Posts by Kent

18

Interested in running the Watchtower Observer?

by Kent in

jw
friends

after reading all the comments about the watchtower observer, and knowing the amount of traffic the site is generating, i have come to the decition it would be a shame to let the site itself go down in flames.

so, here is the deal: .

im interested in someone who is willing to run the watchtower observer, and by that im talking about taking over the observer.org domain!

Kent

Hi All!

I want to thank everyone who has offered help to keep the Watchtower Observer running in the future, both those who have offered to actually host and edit the website, and also to those who have offered technical assistance.

It seems we have found a solution - and we're working on finding the right way to do this. Since the Watchtower Observer is my baby, and it was the first Ex-JW site online - I am a bot careful who I will put in charge of it. I would rather kill the site than see it went in a direction I can't approve.

However, we have been offered webspace and server capacity - and the traffic won't be a problem. That way the new editor won't have to pay blood for the load of traffic. Also, we're working on adapting a database publishing system, since that's the only reasonable way to handle large amounts of information.

At the time being I won't say anything about who I'm working with - but I took the time to give this piece of information. It seems the Observer will be online in the future as well, and the ones being worried it would go down in flames can relax.

Another great thing about database publishing is the posibility of having many editors - many can help transfer material to the new site when it's set up. I'm sure the new editor will be happy if anyone offered to help in doing this. The user-interface for adding material should not be hard to understand, and the work involved considered, I would hope some of the people who were afraid the site would go down will help out adding the material from the site that's running today to the new site when time comes.

When I have any more spesific info, I will tell you!

Yachyd Da

Kent

43

The end of Watchtower Observer?

by Wendy in

jw
friends

i was so saddened yesterday when i read this post by kent.

http://kent.steinhaug.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=603.

there is so much information on wo that have helped thousands of people.

Kent

Hi Simon;

I'm sure that all the exJW sites could collaborate a lot more and link content together - imagine having a meta layer which linked info so you could see articles all over the web on different sites about blood, or the UN etc ...

You're right. A system like that is something I have been thinking of for a long time, and it would certainly make many sites more effective. Like the Moreover stuff, where you can get headlines for your site. With a system like that this could be used on Ex-JW sites - and that would be great.

When the agreement is done with someone to take over the Observer - the person in question might well need some help on the tech side. And yes, you're right. The system on www.ez.no demands root access - and you need 2 different IP addresses as well. The problem for most people, running a site like the Observer - is the traffic load - and the space it takes on the server itself. Even though HDs are cheap these days, many providers charge by the MB of space used - and many files takes up a huge space - and the load of traffic - 6 to 15 GB a month, can be a problem as well.

But, thanks for the offer. I'm sure someone will need it!

Kent

18

Interested in running the Watchtower Observer?

by Kent in

jw
friends

after reading all the comments about the watchtower observer, and knowing the amount of traffic the site is generating, i have come to the decition it would be a shame to let the site itself go down in flames.

so, here is the deal: .

im interested in someone who is willing to run the watchtower observer, and by that im talking about taking over the observer.org domain!

Kent

I have been asked what kind of trafic we're talking about, since GB per month is something many people will have to take into consideration. We're talking about 200 to 500 MB a day, it depends on how many images/files are downloaded. Every image is a thumbnail, and klicking the thumbnail brings up the big file. Since the Observer was changed to the last layout, there has been 2204866 page views; 13384789 hits, 171541 different IP addresses. Average page views per day is 6034 since May 28. Since the same date, 36687 articles in the news-section has been read - that's more page views than the first page, which is 31617. JW and Society had 21935 page views - just to give you an idea. So, it will take some GB per month :) I believe this is something to take into consideration as well. Kent

18

Interested in running the Watchtower Observer?

by Kent in

jw
friends

after reading all the comments about the watchtower observer, and knowing the amount of traffic the site is generating, i have come to the decition it would be a shame to let the site itself go down in flames.

so, here is the deal: .

im interested in someone who is willing to run the watchtower observer, and by that im talking about taking over the observer.org domain!

Kent

After reading all the comments about the Watchtower Observer, and knowing the amount of traffic the site is generating, I have come to the decition it would be a shame to let the site itself go down in flames.

So, here is the deal:

Im interested in someone who is willing to run the Watchtower Observer, and by that Im talking about taking over the observer.org domain!

There is a few considerations, though. First, everything from the Watchtower Observer will have to be transferred from the site of today to the new site and I mean everything! This means servers inside the will probably be less interesting. My experience is that US ISPs are real cowards and they are all to eager to please assholes threatening them by letters from lawyers.

As you all know, the Watchtower Observer carry the Pay Attention To Yourselves And To All The Flock in 7 or so languages, and a lot of other material. Also, some hundred BOE letters should be published, one by one, and stuff like that. For the Watchtower Observer to deserve the name, the site needs to stand up to the ideals its always done. Publish whats the real truth stay away from saving people or telling them one belief is better than the other and tell whiners and idiotic lawyers to bugger off if they try to sensor the material published.

So Im considering letting someone take over the Watchtower Observer, the name, the domain, the whole thing.

Naturally, the one taking over and I will need to agree to some rules and some terms. Not because Im some kind of control freak, rather the fact that the Watchtower Observer is the oldest of its kind - the first real Ex-JW site on the net. And the reputation its got is founded on some extremely clear rules and some extremely simple principles of publishing.

Provided I can make an agreement with the right person, Im considering trying to get this rolling. Not because of me but because so many people has told me about the institution and the symbolic value the site do have. Also, the only ones with a reason to celebrate the event would be the Watchtower which isnt exactly my dream of a happy end.

So, folks. Dont expect me to spend much time here the next days because I really do have a hell of a lot of meetings and shit to take care of. But the people interested in such a deal and the ones also having the guts to risk the wrath of the losers in the Witchpower Libel & Crap Society please send me a mail.

My address is still [email protected]

43

The end of Watchtower Observer?

by Wendy in

jw
friends

i was so saddened yesterday when i read this post by kent.

http://kent.steinhaug.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=603.

there is so much information on wo that have helped thousands of people.

Kent

Hi Simon & All

Simon, you said:

Let me know if I can be of any help with anything during the changeover (space, bandwidth, coding etc...). Most of all enjoy the break and pop in to let us know how you're doing

The problem running a big site is the problem of managing information. This means you need a database server, and dynamically updated menus and stuff.

On http://www.ez.no/ there is a system called eZ publish - and it's free(!!) The problem, of course, is that nobody will be able to use this system without someone setting it up. And changing the actual performance, the way things happen and so on, is a programming job.

When it's installed, it's extremely easy to use for the one(s) who should add material and stuff. Other systems of this standard will cost 30.000 dollars or more - but this one is free if you know how to handle installation and stuff. It's "Open Source", and is supposed to be running on Windows and Unix - even a Mac.

The problem is it's not THAT easy to install - if you've other things installed before - and you need to know what you're doing. But I guess this is something that could be used to make both Rado's and Randy's sites even better. This would be my choise, I guess - if I should try to change the Observer to another server some time in the future.

So, if you really want to have a look - please do. This goes for other programming wizards as well. The system is originally made for Red Hat LINUX, and this is also the prefered server from the developers. Please keep me posted if anyone can make something of this, and I'll see what I can do to transfer the Observer to another place.

Kent

43

The end of Watchtower Observer?

by Wendy in

jw
friends

i was so saddened yesterday when i read this post by kent.

http://kent.steinhaug.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=603.

there is so much information on wo that have helped thousands of people.

Kent

Hi All!

Thanks for all the nice words!

Julie, I remember well our discussions - and I have had those with myself and my friends many a time. Naturally no information need to be lost, and there actually ARE people who are ready to "take over" for the ones of us having been in this rat-race for years. Rado Vleugel has offered to help out, and his site is maybe the best site for "filling in the gap" if the Watchtower Observer itself goes down - which may wery well be the result. But you're right. After a while you do get rather "burned out". For me it's a combination. On the one side all the work done to keep this Ex-JW stuff running has resulted in my job being neglected - and the results of that can be rather harsh - to say it mildly. So, I need to get that part together. On the other hand, I'm tired of the same stuff over and over, always having to deal with the same questions - "tons" of mails, attacks from everywhere - it's just no fun anymore. AND - May-Britt deserves some of my attention as well before I die. As you said - when some of us started up - there was no alternatives. There are now - and that means some of us can relax - and start thinking of something else but Watchtower crap.

The system the Observer is running on is a bit strange, it's a Newspaper Publishing System, which means every article disappears from the menus after 6 months. The material is still there - it's just not visible in any menu. As a result - I need to do some work to keep the material already in the site visible.

Naturally, I could do that - "update" all articles every 6 months. But I don't feel like just running a "dead" site - and I just can't spend the neccesary time any more. The situation is still the same as when I left here - I don't have the time. The good thing is I'm not into any kind of "competition" about who gets who as readers/users. And I believe it would be a nice thing if Rado's site could get all the visitors from the Observer. I don't know his deal with the ISP, but it would mean about 200 MB a day in download for HTML files only - and you can quickly add this figure up considerably if documents and images are downloaded. The Observer has between 3.500 and 5000 page-views a day - and I do feel a strange responsibility for all those readers.

But, I'm sure this will be sorted out - and a reasonable effective solution will be found.

Again, thank you for all the nice words, it do mean a lot! Thousands and thousands of hours has gone down in the Watchtower Observer. Not only for the site itself, but to keep stuff updated. Finding interesting material, sorting out false information, checking and double checking, finding news from all over the world, and so on. It's great to know people like Rado will keep up this job, and I believe his site could do a great job in the future. It already does!

On the other hand, the Watchtower Observer is some kind of an institution - being one of the oldest Ex-JW sites online - which is also worth some consideration. But, I'm confident there will be good solutions found.

All this said - thank you folks! Keep up the good job! And, Simon - even though I've made arrangements for my DB to be kept open, it's not a competition. It's more an alternative, a variety of choises - which I do believe is a good thing. I've never had any "war" with you, and I'm sorry you felt I did.

Yachyd Da, Folks!

Kent

29

New BOE letters every day!

by Kent in

jw
friends

from today there will be a new boe letter posted every day on the watchtower observer.. on http://kent.steinhaug.com/boe these letters will be downloadable as pdf documents, and every day i'm at home a new letter will be posted.

i will keep on doing this for more than a year, so keep yourself updated.. .

kent

Kent

Simon said: I am surprised that Kent was 'upset with me' but couldn't face emailing me? I wouldn't have thought Kent would hold back from saying what he thought (or am I really scary, lol)

Not at all, and I was not "upset". I really suspected you to do about exactly what you did - and I just can't see no need for fueling flames. Even if you won't admit it - not even to yourself - the never ending flame wars and attacks on all and every one was the reason I left. AS for your constant whining about me trying to "ruin your site" to make people move to mine, is - in my opinion - of a kind I simply refuse to give a serious answer to. And I don't think anyone but lunatics believe you.

The same goes for emailing you. If you have something to tell me, send me a mail. But don't sling cheap shots because I don't have you in my mailinglist, pretending I'm "scared" of facing you some way or the other. I believe Wendy actually summed a lot up rather nicely.

Just to tell you one thing - and to remind you that you are actually LYING when you claim I removed all links to your site from the Watchtower Observer. I did not, and the link to your forum is - and has always been - on the LINKS page.

http://observer.org/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?Avis=WO&Kategori=LINKS1&Dato=20020401&Lopenr=130005&Ref=AR

What I did do, was removing the banner to your site - and I did this because lots of people didn't enjoy the fighting, cheap shots, harassment and shit going on here. How this site is today, I don't know. I'm not a regular visitor - and I only visit when I do get a mail telling me there is something that might be interesting to me.

The exeption was to post this message that started this thread. This because I really believe some people around could use the information. My reasons for not spending time here are the same as before - and on top of that - I simply don't have the time.

If you have anything to say to me, send me a mail. It's as easy as that. But I simply refuse to start a lot of crap - even if it's the site owner who is sending the invitation!

Kent

29

New BOE letters every day!

by Kent in

jw
friends

from today there will be a new boe letter posted every day on the watchtower observer.. on http://kent.steinhaug.com/boe these letters will be downloadable as pdf documents, and every day i'm at home a new letter will be posted.

i will keep on doing this for more than a year, so keep yourself updated.. .

kent

Kent

I see you insist keeping up your old accusations, Simon. I hope you feel better in a while.....

29

New BOE letters every day!

by Kent in

jw
friends

from today there will be a new boe letter posted every day on the watchtower observer.. on http://kent.steinhaug.com/boe these letters will be downloadable as pdf documents, and every day i'm at home a new letter will be posted.

i will keep on doing this for more than a year, so keep yourself updated.. .

kent

Kent

From today there will be a new BOE letter posted every day on the Watchtower Observer.

On http://kent.steinhaug.com/boe these letters will be downloadable as PDF documents, and every day I'm at home a new letter will be posted. I will keep on doing this for more than a year, so keep yourself updated.

Kent

20

PRIVATE VIEWS PUBLICLY EXPOSED

by Derrick in

jw
friends

a regular poster revealed how an elder confided in an ex-jehovah's witness from norway who in the past has always insisted he is trustworthy.

i even recall him becoming outraged on h2o a year or two ago at the mere suggestion that he would turn a trusted private email correspondence into public fodder, or "out" any jehovah's witness who confided in him.. .

alanf | greg stafford's new book has shipped | apr 7, 2002 05:28. http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=25201&site=3.

Kent

As usual, Rick and TJ, you prove to be empty windbags - talking a lot of shit to try to embarras people you don't like. The only ones buying your shit are mental patients.

Yachyd Da

Kent

I need the new KM's as they come! Please send me scans!

Daily News On The Watchtower and the Jehovah's Witnesses:
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