Active Users:2965 Time:08/02/2025 05:49:17 AM
An Ending Nebhead Send a noteboard - 07/01/2024 02:23:58 PM

Hi all,

It's time to bring RAFO's journey to a conclusion. I have been putting off this decision for several years now, but its increasingly hard to justify keeping the lights on here. I don't have a definitive end date yet, but it'll be in the next 3-6 months.

While RAFO was created primarily as a refuge for the community of wotmania after that site's closure, we had high hopes that it might eventually also stand on its own feet as a destination for Sci-fi & Fantasy discussion. That reality never materialised, and the community itself has also dissipated over time. It'd be easy to lay the blame for both of these at the trend toward consolidation of online discourse in a handful of large social media platforms, and that's undoubtedly part of the picture, but its also the case that RAFO wasn't kept up to date with the technology needed to attract and retain users (especially in terms of mobile-responsive design and forum/message board UX).

Regardless of the reasons why, it's still the case that the site is a shell of what it once was, and there's no practical route back that does not require a significant investment of time and resources - both things that I'm increasingly short of.

Still, it's been a blast and I remain proud of having been able to create and sustain RAFO, especially over the first few years of its existence.

I'll post again once I have a firm closure date.


Thanks to you all for your support over the last ~15 years - RAFO wouldn't have existed in the first place without you.


It's all my fault...
Vegas Aug 17-18 - A Night to Remember

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Spoony made this aaaages ago for me. Never got to use it though... until now!
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An Ending - 07/01/2024 02:23:58 PM 3979 Views
Well, thanks - 07/01/2024 04:19:19 PM 467 Views
I can't say I'm surprised - 07/01/2024 07:18:39 PM 349 Views
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That's a great idea. Maybe..... - 18/08/2024 02:27:47 AM 159 Views
Re: An Ending - 18/10/2024 01:49:44 AM 114 Views
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