Looks like the domain could be bought back in november! hmmm??

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Well, the closing of the shaniaforums is a shocker. Lots of other Shania oriented sites have gone under over the years but the shaniaforums along with FV's board was among the oldest. I had pretty much stopped going there but it still makes me sad. The forums was the largest board of the old sites and until recently the most respecting of free speech. It is a reminder of just how ephemeral all these online boards are. We have lost a lot of past fan history with the passing of Seb's Shania Twain Canadian Online Fan Club (I wonder how many today still remember this one?) and the eradication of past posts from the official fan club. This last action was unforgivable. Now with the forums gone and the early fan club posts gone we have lost many concert reports, other fan experiences and even all trace of certain early fans. The shaniaforums was the one place at one time where fans could speak up frankly and openly about the inadequacies of the official fan club and organize to try to improve things.

The passing of the forums may lead to an uptake in posting on this board. This is not a bad thing as activity on this board has dwindled a lot. But there is a lesson here. No site, no messageboard and no fan club site is forever. Certainly not the official fan club which so cavalierly deleted all early posts. And even this board exists ultimately at the pleasure of the Shania Twain Centre which in turn must answer to the electors of Timmins. So treasure this board and use it while you can. It is still such a shame that the STC was never made the home of the fan club.

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Roger

Ditto mi amigo - where to now?

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The quintessential lean mean singin' machine has surprised and enraptured us and conquered our hearts, minds and souls again and again.

Thanks Roger - we had our differences in opinions but you are right, ultimately this is a real blow for the Shania fan community. Many friendships have been made there. I know I put a huge amount of time and effort into making it the best it could be, as have all the mods and members over the years. To think it can all be gone with the press of a button is devastating. We will all continue and find a place to resurface, but the history is gone. Nobody has actually confirmed it, but the feeling amongst us mods for some time has been that the owners are uncaring and it was on borrowed time. If I told you the costs of running it, you would be truly shocked - the board has grown too big for its own good. The software upgrades were ridiculous, but the monthly costs were the killer. I'm no expert but from what I understand when a site reaches a given number of viewers, the costs increase. We hit several thousand one day in a huge spam outbreak which sent the costs spiraling. Marika had to close new registrations for months. The site was also sold at around this point, but we were all kept in the dark about everything. The owners apparently bought the forums as part of a package, but had no interest in it, and therefore we have this situation of neglect. The costs probably outweigh the revenue from advertising now, and to a businessman who has no personal interest in the thing, the only thing to do is sell it or close it - and nobody in their right mind would buy it. I was invited to make an offer and not told the true cost, luckily I researched it and had I bought it I would have been either bankrupt or had to make the decision to close the site myself. Its all very sad - it could be that an error has happened and they are working on restoring it, but it has been our thoughts that the place was on borrowed time, so even if it is restored I would expect it to disappear soon anyway. What a shame.

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:)THANK YOU SHANIA!!! YOU CAN COME BACK TO THE UK ANYTIME!!!:)

Make no sense to me either.

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The quintessential lean mean singin' machine has surprised and enraptured us and conquered our hearts, minds and souls again and again.

"Love will find a way"

That's why we are here. Now.


John -

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Visit The NEW Shania Forums

very well said!

I agree with you Paul that it's a sad feeling that it can all be 'gone' with a press of a button. The history of many many posts by so many fans, all the previous concert reviews/pictures, posts by early fans etc.

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"Music is what feelings sound like.."

To terminate the forums with no warning is unpardonable.

But life does go on.

I for one recognize all the hard work and effort put forth by the old and new mods and administrators of the forums and I sincerely appreciate their collective efforts in keeping Shania Twain alive and well on the Internet.

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The quintessential lean mean singin' machine has surprised and enraptured us and conquered our hearts, minds and souls again and again.

If anyone does get a reply or hears anything please let us know - its a crazy situation that the mods of the site know nothing. It says a lot about the way things have become.

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:)THANK YOU SHANIA!!! YOU CAN COME BACK TO THE UK ANYTIME!!!:)

With deepest regret, I must announce: the ShaniaForums is no more.


We see no way to restore the status quo, as the current ownership refuses to reply to any tried conversation.


Therefore, we turn towards the ONLY site we have ever trusted, and felt as "another home".


The STC has been a site respected by the fans, and revered. Perhaps that's also the reason why fans have hesitated to approach.


I hope, that Tracy Hautanen will respond and speak to the new members as soon as possible.



We may be exile for the moment, but we will find another home.



John, FinnFreak, as everyone else - long away from home...

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Visit The NEW Shania Forums

IF you want to reach me, please send email to:

finnfreak1@yahoo.com


John -;)

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Visit The NEW Shania Forums

Until Tracy / the City of Timmins responds, I can not offer "shelter".

I'm merely suggesting, where the "real home" might possibly exist.


Good Night, and Good Luck,


John

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Visit The NEW Shania Forums

OK - talk to somebody else than me.


John -

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Visit The NEW Shania Forums

I can't speak for Tracy but we welcome everyone here to the STC message board. Tracy is on holidays and without internet access for a week. I'm sure when she gets back, she'll respond. Till then, post away.. make suggestions.. this board has always been for all Shania fans. We're not here to replace other message boards... we've just carved out our own little home in cyberspace.

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I've been away for a few days. Wow this is certainly a bummer!!! I've been a member of the Forums for a long time like many here. Weird. I have to agree that this may increase activity here. This is saddening.


Steve

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