Saving "The Unofficial Yamaha CV80 Owner's Guide"

Almost two years between postings is an embarrassingly long time. A lot has happened, of course, but clearly I haven't felt any of it was worthy of public comment. Until now.

From time to time, I receive an email from someone asking a question related to their Yamaha CV80 motor scooter. Invariably the correspondent refers to my old website on the subject, "The Unofficial Yamaha CV80 Owner's Guide," and I am obliged to explain that: a) I am surprised the website is available online; and b) It's been a while since I tinkered with one of the scooters, having sold the last of my meagre collection a while ago after the realisation that, despite my best intentions, I likely would never get around to finishing my restoration project.

About the old website. I've explained in an earlier post that it was originally hosted by my ISP at the time. I cancelled my account in 2005 when I moved out of the city, but the site inexplicably stayed up; I just couldn't access it to update pages or alert readers about its status. Later, through a partnership the ISP entered into, the site was migrated to the Yahoo! GeoCities domain. That eventually folded (in 2009, I think); however, its sites were archived by others, ostensibly as a public service. For example, my original site is still available (now with advertising inserted) through OoCities.org. There might be others, but that one turns up most often when you search for anything related to the old Yamaha scooters.

All that bugs me a little bit, even if I know that the web is rife with content pilferers who practise what they do for the sake of earning ad dollars. I am a supporter of making content freely available, but it should be the content owner who makes that decision.

So what to do? Evidently, OoCities will allow me to update its version of my site. I can also ask to have it removed. I'm still considering what to do, now that it appears that I have options again.

In the meantime, I am thinking I might start transferring the content of the site to this blog, so that control of it rightfully reverts to me and it continues to be available to those who find the original articles helpful.

Stay tuned.