Attention Techies!!

[Soozeeg]

OK, the new forum has been up and running for, what, 3 weeks now? I appreciate work is probably (hopefully!) ongoing, but it's been several days, or a week or so now with no word from the techies. We (no, it's not the Royal we, but a collective we!! lol) have variously requested a 'read new posts' button or newest posts at the top of the page (the main page, not each individual forum), smileys, a private message facility, and speeding up of page loading - to date we've not heard back about these (apart from one of you saying that the speed issue was being addressed). Can we therefore please have an update on our requests? Oh, and it appears that mods cannot now even pass on member's email addresses anymore (so what exactly CAN mods do?), so how is anyone supposed to get in touch with another member privately, if they so desire? Come on guys (and gal!) please, I think we've all been extremely patient thus far, but there is a danger of members getting fed up and not bothering with the site anymore. Thank you.

 

[austin]

OK, the new forum has been up and running for, what, 3 weeks now? I appreciate work is probably (hopefully!) ongoing, but it's been several days, or a week or so now with no word from the techies.

It's actually been two weeks today, it just feels like longer! We have been on here explaining and helping where we can.

We (no, it's not the Royal we, but a collective we!! lol) have variously requested a 'read new posts' button or newest posts at the top of the page (the main page, not each individual forum), smileys, a private message facility, and speeding up of page loading - to date we've not heard back about these (apart from one of you saying that the speed issue was being addressed). Can we therefore please have an update on our requests?

The "all new posts" page is coming but it does have performance issues, (as in it can slow the site down) which is why it isn't there at the moment. As we get the next lot of performance fixes out we can look at putting this page live.

Smileys are on the (long) list, when we get to it they will be implemented but at the moment we have issues that are of a higher priority to deal with first.

Private messaging is something we are talking about but there are various reasons why we haven't made a decision yet.

Page speed we are looking at constantly and hopefully this is improving as we release changes made.

Oh, and it appears that mods cannot now even pass on member's email addresses anymore (so what exactly CAN mods do?), so how is anyone supposed to get in touch with another member privately, if they so desire?

I would argue that mods shouldn't be able to pass on email addresses for legal reasons, we have a privacy policy in place and I can't see how that would allow non-employess to pass on email addresses given in confidence. I for one wouldn't be happy if mine was given to someone when I didn't give permission for that to be passed on.

Mods are there to moderate, ie remove posts that they feel are on the wrong side of the line.

Come on guys (and gal!) please, I think we've all been extremely patient thus far, but there is a danger of members getting fed up and not bothering with the site anymore. Thank you.

Yes, you have been patient, but if we rush into things without considering the side effects and don't concentrate on the rest of the site, (all those new reviews, news, blogs, travel etc) then the site won't be able to grow into a great resource for caravanners and not "just" a great forum. We also look after a lot of other sites so we, (sadly!) can't just spend all our time concentrating on your good selves.

 

[Soozeeg]

Thanks for your comprehensive reply, Austin. At least we now know that most of our requests are being dealt with and actioned at some point in the future, so patience will continue to be a virtue!! lol ;o) To go back to the point about mods passing on email addresses (yes, I know, I'm like a dog with a bone!).....on the old forum they could do just that, IF ASKED. It now seems they can't. The point being, they could (and did) pass on members' email addresses if/when they were requested to. So, whilst I appreciate what you say about the privacy issues, why can they not now do it if they are asked? I wasn't suggesting they would do it willy-nilly (am I allowed to mention bodily parts, lol).

 

[Parksy]

Oh, and it appears that mods cannot now even pass on member's email addresses anymore (so what exactly CAN mods do?), so how is anyone supposed to get in touch with another member privately, if they so desire?

I would argue that mods shouldn't be able to pass on email addresses for legal reasons, we have a privacy policy in place and I can't see how that would allow non-employess to pass on email addresses given in confidence. I for one wouldn't be happy if mine was given to someone when I didn't give permission for that to be passed on.

Mods are there to moderate, ie remove posts that they feel are on the wrong side of the line.

It's no skin off my nose either way Austin but Sue is absolutely correct when she mentioned that moderators were happy to forward email addresses for members When it was requested.


No moderator would have ever considered breaching the trust placed in them by divulging any email address to anyone at all apart from forum admin under any circumstances without first ensuring that a specific request by those concerned was received.
To imply that the moderators of this forum would ever have done or would do otherwise is quite insulting to be quite frank.

There didn't seem to be much of a privacy and trust issue when moderators sat at their keyboards until the very small hours deleting obscenities from an ex forum member and collating the evidence including the various email addresses that were used so that legal action could be taken.

I didn't notice too many Haymarket employees around when I was sitting here at 03.00 in the morning with the email address from every post submitted visible making sure that the forum was fit for normal members to see when they logged on the next day.
Still, you live and learn.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Can someone give me a simple answer of why it's taken PCv at least five years to get a new website which is now being worked on to get things right when another website which I won't mention, but Sooze and Parksy are aware of, is run by one person out of their own pocket, and is not a business, and is all singing dancing?
I just need to know because I cannot understand. I would imagine Sooze is simply asking this civil question above because she, along with others, are hoping we don't have to wait another five years for the bells and whistles to arrive or the site to be a satisfactory speed.
To put it simply the site I mean was put together in a very short time and has all of what Sooze has asked for and lots of others would be glad to see.

And yes, Austins response could be construed as either arrogant or sarcastic even if he didn't mean it to be so.

I would appreciate a reply I understand though. Does this person rent a ready made site? Does he tweak it to suit himself? If so why can't Haymarket do likewise or would the cost be too much for a business compared to someone running a site as a hobby?

 

[austin]

Deepest apologies if it came across as arrogant or sarcastic, that was the last thing on my mind when I posted!
The work that the moderators do is massively appreciated and isn't under estimated by myself or anyone else here.
I'll have a word here and see if we can get the moderators some extra permissions so that they can see users email addresses and then raise the point about private messaging again.
Smileys are in the pipeline and will be here soon.
As I don't know of this "other" site I can't comment on it, it may be something that is out of the box or maybe a labour of love.
Lord Braykewynde has hit the nail on the head with the hobby versus business thing.
The reason we are on this platform is because many other magazine brands are either using it now or about to be, this allows us to develop all of the sites along side each other and therefore benefit each other.
Thanks for being patient with us, but we are getting there...