It pains me to do this, but I am
hereby formally announcing the end of my involvement with the "VIC-20
CD Project" as of October 2001. Completed or not, I need to get that chore
off of my "To Do" list, which has literally stacked up for years. I have
enough stress in my life already, and do not need the weight of having this
chore hanging over my head.
Please do NOT try to guilt-trip me into continuing this
project! I'm sorry, but I have made my decision and it
is final.
A couple of people have told me they'd like to continue the project,
without my involvement. My intent is to pass the baton to them, as it
were. For the time being, I am merely going to collect names, and add
them to a list. If you are serious about wanting to take this project over
as part of that group,
contact
me by e-mail and I'll add you to that list.
Here are some of the specific reasons this particular project
met this particular end...
-
Unexpectedly heavy workload. Like every other project ever done, this
one started out as just an idea. I knew from the start that
doing this project would be a HUGE draw on any one
person's time and efforts. Early on, I came to the conclusion that
if I was going to be the only person doing this project, that I
would not announce it or go forward with it. I went
to Paul LeBrasse, who was the only person that I knew that had carried
a project load anywhere near this heavy. (He helped me to archive
the entire VIC-20 cartridge software library.) I asked him if he
was interested in splitting this project with me, on a roughly equal
50/50 basis. He initially agreed to go forward with the project, on that
basis. He even seemed excited about it, at first. Figuring
my potential workload was now cut in half, I announced the project and
began working on it. However, Paul found out early on that this was
just too much like work, and he not only quit the project, but
reduced his presence in retro-gaming circles in general.
(Much like I am doing now.) I do not blame
Paul for his decision. Obviously, I'm following suit. But the reality
remains; I expected help that did not come, and ended up carrying
the workload all by myself. Had I known that would be the case
right from the start, I never would have announced this project.
Simple as that.
-
Motivation. I did the best I could for quite a long while, but
eventually I just burned out on the CD project. It got to
be too much like real work, with little or no personal reward
inherent in it anywhere. I tried for two and a half years
to forcibly rekindle some kind of major enthusiasm for this particular project
-- and for the retro-gaming hobby in general. At this point, I have
to admit to myself that it just is not working. The reality is, I
no longer care to see or collect video game packaging. (If I ever do,
I have a vast collection of old gaming magazines to read.)
-
I'd much rather just play these games. They are supposed to be relaxing
and fun. Time I got back to all that....
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