09-24-03 @ 2:56 am EDT

Okay. I'm still not quite sure what I'm doing, but here goes.

As you now know, the new book item thing has gone into effect, meaning that my journal Skew--

ID: 193605 (Rated: R)
Title: Skew 2001-2003
Description: Skew, Volume 1 (July 2001-September 2003).
By: Tehuti, Lord Of The Eight

--is now full and cannot be added to any longer. I sensed something was coming concerning journals when I noticed that the word "book" had replaced "journal" at the top of my browser, and I was right. When I tried to add an entry to Skew the night before last only to find an error message (see Skew's frontpage for the info), I sat there and was ready to...scream, cry, hit something, whatever. Then figured, why even bother. I knew it was going to happen in some way since at least December 2002, didn't I? At least it did not catch me COMPLETELY unawares as the item limit thing did way back when. As both times I was one of a very, very few affected by the limit, the announcement was not made via e-mail until after the fact.

The first time, this supremely pissed me off. I do think that the first time it should have been announced ahead of time, even if it affected only a few people. Those few people were, for the most part, paying members. (Even if someone else DID pay their way.)

Ditto with the second time. However, as myself and maybe two others have been way over the 500 entry/2mb limit for quite a while, and who knows how long they've had the new limit in mind, I don't see how a warning could have been given. It took me two years to get to 1000+ entries/approx. 6mb of Skew.

So not being able to add the entry, I posted it as my journal's new description/summary and tried my best to shrug it off. Honestly? I was more concerned about

A. whatever would become of my OLDER entries now that there's a 500-entry/2mb limit; and

B. if there is now a (unreasonable) limit on item length. If so, my Chronicles and novellas are screwed. (Reasonable meaning whatever can load in a decent amount of time...people who try to post a megabyte into one static item are morons.)

I was informed that Skew itself is safe and will not be purged or deleted of older entries. It can't be added to, but it won't be exterminated either. That takes care of one prime worry. I'm not sure about the other worry, though. Currently I think I have two static items over 100kb, that I know of, and some more approaching the 70-99kb range. Most of them in the Chronicles, and more to come.

Honestly, aside from the community, the only other real reason I stay here anymore is because I don't know of any other place that would host the Ameni Chronicles. That's how controversial they are. Go figure, ME, writing something controversial. I didn't mean to do it but it happened. I'm not even sure if THIS site allows them. All I know is I haven't been asked to delete them yet *cross fingers*, so...

But aside from the occasional review from a passerby, most of my material seems to have gotten most of the attention it's going to get, including Skew. That's not a complaint; it's been that way for quite a while and I'm not the only one who's noticed it. I really have been wondering if it would be worth it to renew my subscription here. I do not want to be the naysayer but I really wonder if this site will be around come December 2004. They're reaching the end of what they can limit, aside from starting to increase limits on paid members, which will probably be next. Eventually, the site will not be able to satisfy my own posting needs, and it won't be worth paying to stay anymore when people are not much interested in long series stories. Even I have not reviewed a story indepth in ages, so yes, I'm responsible too.

I figure that as long as the site is still going and still allowing me to post pretty much what I want that I will stay, but when the limits start digging in much more...I'm not sure. I'll probably end up fading away. It doesn't bother me QUITE as much as it would have a year ago, as I've been fading away anyway.

Well, that wasn't what this entry was about. Anyway. What WAS this entry about? I'm not sure. There is currently a limit of 25 book items allowed for premium members. I already have a handful of them, at least three or four of which I intend to delete, which would leave Skew, The Dreamforest, Skew 2, MAYBE the worldbuilder and Chronicles characters journals (not sure, as keeping those might break site rules, or might be too long), and whatever new volumes of Skew there may be, including this one. As it took two years to get this far, I'm guessing I should be okay, at least until the site vanishes. (Sorry to be so negatory, but trust me, unless it's Yahoo! or Amazon or something, most websites eventually die, and even those two are not in the best of shape.)


To summarize this entry: This is the new Skew. When it fills up (500 entries/2mb, whichever comes first), it will be concluded. That might happen without warning, like it did with Skew--I can't tell how it will work yet until it happens. So look for a new Skew whenever the old one locks up. Links to new ones will be included on the front page of the previous one; if I can't edit them to include that, then just check my journals folder.

I don't know what I'm doing with The Dreamforest yet. It's probably over the 2mb limit, even if not over 500 entries. I'll just have to wait and see, I guess. It doesn't have a huge following (or any following), so it's not as big a deal.

I was just about to go edit Skew's description to include a link to this journal, but am afraid of doing so; I'll have to ask about it first. I hate nagging. *sigh* But I would hate to be relieved to keep my entries, only to mess it up and lose them all. :/

Question posted; now to wait for a response. In the meantime, this is the new Skew. (This entry has no bearing on the offsite versions, of course.) I can think of only two or three people who might read the thing with any regularity, so I hope they notice this new item and check in. Hi, guys. *waves* :/

That's really all I have to say right now. I was a bit blue that I might not be able to post any more entries here at least for a long while, but I guess I will be fine for now. Until someone should drop a bomb on me about item length limits.

Tar...