Thinking of moving on from Neocities SUPER THREAD

[Målingen]

Is it just me or do I not like Neocities on its free tier? It’s way too limiting in terms of what files you’re allowed to upload and you’re forced to be static. I’m currently using Vercel (despite them being a corp) as they’re chill for web hosting and I often don’t have any problems with them. They have good server stats (e.g. bandwidth usage) as well as let you use your own domain on their Hobby tier (free) if you have one. Not only that but it also allows you to link your git repo on it allowing you to use whatever kind of file you want (useful for domain verification on say Bluesky or discord).

I get that people like to use Neocities because they like to be connected to the community of the retro web but it’s just far too limiting for me on their free tier.

[Paprika]

When I started on Neocities we had more possibilities on the free tier but as always some people exploited it and Kyle had to limit free accounts. I just know that accounts made before a certain date still have these possibilities but I can"t remember which date it is...

[Målingen]

When I started on Neocities we had more possibilities on the free tier but as always some people exploited it and Kyle had to limit free accounts. I just know that accounts made before a certain date still have these possibilities but I can"t remember which date it is...

ah, that's probably why it feels so constricting; perhaps it's similar to how steam ask you to pay some money on games to verify your account properly.

[Eunice]

I'm in a bit of a quandry, and I thought I'd run it past you first. I have a site at Neocities, and one at Nekoweb. I also have a lot of sites elsewhere, but that's another story. Thing is, I'm over 60 and at times it feels kind of "skeevy", someone of my age looking at websites of people who are young enough to be my great-grandkids. And at other times I feel like I'm out of touch with the "yoof" of today. I don't code, I don't mess around with all that sort of thing.

I got into Neocities and Nekoweb, well, I'll admit it, because they are ubiquitous. Every one and their dog and cat had one, and I thought that's what you had to do. The equivalent of Geocities, so to speak. But I just cannot squeeze my sites into the accepted format any more. It's driving me nuts!

So, should I stay or should I go? I can't make my mind up!   

(Sorry Meloon, didn't realise there were another thread on this topic.  )

[Melooon]

So, should I stay or should I go? I can't make my mind up!

I merged your topic into the "moving on from neocities" super thread which may already provide some answers/info!

You've got a community and a technical problem! It sounds like your question is "should I leave neocities because I don't fit in" ~ but neocities is also a technical solution (its web hosting) - so you've gotta ask if there are other web hosts that will suit you better, or if neocities would still be a good web host for you even without the community aspect?

If it is still a good web host, I'd suggest just disabling your NC profile in settings and ignoring the community features (you can always turn them on again later) - switching host entirely is a more final decision.

The community question is the harder one ~ do you need to fit in? I personally really value the handful of older and outsider web crafters that are not making standard pop-culture glitter sites that fill up the bulk of the NC. I'm a fan of those site too, but the ones that are different are the ones I really enjoy seeing, and likewise I think there is value in younger people encountering your site ~ its a two way street, its your job to show them an alternative as much as its their job to create a culture

[randomtangent]

yea Neocities feels to limiting for me. like (is it iframes or javascript? i forget but something that's used a lot like webrings and such break on new Neocities accounts without Supporter) breaks on new Neocities accounts but it still works with Supporter.

eh i dunno.
mostly just since it shows every single change you make minor or major and it kinda feels spammy in some ways.

i think it's fine but i just prefer nekoweb

[Eunice]

It sounds like your question is "should I leave neocities because I don't fit in".

I think my problem is that I am still mourning the loss of the community I had in the 80's and 90's. The likes of those women's groups I've mentioned before, and the big web competitions. I was a member of the biggest, the Site Fights. They were all people around my age and older. And being realistic, many of those who were older are probably not with us any more, but went to the big website in the sky.

I guess I just have to admit it: I'm a dinosaur who doesn't have a place with all the hominids. 

[Melooon]

who doesn't have a place with all the hominids

You've always got a place It might not be the place you want, it might not be the place you used to have, and it might come with all sorts of hassles and uncomfortableness; but so long as you have a site, and so long as choose to be on this or any other community for web crafters thats still afloat in the misty corners of the web, then you have a place here. There's nothing wrong with missing the past, though I certainly cant direct you to mystical land of over-60s web-crafting women But you're here, and you're doing what you do, and thats what matters.

(Incidentally I really would love if you created a thread explaining some of these things, how did Site Fights work? What was its culture and quirks? Who were the people in it? and what did they make?)