files are stored makes referring to them somewhat difficult. The
files are not sorted except chronologically, meaning that all the
different stories are mixed in together, in the order in which
they were sent out. Even with the indexing which is included on
the site, picking out individual episodes can be time-consuming.
Possible ways to fix this problem might include converting
the _Superguy_ archives to a format compatible with WWW, for
inclusion on the _Superguy Home Page_. However, this is actually
impractical, for such conversion requires a great deal of time and effort, and to convert 30 megabytes of text files is a
next-to-impossible task. Even converting a few storylines would
be too great of a task to be attempted lightly.
Another solution might be to collect more storylines into
trade ether-backs. TEBs contain complete stories and eliminate
much of the time involved in searching through the index files.
By making it easier for new readers to read these stories, it
becomes more likely that those readers will be interested enough
to become regular _Superguy_ subscribers. This seems like a more
feasible idea, but whether it will actually happen is uncertain;
many of the authors do not seem to have the time or inclination
to put trade ether-backs together.
Another problem with _Superguy_ is that the Frequently-Asked
Questions list is distributed only twice per year, and is not
currently available from any source save the _Home Page_. This
limited availability tends to defeat the purpose of a
Frequently-Asked Questions list, which is to provide answers toquestions that frequently come up and thus prevent those
questions from being asked of people on the _Superguy_ list.
These questions can hardly be answered by an absent FAQ.
An obvious solution would be to post the FAQ lists more than
twice per year. However, this is not actually feasible, due to
the size of the FAQs. Because of their comprehensive nature,
they are rather large and unwieldy. To post them more often
would be to put an unnecessary strain on net resources.
Another, better possibility would be to create a mini-FAQ
containing pertinent details about _Superguy_ and information on
where to find the FAQ, and send that out more frequently. If the
FAQ were made available via FTP or Gopher, this would also
increase the ease with which people could obtain it. This would
be a somewhat more practical solution to that problem.
A final Internet resource used by _Superguy_ authors is
Internet Relay Chat (IRC). Internet Relay Chat allows Internet
users to “talk” directly with other Internet users, one on one or
in a discussion with twenty people or more, by typing commands
into a keyboard. The ability to communicate within seconds is
quite valuable for plotting and coordinating storylines in which
two or more authors collaborate. Its only real disadvantage is
that messages are sometimes prone to being delayed for several
minutes or cut off entirely. In addition, there is no guarantee
that any particular individual will be on IRC at a given time.
Despite these shortcomings, Internet Relay Chat works
exceedingly well for the purpose to which _Superguy_ authors put
it–story plotting, discussion, or idle chatting among friends.
IRC helps authors make more efficient use of their time.
The _Superguy_ listserver is an organization like many
others. It has its problems as well as its advantages, its
strengths as well as its weaknesses. The ways in which it uses
technology for composition and distribution for the most part
contribute to its success, though the areas of storage and
information have room for improvement. However, this improvementmay not be feasible. It remains to be seen exactly how long
_Superguy_ will continue to exist, but prospects would seem to be
good for _Superguy_ to continue for a long, long time to come.