Quicksand Fans

I've been wishing for a "complete" quicksand story archive for years! I remember Dave Lodoski had a few early quicksand stories, and I've never seen them reposted anywhere... they were some of the earliest stories I found.

Feel free to post my only story, "Frustration," which is still online here:
http://wamserver.com/blacksquirrel/rega ... ration.txt

How does one go about donating?

TheWolverine79 wrote:As I stated before, if you would like to access the archive, admittance will cost you at least one story, new or old.

Uploading duplicate stories would defeat the purpose. Posting the titles themselves would be too work intensive, since you would need to open each file to read each title. If you posted a list of the file names you already have, then people would be able to tell which stories still need to be contributed.

To make a list of file names:

1) Open a new text file called "filedir.txt"
2) Type into the text file: DIR *.* > FILELIST.TXT
3) Save this file into the folder containing all the stories
4) Rename the file "filedir.bat"
5) Double-Click file "filedir.bat" from Windows Explorer (or whichever file management tool you have)
6) The file FILELIST.TXT will appear in the same folder as the stories
7) Edit the file and remove anything that is not a file name
8) Post the list

This is an ancient DOS process that still works in Windows. It may also work in UNIX/LINUX, but I haven't tried there in years.

Northerner wrote:I've been wishing for a "complete" quicksand story archive for years! I remember Dave Lodoski had a few early quicksand stories, and I've never seen them reposted anywhere... they were some of the earliest stories I found...

Eeeeww. I'd rather those stay lost.

Unlike 99% of the stories in circulation, those were written pre-internet (on an Apple 2c no less). I was going to create a story template and have The Computer randomly re-arrange story elements. Kind of a way of dodging ones own writing and getting a cheap thrill.

So, the stories themselves were ridiculously self-indulgent, and not very well written. I posted them on a lark back in the Yahoo Group days - or before. But I won't begrudge the archiving effort and forbid their inclusion. Shit happens, as they say.

I should point out here that it seems that the contributions seem to also include "everything in this here quicksand folder". Given that there are hundreds of files and it's easier to submit an entire folder, not everything in the archive is a story. Looking at the Club MPV planning documents is a little off-putting -- if you're contributing be mindful of submitting things which aren't directly relevant and stuff you don't want others to see.

Hey Wolverine,

Just sent you a couple of stories. White Fens by Jim Weathers, and my Sequel. Hope you like them.

Viridian wrote:I should point out here that it seems that the contributions seem to also include "everything in this here quicksand folder". Given that there are hundreds of files and it's easier to submit an entire folder, not everything in the archive is a story. Looking at the Club MPV planning documents is a little off-putting -- if you're contributing be mindful of submitting things which aren't directly relevant and stuff you don't want others to see.

How about a pass for folders containing over 1,000 items? Actually 1,285, and now 1,284.

It was either zip and upload now, or, who knows.

dlodoski wrote:

Viridian wrote:I should point out here that it seems that the contributions seem to also include "everything in this here quicksand folder". Given that there are hundreds of files and it's easier to submit an entire folder, not everything in the archive is a story. Looking at the Club MPV planning documents is a little off-putting -- if you're contributing be mindful of submitting things which aren't directly relevant and stuff you don't want others to see.

How about a pass for folders containing over 1,000 items? Actually 1,285, and now 1,284.

It was either zip and upload now, or, who knows.

certainly a folder with 1000 stories includes some by other people. If any of those people are still around they may wish to make the contribution themselves, if for no other reason that to gain admission to the archive itself. Or are all those anonymous?

Fred588 wrote:

dlodoski wrote:

Viridian wrote:I should point out here that it seems that the contributions seem to also include "everything in this here quicksand folder". Given that there are hundreds of files and it's easier to submit an entire folder, not everything in the archive is a story. Looking at the Club MPV planning documents is a little off-putting -- if you're contributing be mindful of submitting things which aren't directly relevant and stuff you don't want others to see.

How about a pass for folders containing over 1,000 items? Actually 1,285, and now 1,284.

It was either zip and upload now, or, who knows.

certainly a folder with 1000 stories includes some by other people. If any of those people are still around they may wish to make the contribution themselves, if for no other reason that to gain admission to the archive itself. Or are all those anonymous?

I'm not qualified to address these concerns. The person organizing this seemed happy to receive my contribution. I'm satisfied with that.

In his defense, I would point out that it's unsavory to critique a project that has yet to take final form.

I've no wish to be critical of a story archive. I think that is a great idea.