First off, I need to say that I know I’ve let a lot of you down (if not all). I know I’ve not met your expectations of an admin or a leader. I have no excuses as even I feel this way about myself. I won’t make attempts for empathy, I will only acknowledge the truth, and it is such.
Life is full of surprises. You can be rich one minute and living out of your car the next. You can be healthy one year and a regular in the doctor’s office the following. You can have life figured out only to discover you know nothing in the end. The only constant in life is change.
My life is not the same it was when I first met @Atko and started working on Voat. I have much less time, I have a bit less fight in me (getting old does this), I have a bit more struggle in life. These life changes have forced me to put Voat on the back burner (which hurts me).
Let’s get real
When it comes to “Free Speech” sites, I once believed that people cared enough about the value of free speech to make “clone” sites like Voat (or gab) successful. I’ve come to realize, and have said before, that this single factor isn’t enough. People simply do not value this right enough to make a “clone” successful.
You can see this with Voat. A majority of Voat users still use Reddit. People use Reddit for posting and interacting when it comes to PC topics (4 wheel drive subs, movie subs, book subs, etc.). They use Voat to post the things they can’t post on Reddit. This creates an imbalance where Voat becomes increasingly un-PC, while Reddit gets the neutral content (I know even the most hardened ideologue has a level of civility). The end result is this imbalance drives people away as people wear out when confronted by content like this over the long run.
I don’t know the solution to this, and I am not attempting to pass blame, I am simply stating a truth that has to considered.
What makes a clone not a clone?
Why I mention this in the first place is that I know a “clone” site will not become sustainable based on Freedom of Speech so I’ve tried to revolutionize the “community” aspect of Voat by providing a way the community itself can “vote” on policy (rules, mods, anything actually). It's the future capability of this feature-set that is appealing. A community can become self-sustaining and self-manageable through this new technology. After all, the draw of sites like Voat or Reddit is that it is community-oriented vs. self-oriented.
And I’m going to finish it. I’m going to finish it for me. I’m going to finish it for you. I’m going to finish it for Voat. I’m going to finish it for Freedom of Speech (because I still believe in this ideal).
I’m going to finish it because a “clone” site with no differentiation but policy will never succeed.
So Voat, please forgive me for my shortcomings if you can, and expect my work to continue on making Voat a truly unique website.
Soon.
P.S. Downtime today was because of a full disk (Thanks @derram for letting me know). We had an issue from about a year ago that inflated some files to crazy sizes and I took the time today to deal with this. So the next downtime should be something completely different! Yay!
https://voat.co/v/announcements/1330806
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ilikeskittles ago
Thanks Putt, I never go to Reddit. Ever.
NSFW_LeeLee ago
Please save VOAT as is. I Gab. Gab showed me VOAT. VOAT showed me /pol/. I used to be a /b/tard. Now, I love this place. I love PizzaGate housed here. i never reddit. Im a GOAT. Ppl here are unique in interactions. you give us space. Thanks. lots of us are older. be me ..45+ and back in college. We still need truth to be spoken.
blumen4alles ago
S0 yeah I thought the manipulation using guilt for looking at redd1t was a nice touch 2.
ATX_1138 ago
I think I will do that. For two days the banner ads have all been for Marvel's Cloak and Dagger with an obvious agenda.
dontmindthemess ago
Ditto. I deleted my account and didn’t look back. Thanks Putt!
fedevela ago
What is reddit? XD
Gorillion ago
Another non-reddit-goer here.
dayofthehope ago
During the outage I cheated on voat/putt by using notabug.io. Am I a bad person?
dayofthehope ago
During the outage I cheated on voat/putt by using notabug.io
dayofthehope ago
During the outage I cheated on voat/putt by using notabug.io. Am I a bad person?
issueninja ago
What's Reddit?
herbert_west ago
I also left Reddit for good years ago...
WhiteSurvivalist ago
Haha what is this? CIA spam? "Hey goy, don't spread your wrong think on reddit, just stay in this containment box." I am on reddit constantly naming jews night and day.
shadow332 ago
I haven't been to reddit since they banned FPH.
iownyou ago
Yup, I have no intention to ever visit that site. Not even to see what they are talking about. I don't care and haven't cared for a really, really long time.
Loganhiemer ago
I second this
theysayso ago
Me either. Some of my friends in my gaming community asked me to post something in Reddit for recruitment and I was like, "faggots still use Reddit?" It is completely off my radar.
I have a dream. And in that dream and can walk up to a stranger and say, "whatsup nigger faggot" and we'll high five not because we think that people should be called "nigger" or "faggot" because we''ll be like, "Right on man. Fucking free speech".
ilikeskittles ago
Amen Brother!!!!!
Wonder_Boy ago
I've reduced my Reddit usage by over 90%.
Gigan ago
Sadly I do. I'm not comfortable browsing Voat at work. For what it's worth I try and redpill redditors but usually get downvoted to oblivion.
tccl ago
same
3dk ago
Ever since they banned FPH, I've had reddit on my ad-blocker list, so I never accidentally give them even a single click. If there is a thread in search results that I want to read, I archive it. Fuck their commie censorship.
ilikeskittles ago
Amen Brother!
Super_Cooper ago
I was using both for a while, but I never visit reddit now.
DeliciousOnions ago
I kept finding myself going back to them for niche garbage but ultimately I put their site on a blacklist. Fuck their trash.
ilikeskittles ago
You know there was some good stuff there at one time and I assume there still is. I have a problem with the way the place is run and as such won't give them clicks.
wgtt911 ago
Ditto... never..
ExpertShitposter ago
Never have, don't, never will.
irelandLost ago
Only account I ever had on reddit was setup to ask questions on that 'debate the alt right' sub when the whole alt right thing started getting publicity a couple of years back cos I wanted to understand the ideology from the perspective of proponents and not just critics. The ideology was appealing. Voat seemed to get mentioned a lot. Alt right sub got banned on reddit. Here I am.
Ina_Pickle ago
Ditto, skittles. Not even when people link to that site.
ilikeskittles ago
I think I'm guilty of doing that once.
Joe10jo ago
I never go to Reddit, never turn MSM news on... my go-to for everything is Voat. No joke.
voltronsdicks ago
I still go on reddit for non-soy boy content. Obviously I don't post on there because my views don't fit in with the SJW cuckfest. But voat is my bottom bitch.
viperguy ago
I strongly suspect based on popularity that a lot of voat people do go to semi-controversial subreddits such as MGTOW.
The admin is correct. He is just stating that the non controversial and semi controversial stuff migrate here. even MGTOW
refer to my long fact filled post regarding how there will be a digg.com moment and reddit will flee to here one day, lower in this long thread
DegenerateAF ago
There's definitely a good crossover between /r/MGTOW and Voat. Plenty of comments over there calling out (((them))).
QualityShitposter ago
I go to reddit to troll, but that's it. Other than that, it's infinitychan and Voat.
FuckYourSafespace ago
I actually shut my phone off during the outage
Jdub75 ago
Cause who needs alternative opinions
clubberlang ago
Opinions are like assholes
MegaDouche ago
They look like star fish?
clubberlang ago
No they taste like chocolate
MegaDouche ago
Damn, I must be licking the wrong assholes. They test like shit to me.
clubberlang ago
You spelled kissing wrong
MegaDouche ago
Nah, I was never very good at that. Besides I have my fortune, I don't need shit from anybody at this point. All I ask for in life is a quick and painless death.
clubberlang ago
Touche my dear douche
Jadsticles ago
Plenty of alternative opinions here mate.
UnknownAlias365 ago
Same here. I fucking love this site, I'd hate to see it gone. And I hate Reddit with a fiery passion and all the prissy soyboys and fat landwhale sjws that regularly browse there.
voltronsdicks ago
I visit reddit for non-political content as it's a massive site but obviously not for anything beyond that as there is massive SJW censorship there.
I use voat for reading and discussing politically incorrect issues.
boggle247 ago
I've had a hard time ditching it because I use LineageOS and that is their main forum. Also the nextcloud subreddit seems more useful that their actual forums. But I've made do.
clubberlang ago
"not every jew is evil and not every nigger is stealing your stereo" whooduh thunk it?! Caucasian slim build approximately 6 foot in height wearing GSW Jersey last seen with stereo be cautious when approaching as music may auditorily rape your ears definitely not middle eastern as that would be halalarious.
voltronsdicks ago
Could you clarify your point?
UnknownAlias365 ago
That's fine man, I never said I hate everyone that browses there, just the soyboy cucks and fat sjw hambeasts, which happen to make up the majority of those that browse of course. Like you said, not every nigger, etc.
NACHTJAGD ago
I never used sites like reddit, Voat is the first i signed up for, specificly because of free speech, it was recommended to me through IRC channels.
Jdub75 ago
Voat is not free speech. I cannot post links nor downvoat based on my score.
boggle247 ago
You can express your opinion using text like anyone else. Up voting and down voting isnt too significant here anyway. It doesn't suppress unpopular comments like reddit voting does.
BackAsswards ago
If your not willing to put in the effort to express your rights I feel bad for you. It's quite obvious why it is set up this way.
Whitemail ago
Because you're a faggot.
Hey_Sunshine ago
You should start charging "45" rent cos he's already in your head and on your mind.
Sublimesati ago
Never been on reddit as a user and maybe skimmed a dozen topic there. Ad soon as someone mentioned mods that were biased I checked out. Now that there's a censoring issue I'm glad I made the right choice.
fartyshorts ago
Is there a Voat IRC? I haven't used IRC in years, but it'd be fun to try again.
nomadriders ago
I'd be willing to host one from home if voat admins want to point a subdomain to it.
TheTrigger ago
There used to be one. And then several. Might still be one around. Who knows. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
fartyshorts ago
Someone knows... And some say that man is in this very room.
https://kek.gg/i/3DK2ng.gif
TheTrigger ago
I edited the comment, just for you. :p I would have done it sooner, but got distracted by the sweet jams on BaphoNet's homepage: https://baphonet.neocities.org/
IrelandIsDead ago
What's IRC?
fartyshorts ago
Internet relay chat. It was the preferred way to chat before MSN messenger, TeamSpeak, Skype, Facebook messenger, etc. then it died in the mainstream. :/
SexMachine ago
Normies couldn't hang. I blame smartphones for the death of internet culture.
hopeforall ago
Android IRC Client http://archive.is/lVjMS
sniper98g ago
I've gone there to stare at the stupidity on occasion, but my account has been gone for years.
Fuck that place!
FireSauce ago
I would go there from time to time just to shitpost and get instantly banned from things pretty much. Went to do that a little while ago and they deleted my shit! Thought about making another but now they want you're email so fuck that
QualityShitposter ago
Disposable email is your friend.
kalgon ago
"...for when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you..."
Crensch ago
Poor abyss.
ilikeskittles ago
It's been so long I don't ever remember what my account was.
NakedWarrior ago
I used to always Reddit, but I can't stand the place now. I came to Voat during the Pao boycott and then left and now I am back for good. I will never return to Reddit. I really do think it's a bunch of 12 year old boys and retarded college sheep there. However, I do agree with Putt about the posting problem. I fear Voat might be getting a reputation as a site full of hate speech, but only because anything you write that doesn't conform to the sheep's ideas is considered hate speech. I would like to see an expansion of thoughtful posting. The things I love most about this site is there isn't that constant need to upvoat posts, so it makes it feel more honest when posts are upvoated. I enjoy knowing that I can say anything here and won't endure the wrath of SJWs, even though I may still be called faggot cunt. I'm okay with that tho. I did try to sell my Reddit account and nobody wants it - says a lot. Thank you Putt for keeping the fire going and not giving up.