About On Display (1/3)

Elizabeth (founder) writes:

"By June of '98, I was sick of seeing rings go to one extreme or the other. Either an exclusive number of well-designed, slickly-presented journals or open to everyone no matter how crappy their writing/design/whatever was. I wanted a group of strong writers, with design running a close second, who would be willing to band together.

I invited three people to the ring -- one of whom joined. (Hi, Vicki Jean!) Al applied next, and the submissions have come in ever since. Sometimes faster than I can keep up with.

In late summer of '98, Metajournals printed an article that made me drool from the possibility. N. Spaceman had an article on the death of the webring and how the potential of a community of sites wasn't being explored fully. I made the decision that day, made some preliminary sketches of things On Display could do, and brought it to the members.

Most were enthusiastic. Some weren't. I had to make a decision on whether or not I was willing to lose a few in the conversion, and decided that what I wanted for us was worth sacrificing a few for the good of the whole. (In retrospect, that seems a little bit evil...but I assure you, no journallers were harmed in the making of On Display...well...not permanently.) We've had growing aches and a few gnawing pains, but we're here, we're active, and we're a creative bunch.

I couldn't be more proud of where this path has taken us." (dec 98)