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NS++ to be Bought by NationStates ?


Westwind

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In the wake of Shadow Afforess being DEAT and ending further updates for NS++, [violet] has stated that NS is looking to aquire NS++ to make it an official part of NationStates, and in the process eliminate much of the security concerns of the addon:

 

Hello all! A quick update. A few details have yet to be worked out, but we are in the process of acquiring NationStates++ and its servers from Afforess. This means NS++ users will be able to continue using it without disruption, and NS++ will become official, which may alleviate concerns over data privacy and security that have occurred in the past.

Right now I'm dealing with the short-term implications of taking it on, so it's too early to speculate where everything might end up. But it's a very capable collection of software, which I'm very pleased to bring on board, and I think there's a lot we can do with it.

NS++ code is open source and this won't affect any forked projects such as those recently announced by players elsewhere.

 

 

According to Afforess:

 

One thing violet didn't mention is that violet is acquiring all of the NationStates++ assets.

NSWiki, NSArchive, NationStates++ are all being transferred. This is a mutually agreed upon arrangement and all sites will remain supported.

 

 

 

 

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I've always wondered this so please help clear up the confusion I have here: Does violet work for max barry as the lead software admin for the game or is she the server admin? I've always wondered who violet was...I always wondered if it was his aussie wife while he wrote his books.... :P

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Everyone wonders who [violet] might be.  That's one of Max's secrets.  But she does oversee both servers (ingame and NS forum are on separate servers) and code.  If I recall correctly, Max wrote the original NS code himself though.  And in addition to [violet], there has been Salusa, Scolo, Ballo, (might be forgetting others) doing code.  I expect they tend to the server too.  In a recent extended outage, Ballo was concerned that no one contacted him about it, so he wasn't aware of it more quickly.

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It displeases me greatly that Afforess will likely profit handsomely from this.

 

Yeah, I understand a loooooooot of people hate his guts.

I'd love it if someone more knowledgeable about that particular subject than I could fill me in sometime on just WHY he has so many enemies...

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It displeases me greatly that Afforess will likely profit handsomely from this.

 

Yup.  I was a surprised at how quickly it seemed that [violet] was ready to jump at this. And it's rather like our site supporter/telegram stamp money is indirectly going to Afforess for a 'free' browser addon.

 

Afforess has taken a number of controversial positions.  He was the first person to send a recruitment telegram to all nations for example, so he was the first to break some of the traditional unofficial barriers in recruitment.  He told those that complained that he considered all other regions enemies of his own region (Capitalist Paradise).  Not a good way to make friends.

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Yup.  I was a surprised at how quickly it seemed that [violet] was ready to jump at this. And it's rather like our site supporter/telegram stamp money is indirectly going to Afforess for a 'free' browser addon.

 

Afforess has taken a number of controversial positions.  He was the first person to send a recruitment telegram to all nations for example, so he was the first to break some of the traditional unofficial barriers in recruitment.  He told those that complained that he considered all other regions enemies of his own region (Capitalist Paradise).  Not a good way to make friends.

 

Ahhhh right, I've heard all SORTS of nasty opinions about Capitalist Paradise.

 

And that's a good point about the site supporter funds. I have no money of my own, so I can't really give any to NS, but the idea that the players of NS are basically paying Afforess for an otherwise free application is... distasteful.

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He's being paid for his servers/infrastructure, which cost him both time and money to build and maintain.  You may dislike the person, but enough people use his services the NS Admin Team feel it's worth saving from the boneyard, so honestly, he deserves to be compensated.

 

Open Source means you have the right to use the code all you want to build your own version of NS++, or whatever.  It does not mean he has no right to be compensated for his time if others find his end product worth something.

It's not really that much different than anyone that runs offsite forums like myself.  I spend $35-40/month on the server we have here, and I don't expect anyone to contribute.  I get other benefits from it that makes it worth my wild (plus I'm just a nice guy...sometimes), so it's a mutually beneficial arrangement.  With the numbers using NSWiki, NS++ and other services, his bills are likely higher than mine....

 

Overall I think this is probably a good event as it takes that infrastructure away from someone no one seems to like or really trust and puts it in someone's hands that is far more trusted by the Community.

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I know several who approached him 'bout maintainin' NS++ after the servers were scheduled to go down 'round the end of the year, and he runs three servers at $160/year each.  There are very few people other than Max and [v] themselves who have the time and/or money to maintain that other than Aff so I think this is a blessin' in disguise.  

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I know several who approached him 'bout maintainin' NS++ after the servers were scheduled to go down 'round the end of the year, and he runs three servers at $160/year each.  There are very few people other than Max and [v] themselves who have the time and/or money to maintain that other than Aff so I think this is a blessin' in disguise.  

 

I've put thousands into maintaining forums for NS communities *shrugs*

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I think the biggest single cost was the initial costs for IPB.  Elsewise it's mostly hosting/domain/and licensing.  But as you said, I also get additional benefit out of it for myself, so it's all good.

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Afforess isn't a business and I complain about Walmart on the regular.  

Afforess doesn't need to be a business to do business :P

 

and good on the last part, if no one stands up to Wal Marx, who will?

 

P.S. I actually have this shirt: walmarx-walmart-china-communist.jpg

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You can get it at Tshirthell. I got two from them, the one above and another.

 

Though be warned, there are many offensive shirts. I don't give a shit about political correctness and I like dark &/or crude humour, if you don't most shirts there are not for you!

 

and oh, if you think that shirt is an oxymoron, it actually isn't. Walmart is a store "of the people" it's low prices and crap quality is like the communism of capitalist megastores :P

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