OSBetaArchive

OSBetaArchive (OSBA) was a website dedicated to the collection and preservation of pre-release software. It was founded in 2003 and used the Invision Power Board forum software throughout its lifespan. OSBetaArchive was shut down in 2006 and was succeeded by BetaArchive shortly after.

On August 19th 2006, OSBA shut down with the following message: Goodbye OSBA!

After 3 long years the forum has closed it's doors. The posts have been archived and will return under some form or another.

The beta scene used to be about swapping information and sharing "secret" downloads between a few people, mainly “rebels” from IEXBeta. Now it's just a place where people with no opinion go and think they have one because they can sit at their desk and type flames away at people about anyone without thinking about the consequences of their actions.

They probably do this because they are safe thinking no-one will get at them unlike if they did the same at school or work etc, they would get the s**t kicked out of them.

OSBA has turned into a horrible place that doesn’t seem to hold any value to me anymore. I really used to enjoy OSBA, but now I just want keep away if you can understand me.

I’m sick to the back teeth of people having a go at the site and or it’s people. It gets even worse when people are passing my personal and private information around in IRC channels.

I feel that I can no longer support this site or contribute to it any further. The Admin team and I are currently moving the site to a new home with a new name. After the move, Grabberslasher and I will longer be part of the OSBA community.

More details will follow but as from 10pm GMT 17th August 2006, this site will be closed until the relocation is completed. The relocation is going swiftly. There will be some general tidying up of the site before being re-opened in it’s new home.

I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news but we have our own life problems to deal with and no longer wish to be dragged down even further by the events taking place on this website. I'm actually filling up with tears doing this I feel so bad.

With that, I'd like to announce the new home of the forum archives. Betas are just about being 1337, but that didn't used to be the case. When I came to OSBA, we were all interested in the evolution of the operating system, of seeing what was possible, and seeing what had failed. In a way we were technological history officianados. But now we've lost that. The beta scene is all about hording betas; it's dominated by 13 year olds who spend their time starting petty fights and creaming over elitism.

So it's time to change all that. OSBA is closing. Gone forever. Only it's posts will survive, but the present-day OSBA will vanish. It's time to return to our roots, and with that, a new forum will launch. There are presently no details on where you will find this forum. Just expect it to pop up somewhere. The new forum will once again be about community and solid technical discussion. Rules will be tougher, member lists will be shorter, and new members will rarely arrive, but that's the point. Without a bunch of idiots, maybe we can go back to the way it was.

So, before you go archiving the entire site, yes, the posts will remain, yes, there will continue to be a forum. However, the name will be retired, the hosting will change, and the site will be restructured.

As we enjoy these last few hours of OSBA, I'd like to say goodbye to all the people who kicked, far too many to list here, and a big you to all the out there.

That is all.

Yes, this has been a long time coming and it's sad to see it go, but recent events with R-Type members etc have turned me off OSBA. We've spent a considerable effort bringing the board back after the problems last year and for the most part it has been a good place to talk, etc. Expect a very different OSBA.

Peace.