AceUplink Robot Database

AceUplink Robot Database
An entry for "R.O.B." on the database.
URL	http://www.aceuplink.com/database (Offline)
Slogan	"online robot database"
Commercial?	No
Type of site	Informative
Owner	Josh Franco
Created by	Josh Franco
Launched	Late 2003
Status	Offline

The AceUplink Robot Database was a sub-site within the greater AceUplink community created by webmaster JFranco in the latter months of 2003. Radio F Software was its first and only contributor.

The database stagnated following RFS' departure from AceUplink in January 2004. A link to the database remained on the AceUplink homepage until the entire site closed in February 2006.

History

In 2003, with the release and popularity of Robot Arena 2, AceUplink was experiencing a newly rejuvenated boost in community activity. The sport of robot combat was at an all time high and JFranco was interested in making AceUplink into a general robotics portal as opposed to being solely about RA2 and robot combat as a whole. He enlisted the help of Radio F Software, a game modder who had also contributed a number of detailed tutorials to the community, to lend his talents to the new database. RFS agreed to the project and began adding short blurbs for various non-combat robot projects to the site.

Controversy

A couple weeks into the life of the database JFranco pushed forward a goal of one thousand articles to be eventually posted to the database. RFS, who was working on the database as a volunteer, was unhappy with the request and requested to be removed from the project. JFranco refused. In retaliation, RFS slapped an insulting image onto the database homepage and began only adding entries for robots he had built until January 2004 when he had his FTP permissions stripped and account banned from the AceUplink community.

Aftermath

Another editor for the database was never appointed and the project fell stagnant immediately. The database as RFS left it prior to his departure remained live until AceUplink's closure in 2006.