[at-l] Trailplace closing

["Christopher Casciano" <christopher.casciano@prudential.com>]

Unfortunately I'm a bit too busy right now to post all my feeling about it,
but here's a quick summary. And Dan, I hope you're still keeping an eye on
this list...

I am saddened to see trailplace go. Although I was never an active listee,
and had pull myself off the list in the fall due to volume of mail, I since
it inception, used Trailplace as a major trail related information source
as well as using it as a starting point for others. It was a site that I
could tell someone - "You want to know what the trail and thuhiking is
about? This is where you want to start"

I fear that Dan got lost in his hopes to make Trailplace the be all end all
destination for hikers. Working for a large, and at times understaffed,
website I know how difficult it is to develop and support a site of this
size. Since the site started it has seen much growth. So much so that I
can't see how one person could not get overwhelmed. I saw this happening to
him -- in my last few months on ATML I saw calls for help from Dan, mostly
for someone to help moderate his message boards, as well as numerous
prompts to the listees to post in the web boards.

----------------

From his parting note:
"It was designed to be a place where experienced AT hikers could pass on
information to those who were coming into the scene, but has not reached a
level of participation that justifies the time and expense necessary to
keep it going."
The web is a fast moving and ever changing place. I can point out many
websites that have changed focus through out their lifetime. I cannot
imagine that somehow Trailplace is exempt from a similar change in focus.
If Dan would rather close his door then that is, unfortunately for the
trail community, his decision.

----------------

I completely understand Dan's frustration with this project of his. My plea
is for Dan to take a few weeks, step back from the day to day, and
re-examine what it is a trail related website can accomplish. Again from
his parting note:
"After much thought and prayer, I have decided to phase out Trailplace as a
service of the Center for Appalachian Trail Studies."
To reincarnate it as a mostly static information source, including existing
journals, perhaps trail news, and other such items would allow it to
continue as a great service to the trail community. Arrangements can be
made, similar to what we are seeing on AT-L with some jounals, to keep
Trailplace growing with minimal work of the webmaster. If Dan's goal was to
provide a service to the trail community through the web then I think he
can still achieve that goal - albeit it a somewhat different fashion.

Now, Dan, if you are out there listening, I don't want to make it sound
like I'm telling you what you should do with Trailplace. (Remember the
saying "Hike your own Hike") But I do hope you would take some time to look
at the wealth of information on your site and try and find a way that the
Center can continue to provide a web based resource.

If nothing else, I believe each of us should thank Dan for his effort and
let him know how valuable his lists and website have been.

-Chris 'flats' Casciano
christopher.casciano@prudential.com
PS: I'd appreciate it if someone could forward this to the ATML, and other
Trailplace lists (if they are still running)


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