Lament for the death of the archive boards

[izeveryboyin]

I recently read the introduction of one of our newer members, Xpress. And in it, he mentioned litkicks. I made a reply, and the whole thing got me hungry for a taste of what the board used to be. I went to the site, looking for the board archives, desperate to read some forgotten gem. To my dismay, however, I've found that the archive links have all been disabled. A google search will turn up a page full of dead links and broken promises. It is confirmation that now, more than ever, litkicks is dead to me. The last little bit of life within it has gone, and in it's place is a pompous, jugdemental example of how to destroy a community. It has also made me realize how greatful I am that D brought as many of us together agin here in the studio that she could. I can hardly image what it would be like had I not been able to continue my relationship with all of you wonderful, brillant minds. And I hope that we can keep the studio alive and thriving for years to come. That being said, D... could we maybe have another cabaradio.

[Doreen Peri]

The archive links have been dead for months. It's a real shame. There was some great work on there!

I'd love to have another Cabaradio!

Unfortunately, I don't know when because I'm stuck between an elderly ill mother and a teenage child and a full-time job and I can't figure out when we could do it.

But I definitely would love to!

Would you come next time?

[Nazz]

My take on it is basically that Levi overreacted. Sure, no webmaster imaginable could be expected to deal with that minefield of 29 boards or whatever it was and that galaxy of gunslingin' freaks, but I still don't think it was necessary to shut down every last real-time board, especially the "action poetry" one.

Then again I don't know the man personally and what he's really trying to accomplish. I think the "cutting edge of lit/art" thing he continues to knowledgably and skillfully bring to the fore-- he just believes he can better accomplish that mission with his current format/approach. I don't necessarily agree-- I would suggest instead a blending of the old and new Litkicks. Anyway, he made the thing happen in the first place, so I guess I should never complain much.

[XPress]

The archive links have been dead for months. It's a real shame. There was some great work on there!

They are backed up on the webarchive, and can be downloaded from there, (if a person knows how ), and then if someone was a mind to, restored elsewhere.

Although, from a legal perspective, I don't know where that would leave the person involved.

I would guess from a public display, archive perspective, legally it would probably require someone to sift through, and restore only those segments where it was known permission was given, providing the person doing it wished to stay within the letter of the law.

That would be quite a task, but it's possible, should someone wish to do it.

Alternatively all that would be required would be permission from the owner to create an archive hosted elsewhere, which really wouldn't be hard, and wouldn't cost much to host.

I guess with the latter option it's a case of how much litkicks wants the archive to die, and how willing they would be to co-operate.

I see no reason why, if they can't be bothered to look after them themselves, why they wouldn't let someone make a mirror, but then I don't know all the fine details of what occured.

[Doreen Peri]

Well, first off it's like ancient history in my opinion but I guess I just got tired of the seemingly endless threads about the change in the site years ago. It's been 5 years. Or 6. A LONG time in web years.

........

To XPress

first off, they moved the archives from one domain to another... from litkicks to Levi Asher's personal site. The links were active for a while. Then they stopped working.

I suspect the database was either disabled or deleted. And if that's the case, there would be no way to get a back up of the material.

Plus, as you say, there would be legal ramifications. It's not anybody else's material but theirs. I mean if people didn't back up their own posts, that's their problem. And if anybody else even *could* potentially get access to the posts and restore the info elsewhere, there would be copyright issues.

So, in my opinion what's gone is gone, what's dead is dead, and just like with an old friend who has passed, we have our memories.

[singlemalt]

Litkicks. I seem to recall spending a lot of time over there.

My memories of Litkicks are kind of like a great relationship that you had that burned very brightly for a long period of time. And then the relationship abruptly ended. You never really found out why she broke up with you. You still think about it once in a while. And instead of thinking about all the great times you had and people you met, you wonder what the hell happened.

[Nazz]

It's been about 4 and a half years since the boards were closed down. Yes, that's a long time I guess, but still...

[XPress]

And if anybody else even *could* potentially get access to the posts and restore the info elsewhere, there would be copyright issues.

The "could" isn't a problem but the copyright issue is, and tbh, reading between the lines, I think the owner (I don't like calling him Levi, as that seems to personal for someone I don't know, and haven't interacted with) wants them buried, possibly for personal reasons (I suspect this is also connected to the 'change of focus' of the site).

I'm NOT going to publicly psycho-analyse someone online, especially when that person isn't around to respond, or 'defend' themselves, but from all I've read, and seen, and from looking at it from perhaps a fresh perspective, seperate from those involved, and from experience, I would suggest there are 'issues' at play here, and that burying the past is part of that process.