| WeBBsights Index | |||||||||||
| --YOUR
#1 SOURCE FOR WeBBSIGHTS MISINFORMATION--
Since 10 October 1997 - 29 Issues - A ZMP Newspaper Distributed by SNN |
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I
N T R O D U C T I O N |
STF’s Premier Newspaper
The flagship publication of SNN
SNN CENTER, CHICAGO -- When STFers want thoughtful, detailed news reports -- covering the whole range of STF events, from Presidential appointments to IRC silliness -- they turn to STF's news leader: WeBBsights. Begun in October 1997, the newspaper that has now become the flagship publication of the Starfleet News Network (following the death of SNN UPDATE; at least we can still lord our status over humor-oriented SNN Headline News) has been around to cover the entire WeBB story. It remains, today, the only STF "WeBBpaper" committed to serious journalism -- although it's not averse to making a joke now or then. STFers keep informed with WeBBsights.
Yesterday’s news, today!
SNN CENTER, CHICAGO -- This newer version of the archive was established in July 1999 to provide better descriptions of the back issues; to improve on the old archive's format (and bring that format into sync with WeBBsights' own layout); and to include an extra special treat: A whole section, below the archive, that details a lot of the behind-the-scenes work at WeBBsights. We hope you enjoy it and come back often to look at one of the WeBB's great historical indices -- the WeBBsights Archive! |
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| theARCHIVE | |||||||||||
A
R C H I V E |
Same century, same mediocre reporting, with WS2K
SNN CENTER, CHICAGO -- No computer flu hit SNN's expert staff, who redoubled their efforts and got down to business playing SimCity 3000. After which we got back to writing everyone favorite newspaper.
Seamus Hughes becomes "Kick-Da-Cheese"; Fleet Two Fleetwide wins; Fleet Six Fleetwide euthenized; Larry interviews Brady McGuinn and talks about helping new members; more painful music from the SNN Jukebox; and more! Party like it’s you-know-what, with WS 1999
SNN CENTER, CHICAGO -- As the penultimate year of the millennium marches on, WeBBsights continues to publish and you bet, we're partying like it's 1999 here at SNN.
Presidential race narrows after debates; Yearbook gets makeover; Larry describes the "ideal President"; and more!
Spurlin resigns; Autumn Elections '99; Wyers, Burchett, Wilson promoted; RIP McParty VIII; Larry interviews Krystelle Bromilow and reviews the Spurlin Administration; Mike talks about tickets jumping the gun; and more!
New ships, new names; REM on eLOA; McParty Cola War '99; MOTD contest; Larry interviews Brian Moss; and more!
McParty VIII; Townes steps down; new members, new ships; Larry interviews Elana Rubin; the Return of the Ashtons; and more!
Hughes starts grassroots "Central HQ/Fun" campaign; McParty opens; WS scoops HN like so much Raisin Bran®; Larry puts Seamus Hughes in The Hot Seat; Mike writes a manifesto; and more!
Hannigan resigns; Garfield, Speck promoted; Fleet Wars '99; OOC activity; DH list started; Larry interviews Mike, defends Good Ole Boys; Mike interviews Larry; and more!
STF yawns; Burke and Merlin commissioned; "Good Ole Boys Network" alleged; Dessert War '99; Larry interviews Mike Bowman; Mike expresses shock at Aye's return; and more!
Spurlin-Morgan Crisis fractures Cabinet; Fleet One moves to WeBB; Dessert War '99; Larry interviews Butch Carter; Mike complains about GiN; and more!
Bob Spurlin elected President; Mike Ballway promoted to Admiral; Randy McCullick returns; Dessert War '99; Larry interviews outgoing Prez Mike Bourdaa; Mike looks at the three competitor newsletters; and more!
Prez Debate recap; Academy gets its USS Challenger; Larry interviews the Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates; and more!
Prez Election begins; Death knell sounds for STF*Prodigy; Larry interviews Stuart Coll; Mark Wilson talks about 19th-Century Wild West STF; and more!
Officers get hitched on Crell; Randy McCullick is AWOL; peasants revolt on the USS Victorious; Larry interviews Jeremy Friedman; Mike looks at IveSTFiya #1; and more! WeBB expands along with WS 1998
SNN CENTER, CHICAGO -- 1998 was the first full year for both the WeBB and WeBBsights. The WeBB gained three new Fleets (F5, F6, and the transplanted F2) and 11 retired or new ships were (re)commissioned, doubling the ship strength of the WeBB. Through the year, only SNN was consistently there to cover this rapid expansion, and WeBBsights evolved its look and reporting style to serve its readers better.
"Your #1 Source for WeBB Holiday Cheer": Larry rewrites the Christmas pageant for STFers; STF-modified Christmas carols; Mike inteviews Santa Claus; and more!
Mike Bertsch, STF ex-President, returns; IRC Jello War recap; Larry interviews Jason Lee; Deanne investigates "Romance and Lust" in STF; Mike comments on the need for an STF constitution; and more!
IRC misunderstanding prompts resignations and accusations; Fleet Two loses half its command staff; two, count 'em, two articles on Seamus Hughes; Larry interviews Nikolle Burchett; Mike analyzes the differences between WeBBsights and Aye on the WeBB; and more!
Bourdaa fires 3 COs, decomms chunDab; Daily Ship premieres; Healey appointed IDir; Larry interviews Mark Wilson; Genesun Han, former SNN bigshot, writes a column; Mike critiques Aye on the WeBB #5; and more!
F6 created, F2 moves to WeBB; WS discontinues Fleet Beat; STF HQ gets civil; McParty VI reports; Larry interviews Bob Spurlin; SNN UPDATE goes kerplunk while Aye on the WeBB starts up; and more!
F3 Fleetwide reaches a climax; "Subcommander Pez"; Larry interviews Nathan Miller; no news from STF*P; riots on SB 257; more Fleet Beat; and more!
The answer to life, the universe, and everything; the seven words that will make any CO promote you; STF's most eligible bachelors; Larry interviews Gene Roddenberry; and more imaginary stories!
F3 Fleetwide sim; Larry interviews B.J. Phillips; Post War rules modified; Jerry Phelps resigns; Deanne writes a song for the Hopper; stimulated simulated assimilation associations (in MicroNews); Fleet Beat; and more!
VIACOM sues STF; Larry interviews WeBBsights; STF Veeps meet up with Gore and Quayle; MicroNews in pig latin; and Fleet Beat!
FComm-4 Jeff Field resigns; a song in honor of Cdre. Field; Larry interviews Mandie Brite; STF "sex scandal"; F5 goes operational; no news from STF*P; Fleet Beat; and more!
Ares, WeBB's slowest ship, advances the plot; Larry interviews Randy McCullick; F5 commissioned; Fleet Beat; and more!
F3 celebrates RPG death of FComm John Phelps; Larry interviews Jean Flinois; Articles of Organization offered; O.T. action heats up in STF*P; Fleet Beat; and more!
Former STFers return, rejoin on WeBB; Larry interviews Jeff Field; Trinitron specs finally written; Fleet Beat; and more!
F4 Fleetwide sim ends; F4 gets a nickname; SNN UPDATE turns 50; Fleet Beat; and more! We’re just getting started: WS 1997
SNN CENTER, CHICAGO -- The WeBB was created as a "lifeboat" for Prodigy-dependent STF in July 1997. One of its first dedicated members, joining in August of that year, was Larry Garfield, a close friend of SNN Executive Editor Mike Ballway. By September, the two agreed that if (as Larry puts it) "the WeBB was to survive, it couldn't take itself too seriously." Thus was born, in early October, the first news journal for the Internet portion of STF: WeBBsights.
Representative Council controversy; Crag War imitates Star Wars; Starfleet Security recruitment poster (with Tuvok image, WS' first ever); Fleet Beat; and more!
OOC religions and French discussion; Tokes return; no news from STF*P; Fleet Beat; and more!
F4 Fleetwide sim develops; Prez Hertzsch appoints a new Cabinet; Fleet Beat; and more!
Activity lags on the WeBB; Franco Torres returns; hicks' chicks nix six flicks pix; no news from STF*P; Fleet Beat; and more!
F4 commissioned; lawsuits in WeBB OOC; another chapter of Siskoism canon; Fleet Beat; and more!
New newsletter; Prez Greg Hertzsch unchallenged for reëlection; 2 ships get name changes; Your Publishers interview themselves; Fleet Beat; and more! |
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| theHISTORY | |||||||||||
H
I S T O R Y |
BEGINNINGS OF A NEWSPAPER
Inspiration at the lunch table
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS -- In mid-1997, the Web Bulletin Board debuted as the new home for STF's newly-recommissioned Third Fleet. The "WeBB" -- a nickname pioneered by SNN Executive Editor Mike Ballway -- soon began to attract Netizens who previously couldn't join STF becuase they didn't subscribe to the Prodigy online service. Advertisement for STF was strictly word-of-mouth, and many of the new recruits were RL (real-life) friends of STF*Prodigy members. Among these was Larry Garfield, a close RL friend of Cdre. Ballway.
At that time, Cdre. Ballway wrote the club newsletter, SNN UPDATE, but didn't cover the WeBB. Meeting for lunch at Evanston Township High School, then-Lt. Garfield and Cdre. Ballway dismissed the prospect of changing UPDATE's format, yet refused to leave Fleet Three (soon to be joined by the new Fleet Four) without a news source. After all, the three-fold mission of the Starfleet News Network -- inform the people, preserve and record STF's history, and spread levity and humor around the club -- still applied to the whole club. So in late September, the two began work on a new newsletter, tentatively named "WeBBzine." The first draft of WZ required only a few changes before emerging with the familiar tabled format and WeBBsights name on 10 October 1997.
RPG REPORTING
A quick informant, a chronicle for the ages
STARBASE 202, FLEET THREE -- During the governmental crisis created by the assassination of Federation President Fred Perch in Fleet Three, Associate Editor Larry Garfield used the power of the press as a means to keep the populus abreast of the latest chaos, to create more chaos, and to reveal classified information that only made the investigation harder. Through every crisis, war, religious attack, offhand comment, and secret mission that you aren't supposed to know about, WeBBsights has held true to Larry's pledge to keep STF "informed, amused, and confused."
The F3 Fleetwide sim was just one instance where WeBBsights reported an STF RPG, capturing it for history. The F4 Fleetwide, during which WS readers found Crag War updates in every issue, was another example. WeBBsights has also focused on the smaller, one-ship RPGs. The "Fleet Beat" section, which lasted from #1 through #15, reported a paragraph on the individual sims of every WeBB ship. Even today, when the onset of five separate WeBB Fleets has made "Fleet Beat" too monumental a task even for SNN, Fleet Correspondent Deanne Morgan compiles some of the most compelling stories of each Fleet in the "Random Plot Gems" column. By continuing to provide a historical record of the doings of the WeBB's RPGs, WeBBsights has gone, and continues to go, above and beyond its original call to keep our ships' crews "informed, amused, and confused."
THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT HAPPEN
The best group of journalists on the WeBB
SNN CENTER, CHICAGO -- Originally, WeBBsights was two people: SNN Executive Editor Mike Ballway, who served exclusively on STF*Prodigy; and Associate Editor Larry Garfield, who served exclusively on the WeBB. Between Larry's observations of the then-infant WeBB and Mike's knowledge of STF history and the government's key players, WeBBsights easily covered the RPGs of Fleet Three and the main events of the club leadership. But since the Editors' visions of where WeBBsights was going sometimes conflicted, and Larry's knowledge of SNN and STF history was as limited as Mike's knowledge of WeBB reality was, WeBBsights was often mired by disagreements.
In mid-1998, however, the new Fleet Six forced SNN to cut back on RPG reporting, and coupled with Fleet Two's iminent move WeBB-ward, this sounded the death knell for Fleet Beat. Deanne stayed on as Fleet Correspondent, writing a regular column called "Random Plot Gems."
The in-depth reporting of the Headline Story has become Larry's specialty, his interview skills having been honed on the Personality Focus™ feature that he's written since Issue #8. In WS #16, Mike premiered his column, Aye on the Competition, a critique of other newsmedia in STF. Occasionally, AOTC is replaced by Editor's Soapbox, which addresses STF political issues.
Veto power on important WeBBsights topics -- new formats, questionable news stories -- still rests with both Editors, although each gives the other a certain amount of leeway in his specialty. This is the system that has produced the best newspaper in the history of STF, and it's still working, bit by bit.
BEHIND THE SCENES
Layout and News methods are still changing
SNN CENTER, CHICAGO -- WeBBsights has not, unfortunately, been without internal stress, throughout its 1½ years of publishing. Mike Ballway's original plan was to write short news stories in two columns, with between five and seven main news stories, a couple of features, and a paragraph of RPG news from each STF ship. The two columns were nixed by Larry Garfield, and by the third issue, the short news stories had evolved into longer stories, some of which topped 500 words. Early layout problems centered around the implications of WYSIWIG editing on Netscape Composer (which Mike opposed since it yielded messy HTML and unpredictable results in the Prodigy Web browser, which he used), a problem whose solution -- editing 32 KBs of raw HMTL every two weeks -- has been dismissed as impractical and conveniently ignored. Later, however, many of Mike's subsequent layout ideas came to fruition, after often-heated discussion:
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| WeBBsights Index | |||||||||||
| Related Pages | |||||||||||
| “No newspaper is an island. Except possibly ‘Aye on the WeBB.’ But they don't count.” WeBBsights recommends these pages for further reading about SNN and STF.
The Starfleet News Network
STF, the WeBB, and star-fleet.com
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| Publishing Information | |||||||||||
| “Zygweebil Mufasa Productions -- the name in fear of which millions of STFers cringe!” WeBBsights welcomes any and all comments and criticisms from its readers. Direct any messages to the Editors.
Editorial Staff
Submissions Policy
WeBBsights warmly welcomes "tips" or suggestions for stories to be written by our staff, as well as news and commentary submissions. We ask, however, that potential writers observe a 300-word limit for news stories, or 500 words for commentary pieces. Prospective articles should address STF or Star Trek topics. Writers should also be STF members in good standing and must leave an email address at which the Editors can contact them. Submissions should be emailed to either of the Editors. WeBBsights does not guarantee publication, but will credit the writer if his work is published. WeBBsights reserves the right to edit submissions for spelling, grammar, layout, length, and clarity. Submissions become property of Zygweebil Mufasa Productions, Ltd. SNN also encourages writers who can meet biweekly deadlines to become a full member of the best writing team on the WeBB -- the WeBBsights Staff. Your actual mileage may vary, of course, but it is one heck of a ride.
DON’T FORGET TO READ The Current WeBBsights FOR THE LATEST NEWS
This page created on 5 January 1999 -- Last updated on 4 October 1999
No newspapers were harmed in the making of this index page. |
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