[BobbyB]

when the mods ban someone and we question it and the mods reply with a warning to get back in line or you'll be banned or the mods ban you for a week or two, this is not right.....

[ZombieSlayer]

Latest update from BrainTalk

UPDATE 08.24.06 It has taken me much longer than expected to at least get the front page here and chatrooms running. I ran into the need to update the operating system, which caused more problems (the OS is broken to the point where I cannot run incremental updates). I'm waiting for the latest full version of OSX Server on CDs so I can do a full wipe of the drives and reinstall everything from scratch. Disks should arrive in the mail on Sept 5th the latest. Once that's here, I'll install the newest version of vBulletin and recover as much of the data from backups as I possibly can. I'm so sorry the system has been down for as long as it has. Every step forward I've taken to try and restore things seems to knock me 2 steps back, plus I have been travelling for work a great deal the past month. But I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks for hanging in there. To get to the chatrooms, please visit: http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/chat/flashchat.php

I'm thinking that you use your BT name and pw to get in.

[Pamster]

http://www.cyber-soup.com/pamster/fl...ttutorial.html If anyone is new to the chat and wanting to see a preview of the features it has this tutorial I wrote has screenshots and details on how to use the chat.

Thank you so much ZombieSlayer for setting up the temporary flash chat, we really appreciated it more then words can say.

[aklap]

Thanks for the update!!

UPDATE 08.24.06 It has taken me much longer than expected to at least get the front page here and chatrooms running. I ran into the need to update the operating system, which caused more problems (the OS is broken to the point where I cannot run incremental updates). I'm waiting for the latest full version of OSX Server on CDs so I can do a full wipe of the drives and reinstall everything from scratch. Disks should arrive in the mail on Sept 5th the latest. Once that's here, I'll install the newest version of vBulletin and recover as much of the data from backups as I possibly can. I'm so sorry the system has been down for as long as it has. Every step forward I've taken to try and restore things seems to knock me 2 steps back, plus I have been travelling for work a great deal the past month. But I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks for hanging in there. To get to the BrainTalk chatrooms, please visit: http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/chat/flashchat.php

There should be a set of OSX disks that came with the new server [April 2005]. Couldn't the original set of disks be used to wipe out the server and then use Apple's Software Update to get it current from there? That'd get the server up and running sooner than 9/5/06

[ZombieSlayer]

Originally Posted by aklap

Thanks for the update!!



There should be a set of OSX disks that came with the new server [April 2005]. Couldn't the original set of disks be used to wipe out the server and then use Apple's Software Update to get it current from there? That'd get the server up and running sooner than 9/5/06

It's my understanding that the OS was faulty/buggy to begin with. BrainTalk isn't the only forums to go down running this version of MAC OS.

[ZombieSlayer]

I don't know if there is any truth in this.

Ok is that clear? Hope so

I got an email (actually quite a few) from people who were in BrainTalks chat rooms sometime yesterday evening. Chat Moderator #1 came on and said that Mr. Lester plans on having the forums up sometime during the weekend and that the discs did arrive on time.

Again, I don't know if this is true or a rumor....but it's the latest news I've heard.

Posted here because...well it's my update thread

[Chemar]

ZS you are a hoot (and a very helpful hoot at that )

BTW, where is Cagey? you seem kinda errr incomplete without your stalker

[ZombieSlayer]

I dunno where Cagey is

Originally Posted by Jeannie

After the last big crash on BT we all donated money for it to be fixed so it wouldn't happen again.

So much for it not happening again and for not keeping members updated.

The vast majority of members did not donate. There are tens of thousands of members and a very small proportion donated (I was one).

[LizaJane]

ZS, I never knew you of of you before BT2 and these threads, and you're a cool guy and I like you. I can tell you really like John, and feel protective of him, and I can tell that you don't want any of us to get hurt or have unrealistic expectations. You've actually done an incredible job of being tactful, diffusing tension, and reassuring as best you can.

But I'm mad at John. I don't know him, I used to think he was the greatest thing since buttered bread for bringing us braintalk, which helped me through getting diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy, and more recently, making a decision for spinal surgery. He brought me something wonderful.

But this is what I'm thinking. Braintalk is a community, a virtual community. John has become an expert in online communities. He LOVES Second Life. I have a friend who is very into it, and she finds it fun and challenging and enjoys the play she gets with it. John clearly loves it and has a group of friends, a life as an avatar, and a really good time being creative with it. So he's actually been able to get a job working for the people who make the product he loves so much, The ______labs. (I don't recall their name). He's been able to market himself to him as an expert in virtual communities and get hired and do something he loves.

But we're not actually a virtual community. We're not avatars with identities we've adopted. We're real people who exist beyond this board. And he's dropped this community cold for his community of avatars and their creators.

So, I'm angry at him for treating us like avatars, for using his work with us as a stepping stone to doing something more fun and more creative, and for having ego involved here which prevents him from just handing the thing over to someone who feels more passionately about it.

I mean, yeah, "anonymous" posts over and over on this thread suggesting we check the flickr sites where John posts his photos of his life. No ill intentions, she/he says. Nothing meant by it. But of course, that's a bit disingenuous. Anonymous has feelings about John blatantly showing how much fun he is having during his summer while he has not been attending to us. And I feel the same.

And it's frustrating that he really doesn't care that much in a personal way. I mean, look, here's Doc John, and he posts, he reads what's happening here himself, and he answers people's questions. He's transparent. John has made his little community of us, and keeps information to himself about the community, shows little empathy, and is treating us like we're no different from the characters in Second Life.

ZS--you've worked with him and you like him, and you're terrific here walking a fine line. But aren't you a bit mad yourself?

I mean, you know, I want to reach the guy and shake him a bit. I imagine an intervention, like one does with an alcoholic family member, where everyone in the family, all the friends, everybody who cares--corners the person and confronts him with the impact of his alcohol use on the people who care. I imagine somehow geting into his office with a bunch of us and letting him know how he's hurt us.

But I've looked at his Second Life profile, and the only way to get an appointment with John, is as an avatar, in the game, in the office he has there.

And that's a bit too much work.

You think there's any way we can have an impact on him and get him to care enough to do the right thing by us?

Also, you know, when he last asked for money, I was not cheap with him. I paypalled over to him $1000. I've never given that much to any one charity--it's huge for me. But you know, Braintalk had done so much for me and was doing so much for others, that I was happy to support it and assure its survival.

I mean what is with the guy?

LizaJane