Dreamwidth - anyone else thinking about jumping ship?

[strangetomato]

I've been checking out Dreamwidth a little lately, and I'm really considering moving over there once it opens up to the public (April 30). Some major pluses are the "reading page" instead of the "friends" list, which has always been reminiscent of grade five girl gangs at best (even just the new name is far better, but it also separates "friends only" access and the things you want to follow into two distinct things- THANK YOU!) and this amazing diversity statement. It seems to take everything that's good about livejournal and fix everything that sucks. As it looks right now, I'll be switching.

Is anyone else considering this?

Comments

[leskuh.livejournal.com]

I haven't looked into it all that much. It seems pretty cool and I'll probably get one and cross post to both sites for awhile and possibly backup my LJ there, if it's possible. I dunno, I'm fairly happy with LJ. I'd only switch to Dreamwidth for good if LJ dies.

*shrugs*

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

But if I leave, you'll go too, right? *bats eyelashes*

[allysonsimming.livejournal.com]

I doubt I'd switch over -- I've been using LJ since there were invite codes here and I'm way too comfortable with it to suddenly switch over. I'm fairly active in a bunch of communities on my regular LJ so I definitely wouldn't totally switch unless everyone left, haha.

[allysonsimming.livejournal.com]

Actually, the more I look at it, the more interesting it looks... If I got my hands on a code I'd probably try it out, at least. I wonder how restrictive the design elements of it are.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I have a lot invested in livejournal too, but I'd still be willing to do it. I figure anyone who really wants to follow my story will find a way to do so, and it's really looking better all the time to me.

[redqueenofevil.livejournal.com]

Me too, unless SUP pulls some crazy crap again like they did a few months ago.

[ownsimscorner.livejournal.com]

Looks interesting but eljay has a special place in my heart, plus I doubt all the comms I follow will switch. I`ll probably create one though - to follow you if you really do switch. ;)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I'd miss lj too, but in some ways I really wouldn't, at the same time. This would give me a chance to start over, in a sense, and I'd embrace that.

I figure I'll always have my lj to check back, if I want to.

[music-simbol.livejournal.com]

I'm a stubborn mule. I'm stuck in my old ways. I've been around LJ for awhile, and I'm just used to it. I like it enough to stay, and I don't have any real complaints. I haven't even at Dreamwidth, and I really doubt I will. Half of my LJ-ing is for sims, the other is for a Harry Potter based series of comms. Unless both communities moved, I probably won't.

Obviously, if you leave, I'll still check out your story, but I think I'm good here. (At least until my paid time runs out XD)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

It seems like a lot of fannish activity is moving over there (I was drawn in by the mentions on metafandom), but it remains to be seen if it can break free of livejournal and become as popular. I'm interested enough to try it out.

Well, I would appreciate that. ^_^ I'd still check in on my friends back her in lj land, no doubt.

[akatonbo.livejournal.com]

I'm already over there for the closed beta and will be paying when open beta starts; I've known one half of the ownership (not well, but mutually by name and common interests, etc.) since before either one of us had a Livejournal, and my girlfriend knows her quite well since she used to be an abuse team volunteer and D used to run it as part of her LJ job, plus I know enough about the other half (his wife was on my flist for a while) that I trust them to do a good job with it.

Naturally, there are still things I'm interested in on LJ, so I'll keep reading and commenting and so on here, but when DW's tool for including offsite journals as part of the reading list is finished I'll be using that instead of my LJ flist.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Well, I know just about nobody over there, but I still want to move. Maybe I'm just done with livejournal. I've never liked the way the flist worked.

So you'll be able to add livejournal posts to your reading page over there? If that's true, I really have no need to stay.

[cindyanne1.livejournal.com]

I might switch. I don't know if I'll back up everything from here over there or just start fresh. I like the idea of just starting fresh though. :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I do too. I'd move the story posts and the downloads, but everything else could just fall by the wayside. I like the idea of starting over.

[naughtydolphin.livejournal.com]

I've checked it out with openid already, and I'll sign up there once I get a code, but I don't think I'll ditch LJ altogether.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's my plan too, but I might ditch livejournal altogether (or leave it up with a forwarding link). I'm ready for a change.

[smjoshsims.livejournal.com]

I kind of love it here, but DW looks pretty interesting. I've seen a lot of it too, people have been chatting about it. IDK if I'll go.

YOU KNOW I WILL FOLLOW YOU INTO THE DARK anywhere you go.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I have issues with livejournal. I always have (as I'm sure you know). I'd be willing to move, I think. That's not for sure, but I'm really considering it.

Thanks, Josh. ^_^ At least someone will. That means a lot to know you'd follow me to another site like that.

[orikes13.livejournal.com]

This is actually the first I've heard of Dreamwidth. It looks interesting, but I probably wouldn't switch.

For one thing, I'm not really unhappy with Livejournal. It may not be perfect, but I haven't had too many complaints about it. I've also got an established network here. I do like the idea of providing something to differentiate between 'someone I follow' and 'someone I'm friends with', but there'd have to be more with Dreamwidth to get me to migrate.

If it turns out to be fantastic and lots of people start migrating, I might consider it, but right now I'm content. :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I'm mostly happy with livejournal too, but there are some things I'd like to change. I haven't completely decided yet, but I'm seriously considering it.

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on the weird friending thing here. Personally I never notice when someone adds me so I rarely friend someone back. I mostly watch communities. (and you can set up filters but they're a pain in the ass)

If nothing else, this new place could prove a nice distraction. I'm always looking for new stuff to goof off with while at work. (though I'm not leaving LJ, I'm comfy here so why move completely--I'd add this new thing though)

(sorry, didn't read all the comments--you planning to back all your stuff at the new place or just let LJ as it is and start fresh--with sims 3--over at the new joint?)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I feel bad about friending. People add me to follow the story (I assume), so I don't see a need to add them back unless I really know them. And just because I follow someon else's stories or content posts, they can read my friends-only stuff? that doesn't make sense. I hardly ever use that filter because of it.

I'm not sure what I'll do. I'm not ever sure if I'll really move yet, but I'm giving it some thought.

[aledstrange.livejournal.com]

It took me a while to get to use to LJ at first, so don't think I would be moving now that I finally did lol, but its always good to know about other alternatives specially if they offer new/different features about Friends/reading pages.

Thing is, the word "friends" as used here doesn't bother me at all, because I simply take it as an *nice* way to name a Acquaintances/contacts/interest/reading (or what ever) list, but I do agree the adding system has its flaws (specially on locked posts, imo only *mutual friend* should see those, but guess nothing's perfect)and could be interesting to have other options to handle "Friends" to separate more personal things and/or avoid unnecessary/unwanted spam.

But still, it'll depend on how that site will work, and grow over time. I like the diversity here. :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm not completely sure either. They don't have a whole lot of layout options right now, so it would have to add some more to make it completely appealing to me (or maybe I'll finally learn to do the custom designing a little better). The overall effect is good, though. I love that it's Open Source. I'll always try to support that option if I have a choice.

"Friends" is a bit of a loaded word to me, though I'm sure everyone interprets it differently in the case of livejournal. When you're talking about content sharing (which is mostly what we do as simmers, especially the storytellers), it makes more sense to call it subscribing than checking your friend list. The terminology goes back to a personal journal sort of setup, like diary.com (remember that?). "Reading list" is more like a blog, and I think it's a good distinction.

I'm going to wait and see too, but I wanted to know what people were thinking about it. It's becoming pretty huge in the fandom communities as a whole (but not so much simming as of yet).

[simgarooop.livejournal.com]

I must be living under a rock, because this is the first time I've read anything about Dreamwidth.

It seems pretty neat from the little info they offer on their home page -and I'm worried about the LJ russian bot issues (I've been friended by a couple and I nearly freaked out)- but I'd probably wait until it really gets some "impulse" before making the jump.

Back when the whole "strike through" drama happened, lots of fandom people said they'd switch to Insanejournal, but as far as I know, most stayed here. I like being able to read my friends' journals and the sim communities through my friend's page, so it'd be a hassle to switch back to my LJ everytime I wanted to do so if everyone remained here.

But if what akatonbo mentioned about eventually being able to read and keep in touch with my LJ friends from my dreamwith account, then I'll move there too when that becomes a reality. I recently lost most of my entries, anyway, so it'd be easy for me to make the switch :).

[meetme2theriver.livejournal.com]

Don't think I'd just give up my LJ account, but I'd get an account at Dreamwidth just to watch your story. :p

[muslemura.livejournal.com]

Me too :) It's a very watchable story ^^;

Also, for me the stuff I have here is mostly for my own entertainment, not worth moving, I think. Unless this Dreamwidth is ZOMG! AMAZING though. (I've never heard of it before *blushes*)

[petchy-14.livejournal.com]

NOOOOOO!! I just got aquainted :(

I doubt I'd move - I don't know LJ Enough for a starter, and I mostly only use it for Simming.
Is there a way to post A teaser on your LJ, and then post the full update on your DW?

[leafy-lettuce.livejournal.com]

That would probably be as easy as making the "teaser" an image link to your DW. ;3 Sort of like how some people (myself included) make their teasers image links to their Exchange stories.

[showercapfrog.livejournal.com]

I signed up a few weeks ago for DreamWidth. I don't think I'll jump ship, but I had a slight premonition that people I like following might, and I didn't want to be stuck in the position of not being able to follow them for whatever reason.

I don't post much anyway, so it probably won't matter what I do. But I do already have an established group of 'friends' and things here, and I think it would be somewhat of a shame to leave all of that. I think I'll probably keep up with both, because I'm like that. I would rather that you didn't leave LJ, but I will probably follow you to Dreamwidth if you do go.
I've tried other journal communities in the past, but a lot of them ended up frustrating me so I left. Blogger, Diaryland, etc didn't have the same kind of ability to have a list of posts of people you want to follow so easily (this was a few years back - they may have changed), and insanejournal/greatestjournal were very similar to LJ anyway, and had far less people. I like this place for the huge number of people who are here.

[drx4000.livejournal.com]

I snagged a Dreamwidth icon from an user over there!

[80sfiend.livejournal.com]

Well if you do go, I'll try to find a way to continue to follow the story, cause I love it! I'm still happy with LJ, but DW does seem cool too. :)