(source: socketwench @ hackers.town)Now is probably a good time to say this:
If you're a blogger or artist, don't trust *any* social media as permanent.
No, not even here.
Create a website.
Keep it updated.
Manage the infrastructure.
Take regular backups.
Post links.
i think about this topic a lot in general but especially lately, and i'm glad to see people on federated social media talking about it too. generally you need to be a little more tech savvy to use ActivityPub compatible stuff in general, so i'm less surprised to see it here than i am on places like tumblr. (which to be clear, i'm not trying to imply anyone is bad or stupid for not knowing tech as well; it's a value-neutral declaration of fact – and in my opinion, really isn't that hard to learn once you get past the hump of expecting mastodon to be exactly like twitter or tumblr.) there is one guy i've seen talking about this on tumblr, but prokopetz is around my age and i assume has been using the internet around as long as i have since he's talked before about the days of IRC, and he and i both are saying what socketwench is here and for the same reasons. we're old enough to have seen many, many websites and web applications come in and out, wax and wane in popularity, some just dropping off the face of the earth entirely and taking their vast databases of peoples' info and creations with them. some popular tumblr users have already had what i would hope is the sobering experience of having their entire main blog deleted by staff with no warning or reason given, which is absolutely horrific to have happen to anyone but i hoped against hope people would take that as some kind of wake-up call to start curating their online experience more through plain html and RSS feeds. too optimistic of me, i feel; even the downfall of twitter won't stop people from clinging to web services that could go up in smoke just as easily and destroy all their hard work with it...
sigh. i just wish it wasn't so. i know online journaling the way i'm doing it now very much isn't for everyone, but i'm always concerned about how willfully ignorant so many people are of how many websites they're banking their livelihoods and in some cases income on, that they read "you may have to learn a bit of html" and get scared, but then react with shock and horror when someone they know loses everything on their account to mysterious circumstances. that could be you. doesn't that make you afraid? i guess not...
oh well. on that note, i should learn how to write an RSS feed or see if i can use the one neocities apparently comes with to be hooked up specifically to my journal folder. sure, i could move webhosts and have the server do it, but who knows how long i'll be well-off enough to contemplate paid hosting with access to things like php.
also happy birthday to my friend and roommate! it was a good day, we had some great food at a local restaurant and got some bubble tea. a good time was had by all. /principal skinner voice