Happy New Year! Boy did it go fast. I have finally finished the ATFO Archive. There you can find all of the old blog posts, lists of videos, and a few noteworthy videos already reuploaded. Give it a quick look, if you see something you want me to add or change then please contact me immediately.
I still need to delete the old ATFO websites before I can start clearing things up with Google (read below). I won't delete them until after March to give you all the opportunity to make sure the Archive is satisfactory. I've been in contact with a few of you, glad to see you are all doing well. To anybody who hasn't chatted with me recently, hit me up on Steam!
So I'm finally finished with school and working full time. It feels amazing to actually have weekends off! All the years I was running ATFO, I was attending school and working 7 days a week. Finally that chapter of my life has ended and it's on to the next. I have a myriad of things on my plate but fixing up ATFO is now one of my priorities. I wanted to share where things stand and where things are going. I hope you've been well.
Blip.tv has changed their business model removing all "non-profitable" videos from their site. So basically 90% of ATFO's videos are no longer available for online viewing.
Don't fret, one thing I promised myself to do was never delete content. So I made sure to back everything up! I won't spend time uploading all the old ATFO videos just for them to be removed again somewhere down the line. Instead, if at any time you would like to watch old ATFO videos, post on the forums, PM me, or send me an email. I will upload the videos you want as soon as I can.
Google has recently flagged GoATFO.com due to malicous scripts on the site. Some of you may have gotten a warning saying the site is unsafe. The malicous scripts have invaded the main ATFO content site as well as various unused subsites. I plan to solve this problem by deleting the main ATFO content site and unused subsites. The subsites have gotten out of date and therefore were easy targets.
However, as stated above, I hate when people delete their content for no apparent reason. Therefore I plan to archive all web content I find worth something. This archiving project includes: listing out all videos I made (so people can ask for them if they want), recreating all the blog posts over the years, and posting random tidbits such as Tourney Talk Bios.
It is entirely my fault that Google has flagged the site, when I started ATFO I had zero knowledge of making videos or making websites. I decided to use Wordpress and a template to create the original ATFO site because I didn't know any other way. Unfortunately that prevented me from being able to update the site in fear that I would break it. As time went on the site became more and more vulnerable.
Now that I understand web coding, I will create a new site using only HTML and CSS. I won't use any third party programs in order to keep the site as safe and permanent as possible. Once all content is archived and public, I will remove the broken subsites. The forums will remain, though they could use better organization.
So what's the plan then? Well, I don't have any video series or ATFO projects in mind for the near future (aside from the secret subsite). But I want the site to remain for fans that want to reminisce or see anything updates I may post. I also want to have a place to use as a launching point when new projects come along.
The one project I have my mind on is the secret subsite. To refresh your memory, the main content of the site is created by another person, I am just there for help. I am building the site, helping with organizing it and a small part of the content itself. The other person still does not want me to reveal any details, so all I can give is a time frame as to when it will be released. Unfortunately the person doesn't know when he thinks the site can go public. A part of me fears he never will feel it is ready to go public.
On the other hand he is very experienced in the content and the two of us can set a new standard in its field. But time has always been my biggest setback. Recently we decided we should rebuild the site from scratch, not using any third party programs. It won't take too long, but finding the time to do so is the hard part. Please keep in mind the site won't be anything ground breaking, it will probably only have a small following. But we enjoy creating the content which is all that really matters.
ATFO started because I wanted to teach Soldier Front players how to improve. I continued making videos and expanding the website because I thought doing so would help my future, which it has. ATFO inspired me to learn web development, graphic design and video production. I now make a living filming music gear demos, interviews with famous musicians, and sports cars! Nothing in life is perfect, but at least I have a cool job. Thanks for watching these past many years, remember to peek your head in every now and again. You never know where we'll go next.
- RenegadeFerret -
P.S. Here's a link to the sportcar videos I film, edit and direct: SweetCars