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 That Was The Regime That Wasn't
by Brian Anderson
Setting up the People's Regime has been a learning experience for me. I've never had to think about it, but there are amazingly different ways in which a community of people can interact and mesh. From features that we have set up (photo albums, favorites) and ones requested (reading order, RSS feeds, Markov chainers), I've had a remarkable crash course in modern hypertext and its technology. I've also had reason to read a stack of books on such things as XML, Javascript, and PHP.
But there comes a point when you have to make a choice as to which features will have the most utility to the most people. We strive to make the Regime itself community-friendly, so you might not have an idea of the anguish that goes on behind the scenes. For a brief glimpse of that world, I'd like to present this list of features rejected (so far) for the People's Regime.
1. Automatic quote of the day drawn randomly from the works of Vladimir Nabokov.
2. RegimeMUD.
3. Filter for content of questionable moral value (e.g. supply-side economics).
4. Photo filtering software to make headshots more attractive.
5. Easier-to-code photo filtering software that replaces all headshots with a picture of Colin Firth.
6. Make-your-own DTDs.
7. Option to switch between American and Commonwealth spelling.
8. Gopher server.
9. "Check and mate" dating service and personals.
10. Shortwave ham radio network.
11. "Movie Review", "Book Review", and "Music Review" categories simply replaced with "Geekery."
12. Ticket scalping service (Cordalene a specialty).
13. Illegal Web archive of Opus comic strips.
14. Wireless device that allows one to access Regime content at will; also exploits a hole in the AMPS cellular network to beam GPS and credit card information back to centralized location (service only available in North America).
15. Ask Erik advice column.
16. Complete Kolchak the Night Stalker episode guide and fansite.
17. Electronic ride board.
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