The Keys to the Bunker - Sepia Mutiny

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April 30, 2007

The Keys to the Bunker

Dear Readers,

Paul and Kunjan, Sepia Mutiny’s two website administrators, have done a great job keeping the Mutiny running for this past year. Now, however, we are looking for a group of people to take over the reins from them and guide this website to the next level. We are not just looking for people who are enthusiastic and got the skillz (Movable Type, PHP, etc.) to keep SM readers happy. In addition, we are looking for people with the TIME to actually implement their vision for what Sepia Mutiny could be. This should be a hobby that you are passionate about. Here is a partial list of the things we want to do in the near term (although the full list would blow your lenghas off):

A new News tab modeled after Digg with comments, comment rating, and registered users.
Website re-design. We want a cool new look.
User-submitted posts.
Great ideas that we haven’t thought of yet that will make us among the most innovative blogs on the block.

We are looking for people who can put in as much time and effort in running the site as the bloggers put in to writing posts. Paul and Kunjan will teach you the back-end of our current website and you can take it from there.

Please email me if you are interested and meet the requirements:

abhi [at] sepiamutiny dot com

If you have a technical question to determine if you are qualified then email Kunjan:

kunjan [at] sepiamutiny dot com

If you know someone who is perfect for this job then send them a link to this post.

Alternatively, if you have suggestions for how to improve our website then please click here to send it to us instead of leaving them in the comments.

Thanks all!

Blog

POSTED BY abhi @ 9:32 PM

10 comments

1 · shlok on April 30, 2007 11:06 PM · Direct link

wow. i really think sepia mutiny plays a big part in many influential young intellectual minds already. and you folks are still thinking to take it to the next level? that's really commendable.

too bad i can't program, i'd be stoked to be a part of this.

2 · Salil Maniktahla on May 1, 2007 12:57 AM · Direct link

Time. It always comes down to time. Stupid time, or lack thereof.

Ah well, then again, if I added up all the time I spent commenting on the Mutiny, I'd probably have enough time to pitch in and help run some small part of the show.

I'm just afraid of losing my job. Because I know, the Mutiny? She is a harsh mistress.

3 · Mitali Perkins on May 1, 2007 9:55 AM · Direct link

Could you send me to the link where SM explains why you don't take ads? This site could be a real moneymaker, no pun intended, so I know the decision must have been made thoughtfully.

4 · Ennis on May 1, 2007 10:19 AM · Direct link

Could you send me to the link where SM explains why you don't take ads? This site could be a real moneymaker, no pun intended, so I know the decision must have been made thoughtfully.

We didn't write it out anywhere, we just decided, even those of us who are very pro-market that it was better this way.

5 · raman on May 1, 2007 3:17 PM · Direct link

how about donations?

6 · A N N A on May 1, 2007 7:25 PM · Direct link

Mitalididi, call me an idealist, but I am not interested in writing for a site with ads; this is my oasis from the blinking, popping up/under, HYPER!!!?! interweb and I know others gratefully agree. I shake with horror at the thought of what Google text ads would throw up on our sidebar based on our content: shaadi.com, browndating.com, mangomatrimony.com et al. Beyond that, I have loved NPR my whole life and my desire to keep us ad-free is influenced by that. Finally, I like that no one has control over what we can or cannot say, that we are not obligated to push or even like a product we would normally slam. We have credibility with our readers who trust us, no ad revenue could exceed that.

We do our public radio/tv-esque "pledge drive" annually, during which we are overwhelmed by the immediate and generous donations from those who love this site.

7 · Chaitan on May 1, 2007 7:45 PM · Direct link

Me Me Me Me, I wanna contribute.

8 · Mitali Perkins on May 1, 2007 8:02 PM · Direct link

definitely, me too. didis have a duty.

9 · chachaji on May 1, 2007 8:11 PM · Direct link

Beyond that, I have loved NPR my whole life and my desire to keep us ad-free is influenced by that.

I thank God, and all the Mutineers, that this site exists as it does, is commercial-free, and that people put their idealism into action like this. It's one of the very first things I noticed about SM, and I initially couldn't understand how it kept itself going. So I first thought the site was funded by a very wealthy Silicon Valley desi deca-millionaire, even thinking for a while that it might be Vinod!

Now NPR itself, of course is not completely ad-free, and even on its website you can see ads for high-end cars, etc, plus there's a whole affinity paraphernalia sale strategy to help out with the funding, and local radio stations pay them a fee, and so on, and they raise some of it through corporate funding, etc. But I really hope SM succeeds in staying completely reader-funded, and completely commercial-free, just the way it is.

10 · Taz on May 1, 2007 10:32 PM · Direct link

call me an idealist,

I love this that this space is truly a revolutionary open space free of corporate money making and living "off the grid," so to speak. Created by, for, and funded by the Mutineers. Revolutionary, if defined as a space to create change, is what I think SM is able to do - an open free for all space for everyone in the community - and that they are able to do it successfully without dependency on corporate donations is truly what makes this space, well, revolutionary!

Ok. Off the soap box on how much I love SM.

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