User blog:Obi the LEGO Fan/Let us not Give up before we have Tried

Two score and eight days ago, a great change was suggested to the community of the LEGO Message Boards Wiki. A unprecedented opportunity was brought to light. ..

For years now, a community has grown and flourished around what some herald as the epitome of imagination in the world of toys... LEGO. LEGO is not simply a toy, it's an art. A way to express imagination, a way to paint and draw like never before, a way to sculpt and construct, a way to tell stories, and as our friendships prove, a way to unite communities. Bound by this common love of imagination, hundred of otherwise diverse people have joined together all over the internet, in various LEGO-based communities. Many of these communities have their own website— such as Eurobricks, MOCpages, BZpowers etc.

Other communities, most notably Brickipedia and LMBW, have remained part of a larger site- Wikia. Under wikia's system, these communities have transformed from small and insignificant to large, robust communities. But the challenges of such a large community are not few. When we were small in number, things were more peaceful; everyone was friends with one another, order was easier to maintain. Then in 2012, the current system was greatly taxed by the massive influx of users from the LMBs. The fact that things are often chaotic around here is not disputed. Everyone seems to agree that we have problems, and plenty of them. And that's natural. All communities will eventually go through stages of turmoil. We have found our polices to be insufficient, and our leaders to be too inactive to deal with so many people. The peaceful days of LMBW seemed to be over...

Then came an opportunity. Our lead admin, Drew, happens to also be an admin on Brickipedia. He was involved in the decision made by Brickipedia to move away from wikia, and form their own site. A unique site, that caters to the needs of the LEGO community specifically. Because Drew is an admin here, we were given the opportunity to move with them. Many users showed support for this, and the initial poll showed that the overwhelming majority wanted to move.

It is my belief that moving off of wikia and onto our own wiki site will be of great benefit to this community. We need a fresh start, with new policies and a new system of doing things. It is time that we join the list of LEGO communities that have their own, distinct and unique websites. Now, I have nothing against wikia itself. It's a great way for people to share their enthusiasm by creating encyclopedias and forming communities based around a common interest. But while wikia is great for starting, it has many limits. And wikia does put a lot of focus on advertisements, some of them which are not appropriate for our intended readers: the members of the LEGO Message Boards, a site meant primarily for children.

The benefits of having out own site are vast. Not only will we have a fresh start, but the potential for customization is massive. We will be able to change and adapt into a site that is best suited for our members; something that wikia lacks. As great as wikia is, it is fairly uniform. Having a website that is specifically based upon our own needs and wants instead of one that is based on the need for wikia to raise money (which I don't blame them for. They have employees to pay, and people need to raise a living) is significant. While initially, our site may not be as advanced as wikia, it has the potential to continue improving— as far as our skills can take it.

Unfortunately, not all of our community shares the same opinion. A number of people who refrained from voting in the original poll became active protestors of the move, after it had already developed too far to be stopped. I understand the want to stay on wikia. It's familiar. It's comfortable. It's home. People want to stay, because they're used to it. And I respect that. People feel like they have not been fairly taken into account when considering the move. I respect that too.

But there is something bigger at stake. This wiki has only thrived because of one thing: friendships. That is what brings us back to the wiki every day. People come because they want to spend time with their friends. They want to be a part of the community. And the people are going to be the same people no matter what website we are on. Whether it is LEGO.com, Wikia or Brickimedia, it's the people that are most important.

I understand that many of you have qualms about moving, but I implore you to at least give the new site a chance. Make an account; try it out. See if it's really so bad. Stay at both wikis. Chat with your friends. There is no need to set anything in stone. People are acting like it's a all or nothing, move or stay, end of the game sort of thing. Well it's not. If the new site turns out to be so bad, if it turns out to be awful and you hate it, then by all means, return to this wiki! But why not take the opportunity, and at least try it out? This opportunity won't come again, but you can always come back to wikia.

My assertion is that you don't need to make some rock-solid, cast in iron declaration. You do not need to say, I'm staying here no matter what, or, I'm leaving and never coming back. It's not either or.

I see this as a wonderful opportunity to create a website that is specifically based around our needs as a community. It is an experiment, if nothing else. Why must we quarrel and dispute as if it is a life or death matter? There is absolutely no reason that we cannot give the new website a try, and return if it fails.

I have always believed, and will continue to believe, that the most important aspect of this wiki and it's community is the friendships. I would not devote my time to this wiki if it were not for the many awesome friends that I have met here and at the MBs. Let us stand together, as a community, united in friendship. Let us refuse to be divided by this question of moving or not moving, and move forth with open minds, free from prejudice, and work as we may to construct a wiki where we can flourish. With the noble goal of friendship firmly established, let us give the new website a chance. Let us at least try to solve the problems of this wiki by starting afresh. Let us give the new wiki a chance.

As a wise man once said, don't give up before you even tried.

⚔General Obadiah  Langton⚔