As announced ~6000 stories get moved to the archives in just a few days.
Going through the list is tedious at the very least. There are just way too many of them.
So which authors and stories just can't be missed?
As announced ~6000 stories get moved to the archives in just a few days.
Going through the list is tedious at the very least. There are just way too many of them.
So which authors and stories just can't be missed?
Can they no longer be found once archived?
The "archive" merely means they'll only be available to "Premium" (paying) members. The non-paying members can see view the stories, and currently they can read the first couple of chapters (though that feature might be going away as well), so free members can decide whether they actually want to pay for a quick 30-day membership just to read a few stories before forking over the cash. But it's essentially an effort to 'retire' the older works of long-gone authors who's scores are artificially high and thus make the works by more recent authors less appealing in comparison.
Lazeez mentioned the original list of 6,000 contained many, many 'mistakes' which should be caught before it becomes official, though the rest are all the works of author's who've died 5 or more years ago all hitting at once. Once that initial tide sweeps though, the following waves will be much smaller.
If you started going through the list earlier, you may want to back up and revisit it to see whether it's changed.
On a related note, given the discussion about the 'forced archival', I decided to volunarily archive (place behind the pay firewall) one of my earlier series ("The Catalyst"), and seeing how that goes, I may do another one as well ("The Great Death") that I'm considering revising. Both series (9 books) continue to sell well, so it's basically to make room for my newer books on SOL while still keeping the stories selling, though I expect to receive push back from fans who continue to reread the stories many times over.
That does not seem to do much. The stories are still in the usual categories/listings. Unless archived stories are handled differently it won't help on scoring either.
Don't forget that category search and score are basically useless to free members. (Only 1 page, can't sort)
That leaves the top lists. At this time Zombie Leza is place 48 in ongoing serials, hard to check if the series was in there before. Lubrican has a premium story in one of the lists.
Btw. top lists are basically useless too. To anyone but a new member that is. There is little movement in them, a short time after registration everything interesting (to me) was read. Until writing this the last time I looked at them was years ago.
What I actually use is updated stories (every visit), looking through the forum when I get bored (Much discussion? Can't be bad.), very occasionally looking into new stories or searching for an author I remember. That gives me plenty enough stories to fill my free time.
That does not seem to do much. The stories are still in the usual categories/listings. Unless archived stories are handled differently it won't help on scoring either.
Don't forget that category search and score are basically useless to free members. (Only 1 page, can't sort)
That leaves the top lists. At this time Zombie Leza is place 48 in ongoing serials, hard to check if the series was in there before. Lubrican has a premium story in one of the lists.
Btw. top lists are basically useless too.
No. Lazeez just said that, given the volume of stories being archived this pass (6,000), he's allowing free users to search the Soon-to-be Archive List only! Thus you still can't search any other list.
Also, "Zombie Leza" is a new story, still posting, so it's not being archived. What's more, it's only 18 chapters and only posted 2 chapters a week, so it doesn't take a much to download.
According to Lazeez, you can sort the Archive list by clicking on "Scores" to sort it by 'best>worst' stories, so you won't waste time paging through stories you're unlikely to be interested in.
As far as the pages/lists you do use, all of those stories should be available for at least the next five (5) years, so they're safe (in that regard, at least).
I archived my "Catalyst" story, mainly just to see what would happen. I'd thought it would go onto the archive list too, but I'm guessing it was immediately archived instead. :( That's a bummer. However, my other stories will remain available. If and when I do archive my "Great Death" series, I'll announce it ahead of time, so my regular readers have a chance to grab a copy before it disappears (each book is around 22 chapters +/-6 chapters).
Plus, I plan on keeping the new stories flowing. Since I've written 15 full novels since 2o14, it's not like there's going to be a shortage (of my stories, at least). I just wanted to prioritize the newer stories, over the older stories and thought archiving them made sense.
Lets try again. I tried to make a different point. ;)
Ignore the additional functions on the to be archived page. That problem will solve itself very soon.
For premium members the archive makes no difference. They still have access to everything. The votes and scores are still just as skewed as before.
That said the full search functionality helps a lot to find stories.
For free members the applicable change seems to be twofold. The top lists either get thinned out OR will be full of premium stories. Links will point to a whole lot of premium stories. (17% of the side content is affected.)
THE way for me to find older (=finished) stories was and is links. In this forum or externally. The search function is servery limited by design to make premium access more interesting.
In free mode it is basically useless unless you already know the story name.
Actually until now access to the full search function was much more interesting that the few premium stories. - Not that you could find said premium stories you didn't know about in the first place without it...
I don't really see where new content gets more pushed by this change.
Ultimately I see it as a way to gain more paying members. Which is ok, hosting ain't free. The problem, if any, is that it the method. As far as I know it's hard to login or repost your stories on other sites once you are dead. ;)
Hm. Get a CC (not used here) or become a reviewer. Something for another day.
Going through the list is tedious at the very least.
Even though I didn't have to, but since the listing page is literally a favor to free members, I've enabled list sorting for free members on that page (usually available only to premier members).
So if you click the 'Score' header in the table, you'll sort the list by score so it will make it a bit easier to start with the cream of the crop.
Since the original poster wanted to know what shouldn't be missed this is my list so far.
Burr series by Fable (and his other works)
Rebirth by John Wales
A Stitch in Time by Marsh Alien
The Battlemage Series by Risq
Wynter/ Trailer Park series by Russell Hoisington
Genie Chronicles by Joe Brolly
The Case of The Duplicate Duke by Reprobate Rodent
And for those who haven't read it.
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Please add to this list so I can read them before I can't.
Please add to this list so I can read them before I can't.
I'll add my own (already listed earlier), because I just decided to 'archive' several of my stories, but I want readers to have a chance to save them before it's too late if they plan to reread them.
Catalyst:
1) An Unknown Attraction
2) Trying to be Normal
3) Normalcy is Harder Than it Looks
4) Racing the Clock
5) Touring Under Pressure
6) Building a Legacy
I'm also contemplating removing 3 others, but that's based on my planning to revise the stories and wanting to remove from before I reissue them again. (I haven't decided whether to or when, yet. I'll decide when I see what fallout the others generate.)
Rebirth by John Wales
I am under the impression all the John Wales stories are going Premier only, based on the dates they were posted and lack of any blog or other information about the author. There are several other very good stories, I am currently re-reading Mage.
Although it isn't an important difference, and "Premium" is descriptive of how the pay account works, technically it is a Premier account. I kind of like being a Premier since I am unlikely to be elected to any office. I am a Premier of Canada!
I am under the impression all the John Wales stories are going Premier only,
That won't happen for at least 5 years from now.
Simple solution to the problem: Become a premium member. I just renewed for another 6 months. I suppose there are a few who honestly cannot afford it, but I suspect far more who just don't want to pay for their entertainment. I'm on SS Disability & my wife earns a dollar an hour more than minimum wage, so this household is far from well off. Still, $35.00 for six months access to SOL is cheap by any accounting.
I'm on SS Disability & my wife earns a dollar an hour more than minimum wage, so this household is far from well off. Still, $35.00 for six months access to SOL is cheap by any accounting.
Even if you are financially constrained, if you plan ahead, identifying what you want to read and only paying for the minimal Premium service, you can download a bunch (as ebooks) so you can read them at your leisure, while seeing whether the Premium service IS something you might want to scrimp for.
That sounds like a fair compromise to me, especially if it helps keep the site operating. :-)
By the way, don't game the system (like I'm suggesting) if you can afford it, as that'll only piss Lazeez off!
And than, there are some of us that don't have a CC and wont get one (CC's must be an American thing, only the rich and the ones who are constantly above their normal house credit line have CC's here in Europe. Res is cash, EC or Paypal.)
And if there isn't an option for paypal, I can't buy premium.
I found that a debit card will get accepted instead of a credit card for most transactions where the credit card is the preferred method.
- only Visa and Mastercard
- No US Debit cards and no US government issued credit/debit cards.
from the premium sub site
- only Visa and Mastercard
- No US Debit cards and no US government issued credit/debit cards.
from the premium sub site
That still allows Visa/Mastercard debit cards (tied into you bank account, instead of as a credit line) or Visa/MC pre-pay cards (where you pay upfront and the credit cards hold onto the money until you withdraw it (plus a small 'processing' fee. :(
That still allows Visa/Mastercard debit cards (tied into you bank account, instead of as a credit line) or Visa/MC pre-pay cards (where you pay upfront and the credit cards hold onto the money until you withdraw it (plus a small 'processing' fee. :(
I only have a debit card myself, refused credit cards since that is a losing proposition for me. I am on SS and only get around 700 a month. Choices are very limited on that budget.
I only have a debit card myself, refused credit cards since that is a losing proposition for me. I am on SS and only get around 700 a month. Choices are very limited on that budget.
I'm in the same boat. I've got an excellent credit rating (mainly because I always purchase my computers and phones using PayPal credit, which ups my credit limit while offering free credit, which I pay off within the allotted time period. But the card itself, while functioning as a regular Visa or MC card, is debit only (i.e. you can't charge nothin!).
I think you understood that, but I just wanted to emphasize the difference, because it wasn't clear from your objections. The key is, the debit card has to be issued on a Visa or MC, and issued by a bank (or a store, in the case of the pre-paid cards).
Poor folk have been doing this shit for years, so they've worked out the kinks. Maybe Europe just has fewer poor than we do?
I think you understood that, but I just wanted to emphasize the difference, because it wasn't clear from your objections. The key is, the debit card has to be issued on a Visa or MC, and issued by a bank (or a store, in the case of the pre-paid cards).
I understood, just wanted to let others who might not know of that little feature with debit cards. The major difference between them and credit cards is the direct link to a bank account such as a checking account.
My reason for never accepting credit cards is I personally believe they are a trap for anyone on limited income. Sure buy now, pay later sounds so nice until later comes and you still don't have the dang money.
poor people don't get CC's easily.
The whole system to get an extra card that you have to pay for, managing balance and overcharging is alien.
Why would you do that when you have bank account where your payment from your job is going to, where all your monthly payments are deducted from and where you get an EC card with which you can take money out of your account and pay with it directly like a CC. And if Paypal is linked to your bank account, another QoL feature is added to your account.
poor people don't get CC's easily.
The whole system to get an extra card that you have to pay for, managing balance and overcharging is alien.
Why would you do that when you have bank account where your payment from your job is going to, where all your monthly payments are deducted from and where you get an EC card with which you can take money out of your account and pay with it directly like a CC.
Three words: Visa Check Card.
Oh hey! Visa Debit works now? Last time I tried to buy premium it was only accepting Interac Online old cards. Cool! Just subbed for 6 months.
Oh hey! Visa Debit works now? Last time I tried to buy premium it was only accepting Interac Online old cards. Cool! Just subbed for 6 months.
I've been paying for my premium membership for years using a Visa debit card issued by my credit union. I don't even own any credit cards, and haven't for several years. I've yet to find a business, online or IRL, that refused it. Sam's Club used to reject all credit cards but one, but even they now accept it.
only Visa and Mastercard
My Australian debit card on the ANZ bank is a VISA Debit Card and it works perfectly with the SoL system when I bought a year's subscription for someone else. So if you have a European VISA card os any sort it should work.
I found that a debit card will get accepted instead of a credit card for most transactions where the credit card is the preferred method.
Most debit cards are designed to function as Credit Cards for cash transactions (i.e. they run the card but only take out the cash, not filing it as a credit charge). I don't know about Europe (or other places), but here in the U.S., most stores now sell 'pre-pay' cards which you use like a Credit Card but which only takes out however much you pay when you first get the card. If that's an option, it'll cover you. Otherwise, you'll have to wait for your next trip to NYC when you can buy a half-dozen $10 pre-pay cards. ;-D
And than, there are some of us that don't have a CC and wont get one (CC's must be an American thing, only the rich and the ones who are constantly above their normal house credit line have CC's here in Europe. Res is cash, EC or Paypal.)
The American economy runs on/depends on credit. If credit usage dropped by even one or two percent it would have a very major negative effect on the economy. Plus, credit card companies make tons of money when we use them, even if we pay them off every month. That's why one sees the big push on campus to get students and those just graduated to sign up for a card.
For various and sundry reasons my credit rating was the pits for many years. Now that I am climbing out of that hole (rating back up into the Good range) I am inundated every month with credit card offers, usually from the same three or four vendors.
I would also remind everyone that there is a check or money order option available, although I would guess not many use it.
And if there isn't an option for paypal, I can't buy premium.
Yeah, that IS a bummer, but that's the fault of PayPal. Lazeez has no option to use it, as they refuse to work with him because of the owner's quasi-moral/political bent.
So, basicly all of the good classics are going premium-only?
No, all the DEAD-author classics and a handful of authors wishing to promote either their newer books or sell more of their older books. Again, you're seeing 10+ years of archive happening at one time now. After that passes, the rate of new archivals will be small.
I understand all these posts are important information but please can we return to Chades original topic.
What are the stories that are must reads that are to be archived? I'm looking and have listed some I think are excellent but am looking for stories I may have missed too.
:)
I only have an electronic cash card from my bank. Like I said, I don't see the point of a credit card or pre paid card if my EC card has full access to my bank account and can't get below zero. I can pay with it on all stores if they accept cards and 98% of the online store accept Paypal. Even the delivery services accept Paypal.
I asked it some weeks ago, why can other adult sites get Paypal payments and not SoL?
And if that is a real hurdle, how about adding premium payments through finestories or scifistories, that only has impact on SoL. The other two sites are not adult sites, right?
I asked it some weeks ago, why can other adult sites get Paypal payments and not SoL?
I would've thought that was obvious, they don't tell the PayPal people the truth about the site, while Lazeez does. Others may be prepared to lie and cheat the system, but Lazeez isn't prepared to.
The situation, at this time, is:
PayPal won't accept SoL as a client, so it's not an option.
VISA and Mastercard work on SoL.
You can pay by purchasing an International Money Order.
If you choose not to have a VISA or Mastercard card or any type, that's your choice. However, you can go and purchase an International Money Order and pay that way. That's not hard at all.
https://storiesonline.net/h/55/how-do-i-pay-for-premier-with-money-order
If you choose not to use the Money Order option, that's your problem and not Lazeez' and you should stop bitching about it.
Like I said, I don't see the point of a credit card
The point is — Float!
You get an interest free short-term loan each month. That money can earn interest elsewhere. True, interest rates are low today, but earning something is better than earning nothing.
And I get 2% cash back on my VISA. That adds up to a lot of money if you pay almost everything with your credit card. This month I got $330 back. True, this month's is an unusually large bill (bought a new furnace and air conditioner with the card along with a deposit on a kitchen remodel), but that's $330 in my pocket this month. Free money!
The key, of course, is to pay the balance off each month so you don't pay the Bank's usury rates. That's when you lose financially. That's when credit cards are bad.
I only have an electronic cash card from my bank.
Ask your bank if they offer a Visa/Master Card check card. A Visa Check card works exactly the same way as your electronic cash card (it isn't a credit card), except the transactions can be run over either the ATM network or the VISA/MC credit card payment network.
Regardless of which network is used for a particular payment, the money comes out of the linked bank account.
I can pay with it on all stores if they accept cards and 98% of the online store accept Paypal. Even the delivery services accept Paypal.
I asked it some weeks ago, why can other adult sites get Paypal payments and not SoL?
And if that is a real hurdle, how about adding premium payments through finestories or scifistories, that only has impact on SoL. The other two sites are not adult sites, right?
You have to ask the owner of PayPal. For some reason, he's got a real stick up his butt about SOL, and ANY site associated with the SOL corporation is included, not JUST the 'erotic' site.
There's little rhythm or reason to it, that I can see. He just won't relent and Lazeez can't justify taking him to court over it. :(
Only Rebirth (@ #85) is listed on the to be archived directory. It is also the only story of his by multiple authors. I came to this conclusion by sorting the To Be Archived list by Size, Descending. You will notice that Proeliator at 3935kb and Rebirth II at 1472kb are not listed and are by a single author.
Rebirth at 527kb and by multiple authors is listed though.
I did not keep a list of stories, that makes it hard to suggest stories.
Beyond the all time big names like Al Steiner, gwresearch, GoldenMage.
DMAN series by Cold Creek. Unfinished.
The Damsels in Distress Universe. Looks like most authors are still active.
Mayhem Series by colt45 rings a bell.
The Battelmage series (both) by Risq have been mentioned.
The stories by Daghda Jim are worth a read:
https://storiesonline.net/a/Daghda_Jim
Honorable mentions since they were part of the archiving test and are already archived:
https://storiesonline.net/a/Volentrin/2 his "The Gift" trilogy is a nice read
https://storiesonline.net/a/Moghal Judgements is well worth the subscription alone
Last time I tried was a while ago. When I first got a Visa Debit, the site was taking Interac online. My Visa Debit wouldn't work for some reason. Kept on getting declined when I tried to put it through. I'm on marginal income with a mix of child support and rising costs here in Toronto, and I don't often have extra cash for luxuries, but I have a bit extra right now so I'm glad to drop it.
You're in Toronto and you it wouldn't take your Visa Debit? Strange.
Back when SOL could still use Pay Pal, mine wouldn't work.
I talked to customer service at my bank and they told me it was because the payee was outside the US and at the time there was a rule in place that US debit cards could not be used outside of the US. They implied that it was a government imposed rule.
The rule was expanded to allowing US issued debit cards to be used anywhere in North America at some point before Pay Pal shit canned Lazeez's account.
I still can't use my Visa Debit card with sites located in Europe.
You're in Toronto and you it wouldn't take your Visa Debit? Strange.
I talked to customer service at my bank and they told me it was because the payee was outside the US and at the time there was a rule in place that US debit cards could not be used outside of the US. They implied that it was a government imposed rule.
I still can't use my Visa Debit card with sites located in Europe.
Some cards are restricted to their home countries - some Visa cards issued in Brasil cannot be used outside Brasil for example. It is a question of local Exchange Controls and anti Money Laundering.
There are a couple of countries (including, at least last year, a small state in the middle of Western Europe) whose controls are so lax that Visa etc. refuse to deal with them
I cannot use one of my debit cards outside France and Disneyworld Paris refused to accept bookings using it because I was not in France at the time. The other cards - debit and credit are worldwide.
This might have been an interesting thread, if anyone had stayed on topic and suggested stories as the OP requested. Instead, it's turned into Banking 101.
I've seen threads hijacked before, but rarely this thoroughly.
richardshagrin 6/27/2017, 10:07:24 AM
Hi, Jack!
"Never say that to an airline pilot!"
(If you know the source, you're an old guy like me).
Hi, Jack!
Reminds me of the opening scene of that South African comedy about the mechanic.
Do you guy still not accept visa gift card? and only do mailing
Do you guy still not accept visa gift card?
It should accept a Visa Gift Card. The only problem should be if there are national boundary limits placed on it by the issuer (or the regulators to whom the issuer is subject).
Do you guy still not accept visa gift card? and only do mailing
Visa cards issued in the US are usually limited to dealing with companies located in the US. I found that through one of the site's members. He got a card and it wouldn't work.
Although, cards issued in canada work with companies all over the world. I'm not sure why the US ones are limited.
I'm not sure why the US ones are limited.
Because the US government is paranoid about money laundering and prepaid cards are basically untraceable.
Visa cards issued in the US are usually limited to dealing with companies located in the US. I found that through one of the site's members. He got a card and it wouldn't work.
Most U.S. Credit/Debit cards aren't subject to those arbitrary limits. Those are likely imposed by the individual banks, rather than by national mandate.
Since the prepaid Credit Cards are favored by the poor, it's more a discrimination thing, where the major cards available to those with decent credit ratings can be used anywhere, while the limited cards are offered to those without other options.
I don't know how do one check?
Have you tried it and had it refused? Baring territorial limits, it should work anywhere that accepts Visa Credit Cards.
I only had a Debit Card drawn on a U.K. bank. Ran into problems trying to use it in the U.S. No go. Fortunately partner had a few credit cards but it made insurance on hire car expensive as she was now first named driver. U.K. excess cover needed me to be first named. I think debit cards are not always usable outside of country of origin. Now have a credit card issued by my own bank and keep it only for use abroad. Always phone and tell bank where and when I am going.