BloggerWax

Have you ever wonder what a hologram does during its downtime, if  the GFC's resident projected entity is anything is go by then during his charging cycle he writes a blog. Yes, that's right, if windows vista could talk it would be comparable to the rambling of Richardjrn Weatherwax, chatting one minute and crashing the next.

I was just sitting there minding my own business when someone hacked my PC and pushed a website on my unsuspecting screen. I've contacted  McAfee, kaspersky, Avast and they all claimed Hologram Weatherwax wasn't a virus, in fact they said he was so harmless his was incapable of hacking his own finger nail with a chainsaw.

So, if you don't mind entering the mind of a deranged hologram click on to the link and make any complains to the law enforcement agency in your particular country.

Click Here

5000 Views - The Ways, The Wherefores and The What's Next.

May 21st 2011 is a red letter day for this blog as it was the day the first article was posted and yes some of you Sherlock's out there may have noticed we have earlier post but they are just there to store pages due to bloggers limit on static page numbers.

On May 21st we posted the Relay for life charity party article our first post and in that time have added over 150 original articles from 8 writers. We've come a long way in less than 3 months.

I would like to thank the talented writers who have been named in the previous articles as they are the ones who's original and creative styles have made this blog the fun read that it is.

Of course there are some who question the validity of a blog like this, whether its official or an unofficial fan blog as it was mistakenly quoted as being earlier this week. This is the thing though, the blog is hard to pigeon hole as to what it is, exactly the point they miss.  Just because something doesn't adhere to convention isn't to say it isn't relevant or more relevant to that what's already there, if there is even something there in the first place

We've found the first thing people want to do with something like this is instantly control and slap rules around it. These rules are usually unnecessary as common sense is the greatest regulator. Sitting around in a committee trying to work out in advance what articles should be about is likely to create a boring uninspiring read with few wanting to return to it, but it seems to be the exact mistake many want to make time and time again.

Our view was to free the experience up a little, let writers surprise us and so they have with fantastic articles. We don't know what they are going to post until they've posted it, so when we read it we have the same feeling as when anyone else does. The writers feel they are contributing more, are trusted and are open to experimenting with their writing styles, if  you've read articles from Jimmy, Robobby and Gokyu you would know what i mean.  Because every bodies style is so diverse your not sure what kind of article your going to read when you wake up in the morning or browse in the afternoon.

The blog was never intended to replace an official GFC website but to be a lighthearted look at what members get up to here. As a research project it also means we use it to test concepts and better ways of working.

We've added time-zoned calendars and academy class lists, a division lead list that can be updated within minutes of information being made available, this gives the reader an incredible  resource for getting information about the GFC quickly and efficiently, with access to group regulations, video history, joining forms and locations all no more than 2-3 clicks away. From a research point of view it show's clearly and easily how these things can be done, with little fuss and therefore proof of concept has been satisfied.

The assertion that everything has to stay in the viewer is a personal opinion of some people, but clearly its also an outmoded one as virtually every system your find usually has a web presence of sorts. There is nothing to suggest people have or would forgo their SL/GFC experience to just read about it, I'm sure its the reverse that's true.

The Future

I'd say the Future is about how information moves around and the best way to access it so our experiences in SL and the GFC are more focused an enjoyable.

 If there's an event then why not have a calendar on my computer or phone to remind me, why not have a twitter, facebook or google + feed to jog your memory or tell you that something which wasn't advertised is happening. Why not use every tool in your arsenal to bring people here from the outside or just to keep them informed when they aren't here.

So why not simply load the blog up, have a quick read and get on with your life with the hope for those few minutes we put a little smile on your face and encouraged you to come back into the GFC to experience some of what the articles have talked about.

Academy Class Pull Down Menu

Over the next few day there will be changes in how we list certain items on this site. We want to incorporate pull down menus and the first screaming victim has been the Academy Classes list, you'll find it on the left sidebar under the translator for now, just click the downward arrow on the box and choose the time zone that is or closest to your country.

As you can see with the event calendars, we think its very important for people to be able to look at timed information in their own time zones and give the people who the data is based upon access to the documents so they can update it themselves. No better way of keeping information as up to date as possible

Remember to tell us what you think and ways of improving it and we'll see what we can do.

USS Magellan RP Online

Monday 5:00pm slt, if you don't know it already is the time the USS Magellan RP sets flight, if you've missed any of the previous adventures you can now catch up with the crew of the Magellan in their new online starlogs website HERE.

The link can also be found on the sidebar under GFC related blogs. So read up on the story so far and teleport yourself to this Monday RP.

Check the weekly announcements, blog calendar or contact Kal Aie.

Briefing in Aeon Sandbox at 4:45 pm slt.
Location: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Aeon/56/169/101

Malic's Blog

As many of you may have noticed one of our old friends from the GFC can be seen pottering around the sandbox once again.

Some say he went on a journey of discovery across the four corners of the mainland where avatars learn to rough it in the wilderness of crazy builds, laggy shops and bad taste prefab housing. Some say you never really recover properly from staying there for any length of time and people have noticed a slight twitch from Malic recently, he puts it down to an itchy whisker, me, I have my suspicions.

One reason for some to question whether his tail is as bushy as it use to be is because its seems he has recently suffered from the ailment that is called "BLOGGING". Medical refused to even treat it, Da5id was over heard say "Captain, there's nothing I can do, I'm a doctor not a column editor" before he assimilated the sandwich which was unfortunate enough to be laying on the table next to him.

Malic Tolsen can be found Blogging in this region of space http://malictolsen.blogspot.com/ . Don't forget to pass by and say "hi", "hello","Oi Fur" or whatever greeting is applicable in your part of the world.

The Blog Over Time.

Debbydo For GFC News.

Well, I know that snapper usually writes the reports on the blog's achievement, but I thought that I would note down a few of my views.

I re-joined GFC just over a month ago, what a brilliant decision that was! I immediately met Debbydo and snapper and we instantly clicked, it was then that I asked to join the blog "crew". 

Being the 4th member of the blog team I've seen it grow from it's foundations. It's brilliant to see that we are actually well on our way to getting 3000 views.

We have had so many posts since I joined the team. Here are just a few of my favourites. (I can't list too many teehee)

* http://debbydogfcnews.blogspot.com/2011/06/1000-page-views.html

* http://debbydogfcnews.blogspot.com/2011/06/as-we-hit-those-lofty-2000-pageviews-i.html 

* http://debbydogfcnews.blogspot.com/2011/06/party-time.htm

* http://debbydogfcnews.blogspot.com/2011/06/priority-one-message-from-ds19.html

And yes, before you ask, I did just like one of my own there, I LOVED it!

We have had so many different posts on here, I am very happy to classed as part of this team:

- AAC Events

- Tactical Events

- Sandbox Crazies

- Debbydo's textview incidents

- Al Raqis (OPFOR)

- General GFC News

I thought that I would write this post just so that we can remember some of the amazing work that has gone into making this blog the best Out-Of-Viewer content GFC has to offer.

I would like to say thank you to everyone who has contributed, and everyone who has read the posts.

And thanks to me of course! *laughs*

Thanks again,

Jimmy Vehrous

2000 views can't be real

As we hit those lofty heights of 2000 pageviews I think its a good opportunity for us to place a deck chair in the sandbox, kick off those starfleet shoes and reflect on how this blogs has done over the last month.

It started as a bright idea one morning when Debbydo fell out of bed and banged her head against a wall. From then on she's been living under some delusions she started a blog about peoples lives in the GFC, a Star Trek sim in some virtual world somewhere.

Local doctors don't have the heart to tear her from her self imposed dream state and left her rocking in the corner of her spanking bran new white, padded, studio cell where for some reason you wont find furniture or shaped instruments of any kind.

To compound her delusion, she's invented contributing writers into her wild fantasies, a lab coated guy who's name resembles a turtle, a David Beckham look alike who from rumours can't decide if he's a jimmy or a bobby, a raccoon who enjoys flighter aircraft's and a girl who has dispensed with having an full name and now would prefer to be known by a single letter.

All preposterous the lot of it. The mere thought of a fledgling to dare come in and produce something that could be enjoyable, fun and informative. The division fuddy-duddies never heard the likes of it, they were use to standing in corners whispering to each other about the latest conspiracy theory and whether is could be stupider than the last one, which by the way was mind-blowingly idiotic.

The doctors sat with Miss Resident on many occasions trying to find a minuscule of sanity in her words.

But to them it didn't make sense, "flying Gryphons","Away missions","Eating alien food","Tactical events underground" who could possible believe such tales. Of course she lost total credibility  when she insisted there was a place called a library which actually had a librarian in it, it was all too much for her psychiatrist to take so he got up, left the padded room and fed the key to the two mutant dragons outside her door who also insisted they were her friends.

So if you hear some story about a Blog for some Star Trek group, don't believe a word of it as these things can't happen.....Can they?

Classic medical blog of old

Medical Blog Page

With the rebuild of Constellation and the moving of the medical centre to Aeon, being the intrepid reporters we are, I was handed the luxurious job of rumminging through the GFC skip for to see if I can find anything Timol had throwing away.

I found a few dis-guarded body parts from Da5id Weatherwax's borg implants which were still active who couldn't resist telling me their intentions of assimilating me, anyone around me and the entire universe once they find a way of getting out of this skip, which had so far eluded them.

I have to admit, its hard taking seriously threats from a borg elbow but threw it to one side under protest and search for something less threatening to report on.

Delving deeper in the skip I came a cross a document from 2008-9, it was medicals own blog reports spanning 35 doctors entries. I even found a report featuring my first medical meeting which was lot more fun than the report suggested, I expect Lt Jr Michiko Akina glazed over the introduction of two mad scientist bickering and throwing joke insults at each other.

Its a fascinating read, another example of the long history of the GFC and a fitting reminder of what happened in Constellation's medical centre before its gone forever.

Click for classic medical blog HERE

1000 Page Views

There are many things you remember, like where you were when certain events happened in history or something memorable occurs around you. One of the proudest moments is when you hit a milestone, an achievement or a number that represents a feeling of achievement, adulation or relief.

Today we hit that milestone, we hit 1000 pageviews. Funnily enough though, when this blog was started those kinds of numbers weren't really on our minds.

Debbydo simply thought it would be nice to do a blog about her experience as a fledgling in the GFC, so we looked on the internet at how to make a blog. As time went on, we felt one voice wasn't enough, the more writers gave more experiences and more variety in stories. If there is anything I would want to see of this blog or any web based page would be it as a living page, where a diverse group of members telling their stories about what made them laugh, cry, what excited them, what frustrated them and what it feels like to spend time here at the GFC.

Also for the readers to be able to every day or so, dip in and check out stories from here, even when they are away from the sim they can still feel a connection with friends or get to see what they may have missed because of being away or not online at the time.

As the contributors increase so should the diversity. If you asked me what does hitting 1000 pageviews mean to me, I'd say it means that SL and the GFC are more than the sum of our experiences where we can live some of it through other members eyes in pictures and through their thoughts in words.

So, what will be the next milestone? Its easy to point at a number, but i think the true milestone has already happen, its the contributors who want to have a say, a platform to show others the experiences they've had today and for that not to be lost in memory but shared with other.

Flashy way of viewing blog

As some of you may know this site is created using googles blogger and one of the extensions you can get for the chrome web browser is called Blogger dynamic views and its written by google themselves. This can be found by searching blogger in:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/mmoheajlpfaigefceljflpohdehkjbli

This extension give you a flashier view of the a blogger page with a handful of options to choose from. But you can still view the pages without installing the extension simply by adding any of these types to the end of the blogs URL:

/view/flipcard
/view/sidebar
/view/mosaic
/view/snapshot
/view/timeslide

So for instance to use the flipcard view on this page use:

http://www.debbydogfcnews.blogspot.com/view/flipcard

From this view you can also select the other views as well, this should work on any blogger page.

More pictures: CLICK HERE

Skunky Moe blogs to the world

Our resident Anti-Lag chief Bigmoe Whitfield's alter-ego Drew the Skunk has escaped from the woods and some how found herself access to the internet. You can read the antic's of pepe le pew's distant relative in her blog here:

http://drewtheskunk.blogspot.com/.

At time of writing her latest entry has a video of her testing her new camera toy in the GFC's Aeon sim. So check out her blog and remember, we can't be held responsible for what may make your eye's bleed on her site :P