This is Fairly Big News —
Let’s just cut to the excellent, ass-kicking chase.
This month, I was offered and accepted a job. The job’s title is “Archivist” and the office is here:
That is in fact the main office of the Internet Archive, yes, that Internet Archive, and yes, this has really happened.
You’re either indifferent, delighted, or reeling, so let me fill in some details. I will continue to be primarily located in NY state, with occasional trips out to SF to work on projects or meet with people locally. None of my current online projects, like textfiles.com or Archive Team, are going to disappear or become owned by the Internet Archive, although the opportunities for collaboration and mirroring just went up exponentially. It primarily means I can stop thinking about where my next meal is coming from or live in terror of getting sick and start thinking where the next cache of must-save data and computer history is. I am still going to make documentaries. I am going to continue to be GDC’s historian/archivist, helping them save a bunch of computer history. I’m just going to be doing what I’ve been doing, but do it more.
If I had to describe it in a one-liner, I’ve just gotten a powerful exoskeleton for the archive projects I’ve been up to for the last few years. I mean, seriously, look the fuck out.
I finally got to meet and talk with the folks from the Archive during my trip out to speak at the Personal Digital Archiving conference, which was hosted in their Sanctuary. Oh, you haven’t seen the Internet Archive Sanctuary?
See, these people have style. I am a fan of style, a huge fan of style. After touring the place, meeting the folks, and just finding out what was up… well, let me say, let me honestly say, I couldn’t find a single thing to complain about. This is me we’re talking about. Nothing! They do everything right! They approach it fantastically! The goals and mandates and awesomeness are so pervasive you start to wonder where the Oompa-Loompas are, and which room has the everlasting gobstoppers. It feels like home.
There are still details to work out, parameters to figure out, all the sort of things that collaboration brings. I will not be speaking for the Archive – I am, as said, an archivist and I have my hands in a lot of projects that don’t necessarily overlap and the Archive has a whole bunch of projects that I am not necessarily involved in. That said, I hope a thousand wonderful things bloom from this, and when I ferret out and do fieldwork to bring in history, I will have some pretty ass-kicking tools and resources at my disposal.
So there you go, that’s about as big as it gets. I can’t wait to get started in earnest.
But before I do.
So in September of 2009, I decided I was done with having a job I tolerated to make it fund the stuff I loved. I decided my job would be something I loved. I was in no position to make that happen alone. I reached out, in a Kickstarter campaign, to raise funds to finish GET LAMP and keep me going while I got my life in order.
342 people (plus a dozen others through other means) stepped forward and made that goal a reality. It gave me the time to finish the movie, begin showing it, move, and begin my new life in earnest. Because of all those people, I was able to accept work for the Game Developers Conference and do archive work for them. And I am now about to turn to the Internet Archive on a dime and immediately accept an offer to work with them. So let me be clear about that: those people changed my life. Permanently.
Other, more concrete details will arrive in time. Until then, well, let’s go with FUCK YEAH.
Categorised as: jason his own self
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I honestly couldn’t think of a more apt person to that job. Congratulations! I can’t wait to see how the Internet Archive will be influenced by your arrival.
Congratulations! I can’t think of a more perfect match, and I’m sure you and the Archive will do great things together.
Honest Congratulations.
I love the Internet Archive. Mainly because they do not distinguish what is saved and what not. As far as I know, the only place that understood that only future generations can decide what is important them and what isn’t. And they will have a radically different view on this issue than we have today.
All the best there, Jason!
Congratulations!
Congratulations, Jason!
Congratulations! They got the right man for the right job. That is all.
Wow Scott thats awesome news, congrats.
Excellent news, I probably couldn’t think of another name if I thought of “archiving”. Digital memories are a little bit safer now 🙂
excellent.
As a minor contributor to your kickstarter fund, I have to say I’ve definitely got my money’s worth.
I think you need to find a way to get your new employer to fund a trip here to Australia.
Congrats Jason, that’s great news for everyone! Sometimes the universe does make sense.
That is so cool! Congratulations.
Great news! Once in a while something good happens to someone who deserves it 🙂
Congratulations, your ArchiveTeam project is top !
My sincerest congratulations, Jason! A well-deserved turn of events.
Cheers!
Rick
Congrats Jason!
I could not imagine a better fit.
Congrats! (publicly, this time.)
I look forward to the “archive.org” complete ebook torrent, I’m sure it will set a new size record (LOL).
—
DeepGeek
Epic win. Congratulations.
Holy shot Jason, Congratulations! Glad it’s finally official!
Hmm google censored me. I meant holy SHIT congratulations!
Perfect! You and the Internet Archive were made for each other. I hope you two crazy kids are very happy together. Congratulations!
Awesome, dude. Congrats.
— Ben
Fantastic news! Hopefully this means you’ll be able to fix the audio track in the Ebony Eyes interview upload. 🙂
*gd&r*
g.
This gave me goosebumps. Congrats!
Hey, that’s excellent! Congratulations, and I hope this is both a huge weight off of your shoulders and an even huger moment of awesome.
Fuck yeah, Scott.
Go get ’em.
Awesome news. They found the perfect guy for the job.
This is FABULOUS! I am so happy for you.
Congratuulations, Jason! Couldn’t imagine a better partnership.
Duuuuuuuuude! Congratulations! You certainly deserve the job given your commitment to the industry so far.
Congrats to you Jason 🙂
And the world just got a little better. Congratulations Jason, I’m looking forward your projects.
Lot’s of people have already said it, but I felt the need to chime in… Very, very well done, sir. You are the right man for the job!
Congratulations, it really does sound like the perfect job.
Kick-ass Cow! Remember to breathe once in a while!
Glad to hear things are falling into place for ya Jason. I second Bill’s thoughts, it’s definitely going to be a great partnership!
Awesome news! Congratulations
I can’t think of a better organization for you to be working with in this area. They are definitely the best and most inclusive with what they archive.
Fantastic! Hella stoked for you, sir!
It’s always inspiring when i see someone’s labor of love turn into a profession. Getting paid to do what you love- that rocks! Congrats, Jason!
Congratulations, I honestly couldn’t think of a better role for you – it seems tailor made! It may also open your eyes to all sorts of potential topics for documentaries if you’re planning to keep your film-making career going.
It would be great in time if you were able to give some archive.org related talks at HoPE or similar events since you’re a good confident presenter and it’s a topic that would sit well with the hacker community.
Cheers, Ash.
Congratulations, Jason! I couldn’t be happier for you!
The universe just had a perfect idea: get Jason Scott to work at the Internet Archive. Christ knows he’s earned it, and damned if good will not come of it. Good idea universe. Congratufuckinglations Jason.
I thought you already worked with them! Anyways, great. I posted yesterday but my comment is gone, so here I am again
WIN! Time to kick ass, take names, and back up a ton of sh*t, archive-team style 😉
Excellent news, Jason. Can’t wait to hear about your progress!
At a loss for words. Obliged to echo: FUCK YEAH
FUCK YEAH! Welcome to the Archive, Jason! Can’t wait to see what we can do together! Expect serious fun. And a bit of archiving.
Congratulations, Jason!
What wonderful news. Congratulations!
Awesome news, Jason! You totally deserve it. Thanks for all the hard work you’ve done and apparently will keep on doing 🙂
About time you got paid to do this work. Congrats and good luck!
Wow! Congrats! That is awesome news!