What happened to this website?

[DinoToyForum]

How is it possible to preserve it as part of your website? What would it be like?

I thought I could just copy all the files (html, style sheets, images) and essentially duplicate the site in a subdirectory of the dinotoyblog. It sort of works for individual pages (missing the header and some design elements for some reason), here's a test page: https://dinotoyblog.com/dinosaur-toys-collectors-guide-archive/dinosaur-toys-collectors-guide.html

However, it's tricker than I envisioned when it comes to reproducing the whole site. I'll need to manually change all the links, which all point to the original domain, and remove the copious dead ads. It's also not mobile friendly and difficult to edit the files (as raw html). So, now I'm wondering if it might be easier to copy the content (just the text and images) and use that as the basis for a 'new' site (with fresh html and style sheets) designed to match the old one.

[Jose S.M.]

I don't remember visiting that website but it's sad to know of it's owner passing. It reminded me that I've felt worried when someone who posts often here goes missing, like Shonisaurus, I was starting to get really worried until I read someone had contacted him privately.

[Pachyrhinosaurus]

Sad to hear. I too used this site a lot when I was first getting into Marx dinosaurs. Thanks for keeping it around.

[DinoToyForum]

It took a bit of wrangling but I was eventually able to create a more-or-less identical mirror of this entire website for posterity.

However, I think it would be inappropriate to upload it to the dinotoyblog.com server while the original is still live. Do you agree?

If so, I'll just store the files locally on my computer for safe keeping, and I can upload them if the original ever goes offline. In that event I'll add a paragraph to the front page of the mirrored site to explain the situation and to credit Barry.


Some of the files.

[JPuggy]

I used to visit his website to get information on Marx figures all the time, Rest In Peace dude, you were a real one.

[Fembrogon]

I had not seen this news before, but I'll add to the voices who are saddened by it. The Dinosaur Toy Collectors Guide might have been the very first page of its kind I ever discovered, followed shortly after the Toy Blog itself. It was definitely a nice introduction for a novice collector like myself. I'm glad to see steps are being taken to preserve it.

I miss the Dinosauricon. I think we'll take care of the DTB for many years to come. When this first started in 2007 I was like "this will last 5 years at most" and look at us now. We've been humble, and that has helped. I've been a member of many forums and stuff, and most are gone and stuff.

Oh man, same. That website was an absolute treasure trove of content for my young paleoart-fan self. I really miss having a big hub like that to search and browse through to find new and familiar artists.

[Gwangi]

I think it's a good idea to just hold onto files and only use them if the original site goes offline @DinoToyForum.

[DinoToyForum]

I think it's a good idea to just hold onto files and only use them if the original site goes offline @DinoToyForum.

Yes. The site could potentially roll on indefinitely so the mirror-site may never be needed, but it's good to have the back-up just in case.

[Gwangi]

I think it's a good idea to just hold onto files and only use them if the original site goes offline @DinoToyForum.

Yes. The site could potentially roll on indefinitely so the mirror-site may never be needed, but it's good to have the back-up just in case.

I'm glad that there is a contingency plan just in case. Thank you for that!

[EmperorDinobot]

Oh wow, may he rest in peace.
I read it sometimes when I was younger. He had a friendly writing tone, which I appreciated.

Weird that none of us knew and it's been 3 years.

[BlueKrono]

Oh wow, may he rest in peace.
I read it sometimes when I was younger. He had a friendly writing tone, which I appreciated.

Weird that none of us knew and it's been 3 years.

My friend and I realized quite a while ago that Barry stopped responding to our group emails and started searching in earnest last September. It was not a fruitful search, and it wasn't until May that we found his obit.