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Is it really six years since I wrote That Article? - gosh yes, it really is. As in all things, much has changed and much has stayed the same. One of the things that has changed is that I no longer read all of afp, and have not done since some time in 1997. Oh, I'm still subscribed, I just don't have the time to read the whole group in the way that I used to, and have probably made no more that half a dozen posts this year. As a result, it would be difficult for me to describe exactly how the group is now.
From what I can tell, some of the old favourites still crop up like casting threads and annotations, and threads still 'suffer' from subject drift - although that is not a phenomenon restricted to afp, as those afp posters who also inhabit rasff (rec.arts.science.fiction.fandom) and asr (alt.sysadmin.recovery) can attest.
Reading through my old article, I note that afp is still an international group, that article tagging still takes place - I even still see the occasional tagged posts about the games, of which there have now been three, although I get the impression that the third and final game (Discworld Noir) was not popular. I'm also glad to see that the APF is still going strong, given people's continued desire to annotate Terry's books. And yes, some annotations still strain the bounds of credulity :)
At least now that Terry has changed his publisher in America, our merkin cousins don't have to wait so horribly long before his books appear there. As an aside, having just been to the States and seen the American versions of his books, I'm surprised he sells any - the covers are (IMHO) dreadful.
Is the tradition of proposals still going strong? As the happy recipient of one in the early days that ultimately led to an actual marriage (as I write, 4 years 9 months 18 days and counting :) ) I would like to think so.
Afp still spills over in to real life - there are still meets - it does not seem that there are as many as there used to be, although with the afp 10th birthday celebrations next year and the Dutch contingent seemingly determined to party 'til their socks fall off, the numbers may increase again. Large annual gatherings have now become traditional, with Clarecraft alternating with conventions. It was interesting to note that although the first convention started as a rash suggestion on afp, at both the first and second conventions, afpers (at least, those who would admit to it :)) 'only' constituted 10% of the attending membership.
Terry still posts to the group - although he has spent extended periods away, and I'm glad to see that there are still a number of 'Old Farts' posting - you know who you are :)
I have a lot for which to be grateful to afp for - mostly a husband and many good friends, so I'm glad that the group still seems to be going strong.
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