The End of an Era

After a twelve-year run, Conceited Jerk Dot Com is no more.

I've wiped all the content, cancelled the domain, and placed a "Goodbye... for now" message on the front page.

It was fun while it lasted, but it's time to move on to other things.





End of an Era


Truth told, I'd become bored with the site.  What was once a source of great enjoyment, pride, and potential for learning had become stale.  I just didn't enjoy working on the site anymore.

I attribute my loss of interest to two things.

First and foremost was the loss of my Amiga 2000.  After a brief attempt (in 2002) at designing a site with Tripod's online SiteBuilder, I built a "proper" website with Microsoft Frontpage Express.  Shortly thereafter, I gave up on Windows altogether and started using my Amiga full time.  One of the first things I did was register MetalWeb, a WYSIWYG HTML editor for the Amiga.  It was a great (but slow and buggy) app, and I enjoyed proving to friends that my 1986 tank of a computer could be used to great effect.  I used the A2000 to design the web pages, as well as designing the graphics used on the site.  The original handwritten title page was scanned with the Amiga scanning app ScanQuix, while the imagemap was applied using MetalMap, which came bundled with MetalWeb.  Digital pics were at first captured using a capture device called the DCTV, but that proved to be excessively slow, so I invested in an old Olympus D460-Z digital camera... which had a serial cable and was supported by the Amiga.  Photos were edited using OpalPaint at first, then by ImageFX once I upgraded to a Picasso-II video card.  Unfortunately, during another upgrade, my A2000 died a rather permanent death.  A component on the motherboard had gone, and I couldn't figure out which.  The cost of replacing the motherboard was more than I could justify, so I let her die with dignity.

My Linux machines have filled the void functionally and, while head-and-shoulders above my old Amiga's capabilities, the magic wasn't there.  Suddenly, it wasn't fun anymore... which is why no new graphics have been posted to the site.

The second factor was my own growing abilities.  I made the switch to Linux and Solaris (as my main operating systems) almost ten years ago.  I've learned a lot, and I've come to feel... constrained... by the company that does my web hosting.  Too many limitations on what I can do, and their own tools suck.  Essentially, I've outgrown them.



... and the Beginning of the Next



You think I'd be sad... pulling the plug on what had been a source of pride for many years.  But no, in all honesty, I was more upset by the death of Brian on last night's episode of Family Guy (I mean, seriously!).  I'm not sad at all, because I'll be starting a new project in the new year.

I'll be building up my own Linux server soon, whether physical or VPS, with a target of March/April.  I won't go into details at the moment, but I can tell you it will be geared toward rekindling the good ol' days, with a dash of the new thrown in for good measure.

I may even migrate this blog over...







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