THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE... (I HOPE...) THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE... (I HOPE...) THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE... (I HOPE...) THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE...
LETTERS TO STRANGERS
...WORDS I HAVE POSTED PUBLICALLY IN VARIOUS PLACES IN RESPONSE TO OTHERS WORDS...


...a friend is a stranger waiting to be met...

ASL WEBSITE

January 1, 2000

Hi to old friends and new strangers :)

in response to many inquiries and requests, I'm here to answer questions about the ASL Website and related projects... I'm still on borrowed phone lines, so don't expect responses here... feel free to email me (removing XYZ from the address) if you have any questions... and if you changed your address in the last year or so and want to heard from me, send your new address... I wonder what happened to him... and her... and you :)

apparently there's been some confusion and misinformation about an inquiry regarding the ASL Website... I've received a lot of inquiries over the course of the past year and the last few days I've received more than three dozen mails regarding the discussion here in ASL, so I will share my response here to save time... I suppose the site will need a FAQ as the same questions are frequently asked, so for anyone still interested in the site projects, here's a proposed start for a Website FAQ (please correct typos and spelling as you go :)

- What is the ASL Website? -

The ASL Website is a source on the web for information and inspiration relating to loneliness and issues leading to or stemming from loneliness... it is intended to grow into a source of support info and inspiration beyond loneliness as it grows...

- When was it created? -

sometime in mid-1998, the exact date eludes me for the moment...

- Why was it created? -

the goal was to try to encourage people to get more involved with each other and therein maybe help them develop better social skills and ultimate eleviate some loneliness... the goals can be found in more detail here: Website Goals (if you can't access, just ask)

- Who created it? -

The ASL Website was initially created by a group of several dozen contributers, many of whom posted at one time or another in the alt.support.loneliness newsgroup... the majority of the HTML and graphics work for the site was done by Supertheta who first loaded the pages on his server... some graphics work done by friends... words were contributed by many... after a few weeks, I did the uploading of the pages to the web...

- When was the last time it was updated? -

sometime in December, 1998...

- Why has it been so long since the last update? -

primarily because I stopped uploading pages for several reason... for further details you'll just have to write and ask me specific additional questions...

- Will it be updated again? (if yes, when?) -

yes... hopefully in the next month, but everything is subject to change...

- Will it be changing much? -

hope so... first, I'll look around for another server for several reasons... then I'll contact the previous members of the Webmasters Forum and see what they have to say... and I'll invite new members to join (contact me if you're interested)... I have several suggestions for changes myself and hopefully others will as well...

- What's the Webmasters Forum? -

a group of mailing lists where anyone interested in the projects can discuss them...

- What are the projects? -

central website, FAQs for Usenet information, newsgroup information, and support information, development of other websites by forum members, a WebRing to link sites (currently there is a list of ASLers sites there in the Friends section), an ASL Birthday List, a link list for support on and off the web, and a page for each person who wanted to introduce him/herself on the web... I may have left some things out, it's been a while...

- Who's the webmaster? -

me, for now...

- Why is this FAQ so serious? -

because I have no sense of humour... humor either (actually, a more humorous FAQ will be developed eventually if I continue as webmaster... it'll be fun to answer some of the more ridiculous questions I've received LOL :)

real answer - I don't have time for any more than simple answers to the questions I've received about the site and mailing lists...

if anyone has more questions or wants more info, just ask...

hope your New Year was wonderful and focus on the positive
(it is out there :)

honest love, ric

* a friend is a stranger waiting to be met *

---

BACK TO THE ASL INDEX        FURTHER ALONG THIS PATH

MAINGATE        FRONT DOOR        WRITTEN GARDENS        FAREWELL

EMAIL EMAIL

---

Candor Communications    ©2000