
Many of the big free webhosts went nuts after a while. All started doing weird things to the free sites they hosted, banner and pop-up ads were all over them. In the end I got fed up with all and turned to self-hosting the sites on my own server.
I have mixed feelings about forums and social media in general. I can see their value to some people but I get bored with them, stop using them for a while then go back to them. Some are like picking at scabs, you know you shouldn’t, but you just can’t stop for long.
I can understand the hissy fit. Sometimes it’s hard to read the spirit something was written in, but some people should stay away from a keyboard until they feel a bit better.
I read both articles. I have a backlink page somewhere, now I’m afraid to look at it! Mainly because I know that by now most of the sites will have disappeared. It’s sad, but many home-grown sites will not last to see their second birthday.
I know there are alternatives to the traditional web, and I’ve made accounts all over the place like Discord, and some on the Fediverse stuff. Sometimes it feels everything is too diverse, I have enough accounts to things I don’t use very often and really don’t want to create a whole raft of new ones.
I didn’t know I was admitted to the Geek Ring! I added the links to https://brisray.com/utils/webrings.htm
Take care,
Ray
6997~email
Me —> Ray “brisray” Thomas
January 29, 2023
Hope all is well.
I wanted to thank you for all the amazing work you’ve been doing regarding webrings. I L-O-V-E your history & technology pages in particular, but you’ve clearly also been putting in a lot of work into the list.
I apologize for MY list, as it eventually left the bounds of being webrings exclusive. It certainly didn’t start off that way! I’d like to be a useful resource for you as well, so I’ll mull over some way to isolate the webrings portion of my research.
I adored everything you had to say on the webring technology page. One thing I’ve been thinking about that you didn’t address (perhaps on purpose?) is the centralization aspect of them. You have experienced their lifespan more intensely than most. Just like the ones you remember, I’d bet a pound to a penny, these will die just the same.
One thing I’ve recently committed to with my aggregation work is to decentralize / back them up. I’m not so arrogant to think my site will live a life as long (and beautiful) as yours, but if I can give just a little push in that direction.
The most interesting “webring” group out of all the ones I’ve encountered (in my opinion ofc) are the lain channers (I don’t think they’re called that). They… don’t really have webring, so perhaps you might already be clocking out, but their attitude of decentralization and individual responsibility it makes the whole thing so durable, so malleable, so resistant. On your list you link to a copy of it (I made the same mistake at first), but there really is no central, single one.
Not that I’m about eternal life mind you (yes, haha, irony) just that if a value of these things is to connect, then barnacles, they could stand to be a little more durable!
Anyways, I’ve bothered (and probably creeped you out) long enough. Some last points before I go:
Cheapskate has 2 articles you may be interested in:
I would’ve written to you via the MelonLand Forums but I kinda messed up there and left in a minor hissy fit. You should check out the Yesterweb Forum.
You’re on the Geekring, put it on your site! And consider joining these: The Claw, Safonts, devring.club
Wishing nothing but the best for you and yours.
3361~thoughts
Jan 29, 2023 - 11:14PM
EPIC: The Musical is going to be huge someday soon. Bet.
7450~mastodon
Epic: The Musical is going to be huge someday soon. Bet.
#epicthemusical #epic #greek #mythology #broadway #musical #theater
5353~mastodon
~ #webrings watch ~
Posting a new way to connect with the indie web every day!Day #5: The Claw Webring
https://whitep4nth3r.com/Truly a labour of love, whitep4nth3r's #webring is a professional, yet underappreciated work-of-art. Go show her, & it, some love.
5121~mastodon
@xandra Thank YOU for all the time and effort you've dedicated to the project.
6573~mastodon
@accordionpolar omg! thank you! :)
1279~mastodon
Oh thanks that’s a great explainer (and walk down memory lane)
7306~mastodon
@ProgGrrl @xandra But for those wanting a TLDR: They are a system that groups and links web sites of similar content together.
6997~mastodon
@ProgGrrl @xandra Absolutely, Ray Thomas (brisray) actually has an amazing section of his website dedicated to answering exactly this.
0967~mastodon
Hi there… I think like 10 years ago I used to know what a Webring was. But can you remind me or direct me at a good explainer? 🤓
0267~mastodon
~ #webrings watch ~
Posting a new way to connect with the indie web every day!Day #4: The Safonts Webring
https://xandra.cc/safonts/One of the most stylish of the bunch, @xandra #webring values sites with style. Go show her & it some love!
7483~mastodon
~ #webrings watch ~
Posting a new way to connect with the indie web every day!Day #3: The Self-Insert Webring
https://koinuko.pink/shipping/webring/joinwebring
Koinuko's webring is a bit odd, but she puts in a lot of effort every month adding new people. Go show her & it some love!
2295~mastodon
~ #webrings watch ~
Posting a new way to connect with the indie web every day! Day #2: @GraycotLoop Ring
https://loop.graycot.dev/member-list.htmlExplore it! Join it! Show some love for all the time and effort put into it!
Stop letting the internet revolve around giant corporate sites. Thank you.
3597~mastodon
~ Birth of a series ~
#webrings watch
Every day, I'll post a new way to connect with the indie web. Day #1: @bucketfishbucket #webring
https://webring.bucketfish.me/Explore it! Join it! Show some love for all the time and effort put into it!
Stop letting the internet revolve around giant corporate sites. Thank you.
2540~mastodon
Just wanted to give a shoutout to Bring Back Blogging & Ash Huang, as it's been my main source of motivation to start my blog. 1 more to go! ✊
6558~thoughts
Jan 21, 2023 - 1:26PM
🎶 Keep your friends close and your enemies closer
You never really know who you can trust 🎶
7193~mastodon
It's 2023: Students Hate Movies
https://foreverliketh.is/blog/its-2023-students-hate-movies/
MY SECOND EVER BLOG POST!!
I really didn't think I'd ever be doing this. Open to any and all feedback!#technology #education #teaching #edtech #blog #indieweb #hugo #film #movie #youtube #tiktok
5506~mastodon
My First. Ever. Blog Post!!!
I'm very proud 🦚
And humbly open to any and all feedback!https://foreverliketh.is/blog/chatgpt-student-report-card-comments/
#chatgpt #ai #technology #education #teaching #edtech #blog #indieweb #hugo
3815~mastodon
History of Web Browser Engines from 1990 until today
6975~mastodon
I added a "Guestbook" to my personal site!
Feel free to drop by and sign it however you please:
https://foreverliketh.is/docs/connectivism/guestbook/
Also open to any thoughts / suggestions on its implementation.
6814~thoughts
Jan 06, 2023 - 7:59AM
Oh. Hello there, little void.
Sorry, got a bit distracted.
Met some cool people.
3302~mastodon
I'm ashamed of how difficult this was for me.
https://https://foreverliketh.is/docs/assortmetion/home-page/foreverlikethis88x34.gif
@dazego@social.tchncs.de
2175~mastodon
I am grateful for what was given.
Hunter x Hunter Manga Goes Back on Hiatus - https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-12-25/hunter-x-hunter-manga-goes-back-on-hiatus/.193300
6514~mastodon
LolPass
9586~mastodon
A great initiative https://bringback.blog/
7485~thoughts
Dec 22, 2022 - 5:42PM
It does sound stupid.
8439~mastodon
@b0rk How kind! Thank you! 🙏
4223~mastodon
I know $12 USD is a lot of money for some people, so to celebrate 1000 sales, I'm giving away 1000 copies of The Pocket Guide to Debugging (honour system: please only use the free link if you can't afford $12!)
Here’s the link, use code BUYONEGIVEONE at checkout to get a free copy https://store.wizardzines.com/products/the-pocket-guide-to-debugging-pdf(I can't disable the billing address prompt but you can just enter a fake address like 123 Fake st, new york NY 12345, (123) 123 4567 :))
1762~mastodon
Been into webrings lately. @sadness has a really cool 'Surf the Web' page: https://sadgrl.online/cyberspace/surf-the-web.html that helped me get started. Many thanks, sadness! #webdev #web #indieweb #website #webring
1040~mastodon
I think recent developments have shown that there's really no safer way to build an online presence than a platform you control: your own #website.
It might seem daunting to build one from scratch, which may lead you to one of the many “build a website without coding” platforms out there, but remember: you'll be locked into their platform and subject to their policies and mercy.
Static sites and the #jamstack make it easy for you to run your site under your own control. (1/2)
8118~thoughts
Dec 14, 2022 - 7:54PM
This is going to make me sound stupid, but it just clicked for me yesterday: “Social media is for socializing.” I hate social(izing?) / media, but recently I’ve been joining a bunch of webrings and one of them requires members to use it. I had been treating it a bit like ’thoughts’, and hating it. ’thoughts’ is for me, I can tolerate social media when it’s for others. Hearing about what they have to share, celebrating them, maybe participating slightly. I can manage that.
A (sad?) truth: I’m happier / more comfortable / safer in the void.
1046~mastodon
Never finished, only abandoned.
1006~thoughts
Dec 13, 2022 - 6:54PM
Counting the hours
9249~mastodon
@attacus Not just #podcasts too, #rss is still a great way to follow blogs, news sites, forums even if they don't make the RSS feed easy to find.
7639~mastodon
Talking too much.
2238~mastodon
I'm a member of the #Webring Enthusiasts of the Fediverse!
https://fediverse-webring-enthusiasts.glitch.me/
Consider joining us here:
https://fediverse-webring-enthusiasts.glitch.me/about.html
Not that I'm collecting them, but this makes 14:
https://foreverliketh.is/docs/assortments/webrings/#14-webring-enthusiasts-of-the-fediverse
1901~mastodon
Keeping up with #webring requirements:
- Use decentralized social media.
- Join a cult?
- Post repeatedly on an image board.
- Write stranger(s).
- Be a blogger.
- Be an artist.
- Participate in self-insert culture?
- Keep dat site light.
- Sufficient enthusiasm 4 cuddles.Most important though? Patience.
0622~mastodon
I mean it's not fair to say "you can't say everything bad is because capitalism" - the willingness to absolutely fucking merc your fellow man for profit long predates the actual structure of capitalism.
What makes capitalism the locus and engine that helps continue these abuses is that it absolutely normalizes, rewards, and exults this behavior. Furthermore it actively funds convincing you this is fine and normal. It's called "for profit media."
4344~mastodon
Always nice to find someone you feel is worth following.
5343~mastodon
Useful tool for generating RSS feeds:
https://createfeed.fivefilters.org/
1851~thoughts
Dec 06, 2022 - 2:23AM
Still alive. GEORGE bless antibiotics. But there’s definitely an underlying problem to solve.
7310~mastodon
5614~mastodon
"More weight"
8061~mastodon
"Relentlessly prune bullshit." - Paul Graham
- https://www.bullshitgenerator.com/
- https://www.makebullshit.com/
- https://www.sciencegeek.net/lingo.html
- https://www.atrixnet.com/academic-bs-generator.html
- https://www.atrixnet.com/bs-generator.htmlCause it's everywhere.
3338~mastodon
7033~mastodon
GEORGE
0155~mastodon
ICYMI: #WhatsApp data leak: 500 million user records for sale online
🧵
Threat actors might use this to cross reference phone numbers with other leaks/sources. Be on the lookout for #phishing attacks like vishing and smishing. You may also receive more unsolicited marketing + spam.
Users are also encouraged to switch to a more private and secure messaging platform.
#cybersecurity #security #infosec #privacy #opsec #dataleak #databreach
9103~mastodon
Alright. I've been told I need to get active on here...
Let's see if I can figure out what the fudge that means.
9958~email
Me —> Fediring.net
Understood.
Thank you for the transparent communication and encouragement. I will work on being active and submit again at a future date.
All the best.
7979~email
Fediring.net —> Me
Your website looks good, but I see that you just joined the fediverse and haven’t had any interactions yet; this ring is meant for people who are active on fedi. For now, we won’t be adding you to the ring. Once you’ve got a bit more of a history, however, feel free to send another request :)
4536~thoughts
Nov 28, 2022 - 5:18PM
Pretty sure I fixed the cough. Seems to have just been me ignoring my sinuses. GEORGE bless NeilMed.
Unfortunately, I think I got a more serious problem…
3104~thoughts
Nov 21, 2022 - 6:20PM
I felt lighter today. How cliché.
4224~thoughts
Nov 11, 2022 - 10:21PM
Got a cough that won’t go away. A little worried.
2470~thoughts
Nov 04, 2022 - 8:19PM
It means so little… It costs me so little. It’s the least I can do.
8676~thoughts
Oct 26, 2022 - 5:55PM
Throwing a frisbee around with friends is the best
Comments
Email: hi@foreverliketh.is