Network Update
There have been a lot of changes recently in the Sinosplice Network.
You might have noticed that long-time member Derrick of Derrick in Dalian, AKA The Chinese Bazaar is no longer in the network. Well, it’s for a happy reason. Derrick decided that he was ready for his own domain and his own hosting, to move onto bigger things. I, for one, am happy that he’s come so far. I think his site’s recent redesign at the new location, Maskofchina.com, is a nice improvement. Check it out.
The other two to depart are Andrea of T-salon and Wayne of A Better Tomorrow. It was a hard decision to come to, but I basically decided that it was too risky to host blogs that touch on sensitive political issues. I just moved onto a new host that I really like, and while I feel pretty certain that my last host’s slowdown was not at all related to internet censorship, I just want to do what I can to steer clear of that potential hazard altogether. I have plans for my site that require it to be accessible in China, and I have no desire myself to write about those issues online.
Fortunately both of them were cool and understanding about relocating. I was able to find Andrea a supportive host through Adopt a Blog*. You can access her new location at T-salon.net.
Wayne opted to move onto some of Brendan‘s space. (Unfortunately, since Brendan is using the same hosting as I was before my recent switch, that means Wayne’s site may now be difficult to access from mainland China, as mine was for a while and Brendan’s is now.) You can access A Better Tomorrow at its new location via ABTom.net.
The newest member is Australian Matt of Chabuduo. I’m glad to have him aboard. He’s actually learning to use Blogger now, instead of doing straight HTML editing. Pay the new Chabuduo a visit (but you may want to give him a little more time to get settled).
So those are the changes. Update your bookmarks.
*Adopt a Blog is not dead, but it did run into some unforeseen technical difficulties involving PHP mirroring for Typepad sites. It’s still a viable solution to blocked bloggers running on platforms like Blogger, but the “adoptees” were outnumbered by the volunteer hosts by about 20 to 1. Basically, not enough people came forward to be adopted! Solutions?
It’s weird; the webmasters slowdown must be a regional thing, as I’ve not experienced any problem with the site here.
What’s with these enigmatic references to “big plans” and “future projects?” Is this that orbiting death laser you mentioned when I was down in Shanghai?
I don’t know about this fear of blocking thing… I’ve written some stuff that I almost dared them me to block me for, and no dice.
Anyway, I think having one’s own domain is better off in general anywya.
You’re a bit of a wanker aren’t you. Keeping your website free of any of that nasty stuff that might get you censored. Dear oh dear. Still, at least you’re happy here, I bet your Chinese bosses love you. The perfect puppet employee.
Discretion is the better part of valor.
While you yourself, Slim, are courageous enough hide behind a pseudonym while posting bitchy comments on other people’s websites. Way to go.
Bitchy comments, yes they were, I apologize and take them back. I was just so incensed when I read…
“I feel pretty certain that my last host’s slowdown was not at all related to internet censorship, I just want to do what I can to steer clear of that potential hazard altogether. I have plans for my site that require it to be accessible in China, and I have no desire myself to write about those issues online.”
I rather like this website, but it upset me that it was being cleaned up for fear of upsetting any future plans. We all like a lot of things about China, but when does a Sinophile become an ostrich?
Thanks for the kind words, John. I wouldn’t have gone so far without your support. It means a lot!
I wish the newbie Chabuduo well!
OK, I’m back in town.
Let me set something straight for “Slim Pickens.” I wrote “I have no desire myself to write about those issues online.” Tell me: how am I censoring myself by not writing about what I have no desire to write about in the first place??
My whole point is that it’s my site, and I have no desire to write about politics. (If you view this site with any regularity, you must have noticed by now a distinct lack of political content coming from me.) I’m willing to host people for free, but I don’t want to be blocked because of what someone else writes in their blog (on my webspace). I don’t want to censor anyone, which is why political blogs are best hosted elsewhere.
Get it?
I know. — bitch 2 out.