Dear fellow Whyvillians,
I have not written an article in a while. In fact, I have not actually read the paper in quite a while. I scan through the articles, and none of them interest me. There's stuff you hear in the news and don't need to read again in the paper. There's research that people have done to inform people who are interested. There's gossip you hear all over the place about celebrities and such. There's tons of articles about whatever you want to read up on. But, I've come to find, that nobody has written an article about our lovely town in quite a while. Many people have compared the old Whyville to the new one, but I wanted to get more than one person's opinion on it and put it all in one article so that you guys could read about it and not have to search through the articles. Praises, complaints, and all. So brace yourself, this may be a little bit of a long article.
The idea to write this article came to me while I was talking to my buddy, Phlop. He was telling me about how he almost quit because the new Whyville was too much, too different, and lower quality because chats stop more now than ever before; they rarely used to stop at all. So I asked him if I could use his opinion in an article, and this is how it went:
Twigsy: What year did you join in?
Phlop: December 25, 2002.
Twigsy: Was Phlop your original account name?
Phlop: Yes.
Twigsy: What is your opinion on Whyville's new sponsors?
Phlop: I think they are a waste of time. Whyville didn't need sponsors for the longest time, why start now? It's not like anyone buys the sponsors' products just because they're advertised on Whyville.
Twigsy: So I guess you don't really pay attention to them, they're just like any ordinary Internet ads that you ignore, LoL.
Phlop: Yup.
Twigsy: Can you name a few things you miss about the old days?
Phlop: I miss the Sun Roof. It's been taken over by newer citizens. I miss when you could enter the room and only have your older citizen friends in there.
Twigsy: You think that older citizens are better than new ones?
Phlop: No, I have no issue with newer citizens, it's just that they have many hangouts, I mean the beach was expanded to make room for the newer citizens.
Twigsy: And you think that's bad because it slows down Whyville, right.
Phlop: Well it's not just the expanding of the areas, it's all the updates (scions, girl game co. kajeet chat, and area expansion).
Twigsy: How about the games, do you like the new games, do you pay attention to them at all? Well...not that there's many new ones...but there's been a lot since 2002, LoL.
Phlop: Well, I think the salary games have been alright, but there was no point in adding all the games like kalah and checkers, they're just another thing that slows down Whyville.
Twigsy: What do you think would be more worth it? Different additions, or no additions at all?
Phlop: Well...if you're going for quantity of citizens, new additions are great, but for experienced citizens, no additions is excellent. All the older citizens miss the old days where Whyville was focused on socializing.
Twigsy: Oh hey, what about censorship, do you think it's getting a little out of hand?
Phlop: Censorship has gotten way out of hand. And sometimes, you try to say something, and it rejects your speech even though you can't understand why. Regular dictionary words.
Twigsy: Yeah, so you have to completely rephrase it.
Phlop: Exactly. And...if there's anyway I would change Whyville to accommodate to oldbies (older Whyville citizens) I would make an 'oldbie room' where only citizens with a silver medal or higher can enter.
Twigsy: Yeah, that's a cool idea actually. So, did most of your old buddies leave because of the new Whyville? Or because they just need to move on?
Phlop: Quite a few left because they wanted to move on, but if you ask them, they'd all say that they hated the new Whyville. It's like cars, sure new sports cars are nice, but sometimes you gotta try and keep the old ones. They can become more useful later. We 'oldbies' have lots of experience on the website...
[Chat stops]
Twigsy: Sorry, chat just stopped.
Phlop: Haha that was perfect! Now you can say that chat stopped in the interview, a sign of the slow down by updates.
Twigsy: Hahaha, yes, so as I was saying, yeah that's true, older citizens tend to understand the city better and what it really needs.
Phlop: Exactly. We have experience in designing, opinions and if oldbies keep quitting, soon the senator will be a 1 year veteran.
Twigsy: Yeah exactly, like I don't mean to be biased or anything, but a lot of the newer citizens have no understanding for what this town is. They're just here for the chat rooms and the customized avatars.
Phlop: A newer citizen told me the other day I looked like a 5 year old on my gallardo8 account.
Twigsy: Whyvillians can look a certain age?
Phlop: That's just Whyville's 'look'. It's like face parts...the newer parts add to the quantity parts...the older add to the quality. Having thousands of low quality parts would be worse than having just 100 excellent parts made by experienced citizens.
Twigsy: Yeah definitely. What do you think about Akbar and his new rules about having shorter shirts and stuff?
Phlop: That is unbelievable! The other month I made a part for the first time in a long time, and I couldn't make it...I had to try 5 times!
Twigsy: 5 times, wow.
Phlop: It kept telling me my shirts were too long and such. It was unbelievable! It actually made me ashamed of this site.
Twigsy: Ashamed. That's intense.
So then we waved goodbye as I decided to go on a little adventure through Whyville, finding out other people's opinions on Whyville. Not just from the old citizens, but from the new ones. Do the middlebies have any complaints about the new Whyville? Does anybody appreciate this town for all that it is? I gathered up a few people's opinions. Ok, so it was more than a few...but even these are only the most interesting ones, I'll sum up what everybody else said at the end of the article.
So, starting out on my journey, I decided to start off at the Sun Roof:
Twigsy: When did you join Whyville?
oVaHxaLlx: I have no idea. I had another account, I think I started...7 months ago.
Twigsy: Your other account joined 7 months ago?
oVaHxaLlx: I had to work to get my face un0blue :P yeah my first one.
Twigsy: What changes have you noticed so far?
oVaHxaLlx: All the different homepages, the kabillion ads, more places. I like the new places though.
Twigsy: Anything you particularly don't like?
oVaHxaLlx: The fact that new ones get faces.
Twigsy: Because you had to work for yours?
oVaHxaLlx: Yeah and lots of others did.
Twigsy: But is that so bad? They're still noticed as newbies LoL.
oVaHxaLlx: I know but it's easier. I just liked the old ways. I mean...werd.
My next interview, also at the Sun roof, was with a 'bluebie', who really isn't so new and blue after all:
Twigsy: When did you join Whyville?
RazrKut: May '05.
Twigsy: What changes have you noticed since then?
RazrKut: In Whyville physically or in the people also?
Twigsy: Everything
RazrKut: There are a lot more rooms and games which keep things new and interesting. The citizens themselves have become more interested in parts than friends I think.
Twigsy: That's true. People are so revolved around clams and rares and stuff like that.
RazrKut: I've seen people scam 'friends'.
Twigsy: What is your favorite part of Whyville?
RazrKut: I like the trading post and here [sun roof] the most.
Twigsy: What is your least favorite thing about Whyville?
RazrKut: How awfully people who don't have the so-called 'best of parts' get treated.
Twigsy: Oh yeah, the so called 'noobs'. So what is your opinion on all this new stuff, like the concerts and the sponsors and stuff?
RazrKut: Well the first concert for some reason I couldn't get into. I finally gave up. The new chatrooms are really nice.
One more from the Sun Roof:
Twigsy: What year did you join Whyville?
Britt422: I joined in 2002.
Twigsy: Do you miss the old Whyville, or do you like all these changes over the years?
Britt422: I miss the old Whyville, because a lot of my old parts expire and it's not cool.
Twigsy: Is there anything else you miss?
Britt422: I miss being able to make face parts without having a why-pass and the new rules for making them too. I don't like the shirt rule for how long they have to be...
Twigsy: Oh yeah, that's annoying eh LoL.
Britt422: ;P LoL
Twigsy: What's something you like about the changes?
Britt422: I like how they cleared the server or whatever so you don't have to wait to get in.
Twigsy: Have you ever left Whyville for a while?
Britt422: Yes. I left hmm...2004-2005? For a period of time but I missed it sadly LoL.
Twigsy: What made you miss it?
Britt422: I got bored online and some people on here are actually very interesting to talk to. I met USAblonde offline last summer. We've been best friends since 2003.
Twigsy: Wow really, so you came back because you knew her from the old days?
Britt422: Yeah. But a lot of my friends from the old days left. So I came on to see if there were still people from the old days.
Twigsy: Do you know why your old buddies left?
Britt422: Some of them lost interest, they didn't like the way things were changing.
Twigsy: Is that why you left?
Britt422: Sort-of. But it's all good now, but I still miss the old days.
These next two young ladies I found playing a game of Chinese Checkers:
Twigsy: What year did you guys join in?
nelhil21: 2006
Jennavev3: 2007 this year
Twigsy: What did you find most appealing about Whyville when you joined?
Jennavev3: Um... you get to have friends and chat with them.
nelhil21: Talking to new people.
Twigsy: What flaws have you discovered, in your opinion, since you've joined?
nelhil21: Hm...let me think. Well that's a good question.
Jennavev3: Well, I don't really think some of the places we have here aren't really supposed to have a purpose. Like Dr.Leila's, I don't get why it's there.
nelhil21: True, I agree with her.
Twigsy: So there really isn't anything you don't like about the changes, like the new sponsor rooms and newbie stuff?
Jennavev3: Um... not really, they're all fine, I don't really know what is new and old, I'm still a newbie.
nelhil21: Well I don't like the new scions.
Twigsy: Why not?
nelhil21: It looks weird.
Next, I headed over to the Spin Speak:
Twigsy: What year did you join Whyville?
prpana: 2005 :}
Twigsy: What changes have you noticed since then?
prpana: Hm...Well, Front page, 2 times. We can't make certain parts in the factory what we could before.
Twigsy: Like which parts?
prpana: Extensions
Twigsy: Oh yeah. So, compared to how Whyville was when you joined, do you like the new Whyville, or miss the old one?
prpana: I missed the older Whyville much more.
Twigsy: How come?
prpana: I get confused now...like I forgot where the sign in box was on the front page :P and the prices were lower.
Twigsy: What is one thing you love about Whyville?
prpana: Kajeet friend finder :P
Twigsy: What year did you join in?
ChanelXD: I'm from 04. 3 years, yuck
Twigsy: Do you like the new Whyville?
ChanelXD: No.
Twigsy: Why not?
ChanelXD: Everything, the strictness, the population increasing, I think has made it worse.
Twigsy: What about the new games and concerts and sponsor rooms and stuff?
ChanelXD: We have enough rooms. And concerts could be fake, I mean, how do we know if it really is Stacie whatever.
Twigsy: That's true.
ChanelXD: It's all a fraud. Whyville, I think it's trying to make the people happier by advancing in technology when I think like 99% are happy.
Twigsy:What do you wish was still the same about Whyville?
ChanelXD: When you could say almost anything.
Twigsy: [my delayed comment on the technology thing] Well I guess Whyville is trying to improve for new members and stuff.
ChanelXD: Like 1 billion isn't enough?
Twigsy: I guess not eh LoL.
Twigsy: When did you join Whyville?
sky1623: Around 2003
Twigsy: Did you ever quit Whyville since then and then come back?
sky1623: Yeah, many times, I just quit for 3 months and came back 2 days ago.
Twigsy: How come?
sky1623: I guess sometimes it gets boring and I miss the older Whyville.
Twigsy: What do you miss about the older Whyville?
sky1623: No scions, just one beach, people were nicer, you couldn't buy clams...a lot of things.
Twigsy: What's the change you hate the most at the moment?
sky1623: Even though it's not that recent, the whole buying clams thing. I think everyone should have to earn their clams. And I don't like getting taped for saying grape XD
Twigsy: Hahaha. Wait, you aren't gonna get taped for that, are you o_0
sky1623: Hopefully not >_<
Next, I headed over to the beach:
Twigsy: What year did you join in?
ganster08: Um 06
Twigsy: What changes have you noticed?
ganster08: Beach Grotto
Twigsy: Do you think all the changes are for better, or worse?
ganster08: Better but I personally don't like them.
Twigsy: Why not?
ganster08: Ahh, I just like the old Whyville better.
Twigsy: What was the 'old' Whyville for you? like, what was so good about it?
ganster08: Less places, when Whyville was young.
I discovered Terabithia at the waterfall, and found a brand new member:
Twigsy: When did you join this lovely little town?
iloveNJ2: Just today, my friend told me about it.
Twigsy: Oh really, what convinced you to join?
iloveNJ2: I thought it was cool.
Twigsy: What really appealed to you most?
iloveNJ2: Chatting, I love to talk!
Twigsy: Have you discovered anything annoying yet?
iloveNJ2: No, not so far, except not having a salary yet.
Twigsy: Have you discovered anything you particularly liked, other than the chat rooms?
iloveNJ2: The games.
Last stop, Saturn:
Twigsy: What year did you join in?
ctphlcmf: 2004
Twigsy: What have you noticed has changed since then?
ctphlcmf: Well there are more people on here than there used to be, now they create your face for you.
Twigsy: Is that good or bad?
ctphlcmf: Bad because now there are all these new people that are always asking you for clams.
Twigsy: And there didn't used to be?
ctphlcmf: Not as much.
Twigsy: Have you ever quit Whyville for a while?
ctphlcmf: Yeah for a year.
Twigsy: How come?
ctphlcmf: It got old.
Twigsy: So do you like the new Whyville better?
ctphlcmf: No
Twigsy: Why not?
ctphlcmf: Things are more complicated.
So, to sum up the results I got from my journey to find answers for those of you who didn't have enough time to read the interviews, it seems that most citizens are only here for the socializing. People miss the old days when people were "real," not so wound up in having loads of clams or the latest rare face parts to wear. It seems, that no matter how hard Whyville tries to be an educational site, the majority of us citizens are probably here for the socializing. Talking to people from anywhere in the world that has internet access, it's exciting stuff, I've learned a lot of interesting things talking to people that way. A lot of the interviews I left out also said that their favorite thing about Whyville was the shopping. I've gotta say, I absolutely love having an avatar customized to however I want it to be, that's an amazing feature of Whyville. But it all started to make me wonder, where is all the appreciation for all the other amazing things Whyville has created for us?
So, before I end off my article, I'd like to tell you about the old Whyville, for those of you who haven't witnessed the changes and have no idea what the fuss is about the "new" Whyville. When I first joined, there weren't many parts in Akbar's mall, but anyone could design a face part if they had the clams, and face parts were priced pretty low. Because of this, people weren't so judgmental. Nobody really had high-quality face parts, so everybody sort of looked the same whether they were old or new. This definitely shows the growth in the whole Whyvillian look, there's been many new styles discovered. People were allowed to wear long shirts, extensions, pacifiers, a lot of things that have since then been banned. As for chat rooms, those were pretty limited. The hit spots were the Pool Party and the Playground, when Whyvillians used to show up full size like they do at Sun Roof these days. Censorship was just perfect; people couldn't swear or use vulgar language, but they could still use everyday words without having to rethink if they'll get fined for it. There were a few games, but the highest you could get your salary was probably around 50-60 clams. There was no waiting room, no whypasses, no expiring parts. It was simple, easy, and beautiful. Which is why the oldbies loved it so much more. The "good old days."
On the other hand, when you think about it, it's worth it to have Whypasses and expiring face parts, all those hassles we go through all the time just to be a Whyvillian. If we didn't have those, Whyville couldn't grow. Sure, some of us don't want Whyville to grow, we'd be fine if it stayed the same. But think about it, all of this that we have in Whyville is for us. Whyville is growing, and it needs new features to keep up with the new citizens that are coming constantly. It won't stop growing, and won't stop changing, so if you think about it, there's really no point in hating the new Whyville, no matter how nice and carefree the old days were. It's really not as bad as it seems, having to put up with all the hassles that come with new features.
I want to dare you readers to do something spontaneous. I want you to go explore Whyville. Find something you never knew was there, and then post it in the BBS for me and anyone else who is interested. Because I'm very interested to see just how many things people live on not knowing about. How much effort do our Whyville moderators put in and not have appreciated? For instance, I went through all the titles on the bus list of places to go, and I saw 'Dance Studio'. I hadn't been there in years. Nobody chills with MiMi anymore, she's still dancing in her studio by her lonely self. Or how about Old Town, did you know you could walk the streets of Whyville and see people's houses? The point is, people see something new and complex and don't want to put the effort in and find out what it's all about. It was fun and interesting when you first join, but then you get carried away with socializing and you don't really care about the little things anymore. People claim to not like the "new" Whyville, but have those people ever really checked it out? This is a challenge for you, my fellow citizens, to get onto your mouse pads and find something new and exciting, share your Whyville discoveries so that people won't go on living their Whyvillian lives having no idea just how deep this place can go.
On a deeper note, for those of you who absolutely love this site and are completely addicted (I'm sure it happens to all of us at one point), I have a different challenge for you. Instead of exploring your virtual town, why not explore your real life town? How many places are there around town that you never knew of? I guess real life just seems so boring, with all the houses and cars and stores. But it seems that people have lost appreciation for the real world as well. You casually stroll by a tree like it's a normal thing, just the way you casually scroll by that link on the WhyBus's list like you know what it is. But have you ever really realized how amazing and beautiful trees are? It's simple things like that that I believe make people appreciate life more. When they realize that things aren't so normal, plain and boring as they probably thought. All you need to do is do a bit of exploring, get a look for yourself, experience new things and don't exclude yourself to only what know. The world isn't so boring and useless as you may think.
And neither is our beautiful virtual town. Check it out for yourself. I look forward to hearing from more of you citizens, and I may just write another article summing those up for you all, so keep an eye out. Thank you for reading.
~Twigsy
