Lost Theories is no more!

Incoorect. Lt is very much alive, no doubt to me and RacecaR's efforts.

LT is alive in intensive care right now but it will probably recover. Recover to what is anyones guess. I liked the site and was an avid reader despite the problems but I didn't like the attitude of the owner. The temper tantrum shutdown while leaving the problems up in the air and unresolved cured me of whatever loyalty I had. Loyalty is a two way street.

In the meantime this site provided a place for everyone to regroup, with improved features and an administrator who takes a hands-on approach, and isn't too busy to be bothered with people and their concerns. She even spends time personally on the site. I've spent time getting used to the layout here and find it's not at all complicated. The separate debate, humor, fan fiction and other sections are great add-ons. There is something here for everyone.

Well said Sassafras. I'm amazed at the term "disloyal" being used by some. I am a very loyal person. The owner showed no loyalty to us. If fact, imo he showed contempt.

Tracker, I made a comment about being called disloyal and got ripped apart by someone who considers themselves one of the LT faithful.

Sassafras, my thoughts exactly.

I hate the way this has become some sort of battle. I know that that is not what SP/Jax wants at all, and I hate that it seems to be coming to that.

Dont worry, im sure it wont come to that. i have made my position clear on both sites, and wont tolerate any trolling. Anyone who gets banned stays banned

I reallly appreicate all your support guys *hugs*

Question for X - are you actually Croft? Your posts seem to have the same contempt and anger that LT's main page had during the shut down.

Please, do not flip out. This is an honest question.

Thanks for the site Sunburned. I also really appreciate the way you are trying to make this less about competition and more about people sharing ideas. Good work.

Okay, Here's my take on L-T's shutdown.

First, I, like most of us, really cared about LT, warts and all. I don't bear any ill will towards Jeff Croft or anyone else on the site. He did what he did for reasons that were valid for him and I can't fault him for that. His site-his call. its that simple.

1. I had a lot to do with it what happened with my maybe-the-not-most-brilliant "email Jefff" posting. But quite frankly, who else could we have asked for help to make the site better?

2. My account was destroyed but so what, I could always make another and get on with posting. But what I couldn't stand was when I saw the trolls threatening members like KSJ and Lojozz and AC with the same thing. Members who were there a lot longer than I and deserved a lot more respect than a newer member like me.

3. The shutdown was dramatic, inconvenient and maybe even a bit rude but in the long run it may help bring about the changes all the members wanted such as a more proactive way of dealing with trolls and keeping them from messing with members' theories and accounts.
So, in the big picture, LT being shutdown for a few days and eventually sold may actually help to make it a better site for everybody.

I hope that is the eventual outcome and I think it will be. Members of any site deserve better than to be harrassed by trolls who happen to have internet access and nothing better to do than screw with other peoples' work.

LT will heal and it will be fine.

From chaos comes order.

I agree with your post with this exception. "I don't bear any ill will towards Jeff ". I've had many bosses in my life, people who make decision I cannot control. In every case how he spoke with me was more important that what he spoke to me about. Jeff's condescending attitude is what set me off. I could hear the contempt in his voice.

If your action is what caused Jeff to do that, the site was very dysfunctional. I think he had it on his mind, "if I hear one more complaint...." Maybe the last complaint was yours, who knows. That's no reason to shut down a site. How about making a minor change (like ask one of the more experienced posters to moderate.)

I agree in the long run it will make the site better. I'm not an IT guy, but I don't know any way around the problem without moderators.

The Theorist there (and here) are the best.

Hi MSHL,

The way I see it was that there were certain people on the LT site that had a strange plan to go through the list of members and with their mutliple accounts send enough of each member's theories to the trollish area thereby disabling their account.

The first victims of this strategywere Lojozz and yourself. These people felt that it was a game and threatened everyone who was either a long term member or a frequent poster. Their blatant discussion of their plans should have caused their accounts to be shutdown, unfortunately this did not happen and their accounts are still active.

You responded in an understandable manner and went to the only person who has some control of the site. Some members seem to feel that you should have put up with this, though I do wonder how they would have reacted if their account was cancelled for no real reason but as a result of some people's strange sense of humour.

I think that the problem is a result of allowing people free reign with no moderators. We have seen such ridiculous posters as people claiming to be newly appointed moderators, people claiming to be cast members, people who claim to be trolls, people who pretend to be other members by adding an extra underscore to the actual poster's name. Why would anyone want to pretend to be Seth_Norris, is anyone's guess.

I like this site because Jax is someone who is moderating the site and also she seems to have a pretty good sense of humour and some really innovative ideas for this site. Some of them she should copyright.

So MSHL I think that it is unfair that the victim is being blamed and I for one think that you only did what anyone would do in your place.

In terms of selling the site, I have doubts, J Croft has already nade available the source code for the Lost theories site and anyone can download it for free. The lack of advertising also means that as a revenue earner, in its current state, probably earns as much as my blog does. The advertising on my blog earns a trickle of income, enough for a upsized Big Mac meal each month with an occassional chocolate Sundae!

I hope that the old site will continue but I no longer have faith that it will be there. The trolls and the strange troll hunters are playing some game on it. A game that appeals only to them. I say let them play their game on the site, and unfortunately it is going to be some of the people who are my friends that will become the new targets.

This site is moderated and is innovative, I will visit the old site and leave some comments when I feel I have something to add. but for now my attentions and main focus is here.

So MSHL, you were unfairly treated and I think that you know that and that your friends are not going to put the blame on you for doing what any normal person should do.

Stitch

Stitch, I concur with all of your statements,and would only add this: There was at least one other user that had to change their user name. But I won't name who. I have wondered how if these abusers were banned,how it was they kept getting back in.

I am not a computer genius for sure, but I know there must be computer hackers that always seem to find some way to get around the rules.

I simply can't believe that the ones that were persistant in their repeated attacks were not the same repeat offenders.

Agreed with that KSJ. I'd guess that 90% of the attacks and bs postings came from two or three users. The problem with the unmoderated site is that the trolls' email addresses are registered. If it was their I.P. addresses then it would be no problem. it doesn't matter how many email accounts you have, if your I.P. is blocked you can't get back on unless you have another computer. And even if you do have two or three other computers, eventually the troll is blocked out.

Stitch, you are right. there seems to be a little game going on on the site with the trolls and the "troll-hunters" but since the troll-hunters aren't getting blocked out I'm wondering if they are the same people.

And yeah, I also couldn't understand why he wouldn't allow one of the veteran members to be a moderator. Its not like the source code is proprietary...hell its open source now.

Most of the members there are pretty cool people but how in the hell did racecarReturns go from disgusting troll to site watchdog...that I'll never get

Also wanted to thank all of you for your support here and on LT...it has and does mean a great deal to me...

You're good people, you're on Jacob's list

So. . . Lost-Theories is back, eh? (A man goes off for a weekend break and returns to find the internet world waits for no man!)

Anyway, Lost-Theories.com has returned. Maybe it will get better. Maybe it will be dogged by the same rubbish posts and abuse that it always had. I won't know and I don't care. I'm here now. SBP took us in, and I notice has already made alterations and additions to the site to cater for us. Lovely and welcoming and accommodating.

So Lost-Theories.com can carry on without me. I post here, with pictures and no bad gateways!

Namaste one and all. Any thanks from people thanking me for getting here, you're all more than welcome. I thank you for following me. I like having you guys around! And I'm looking forward to meeting the various new folk we're ingratiating ourselves with on here, both present and yet-to-come.

Hey AC...You do know that you are our hero, don't you? You are our "Jack" ...or is it Locke.

No wait, since we became "others" after the incident I guess you are our Ben ?!?!?

I agree with you. This place is great. I asked SBS if we could have a debate section and it was up almost before I could put the question mark at the end of my request!

Now start thinking of debate topics so we can dethrone the King

Hey MSHL, I am raising my glass(Iced Tea) to toast to AC being our hero, and a Hip Hip Hooray for the warm welcome we have received from Sunburned. Or when you get to be my age it might be Hip Hip Replacement.

Have you heard the news also ,My Poll is back and open for more votes from anyone that hasn't voted that is ....

MSHL, You can change your vote if you still want to.

KSJ
My glass (diet pepsi) is also raised in a toast.

I'm not gonna change my vote...but I have posted a new (lords of Kobol forgive me) theory on who could be in the coffin.

Its my 4,815th theory on the subject.

At this point the beaten dead horse has now been reduced to a reddish stain on the ground.

MSHL, I hereby proclaim my vote to make you the official court jester of this great group of losties.

I laughed myself silly when I read your "What Will we all do when Lost Finally Ends in 2010."

MyStarbuckHatesLost wrote:Thanks for hosting us Sunburned...and to all the former L-T members I have to make just ONE MORE posting on who was in the coffin...

I was wrong, it was not Ben.

Those who said it was Jack's dad, Michael, Jin, Locke, Walt, or even Smokey or a polar bear were also wrong...

I can now say for sure what will be seen when they open the coffin in the season finale...




Lost-theories.com is in the coffin...may it rest in peace.

Lol, All i can say to that Starbuck is "Amen!!!!"