LJ vs. DW

[elisi]

What with the LJ outage yesterday, a small LJ vs. DW debate started up in my DW.

Now, no one can deny that DW has better customer service, listens to its users, and doesn’t screw people over the way LJ does. DW is very nice, and I find it useful as a backup. But I can’t ever see myself moving there for good.

And what I realised, when trying to explain why I’d rather stay with ‘the bad boy’, is that the difference is like Community:

LJ is Greendale. It might be rundown, and the teaching staff might be peculiar and rude and disinterested in teaching, and the facilities might leave a lot to be desired, and random bouts of anarchy are par for the course. But it has character, and I have a long, and very personal, history here. It helped shape who I am, gave me friends and shared experiences I can’t imagine my life without.

So – City College (DW) might be nicer and shinier and better equipped. But I’ll stay with the blanket forts and the chicken fingers and the paint balling and the insane Spanish teacher and the fire alarms that are just painted on.

YMMV of course.

(See I feel bad about coming across as putting down DW, and am quite happy to bitch about LJ anytime and anywhere. Which - if I think about it - means that LJ is home, and family, and DW is... the place I feel I ought to like more than I do. And 'ought' is not a good motivation.)

Comments

[thisbluespirit]

I think I was also mean enough yesterday, and there are a lot of sweet people on Dreamwidth, and I'm all for people choosing the best site for them, whichever that is, and I appreciate its ability to crosspost and mesh with LJ so that we didn't lose everybody.

But LJ has some advantages DReamwidth doesn't and the constant, unbearable assumption of some Dreamwidth users (nobody on I know well, I hasten to add, but I see them about round comms) that everybody will prefer Dreamwidth, that nobody could like or easily use LJ, that all comm activity should switch over there on demand, and that LJ is basically evil and only terrible people use it has just brought out a sort of knee-jerk flinch every time the topic comes out. Because... I like it here. My comms are here! My flisters are here! And I don't want to lose everybody and everything to this ridiculous assumption that Dreamwidth is always the best for everyone and everything at every time, when it simply isn't, any more than anything else. All websites have their ups and downs and will suit some users more than others. It all depends exactly what we want to use them for and how and that varies to an almost infinite degree!

Also for a site that only exists because of LJ and its software, it's more than a bit ironic.

[elisi]

there are a lot of sweet people on Dreamwidth, and I'm all for people choosing the best site for them, whichever that is, and I appreciate its ability to crosspost and mesh with LJ so that we didn't lose everybody.
This is all very true.

But LJ has some advantages DReamwidth doesn't and the constant, unbearable assumption of some Dreamwidth users [...] has just brought out a sort of knee-jerk flinch every time the topic comes out.
Uh-huh.

Because... I like it here. My comms are here! My flisters are here! And I don't want to lose everybody and everything to this ridiculous assumption that Dreamwidth is always the best for everyone and everything at every time, when it simply isn't always.
Yeah, DW just... doesn't have what I'm interested in. I.e. my flist. It has SOME of it, but...

Also for a site that only exists because of LJ and its software, it's more than a bit ironic.
Also, what's wrong with InsaneJournal? (Actually, I'm not sure it'll let people cross-post.) But - I have a stupid fondness for InsaneJournal. It's the only one that wishes me happy birthday every year.

[thisbluespirit]

I don't really know anything about InsaneJournal. I suspect you're right about the crossposting thing - Dreamwidth came along, allowed you to back up super easily and/or crosspost at exactly the same time as LJ got particularly flaky and seemingly intent on scaring us all away. Timing and features, I suppose??

[elisi]

I don't really know anything about InsaneJournal.
It was the odd alternative long before DW. But without any of the... Aren't We Special-ness. Just deliberately odd. I liked it.

Timing and features, I suppose??
Very much so, I think.

[rustydragonfly.livejournal.com]

I know some people who moved, but their reasons were things like "LJ's new layout gives me migraines" which is a more than fair reason! I wish more people were like that and not all snooty about it. The people who DO aren't worth knowing - they're frequently jerks in other areas too.

And yet I'm thinking "hey, I should add you guys over there" because it's good to have a place to go if the worst happens.

[elisi]

And yet I'm thinking "hey, I should add you guys over there" because it's good to have a place to go if the worst happens.
Do!! ETA: Are you the blue cat?

[rustydragonfly.livejournal.com]

Yes, and I'm an idiot who the wrong one! Argh! I'm rustydragonfly, that's my actual email.

[thisbluespirit]

I assume that's you that just friended me then? (Or whatever you call it over there. Whatever it is, I did it back.)

And I don't think all the people that do it are jerks by any means. Some of them, from what I see, seem perfectly nice - I think it's just one of those echo-chamber effects - they've been sitting in their corner of Dreamwidth in which the assumption that Dreamwidth Is Best and LJ is Evil has been so long and fully accepted without question & that's all, really.

[rustydragonfly.livejournal.com]

Ahh crap, that's my RP journal! I'll add you with my proper one.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

One of the BIG names in the Buffy fandom defriended me when I said that the people who crossposted, but only allowed comments on DW, were basically saying 'care about me - but I'm not actually visiting LJ so if you don't post on DW I don't care about you.' She left me a comment accusing me of being... something, I've forgotten.

But later I actually asked one of the people who did it and she agreed - she never read any of my posts any more as I don't post at DW. (Oddly, her and I have remained friends - but less close than we used to be....)

[thisbluespirit]

Well, some people got switched to that awful default layout when you couldn't switch back and they couldn't read their own entries without getting migraines, so there was reason for many people doing it. I don't know if they realise it's been fixed now and you can switch it back to the customised comments - mind, if that had happened to me, I probably wouldn't care to risk coming back, either by now

Your example there definitely sounds a bit off, though! Ah, well... :-/

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It was well before that - must be 4 years or so ago, at least.

I really don't mind if people choose to go to DW and not read here any more - I miss them, but it is their choice.

[elisi]

I have one friend that only posts to DW - but I've set it up so that I get a notification every time they post, as I definitely want to stay in touch. Dunno if they read my posts, but hey ho - their loss! If I post something special, I do point it out. But they're in a category of their own, pretty much. :)

(The alternative would be to read my DW flist, and there are limits to how much time I have... Esp as so much of it overlaps with LJ.)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

If I post something special, I do point it out.

You are very kind. I don't bother - if they interested they can come and read... from my point life's too short!

[elisi]

Well, they're a very good friend. Others don't get that kinda treatment. And it's usually if I want their opinion.