"What did I learn this summer?" Well, golly gee, that's a good question to answer in a Ratfarts! Column, isn't it? What did I learn? What did I learn? Dang it, now you're going to get me talking and we all know how that goes.

1. Never trust technology/back up your work.

You've seen my WordPress rant already. For the second time in a couple of years I lost everything on the site due to a database crash. So this one is easy: if you host a site, back up all the files and the databases to your local storage device. Don't give me jive about how "the cloud is the future, learn to trust it," I don't want to hear it. Cloud storage is storage out of your hands and prone to failure. Back it up on your local storage device and make two copies at that.

2. Your friends never see you for who you are or who you THINK you are.

This one is easy and primarily my fault since I live a decent pace from "civilization" and work a job where I'm pretty much working around the clock seven days a week so it's hard to actually get out and be social.

No matter how much growing and changing you've think you've done, most people don't care to see it if you have a reputation as someone else.

It's not that you can't grow or change, it's just that most people don't care to see it once they have an image of you in their minds and a predisposed mind is nearly impossible to change.

So to heck with 'em. Keep doing what you're doing. They'll either catch on or you'll move on.

3. Always prepare for the future.

Hey! A site-specific one here! Will wonders ever cease?

Okay, long story short: The comics and graphics on this site are produced in an animation program called iClone 4. iClone 5 has been announced for September. Last time an upgrade happened it ruined all the models I used for the site and I had to start over from scratch.

While I have more faith in them this time, we're sticking with iClone 4 until 5 is stable and will focus on retelling old stories with new twists until it's time to transition to the killer story I have in mind right now. If all goes as planned it will launch as Season 5 will launch some time in 2012.

Yes, that means we're going on with "Operation Flashback" or whatever I was calling it before my forced "vacation." There will be enough new content to keep you happy and several of the series (Universe, Starshine Downs, @insanity), will get "real endings." So that's a plus.

4. Always leave them wanting more.

Hey, that's easy!

--Jim

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