Comic Genesis Forums

CG peaked in functionality around the time it changed from being Keenspace. Consider all the features we've had:

Then... now
Comic ranking/stats... disabled
Traffic stats... broken/disabled
Wiki... broken
Site value estimate... disabled*
Signup samples... disabled*
Newsbox... mods MIA
Pogs... mods MIA
Gen-Chan... mods MIA
Dropdowns... ?
IRC... ?
Forums... spam-infested
Automated scheduler... still too confusing
Comic hosting... works

In addition, CG's draw is its customizability, but from what I can tell, the majority of webcartoonists would rather just pick a template from a list and forget about it, either due to lack of interest or lack of technical know-how (or both). Some CGers barely mess with their "placeholder" layouts anyways, leaving their site as merely an embarassingly bland image dump.

I'd probably volunteer to help out if it'd make a difference, although it seems like sort of a lost cause at this point.

Bobadventures wrote:Where would be a good place to do this, for free and with a minimum of fuss?

There are a lot of options for free hosting. Specifically for webcomics, you've got (at least) Smack Jeeves**, Drunk Duck, and Comic Fury. Then there's also DeviantArt and Photobucket, and the various blogging sites (Blogspot, WordPress/ComicPress**, Livejournal, Tumbler).

* Arguably not desirable anyways

** Probably your best bets

LibertyCabbage wrote: IRC... ?

#keenspace is still running, although it's as moribund as the forums.

LibertyCabbage wrote:Then there's also DeviantArt and Photobucket, and the various blogging sites Blogspot, WordPress, Livejournal, Tumbler).

Keep in mind that these are terrible options for comics of an even remotely serial nature.

Cope wrote:

LibertyCabbage wrote: IRC... ?

#keenspace is still running, although it's as moribund as the forums.

LibertyCabbage wrote:Then there's also DeviantArt and Photobucket, and the various blogging sites Blogspot, WordPress, Livejournal, Tumbler).

Keep in mind that these are terrible options for comics of an even remotely serial nature.

Wordpress is fine with the Comicpress plugin.

I read that part as that Bobadventures just wants somewhere to store his files online in case CG's servers asplode outta the blue one day. If he wants a real mirror site, then yes, Photobucket and the rest would suck.

And Lego's right, the ComicPress plugin for WordPress seems like a great platform.

I've heard talk that ComicPress is on it's way out, and is being usurped by Comic Easel. It's supposed to be better from a design perspective. Can't really say from experience, but that's what I've heard anyway. So if you're starting from scratch you might want to consider that.

The Webcomic plugin works great too.

IVstudios wrote:I've heard talk that ComicPress is on it's way out, and is being usurped by Comic Easel. It's supposed to be better from a design perspective. Can't really say from experience, but that's what I've heard anyway. So if you're starting from scratch you might want to consider that.

The Webcomic plugin works great too.

I had not heard that. I use Comicpress, and have for some years now. I'm curious about Comic Easel now.

So I glance over here and what do I see. Spam threads. The weeds of the internet. The site - community - formerly known as KeenSpace seemingly on its last legs.

*BEATS FIST INTO FORUM'S CHEST*

LIVE GODDAMN YOU LIVE

YOU AREN'T GONNA LEAVE THOSE WIFE AND KIDS BEHIND YOU HEAR ME YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME IT WAS YOUR LAST DAY BEFORE YOUR RETIREMENT

;-;

Spam...where?
>_>
<_<
*whistle innocently and erases spams*

Goobla? Didn't you vanish for like... 7 years?

I think it's pretty impressive that this site is even still alive after all that time, though I wish it was doing a bit better.

Terotrous wrote:Goobla? Didn't you vanish for like... 7 years?

I was reading Homestuck, obvs. Took me a while, since I had to wait for it to exist first.

*Rubs eyes*

Is that a Goobla sighting or am I imagining things? What next, a Mr. Bob sighting? I'm pretty sure they're the same person.

Just because this seems to be the place for people to stick their head out of the woodwork...

The spam is getting severely out of hand. Isn't there anything we can do to prevent new accounts from making like 500 topics?

Terotrous wrote:The spam is getting severely out of hand. Isn't there anything we can do to prevent new accounts from making like 500 topics?

I don't know if the forums are up to date, updating them might help.

Also we've got a plugin thingy over at the Brick Comic Network that helps prevent it.

Dr Legostar wrote: I don't know if the forums are up to date, updating them might help.

I think we've missed a few updates.

I've found a couple plugins to be very useful on my own forums for deterring spambots:
http://www.projecthoneypot.org/httpbl_i ... ations.php
http://www.stopforumspam.com/contributions

I haven't seen any spammers since I instituted those two. The latter one is especially useful because it refers to a central database for IP addresses, usernames, and emails that belong to spammers. Flagged usernames can be potentially okay (anyone can use a particular username) but preventing certain IPs or emails from being able to register is awesome. You can also scan the existing userbase to see who is a spammer according to the database.

I forget if it was the StopForumSpam mod or the new version of SMF, but one of those lets you set registration questions that require plaintext answers (so you can ask math questions or whatever you please).

Please consider using these tools. They are very simple to set up and save a ton of time cleaning up spam.

I really hope we're able to do something about this and soon Right now, out of the 20 registered users online, 18 are spammers. Of the remainder, 50% is the google bot.

I miss getting to talk to you guys like normal It feels like we all went out to a bar together and then a bunch of really loud, aggressive people all came in and stood between all of us so we can't even hear each other

Which one of us is the one who gets a little too drunk and starts making vaguely racist comments?

IVstudios wrote:Which one of us is the one who gets a little too drunk and starts making vaguely racist comments?

SpacePrincess.

Wanna hear something funny? There's over 4000 posts waiting for approval. Well, there goes that idea out of the window.