http://www.WorldCrossing.com/ is serving as a refugee landing pad for much of the Table Talk population that doesn't want to join the WELL, and I'm wondering if we should get in to a role like this? Forums at The Atlantic and The American Prospect are also in this domain. Table Talk Refugee Central is here: http://www.worldcrossing.com/WebX?13@@.eeb939b It points to all the places TTers have dispersed to, both inside and outside of WorldCrossing.

They list these "Other Net Forums" The Atlantic Monthly Cafe Utne The Mote PeoplesForum The Rabbit Hole The Rant Readerville

Today could be a black Thursday for watadoo@well.com and either one of the vc's he's been involved in building over the last 3 years. AOL acquired both Winamp and Spinner 2 + years ago and although their audio streaming is deemed important( they mined their technology and content to build an AOL client radio), their outside of the AOL client Web sites, content and editorial staff, and communities are not really much of a blip on the AOL radar screen. Today the heavily anticipated layoffs are going to be announced. Bigwigs flying in from NY and Dulles to talk about synergy, going forward, market shares and pink-slips. "Fear and loathing,rumors and panic are running like a spring-swollen river. Both the Winamp community (40,00 members) and the Spinner community (1,200 or so) are on the block. Most of us have been drinking steadily all week, waiting for this morning to dawn. I find out in 3 hours if we live, or if I get to go back to work on a couple of laid aside novels."

See also AlterNet Forums which, like this site, can be read without registering. Fresh Press is essentially dead, what with "Alex Delacruse" vanishing from Cyberspace as of last December and his Motet Board adrift, with new registrations disabled. Poets and Writers Speakeasy is still operating, but in Panel Mode, meaning no one can post without being added to the Panel by Dana Davis. Many of the refugees from other dysfunctional Motet sites are in the process of opening yet another dysfunctional Motet site in the wake of the anticipated demise of Fresh Press. Peoples Forum is yet another WebX site with some overlapping users from WorldCrossing. Finally, there is another site, The Perfect World which runs on the new Limelight Community Software.

What discussion forums are you most active in, Barry?

Right now, none.

What would it take to capture your interest? What are you looking for in online discussions? Could we facilitate it?

That's a good question, Terry. I'm not sure what I'm looking for anymore. I'm disturbed by the direction our country is heading, but just palavering about it doesn't seem very helpful. They palaver about it plenty on AlterNet, to little avail. In the end, I just end up clenching my teeth all the more.