[Ed Note 2: Damn devs have made a liar out of me... moved it back to the original schedule noted below. - cmn32480]
[TMB Note: Site update complete. Bumped so folks will notice.]
It has been a few months since we last updated SoylentNews, and we've not been content to rest on our laurels. Our next site update is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, 2017-05-21, depending on staff availability. We'll update this story when we know for sure when it will take place.
Since this post was started, other things have come to light, so there's a bit of everything in here. Read on for the full scoop:
In this latest update (scheduled around 00:00 UTC on 5.21.2017, but we are flexible), we have made the following improvements:
As always, we appreciate constructive feedback. Reply with a comment to this story, join us in #dev on IRC (Internet Relay Chat), or submit a bug on GitHub.
Separately, the team has made great strides in moving to running on Gentoo. We are taking this step very methodically, making sure we have a solid foundation in place on one server before we even think of rolling it out to the rest of our systems. Yes, that means we will be free from systemd. Kudos to NCommander, Mechanicjay, Audioguy, TheMightyBuzzard, Paulej72, and Deucalion.
It's amazing how spare compute cycles add up! SoylentNews has a Folding@Home team which is helping researchers find a cure for diseases such as Huntington's, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's — among many others. Our team was launched on Feb. 12, 2016. In just over 15 months, we have amassed well over 300 million points which places us at Team 304 out of 226564! Barring any surprises, and continuing at our current rate, we are on track to break past 300 and into the 2xx's on or about May 28th, 2017.
We are always open to receiving new team members. Contact Sir Finkus for more information, either via email at this site, or via the #Soylent or #folding channels on our IRC -- Internet Relay Chat server.
New account creation has been relatively consistent and steady over the past year averaging out to a new account pretty much every day. It is a pleasure to inform the community that, on May 18th, account number 6600 was registered on the site.
Lastly, it is my sad duty to inform the community that our cash intake has been seriously deficient so far this year. Our budget for the six-month period of Jan 1, 2017 through June 30, 2017 is $3,000 and we are currently at approximately half that, with less than 6 weeks to go.
We have in excess of 100 users who have been active on the site within the last 30 days whose subscription has lapsed. It is easy enough to do — I have failed to notice my own subscription's end on more than one occasion!
Plain and simple, the site needs to pay its bills. Please look at your subscription page and consider making a contribution. The dollar amounts shown in the text-entry fields are the minimum amount required for that subscription duration. We've had a few users anonymously contribute significantly more than that in the past.
Some have chosen to give a gift subscription to NCommander (UID: 2) as a sign of support. However you choose to make a contribution, please do so now.
Thank-you
-- martyb
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 21 2017, @02:45AM (5 children)
That's like your opinion man. If he wants to be an asshole, fine, but being an asshole at the same time that he's acting in an official capacity here isn't what I would personally consider to be the kind of behavior that deserves being rewarded.
The site needing money isn't really any of my concern. If TMB didn't piss me off, I'd consider donating, but I work too hard for my money to give it to people running their own personal fiefdoms. There's a ton of causes out there that need my money as well, why would I give it to a site that seems to be more about ego than anything else?
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Sunday May 21 2017, @04:30AM
I don't believe you.
The simple amount of posting coming from you is astounding, AC; someone may think you developed an obsession for SN, at least 30% of the SN posts are signed by you.
No sleep, no food, no life 'cause you have no time for them, you compulsively need to keep posting on SN.
That's more than a full time job and I bet SN doesn't pay you... so, what money?
(grin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 1) by khallow on Sunday May 21 2017, @04:36AM (3 children)
Could you please describe this asshole behavior in conjunction with his official duties? We've sort of been taking it on faith to this point, but while I grant there is some behavior which some would consider asshole, I don't recall any done in an official capacity.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 21 2017, @04:43PM (2 children)
Well, if you look up a ways, you'll see it in action. I don't think it's asking too much for the moderation action done by the site operators to be based upon written down rules is asking too much. TMB has already admitted that there are rules they use that aren't actually written down where people are likely to see them. Some of the rules are only known after you've committed an infraction or if you happen to stumble on some place in the comment section where they list them.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Sunday May 21 2017, @05:59PM
False. I in fact said they most certainly were written down where they belong.
Oh this is true, if you never read the stories where they're discussed. And then don't read the ones where they're either implemented or tossed aside. And then don't read the official policies.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Monday May 22 2017, @02:09AM
Up a ways where? Link please. Vague accusations by an AC don't cut it with me. Keep in mind that I've been slammed before by anonymous accusations as well. It's not fair to the target to be accused of infractions or whatever, without any opportunity to defend themselves.