[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: 2) by edIII on Sunday May 21 2017, @03:50AM (3 children)
TMB is not the entire site. Period.
I'm not involved in the developer end of it, so I don't know about fiefdoms. Even still, I sincerely doubt it. Clearly on IRC, he is the most talkative guy there, but not dramatically higher than 2nd place. That being said, he is also clearly very involved in keeping the site running, updating, and evolving. I know there are others like NCommander, Martyb, etc. that contribute greatly to sight. TMB is just loud and very expressive of his opinions.
TMB does good work, even when he is sick and has a cold.
SN is NOT a safe space. TMB is not obligated to kiss your asses every time you sign in. Yes, TMB is free to be himself on the site at the same time he contributes to the site. He deserves that much at the very least.
And this is coming from somebody that has called him a bloated carcass on a couch less than 24 hours ago! So if his detractors are also supporters, I think you are in a very small group of people dedicated to hating TMB.
Maybe we should have a t-shirt in the store for you? "FUCK TMB" on it? Cuz at this point it seems like we can fund raise on it. Or if we have a gathering next time, we need one of those dunk tanks, a bunch of apples, and TMB in a thong getting ready to get wet :)
Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
(Score: 1) by anubi on Sunday May 21 2017, @08:09AM
I appreciate all the work you guys have done to keep this site running.
I have learned a helluva lotta stuff here, and made some nice friends.
Sometimes talking is nice, but something more is needed. I put some money where my mouth.. erm.. keyboard is.
If we like this site, I urge those who can to put a few bux in the hat... This is one of the few places I can go, ask questions and get answers from the best in the business ( no, not the CEO crowd... no I mean the guys who actually DO it! ).
And even rant and rave when someone brings up one of my nemeses, and not get kicked out of the joint for fuming about it.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 1) by anubi on Sunday May 21 2017, @09:02AM
I appreciate all the work TMB has done here, and I fail to see why all this animosity.
This site is one of the few places one can speak his mind. If anything, TMB will spout off exactly what he thinks of it.
What's wrong with that?
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 3, Funny) by The Mighty Buzzard on Sunday May 21 2017, @10:03AM
I'd buy one. Sounds like a fine suggestion to me.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.