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

[yourlibrarian]

I must have missed that you've seen Community! ::Abed/Troy special handshake::

[yourlibrarian]

I do know that you really enjoy Ta-Nehisi Coates' work and thought you might find this behind the scenes interesting: http://www.niemanlab.org/2015/09/how-the-atlantic-built-a-big-online-splash-around-its-ta-nehisi-coates-cover-story

[elisi]

::special handshake back::

I've only watched it fairly recently - we decided to watch as a family, so binged great parts of it. However, we're still somewhere in S5. (We don't want there to be no more...)

[elisi]

Oooh, thank you! Looks fascinating.

[yourlibrarian]

I get that feeling. I am happy though that we managed to get as much as we did. The ratings really weren't great and there were various struggles behind-the-scenes that could have sunk it early. It would have been a crime to have lost this after S1.

Can't find the link for it now but I saw an interview with Dan Harmon not long ago saying that NBC kept wanting Community to be more like Seinfeld, while Yahoo gave him so much freedom that he was at a bit of a loss. He said he's having a better time on Cartoon Network with his new series where the balance is just right. (Mike's watching it and likes it a lot but it isn't my thing).

[gillo]

Your post on LJ made me come here to back up my LJ. My reading page here is so similar to my flist there that I can't imagine coming here to read it!

[promethia_tenk]

I'm just happy any time you come visit.

Though I counter your comparison by pointing out that Owls is over here *g*

[kaffy_r]

*nods in agreement*

[owlboy]

It's true, I'm the best thing about Dreamwidth.

[elisi]

This is indisputably true.

[elisi]

I should back up mine too...

And my flist here is like my LJ one. Just with far fewer people.

[elisi]

Well, I only come here for Owls.

[owlboy]

♫ simply the best ♫
♫ better than all the rest ♫

[promethia_tenk]

*pouts*

I guess I'll go . . . play by myself then . . .

[elisi]

Well... post things!

[elisi]

What I mean is - Owls posts stuff, and I check it out. You're usually around, so you come in through Owls.

This sounds wrong whatever way I put it.

[promethia_tenk]

I know what you meant, but you must allow me to feel a bit put out *g*

I've never been able to bring myself to enjoy posting . . . perhaps because I began in forums. *resumes remora-like existence*

[elisi]

You can be my secret friend...

ETA: Actually, the context was people Who Are Not On LJ, so you have to go on DW to talk to them. And I have set DW so it tells me every time Owls posts, as otherwise I would be clueless. I haven't done the same for you, as you never post.

Specific scenario, specific reply.

[elisi]

It would have been a crime to have lost this after S1.
It really would!!

Can't find the link for it now but I saw an interview with Dan Harmon not long ago saying that NBC kept wanting Community to be more like Seinfeld, while Yahoo gave him so much freedom that he was at a bit of a loss.
Heh. Am glad he's happy now, but I think a lot of writers/show runners are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

[promethia_tenk]

I'm pretty sure I'm that anyway . . . *poofs in a cloud of smoke*

ETA: Actually, the context was people Who Are Not On LJ, so you have to go on DW to talk to them. And I have set DW so it tells me every time Owls posts, as otherwise I would be clueless. I haven't done the same for you, as you never post.
Eh, if I ever feel the whim, I've no real intention to turn off cross-posting anyway.

[rustydragonfly.livejournal.com]

Yeah, DW is a very "ought" sort of place. It's better, and yet... I feel kind of off. Like I have to be on best behavior. Hard to really explain. I have one, but it's more a backup than anything else.

[shapinglight]

Let's leave the whole LJ/DW which is better debate aside and just all agree we hate Tumblr. ;)

[sueworld2003.livejournal.com]

"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."

Exactly. You and me both. :D

[elisi]

Yeah, DW is a very "ought" sort of place. It's better, and yet... I feel kind of off. Like I have to be on best behavior. Hard to really explain.
Same here. Which is why I tried - am glad it's not just me. :)

I have one, but it's more a backup than anything else.
Same here. It's useful, but I sorta wish Insane Journal had become the popular back-up choice...

[ragnarok-08.livejournal.com]

DW is very nice, and I find it useful as a backup. But I can’t ever see myself moving there for good.

You and me both.

Oh, and I just love the Community parallels that you used :)