Password? There's still a password? I thought our accounts were just added to a list of those who can enter that section after getting approval from Annette.
Roger, I believe these boards do use that procedure. The password I was referring to was at the nfic
archive, where I still have to enter a password. Or maybe that's changed and I just didn't know it? I haven't been reading much fic lately, so it's definitely possible. And I think Zoomway's boards have a password as well, though I go there so rarely, I'm not sure I know what it is. Anyway, it's effectively the same thing - you still have to take that extra step of e-mailing someone and making an age statement before being allowed access.
Arawn,
I bow before you obvious superior knowledge of fanfic.
LOL! Yes, my store of utterly useless knowledge is impressive indeed.
No people I know would find it offensive,
Ah, well see - that just depends on who you know. I assure you that practically everyone I know IRL would find it HUGELY offensive. Fan fiction is my deepest, darkest secret.
And yes, I'm sure that many of the fandoms that decided to separate out the nfic were faced with dissenters and resulting board kerfuffles, though any that might have occurred in this fandom were before my time. But I have a firm faith in fandom's ability to kick up a fuss over just about anything. Ultimately though, as LabRat and others have said, the decision rests with the site owners, since they're the ones who have to deal with the hassles.
Under what circumstance does this Cease and Desist stuff occur? Isn’t Rowlins famous for approving of fanfic? And what change when the authors form a another community?
From what I can recall, as it was some years back now, all that changed was that security tightened up or the sites changed their addresses. I don't remember hearing about any sites actually shutting down because of the letters. Although only a few sites received letters, however, a great many more were inspired to tighten security. And yes, JKR is generally supportive of fan fic, or at least has said that she doesn't actively oppose it.
These letters even say this and make clear that they are not opposing all fan fiction but are specifically concerned with sexually explicit material being made readily available to minors.
As for the circumstances, I really don't know what it was that called these particular sites to the attention of TPTB. If I knew then, it's been lost to time.
Does Warner Brothers own Superman and/or L&C? I can't remember.
Caroline
