I guess the question is, "Why not tell us?" I mean do we really need more secrets around this community?
A fair question and concern. Thank you.
I can't speak for the new owner(s) because I haven't really had the chance to talk to them about it yet. I don't think it's a marketing thing at all because yes, it "forces" you to use the site to find info, but on the other hand, it does so in an extremely negative way which isn't the right way to do things at all.
I absolutely agree that there were better ways to handle yesterday's situation, such as not setting it up that way, but it all worked out pretty well, all things considered.
If I were to make an educated guess, I'd say that Bill and I had completely talked them into the ART announcement thinking it would be the best way to do it. Unfortunately, I think that the new owner(s) are much more private person(s) than that and really don't want to be the center of things or to be a "rock star" in the community.
That I can easily understand, considering how often I've been vilified and strung to a cross in the community. While I happen to have grown into the "rock star" status, it's not for everyone and I've got a feeling that the new owner(s) simply want life as we all know it to continue in my absence with someone we can trust (Bill P) not to screw it up at the wheel.
As their reason was explained to me from the beginning, they knew that I as getting out, they had seen what happened to the community in 2000 with the closing of the AWD, and just didn't want me to simply shut it down one random day as Kevin did with the AWD.
The simple truth is that while I love this site and I truly enjoy dealing with everyone here (and truth-to-tell, even get a kick out of all the melodrama), I haven't physically touched an Amiga in 10 years. I sold my 3000UX shortly after the fall of Commodore while I could still get payoff prices for the loan. As I said on ART yesterday, I've never found an Amiga I couldn't crash within about 12 seconds.
As such, while I do this job of keeping the site rolling, you can all understand (hopefully) that there are simply people out there that can do a better job. You guys DESERVE someone who can do that, and when I was approached by the new owner(s) with their idea to have Bill P run the day-to-day, I was elated.
I can't even remotely fathom why anyone would have a problem with Bill P, but I also can't think of anyone FROM this community who can do a better job at supporting the community the way it deserves. Of everyone left in the community, there were only two choices in my mind, the other being Kermit Woodall of NovaDesign, but he's pretty much moved on to real life like I need to.
I firmly believe that while I could have easily gotten more money selling the site to Spanish lesbians, the new owner(s) have exactly the attitude necessary to run this site, and the fact that they want to remain "in the shadows" tells me that they're far more serious about it and much less concerned about being a "rock star", which is -- in my mind -- utterly flippin' fantastic.
In the end, all I can ask is that everyone remain calm and just give it a chance. Besides. Ask yourself honestly whether there's anyone in the community (or outside of it) that I could have sold the site to that you wouldn't be immediately critical of, then admit to yourself the answer is really no.
Once you do that, you'll be in a much better mental position to deal with the changeover, and I'll be in a much better position to take my hands off the reigns and start living my pathetic little life.
Wayne
