Will you move on from the web revival/personal websites in the next few years?

[shevek]

Most of us will probably be familiar with the fact that some interests simply do not last. Maybe the hobby is not fun anymore, or you are growing out of it, or it is not a special interest or hyperfixation anymore. Maybe communities implode, websites go under, or you don't identify with it anymore. Or you just forget about it randomly

Do you think your own website is something temporary for you right now? I mean, sometimes we can tell it is temporary and we're just having a fun time, no shame in that. Doing something new, enjoying it for a while, and moving on. Can you envision yourself working on it even in a few years, or do you think you will lose motivation and either it lies dormant or you delete it impulsively?

Do you think you will move on from communities like this and settle on "just having a personal website" without being active anywhere in this space? I mean, being interested in making sites, disinterest in aspects of social media, liking some retro tech or some parts of the neocities culture technically doesn't need any participation anywhere.

____________________________________________________________

I think I will keep at least one website around, but maybe the scope or focus will change, content will be removed and added (older projects in, newer projects out maybe?), and things will be more streamlined and summarized. I think as I grow and change, reinvent myself throughout the years, maybe I will impulsively delete a site or overhaul it completely.

Not super nice for longevity and avoiding dead links, that's something I know and try to be mindful of; I also have the IPFS archiving enabled. But I think that is the realistic outlook for me, with my weaknesses and all I can be rather impulsive at times, I love restarting stuff and starting from scratch, I love decluttering and minimalizing, and I occasionally become uncomfortable with older content of mine or how much of myself is out there (even though there is nothing scandalous, secret or otherwise anything that warrants it on my sites; it's simply like "ew that's not me right now, it's like a stranger made it").

So I can totally see a lot of culling/pruning and moving around in the future. I want stuff to reflect me, but I cannot seem to tolerate it in a way that showcases a development over years or decades. I admire this in others who manage that, but I know it's not realistic for me; it's not how I usually operate. I am a rather temporary person and I often don't recognize myself from a 2-3 years ago; I can be wildly different and I often want online stuff to represent that. That is kinda disappointing and exhausting.

Maybe there will be a new thing that is similar and I will move on to that. A 3D version of a personalized website, but different than the 3D browser worlds we sometimes have. I played quite a bit of "Occupy White Walls" in the past, which is a virtual museum gallery online game where you design your own gallery with 3D and 3D art. You make the building, gather (real) art, and can visit other galleries. Something like that with a website would be cool. Maybe new versions of Second Life, VRChat and similar projects will take off together with new devices like the Vision Pro and either the usual VR or projecting an environment around us, so maybe we will build something that showcases us, our projects, and other stuff there. I could see it. I think it would be fun to create something like my site with augmented reality so you can see it around your room.

As for the web revival community or this forum, I think this is probably temporary for me (like 1-3 years), but I am open to longevity. I just tend to move on from communities after a while (not necessarily deletion, just laying low/becoming inactive) when things stagnate and the same things are discussed over and over again. I think at some point, most about web revival stuff, neocities, making websites in the way we do, online values, social media discussions etc. will all be laid out there and just interesting for newbies, and the newbies will respond echoing similar sentiments as were said in the thread.
There are many kinds of threads that are worded and operating in a way that answering it once is enough and there is nothing else to be done. The followup replies may just repeat stuff as well. Only occasionally you might add on to a reply of someone else or ask them something. I think a place has more longevity when there is a discussion culture and a lot of back and forth with very active threads, not just an "ask culture" (referencing the act of answering questions through an ask box once and then waiting for new questions ("asks"); the irony of posting this in a question thread is not lost on me). I have the same with communities around games, though.

[starbreaker]

I don't know how long I'll stick around. I probably won't delete my account on Melonland, but I might go quiet for days, weeks, or months at a time. Likewise my fediverse account on Libranet.de. I've already gone quiet on another forum that I won't mention here, mainly because the vibe got intolerable.

I do however intend to keep my website, and I've explicitly carved out an exception in robots.txt to let the Wayback Machine's bots crawl my entire website, something I don't allow commercial search engines to do any longer (they only get /index.html, my RSS feeds, and my sitemap).

[Memory]

Generally, throughout my life there has been a thread of abandoning my identities and re-booting my entire personality; pretty often. I have abandoned friends, even names, genders, opinions, hobbies, interests, styles, subcultures... I often felt like the only thing that remained consistent was my physical body. I do not doubt that it will be the same with the indie web some day; but hopefully not in the next few years.

As for reasons, I can imagine a few... assuming I don't get a random identity crisis and completely reform myself in a way that cuts unique computers, having a website or existing outside of social media out of my life.

1) I have always been somewhat skeptical of some "web revival folks'" opinions when it comes to moderation, community building, interaction and (political) philosophy. Perhaps some day this will make me give up on spaces like Melonland, or become disillusioned with the whole subculture.

2) Maybe at some point the web revival's potential for social interaction ends up fading out and I will feel like I am talking into utter nothingness, with no-one talking to me or interacting with my website. This feels likely if I hypothetically do leave the forums and the e-mail penpals I have fizzle out.

3) Perhaps something happens that makes me reconsider putting myself out there like that; like getting a persistent hater or getting doxxed, putting out a blog post that's too provocative, political or attracts the wrong kind of attention, or snapping online somewhere to the point where I cannot show my face around anymore.

4) Finally, I think what could make me sour on the web revival would simply be being a disappointment to myself. There's already times where I feel like Libre.Town is boring or too "serious"/unfun compared to other sites; if this increases to a point where I cannot take it, or where I end up hating who and what I am even more, I might delete my website and never look back simply because I feel like I will never be as cool/cute/fancy as the others. I hope it doesn't come to that, though.

But generally, I am optimistic. It's been a nice hobby, doesn't require constant attention, and I have met some cool people here.

[Cobra!]

I haven't thought about it much at all. This forum and the personal website space feels like home to me.

I have thought about changing my website drastically, though. I feel somewhat uncomfortable with my current site. I feel it focuses more on style over substance.

However, I want to also demonstrate, to any potential employers to jobs I apply for who want to mooch about my stuff, that I am a capable web developer. (Even if I'm not!)

So I think I'm going to do both. Make a classic frames style website, and then make a 3D maze-like game (made in Godot and/or Flash) of a dream humble abode with objects in the game leading to various pages.

As for the forums, I've been using forums like this for a few years, and have no intention of stopping now.

[Melooon]

This is always an elephant in the room 

I have observed that most people are on a 6-8 month cycle - they will arrive and a micro community will form, but then they pass on and this space becomes claimed by different people for a while, and on and on. It sometimes reminds me of the train scene from spirited away where ghosts appear and disappear at each stop but Im still sitting there with my silly projects hopping at the window

In truth though, this applies to all of life, although at different speeds - people arrive and disappear in your life like a revolving door, and theres rarely any explanation about where they came from or where they go. Eventually your own stop comes along and you go too; and all of time moves on.

The irony is that spaces like this just make that feeling more evident; you join a social space to find people, but what you really find is a lesson in letting go. Ultimately, its mostly this week that matters; we can appreciate the time with people and ideas as they flow. I hope an archive of all this will remain when all is said and done, but I don't aspire to become an archive 

I believe one of two things will happen; you (as in the general non specific you) will move on from the web revival, or the web revival will move on from you! Someone has to reinvent themselves because the world will keep changing; so the ability to remain in one place is actually a test of your ability to change with that place and likewise that places ability to change with you.

[Cele]

I just kind of go for a few months, then I'm back etc. With all my hobbies basically. I've been making websites since what, 2006? Wasn't planning on stopping, even if I took a years long break.

As for the forum, I can't say. My mood fluctuates a lot, which results in me at times being convinced everyone here (or any place) hates me etc and then I want to stay away. Who even knows who I'll be after a few years? I feel like I'm a totally different person compared to a few years ago in a way I've never experienced before.

[wygolvillage]

I'm coming up on my 6 month anniversary of starting my website, and I still have a lot of interest in working on some future projects, moving more towards my site being my main hub overall and distancing from social media, etc... So as for now I haven't been losing much interest at all! But we'll see how it goes over time.

[konamiesque]

I definitely do not see myself sticking around Melonland forever-- I tend to drift between communities pretty frequently, and don't really stay in one place for more than a year. Plus, I'm not nearly as big on the web revival as a philosophical/social movement the way other people in this forum are. For me, websites are just another medium that I can utilize for various projects. I don't really care about old web nostalgia or taking a stand against the framework-based minimalist corporate web-- my sites are simple because that's what's easiest for me to maintain, and I style them based on my own personal tastes-- nothing more, nothing less.

As for my projects themselves, they're kind of made to last. I plan on keeping everything up until it becomes impossible-- either because of money, lack of time, or I simply grow old and die. Even then, if I have enough foresight to see the end of the line, I may end up handing them off to someone else to maintain. (If they're willing and eager, of course)

[bingus_baby]

Generally, throughout my life there has been a thread of abandoning my identities and re-booting my entire personality; pretty often. I have abandoned friends, even names, genders, opinions, hobbies, interests, styles, subcultures... I often felt like the only thing that remained consistent was my physical body.

Felt this in my bones, I'm the same way. Seeing as how my site is two years old, I'm probably not going anywhere... though you probably will see a complete rebrand or two. Every forum I join I eventually leave. I come and go online like the wind, I go wherever I feel at home for a fiscal quarter or two and am gone pretty soon after... although I've been lurking Melonland pretty consistently!! Everyone is nice and interesting, and absolutely no drama. It feels welcoming and casual which I like.

A song that really sums up my feelings is Popopo. Underrated, but... he just like me fr. Floating from (digital) planet to planet! I don't expect to leave Neocities, but I might at some point, or move to adjacent communities. What's more likely is that I just do what others said and maintain the website, but disconnect from the web revival/Neocities communities entirely. I struggle to make online friends, so jumping ship whenever I feel like it would be easy. I guess that's online life, just going wherever whenever.

[bby]

i'm still going to be making sites, but my paranoia might get the better of me eventually and i might take it all down and only work on it privately.

[Grimlock]

i could see myself moving on from web revival spaces, but that's more because things i'm interested in change like a million times a second. vanishing randomly and then randomly returning months later is definitely also a possibility.

i don't think i'll ever stop having a site though, i love having a little personalized space and the few sites online where i can still have nearly as much customization as a full on site are looking like they'll disappear soon. :-(

[Kallistero]

I think having a sort of goal or direction that aligns with a community is a great way to stick with that community. If you don't have some lasting sense of purpose, you're liable to just drift right through it.

There is an idea or a work of art or a tool some other creation that's missing from the world, and you're here to bring it to life. Once your sculpture is complete, you've fulfilled a purpose. You can go on to sculpt another, you can share your creation with others, or you can leave it alone for a while and then come back to have what turns out to be an ever-changing type of fascination or lesson from your past works. You can also inspire & teach other sculptors or do things that help out & compete with other sculptors, which are the types of things that turn into lasting goals. The act of making the sculpture has, with it, a sense of meaning, and by working toward other people's creation of their own sculptures, you have found a sort of meta-meaning, which you'll be able to sculpt forever.

Many of the people who come and then go, they were here to make a sculpture, and they did. That's genuinely wonderful. Those who stick around forever, they're closer to making something that makes sculptures. They're crafting an environment that encourages sculptors to explore their potential, which imparts a sense of purpose that doesn't fade so easily when any one sculpture is complete. That's the sort of thing that'll keep a person set on something. Either that, or having a really impressive sculpture in mind that'll take a long time to complete, long enough that it always feels like there's a big plan to move toward, especially if that plan keeps evolving.

That's sort of what I expect is gonna keep me floating about this space for a while, in some form or another. I have a plan that's probably going to take me years to complete, and I won't be done here until that's done. A sense of purpose: that's one way to keep someone anchored. Beyond that, the sentiment behind Web revival is already an old feeling for me, and having some centralization to it is just another medium for me to engage with what's otherwise been a mainly internal experience. I think I'm gonna be around.

[Gans]

You'll have to beat me out of the internet. It's just too practical as a medium. But paranoia is high as well, of goverments and their apparatus. They have the potential to spoil the experience for the small website operators. In that case I'd have to give up the previous domain and try again in a land of web liberty...

[TheFrugalGamer]

I think having a sort of goal or direction that aligns with a community is a great way to stick with that community. If you don't have some lasting sense of purpose, you're liable to just drift right through it.

There is an idea or a work of art or a tool some other creation that's missing from the world, and you're here to bring it to life. Once your sculpture is complete, you've fulfilled a purpose. You can go on to sculpt another, you can share your creation with others, or you can leave it alone for a while and then come back to have what turns out to be an ever-changing type of fascination or lesson from your past works. You can also inspire & teach other sculptors or do things that help out & compete with other sculptors, which are the types of things that turn into lasting goals. The act of making the sculpture has, with it, a sense of meaning, and by working toward other people's creation of their own sculptures, you have found a sort of meta-meaning, which you'll be able to sculpt forever.

Many of the people who come and then go, they were here to make a sculpture, and they did. That's genuinely wonderful. Those who stick around forever, they're closer to making something that makes sculptures. They're crafting an environment that encourages sculptors to explore their potential, which imparts a sense of purpose that doesn't fade so easily when any one sculpture is complete. That's the sort of thing that'll keep a person set on something. Either that, or having a really impressive sculpture in mind that'll take a long time to complete, long enough that it always feels like there's a big plan to move toward, especially if that plan keeps evolving.

That's sort of what I expect is gonna keep me floating about this space for a while, in some form or another. I have a plan that's probably going to take me years to complete, and I won't be done here until that's done. A sense of purpose: that's one way to keep someone anchored. Beyond that, the sentiment behind Web revival is already an old feeling for me, and having some centralization to it is just another medium for me to engage with what's otherwise been a mainly internal experience. I think I'm gonna be around.

This metaphor is quite lovely, and I like the way it frames the whole issue!

As for myself, I expect I'll have my website permanently barring any major life changes. When I came across the revival, I had been thinking about starting it up again for a while, and it felt like a logical decision for me based on where I was headed (and am still headed) in terms of my artistic and creative output.

I'm not as active as I once was on this particular forum, but I do take breaks and then come back to things over the years. I think I'm here for the long run!

[Tommie ΘΔ]

I dont think I will. Old web has always been a part of my life, and despite my more recent infatuation with the web revival movement itself, I think this will stay! I hold very strong beliefs about archiving the internet and I think web revival is just another, more creative, form of that. While I might not always update my site, I cant imagine a future where I completely give up on the movement!!

Things change, but itll always be nice to look back on my days as an itty bitty webmaster when im older