Where has the community gone?

[Tab.]

I feel like a fucking grandfather writing this, but:
Things have changed a lot since my heyday. Back then, the AIM chat was often un-joinable because it was filled to the max. There were places to post when you weren't announcing something, asking a question, or writing a review. The rules of conduct weren't draconian and the administration understood that they were running a community; not a business.

Things changed in 2004. The off topic forums were trashed wholesale (well, late 2003). The community fragmented into a dozen sub-communities and studio-specific communities. The AIM room transformed from a bustling community into a tiny, tightly-knit group of room regulars. The IRC chat went from being a fun little diversion for NME and I (originally on freenode), to an officially-sanctioned alternative to the AIM room, to an Orwellian shell of that which it sought to replace. This pretty much says it all:

The Alternative Chat Room:
Note: The amvorg administration has no means of moderating the content of the AIM chat rooms and is not responsible for any of the actions or opinions of the users of this chat room.

Anyone remember when the AIM chat wasn't positioned as a scary, lawless place where you'd better watch out because someone might make fun of you on the internet or say a bad word? Anyone?
I can't comment directly on the content or quality of #AMV these days, because I'm permabanned. When the room started, I was staff. I try to make do with #amv-review, whose moderation is not batshit insane.

When Phade handed the org off to AD, we had ourselves an active and sensible benevolent dictator. Since AD took off and Phade came back, the impression left is that Phade didn't really "come back", but rather handed administration to an aloof, poorly meta-moderated, and seemingly random group of members; some old-hats and internet superstars, some complete jerkoffs who maybe dolled out some blowjays in an alley at AWA.

Now we have a "donator's forum" which amounts to OT sans traffic, and an official chat room populated by moderators who abuse both the official rules of the channel, and the rules of common decency (higher-ups turn a blind eye to this) – and I'm not just talking about my own exceedingly absurd situation. It's a fairly common complaint.

The community used to be open – with OT and AIM – and now it is closed, with DF and #AMV. AMV used to be a fun place to connect with people who share interests in anime, video editing, and occasionally the combination thereof. Now it's just another website.

The topic is actually not an implied criticism, it is an honest question. If the community I remember still exists, where is it? And what the fuck have you done to my animemusicvideos.org?

[Tsunami Jones]

I'm an internet superstar/complete jerkoff? Score.

EDIT: I suppose I should say a bit more.

I remember the AIM room when I visited it around 4 years ago. I was instantly and constantly flamed, simply for stopping in and saying "hello."

And what the fuck have you done to my animemusicvideos.org?

Everyone, regardless of the situation, always tends to harken back to the "good old days." Times change. Deal with it.

[Kitsuner]

I wish I were around back then so I could reminisce about the "good old times". They seem like they were fun.

[inthesto]

I used to feel like this about the social forums on GameFAQs, but I eventually had a revelation one day.

Internet communities shift over time.

In any one give place on the internet, sub-communities will form. However, over time, it's inevitable that it'll break up. People get lives, lose interest, or whatever else have you. Old people leave, new people join. There comes a point where all the old people are gone and it's nobody you recognize anymore. You can either integrate into the new population or pack up and leave. Nobody's going to complain either way. So no, the community you remember doesn't exist anymore. You can adapt or drop out; bitching and moaning isn't going to get you anywhere.

While I do vocally disagree with the fact that there's no open social forum on the Org, there's really nothing I can do about it. As far as IRC goes, people there are pretty god damn lenient, so you obviously screwed up many times to get permanently banned.

But hey, there's still the journals, numerous spinoff forums, and just plain making friends the old way.

Just like you asked an "honest question", I'm going to give you an "honest answer". Just shut up. All you're gonna do is make yourself sound like a whiny bitch. I know because I was that whiny bitch in another place and another time. In the mean time, try to petition for an open OT forum and do it without making yourself look like a old crank.

[Tab.]

UR JUST NOSTALGIC SHIT CHANGES SHUT UP FGT

Please don't bother replying if you're going to post this dribble. Please do post if you know what I'm talking about.

[AquaSky]

I remember the AIM. But, as much fun as was had in that chat room, it then became increasingly populated by ADD-ridden teenagers with a penchant for neon text. IRC didn't kill AIM, AIMtards killed AIM.

[Tsunami Jones]

Please don't bother to post threads about your clearly "NOSTALGIC SHIT" if you're just going to complain about it when people reply. It might surprise you to know, that maybe some people know exactly what you're talking about.

[Prodigi]

[Brad]

I know what you're talking about, and I still think you're whining. I was a regular in the AIM chat. I used the OT forums. You may disagree, but the administration simply felt that the cons of having them around out-weighed the pro's. Get the fuck over it.

What is it REALLY that you miss about the "good ole days"? The people? Guess what, you can still talk and interact with all of those people. Or is it just like, the actual mechanic utility of the web site's off-topic forum system that you miss? You have the donator's forum. Sorry it's not brimming with spam threads and random bullshit that can easily be found at your local neighborhood 4chan (note: I'm not actually sorry).

[Tab.]

Hey guys you know what would be really awesome? Civility.

All I want to know is if animemusicvideos.org 2003 still exists, where I can find it. If the answer is truly "It doesn't exist anymore, fuck off." Then I'll kindly pack my things and leave.