2014 updates and stuff....

2014 updates and stuff....

Author
Discussion

Garlick

Original Poster:

40,601 posts

239 months

Monday 23rd December 2013
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I have decided to try and write a monthly post in here, starting in January, to give a round up of things we are doing at PHHQ. That may take the form of editorial changes, tech changes or simply new ideas that are still in the pondering stage.

The aim of this will be to give you as much of a heads-up as I can to keep you abreast of any development issues, giving you the ability to comment or simply to make you aware of what's going on.

Would that be useful?

Paul

MonkeyBusiness

3,912 posts

186 months

Monday 23rd December 2013
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I think its a great idea.
Gives you a chance for feedback from members too.

rohrl

8,711 posts

144 months

Monday 23rd December 2013
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Thanks Paul, I think that would be useful. I'm sure it'll be appreciated.

Gokartmozart

1,644 posts

204 months

Monday 23rd December 2013
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Nice one.

I would imagine it would lead less grief for you as some changes have come out of the blue, e.g the Supercar section and provide feedback for PH.

Pints

18,444 posts

193 months

Monday 23rd December 2013
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Good idea. Any idea if we could pre-subscribe? Even a monthly email to say, "here's this month's update".

rehab71

3,362 posts

189 months

Monday 23rd December 2013
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Pints said:
Good idea. Any idea if we could pre-subscribe? Even a monthly email to say, "here's this month's update".
I agree, sounds good.

Papa Hotel

12,760 posts

181 months

Monday 23rd December 2013
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I reckon it's a good idea.

But...

You aren't answerable to us Garlick. PHers are a conservative bunch, resistant to change and every time something changes there's an outcry for a day and a half then it's forgotten about and accepted. I think any changes you might moot in a monthly update will be becried as folly, you'll implement them anyway and be the bad guy who doesn't listen to the customer. Your paymasters trust you to run the forums well, I don't think you particularly need the approval of a vocal minority when most members won't care.

paulrussell

2,084 posts

160 months

Monday 23rd December 2013
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Papa Hotel said:
I reckon it's a good idea.

But...

You aren't answerable to us Garlick. PHers are a conservative bunch, resistant to change and every time something changes there's an outcry for a day and a half then it's forgotten about and accepted. I think any changes you might moot in a monthly update will be becried as folly, you'll implement them anyway and be the bad guy who doesn't listen to the customer. Your paymasters trust you to run the forums well, I don't think you particularly need the approval of a vocal minority when most members won't care.
I think he wants to keep us in the loop. It would be interesting to know what changes to the site there will be at the beginning of the month.

funkyrobot

18,789 posts

227 months

Tuesday 24th December 2013
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Are you adding anything that we 'may like'?

smile

Monkeylegend

26,226 posts

230 months

Tuesday 24th December 2013
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Agree with Papa H. If you are not careful it will end up as a concensus by committee, and only provoke argument and dissent, and heaven forbid, you know the levels that can descend to on here.

To me it seems like you are looking for approval, when usually you are the person with the knowledge required to make relevant changes and decisions based on the wider picture. We only have personal opinions based on our own predujices and likes and dislikes, without seeing the knock on benefits.

Some would call it communication, others would call it abdication.

You guys are paid to run this place and meet the objectives and criteria laid down by Haymarket,I don't think passing this onto the masses is the right way forward.

You will have an idea, put it to us, some will agree, some will disagree, and you will end up doing it or not doing it, leaving some peed off members. Either wy, most of us will still use the forum.

Communicate by all means, and take on board the various views, but you should make the crucial decisions based on your knowledge, not our wants.


jammy_basturd

29,775 posts

211 months

Tuesday 24th December 2013
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Why not use beta testers? There must be thousands of active members on PH, if 1% of those signed up to get updates a couple of months before the rest, you could track all sorts of analytics, along with getting feedback from a wide range of them to help you make sure that forum wide rollouts are as painfree as possible.

Magic919

14,126 posts

200 months

Tuesday 24th December 2013
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Yes, do it.

Kiltie

7,504 posts

245 months

Monday 30th December 2013
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Garlick said:
Would that be useful?
Yes, that would be useful and I look forward to it.

Will you be covering moderation issues and policy as well? (for example, this question)

Boonster

37 posts

201 months

Monday 30th December 2013
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Random question could not find where else to ask. Might be me but why is my classifieds looking like this ? I see it says "itexperiment" as part of URL.

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars?i...

Works ok on my other PC

MG CHRIS

9,077 posts

166 months

Saturday 4th January 2014
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Looked like this has worked so well.

Kiltie

7,504 posts

245 months

Friday 31st January 2014
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Garlick said:
I have decided to try and write a monthly post in here, starting in January ...
Is this still under consideration?

RacingPete

8,845 posts

203 months

Friday 31st January 2014
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Kiltie said:
Garlick said:
I have decided to try and write a monthly post in here, starting in January ...
Is this still under consideration?
There is plenty of time left this month.... at least 7 and a bit hours to go!

Pixelpeep

8,600 posts

141 months

Friday 31st January 2014
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I like the idea, but i agree it would be opening up the floor for abuse.

So, i suggest the following

a list of updates, like when someone releases a new version of software (you could even call it PH v1.2 ..3..4..5.. etc and v2 for major upgrades)

Then simply a facebook style thumbs up and thumbs down voting system (voting like a friendly dictatorship obviously, but just to get an idea how many like and how many dislike the new version?)

If you get a significant number of dislikes to a certain update you could open the floor for further talks rather than having each thing a free for all?

Kiltie

7,504 posts

245 months

Friday 31st January 2014
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RacingPete said:
Kiltie said:
Garlick said:
I have decided to try and write a monthly post in here, starting in January ...
Is this still under consideration?
There is plenty of time left this month.... at least 7 and a bit hours to go!
Good stuff, thanks.

I just wondered if it had been forgotten about or I'd missed it or something.

Jayyylo

985 posts

146 months

Friday 31st January 2014
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This certainly isn't a bad idea but 'development issues' means nothing to a layman like myself. As long as the forum retains its clean look and is easy to navigate then the rest is just 'character'. If there is a website issue then I trust that someone is doing their best to fix it and I don't need to know any more.

You could give it a go for February and keep a track of how many views the thread gets.