Is cinema-obscura really down?

**lubu** · 10-19-2007, 05:49 AM

yep its back online...

pitters · 08-23-2008, 07:42 PM

What's the new URL?

I'm assuming there must be one, since the home page http://www.cinema-obscura.com/ has a message as follows:

We are closed.

Cinema Obscura's server is colocated in a data center in China, and the site was registered with the Chinese government (all web sites hosted in China have to be registered by a Chinese citizen). My mother-in-law's name was on the registration. Due to all this, we had to impose a strict rule against criticizing our host country's government. Unfortunately, our Moderators couldn't quite remember to enforce that rule all the time, and I was unable to check every post out for myself as I have a life. Furthermore, the usual percentage of fools and asshats who show up at every site with forums were present, and they had a tendency to use the rule against criticizing the Chinese as a weapon against me personally, which put both the site and my mother-in-law at risk of being in violation of the law.

I've been running CO for three years now, and on top of the problems with the rule against criticizing the Chinese, I'm just sick and tired of the usual lame bullshit that the bad apples hand me. There's just a certain percentage of users who will always try to test the limits of any rule, and who will stir shit up for no good reason (or for personal reasons), and they ultimately wore me down. Their needling, tantrums, and inevitable lame comparisons between me and my staff and Hitler and the Nazis -- via e-mail, PM, on IRC, and elsewhere -- became more than tiresome. Whenever I banned one of them, I'd be inundated with other users demanding an explanation for the ban and wanting to argue about it. After three years of relatively patient and easygoing administration, I just can't and won't be bothered with explaining and/or debating such things.

There is currently an effort to resurrect CO in progress. They'll be hosting the server somewhere outside of China, which will eliminate many of the problems. For now at least, I won't be involved with the administration of the site; although I get a lot of love and support from the overwhelming majority of our users, the few who simply can't be pleased and want to make an issue out of everything have worn my patience down to a raw nub. Frankly, I don't like being in charge of anything outside my own home, and stepping down is a huge relief to me even as I mourn the loss of the world's greatest obscure film community.

Cheers!

MOTIS

**Eargasm** · 08-23-2008, 11:30 PM

[quote]even as I mourn the loss of the world's greatest obscure film community./quote]

KG is closing too?

**pro267** · 08-23-2008, 11:52 PM

I, for one, really hope CO will return in some sort or another.
It had a much more "homier" feeling to it than other sites with similar content, if you know what I mean.

JoJoKiller · 09-01-2008, 01:46 PM

I can only agree with you there. i find myself sitting on the computer, not noing waht to do.
I Hope thy will somehow manage to get back online!

GoGo CO!

JoJo

**Nartub** · 09-01-2008, 02:49 PM

* Now talking in #cinemaobscura
* Topic is 'We are closed, goodbye and good luck. / http://cinemaobscura.proboards35.com/ For an explanation, see Wdolphin's posts. PS dont panic - and be patient

'