[Thelma]

My thoughts are that this latest time out at Braintalk has to do with the trouble at Linden labs. He must be working to save his two sites there. They are connected to Braintalk in many ways. Perhaps he needs to keep Braintalk down until that is cleared up.

You know it could be a reason why he has kept the site down for so long.

The crash came in between the time they had a problem that must have alerted them and when they discovered what it was.

Maybe I got it............... maybe

[anonymous_no_more]

Originally Posted by Granola Liberal

The old forum (pre-hasty pastry) was CONSTANTLY going offline for weeks at a time. Sometimes, John would post a note apologizing for the inconvenience, sometimes not. There was a span where he didn't post on braintalk at all for nearly a year.

If, as Anonymous_no_More suggested, JL "saw all this silliness and lost the desire", he still owes his members the courtesy of an explanation. Concern over the well-being of members who are wholly dependent on a forum for their outside contact is hardly silliness!

A little communication and honesty go a long way.

GL
The "silliness" is not aimed at those that expressed their feelings of loss of support, rather, the offering of all kinds of "reasons/innuendo" for the "whys" of JL's inability to communicate.

Again, as I stated before, no one can make anyone else "do the right thing" or "want to do the right thing". That we are not experiencing the "desired state" is a given.

Rather than lament what we cannot control, take action on those things that we can...

Getting support here, is a great start. Waiting for JL to either "dig out" and communicate (as he has clearly, deeply hurt so many) is perhaps not worth the emotional effort. But, that is just my own POV...and usually not one agreed with or upon...

[annie]

imagine how we are going to feel if it turns out that the reason he is not communicating is because he is in the hospital learning firsthand what we already know about having brain problems.

imagine how we are going to feel if the problem is that someone close to him is very ill and he is spending all his time taking care of them.

imagine how we are going to feel if we discover that the reason he has abandoned us is that something bad has happened to him.

maybe we should stop criticizing and blaming him and start praying for him.

maybe we should think about his needs for a change instead of demanding that he should take care of ours.

[ConsiderThis]

Originally Posted by Chemar

John Lester did an amazing thing by forming BrainTalk Communities, and he is a brilliant and talented person too. That is an undisputed fact.

However, for the past two months thousands of people who desperately NEED BrainTalk have had no access to it, and I ache to think just what impact that has had on many many lives!

The scant updates and continued blank pages must be causing untold stress to numerous people whose health really cant handle it, and the handful of us who have found our way here are totally unaware of the true numbers out there, members and lurkers, who are severely disadvantaged by the loss of those forums.

For a "computer genius" like JL to have allowed it to progress this far is beyond my comprehension

I just wish there was a way to be able to notify all those hurting people that BT2 is here.

That's what I think. (I wish we could let everyone know about BT2, and yes, JL is very bright.)

but equally, there were people who were banned who did not understand why, and were hurt, I mean really hurt by the loss of the only community to which they belonged.

That was not good. I mean really.

So, from my point of view, watching that happen and the pain, I think he's not new to allowing people to be hurt.

In terms of the game... maybe that's all BT was to him. Maybe Second Life is an advance for him from BT.

Also remember that when BT was new he got massive notority because it was used, Used, to study interaction between people with neurological problems. That's quite different than just thinking of a way to help people...

I don't think there's anything wrong with studies... but... becoming famous that way, within a particular community, that's a big payoff. I think BT had gotten as big as it could get... and I think it was having serious problems, with all the bannings. So I think the chances of big payoffs in the future were... limited.

I just don't think something that is really good would ban people who needed the community so much. (Yes, I got banned. But I wasn't as involved as some of the people who were banned, nor am I quite a seriously affected by my illness. So to me, I missed it, but not as much as my friends missed it.)

[ConsiderThis]

Originally Posted by Chemar

Yikes! Arent you bein' a bit harsh there toward people who are simply asking for information and making comments in an open discussion forum (never mind the dog poop comment in your edit message!!!)

as to my comments, I intentionally said NOTHING about Second Life or anything related to it as I know nothing firsthand about it.

However, having been at BT for a loooong time, I made my comments based on what I did know firsthand, and that is that for two months the forums at BT have been down and it surprises me that someone of JLs computer skills has not had at the least more frequent updates, nevermind not gotten those boards or a new one up and running faster.
I also know firsthand that this has caused distress and health deterioration for some people who really depend on BT, and I feel pretty sure that there are countless more like them who have not yet found or been told about this board.
I am also puzzled that "politics" would have stood in the way ( I assume) of the update message that was last on BT (what now...2 weeks ago last?) as it didnt point people here as a temporary refuge.

Crucifying ? Most certainly not.
Confused and disappointed ? You bet!

I wasn't there as long as you -- at first, after being banned, I was going to do a forum... but then I thought that if one like BT with someone like JL running it could crash, then how could I keep one going, and I didn't want people to come to trust it and then be let down.

I had gotten the impression that crashing was very likely.

But... there are boards like the pbs one which have a lot of members and forums and posts, and they don't crash...

Or, I suppose it's possible that they simply haven't crashed while I've been around. I've only been there a couple years.

Nerve diseases are so different from measles, mumps, the kind of disease we encounter when we are kids.

I had tetanus, and now when I get stressed I have just horrible problems. I always feel as if the problems are with my muscles, but no, it's the nerves. My nerves were damaged and now stress really sets me back.

So I know how the loss of their community must have affected people for whom that was their major contact with others. To me, not posting updates (JL) and not suggesting places for people to go in the alternative, suggest something other than an altruistic intent.

[ConsiderThis]

Originally Posted by annie

imagine how we are going to feel if it turns out that the reason he is not communicating is because he is in the hospital learning firsthand what we already know about having brain problems.

imagine how we are going to feel if the problem is that someone close to him is very ill and he is spending all his time taking care of them.

imagine how we are going to feel if we discover that the reason he has abandoned us is that something bad has happened to him.

maybe we should stop criticizing and blaming him and start praying for him.

maybe we should think about his needs for a change instead of demanding that he should take care of ours.

Look, do you really imagine that any of these things could be true and he doesn't know anyone to make a post for him?

I was thinking, maybe I should get a break from having to feed my goldfish. I've had to think about their needs for so long. I think it's time they gave me a break. I want them to think about MY needs.

Is that reasonable?

[Bobbi]

User Name / Linda... Thanks... ((( for truly "getting it" ))). It means the world to me, personally, and I'm proud of you - for sharing how you felt, even when you read at 4 in the morn. .

As far as BT and L. Labs? I don't quite understand how folks come to the conclusion that something happening within L. Labs is connected with BT. L. Labs is where JL now works. (He has living expenses as do the rest of us ). It's in the educational outreach area he works; I'm sure his job description spells it out far better than I have paraphrased, though.

As many in SL know, I've utilized much of my time (and creative abilities in SL) to raise donations for BT and also for Brigadoon. Do I think John "owes" me anything? No. Why so not? He offered an avenue that led me to deeper self-discovery. I know, not all feel or think as I do. That's okay too.

What's difficult for me is reading comments by people discussing SL whom are not members, and somehow wanting to link BT's down time to a situation that L. Labs has been honest about with its own members. Security - via SL - was compromised, and ... L. Labs got on it right away and took measures to seal off "holes" and advised its members of steps to also take. There is nothing nefarious about it.

It saddens me to think that there are members of BT whom might envision that others (also members) haven't taken efforts to "earn our keep" within SL as well.

[spacy stacy]

Originally Posted by annie

imagine how we are going to feel if it turns out that the reason he is not communicating is because he is in the hospital learning firsthand what we already know about having brain problems.

imagine how we are going to feel if the problem is that someone close to him is very ill and he is spending all his time taking care of them.

imagine how we are going to feel if we discover that the reason he has abandoned us is that something bad has happened to him.

maybe we should stop criticizing and blaming him and start praying for him.

maybe we should think about his needs for a change instead of demanding that he should take care of ours.

Annie-

Well said. I couldn't agree more.

I wish he would post only to know that he is OK. However, if there is something serious going on (and what is going on at his job is not trivial), I understand why he is not posting or updating. Any good friend should.

My true friends understand if I don't get back to them right away when something serious is happening in my life. They are still there for me when the dust clears and I can join them once again.

I hope all is going to be OK with JL. I hope that BT will find its way back again. It has helped me greatly and I don't want to lose the wealth of info there. JL made a place for me to go and be heard, helped and hugged. I hope that we can do the same for him. That is what friends are for.

Just my thoughts for today.

Stacy

[Username]

Originally Posted by annie

imagine how we are going to feel if it turns out that the reason he is not communicating is because he is in the hospital learning firsthand what we already know about having brain problems.

imagine how we are going to feel if the problem is that someone close to him is very ill and he is spending all his time taking care of them.

imagine how we are going to feel if we discover that the reason he has abandoned us is that something bad has happened to him.

maybe we should stop criticizing and blaming him and start praying for him.

maybe we should think about his needs for a change instead of demanding that he should take care of ours.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Username]

Originally Posted by Bobbi

User Name / Linda... Thanks... ((( for truly "getting it" ))). It means the world to me, personally, and I'm proud of you - for sharing how you felt, even when you read at 4 in the morn. .

As far as BT and L. Labs? I don't quite understand how folks come to the conclusion that something happening within L. Labs is connected with BT. L. Labs is where JL now works. (He has living expenses as do the rest of us ). It's in the educational outreach area he works; I'm sure his job description spells it out far better than I have paraphrased, though.

As many in SL know, I've utilized much of my time (and creative abilities in SL) to raise donations for BT and also for Brigadoon. Do I think John "owes" me anything? No. Why so not? He offered an avenue that led me to deeper self-discovery. I know, not all feel or think as I do. That's okay too.

What's difficult for me is reading comments by people discussing SL whom are not members, and somehow wanting to link BT's down time to a situation that L. Labs has been honest about with its own members. Security - via SL - was compromised, and ... L. Labs got on it right away and took measures to seal off "holes" and advised its members of steps to also take. There is nothing nefarious about it.

It saddens me to think that there are members of BT whom might envision that others (also members) haven't taken efforts to "earn our keep" within SL as well.

Bobbi you taught me a lot about Asbergers when they suspected my daughter might have it. I did a lot of research on it. I do know it's easier to understand something if take the time to learn about it. That applies to all aspects of our lives.

I really need to email you about something going on in my life and how much it keeps reminding me of you.

I love you Bobbi!!!!!!

Linda

I sent you that email.