When Amazon shut down IMDb's film forums, I contacted them to see if they were interested in selling them to at least archive the content. They were not interested. It's sad to see them kill off another Internet fixture.
Some may disagree, but to me, it feels much like Google's acquisition of DejaNews.
Not sure how anyone can see these so-called "tech" companies as being on the side of users. Why acquire and shut down a website full of user comments, whether it's archives of Usenet forums, IMDb forums or DPReview forums. As if these user comments are either some sort of commercial opportunity, e.g., personal data mining, or some sort of competitive threat. Then eventually kill them off (absent user protest) as if they are worth nothing or a liability.
Why interfere with these websites. It makes no sense unless the goal is contrary to user interests.
As an example that it is indeed possible for a big co. to care enough to do the right thing, Stripe acquired Indie Hackers and then sold it back to the founders: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35460375
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When Amazon shut down IMDb's film forums, I contacted them to see if they were interested in selling them to at least archive the content. They were not interested. It's sad to see them kill off another Internet fixture.
Some may disagree, but to me, it feels much like Google's acquisition of DejaNews.
Not sure how anyone can see these so-called "tech" companies as being on the side of users. Why acquire and shut down a website full of user comments, whether it's archives of Usenet forums, IMDb forums or DPReview forums. As if these user comments are either some sort of commercial opportunity, e.g., personal data mining, or some sort of competitive threat. Then eventually kill them off (absent user protest) as if they are worth nothing or a liability.
Why interfere with these websites. It makes no sense unless the goal is contrary to user interests.
They bought and ran the site for 16 years. Sounds like a far-fetched plan.
Selling is very complicated, especially from a data privacy perspective. Often just not worth the risk :/
As an example that it is indeed possible for a big co. to care enough to do the right thing, Stripe acquired Indie Hackers and then sold it back to the founders: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35460375