Another reason to preserve this site

Anything relating to the operation of this site.
actuallythere
Posts: 180
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:05 pm

Another reason to preserve this site

Postby actuallythere » Fri Nov 22, 2013 10:43 am

A worrying video clip here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvEt6hEELeI omits the documented instances of child abuse, the increasing time demands and interference in private family matters, the allegations of brainwashing; the 'retreats' involving repetitive chanting, menial tasks, dietary control, gender separation and sleep deprivation, the attempts to persuade members to include SES in their wills, the multimillion pound real estate portfolio, the books 'Shame on You' and 'Secret Cult' and Laura Wilson's public record of the suicide by a child of SES parents, the senior role of Jeremy Sinclair - chairman of M&C Saatchi, the company that makes millions from the craft of psychological manipulation.

That's why this site needs to be preserved.

Daffy, am I right in understanding that when Mike Gomez (sp?) chose to stop administering the site, he asked around for someone to take over from him, and you stepped forward? If that is accurate, are you going to do the same and try to pass the baton on to someone else, or facilitate continuity in some way, for example at a parent site that could take on this one?

actuallythere
Posts: 180
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:05 pm

Re: Another reason to preserve this site

Postby actuallythere » Wed Nov 27, 2013 8:09 am

Dear Daffy,

You are likely busy in the real world and not checking in here too frequently - this is just a short note to say I'm still waiting for a response to my question above.

Kind regards,

AT

Daffy
Moderator
Posts: 333
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 3:32 am

Re: Another reason to preserve this site

Postby Daffy » Fri Nov 29, 2013 3:42 am

actuallythere wrote:Daffy, am I right in understanding that when Mike Gomez (sp?) chose to stop administering the site, he asked around for someone to take over from him, and you stepped forward? If that is accurate, are you going to do the same and try to pass the baton on to someone else, or facilitate continuity in some way, for example at a parent site that could take on this one?


Not quite. Mike Gormez disappeared from sight for about a year - he had moved on from his anti-Scientology campaigning days and had lost interest in the time-consuming task of running a forum. I managed to contact him and offered to take it off his hands. I had already been a moderator for a long time and had helped him with various technical issues. He provided the database, I upgraded the software and implemented some anti-spammer measures. That took a number of weeks to perfect.

Whether I could hand over this site is hypothetical given that no-one has offered to do so. Some time ago I wasn't even able to recruit a new moderator. Anyone running a forum like this has to be (1) familiar with the software and its hosting platform requirements, which requires some technical skills, (2) able to continue to honour the history and general goals of this forum, (3) willing to spend the time and money required to run it, and (4) have a proper appreciation of privacy.

That last one is not insignificant. Running this board gives considerable access to personal information. I have worked in the privacy area for some years (including acting as privacy officer for a company with millions of customers) and I've always been scrupulous to treat this personal information with the same level of confidentiality as if I were running, say, a bank or a hospital's IT systems. I don't feel I can just hand this over to anyone.

As I say, no-one has offered to take this over, and frankly there's no reason to do so now when other means like, say, Yahoo Groups (groups.yahoo.com) or Facebook (facebook.com) give you ready-made discussion functionality. No-one has even offered to set up one of those, or discussed the possibility of anyone doing so.

You still have over a month to get cracking if you want a means to continue the discussion on this board, but as previously announced I'm not planning to continue this site as an active board after the end of this year. I will keep the existing site (locked against further posts) online for the time being - as I mentioned in an earlier post I have already paid the hosting fees until late 2014.

Saying 'This site needs to continue' falls short of actually offering a solution. Those of you who want a place to discuss the SES and its satellite schools around the world need to investigate these very soon.

actuallythere
Posts: 180
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:05 pm

Re: Another reason to preserve this site

Postby actuallythere » Fri Nov 29, 2013 8:18 am

Hello Daffy,

Thanks very much indeed for responding. Let's be clear: I am corresponding with you precisely because I want to start to understand the way forward.

Next question - if one of these Yahoo forums was started, would there be a way of you exporting all the content from this site to that one, for it to be held there in a dedicated archive?

Tootsie
Posts: 151
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2009 1:37 pm

Re: Another reason to preserve this site

Postby Tootsie » Sun Dec 01, 2013 3:02 am

I agree with Daffy about the proper appreciation of privacy. SES is no different from any other authoritarian organization and relies on information gained about its members from whatever sources available. In my days in school it was the class secretary's duty to collect information about the pupils and pass this on to the tutors. Today I know from personal experience websites like this one are closely monitored for dissidents who may effect the harmonious running of the school.

It took me about an hour to find a website that sold a program for $50 that allows you to read anybody's emails by simply sending them an email which plants the program on their computer and then sends all their emails to you to read without them knowing. So we do have to be careful about who controls all the personal information of any new website as Daffy has pointed out.

actuallythere
Posts: 180
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:05 pm

Re: Another reason to preserve this site

Postby actuallythere » Wed Dec 04, 2013 8:45 am

Dear Daffy,

Please could you answer my query above?

Kind regards,

AT

Daffy
Moderator
Posts: 333
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 3:32 am

Re: Another reason to preserve this site

Postby Daffy » Thu Dec 05, 2013 4:26 am

I have not investigated exporting forum content to another platform. In the past I saw that some forum software packages allowed databases from different software to be imported, but I very much doubt that any of the proprietary discussion sites like the ones I've mentioned (Yahoo, Facebook) have any means of doing this.

If you want to investigate it yourself, the software used by this forum is phpBB v.3.

woodgreen
Posts: 219
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 7:07 pm

Re: Another reason to preserve this site

Postby woodgreen » Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:44 pm

My last post and chorus!! Good luck everyone. It is shame, but I respect and accept Daffy's reasons for closing down.

Just saw on the news that Mandela has gone.

And when we sang "Free Mr. Nelson Mandela............" (back in my day), it was for freedom. Of mind, body, spirit, and love. A few tears crept out for freedom tonight.
Reconciliation for the SES awaits in some other form if they ever have the guts and mind to do it themselves.

See you in another life folks, maybe.

cheers,

woodgreen
Ex-SES Member. (Member for 3 years in late nineties).

User avatar
morrigan
Posts: 45
Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2009 11:06 am

Re: Another reason to preserve this site

Postby morrigan » Fri Dec 06, 2013 12:19 am

And Mandela has died in the south of Africa, about 95 old and has been out of hospital a while. many would miss him...

actuallythere
Posts: 180
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:05 pm

Re: Another reason to preserve this site

Postby actuallythere » Sun Dec 08, 2013 9:47 am

Daffy,

Thanks very much for the reply. In that case, perhaps there is another constructive solution: would you be able to put the 11140+ posts from this site, complete with discussion headings, times and usernames, into a downloadable file such as a PDF?

Let's not underestimate it: this forum has changed lives. It has been instrumental in helping people recover from the turmoil caused by truly awful childhood trauma and lead happier lives today.

It is rare for any of us to have the opportunity to be involved in something that has made this much of a difference. Interested users have a very strong wish for the good work here - achieved thanks in no small part to you - to be preserved so that it can continue to be of benefit.

Interested users could retain and share the file as a document that could be cited as a source. It could also, ideally, be uploaded elsewhere such as on a future Yahoo forum.

Kind regards,

AT

Leonie
Posts: 29
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2012 9:00 pm

Re: Another reason to preserve this site

Postby Leonie » Sun Dec 08, 2013 4:36 pm

May I make a suggestion Actuallythere, that you set up a yahoo group? You seem to be the most keen to keep some connection for people who have contributed to this site going, in a public format. I would register to any such site and I suggest also that others interested indicate so here. Otherwise this forum is going to be locked and then closed with no ongoing format for those that would like to stay in contact.

Other than that I suggest that at least we provide an email contact in case anyone would like to contact those that have contributed to this site, and I will put my own below.

My email address for anyone in the future that may view this (locked) site and wish to contact me is: leoniedorset@googlemail.com.

Leonie

sydneykatieking
Posts: 51
Joined: Sun Apr 04, 2010 5:10 pm
Location: Texas USA

Re: Another reason to preserve this site

Postby sydneykatieking » Sun Dec 08, 2013 11:45 pm

Recently, it was Thanksgiving in the USA. I gave thanks for this forum. We all will agree that "all good things must come to an end," but I am sorry that this good thing, this forum, is coming to an end. It has been a true public service, that is, true service to the public. Only it's not been publicly funded, which makes it a very rare and noble endeavor. It has been privately funded and maintained for almost 10 years. I, for one, took it all for granted, like tomorrow's rising sun. I never questioned the cost in private funds and personal time and effort to do a true service to the many thousands who have logged on to share their stories and histories, or logged on for just a look-see as a curious visitor or spy around as a mole. This forum is very special and unique.

Daffy deserves a DSM, a Distinguished Service Medal, for his unpaid, volunteer service to humanity. He deserves a standing ovation. Daffy: take a bow, and thank you, thank you, thank you.

We will never know how many people this forum has served -- and saved -- by making all our experiences openly available to all. I have faith that this forum has been a great positive force and benefit in shedding light in those dark places in the world: all those sad, sham school, including the knock-off, rip-off, plagiarism-based Mavro SFSK, a de-evolution of the original SES, by way of the Sydney SOP, all those authoritarian regimes based on power, sexism, age-ism, racism and bullying. These regimes will rejoice in the demise of this forum and interpret it as a clear victory for their brand of Truth over the 'forces of Tamas/Ignorance/Satan/The Big Bad Wolf/whatever.' This forum has been a proverbial thorn in the side to these regimes since its inception. Metaphorically speaking, was I the only one who heard 'the sound that went round the world' when Daffy announced the end of this forum? it was something like cheers of delight, relief, derision, claps, and laughter of triumph. There will no longer be any public entity to speak truth to power or expose the deceit of selling 'enlightenment' for a price, your personal freedoms and human rights to make your own decisions.

I completely understand Daffy's decision to move on. If I had the computer/Internet skills and ability I would take over his job, but I do not and wouldn't know how to even begin. All this knowledge, witnessing, testimonial, insight shared on this forum must not be lost!!!! or hard to find for people in the future seeking information before joining these sham schools.

Cheers, everyone.
Sydney SOP survivor 1969-1980, proud contributor to the expose, Secret Cult.

actuallythere
Posts: 180
Joined: Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:05 pm

Re: Another reason to preserve this site

Postby actuallythere » Mon Dec 09, 2013 8:06 am

Leonie,

Thanks for the message. I suggest we address one thing at a time. The first is the archiving of the content on this forum in a single file. The second is the possible but not certain establishment of a new forum by someone. The third would be the administration of that forum.

To that end, I'll await Daffy's response to my last question to him about archiving the content here into a single downloadable file.

AT

Leonie
Posts: 29
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2012 9:00 pm

Re: Another reason to preserve this site

Postby Leonie » Mon Dec 09, 2013 8:27 pm

OK actuallythere, good luck with that.

Things are getting busy for Christmas now though so it may be that at a certain point it would be best to just set up a group so that at least a link could be posted on this forum to something ongoing that is 'live' before this one is locked at the end of December.

Best wishes, Leonie

Daffy
Moderator
Posts: 333
Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 3:32 am

Re: Another reason to preserve this site

Postby Daffy » Tue Dec 10, 2013 3:39 am

I am looking into a means of exporting the text of the forum. My research so far suggests this will not be a single file. It may take a few days to confirm.


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