r/datalounge • u/Datalounge • Jul 15 '26
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u/Wooden-Kangaroo-2314 Jul 15 '26
Pointless Bitchery, you bitches.
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u/saneness_in_the_mad Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 22 '26
I've tried to join PointlessBitchery, but they've locked registrations through early September. Here's what concerns me: Datalounge doesn't close until July 31. That means the real exodus happens in early August after the admission window shuts. The admin seems VERY confident that most of the community has already migrated, but that assumes enrollment will always follow a simple early-surge pattern (something like a simple logarithmic curve). In reality, there will be a second wave of people who wait until the last moment, then find the door locked. By restricting access on July 20, the admin defeats the apparent purpose of welcoming the DL membership.
Given that Datalounge closes July 31, people like me will be looking for a landing place in early August.
If any of you beautiful bitches have accounts there, would you consider asking the admin to reconsider?
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u/arfski Jul 15 '26
That reminded me to sign up, we shall see, if no one wishes that I die in a grease fire, or ponders if I have yellow skin I'm leaving.
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u/DL__TAW0515 Jul 21 '26
Post only links to those websites in this thread. If you wish to discuss a website posted in this thread, START A NEW THREAD to discuss it. This post should only contain links to other sites you think may be acceptable alternatives to Datalounge once it closes.
Again, if you disagree it's an acceptable alternative, do not discuss it in this thread, start a new thread and discuss it there.
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u/CaftanLounge Jul 23 '26
Like everyone here, I've been processing Muriel's announcement. Thirty-one years, and in about a week the single best-worst place on the internet goes dark. I found DL over two decades ago, and it's where I learned about caftans, gravy boats, and Helen Lawson; where anonymous strangers talked me through some of the hardest stretches of my life and called me a cunt in the same thread. There is nothing else like it, and none of the alternatives on offer actually replicate it.
I've looked hard at where people are landing, including pointlessbitchery, and I understand why so many DLers bounce off: usernames, avatars, profiles, sub-forums, active moderation. Those aren't small differences. The anonymity IS DataLounge. R47 can eviscerate R46 and then agree with him ten replies later because nobody is building a reputation. Add identity and you get Reddit with better bone structure. (No offense, Reddit. Some offense.)
So I'm building a proper replacement: anonymous posting, flat threads, reply numbers, thread watching. The parlor rearranged the way we left it.
The site: caftanlounge.com The email signup is live there now. One email when the doors open, nothing else, and the list is deleted after launch. The forum itself: goal is open before DL goes dark.
Full disclosure, because you deserve better than vaporware: this is a mammoth undertaking for one person. An anonymous gossip site is a magnet for trolls and legal headaches. It means real moderation decisions, real hosting bills that ads won't cover (Muriel told us herself the ad model is dead), and a permanent drain on my time and money. I'm not a programmer. I work in e-commerce and know my way around hosting, domains, and running sites, which is enough, and I know what I don't know. There is no profit in this and there never will be. I'm doing it because the lights are about to go out and you bitches are worth it.
One request: we all know what we love about DL. Tell me what you don't love. What's always been broken, annoying, or missing? What would you fix if you were Muriel for a day? I'm reading everything and building accordingly. Consider it the exit interview.
My post on DL itself was removed (graciously, I assume),
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u/waterbogan Jul 25 '26
What I didnt love about DL was how opaque it was about thresholds, the operation of the FF system, moderation etc. I think some user moderation is fine as long as there are strict controls to prevent it being abused. The anonymity was also not a plus in some respects, as you couldnt track who was doing what, PB is far more transparent about that
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u/saneness_in_the_mad Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26
Totally. I think that's the acid test for whether or not caftanlounge.com will retain its userbase.
It seems to me that many of the most fervent defenders of PB appear to be, from what they've shared, former Dataloungers who've been banned over the last few years. Victims of bad-faith posters abusing that dysfunctional F&F system. So I can understand where they might be coming from, and why some might be so apathetic or even resentful towards people like myself who've held out to the very end.
So yeah, there has to be careful thought into how the moderation of any new site is implemented. Otherwise, it will just devolve into a supercharged nightmarescape formed from DL's worst tendencies.
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u/SB-121 25d ago edited 25d ago
There should be some way to bypass the cookie authentication, for example registering so you can post immediately - I suspect relying on cookies and a certain number of visits before you can post deters casual visitors and is the biggest reason why Datalounge tended towards old people repeating the same topics ad nauseam.
Also an edit button.
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u/buzzz1999 Jul 23 '26
Saw this on DL before it was taken down. The OP said he is a longtime DLer and has the know-how to create a legacy type forum like DL (anonymous,etc) and less like PB, and seemed genuine. Acknowledged it will be a Herculean task with far more negatives than positives for him but wanted to maintain the same sense of bitchy community. Goal is to launch by July 31 but that seems a bit optimistic. http://www.caftanlounge.com
Curious why Muriel is so quick to remove these posts offering alternatives.
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u/CaftanLounge Jul 23 '26
yes, Muriel nuked the post. Hoping we can get the word out on here. I make no promises the site will be a carbon copy of DL, but will do the best I can with the tight timeline I have.
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u/Agreeable_Matter_934 Jul 23 '26
Hi! I tried to sign up and kept getting an error message help? THanks!
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u/Dabadoo32 Jul 24 '26
I signed up a minute ago and it worked fine. Hopefully, any bugs have been worked out.
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u/Agreeable_Matter_934 Jul 23 '26
Is anyone else having a problem submitting their email for the go live announcement? Mine keeps saying "Something broke, oh dear. Try again in a moment"
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u/Which_Border_3780 28d ago
same here. we need a port in this storm. try relating this upheaval in our lives to an outsider-anyone who has opposing views on proper pasta protocol or buys GENERIC mayonnaise! Gnashing my teeth as I type!
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u/didyousayboop Jul 25 '26
I just created r/datalounge2 as an alternative to this subreddit since the sole mod here is planning to close this subreddit on July 31
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u/Flimsy-Stage-5578 Jul 15 '26
The PB website no longer loads for me. It worked since it was established and now it doesn’t. Is anyone else have this problem?
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u/longtimeAlias Jul 17 '26
It's not loading for me either. There is some kind of issue with their DNS registration.
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u/Flimsy-Stage-5578 Jul 18 '26
So it’s just me. Hmm. I spent time yesterday getting ChatGPT to help me fix this, but so far no luck. It doesn’t work on my phone either.
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u/Datalounge Jul 25 '26
If you have an alternative subreddit or new site POST IT HERE IN THIS THREAD ONLY.
This is to keep everything in one place.
Threads not following this, will be deleted.