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This thread has been locked |
Chris McNamara
SuperTopo staff member
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 12, 2019 - 08:32pm PT
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Hi Forum,
2 things:
Older Trip Reports that used the [img] tag
As many of you know, in our recent action on images we eliminated the display of hot-linked images that were using the obsolete [img] tag used on this site from roughly 2002 to 2008 (the images were replaced with a link to their original source web location).
Many of you noted that some of the best trip reports on SuperTopo that pre-dated our 2008 removal of support for the [img] tag were impacted, and those older trip reports had lost much of their original magic.
We heard you.
Since then, we have reviewed all of the most popular [older] trip reports that utilized those obsolete [img] tags, and have approved most of them to now re-enable display of their images.
You'll now see that some of the all-time most viewed trip reports, such as PellucidWombat's (Mark Thomas) trip report on the Grand Teton, Exum Ridge, are now displayed in their full original glory:
http://www.supertopo.com/tr/Complete-Exum-Ridge-of-the-Grand-Teton-III-5-7/t11690n.html
Note that this only applies to older trip reports. The [img] tag is no longer supported, hasn't been since 2008, and new trip reports should not use it.
We consider Trip Reports to be some of the best of the member contributed content, and we're happy to have re-enabled the full display of images on many hundreds of popular and high-quality TRs.
The Future of The Forum
Some of you have asked about the long-term prospects for the Forum in light of our disclosure that it has been losing money for years. I want to try to speak to that in direct terms.
It is no longer clear that we can justify continued operation of the SuperTopo Forum.
The SuperTopo Forum has never been a profitable business venture. It costs us a significant amount of time and money each year to operate the Forum, and we have done so as a service for the climbing community for 18 years. But, the prospect of having to bear increased potential costs in the future, both in time and legal costs, due to threatened and/or real litigation related to inappropriate posts by a minority of forum members has changed the math. We are now seriously questioning whether we can justify continued operation of the Forum. While it had been my sincere intention to keep the Forum in operation for the foreseeable future, I no longer feel I can make that promise.
If you have posted content on the SuperTopo Forum that is important to you, I encourage you to make a personal backup. Please do not rely on the SuperTopo Forum to act as an archive of your content or photos. The site is not suitable for that purpose, and I do not want to imply otherwise.
Sincerely,
Chris McNamara
Founder
SuperTopo
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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May 12, 2019 - 08:43pm PT
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Well, it's been a good run, but nothing lasts forever.
But, a favor: Chris, if you do decide to shutter the forum, can we ask you to give us some warning? Many of us who have made Supertopo a part of our lives would probably like to have a month or two to sort out the next step.
And, whatever happens, it's been good.
David
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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May 12, 2019 - 08:50pm PT
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“It’s no longer clear,” has, for time immemorial, been an indirect way of saying...it’s very clear.
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BooDawg
Social climber
Butterfly Town
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May 12, 2019 - 08:53pm PT
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It sounds like THIS IS THE WARNING! We'd better get busy! Thanks, Chris!
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zBrown
Ice climber
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May 12, 2019 - 08:57pm PT
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Why not back up the entire Forum and sell the backups
Easily said
But how hard to do?
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Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
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May 12, 2019 - 08:58pm PT
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If you do pull the plug, please consider doing what bigwalls.net did and leave a searchable archive.
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jogill
climber
Colorado
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May 12, 2019 - 09:00pm PT
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Guess we'd better start packing for the move (into uncharted territory). It's been fun.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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May 12, 2019 - 09:04pm PT
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hey there, say, dear chris! thank you so kindly, for the note here...
and, for doing your best, in all you do, and HERE, as well...
you are appreciated-- you have, by running this forum, knitted a lot of
friendships, and, created new ones...
and, displayed:
GREAT TRIP REPORTS AND INSPIRATIONS, history, and new places...
and-- give folks a chance to THANK RESCUE WORKERS and,
keep updates on those that were injured...
and, give encouragement...
forever grateful!
neebee...
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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May 12, 2019 - 09:10pm PT
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Wow. I’m a bit shocked, even if the circumstances that have led to this have been fairly obvious.
I can’t imagine the path that would allow this place to continue on in the way we’ve all enjoyed it, but I thank you deeply for your commitment to the ideal, and persistence & patience in trying to see it through.
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stevep
Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
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May 12, 2019 - 09:18pm PT
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Thanks Chris. Appreciate you being up front about things.
It's been a good run. If you have to let it go, so be it...it's not as if this is some charity helping the needy.
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okay, whatever
climber
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May 12, 2019 - 09:19pm PT
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I understand the circumstances, but would say, along with many others, that I have thoroughly enjoyed Supertopo for many years... both for the climbing content, and also for other extended threads about scientific and mathematical topics and so forth. Not to mention some of the humor, both verbal and pictorial. I'll be sorry to see it go, but thanks for the long run, Chris.
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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May 12, 2019 - 09:36pm PT
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ST has been a great way for me to stay connected to the past, the present, and the future of climbing from over here on the other side of the planet. While I'll soon be back in CA for the summer (and 1 more year here in Delhi before I retire back to home-base) I sure have enjoyed the variety of the Forum. So a heartfelt appreciation for making this happen over all these years!
Q?- Is there an easy way to (suck back) download my images from ST without resorting to a 1 by 1 download?
cheers
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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May 12, 2019 - 10:24pm PT
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Oh, well, it’s back to the bowling alley I guess.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
Sands Motel , Las Vegas
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May 12, 2019 - 11:03pm PT
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Change is good....Midget porn ...Here I come....
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LAhiker
Social climber
Los Angeles
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May 12, 2019 - 11:08pm PT
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Chris, thanks for the heads up. As others have said, I hope you can keep the Forum as an archive.
Barring that, if you feel you can no longer support the Forum, I hope that you give people advance notice so they have time to finish downloading their materials.
Finally, if some other entity is able to host the Forum or an archive of it, I hope you'll be willing to transfer the files to them.
Thanks again.
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skywalker1
Trad climber
co
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May 12, 2019 - 11:17pm PT
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Well Chris for my part it has been good fun. Maybe I will look to sports car racing or interior design. I don't consider any of my TR's note worthy nor my banter. Delete as you may, they will always be in my head.
Do as you must.
Thanks!
Cheers!
S.....
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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May 13, 2019 - 01:35am PT
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Have you tried a "membership" push with a Paypal contribution link?
It would be a major tragedy if this place shut down.
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Bale
Mountain climber
UT
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May 13, 2019 - 02:09am PT
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I have thoroughly enjoyed this place.
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Ezra Ellis
Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
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May 13, 2019 - 02:38am PT
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It's been a good run,
Thanks for hosting it Chris.
There are some excellent people on this site.
Cheers
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