@Indi:

Thanks. Yes, I see people going completely ballistic on Adam and I'm like, okay, I'm upset too about this whole thing but don't be freaking out on your comments in that fashion. Those people do indeed, need to take a "chill pill."

And I agree, this is a FREE site however, myspace is free, live journal is free, DeviantArt is free, miniTokyo is free, etc. etc. Majority of blogging sites are free and the reason they can keep them free is because the more members, the more popular, the more ads and sponsors dish out the cash so really, although this place and many others are free, the fact that we are the people who are keeping the money coming in, I'd say, we do play an important role so we should have a say in what happens here. But again, both you and Ary are right...no reason to be a jackass about it... And I think some people do need to calm down and think about what they are writing prior to pushing that submit button.XD

@ElvesAteMyRamen:

Looking at your calm response, I take it back. Even if you do have strong emotions, something I think is to be expected, you are clearly being quite logical as well.

I've seen so many people literally flying off the handle that those who are being more calm are few and far between. But then I've always experianced you to be more rational when it comes to things you feel strongly about.

Anyway, I apologize for how insulting my coment came across as, I may not feel as strongly about myO as you do, but I can easily imagine how I would feel if it were for say OtakuBoards. So I sincerely wish for things to be resolved in a manner that benefits those who truly love myO.

~Crystia

@Aaryanna:

Well, that is a good point that I think people need to stop doing. Harassing Adam and calling him names and/or other members names is NOT a good way to get your point across. I do listen to both sides of the story and then I throw my opinion in. I try not to get too extreme since acting like a child having a hissy fit isn't a good way to do things. It's just some people need to keep certain emotions in line. I already know one person who was banned from Worlds because something she said was mis-read.

@ElvesAteMyRamen:

I went and checked and I’m sorry people are so upset. I think people misunderstood Adam’s comment on his page, I think he was only saying that he would be blogging with the updates on Worlds, not that he was going to quit updating/fixing myOtaku. >_< I think meaning got placed into that post that didn’t exist.

I appreciate you taking the time to explain things further, it’s what I like about you. And I’m sorry if I seemed rude earlier since I was only talking to people telling Adam he was selfish, among other things, though I can see how my comment did not make that clear.

Anyway, thank you for your calm approach in spite of the frustration you must be feeling. Believe me, I appreciate it.

~*Aaryanna*~

@Aaryanna:

I'll try not to make this too long...I wasn't trying to be obnoxiously rude or anything...it's just that many people don't seem to understand fully why myO members are getting upset. Pretty much check out any regular myO members webpage like SessLover18, jigglyness, etc, and you'll see many people who are "freaking out." And for indifference's comment...I am being logical. Yes, I am emotional too but I do know what's going on since I have been keeping up to date with everything that's been going on so it's not just my emotions coming to play here.

Things did change very quickly. Suddenly, features were taken off myO and I was a daily reader of Adam's blog and he just never really explained things well with what the true changes were going to be. Suddenly, features in the backroom disappeared, our comment boxes changed, we couldn't use our PM's, etc. I know I am remaining patient with all the changes and upgrades happening so I'm trying to adjust to things as they happen. But truly, when all of us on myO read on Adam's myO blog when he stated, 'I'm no longer updating on myO...go to my World's account for update,' it was kinda like...wait...huh?!

A close myO pal of mine was one of the people who helped with creating Worlds and Vibrant and even *they* were shocked with how things were changed. They told me the reasonings for disabling the html and all that and I was like...you must be freakin' kidding me. It's a really lame excuse of a reason that I'm sworn to secrecy of revealing but it's really a horrible excuse. I know that Adam said that BBcoding was going to be available for Worlds but even that's not true. Only the specially formatted BBC made by Otaku will work for it which is frustrating as heck.

It's just us people who have been on myO for years and years are really upset to see myO being thrown into "historical" sites. When you've been on myO as long as some people have and who have been a daily part of myO, it's really really hard to see it being tossed aside the way it is. And I know people are claiming, 'well, you should be happy that Adam even kept myO up rather then deleting it entirely' which is true but at the same time, any other website that upgrades don't usually throw aside their most popular and main feature that keeps majority of the people coming back.

And like I said, I'm not trying to argue with you and I wouldn't really say I was being an elitist but I know if I were you and weren't a major part of myO, I probably wouldn't be too upset either! Hence why I don't blame you for your feelings but some people need to understand ours a little as well. You're one of the better ones in that you frame your words better rather then, "oh stop bitching and just move on," like some others are. But we are being patient and that's why I, myself, isn't harping on Adam except for a little reminder on what made myO so special and why we don't look at it as just "some blogging site."

I think ElvesAteMyRamen missed that you were talking about going from 95 to Vista, not XP to Vista... that's a pretty big difference to not get.

In the end, no matter what you do, people are going to whine and bitch. It's not possible to make everyone happy.

Plus I don't like it when people start on the manipulation of you don't understand or don't care like we do. That's arguing on an emotional basis with intent to make one feel guilty instead of a logical one to make you see why they feel the way they do.

The fact that she got upset indicates on some level she's being emotional instead of more logical. Though I can understand it, after all we've been wanting a link to OtakuBoards for a very long time.

But yeah, people really need to take that Valium, chill and give Adam time to get things in order.

~Crystia

@ElvesAteMyRamen:

Before we get off on the wrong foot, one of thinking someone has more reason to be upset than another, I’m going to clarify something for you. Yes I do love OtakuBoards more, you know why? Because after so many horribly rude myOtaku users I quit doing much other than to visit those few people I did like. Such as yourself. Those people who could see beyond the fact that I’m a moderator over at OtakuBoards. So yes I lost interest in myOtaku, but it doesn’t mean I don’t care about it, one doesn’t have to be hard-core to care. So don’t make assumptions as to how much I do or do not care. My comment about getting their ‘panties in a bunch’ was directed at the people getting off and being unnecessarily rude to Adam. Don’t go elitist on me, that’s totally out of character for you and unnecessary in my opinion.

I guess I’m confused as to why people are getting upset instead of giving things time to be taken care of. Adam made it clear that myOtaku was going to be kept around for a more historical purpose. So I got it from the beginning that it meant we would not be getting constant upgrades. I also think that people are getting out of whack instead of giving Adam and the others time to fix things. They’re judging the new Worlds before it’s had a chance to go anywhere. They’re assuming that there never will be another way to do things like there was before. So it seems premature in my opinion.

And fast? He’s been talking about this for over four months so I don’t see how that’s fast really. We’ve known for a long time that the change was coming. Also, I think people forget that software changes, exponentially. You reach the point where adding new features becomes impossible or so time consuming that it‘s too damn expensive to maintain. It’s unrealistic to think that Adam could have just ‘fixed’ things in myOtaku in the same manner. I mentioned the change in operating systems since it’s the same concept. The new software can do things that the other can’t or rather if you get it to, it constantly has problems running something it was never meant to run. There is no option to upgrade in a situation like that as it turns into a huge headache to do little things. We had a similar issue with OtakuBoards last year, requiring a software upgrade in order for those better functions to become available.

It was annoying and the transition left a lot of people up in the air and frustrated. But it was necessary. This is true of the switch to worlds. Many of the new features can’t be done on myO without totally messing things up because of how it’s designed. Something that Adam explained on his page. It’s a programming nightmare that I imagine he doesn’t need and all members see is him cutting them off instead of him doing what he needs to so he can keep the place running.

I think people need to step back and try to see that instead of yelling at Adam as if he’s being a jerk. I know you aren’t but many are and I find that kind of stupid really. That kind of nonsense is why I quit coming around myOtaku. Because like Adam, being involved in a staff capacity meant that I got yelled at for things I had no control over and I know just how tiring that can get. Especially when you work hard to do a good job.

Anyway, I am sorry if my comment bothered you. It wasn’t meant for you. So please don’t take it personal okay? Ironically, you’re one of the one’s who is being more rational in spite of being frustrated and I’m glad to see that.

~*Aaryanna*~

Most people who were a MAJOR part of myO are the ones who are upset. People, like me who DAILY went to myO are feeling down because myO is being pushed aside and Worlds is taking over. Now...we have to start all over again and I'm seeing people who were major into myO leaving Otaku all together because of this change. Adam did keep us up to date sorta kinda on what was going on but no where did he say that myO was going to be completely separated the way it was. Virtually, all us myO regulars had the notion that when Worlds was launched, myO was going to upgraded along with the rest of the site...not go into the opposite direction.

MyO was the perfect place for people who just plain wanted to get to know people. Not everyone is talented in art, or graphics, or fan fic, etc. and this Worlds site is pretty much like DeviantArt now where it's not easy to find a person unless they're already popular. I know Adam is still updating things but I think a big blow is that everything just happened too fast. I know some people freak when things are dramatically changed and you mentioned the whole XP to Vista thing...but the different with that is, Vista is still almost exactly like XP except slicker...theOtaku has almost completely transformed in so many aspects and now that the myO people are practically being forced to create a Worlds account or else they'll be left in the dust never to be heard from again. *That's* why people are freaking out. MyO was so wonderful the way it was and I wish rather then making this whole Worlds thing, Adam had just applied the new features with replying to comments, blocking people, etc. had been put into myO. Then people would have been happier.

Sorry to go on so much...I had read you comment about people getting their "panties in a bunch" and I think that cheesed me off because those who weren't hard-core regulars on myO wouldn't understand and you state right there in your post that you had already lost interest in myO and went to Otaku Boards as well so right there is reason why you don't care as much about these changes.

I laughed when I read the comment on his myOtaku saying that Adam should turn myO over to someone with the Otaku Legend rank if he wasn't going to maintain it anymore. As if they'd have the first clue how to run the site and replace features like the PM system. I have more technical knowledge of how to run a site than most users and I wouldn't even be able to handle that competently without learning a whole lot of new stuff first.

I think a lot of the people complaining so vehemently about things don't appreciate just how much work maintaining, and especially adding features to, a site as complex as myO is.

It's unavoidable at times. Change is difficult, especially when you lose something you like. In the form of a feature or something else. I think it's far too soon to form an opinion since things are still in the early stage, like the comment boxes. The spot for replying has already been fixed so it's not tiny anymore.

I expect that the next couple of months will see a lot of the issues that have people so frazzled being taken care of. Adam has always been open to what the members want. It's just not possible to do everything when you take into consideration that he has to do what's best for the site's long term future.

Anyway, I find the whole thing rather exciting actually. I'm really looking forward to seeing where things go from here.

Yeah, I saw some of the bickering going on. Not that some of them didn't have valid issues or concerns, but rather that they were flying off the handle instead of being patient and asking for clarification in a calm manner.

It wasn't necessary to slam Adam so forcefully when he's under no obligation to bend over backwards to accommodate people. You said it yourself. The service is free, so it's important to keep that in mind when you speak up. And even if you are paying for it. It's still important to not be a jackass. :p

Anyway, see you around imp.

~Crystia