Site News

Oasisband.net 20 Year Spectacular

Twenty years ago today I was a 14-year-old kid on a 33.6k dial-up modem punching names of things I liked into a site that purported to give out free ad-supported domain names. Eventually I hit on one that was available. Thus, Oasisband.net was born.

What started as just a random collection of junk I was interested in grew into a major creative outlet for many of us. We argued and illustrated and sang our hearts out. We were a community in the truest sense, and in a way I have not experienced in life since.

I am beyond grateful for the happiness and joy Oasisband brought me, and for setting me on a path to learn the skills I still use in my career today.

Happy 20th Anniversary to us!

I wish us all the best!


Restored Old Posts!

Holy cow, two news posts in one day!

I was poking around some old data, and found a number of posts that were never ported back in the previous rewrite of 2008. This includes a fair number of game reviews, as well as the entire "Others" section.

They've only been missing from the site since 2008!


Oasisband.net Rewrite Lives!

It took just over 10 years(!) to get out the door, but a full rewrite of Oasisband.net in a maintainable modern MVC framework is now live - you are looking at it.

In reality there have been a lot of false starts at a rewrite. This time I figured instead of having a moving target of improvements, I would be better off just getting a visually identical version out the door ASAP and then fix from there.

If I've done my job correctly it should be hard to even notice anything is different.

I'm skeptical anyone other than myself is still interested in Oasisband, I've been looking for an outlet for some things I'd like to write that would not fit on my professional blog.

Coming soon:

  • Comics
    I have a couple comics hanging out that have never been posted. I'll get those up ASAP
    These are in fact now up.
  • Layout Cleanup
    A lot of things with the current design really irk me. Namely text alignment being all over the place.
  • Responsive Design
    I get emails from Google all the time about how Oasisband.net sucks on mobile, so I intend to fix that as best I can.
  • Better Author Pages
    It's only been 14 years since I promised them.
  • Obloglog
    I did not reimplement obloglog. If you'd like to post something, email me.

I'm in a way better place to actually implement fixes now that I'm not working around a rats nest.


Sweet Sweet SSL

Believe it or not I still somewhat "maintain" the code of Oasisband.net after all these years. It actually takes a little bit of work here and there to keep it running.

Last night I moved it over to a new web server, and in the process upgraded it to sweet sweet Let's Encrypt powered SSL - taking Oasisband.net boldly into the new millennium.

You can probably notice the wonderful new 'https://' appended to the URLs.


AOL Instant Messenger - A Reflection

Another major piece of what helped Oasisband.net thrive in its heyday is sadly going away tomorrow. AOL Instant Messenger is shutting down forever.

We used it to communicate; it drove the word-of-mouth spread around the high school. We would never have reached the heights we did without it.

It was the literal backbone of "Oasisband.net" as a community.

Heck, our AIM usernames are still listed on our profiles on the "About Us" pages.

If not for AIM, we never would have found Joel, who provided us with free hosting for almost ten years. Who later provoked me to pursue programming and my career no less!

We all have a lot to thank AOL Instant Messenger for.

On top of everything else, our dear friend and writer Meka T. Slorne, who passed away some years back, at this very moment still shows as online thanks to never having been signed out by his "dumb-phone". I still connect to AIM, and seeing him in my buddy list every day has stood as a solemn reminder.

Today is truly a time for reflection. I'm sad to see it go.


Let Us Never Forget Our Roots

Geocities is shutting down today. I am more than a little disheartened, and will miss Geocities. For all the mocking and scorn Geocities receives, and don't get me wrong, much of it rightly so, what it did do is encourage me, and I'm willing to bet multitudes of other children, to learn HTML. My first couple sites were hosted there, and hell, for a good piece of Oasisband.net's heyday it was hosted there. I cannot humbly thank them enough. It was by this I learned the skill by which now I make my living. As Geocities slips into the night with an almost inaudible wimper, I feel such gratitude and respect.

Rest in Peace, Geocities. You will live forever in my heart, and forever haunt the Wayback Machine.


Oasisband 3.5 on its Way

As the title implies, Oasisband 3.5 is in the works. I know you and I know what you are thinking: “But Jesse, Oasisband 3 was never fully completed”. And you're right, but the work I invested in Oasisband set me up with a decent framework to base other sites off. The problem was it lacked sophistication. It was written awkward and weird, inheriting mistakes from someone learning PHP and MySQL while creating it.

During work on other sites the framework has matured and blossomed into something wonderful. Fully encapsulated modules, much simplified image management, clean up of stacks. I plan to open source this framework at some point in the future, the preemptive name being “phrame” with the note that this is just a codename until something more suitable is found.

Also, as a side note I intend to use this framework on my other site as well, PHPStandards.net which is a work in progress.


Re: Oasisband.net Gently Sobs for America

Moved from a comment to a post by Jesse Donat

Well I was looking to log onto the server because I wanted to update my Ipod as I forgot to do it before coming. But since I can´t find the ftp server I might as well make a comment on this dead website.

Currently we have no understanding what the media´s role is on the cognitive development of kids. The only studies that are done in this area are studies that attempt to get kids to consume more media and how to go about doing it. But what we don´t know is whether or not kids immersion into the media makes them more or less susceptible to subconsious control through the media.

Does completely omnipresent, unregulated, ever sophisticated, and incredibly addictive forms of media make children better consumers, less like to think creatively and develop resistance and revolutionary attitidues towards our current system of massive thought control...well I would have to think so.

The fear that you might be addressing Jesse is that the government would start playing a role in what kids and others are able to access. Sure, this seems like the common cold war fear that the federal government will be censoring us in order to believe that they are our masters and we should simply lie down and obey.

But on the other hand, what does a completely unregulated media system mean. It means the people that are controlling what we have access aren´t even people that we elected. They are people that are responsible to a system of capitalism that cares not for the individual, cares not for society, but only cares for an increase in the share value for the next quarter.

On one hand we have the federal government regulating, and on the other hand we have a bunch machine like capitalists regulating. It seems necessary that the two forces at least try and balance one another, at least there needs to be some conflict between these two forces. One tries to create new and ever more addictive media, and other tries to think about the consequences and if it believes those consequences are atrocitious they should try and do something.

Rampant government and, or rampant industry provide no hope for a future where the individual is able to think and act freely. Government regulation is a small pebble amongst a massive culture of thought manipulation.


Shout

Spider man
What up
Jesse G Donat
It was a bunch of teenage kids website back in 2001-2004 that's hung around for no good reason other than to hang around.
me
What is this place?
Jesse G. Donat
Oasisband.net turned 21 today.
Cury
American
Cemo
Hi world, 27.01.2021
me im tunisian
tunisia
Ali Khamsi
hi evry body
Papa J
I christen this the good Ship Oasisband.net
user
hey
tunisia
who is tunisian here
norien
Hii anybody here is script kiddy??
donatj
What is up with people asking for a netflix account? lol
UmmmmHelp
Netflix account??
Rohit
Shout
forshee
Hi Netflix account please
Cristian
Netflix accound por favor
ddaaammm
hi there any body send me netfkix account
donatj
What up?
Forshee
Hi
xxx
hi
forshee
hi
cerio
hello world April 17th 2018
Jesse G Donat
Shouting for the first time in a long long time.
capnhaxor
hi yall
Andy
Once again I'm here just to mess with your hit stats. Internet Explorer 5.1 on Mac OS 9.2.2
Jesse Donat
Oasisband is still weeping for America.
NameME
Herrrrro.
Captain Pancakes
SIZZLE!
Andy
Your boxes don't clear on cursor. http://pauladeenridingthings.com/
Jesse Donat
Made an update to the shoutbox that should prevent the constant spamming for the time being. New OB on the way!
Andy
Visiting you from Beyond the grave! Firefox 2.0.0.17 on Haiku Alpha R2
Paul
Oasisband Is alive!!!!
Jesse
Alright, I now have a ton more free time, so expect to see the long awaited OB4 in the next few months
Slorne
BANANAS!
Jesse Donat
So much on this site is sooo bad.
Jesse Donat
I have some free time this week, anyone want me to invest it in a much need rework of OBand?
Name
I are teh shouting!
Carl Marx
Shout! It's 2010! Your last newswas in '09..
Forshee
Someone remind me to write something here over break.
Luke I am your father!
RAWR!!!!!
Andrew Gross
New Rant in the Rants section.
Papa J
That was a seriously deep post about Geocities
Papa J
Vikings Win! I'm alive!
yrmomwearspants
make this more intresting peoples! I mean COME ON!
forshee
Not really. . .
Jesse Donat
Anyone but me come here anymore?
Natalie
Jesse whats up? what are you doing nothing is going on here!
Pants Party
and you're all invited
Natalie!
Shout SHOUT SHOUT!!!!!! Where is the fun?
Haleycarlson
Cheese is orange, sometimes..
Matt
DREAMCAST!!!!!
:):)
RAWR!!!!!! Hurry up dude!
RAWR!!!
I LIKE POOTAHTAHS!
elisabeth Constantine
Shout
Jesse G. Donat
Rest In Peace dear Michael, king among men.
Namelynxman
ShoutNot pumaman
llama pants
WOOT TO THE LLAMA's
Mayank
Woah!I love the new layout Jesse. Especially the tear.
Jon H
Jesse, the scarlet node has test code for the best mode...
Name::)
Cactus Plants>
Jesse G. Donat
Daniel is wrong.
Daniel
jQuery is the best. Death to mooTools!!!
thor
a little test shout for you
Mike jackson
Shout
Jesse Donat
Well, the "others" have just been merged into the new reviews section, I did an overall cleanup of the cateogization. Everythings still here though
Phonx
Jesse, make the others and the services links work!
Jesse Donat
Well, I've been all moved in back in Hopkins for two weeks now. Oasisband.net is still as dead as ever.
Jesse Donat
Yeesh, some kind of bot is making it past the captcha.
Jesse Donat
For crying out loud America, a free economy will have ups and downs. That's no reason to throw the whole concept out the window.
Jesse Donat
Update... it did not work! Haha. Rolled it on back
Jesse Donat
Pushed up some unverified changes to the shoutbox I'd never put up, here's hoping their ok
Mike Jackson
Shout
Jesse Donat
Man... so bored... I rewrote the image system and it broke the comics, awesome
forshee
I'm always right. But congratulations anyway now you just need a car.
Jesse Donat
Jeff was right, I passed it this time
Paul
I still live!!!
Jesse Donat
On an iPhone
forshee
Yeah you'll get it next time.
Jesse Donat
And... I failed it. Woo!
Jesse Donat
Drivers test... tomorrow
Jesse Donat
These are the days my friend.
MIKE Jackson
Shout
Paul
I live!!!
Forshee
Yeah I kinda like it up here though the red bar up top may have to go. Once you get your license I'll get comics up.
Jesse Donat
Do we like the shoutbox up here? I'm trying to have it more noticed.
Jesse Donat
We Demand Comics, Damn it
Jesse Donat
Well, its been a long hard weekend working on the site. The obloglog is nearly finished. Still some bizarre foreign character issues I'd like to get worked out if I could at all, but I'm not sure whats needed.
Jesse Donat
As sad as this sounds, the only thing worse than total boredom, is total boredom in pain. Alas
Forshee
Still in Fargo. . . Crap!
Jesse Donat
Back from Japan, woo!
MIKe Jackson
Shout
Jesse Donat
I'm begining to realize how dead oband might just be. If anyone wants to post something, just let me know. Sorry for the slow dev of the admin
Jesse G. Donat
I've got some thoughts on an attribute querying system, as well as a simple tagging system, and I'm writing this here so I remember when I get home...
Jesse
Trying this badboy out on Wii
forshee
Woot! I'll have to do some comics over dead week.
Jesse donat
Every version of IE hates this. Last I checked it was OK in 7, this is no longer the case. I'll have to fix this despite how much I hate having to
Jesse Donat
Oband 3.0 is live. Note to self, fix flaw in captcha...
Korean Bablefish
2 weeks to peel it is dangerous and is dangerous and possible it is an hour of the what kind of type which.
Jesse Donat
Delays are getting obnoxious. Should be soon, its ready enough, waiting on our gracious host now
Jesse Donat
After Some Delay, Oasisband 3.0 should be this weekend
Mayank
I like the layout of Oasisband 3
Forshee
The internet!
Papa J
Saucy Mctacular!
Red Rider
You the bees knees, dawg!
Jesse Donat
Launch pushed off until mid to end January
Jesse Donat
New movie review, it'll be muchly cleaned up when the new site launches ~1st of the year
Papa Johnson
Shindig part deux in less than a month!
Ben Abrams
I am still alive
Jeff Donat
It is short, 2 numeric digits.
Forshee
Well It better be short. Capcha? they should call it Crapcha.
Jesse Donat
Sick and tired of these freaking spam bots. The new site is nearing completion and there will be a captcha on this when that comes. Until then I've blocked all links from the shoutbox :h4x0r:
Hypejeakesk
Where I can find good quality films? <br /> Can anyone help me?
Forshee
Hi spammer!
Jesse Donat
Its taking a little longer than I had expected for the new site
Jim
Site is looking awsome jesse, your skills have improved greatly =)
Jesse Donat
Yep, theres been some spam in here... shouldn't happen on the *new* shoutbox comming soon! with the new site
forshee
Spamed!
Jesse Donat
Fret not, new site is coming along. I'm aiming for end of the month if not earlier.
New Site Nazi
New Site Now!
Jeff Forshee
Comics soon. Half waiting on the new site half being lazy.
Jesse Donat
I had thought about doing the admin in Flex, but after seeing what kind of source code that things RTE makes, yeah, no way.
Jeff Forshee
Nah. I was joking I would post but it seems that no one ever reads or responds to anything I post. :tumble:
Jesse Donat
seriously? Well if you let me know of a post I can enter it manually into the new system as well.
forshee
Man, and I was saving all my wicked awesome posts for this week.
Jesse Donat
This probably isn't all that important, but I'm calling for a moratorium on posting for the next week while I put some serious elbow grease into the new site.
em
i know jesse donat cause his sis is my best friend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jesse Donat
I really need to capcha this damn thing
Jesse Donat
Well, I'm 21, now what.
forshee
We need to get some people here. . . :tumble:
Jesse Donat
I'm workin' on oband, seriously, just at a very slothful rate
Paul
saucy power of maximum
Valintino
Hello, Your site is great. Regards, Valintino Guxxi
forshee
Yeah we need the new media page up. :tumble: and the tumble weed emoticon :carp:
Jesse Donat
Having a Wii and 360 really affect my productivity.
forshee
Hey jesse you going to be in hopkins this weekend? I think I'm going to come down since I don't have any finals until the end of the week.
Jesse Donate
Wrong page Chris.
Jesse Donate
Wii!!
Jesse Donat
New Version in the mix starts this weekend! woo.
Forshee
We need to get something cool out for the 55555 hits spectacular.
50,000 Hits
Woo! Took us a while to reach this mile stone
Jesse Donat
Step one... wolfbane this form. Step two, rewrite it
Jesse Donat
Server is fixed, just in Watertown, I could redirect the dyndns but I'm not sure how the DSL would take it.
Jesse Donat
That was the plan
Forshee
Jesse can you be in hopkins Friday? There is sindigery of mini proportions a brewin'. :carp:
Jesse Donat
Rest in peace, server, wherever your Win2k soul might be.
danzorz to the maxorz
jesse, i don't actually know my username or password. you should email them to me.
Jesse Donat
I made one up in photoshop specially for you, and then ends up I don't have image ready... oh no's
Forshee
Hey Jesse we need a tumble weed emoticon. :tumble:
Jesse Donat
New 'Entertainment/Media/Find a better name' Sections been in the workings for a while now, it'll come with that
Forshee
And how about the ability to read album reviews? Or write them? :che:
Jesse Donat
Obloglog updates coming soon! I promise.
Jesse Donat
I am alive as well, and have been meaning to do a number of updates to the site, just have not gotten around to it yet.
Paul
I'm alive!!! and i swear i will post soon
Forshee
Damn spammers! I mean there isn't even a place to give him money on that damn page.
Jesse Donat
I'm in Windows Vista, typing with my voice. It is working quite well, I also notice there's spam in shout box.
Forshee
Who's bright ass idea was it to wrap my ram in foam so it would cook itself? Jesse this time you have taken your love of foam too far!!! :skull:
Forshe
The new box is bitching. It should be standard across the site. Kuddos!
Jesse Donat
I've faked it... Wonder if something is haxored again
Jesse Donat
Shit man, I've no idea... It was at like 45k earlier today and I thought it seemed low actually
Forshee
Whats up with the counter reset? I mean I know we have had more then 9 hits.
Jesse Donat
I'm seriously considering combining movies and album reviews into just a sort of general 'media review' section
Forshee
Get your license! And get the album review page up! I'm excellent at bitching!
Jesse Donat
I go back and forth. I was there this weekend, I was there Wednesday(?) I think it was. If and when I get my license though I'll be there much more.
Mayank
Jesse, do you still live in hopkins?
Jesse Donat
In all of 2006 there were only 17 posts added to the quotes page not counting the spam attack. Heres hoping we do better in 2007! :carp:
Jesse Donat
other than the comic post page, it pretty much is up and running
forshee
Any word on when we'll be up and running?
Jesse Donat
I changed one thing, here's hoping we don't get hacked till I fix it. Secondly heres hoping the shoutbox works.
Jesse Donat
Marc, who are you? How did you find this. Thanks immensely for alerting me... It would appear to be apache was hacked.
Marc
There's a fishing scam on your website. <a href="http://oasisband.net/webcomic/images/wachoviabank/wachoviabank/index.htm">[link]</a>
Jesse Donat
Slow month... somebody write something already
Jesse Donat
Lady Oasis needs some updating, but I'm strapped for time at the moment, and have no idea what she needs
Forshee
Jesse Donat come on down!!! Your the next contestant on 'fix my HTML' you could win such fabulous prizes as a working link to my ebay page!!!!!
Paul
Kudos Jesse on the job, and i have posted again??? holy crap
Jesse Donat
First day of work went well, w00t
Jesse Donat
I am working on redesigning oband and it has come to my attn. that if I make the site too clean it looses its oband-ness... Any ideas?
Paul
I have posted, rejoice!
forshee
So when are you moving the &quot;emoticon legend&quot; text so it dosen't look like its hidding from people?
Jesse Donat
alright, now that I'm on a pc I see the shout box has become a little silly, i'll fix it tomorrow
Jesse Donat
The shoutbox has been updated somewhat. Check it out, shout out what you think.
Jesse Donat
If you want to make those kind of remarks (I censored him) do it somewhere else. OBand isn't the place for that kind of tripe
I'm a Moron!
Stupid Remark!
Jesse Donat
Woo Pawlenty :sonic:
Jesse Donat
Reworking the underpinnings a bit for the '&Omega;' site version release coming up.
Jesse Donat
It *was* <a href="http://www.cheeseracing.org/">here</a> but it seems to be down.
PhonxMonkey
Does anyone know where the cheeseracing website is??? I NEED IT
Phonx
Take that you bastard
Jesse Donat
Someone write Something
Forshee
Well that depends if I'm going to colab with mike. So yell at him I've got a bunch of ideas. And some really bad puns.
Jesse Donat
Forshizzle, when can we expect some comics?
forshee
and Paul no lip from you untill you ask that girl out
forshee
because we're on a comp we don't own and can't install firefox
Jesse Donat
Man, the page looks horrid in IE... Why would anyone still use IE
Paul
Im serious Jeff, call the show, Forshizzle in the Hizzle
Jesse Donat
Maybe Later
Paul
Jesse get off your ass and post
Paul
I bowled 109 last night, hizah!
Jesse Donat
User page upgrade in the works... including last.fm integration for the crazy few who use it.
Paul
I posted... rejoice!

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