Death to the Internet

[Valencia Donahue]

I recently read an interesting article about how dying IRL affects the Internet while browsing around.

It made me think about a couple things, like attention whores who faked their deaths and tried to "attend their own funeral" (I have the misfortune of seeing this happen 3 times in one year on one board) and folks who poof for years truly because of serious illnesses. Then there're incidences where people just leave everything behind (several accounts made in 2004-2005 that're gathering dust come to mind).

Now, this ain't a cry for help or anything like that, but I found these pages interesting because you have to admit: They actually have sites to alert your buddies online that you're dead? I have a feeling that my RL friends who know about my escapist tendencies will try to let folks online know that I'm 6 feet under somewhere, providing that they know my passwords and the places I "haunt", but otherwise... Yeah. Dead person. One less person placing text on a screen. More rarities trapped on an account to inflate the price of existing, circulating rarities.

What do you think about all this?

[Kyukaku]

Honestly, I'm not too sure what I think about it.

I mean, I suppose it can be a useful thing. For me personally, I wouldn't pay $20 dollars to a company to let you guys know if I died. Its not because I wouldn't want you to be informed, but I feel that there are other options. For one, those of us with Facebook should be able to see something like that. I'm sure if I died, my facebook would be flooded with friends from RL, and I have a good number of you guys on there (like Leesa the facebook creeper), and I'm sure it would travel relatively quick down the grapevine.

For people who have almost NO outside connections though, I can see how it could be more desirable. Personally, I just have more than enough of a life to not have to worry about it.

[Shuya Katsumoto]

I don't have your facebook, you don't consider me to be a friend? I feel sad..

By the by, what is facebook exactly?

I think if I died, my dad would be computer smart enough to scan through all my links on here and post on the forums they include... he knows I'd like that...

[Victoria Alexander]

Truthfully I don't think anyone would care if I went missing online and I wouldn't be paying a service to let them know either...cause its not like Im planning on dying anytime soon... But Im sure if I disappeared someone would spare a minute and say "O I wonder where shes off to" or "O I haven't seen her around, she owes me art." but that's pretty much what would happen if I perished.

I don't think anyone, well maybe my best bud Angie might post something on deviantart... But yea...

Its a depressing thought to not have any concerns from anyone but meh. Just not close to anyone online anymore.

Guess I'll have to have it written up some where where someone can find it.

"Please post in these sites to let them all know I wont be around"

lol I'm sure a few people would throw a party then. Should something arise.

[Kei]

LMAO.

I'm sorry, but I'm ahead of the game. Three years ago I told C&A (or Candy), that if I don't sign on MSN or XIN for three whole weeks then assume I'm dead, paralyzed, coma/brain dead. And since I know how she is... she definitely forgot.

So. Let's make a thread dedicated to this =P... I wouldn't mind making a will. I'll post it here, anyways.

Should I not appear here, MSN, or AIM, for three consecutive weeks, I'm dead, comatose/brain dead, or paralyzed. You guys helped me grow all these years, so thank you. Heh, now I feel like a whore since I'm thinking of all the forums I joined after XIN1.

There you go. Something small and quick for you guys =P... wouldn't want to bore anyone.

~Manuel

[Leon Loire]

Meh, if something happens to me, I'd just assume James would let some people know and be done with it. But to be perfectly honest, I think wrapping up my internet life would be a pretty low priority compared to whatever else is going on in my life. I think I'd just prefer it if people thought I moved on from RPing without much of a goodbye, that way they don't go and feel sad about it.

[Eric Nakagawa]

Lol

I disappeared off the internet for 2 and a half years because of real life drama. When I came back, some of my msn buddies were like "OMG Angela! I thought you were dead."

And then a few people that knew I used to be Star were shocked when I told them who I was. But yeah... >_>

[Valencia Donahue]

Apr 4, 2009 12:38:27 GMT 1 Eric Nakagawa said:

And then a few people that knew I used to be Star were shocked when I told them who I was. But yeah... >_>

; Whoa, you're Star? Like, from a really, really long time ago on 552?

[Kei]

...I thought you of all people woulda known, but then again I can see how you wouldn't. Star "disappeared" long before you joined XIN (but then again she was admining Xander High afterwards).

~Manuel

[Leon Loire]

I guess Angela's a prime example of what happens when you depart an online community without some proper goodbyes.

[Eric Nakagawa]

Yep, I'm Star from 552. >_>

I didn't think I would leave for so long. I only got my computer a year ago >.< But yeah, I didn't really get the chance to say goodbye because I thought that I would be back in a month.

I just didn't realize that my mom was going to drag me to Japan and make me integrate into a Japanese middle school. Even if I had internet, I would have been too busy with my high school entrance exams to go on.

But yeah... There are some cases when people come back from the dead. =D

[Valencia Donahue]

Apr 5, 2009 3:04:58 GMT 1 Kei said:

...I thought you of all people woulda known, but then again I can see how you wouldn't. Star "disappeared" long before you joined XIN (but then again she was admining Xander High afterwards).

~Manuel

...I'm confused.

I memorized her "Immaleetleteapot" email or whatever when she was on 552 and I remember Star poof'ing some time after the hair incident IC. I heard about Star floating about in other boards since the XIN community is that "small", but lo and behold, she's here. With a different email address.

::wonders if Rei-Rei died or something::

Meanwhile, call me a crazy freak, but I hate leaving things unfinished. I really do. The very, very least I want left behind is some kind of closure so I won't feel(?) like I have unfinished business to tend to if I end up haunting the Internet like some kind of ghost in the machine.

Closure as in "I did what I could, dude".
Tying up loose ends may include, but isn't limited to:

- Unleashing lots of pent up rage to set the record straight
- Getting rid of possessions I don't mind parting with to folks who always wanted them
- Finishing lots of stuff I meant to get around to doing
- Uploading a bunch of pictures and random files

::dies at 5 AM::

[Eric Nakagawa]

O.O Oh, you've even remembered my old e-mail address. I'd give anything to remember my password just so I can get on my e-mail and go through the thousands of e-mails I probably received. >_>

Hmmmm. I did remember joining this board with my Star character, but I didn't stay on that long.

Edit: Who is this Rei-Rei you are talking about? I know a few people named Rei who go on Xin boards.

[Valencia Donahue]

Apr 5, 2009 13:12:13 GMT 1 Eric Nakagawa said:

Edit: Who is this Rei-Rei you are talking about? I know a few people named Rei who go on Xin boards.

Reign; Was a 552 admin an extremely long time ago, has the same birthday as Vetis, and is a photoshopping, proboards code freak.

He has this habit of disappearing for long stretches of time and I keep thinking that he's dead or severely troubled each time he's gone. The last I've seen him around was pre-552 nuking when he hung around longer than I thought he would... And made that somewhat ugh blue skin with the XIN characters.