Kestryll Posted An Update At .net On 7-15-25

[TrappedinCalifornia]

I don't know if he plans to come here with the same or similar announcement; but, given that it's been almost 4 hrs. since he posted, you might wish to take a look...

Hi Everyone... https://www.calguns.net/forum/calguns-net/announcements-and-suggestions/54617368-hi-everyone

[jackw007]

I came here because calguns.net is down. 

So what did he post?  Serious question, is it that Calguns is shutting down?

[TrappedinCalifornia]

I came here because calguns.net is down. 

So what did he post?  Serious question, is it that Calguns is shutting down?

I think it a bit presumptuous at this point to jump to the conclusion that .net is 'shutting down.'  Why?  Because there are those who not only seem to want it shut down, but if it's not shut down, then they want it handed over to someone else.  That 'campaign' has been going on for well over a year and, frankly, most of us are tired of it.  (When you finally visit the linked thread, you will find a good portion of it was turned into a back and forth with one of the major players who has been perceived as undermining the site and despite his protestations to the contrary, there has been considerable evidence that he wanted 'control' of .net so as to build a platform he could sell to someone else since he claims to have no desire to actually administer such a site.)

In a nutshell, the post talks about what has 'distracted' him over the last year and what his 'plans' are for the site in terms of attempting a fix, where he alludes to some of the things which have kept the problems going.

Beyond that, you can go to the post and read it yourself.  The site works.  It's just not always immediately available at a given member's convenience.  But, that's another, tired talking point.  We get far too many posts declaring the site doesn't work, while totally ignoring the fact that to post such things, the site actually has to be working.  It's the reason many, maybe even most, members who still actively participate on the site have accepted the way it functions, for now, and eagerly anticipate the promised fixes.  Just be advised, an actual timeline has not been provided nor is it expected.

I hope that addresses your question.

ETA: I just clicked on .net and the site opened.   YMMV.

[Term]

I haven't been able to access the other site for a week.

when will this madness end ?

Crazy stupid idea, how about we make this the main site, IT WORKS !!!!

[TrappedinCalifornia]

I haven't been able to access the other site for a week.

when will this madness end ?

Crazy stupid idea, how about we make this the main site, IT WORKS !!!!

If you took a look at his 7/15 post, you will have noted that this site isn't the only thing going on in Kestryll's life.  The majority of the membership feels putting things back together with his family is Priority #1. 

With that said, about 3 weeks ago, a member posted that Kestryll had been in touch with him.  This member has some computer expertise and gave Kestryll some tests to run.  Remember, Kestryll has acknowledged that the 'fix' or 'fixes' which remain are beyond his technical abilities. 

My assumption is that what Kestryll is looking to do is narrow down where the logjam is.  As he stated in his post (linked to in the first post of this thread), he feels he's going to need to hire a database analyst and someone to handle the conversion of the site to a new software package as he's been having issues with vBulletin's support and desires to switch to a new program.

In short, at least insofar as we've been advised, the problem(s) is/are being worked on and anyone with any experience in computers knows the fix is unlikely to be instantaneous.  Likewise, whomever he's going to get in terms of the analyst and conversion specialist, along with anyone else, is going to add time in that they must be selected carefully.  Why?  Because the membership at large doesn't want just anyone to have access to their personal information, we have (long ago) established that DOJ has 'agents' among the membership, and there are elements who have been attempting to get behind the curtain under the guise of 'helping' to gain access to proprietary information. 

We're all frustrated.  But, the site IS working.  It's just not available 24/7/365 at any member's convenience.  There is an host of members posting EVERY DAY.  There is some, limited predictability to when the site is available; but, the predictability isn't 100% accurate and there does seem to be a bit of rotation as to when it is available.  That means it requires patience and persistence, coupled with a lack of expectation.  Again, no one is 'happy,' we simply deal with it, having faith, for now, that Kestryll is 'working on it.'

ETA: Bear in mind that Librarian made a post (I created a thread about this) informing members that the CHOICE wasn't Kestryll's.  The original host for the site went out of business and the new host demanded updated software; something Kestryll had warned, for years, would create the types of problems the site has been having.

[allright]

"My assumption is that what Kestryll is looking to do is narrow down where the logjam is.  As he stated in his post (linked to in the first post of this thread), he feels he's going to need to hire a database analyst and someone to handle the conversion of the site to a new software package as he's been having issues with vBulletin's support and desires to switch to a new program."

I am a Database Consultant / Developer, and twice in the past, I offered up my help to Kes, and he didn't reply. Two or three years ago, when the site was just starting to show signs of dying, He stated he just needed to upgrade, and I thought that would compound the issue. It doesn't appear he's even trying to fix things. Just my 2

[TrappedinCalifornia]

"My assumption is that what Kestryll is looking to do is narrow down where the logjam is.  As he stated in his post (linked to in the first post of this thread), he feels he's going to need to hire a database analyst and someone to handle the conversion of the site to a new software package as he's been having issues with vBulletin's support and desires to switch to a new program."

I am a Database Consultant / Developer, and twice in the past, I offered up my help to Kes, and he didn't reply. Two or three years ago, when the site was just starting to show signs of dying, He stated he just needed to upgrade, and I thought that would compound the issue. It doesn't appear he's even trying to fix things. Just my 2

First, the site is anything but 'dead.'  There are members posting to it EVERY DAY.  I grant the site isn't available 24/7/365; but, that means patience and persistence is required.

Second, I don't think anyone knows exactly what Kestryll is or isn't doing.  There are any number of members who claim to be in 'the industry' and then claim Kestryll never got back to them.  Okay.  But, we know Kestryll has been going through some personal issues and we also know that there are individuals who don't necessarily have the best interest of the site in mind or, at the very least, don't necessarily share Kestryll's and much of the active membership's desire to 'preserve' as much as possible.  (The vast majority of that legacy is still there and much of it can still be accessed, though not necessarily as readily as it could be in the past, which is what the hold up appears to be largely based upon.)

The bottom line is that Kestryll has noted the remaining fixes are beyond his technical capabilities.  We know that he needs to be cautious in who he allows access in that there are those who do not wish the site well (including some members), those who wish the site to be 'different,' those who don't care about the rich informational store of knowledge and simply want to be able to make, effectively, drive-by posts, etc.  That's just among the members.  The site also has an history of DOJ agents joining and spying on, along with 'redirecting' thread topics in directions inconsistent with traditional understandings of the 2nd Amendment.  Imagine if they gained access behind-the-scenes or if someone running a site considered to be 'competition' were to gain access.  This is not paranoia or flight of fancy or conspiracy theory.  We've been watching it happen in real time. 

As I indicated, virtually everyone is experiencing some level of frustration, including Kestryll.  Some of the individuals who he has allowed to help came in with big ideas of how quickly the site would be fixed and simply disappeared, with not much by way of improvement provided.  The membership has been left to conclude it's either more complex than some feel, meaning it will require more time than they can voluntarily commit, or that they had other agenda or that they weren't as 'expert' as they portrayed themselves. 

In the end, Kestryll has posted what he 'wants' to do to proceed.  Whether that will happen and/or when is anyone's guess at the moment.  However, the site hasn't died and isn't dying as so many seem prone to describe it.  There are even new members joining regularly.  What it seems to boil down to is what each member is willing to deal with while awaiting a fix vs. what each member wants/expects out of the site.