What's the difference between a fix and a guide?
Fixes are actions that you or a team take on, and do. You can update your fix with your progress, blogs, and other information.
Guides are step-by-step instructions on how to do a fix. You can use existing guides to help you complete a fix, or write your own once you've made a fix.
Why we chose what we did: (aka Why isn't \"blank\" there)
Triage. There are a lot of problems in the world, especially related to environmental issues, and a huge number of proposed solutions. We have taken all the ones that we see as being at the top of the to-do list. If you think there's issues that are more important than the ones we have included, let us know, especially if you are able to write some content about them.
Why we keep controversial ideas:
In order to find the best solutions to these huge problems, we need to look at all options, including those that are not necessarily our top choices, as long as they are better than our current situation. We also don't know where future research will lead these currently less-favorable technologies. At Sixlinks, we believe in keeping our options open. If you don't like one of the technologies we talk about here, you can become better informed on it, and if you still don't like it, work on something else.
Why do I see ads everywhere?
We need to eat. And so does Tomo, your first friend, when you knew no one else. Please don't make him go hungry. Of course, we could just work other jobs, but then we wouldn't be able to make this website everything that it could be, and we wouldn't have that.
What do sponsors get? How do we know you aren't corporate pawns?
While sponsors do get recognition all over our site, and we encourage you to look at their products because we believe they are valuable contributors to the advancement of environmental causes, they do not in any way dictate our content. We are trying to be as unbiased as possible in everything we do here.
Will you ever spam me?
No. Unless you consider light encouragement from us spamming. In which case, maybe.
Who are you guys?
We're crazy people who think we can save the world. We are also recent graduates looking to put our degrees to work doing something productive and meaningful. If you want to learn more about us, check out our profiles,
Steven Skoczen and
Jeff Gunther.
How did SixLinks start / what's the story?
Sixlinks began in the summer of 2008. Steve and Jeff had just graduated from Cornell University. Jeff thought he knew where he was going. Steve didn't, but he knew where he wanted to be. He wanted to fix all the world's problems. So Wei made Steve write down all the things that needed fixing and to decide what needed to be done to fix them. Steve told Jeff about this list, and they and Katie Alexander sat down to refine the list over some good Gimme! coffee (its good coffee, check it out). Everyone left inspired, Jeff wrote a couple letters, Steve put the list on a website, sixlinks.org. Jeff was bored, not used to the void a Cornell workload left in his life, so he volunteered to help Steve turn the website into something cool. They met to discuss how to bring the website to life. Then it exploded, ideas kept pouring in, and Jeff and Steve put everything else on hold to make Sixlinks a priority. Andrew reminded Jeff and Steve that they needed to make money and helped bring Sixlinks from hobby to career. Andrew then got busy, but the mindset stuck. Now Jeff and Steve are drawing on all of their energy, knowledge, friends, colleagues, contacts, everything they have to turn Sixlinks into the tool for change they never imagined it could be only a few months ago.
What are you trying to accomplish?
We want to build an educated community of people who share our passion for trying to change the world for the better.
Does this site cost money?
For you, no. Unless you're a for profit company, then yes. For us, short answer, yes. We have to keep the servers running, we have to pay various fees to \"the man\" for being a business. Most importantly, we need to have enough time to work on this project, to make it the tool that it could be. This is not a problem, except for pesky student loans and rent and food (the Tomo gets very sad if you don't feed him). So to the extent that the cost of living our lives is a cost of the website, the site costs money. If we could work full time jobs and manage the website, it would be a different story, but alas, bodies will run on a few hours of sleep for only so long. Plus, it sure would be nice to be able to hire another person or 5 at some point.
Do you have a pro / paid account?
We have paid accounts for for-profit corporations, but we welcome any individual to turn their account into a paid account, price of your choosing. Every dollar is one more package of Mac N Cheese we get to eat.
Who is the \"Tomo\" that shows up in all the demos?
Tomo is the best friend of everyone who's ever met him. He is willing to be the guinea pig of any project, testing before anyone else does. He takes all errors and setbacks in stride, never complaining, and saving countless other test users from some horrible frustration or lifelong injury. Tomo is Steve's dog, and is the coolest dog ever. Everyone says their dog is the coolest dog, but Tomo actually is. The rest of you can battle it out for second.
What's that shape in the background of the page?
Its called \"The Squiggle\". It is a crucial element of our website. We'd tell you, but it's proprietary confidential information.
No, really. What's the deal with that shape?
Telling you would spoil the mystery. Really. Then, you'd be able to look at it without wondering. And how terrible would that be?
How do I ___?
If your question isn't answered on this page, email us at
[email protected] and we'll help you out. If a few people ask the same question, we'll put it here. Maybe one day we will eventually write a help page.
(please see the help section) (which we need to write) (and have nav to)