I'm aware that an announcement was placed at the top of the majority of the forums on 5-14. However, did anyone consider that the average user is more likely to pay attention to a stickied post than a segregated announcement that blends into the background? Would it have been all that difficult to have given a timeline, even a tentative one, so that the community would not have been caught unawares - in mid-post even?
In general, I feel that CM's bungling of this transition is disrespectful of the users of these forums, and lacking in common sense. I suggest that CM consider changing it's title to Community Mismanagement.
I suggest that CM consider changing it's title to Community Mismanagement.
That, or have at least someone who works for someone who can change things on the boards who can say something like "OK, we hear you, we are working on that" or "we are not working on that because [insert reason]."
Otherwise, I am pro name-change.
I thought this was poorly planned and poorly executed, and I really lose a lot of faith in WotC's ability to execute on DDI when they can't manage to merge some forums.
I never saw the announcement... I thought this was poorly planned and poorly executed, and I really lose a lot of faith in WotC's ability to execute on DDI when they can't manage to merge some forums.
Yeah, I agree. Never saw the announcement. It should have been a news item on the D&D home page first as a news item, and in the Features module, too.
I came to complain about the shuffling and merging of the Other Worlds forums. I say put them back the way they were. I seriously doubt that several dozen extra and separate forums were using up enough database space to warrant the kind of insulting and short-sighted merge the Other Worlds forums experienced.
I've been a pretty good fanboy and supported Wizards of the Coast in everything, even when I didn't want to. But gosh, this was a real bummer to see forums tinkered with without any real reason or necessity.
Please, consider this my "registered complaint" and a plea to return at least the Other Worlds forums to their previous, separate arrangement.
I, on the other hand, intend to just scramble my password, change my profile e-mail to a spamtrap, and log out forever. Because browsing Mystara, Planescape and Spelljammer forums was my only reason for visiting, and having to dig through a bunch of Dragonlance, Greyhawk and Dark Sun threads to see the posts I'm actually interested in isn't in the cards.
Congratulations, Gamer_Zero. You've managed to reorganize your forums into something that doesn't even serve your customer base. Have a nice life!
More on topic: I can honestly say I have yet to be impressed with Gamer_Zero. Actually... everything that I've observed thus far has been terribly mismanaged, reeking of gross incompetence. I'm sorry, but he's doing a terrible job, so much so I would like to see someone with a higher degree of competence at "community management" fill the position instead.
I realize that Gamer_Zero approached the subject of forum reorganization some time ago. I appreciate that an attempt to involve the community was made in the first place, although I'm willing to bet that this was due to CM being unsure of what was actually needed. However, as time wore on it became evident just how sloppy CM's practices were.
I'm aware that an announcement was placed at the top of the majority of the forums on 5-14. However, did anyone consider that the average user is more likely to pay attention to a stickied post than a segregated announcement that blends into the background? Would it have been all that difficult to have given a timeline, even a tentative one, so that the community would not have been caught unawares - in mid-post even?
In general, I feel that CM's bungling of this transition is disrespectful of the users of these forums, and lacking in common sense. I suggest that CM consider changing it's title to Community Mismanagement.
Take a gander at my signature, then :D
Take a gander at my signature, then :D
Good idea. However, WotC's standard practice in dealing with negative feedback is to stick their fingers in their ears and start humming, so we'll see if it gets anywhere...
Good idea. However, WotC's standard practice in dealing with negative feedback is to stick their fingers in their ears and start humming, so we'll see if it gets anywhere...
Not Mr. Buehler, in fact I have corresponded with him somewhat regularly concerning this entire issue. Seriously, give it a try.
excellent, could I get your signature in quote form so I can copy it into mine?
Don't like the way the Community has changed? Have an issue with Mike Lescault (Gamer_Zer0, the guy who now runs the forums for all intents and purposes for Gleemax)? Contact THIS man:
Randy Buehler
VP of Digital Gaming
Wizards of the Coast
1600 Lind Ave. SW, Suite 400
Renton, WA 98055
( [email]randy.buehler@wizards.com[/email] )
http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.p...postcount=2439
For those who are unhappy with what Community Management has done...
[forum=725]You need to go here to complain[/forum]. See, there's a thread there for voicing complaints about Community Management. And they think that because only 30 people or so have made the majority of the posts that everything is fine and dandy with the forum.
So if you're unhappy with something, go tell them.
The problem is, Mike doesn't seem to be listening to the needs or desires of this community. The "vision" he (and others?) have of this community is very different from the reality and very different from the one that is being delivered.
I seriously doubt that several dozen extra and separate forums were using up enough database space to warrant the kind of insulting and short-sighted merge the Other Worlds forums experienced.
The forums take up no databse space to move from one section to another. It just tells where it will be displayed. So no matter where any forum is, it will take up the amount of space required for any other forum.
Posts take up only as much space as is required for that post.
Threads only tell which post numbers belong to them.
So really there is nothing about database space usage that has any bearing on it, it is all a matter of layout and what things look like...appearances. CM appearances right now are not looking very good like the forums. ;)
Section Heading:
[Which forums go here]
Lists forums info with links
699, 703, etc
That is all the database space it takes to move a forum form one location to another. The forums didn't change, just how the users find them. The software could give two spits where any one forum is located so long as it knows where to show it to....
....users.