Does anyone have any experience with The Well?

September 13, 2004 3:29 PM

I'm thinking of joining The Well, but it doesn't seem that you can view the discussions prior to joining. Does anyone have any experience with The Well?
posted by Juicylicious to computers & internet (7 comments total)

*cough*

Whole Earth Lectronic Link probably has, as a prequisite, making working links, before you can join.

This is what you wanted. :-)
posted by shepd at 3:34 PM on September 13, 2004

I'm on it. It's not the fabled place of yore, but it retains a relatively small active user base, about similar in size to the number of regular posters here.

1. The active discussions are good, and although some posters are all Ethereal Bligh in length, they're very readable and literate, mainly because a high premium is put on language skills.

2. Well people are mainly folks with interesting jobs and lives, rather than bored students with time on their hands. Posts about what people actually do, rather than what they'd like to do.

3. There are plenty of heated discussions, if that's your bag.

4. The archives are great. You can read posts from the announcement of the original PowerBook, etc.

I've been a member for a year, and although I'm sure 80% of the people there still don't know me, I'm not leaving any time soon.
posted by bonaldi at 4:44 PM on September 13, 2004

I have no idea what happened to my link.
posted by Juicylicious at 4:49 PM on September 13, 2004

You forgot the ":" in "http://", I think.

I wouldn't pay $10 per month to join a discussion forum. $10 one-time, maybe, but not per month. Oh, and there's one "guests welcome" discussion on the front page there, but I found it thoroughly unexciting. And it's run by Salon. Bleh.
posted by reklaw at 6:06 PM on September 13, 2004

I'd say you're about 20 years too late. The Well is a relic, endearing to some though it may be. It has an amazingly craptacular user interface that deserves to be revised as it apparently hasn't been since the 80's, but, bafflingly, they haven't seen fit to ever do it.

The only thing The Well has going for it is the elitist snob appeal of the remote chance of rubbing virtual elbows with the likes of Stewart Brand and Howard Rheingold, for whatever that's worth.

Don't get me wrong. The Well is like a 1950's Studebaker. It might have some esoteric interest to some, mild interest to many, but it just doesn't perform like the cars of today.
posted by crunchland at 10:40 PM on September 13, 2004

i didnt like it one bit. long story. i do like salon's table talk though. would be happy to email if you want more info.
posted by kv at 2:22 AM on September 14, 2004

I think that I'll save my $. I am interested in table talk though, please email me kv.
posted by Juicylicious at 7:23 AM on September 14, 2004