Although lots of different tasks are required to keep a site such as this operating, interesting, and relevant, the most visible are the stories that we publish on the front page. Some stories can be edited in a matter of a few minutes, others take rather longer. Among the editors we celebrate when we reach certain milestones. The first published story is a milestone of sorts but, more importantly, the first 100, 250, 500 and 1000th etc are all events that are more important milestones to an editor and each marks a significant contribution in effort.
Today we have an editor who is the first to achieve having his 5000th published story on SoylentNews: martyb (aka Bytram on IRC) has been with the site from the very beginning but has not limited his contribution to being an editor. He is also the site's one-man QA team and has spent many hours testing software and investigating many of the bugs that pop up from time to time.
Like all of us, he has to manage his own life and work too, and it is impossible to calculate the hours he has expended to keep SoylentNews worthy of being a place that many of us call 'home'.
So let me invite you to join me in thanking martyb for his contribution to this site. Congratulations martyb, and here's to the next 5000!
martyb here. It feels awkward receiving such praise so publicly. Yes, at many times it has been a labor of love. As most of you are aware, all staff work on a purely volunteer basis -- nobody has been paid for their work on the site. So it is with great pleasure that I can attest how privileged I feel to work with such an outstanding team... there is no way I could have achieved this milestone alone!
Along with editing and posting stories, we editors strive to second each story before it goes live. Many a mistake of mine has been caught and fixed by my fellow editors. I cannot thank them enough for saving my bacon on far too many occasions!
It has, indeed, been a team effort to keep the stories coming. A quick look at the Authors page shows that several editors are approaching milestones as well! janrinok (our Editor-in-Chief) just attained 3700 stories; cmn32480 is not far from 3000 stories; Fnord666 though arriving later on the scene is on the cusp of reaching 2000 stories. Coolhand, at 1121 stories, pops in from time to time and continues to help keep the story queue filled. Not to be left out, mrpg joined us comparatively recently, and yet has nearly reached 500 stories.
I would also like to take this opportunity to call out FatPhil who answered our call for editors not too long ago, as well as our newest editors chromas and fyngyrz -- please join me in welcoming them to our editorial staff!
A special thanks goes to takyon who has not only posted over 900 stories, but has also single-handily provided well over 3700 well-written story submissions which helps make our lives as editors so much easier.
A special shoutout to janrinok and LaminatorX; there was a long stretch where they were the editorial team and who, when the submissions queue went dry, would rustle up stories from across the web and submit them for the other to push out onto the site. I'd hate to imagine what would have happened without their steadfast effort and perseverance.
Lastly, a sincere thanks goes to the SoylentNews community. Your story submissions are tremendously important -- not just in giving us something to post on the site, but also in providing insight into what topics are suitable for the site, as well. Please keep those story submissions and comments coming!
Okay, that wasn't the last thing. We seem to be running behind prior periods in subscriptions to the site. We need the money to pay for the servers, domain name renewal, taxes, etc. Again, none of the staff receive any payment of any kind for our efforts -- we are all volunteers. Please take a moment to go to our Subscription Page. Even Anonymous Cowards can, via a gift subscription, make a contribution. If you are logged in and looking to start, renew, or extend your subscription, be certain that you select the correct radio button for renewal (i.e. NOT a gift subscription). Click through the FAQ link there to see the benefits to you for subscribing. Also, the amounts shown are minimums for the duration shown -- please consider changing to a larger amount to further help the site continue as a going concern.
tl;dr: teamwork++
(Score: 3, Touché) by pTamok on Saturday March 24 2018, @09:27AM (2 children)
Thank-you martyb, and to the whole team - I appreciate all the work you have put in, as well as all the contributions and moderation by the members.
pTamok
(Score: 2) by AnonTechie on Saturday March 24 2018, @10:03AM
I second that. My sincere thanks to all editors who work hard to keep this website running. Keep it up folks and all the best for the future.
Albert Einstein - "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
(Score: 2) by RS3 on Saturday March 24 2018, @01:20PM
Yes, I third that. 5K is truly an impressive accomplishment. Thank you thank you martyb!
And thank you all who contribute to the great success SN is. Your otherwise thankless work connects us with interesting and important news and information. We're all better for it, and hopefully we pay it forward.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Gaaark on Saturday March 24 2018, @10:16AM
Good on you, martyb! Congrats!
I think I must be too easily distrac
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Saturday March 24 2018, @10:19AM (4 children)
See title
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by RS3 on Saturday March 24 2018, @10:50PM (3 children)
Aaaaaa!!! infinite loop!!
(Score: 2) by Weasley on Sunday March 25 2018, @12:21AM (2 children)
Nah, it'll eventually cause a stack overflow.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Sunday March 25 2018, @08:08AM
Nah, it's a goto equivalent - fear not, only one core will be blocked in the loop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 25 2018, @09:03PM
There is no way in hell this site will ever get that popular :P
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Gaaark on Saturday March 24 2018, @10:21AM (3 children)
... subscribe subscribe subscribe
martyb needs hookers and blow-- nay, he DESERVES hookers and blow.
Subscribe.
Seriously.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 24 2018, @10:31AM
ᵈᵒⁿᵉ
Change the dept to debit-where-debit-is-due
(Score: 3, Informative) by martyb on Saturday March 24 2018, @12:08PM
Though I understand the sentiment, I have no need of those, but it would cheer my heart to no end to see a surge in subscriptions -- we really do need the money to keep the servers running, etc. There's a 'beg-o-meter' on the right hand side of the main page... please, Please, PLEASE subscribe! [soylentnews.org].
Wit is intellect, dancing.
(Score: 4, Funny) by RS3 on Saturday March 24 2018, @01:06PM
Yeah, especially now that he can't get his fixes on craigslist anymore.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 24 2018, @10:32AM
I went cold turkey with the old place starting from the boycott and SN has proven to be a worthy drop-in replacement. In fact my experience and interaction has been better here. Pretty amazing! I know comments are the real beef but it's kinda nice to have a starting point, a story. Thanks alot for the massive amount of effort you've made for SN, that is us the people. Of course, thanks to everybody else as well, commenters included. I'm cocky enough to consider you my peers, my brothers in geekdom. If I had any money I'd proudly chip in. Thanks again!
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Ethanol-fueled on Saturday March 24 2018, @11:26AM (4 children)
I wonder how Martyb feels about niggers, Kikes, Wops, and Greasers.
(Score: 3, Informative) by takyon on Saturday March 24 2018, @11:42AM (1 child)
Better than you do, I'm guessing. 👨🏿👊🏾🔥🔥🔥
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 24 2018, @03:39PM
you want to punch and burn them ??? I am confused
(Score: 3, Funny) by Gaaark on Saturday March 24 2018, @01:18PM
Probably with his hands.
Not sure how long he keeps his eyes closed, though.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 24 2018, @03:54PM
Fuck you, EF. You're being stupid. Again.
(Score: 2) by mrpg on Saturday March 24 2018, @12:10PM
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Phoenix666 on Saturday March 24 2018, @12:27PM (3 children)
Thanks to FatPhil, chromas, and fyngyrz for stepping up to edit. We're in good hands with you guys.
Thanks to martyb and all the editors and engineers for keeping the site running. I haven't been around as much lately but Soylent feels like my home online.
For those who may have already subscribed, please consider giving gift subscriptions to other registered users who have not subscribed. It helps the site cover its costs and also builds community, which is ultimately what this is.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Saturday March 24 2018, @03:46PM (2 children)
You crazy sonsabitches let Chromas edit?!
Oh, man. I'm waiting for that ASCII Goatse to hit the front page.
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 24 2018, @05:12PM (1 child)
EF sucks cock.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Saturday March 24 2018, @09:39PM
And you're point is?...
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by Bot on Saturday March 24 2018, @12:28PM (2 children)
R.U.robot?
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Saturday March 24 2018, @01:19PM (1 child)
"That's what bot said."
Hrmmm... doesn't work as well...
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 4, Funny) by Bot on Saturday March 24 2018, @02:13PM
> "That's what bot said."
> Hrmmm... doesn't work as well...
That's what she said.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Saturday March 24 2018, @02:49PM
Thanks for helping make this a nice place to visit.
To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
(Score: 1) by messymerry on Saturday March 24 2018, @03:23PM (2 children)
Dear Marty, Iff I was the Pope, I would have you sainted. This would allow you to have free nachos for eternity after you pass... More importantly for the here and now, I will give serious thought to jumping into the fray and helping you guys out. Whew!, got past that really quick. ;-)
In all seriousness, it's folks like you that make Soylent News so awesome. Thanks for all you do.
Johnny the Greek.
Only fools equate a PhD with a Swiss Army Knife...
(Score: 2) by martyb on Sunday March 25 2018, @02:13AM (1 child)
Yes, any help is much appreciated! We have most roles covered, but we don't have much depth on the bench, to abuse a sports analogy. Editing, sysadmin, dev, ops, devops, IRC wrangler, wiki master... there are many places where one can jump in and make a difference!
Did any area in particular strike your fancy?
Wit is intellect, dancing.
(Score: 1) by messymerry on Sunday March 25 2018, @09:18AM
I will poke around the site in more depth and get back to you.
;-D
Only fools equate a PhD with a Swiss Army Knife...
(Score: 1) by jshmlr on Saturday March 24 2018, @03:29PM
Thank you for all of your hard work martyb!
And thank you to all of you for being awesome. I'm still new here, but I'm starting to settle in, thanks for the comiseration. :-)
Need nothing, then see what happens.
(Score: 0, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 24 2018, @05:01PM (3 children)
You faggots have deleted a number of my comments despite the fact that those comments were reasonable.
Fuck you, fuck your website, fuck your dog, and fuck your mother ( of course she is already being fucked by a huge pustule-covered negro pecker ).
FUCK YOU AND YOUR WEBSITE, you pathetic faggots.
(Score: 4, Funny) by takyon on Saturday March 24 2018, @06:36PM (1 child)
No comments were deleted in the triggering of this AC.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by Bot on Saturday March 24 2018, @08:11PM
I think I am gonna mod grandparent informative.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 24 2018, @10:15PM
In years past, the green site had to delete some stuff when they ran up against the "church" of Scientology.
I am aware of no similar situations at this site.
Things here can get mod'd down to -1 here (with the default viewing level now being set to -1) but I have seen no legitimate discussion WRT anything ever being removed.
In fact, I had a discussion here with TMB where this lack of censorship was strongly defended.
The strongest action that has ever been described here is the blocking of further comments from an IP address by a not-signed-in user due to repeated abuse.
I'm going to call the parent comment a fraud.
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 3, Insightful) by linkdude64 on Saturday March 24 2018, @07:32PM
Even those of you with objectively incorrect opinions :) We all make the site a marketplace of ideas, which is a good thing.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 26 2018, @09:28AM
+1 AC here to say thanks, I appreciate your contributions tremendously!