[SpiderJerusalem]

Can you people complain about the service without questioning the character of Mark? Jesus, you sound like politicians.

[Sencho]

Not again.

It's amazing the lack of patience people have for a free service.  As someone who runs sites, I can attest to the amount of time it takes.  Those authors who aren't getting their work published could go publish it on their own or some other place.  (Yahoo Clubs?)

Give me a replacement for Mark T?  This incessent whining just encourages MarkT to NOT update (who'd want to to a bunch of ingrates) and discourages future people.

If he updates it, good.  If he doesn't, fine.  To those who call for his ouster without the skill, time, or patience to assume the job THEMSELVES, I say shut up and go away.  You're free written smut will return when the VOLUNTEER moderator has the ability to post it.

Perhaps write a story instead of complaining.  Actually help instead of inflicting this damage again and again.

I vote for Mark T.  Without reservation.

[Pacman]

Good point. People's attitudes as of late have made me look at the entire BEA in a new way.

I now have a lot of reason (especially since this new forum has opened) to do some serious thinking as to why I bother to ever try to contribute around here.

I have this built-in feeling that no matter what I post, no matter what I write, it's probably not good enough for everyone anymore.

I have caught myself saying, "If this is how people are going to be, do I really want to give ANYTHING to them?

I can easily look from the perspective of someone like Mark T, who volunteered to do something for the BEA, who has a real life, who has to one day come in here after how long he has been around and see a thread complaining about him and calling for him to be ousted.

Sometimes people are really insensitive.. and that really makes me sad.

[Prophet_Tenebrae]

Strangely enough this reminds me of another action-figure story... well if you think of a sledge hammer as an action figure.

It must be said that - as usual - this is really achieving nothing. Neither complaining nor telling others NOT to complain (and as I fall into one of those, possibly both, I'm a hypocrite and don't care) is achieving anything so why don't we just all sit in silence, think our own thoughts and imagine fairies!!?

Any the action figure related story is - Once I had a sledge hammer, then the police confiscated it, so I had to buy another one.

Moral - Buy a knife

[SpiderJerusalem]

I felt I just had to point out how civilized flame wars are on this board.

By this time on other boards, at least six people would have questioned the intelligence/sexuality/eating habits of a loved one of someone involved.  

[Fret Pearson]

I too miss the constant updates to Mark T's story archive, but I'm not sure who could replace him and do the same quality work.  Mark treats every story as if it's special, writing a synopsis and introduction for his What's New page.  No matter what sick, perverted, and strange sexual fetish is included in a story about growing breasts, he writes about it warmly.  (I'm sure we've all turned away from a story or two in the archive.)  I just honestly believe no one else can maintain the same quality of work as Mark T.

Of course now he's busy, so we have fewer updates.  I'm not sure about other authors, but I haven't been writing as much recently, and I think judging by the updates at (prohibited L) (as Absimiliard said) there's just a story shortage in general.

Fret

[**DONOTDELETE**]

MarkT HAS been derelict in his duties for the past year.  To see it any other way is to be blind.

All this crap about "no gratitude" is equally absurd.  Every time MarkT somehow got up enough strength and found enough time to make one of his rare updates, people came out of the woodwork, thanking him as if he has just made a large contibution for cerebral palsey, or something.

As far as demanding "up-to-the-second updates".....HA!   If you call still being light years behind SINCE CHRISTMAS up-to-the-second, well, I guess you are right.

It's no wonder good authors have ceased their writings; it's no wonder paying members like myself are incensed.  There can be no rational, sane defense of Mark at this point in time.

Therefore, I wish to cast a RESOUNDING DOUBLE No Confidence vote for MarkT.  Thanks for the memories, Mark, but that's exactly what they are at this late date...memories.  Good luck and all of us are indeed sorry if we have offended you in any way....that was not our intent.

[Prophet_Tenebrae]

Fret: I should tell you that from what I've heard there could be anything over 30 stories that MarkT is currently sitting on. Probably more.  

It does appear that many writers only submit stories to the BEA and that a lot of readers only check at the BEA. Make of that what you will.

[Sarge]

I think that we are losing sight of the fact that, although these people are volunteering, for many people this is a pay site.  We pay money, every month, for certain services that are not being done.  This does not just apply to the Story Archive, but to all members only aspects of the BEA that are behind.  If the BEA is going to charge money for certain services, then it is their responsibility to make sure those services are delivered.  To do otherwise is simply theft, and I don’t think anyone around here are thieves.  If this requires giving the contributors some form of monetary amount so as they don’t feel unappreciated, then perhaps that is something that should be considered.  I don’t mind paying a little bit more if it means actually getting something for my money.  I think what I really dislike is not whether or not Mark T may or may not be doing a good job, but that when I’m paying for something I’m not getting, I feel ripped off.  I don’t think anyone likes feeling like a chump.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I guess I'm coming out of the word work to defend Mark T...i've been lurking around here for about a year and I found the BEA through a search engine finding a story in Mark T's archive, which has prompted me to frequent to the BEA for discussion and what not.  I really haven't had anything to post, but in this case, I feel an obligation to defend mark t...this guy is too busy to do an update of the story archive...that of course sucks for the paying member of the BEA, but I think your complaints should not be at mark t, because he isn't getting paid for any of his work...since when is he obligated to provide you with updates to the archive..your money is going to the BEA...maybe you should cancel you membership temporarily untill they start updating the galleries...and maybe this will prompt them to start paying the contributers ...thus giving more frequent updates.  You can all call for my head now for giving you a lecture when I haven't contributed a thing as of yet   , but that's my two cents and ou have to start somewhere  

[Tman]

Totalmon: what have you done for this community apart from complaining? ¿what are your contributions?... have you ever sent a story? a morph? do you have a free BE site? I think the answer is NO. So before you flame and critizise someone who has been doing an excellent job for years think that you haven´t done anything.

Tman

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Mark doesn't write these stories.  People want to see what they have written.  Its not like he has done all the work.  People write for months on stroies and then get very frustarted if they submit the story in december and its no posted yet.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I hereby offer an alternative, and I will be posting the same alternative in The Plume section of the forum.

If enough authors respond, I propose to start a new stories-only website at a free site provider, and give certain authors the password to post their OWN stories on the site. I would attempt (mind you, ATTEMPT) to do regularly scheduled notices about those stories that have been posted, though the schedule has yet to be determined.

The success of this venture will depend in large part on whether or not enough well-known authors decide to join in. This will be a COOPERATIVE effort, with my own role being that of coordinator, rather than editor and/or updater.

If successful, of course, this will provide another outlet for BE stories, and perhaps prod Mr. T into action by providing a viable alternative to his own story archive. A competitor might just give Mr. T the incentive to update his own archive a bit more often!

Okay, I have made a useful suggestion to solve the ongoing problem of the lack of updates. Let the bashing of the one person to offer a reasonable alternative begin!  

--Just Another David

[JustMeMike]

This is an intriguing topic. On the one hand we have people calling for Mark T's ouster. He DOESN"T DESERVE TO BE TOSSED ASIDE - AFTER ALL,THERE ARE LITERALLY A FEW HUNDRED STORIES THAT ARE THERE FOR YOUR READING PLEASURE.Certainly, a replacement should be found first.

As for new stories not posted yet, if there are some authors who are hot to have their stories on the web, WHY NOT POST THEM AT DIANA'S (prohibited V)?  YOU CAN PUT A HYPER-LINK IN A MESSAGE HERE.

And to those of you who make pronouncements about Mark T's real life issues. Please don't. He doesn't get paid for his efforts and he didn't sign a personal services contract to provide any of us with fresh new porn.

If paying money here to the BEA for your membership isn't producing enough return on your monthly investment, simply cancel your membership.

I appreciate the fact that there is a story archive, and I have been around here long enough to know that the archivists do their work for a while, and then they get tired of it, or real life intrudes, or they do not need the aggravation that comes with it.

I write the Mai Pehn Rai column for Behavior, and we haven't published since the TW Girl issue in February. Maybe it is because we havent gotten many articles submitted, maybe it is because my recent recruitment of authors hasnt gotten any results. But the last thing I would do would be to get on gonZo's case. When he is ready to do another issue, we will hear from him.

Working and contributing to the web has always been an iffy proposition in terms of appreciation.

Al-the-Editor has now published R & D for the last 77 months. That is one month short of SIX and A HALF YEARS!

Ask him how often he gets a letter of appreciation. Truth is contributing here is a tough road.

My final thought is this: MARK T - THANKS FOR YOUR EFFORTS.Having said that, can any one else do the job as Mark's replacement? Until he he is replaced, we should be thankful that we have any stories to read at all.  

JustMeMike  
ALSO ON VIDEO in R & D  
MAI PEHN RAI in BEHAVIOR!  

[Fret Pearson]

JustMeMike, I couldn't have said it better myself.  It's not a matter of just getting the stories online, but of posting them with the finesse that Mark has.

Tenebrae, if there are indeed 30 stories in a backlog (which seems unbelievable) then the authors should post them to all the other sites available.  I suppose not everyone knows about the alternatives to the BEA, but surely people looking for BE search far and wide for what they crave...

Perhaps some authors want their stories to appear on the BEA first so they can get a little feedback from the Reader's Comment area - a Mark T invention, by the way - at the bottom of every story.  (Except for J.R. Parz   , BE authors get little feedback.)  That's the only reason I can think of for not sending a completed story out to all the "networks."

Finally, I have to add that the story area is a free area and the lack of updates shouldn't anger members any more than the general public.  Yes, there are Members Only stories, but only a few handfuls of them and most aren't anywhere near the quality of the pictures or morphs in the Members Only galleries.  I expect anyone who joined solely for the Members Only BE stories would cancel their subscription after a month.

Fret