IMFF

[veletron]

Hi

Blast from the past here. I had hoped to sometime get IMFF back online, but that just aint gonna happen. I simply don't have the time.

For those not in the know, IMFF (International Mens Fashion Freedom Network) was a skirt/kilts/fashion freedom website with a euro bias that existed from mid 2001 through to mid 2007.

I've moved house and am heavily involved in DIY, I am also now doing the website for the local mountaineering club that I am a part of ( http://www.ochils.com ).

Got myself a skirt-friendly girlfriend (whom I bought the house with). Who wants to do outdoorsy stuff all the time (right up my street).

Between the hiking, climbing, weekends away in my new camper van (!), and doing the website coupled with doing the house up, I have zero time left over - and I cant see that changing!

I have changed jobs recently, commuting daily to Edinburgh - my fellow train passengers are getting used to my skirting habits!

IMFF always had a euro-bias, should a european resident wish to take it over, and get it back online, I would be willing to hand it all to them. The users photo albums were an important part of IMFF, and would be handed over also (this part of IMFF is actually still online).

The only stipulation's I would make is that if the person is not interested in taking over the users photo albums, then they should let me know such that the persons using them can find new homes for their photos. Additionally, In the event that more than one person was interested, a time limit for getting it back online of 3 months would be imposed upon the 'winner' just to avoid someone taking it on who has less time than me!

Its that long since I looked at the code, that I am unlikely to be of much help getting it back up and running. The sites' pages are based on dreamweaver templates. You would need a DW license or convert the files to use some other editor (or notepad!) The forum was phpBB, the gallery was Gallery1.1

I cant remember how big the site was, probably under a gig. It would be shipped to the 'winner' either via FTP download or on a CD. You would have to host it on yr own servers.

Should no-one be interested in the complete site then there is the possibility (if bob so desires) to add the forum posts to skirt cafe?

I suppose I should set an end-date for this so how about end April 08 - if no interest by then then I let her die off completely!

Happy Skirting

Nigel

[Gregg1100]

Hi Nigel,
It is a real shame about the impending demise of IMFF. A really good site. Good luck to you , and thanks for letting us know.
Regards,
Greg

[cessna152towser]

Thanks for the info, Nigel. I must look out for you when I am in Edinburgh.

[knickerless]

I for one never gave up on IMFF re-appearing. I would really like to see it come back again in some form of the other. As you say it was aligned to UK and European way of life. While I have nothing against people from the other side of the Atlantic - they have a different way of life and we have many posts about religion and politics (too many!) and even about gun carrying (for protection!). But having said that they have a very conservative attitude to other things. Someone posted an article on Knickers and people threw their hands up in horror. Fortunately we do not live (or have to live) in such a world.
I would love to say I would take on IMFF - but although I am computer literate - in fact very computer literate for my age - I know little about hosting such a site but willing to learn or assist. Is that of any help to someone - rather than go it alone?

Nick

PS where are these pictures on the web?

[Charlie]

I may be able to provide the hardware to host the site, either here in Wells or my son has a server thingy near Heathrow (not Terminal 5 )so I'll ask him if there's any room on it.

Don't know much about the software though

Charlie

[knickerless]

We don't want it anywhere near terminal 5 - it will end up in Milan or somewhere.

nick

[Bob]

I would be happy to do the technical hosting for IMF. That's totally no problem.

HOWEVER... almost by definition, I cannot run the content. IMFF is widely respected and recognized as being different from SkirtCafe. If I were to run it, it would be too much like SkirtCafe, and there's no point in that. And I'm American.

So if Nigel can find someone to run the site, I can do the technical support. But I'm going to be totally hands-off in terms of content (other than possible SPAM prevention). I cannot be moderating the site, and don't have time for that either.

If no one steps up to the plate to run the site, I would be willing to host the "IMFF Archive" --- but I think the community deserves more than that.

Hope this helps! Such arrangements have worked in the past. Back in the days of Tom's Cafe and Chris's Atrium, I believe that Chris provided technical hosting for Tom.

[Departed Member]

Our lives change in all sorts of ways, Nigel, so I can certainly understand where you're coming from! IMFF was an excellent site (apart from those d*mn occasional spammers!). From my UK perpective, it was easier to 'read' as it was in English (no offence intended towards the American version of "English", but I still find it difficult to envisage folk wearing their p*nts on top of their shorts, and their vest on top of their shirt!). Good luck with your busy life, and I hope you'll still contribute here, when you do get a spare minute or two!

[Bob]

I forgot to add... For a while, SPAM was a big and growing problem. But I've gotten it pretty well licked, and things have run smoothly for a while now. I could do the same for IMFF pretty easily.

[crfriend]

Nigel -- It's good to see that even if IMFF has "gone dark" for a while at least life goes on, and goes on well, for one of our fellow skirtsmen! I'm happy for all your good news.

As far as technical expertise, the SkirtCafe folks can offer technical assistance, and I'd be happy to help out with tech issues other than outright hosting, we (as Yanks) really can't moderate or control content in any way that'd be meaningful for a Euro audience. It looks like we're just too different.

I'm not really sure where some of Knickerless' ill-feelings stem from as we have tried to step on some of the things that he seems to find objectionable, but, as the old saw goes, "You can't please everybody." Really, all we're trying to do is keep things on a more or less even keel and to keep the moderators' personal opinions out of the moderation process as possible.

Best of luck, and I sincerely hope that IMFF finds a new home soon as it really did serve a worthy purpose.

[Big and Bashful]

If Bob was to do the technical side of IMFF what would be involved in the other side of the running? what is required timewise? I am curious and maybe willing to help out.

[crfriend]

If Bob was to do the technical side of IMFF what would be involved in the other side of the running? what is required timewise? I am curious and maybe willing to help out.

The purely technical bits, i.e. making sure the server is on-line and healthy, the the global DNS points to the proper IP addy, the mail servers do what they're supposed to and don't spew spam, and the software that actually runs the thing is up to date and secure, are actually pretty easy. The "other side" is what's best known as "soft skills" and requires intimate knowledge, in this case, of the cultural idioms in use in a particular locale (which us yanks seem to have a slim hold on) so that content moderation can be done with a deft hand and not be intrusive.

Time-wise, it varies from day to day, and is mainly determined by the amount of traffic a site gets in the form of posts. As a rough guess, in moderator capacity I spend perhaps twenty minutes to a half-hour per day; in non-moderator capacity, it's larger than that as I also desire to participate in the forum.

[Sarongman]

Whilst I hope IMFF gets up and running again, I have settled in quite well here and don't think I could spend the computer time monitoring two sites. Also, I think we Australians are more attuned to the American way of thinking and "seeing". No offence to the English and Europeans. Did anyone see our new Prime Minister salute "Dubya" and them greet like old mates?
Seriously though, I don't think I will return but, I wish IMFF a quick and easy rebirth.

[bmaxim]

Nigel I like visiting your site, but I am delighted that you have found some many interesting things (and people) to fill your time in real life.

[Bob]

As crfriend said, moderating the site isn't such a big burden most of the time. Usually it consists of enabling new members' accounts, responding to any correspondence from other members, and being on the lookout for possible flame wars. If one already participates in a forum, moderating it isn't so time consuming.

Every now and then, one person becomes "problematic," requiring larger amounts of time from moderators. But eventually, things settle down again, they always do.

There's another aspect to running a board as well, that is the one of setting vision, flavor, ground rules --- whatever you call it. That took a lot of my time when I first inherited SkirtCafe. And then I tweaked things a few times as well. But once I found ways that "worked," it's kind of settled down pretty well. How much time this takes really depends on how much someone would want to follow Nigel's style with IMFF, versus make changes.