Keep trying Sometimes the server is up, sometimes itās notā¦ Shortly after posting the above I couldnāt reconnect, but about one hour later it worked again.
But I agree that the site requires attention by its owner. Maybe the current mods/admins should attempt a ācoup de forumā. It worked very well for Python-forum.org (now python-forum.io).
Grab a Virtual Private Server (aka VPS) ($5 a month), (pixls.us and gimp-forum.net are both on digitalocean.com, so far so good)
Install free software on VPS,
Associate VPS address to domain name
ā¦ and there you go. Some Linux proficiency helps.
The slightly harder part is
Convincing a critical mass of people to use your thing (be patient, this can take a year or more)
Keeping hackers and spammers at bay.
Finding 2-3 other motivated people that you can trust with all the passwords (and share some of the expenses with), so that the thing doesnāt go down the drain if you get bored with it.
Keep in mind that this wonāt be your child, this will be the communityās child.
All of @Ofnutsslightly harder parts are the key. A better option, in my opinion, is to become a contributing member and good citizen of a community. Write, post, engage, and promote.
If you can keep high quality content flowing, the community will sometimes follow (weāve been extremely lucky here to have some incredible members and community in general).
The IPs donāt work now (one you posted and the one a guy named David). I suspect though that GIMPChatās trying to rise up again. I did get a PM notice emailed me from GIMPChat; I suspect it was from Ofnuts since heās the only one that apparently was able to access GIMPChat. lol
I did do a return email, but I suspect the admins for GIMPChat wonāt respond. Maybe replication of the new IP and domain servers with sinc by tomorrow.