67 replies to this topic

[Dustin]

The only thing that intrigues me is why Wheatley (if it is still him in charge of the domain anyway - Whois search says he is) would have diverted the MI6 and MI6Forums urls to the CBn equivlent links.

Tit for tat?

[zencat]

...being the very best looking and maintained James Bond web site...

He forgot to mention "modest" in this sweeping bit of self praise.

Sorry, with the exception of James Wheatly, I've found the people who run that site to be a pack of self important pricks.

[jaguar007]

Dated it may have been, but it at least it wasn't as hard on the eyes as Cb.n's interface.

Black backgrounds went out of style more than a decade ago.

It is all about personal preference. I find the white on black of CBn to be far easier to read than the blue on blue of the old MI6. I far prefer the layout and ease of use of CBn as well.

[Simon]

A curious turn of events.

I have always found MI6 to be more go-getting in terms of sticking up news stories and articles than CBn. Certainly the front page here now very rarely changes, the reasons for which I do not know and this is only said by way of comparison to MI6.

I have wondered whether there is a downturn in CBn staff so news accomodation is less of a priority and to this end I further wonder whether CBn has been trading on its stellar forum community.

The forums at MI6 have been a mixed bag and to balance their news trade off, grammar, spelling and presentation has been secondary to frequency of updates. Perhaps this last says more about what I value in reading than others.

Anyway, while MI6 has allied itself to affiliated groups such as Retro Cinema et al, I hope in their new form they find a place to survive. Afterall, this appears to be on the face of it, to be nothing more than an online version of the '007 magazine separating itself from Mr KKBB magazine' story. That said, 007 magazine never offered advertising space to Mr KKBB.

[Loomis]

I don't think I've so much as looked at MI6 in years. Or AJB, come to that. The last time I visited those sites was probably when Craig was announced as Bond.

[sharpshooter]

I’ll sporadically check those sites out to see how the other half live.

And they’re roughin’ it in comparison. We’ve got it good living the soft life.

[Goodnight]

Thanks for this. I thought my ipad was just doing it to annoy me.



Shame it has gone:( my username on there was much cooler than this one.

[jaguar007]

Thanks for this. I thought my ipad was just doing it to annoy me.



Shame it has gone:( my username on there was much cooler than this one.

Who were you over there?

[Melancholy Productions]

I don't think I've so much as looked at MI6 in years. Or AJB, come to that. The last time I visited those sites was probably when Craig was announced as Bond.

Personally, I found MI6 to be best for up to date Bond news and videogame discussion. With AJB, it's their merch & collecting forum. This site for film and literary discussion.

[Jump James]

This is the best Bond fansite. Layout is the best, it does have the most traffic, not all good traffic but over the years it's had the best informed people from the Bond world sign up. Just using the search button proves that.

[Goodnight]

Thanks for this. I thought my ipad was just doing it to annoy me.



Shame it has gone:( my username on there was much cooler than this one.

Who were you over there?

I was 'Regents Walk'. Named after a racehorse I knew.

That was cool

[DamnCoffee]

for sure you guys need more moderators

What's that supposed to mean?

[TopGearJB007]

Well, thanks for having me CBn. I sure as hell like this site more than the new MI6. Hello to all former MI6ers!

[Dustin]

for sure you guys need more moderators

What's that supposed to mean?

At MI6 the emphasis used to be very much on output and numbers of posts. That lead to a certain mindset over the years. And sadly to the need for intensive monitoring and moderation. The prevailing code of conduct at CBn is (for the most part) quite different and I suppose it can be a cultural shock for some. Still, I think over time most will come to appreciate the different custom here.

[Bondian]

"Too many cooks spoil the broth". Have had the same experience with one of the sites I managed (and there have been many). Domain was owned by the owner (who is not around at all). I handled the business and forums, hosted it (for free), provided support and delivered the merchandise. But now because of an absense partner ('AWAC' Absent Without a Care) the cpanel 'tar' that was sent to me by someone who took over the server. This file that should include everything has a database reads zero byte's. Great. Forums gone, now what...Am hoping I have a backup, but it would be several years old. RAID is great if you can access it, but if your server's taken over by dummies what can one do (in my case).

I feel for MI6 because it's nobody's fault. The admin (not sure if it's James Page or not) would have had more control if he had access to domain, server, forums and etc.

At least our Admiral has his kit together.

We live and learn.

All the best.

Cheers,


Ian

[DamnCoffee]

So, you MI6ers sticking around for good? It's always nice to have some more members.

Also, considering the MI6 you all know is no more, then I guess we'll probably be the biggest James Bond forum on the internet.

[TopGearJB007]

So, you MI6ers sticking around for good? It's always nice to have some more members.

Also, considering the MI6 you all know is no more, then I guess we'll probably be the biggest James Bond forum on the internet.

MI6 isn't even a forum anymore. It's just another freakin' social network. My Bond internet activities are probably going to decrease dramatically now.

[Monkeyfoahead]

]Inferior website? How so? True, they treated their posters like refuse by deleting all history of their years of posting, but as a website vs. this one, how were they inferior, and why is their website being directed here? Are you saying there is little connection?

Off the top of my head:

1. Extremely cluttered and confusing layout, in addition to the problem of redundant subforums. It was only just recently that they finally got rid of their "Die Another Day" forum. CBn, on the other hand, is elegantly laid out and streamlined, in my opinion.

2. The quality of the actual forum members. CBn has had its share of bad eggs, but MI6 was far worse in that regard. It was often difficult to maintain a serious topic without it devolving into juvenile banter. One thing I will say in MI6's favor is that their Fan Fiction forum was more interactive and lively than what we have here at CBn. On the other hand, a lot of it was crap.

I also think the fact that the webmasters there completely lost every post ever made and switched to a radically new layout overnight kind of sums up my feelings about MI6. I had some pals there but due to the new layout and their reckless disregard in handling the transition to the new site, I doubt I'll be returning.

And now they're all coming here.....

[Bryce (003)]

Well, I don't know about MI6 policy on Fan-Fic, but CBn was addressed this last year on our own by someone (or firm) representing IFP in changing our manner in our fan fiction. Not so much in original characters, but anything to do with people/members here taking a stab at either writing James Bond 007 adventures or works including him. For many of our talented members that had and have done so, this seemed unfair, but we had to respect the "powers" that be and the Team (Mods) decided, with much regret, to abide by it.

Hell, myself and others, were willing to set up a meeting with the agent who contacted us. After much debate, we opted to comply but all fully agreed that it sucked and never did get an answer as to why it was so wrong. No one who had written a piece wanted to make profit. It was all just Bond fans with a talent for writing doing just that. That's the nature of a fan base.

It was quite frustrating.

I still want an explanation as to the "why" of it all and have a list of questions and would jump on the next Virgin Atlantic flight in a heartbeat.

The world of 007 wouldn't be where it is without it's fans...One of whom was the President of the United States and screened Dr. No in the Oval office and stated that FRWL was one of his favorite books.

Why some fans over 50 years can't write some internet fiction for better or worse is just stupid.

I respect IFP, IFF and Eon...As to their so-called "people" representing them...Maybe they need a new staff.

"I shoot the bastard...That's my policy" - Dirty Harry

[Dustin]

Did I get this right? No fanfic with Bond, only with original characters on CBn?

[Bryce (003)]

Did I get this right? No fanfic with Bond, only with original characters on CBn?

No. By no means is that a rule. We just play a shell game in other theads. By all means, just post whatever you've got or want to share in the fan-fic thread. Sorry if it's confusing. We don't like it either compared to what it used to be.

[Dustin]

Did I get this right? No fanfic with Bond, only with original characters on CBn?

No. By no means is that a rule. We just play a shell game in other theads. By all means, just post whatever you've got or want to share in the fan-fic thread. Sorry if it's confusing. We don't like it either compared to what it used to be.

This is indeed somewhat peculiar and not a little confusing. Well, I've heard once Amis had an idea for a 60-ish Bond fighting the evil KGB colonel Moriavsky somewhere in the Swiss Alps and both of them falling into a cataract at the end. Supposedly Glidrose forbid him to ever pursue the idea (which is a shame). Perhaps to be expected when dealing with a literary character of such standing and importance. I'll see if I can ever come up with something worth reading...

[Bryce (003)]

Check out this thread. It was started a few years ago and people just keep adding their humble bits. I know I've had some fun with it and within it.

I think fan-fic is important no matter how you approach it whether it's with an original character of your own creation or carrying on the mantle of James Bond.

http://debrief.comma...hristmas-story/

[The Shark]

2. The quality of the actual forum members. CBn has had its share of bad eggs, but MI6 was far worse in that regard. It was often difficult to maintain a serious topic without it devolving into juvenile banter.

One man's 'juvenile banter' is another's easy going, bar-room humour. While there sometimes ware a spam problem, at it's very best, MI6 was nowhere as dry, gormless, and alienating as Cb.n can often be, from my personal experience. It had life, before it was overrun by nanny state moderators, who were determined to make the place a cyber-kindergarten. Most of the mature-minded members have since left the new site, or were banned a while ago (i.e. Ambler).

[zencat]

[font="Century Gothic"]I still don't get what you're not allowed to write or do in the fan fic section. But then again, it's late, and I am drinking a pretty stout ale at the moment.
All the names are being used and it all seems pretty detailed to me. Is it concerning images and nothing else ?

It's because a while back we got some legal guidelines handed down to us from Simon Trewin acting as representation for IFP. We were as baffled by these new rules as you, but we complied. Fan fiction is a very dicey area legally. At least he didn't ask us to pull it all.

[Dustin]

Thanks for that link, Bryce (003). Interesting idea with some fascinating stories there!

It's because a while back we got some legal guidelines handed down to us from Simon Trewin acting as representation for IFP. We were as baffled by these new rules as you, but we complied. Fan fiction is a very dicey area legally. At least he didn't ask us to pull it all.

These guidelines anywhere to be seen? Dos and don'ts? Avoid-at-all-costs?

[Jim]

Thanks for that link, Bryce (003). Interesting idea with some fascinating stories there!

It's because a while back we got some legal guidelines handed down to us from Simon Trewin acting as representation for IFP. We were as baffled by these new rules as you, but we complied. Fan fiction is a very dicey area legally. At least he didn't ask us to pull it all.

These guidelines anywhere to be seen? Dos and don'ts? Avoid-at-all-costs?

The principal targets appeared to be:-

- having a dedicated "front page" area on the website from which the fan fiction could be obtained (hence the removal of that)
- presenting many of the fan fictions as downloadable pdfs as "books"; and some exception taken to the cover styles (which is a shame because they were uniformly excellent, celebratory more than anything else, and the product of a lot of hard work and time on Mister Asterix's part)

In essence, a proposition that, although as John says, they could ban it outright, realistically fan fiction is something that will emerge on the internet so a lived-with evil, but its presentation and position on the site required amelioration. I can see it from their point of view, certainly.

Since you ask, there wasn't - as far as I recall - specific or direct objection raised to content and theme. Don't take that as carte blanche.

Which would be a good title for some fan fiction... oh.

[Dustin]

Thanks for that link, Bryce (003). Interesting idea with some fascinating stories there!

It's because a while back we got some legal guidelines handed down to us from Simon Trewin acting as representation for IFP. We were as baffled by these new rules as you, but we complied. Fan fiction is a very dicey area legally. At least he didn't ask us to pull it all.

These guidelines anywhere to be seen? Dos and don'ts? Avoid-at-all-costs?

The principal targets appeared to be:-

- having a dedicated "front page" area on the website from which the fan fiction could be obtained (hence the removal of that)
- presenting many of the fan fictions as downloadable pdfs as "books"; and some exception taken to the cover styles (which is a shame because they were uniformly excellent, celebratory more than anything else, and the product of a lot of hard work and time on Mister Asterix's part)

In essence, a proposition that, although as John says, they could ban it outright, realistically fan fiction is something that will emerge on the internet so a lived-with evil, but its presentation and position on the site required amelioration. I can see it from their point of view, certainly.

Since you ask, there wasn't - as far as I recall - specific or direct objection raised to content and theme. Don't take that as carte blanche.

Which would be a good title for some fan fiction... oh.

LOL! Ok, I see. Wouldn't think of taking liberties. Wondered where that stuff had disappeared, remember some fantastique cover art and captivating writing to go with it. Shame.

By the way, I haven't read the term "amelioration" in years.

Edited by Dustin, 18 March 2011 - 04:19 PM.

[Santa]

MI6 was nowhere as dry, gormless, and alienating as Cb.n can often be, from my personal experience. It had life, before it was overrun by nanny state moderators, who were determined to make the place a cyber-kindergarten.

At the risk of stating the obvious, no-one's forcing you to hang around here.

[Goodnight]

I didn't know of lots of 'trolls' or whatever you wish to call them over on MI6, but I only joined it about four months ago and I didn't post much in my time there, so I don't recall coming across a lot of them.

There did seem to be endless amounts of threads, which made it awkward when looking for something specific.



I have been thinking today, and I swear I remember stumbling across a thread on MI6 called something like "Forum members you hate", or "Forum members you don't like". I might be wrong if my memory doesn't properly recall.

So maybe there were lots of trolls over there.