User blog:PinguBonScott/The End... Or Mayhaps a New Beginning

The move to a different server had started off as something interesting and exciting to most of the community, as shown by polls done just after it was announced. However, Something around 2 months later, this same reason for joy has become an issue. And I mean, a BIG issue. But what's behind this? Simple.

The sketchy idea of moving
I remember more or less when Drew told the CM team that we would be possibly be moving along with Brickipedia to a different server. Most of us, if I recall, qualified it as a good idea, that would be extremely advantageous to the Wiki itself. Indeed, a new, More orderly layout was quite a boost. We thought it would make the wiki more productive, and the ad reduction was a brilliant step forward. We even discussed a bit of how we expected and wanted the new server to be. Still, the community was to be told (I think) a week or so later.

The community itself accepted the idea very happily. They were all excited about the new features we could implement, and the independent part attracted their attention. Also, quite a few were wondering if Ranks would be kept or if they would be reset, to which the answer turned out to be even more customization! The ranks would be kept, and now there'd be even more different ranks! Alemas did get somewhat depressed when he heard that badges would be reset, but still the ambiental joy was there. Not long after, I was forced to go inactive for a span of a month/month and a half.

My arrival to a New, Strange Land
I arrived to see lots of complaint blogs. But these weren't the usual chat Rants or chat logs, they were complaints and polls about the move. I was somewhat confused. I entered chat, and it was just like if the move had never been mentioned to anybody. There was an occasional mention of a blog and sometimes a kick here and there, but nothing out of the Usual. I had to be quite semi-afc, so I barely got any news, until a couple of days before NW's incident.

Today
In a span of around 2 days I realized what we all know by now. The community that once had been excited for the move, was now tearing apart because of it. Chat became dead quite more often, and at least a third of the conversations were about the Move, and how Drew had forced it on the community. Just today, I saw the rupture with my very own eyes. Brickmaster was devastated. And I don't doubt that in a while, more will join him...

Speech
Well guys, first off, if you've read this far, thanks :) But there's still quite a while to go... (If you skipped the history, go back and read it, it is very important to understanding what happened and to fix it).

Now, let's go on, shall we? This community has always been one of the strongest, and most united ones I've seen around Wikia. It is filled with great individuals, each with great characteristics that make the community be diverse, multicultural if you may, and make it a very enjoyable place. I don't doubt most/all of you have gone on chat, and you must admit it is quite entertaining. But what is the point of having a chat, you ask? Well, Instant communication, for once. On the other hand, we make FRIENDSHIPS. Believe it or not, from my personal viewpoint, I've made friendships here that rival even those with my best friends. Whenever my RL friends are unavailable, I just come here and chillax a while, talk to my buddies and simply let time pass through weary eyes.

These friendships can be very strong, and most of you know this by experience. Even those who are new to the wiki are starting to grab some. But why should that be a focus? Simple. Because as easy as friendship may be said, it takes a lot to build and more to destroy it. Because, society itself is built around it. The WORLD is built around friends. So are plenty of emotions, and a number of psychological reactions. Yet, it Can be crushed, nonetheless. Sometimes it is by a lack of trust, others are for loss of contact... And quite a few times, these are broken by events. As good as the move sounded for the site, it is also carrying one main disadvantage. It is making the community split.

Some may ask, "Why should I care? MY friends are coming..." Again, the answer has no complexity at all. Yes, your friends may be moving, but what about all of their friends? Eventually, they would not have enough time for either site, and they would miss those on the site left. Let's face it, people. We all come back next day because of the community. Even Alemas and Drew, who edit so much, have friends that help them by. In fact, our own personalities are influenced by friends. And the human being needs that. It is instinctly a sociable creature, and a wise man once said that a human could not live fully apart from society. I come and tell you, that wise man spoke the truth. Can any of you imagine a life with literally no society? Even those who hate society need it. Yes, as sickening as it may be, society is like oxygen for the human's mind.

Here my focus on friendship in this speech comes to make sense, and I take the real protagonist. Let's divide our community in 3 unequal parts. The first one is definetly moving to Brickimedia, seeking for the new features and probably to liberate themselves from Wikia into a more efficient editing platform, which I must admit does not look bad at all, and it is good for them to move if that is their desire. Now, our second part is the ones who definetly WON'T move to Brickimedia, may it be because of Brickipedia's users as they claim, for an emotional appeal, because they like the current features and editing layout of Wikia, or simply just a grudge with a sysadmin/Brickimedia user. That is fine too. Then comes our Third Bit of the community, who are unsure about if they will move or not, insecure if the features of one server are better than those on the other, and mostly because their friends are some going to Brickimedia and some staying at Wikia. Yet, none of the community members commit a wrong by having their opinion and expressing it. This split is  nobody's fault, if you want to blame someone, point your fingers at psychology.

Now, the split is created by the simple fact that there are multiple opinions. As mentioned before, that's not bad, and it actually makes the community richer. There has always been conflicts between communities and within them. That, the human shall never learn to mend, and never shall the kindred be at peace while living in society. This, fellow users, is the time that tries men's souls. If the community survives whole at either site, it shall easily strengthen, and in a matter of weeks all this Balderdash shall be forgotten. Yet, if failing to reconstruct the community in time, It shall fall until many a month and plenty of users anew have joined it. Still, this is a risk we must take. If there shall be a move, then chances are that the latter mentioned will happen... Yet, if the move is canceled, most probably the community shall be saved on time. But I do not know either choice's chances by numbers. I can but guess what would happen, and mayhaps I could have missed a consecuence or pro of a course of action, yet my knowledge shall not permit me wander as far as to give fully accurate digits on the situation.

It comes off as a preferable and easier choice to just move along, since Brickimedia already reserved a spot for this same community, and the long-term advantages to the Wiki's popularity and health would be outstanding. But men, I come hither not to offer you to switch between and because difficulty levels. I come hither today, to offer you freedom in two boxes! Each box contains the same freedom, yet it speaks it differently. I only ask of you, choose wisely and time your answer. There shall come a day when we. the Men and Women (and Dwarves) of the Wiki shall opt only because of difficulty. There shall come a day, when the battle rages, and we shall lay off our swords and just behear it in legend. But today, is not that day! Today we march into war, as the most Honorable army this land has ever witnessed. Today, we CHOOSE what will be of the wiki! We take upon a path and oath, whoch we shall keep! Today... Today, friends everyone of you, Not only do we take upon the path and oath. We shall make our path and swear the oath! Today, we bathe ourselves in the Glory of our ancesters, and wage between the choices both which could bring either doom... Or Long life and prosper!

Ladies and Gentlemen. Today, we hit the reset button, and see if this is the end, or only the Beginning.