Gaudiya Discussions Split -

I was extremely worried about both I and Jagat being offline for almost three weeks. We are now back on again. Today I'll be going over all the threads that have taken place since then. I sincerely pray things haven't become too much derailed from the original intent of the forums. If that is the case, we'll have to look at things to do to remedy the situation.

I hope my Mirabai thread passes the test. Eek!

We sincerely hope that splitting off the non-GV content into a different forum entirely, as we plan to do, will remedy any such problems. We feel it is the best thing to do out of respect for the sincere GV bhaktas here. It is not being done out of any anger or negative feelings, but rather as the best possible solution to the discussion you joined in a few days ago about how much non-GV content is appropriate. Indeed, some GV bhaktas expressed relief and approval of this solution. We will be out of your hair soon and can visit here only when we have strict Gaudiya topics to discuss. Think of our project as a kind of safety valve for those topics you don't want to see here.

Blessed Be--

Tapati

Was there a thread where such a split was discussed? I remember vaguely reading something, however I don't know if you might have taken the idea further.

Let's make this the thread, then.

First of all, I should say that I heartily agree with the suggestion. I would personally be very happy to have the forum preserved for the topics we Gaudiyas cherish the most. I would also be happy to have a place where I could direct people to with those other kinds of topics, a place that is in responsible hands and moderated in a reasonable manner.

I would actually be happy to set this up for you, and we could also split some threads and sections from GD to that new forum.

It was in the ISKCON, GM and other traditions. The thread was called sth like ISKCON/other toopics, moving away:

http://www.gaudiyadiscussions.com/index.php?showtopic=2975

I have a geek co-worker already working on assisting me in the technical aspects of it; we were just waiting for my paycheck in order to buy it.

If I were you I'd wait and take a look at it when it is up before sending people our way. Our concept is far more open than your lower sections are presently.

Thanks for the generous offer. It's nice to know I can always ask for advice if I get stuck on some maintenance task.

Blessed Be--

Tapati

Regarding the far more open concept of yours, I wasn't thinking of anything less. I was suggesting along the lines of my setting it up and handing it over to your good self along with some other mature and responsible individuals.

What I have in mind is setting it up at my own isp (where I work and get free webspace) and having the final say in content and moderation, in association with like minded people, with the domain in my name. The process of getting it ready has already been started, and I'm already incurring expenses. Those of us involved have already begun designing the content.

I wouldn't be comfortable with something on anyone else's server where they could step in and disapprove of content or throw us off. Spending my own money on the software assures me that I will never have to worry about that.

I also want to reach a broader audience including those who left GV for other religions entirely, as well as a group that has been discussing a form of Bhakti that disregards the guru-shastra-sadhu standard in order to modernize the practices and concepts. I can't picture you getting behind that, frankly, as it may end up seeming rather blasphemous to pure believers of GV tradition(s).

I want to make it clear we are not just wanting to chat about iskcon occasionally or throw out a few eclectic ideas or mundane topics. We intend to be free to question the very foundations of your faith. I don't think you really want to support that project, and we don't want to feel that you will be looking over our shoulder ready to take it back. I think the process has gone too far in any event to take you up on your kind offer.

Of course, if you want to start a separate forum that just deals with mundane subjects, that is your right. My project is quite a bit more than that, as I think you'll see.

I love people who do this to me. It inspires me to dig deep. All sorts of serendipities. I hope you will invite me to your forum. I can be the horned scapegoat if you like.

Anyone who can take the heat is welcome into the kitchen to help stir the cauldron.

The prime rule is that no one is demeaned or insulted for believing as they do.

All well, I wish you success in the endeavor. I sincerely hope it will remain properly managed and moderated, as otherwise it may get not so beautiful. Any estimates on when you might have something up and running?

At any rate, I will shortly start revising Gaudiya Discussions to come closer to its original ideals. If our good audience (and I am saying this with our main target audience, namely practicing Gaudiya Vaishnavas, in mind) has suggestions, please contact me by PM.

I should add that, while there has been discussion on the quality of posts, personally I have little objection to the quality of many of the posts and threads of the past month or more. I greatly respect the authors, who often come across as very thoughtful individuals. It is only the themes of those posts and threads are not exactly in the field we are on.

Since we are talking about alternative forums, I started Krishna Premonmaada for the Krishna focus, as GV tends to be Radha/Caitanya centered. (also, KP is non-sectarian and not focused on much of anything but devotional aspect- no philosophy at this point to speak of)

I thought it might be a good idea to keep most of my krishna-related rants etc. over there

I hope this pleases you also, Madhava.

There are a few mature moderators as you spoke of, so I think we will not let it get out of hand. I started out on an unmoderated unix bbs in the early 90s, so I doubt it shall get anywhere near as wild as that.

The co-worker who is going to set it up for me needs to make an adjustment to our server (he's also one of our engineers) first, but once that happens and we purchase it and install it, I would imagine within the next two or three weeks max, unless his schedule interferes. I don't know how many other consulting jobs he takes in. I am busy fleshing out the topic areas right now.

Thanks again for your kind offer and for being our host thus far.

Blessed Be--

Tapati

Purchase - means what will you be using?

We decided to go with the exact same thing as here at GD. I like the features and the familiarity. First I had to choose between a hosted version vs hosting on my space, and my engineer friend said it should be fine to host it here (where I have free web space). Then I had to decide if I wanted to purchase the one year license or the lifetime...looking at their terms it seems I can only get support beyond a year if I get the yearly and renew each year. I need to discuss with my friend and see what he thinks is best.

I see it comes with a standard blue skin--did you create the other skins available here? I prefer the golden one myself.

Maybe we should have a forum for moderators of forums, to get support both technical and emotional.

I wanted to add that I don't see the new site as simply a spin off of GD. I have been pondering the need for awhile of a space unlike any of the Vaishnava sanctioned forums, for those of us who left and no longer believe, and either still like aspects of the culture or beliefs or rituals, or need to process our experience, our new paths (or lack thereof) and gain support for our individual choices. As has been alluded to in other topics, questioning your faith is a painful task, and whatever your conclusion about it you might experience the need for reflection and support.

Some of us at Ista similarly were realizing we don't fit into the standard devotee category or forums. We were similarly upsetting those who truly believe in Gaudiya Vaishnavism there.

We'd also like to provide a place not run by any current Vaishnava group where those who left can feel safe to find each other and reconnect with old friends. If you run into anyone like that, please send them to Gaudiya-repercussions.com when it is up and running. (I got the domain name today.)

I would suggest that if there needs to be a true adjunct to Gaudiya Discussions, we are not it, and perhaps the mundane and igm topics need to have their own Gaudiya Discussions annex forum run by Jagat in conjunction with Madhava.

Otherwise, I can imagine Jagat pulling in some new avant garde folks from other sites and this same dynamic being replicated. I can see that it was painful on both sides and it would be good to avoid repeating it.

Blessed Be--

Tapati

There are some who hold a life long belief that they have been insulted and demeaned.

I think I've read that book. It's Dostoevksy, right?

The first time I came to this site it was the mint skin, so I thought it was the 'original skin' no pun intended .

I like the mint skin. It's cool, calm; like a green hill of Vraja in the rainy season, or a grassy field at dawn. Refresing. The mint skin is presided over by Mercury and gives me luck and and hope.

The golden one is nice too. I saw it fot the first time today as I never experimented with the different skins. Skin is quite an intimate term it seems for a digital color!

I gravitate to the gold one because it is bright, and especially in winter I gravitate towards brightness.

I'm also curious to see it in lavender, but I haven't seen any like that. The blue is nice, Satya's forum is blue.

I'd just like to be able to give people options like these, if I could. I was looking at the demo and it looked to me like you had to put in the color codes by hand in the html. But the html is understandably very complex and finding all the spaces where you need to change it to create a new skin looked pretty tedious. I just wondered if there was a more automated way to do it, or standard "skins" one could utilize.

I am trying to figure out the same with KP. The blue is a bit hard on the eyes. But then again, it matches the peacock feathers and krishna is blue too, so...

mine is mint green & when I sign in it is blue. Frankly, I didn't even realize there were choices..... but I like the blue.... it is cooling like water and reminds me also of Krsna!

Look at the bottom left hand side of the web page, you'll see a pull down menu that has both skin color and language default. That's where you pick your color.

All colours on this board have been custom made for Gaudiya Discussions. The blue also is different from the (boring) default blue of IB. There are sites out there with dozens of ready-made skins you can choose from if you don't feel like building one from a scratch.

Satya, your forum is remotely hosted, so you won't be able to change skins. You can only do that if you pay for the hosting yourself.

I thought so- well we had managed to change the logo and to put little peacock feathers on the sides, so I was wondering if we could figure out a way to change the skins... hmmm...

If the site becomes successful, then perhaps we can think about taking the "next step." But so far it seems such a step is not warranted.

This green is so nice and peaceful by the way

Madhava, the skins can certainly be changed without hosting it ourselves. I just added a skin selector to Krishna Premonmaada for experimental purposes. I will replace it with something more tasteful in the near future. I was just playing around, hehe .

Oh? Well good for you then, Invision seems to have improved their free services. They used to have that limited.

Satya, why do you think I made the green skin first and made it the default?

Oh yes, that is so true! And just know I would never use green (at least this kind of green!) for KP... this is "Gaudiya Discussions Green" for me.

We've been kind of going overboard decorating the place- the "logo" is really huge right now because we were feeling so "artsy" Of course a simple logo (like yours) will have to be created fairly soon.

Ooooh, I love your logo! And the skins are really cool too! Better than the ones I found this am with a quick web search. I'll have to look around a bit.

I don't even know what kind of logo we'd want. Hmmmm.

I still think a moderator support group forum is a good idea.

Besides sharing design tips, we could vent about trolls.

I wonder if I should leave the free trial one we downloaded and we could all secretly congregate there for moderator chats? I assume I get to keep it.

I'm all up for something like that Tapati! Nice suggestion

Cool. I'll see if my consultant can set it up, if it is allowed to keep using the freebie version in that way. Very simple, just an area for technical sharing, another for handling the personal side of it all. It can also be a way to share alerts about trolls who make the rounds...

You can keep it, but they limit the amount of posts and members. After a certain limit it just becomes disfunctional and you have to pay up. I forget the limits, I'd assume it says it somewhere.

Oh, well with just us few moderators occasionally posting it should last us awhile then. But something has to be adjusted on our servers still. The first fix my engineer friend thought of was rejected because it would affect the php coding of others on our server, but he has thought of a workaround. Maybe by next week it'll be running.