Moot's retirement from 4Chan

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Madhias
BS TORPE

21 Jan 2015, 22:07

Moot, the administrator and founder of 4Chan, retired today. As me being a so called 'oldfag' who is not really visiting the website since about 2-3 years anymore, i thought it is worth mentioning here. Maybe there are some other users here who visited the site, in the past or today. I am sometimes reading now the boards /p/, /g/ and /v/. In the past my girlfriend and now wife always asked me if i am married with this website.

Probably there are a lot of people here who hate or do not understand this place (hello Reddit). I remember i showed lots of people funny threads, interesting things, but i only know i think 2 people in real life which then visited 4Chan too.

For me it was or is often an interesting place to read about news or technology trends, sometimes inspiring, but sometimes i also hate it for all its prepossession of its users.

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photekq
Cherry Picker

21 Jan 2015, 23:33

Wow, I'm in disbelief..

I've browsed that site regularly since I was 11 or 12 years old. I'm sure I wouldn't be the person I am today if it weren't for 4chan (I would probably be much better off :lol:). I hope this doesn't spell the end for the site. It holds many fond memories for me.

andrewjoy

21 Jan 2015, 23:34

i have to ask. what is 4chan never ever even visited the site .

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Muirium
µ

22 Jan 2015, 00:25

It's one of those dark corners (along with Reddit) of the internet where the teenagers smoke and hack other people's computers…

That's the reputation amongst old outsiders, like me, at any rate. I think 4chan (or one of its rivals, which all go in the same pigeonhole in my mind!) was behind Anonymous, and much hacktivism besides. Plus just a forum in general, of course. Just like Reddit then! Or so says my mental librarian.

Image

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photekq
Cherry Picker

22 Jan 2015, 00:28

Don't compare it to reddit. It's more entertaining and less PC :lol:

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002
Topre Enthusiast

22 Jan 2015, 02:16

4chan is one of the only websites that has content and comments that consistently make me laugh out loud. Like Madhias though, none of my real life friends or colleagues go there. Some are paranoid that they will see CP, others just don't understand it. I am their filter to bring them relatively safe news from the site...come to think of it, they should probably just browse /r/4chan.

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matt3o
-[°_°]-

22 Jan 2015, 08:56

the importance of 4chan is undeniable. I've lurked it on and off during the years. It's one of those places that I don't completely understand but I'm happy they exist.

andrewjoy

22 Jan 2015, 12:24

i had a look at it last night


its just random pictures i don't get it

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Madhias
BS TORPE

22 Jan 2015, 12:42

Actually there are many 'normal' boards where you can find interesting discussions going on, which would not be the same on a typical discussion board. A lot of things i would not know that they exist i found there - for example keyboards! I saw on /g/ cool looking or old keyboards like Model Ms for a long time, but was not interested until i got my Filco.
Muirium wrote: It's one of those dark corners (along with Reddit) of the internet where the teenagers smoke and hack other people's computers…

I hear my grandpa speaking :)
photekq wrote: Wow, I'm in disbelief..
Oh yes, even if i am not really visiting it that much anymore it will not be the same. Of course the user base makes this place or its specific boards what it is, but i hope that this is not a sell-out and someone thinks he or she has to change everything.
andrewjoy wrote: i had a look at it last night
its just random pictures i don't get it
Well, it is an image board :) But the pictures must not be random, can be reactions, or just fitting to the topic. But mainly you are also reading there too, and not only watching pictures - depends of course where you are...

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Muirium
µ

22 Jan 2015, 13:01

Madhias wrote: I hear my grandpa speaking :)
That's an unexpectedly good point! Both my grandfathers died around the turn of the century, neither of them had used the internet yet. But they'd heard of it. Through newspapers! Which painted lurid pictures of how shady and depraved and full of hackers and paedos it was… just like I assumed these boards I've never been to must be!

There will always be some place that feels like that!

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SL89

22 Jan 2015, 14:34

photekq wrote: Don't compare it to reddit. It's more entertaining and less PC :lol:
4chan / 8chan, Reddit, and Tumblr all act like they hate each other, when in fact they are often the same users on all three spaces. It's just each space allows for a different spin on things... each community has its own tribal rules and traditions it seems.

Plus, moot has been a detriment to 4chan of late, so maybe this will be a return to the 'old ways', also i'm mostly on /g/ on 4chan and /tech/ on 8chan. At least he's not selling it. But i have to wonder who will hotwheels have to bash now if not moot. Despite the scary dog that is /b/ (and some of 8chans more unsavory boards) both exist (and i feel need to exist) for a reason.

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Muirium
µ

22 Jan 2015, 15:08

Wait, 8chan is real? I thought someone was just punking me!

Someone better register domains for all powers of two! Won't take too long…

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matt3o
-[°_°]-

22 Jan 2015, 16:44

SL89 wrote:
photekq wrote: Don't compare it to reddit. It's more entertaining and less PC :lol:
4chan / 8chan, Reddit, and Tumblr all act like they hate each other, when in fact they are often the same users on all three spaces. It's just each space allows for a different spin on things... each community has its own tribal rules and traditions it seems.
don't forget imagur

davkol

23 Jan 2015, 15:02

I hear there's this hacker, they call him 4chan...

Seriously though, yet another /b/tard reporting in.

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BlueBär

23 Jan 2015, 19:55

Regular 4chan user here as well (/vg/ and /g/ mostly). I didn't read anywhere who's in charge now, guess the q&a will bring some answers.
andrewjoy wrote: i had a look at it last night
its just random pictures i don't get it
Click on one of the subboards you could seem interested in (/g/ probably). Thread OPs and their 5 last posts are shown on the page you see, click reply to see the whole thread. Everyone is anonymous (probably the thing that defines 4chan and other imageboards the most), your identity or person does not matter - which means you can be as much of a jerk or nice guy as you want. Threads get auto-deleted after they fall off page 10 of that board, new replies and images will bring them to the front page again (there is a limit though so they will die eventually). So the most current and active threads are the ones you will see.

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Muirium
µ

23 Jan 2015, 20:11

Everything you just said makes it sound like madness to me. If I couldn't search DT for all the junk I've posted over the years, because it's all guaranteed an early death, I would never have registered and bothered to write here in the first place!

Whole different concepts of what the web is for.

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BlueBär

23 Jan 2015, 23:59

That's really the "magic" of it - nothing is there to stay, and it doesn't even matter because it is not associated with your "internet personality". You're a nobody, and so are the people you're talking to.

Or as a great philosoph once said: it doesn't matter who we are, what matters is our plan.

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SL89

24 Jan 2015, 13:25

matt3o wrote:
SL89 wrote:
photekq wrote: Don't compare it to reddit. It's more entertaining and less PC :lol:
4chan / 8chan, Reddit, and Tumblr all act like they hate each other, when in fact they are often the same users on all three spaces. It's just each space allows for a different spin on things... each community has its own tribal rules and traditions it seems.
don't forget imagur
imgur is to reddit, what 9gag is to 4chan: a parasite... tho that being said imgur is only slightly more useful then 9gag

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SL89

24 Jan 2015, 13:30

Muirium wrote: Everything you just said makes it sound like madness to me. If I couldn't search DT for all the junk I've posted over the years, because it's all guaranteed an early death, I would never have registered and bothered to write here in the first place!

Whole different concepts of what the web is for.
/startrant

thats the point, it is madness in the sense that you have to let things go. relevant discussions are had and then done away with. you cant archive a conversation you have with someone IRL and sometimes you need to let them go. there are archivers, but sometimes its best to let anon convos remain anon. the archivers are kind of like sitting down to coffee with someone and having them whip out an audio recorder. one of the more interesting things about certain communities (/g/ is a very good example) is you can say 'hey who remembers when we were talking about x' and besides the few 'no, get fucked' messages, someone will show up with information relevant to x and say 'actually here is the exact thing you are looking for.' if the reddit hivemind is a real thing then the 4chan / 8chan singularity is also real. one of the few issues (like reddit) is the increasing specialization, which means there are less brains to poll as they are spread out to smaller boards with less traffic.

/endrant

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SL89

24 Jan 2015, 13:38

BlueBär wrote: That's really the "magic" of it - nothing is there to stay, and it doesn't even matter because it is not associated with your "internet personality". You're a nobody, and so are the people you're talking to.

Or as a great philosoph once said: it doesn't matter who we are, what matters is our plan.
iswydt :lol:

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Muirium
µ

24 Jan 2015, 13:39

Hive is the operative metaphor. The less I know about someone (how they write and what they care about, more than IRL stuff though that comes along eventually) the less I give toss about their opinion. I'll be courteous, sometimes, but more for the potential that they might reveal themself to the group than forever remain a hit and run.

If everyone was anon and fleeting like that, I wouldn't bother doing anything at all. I'm that way with passers by in real life, too. Unless I'm aiming to get to know someone, I'll keep moving and get out of the way; with the hope they will do the same. Too many strangers in the world to load all of them into my mind!

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chzel

24 Jan 2015, 13:46

Muirium, I guess such sites are like the random conversation you might have with a total stranger on a train trip, or in a queue...No reference value whatsoever (a guy in a train once told me... :? ), just an exchange of opinions, honest or not.
Should they influence you or even engage in such chatter? In my opinion no, but I am the kind of guy that shuts himself off with earphones on trains and just nods when there is a need of communication!

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SL89

24 Jan 2015, 13:51

The less I know about someone (how they write and what they care about, more than IRL stuff though that comes along eventually) the less I give toss about their opinion.

This is exactly what people seek to avoid by remaining anonymous. The entire idea is that your ideas, thoughts and words carry weight, not your reputation.

Ripster is Ripster because well... he's a personality linked to an identity. So it carries weight because of that. Now what if Ripsters obnoxious posts were posted by some randomer? Nobody would care... or they would get a lol and go on their way. But when he says something obnoxious, people flip out because its Ripster saying it.

By that same token if some randomer posted some of Ripsters accurate 'keyboard science' people would home in on it, respond to it and engage id discussion (and discourse if its disputed.) But because it is spoken by the unmentionable one, people either give it extra weight or dismiss it.

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chzel

24 Jan 2015, 14:12

I wasn't around at the same time as Ripster, but I get the impression that when he was serious (doing "keyboard science") he was fine and actually accomplishing something for the community (and I really like his albums on imgur). His more random and offensive posts are a whole different story!

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SL89

24 Jan 2015, 14:15

chzel wrote: I wasn't around at the same time as Ripster, but I get the impression that when he was serious (doing "keyboard science") he was fine and actually accomplishing something for the community (and I really like his albums on imgur). His more random and offensive posts are a whole different story!
I was just using him as a topical example, you could substitute it for anyone really. The Pope is a good singular figure or anyone else really.

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chzel

24 Jan 2015, 14:18

:oops: I guess I am not that good at abstraction!

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Muirium
µ

27 Jan 2015, 13:47

SL89 wrote: This is exactly what people seek to avoid by remaining anonymous. The entire idea is that your ideas, thoughts and words carry weight, not your reputation.
True. Perhaps I should have qualified my "don't give a toss" statement. I mean I don't give a toss about random people's criticism. Which is so often the main content of the internet! If they're posting something good, no problem. Everyone's new at some point. The quickest way to get a good reputation (and the potential for actually bothering me!) is to contribute good stuff. That can be good questions, well thought out opinions, and photos and links of course. Just generally being a thoughtful human being!

The mental filter I'm talking about is when someone I've never heard of shows up and insults people, and doesn't even make an argument why. That's the Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory in action:

Image

The internet has that effect on some people all of the time. And on all people, some of the time! The key is in keeping the first group quiet so the rest of us don't have to strain to hear each other above their shouting.

davkol

27 Jan 2015, 17:32

Sounds like you've never heard of Shanley Kane and her minions.

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Muirium
µ

27 Jan 2015, 17:32

That would be entirely correct.

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cookie

27 Jan 2015, 17:49

Once I lurked a bit on 4chan, and visited the random link a few times... I got one funny meme, a nude girl, an elderly decapitated man and a girls corpse totally shreddded by a shark. Well, my day was ruined and I never ever visited the site again.

If the site goes down, I won't miss it though.

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