Closed Platforms, Valuable Content

I've been part of many platforms that are now, unfortunately, closed down. Each one offered a promising glimpse into how things could be or provided a somewhat different perspective on how mainstream platforms operate. From Mixer to Glimesh to Livespace to Moonbeam, and now Guilded, these past few years have offered some hope in the live streaming space. With Guilded set to close down within the next month at the time of writing, it was a great alternative for community-building chat apps.

For many who might feel disenfranchised by the experience within Discord, Guilded was a breath of fresh air that provided many features not found on Discord. From server groups that helped keep a community more organized to features like "unlimited" emojis, which could also be used across servers, all for free. Guilded was that plucky upstart that was unfortunately purchased by one of the mega-corporations (Roblox), which brought about its demise within a few years.

Moonbeam was another promising platform that combined elements of Discord with a live streaming service. Moonbeam held great potential for communities to come together under one roof. However, Moonbeam itself fell victim to what we all recognize as user lock-in. Twitch commands a major population that is extremely difficult to shift to a new platform. We saw this with the previously mentioned platforms and even Mixer. Despite its backing from Microsoft and the millions of dollars spent to entice large streamers, the majority of their audience did not follow. That wasn't the case, though.

From my own experience, I've created a lot of content over the years, including tutorials on creating accounts and how-to guides for using chatbots with these platforms. One thing I keep reconsidering after each platform closure is what I should do with the videos on my YouTube channel. Should I leave them public and available to keep the watch hours up and for historical purposes?

On the other hand, do these videos remaining public harm the overall health of the channel? Putting them into a private or even unlisted mode could help keep the channel current with what's available.

Ultimately, I'm still pondering this decision once again after Moonbeam shut down this past week, and I'll be revisiting it in a couple of weeks when Guilded is taken offline. As you can see, I still have these older videos available for people to view occasionally if they wish to feel nostalgic. I might create a playlist for these historical records, as the found within them is potentially useful for platforms like Twitch or YouTube.

In the ever-evolving landscape of platforms, the closure of promising ventures like Guilded and Moonbeam serves as a poignant reminder of both the potential and the fragility inherent in the digital world. While these platforms may have closed their doors, the valuable content and communities they fostered continue to resonate. As I ponder the fate of my own library of content, I'm reminded that each video, tutorial, and guide is a testament to a shared journey in exploring new digital frontiers.

Perhaps the real value lies not just in preserving these records as historical artifacts but in recognizing the lessons they impart about innovation, community, and resilience. Whether these videos remain public or are tucked away for posterity, they are symbols of creativity and learning that transcend the platforms themselves. As we look to the future, it’s clear that while platforms may come and go, the connections forged and the knowledge gained continue to inspire and influence new generations of digital pioneers. Thank you for being part of this journey, and let's continue to embrace the possibilities of what's to come.