Lots of good thoughts and ideas above.... and,

...originally, Home2 was conceived as a meeting place only for those folks who attend meet-n-greets as a space where they could communicate without "busybodies" and "do-gooders" and "haters" looking over shoulders...

Obviously we have come a long way due to the aspd crash and the 500-600 or so original social invite list members are now the minority since we opened the space

-- first to all known providers and bcd members at aspd

-- then to anyone else who was registered on aspd (but we didn't broadcast that per se) for the most part those referred by word of mouth (mouseclick/keyboard) and many new folks who had not a clue about aspd but who have been referred usually by providers who are members here.

Would we ever open up Home2 to a more broadly general audience?

Perhaps, but only if we are convinced aspd is never coming back, and I do know for a fact that the work's (works!) being done to get aspd into shape for a restoration. My patience, like that of anyone else, is not completely limitless, but I've been here (aspd) for so long almost 8 years, that I certainly can stick it out (here on H2) for awhile longer w/o completely giving up on aspd and doing what needs to be done.

All of the ASPD data (well, maybe only 99 pct) bases are there, intact,because I have seen and operated them, but the hackers did a fine job on scrambling the way the board is constructed and how data is presented in forums, etc. And, reports that the hackers stashed some slime in there when and if aspd ever was restored whole meant extensive scrubbing, rebuilding, and installing new hardware and software.

No one on the aspd staff is a dedicated programmer, and security considerations dictate that no member, no matter how professional, will ever be given access to the innards. So the boss is using folks she absolutely trusts to have zero hobby connection, and so on.

All that said.... I'm still seriously hoping that we get back to basics -- meaning ASPD! and really soon, because as some of y'all have notated, Home2 ain't aspd. We don't have bcd reviews, for example, one of the prime attractions (imo) that makes aspd one of the premier review boards.

We do at Home2 have dynamic portion(s) of the aspd communities, and we could, if we were to open up the door a bit more, have way more. We could also be flooded which for those of you who have suffered those cata-strokes in N.O., for example, know we need gentle filling not floodgates broken down.

In fact, we could with a little bit of preparation, open much of H2 to the general 'net cruisers, and make much of the current common areas into more private areas into which newcomers could "graduate" or earn entry via a vouching process.

For example, all provider ads and all reviews could be open; coed forums would be closed. Welcome Wagons could be where the "open" and the "closed" portions mingle and also in the reviews and alerts. That's a riff from the "social group" planning page.

Rome (not Home) wasn't built in a "day," nor can ASPD be rebuilt "overnight" - and Noah labored mightily to spend his 40 days and 40 nights in a boat littered (some possibly gave birth) with critters, and I don't have a clue who had to clean up all theat sh*t, either!

I'm prepared to spend my 40 days with y'all, and even more than that as long we get ASPD back to what we know it to be and to what we hope it can be with the repairs and improvements.

(btw, are there any red-headed ladies out there who might have a little space for an ancient mariner in their "cabin?" j/k well, maybe not!)

So, as you can see, we are somewhat prepared to pick up the slack (and the pace) if that's what needs to be done, either here at Home2 if aspd never returns or somewhere else if that is what is meant to be.