Your'a lookin at the whole thing right cheer .

there was a major change in the format of the site some while back.  at that time, a lot of people left the site and it has been much quieter ever since.

this forum certainlly goes through period of high activity and then lulls.

and Stereophile does have a Twitter and Facebook where we have lots of silly fun.

http://twitter.com/#!/stereophilemag

http://www.facebook.com/#!/stereophilemag

tom collins wrote:

there was a major change in the format of the site some while back.  at that time, a lot of people left the site and it has been much quieter ever since.

I think that the word "change" in your statement should more properly be "downgrade" as in "there was a major downgrade in the format of the site some while back"

Not only was the forum format changed for the worse but almost all of the forum members' suggestions for how to improve the forum/site fell upon deaf, not golden, ears. To which those former forum members said, rightfully so, adios!

Hopefully the lesson learned is that a user forum, where possible, should listen and respond to the needs and wishes of the users otherwise it will suffer long and slow death. Which is exactly what is happening to this forum.

D3sign3r wrote:

so how do we do something exciting in here to attract more happy audioists?

The software which runs this forum is about the worst forum software I have ever seen. There is no way to monitor updates to a thread. Picture uploading is awful. member post counts are no longer shown. There is no way to get info on fellow members including being able to send them a private message. The list goes on and on.

Try looking at some of the threads and posts from around the time the forum made the transistion to the new forum format and you'll see exactly what I mean. However DO NOT expect things to change since stereophile didn't listen to the members back then and most certainly won't listen now. Maybe if the members were advertisers then Stereophile might listen.

Not every time, but often enough when I access the stereophile page that big, annoying SUBSCRIBE NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! popup shows up, blocking the view and forcing me to click and close it.

It's really obnoxious.  I am already a subscriber - I don't need you to shriek at me about it.  As far as I know, no other audio magazine does this - you are the only ones.  I find it so annoying that I often forbear from coming here.

Can you please turn it off?

http://adblockplus.org/en/

D3sign3r wrote:

It's darn quiet in here for an audio forum -- after 80 years Alan Blumlein will not be pleased 

Where is every 1 ? 

Hello.  I'm one of the "every 1" who hasn't participated in a while.  I think there are a few causes of this sad phenomenon.  Yes, the forum software is unfriendly.  One thing I believe would help a great deal, and that I've asked for before, is a one-click "all recent posts" feature.  We used to have that; I think it was limited to the preceding 24 hours, but it was much easier to keep up with the posts I was involved in than sifting through all the categories.  Ease of use is a prime motivator.

We used to have several members who posted prolifically. Buddha and Elk come to mind.  A few users who were banned, Jan Vigne, DUP and Ethan Winer, for all their faults, kept things lively.  Perhaps their individual posts should have been banned instead of their entire participation.

Could the economy be another cause?  It's been on a downturn for a while now, just like this forum.  Personally, I'm not in a position to incur any unnecessary expenses at the moment, which includes high-priced audio equipment.  Not knowing if things will improve in the near future, I find myself less interested in talking about it.

Now, I don't expect Stereophile to turn the economy around, but it would be possible for the moderators to address the first two issues above.

Sorry, JimV - on my system it doesn't work, for some reason.  The best I can do is block the image, but not the whole pop-up.

Mr Bitran, will you be addressing my question, please?

Thanks.

I am using it with Mozilla's firefox and webroot virus protection and I do not have the problem

jazzfan wrote:

Not only was the forum format changed for the worse but almost all of the forum members' suggestions for how to improve the forum/site fell upon deaf, not golden, ears. To which those former forum members said, rightfully so, adios!

i'm sorry you feel this way jazzfan. Unfortunately, I have to disagree. Nearly every single recommended request for a change to our forums is discussed here in the office and then forwarded to our IT team.

We have a small team of people working for us, who also manage at least 4 other websites, so changes come in intervals. There is another change coming to the forums soon.

I remember when we first overhauled the website and forums, the forum 2.0 was narrower, one could only post using raw html, and there were plenty of weird visual errors.

Lots of this stuff has been fixed. The forum spreads across the screen now, there is a WISYWIG editor, and colors/layout scheme/fonts have been adjusted for easier reading. We're in a state of constant improvement.

D3sign3r wrote:

so how do we do something exciting in here to attract more happy audioists?

TALK -- create conversation; ask a question. maybe some philosophy you wanna spin and relate to audio? tell a story!

More than anything,  I love philosophizing on audiophiledom by expanding concepts within our hobby to bigger ideas about our lives. Listening can be an intense and personal process, whether it is technologically frustrating or emotionally redemptive, but every step in the act of listening can probably be discussed to greater depths that we didn't even know were there yet.

jazzfan wrote:

The software which runs this forum is about the worst forum software I have ever seen. There is no way to monitor updates to a thread.

Do you see a star on the folder next to the thread which indicates that a new post, which you have not read yet, has been made?

That's how I do it.

jazzfan wrote:

Picture uploading is awful.

Really? I think its way easier than it was before. You can even adjust dimensions of the image super simply, by dragging and clicking on the corners. Embedding in a post is done by using the image insert button on your WISYWIG editor.

jazzfan wrote:

member post counts are no longer shown.

You don't see it under the join date?

jazzfan wrote:

There is no way to get info on fellow members including being able to send them a private message.

If you click on a users name, this takes you directly to their personal information, under which there is a link to send them a private message. Have you tried this?

Mark_C wrote:

Can you please turn it off?

Thanks for the feedback Mark. This is a request that we've received a few times. Unfortunately, our numbers indicate this advertisement for subscription is oddly successful, but I do like the idea of having it turned off/modified for subscribers. While I certainly can't promise removal fo that ad (again--it actually works), I think that this is a perspective on a modified website for subscribers can help our IT team and bring about ideas.

bertdw wrote:

One thing I believe would help a great deal, and that I've asked for before, is a one-click "all recent posts" feature.  We used to have that; I think it was limited to the preceding 24 hours, but it was much easier to keep up with the posts I was involved in than sifting through all the categories.  Ease of use is a prime motivator.

Coming soon

It's good to hear that further improvements are in the works.  By the way, under the join date it only says "Posts:" without a number of posts.  And yours is the only name on this page that's a link.

I (and I hope we) appreciate your efforts.

Ariel Bitran wrote:

jazzfan wrote:

The software which runs this forum is about the worst forum software I have ever seen. There is no way to monitor updates to a thread.

Do you see a star on the folder next to the thread which indicates that a new post, which you have not read yet, has been made?

That's how I do it.

Really, that's so quaint. Good forum software gives the member the option to to get an email notification when a new post has been made to any thread that the member subscribes to.

Ariel Bitran wrote:

jazzfan wrote:

Picture uploading is awful.

Really? I think its way easier than it was before. You can even adjust dimensions of the image super simply, by dragging and clicking on the corners. Embedding in a post is done by using the image insert button on your WISYWIG editor.

Okay you got me.

Ariel Bitran wrote:

jazzfan wrote:

member post counts are no longer shown.

You don't see it under the join date?

No I don't. It isn't there.

Ariel Bitran wrote:

jazzfan wrote:

There is no way to get info on fellow members including being able to send them a private message.

If you click on a users name, this takes you directly to their personal information, under which there is a link to send them a private message. Have you tried this?

Only some of the member names have this ability, most do not.

Some examples of forums using much better software to run the forum:

http://forums.slimdevices.com/

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/index.php?

To paraphase a well known saying: Click on them and weep.

Good thread , and lots of good input from posters . But it appears  the concerns are being brushed to the side and talked around rather than being fixed .  In todays bussiness world with the consumers ever changing wants and needs , the ability to adapt and change quickly and purposefully can mean the difference between prosperity and obscurity .

I find the site an interesting contrast compared to the paper mag that is handled with such precision and professionalism . 

                                                                                                                                                        Regards  Tim

Thank you to everyone for the input. We'll look into the issues with post count view and clicking on individual users and correct it.

tmsorosk wrote:

But it appears  the concerns are being brushed to the side and talked around rather than being fixed

I really thought i made my point clear on this, and I find your dissent distressing. There have been MANY upgrades to version 2.0 of these forums, all based user requests, many of which I highlighted in previous posts in this thread. We are a small team (many don't realize just how small) and we consider ourselves lucky to put out a monthly issue on time. All requested changes are listened to and many are met.

Another example of a recent change: one user was experiencing problems having many of their posts getting caught in the spam filter, so we added an ability on the admin end to add users to a safe poster list so their posts bypass the spam filter.

Be nice, and you'll get added too

D3sign3r wrote:

Ariel Bitran wrote:

TALK -- create conversation; ask a question. maybe some philosophy you wanna spin and relate to audio? tell a story!

No problemo -   audible scriblings coming right up  

Here's a little philosophy:  an ordinary man has no means of deliverance.  No matter how much you have in the end you would have had even more if you had had more in the beginning.  Finally, your hearing is only as good as the best system you've had the opportunity to hear.

Tootles

sent from my iPad 2

Geoff Kait

Machinadynamica.com

geoffkait wrote:

D3sign3r wrote:

Ariel Bitran wrote:

TALK -- create conversation; ask a question. maybe some philosophy you wanna spin and relate to audio? tell a story!

No problemo -   audible scriblings coming right up  

 

Here's a little philosophy:  an ordinary man has no means of deliverance.  No matter how much you have in the end you would have had even more if you had had more in the beginning.  Finally, your hearing is only as good as the best system you've had the opportunity to hear.

 

Tootles

sent from my iPad 2

 

Geoff Kait

Machinadynamica.com

Here's my philosophy, don't buy anything you sell and don't take anything you say as worth remembering.

My take on the forums, you had a working well thought out software controlled forum before and decided to change it because? "If it ain't broke don't fix it" comes to mind. Anyone else remember the old Madisound forum?  It RULED and had a lot of interesting discussions there then the management decided to change the softare and CRASH. No one wanted to post there anymore and moved mostly to Parts Express and DIY audio forum. It never recoverd and never will.I just see more of the same stuborness here frankly.

JohnnyR wrote:

My take on the forums, you had a working well thought out software controlled forum before and decided to change it because?

because our entire content management system for the website changed (visit Stereophile.com) and you'll see the website looks a little different now (than it did 12 months back); in order to integrate the forums and your participation as part of the registered content at stereophile.com, we had to recreate the forums.

while i agree, the current forums are not perfect, they are certainly better than they were when we first renovated the website.

Yikes!

"Here's a little philosophy: an ordinary man has no means of deliverance. No matter how much you have in the end you would have had even more if you had had more in the beginning. Finally, your hearing is only as good as the best system you've had the opportunity to hear. "

Rubbish

If your hearing is  only as good as the best sytem you've had the opportunity to hear, why bother. If that's the case, welcome to Plato's Audio cave.

(It does explain alot regarding the person who would say that sort of thing, however.)

Go to a performance and listen to some live music.

Your hearing is only as good as your best reference, and no system can compete with live, unless what you want is an audio speculum to use to give your ears a cervix's eye view of music.

True, an ordinary man has no means of deliverance if he thinks the best Hi Fi rig he's heard is what determines the quality of his "hearing."

I think Fall is just busy for a lot of folks- school year, sports, many companies crank up new projects to get out before the end of the year. I post and read when I have time. Sometimes that's often, others not at all. The last 3 months I've been working overtime just about seven days a week. Notice I'm posting a 1am right now because I'm up working.

Had a few hours earlier to chill though, enjoying the latest issue of 'Phile, and putting on records left and right!

Here at Stereophile the months from August to October is undoubtedly our busiest period. Starting in July and into August we're compiling, editing, and writing Recommended Components for the October issue. At that same time, we're completing the Stereophile Buyer's Guide. Both of these issues are shipped at the same time. 2 Big Issues at the same time. Shortly following is the November issue and right after is December which includes the burdensome Products of the Year.

Fall season is definitely the best time to catch the Stereophile staff in a crummy mood.

You click on ANY link and it takes from 5 to 10 seconds for it to do anything. Still using 1990 computers for a server and dialup or something?

First thanks again for not letting my posts be placed in the possible spam folder anymore.

I do have to agree that the current version of the Stereophile forum is the slowest of any site I regularly visit. Even when browsing the rest of the site response to a click is extremely slow.

JohnnyR wrote:

You click on ANY link and it takes from 5 to 10 seconds for it to do anything. Still using 1990 computers for a server and dialup or something?

And I thought it was just me.

I think head-fi.org is slower.

JoeE SP9 wrote:

I do have to agree that the current version of the Stereophile forum is the slowest of any site I regularly visit. Even when browsing the rest of the site response to a click is extremely slow.

This appears to be due to the third-party servers that provide the advertising taking longer than we would like to deliver their content. Yes, it is annoying but I am not sure what we can do at our end to solve this problems. Sorry.

John Atkinson

Editor, Stereophile

Thanks for a timely response JA. I really wasn't complaining. It was more in the line of mentioning an observation. I think everyone who surfs the web has gotten used to instant gratification. It's just more of the "I want it now" attitude. Maybe we all need to slow down and smell the roses.

The forum (should) be about more than the advertising!

Edited to add the word left out

JIMV wrote:

The forum be about more than the advertising!

Yep.  Sorry, JA, but your answer was *pathetic.*  I visit other advertiser-sponsored sites and when there's a problem, know what the owner does?  He contacts the server admins and advertisers and TELLS THEM TO FIX IT.

Mark_C wrote:

JIMV wrote:

The forum be about more than the advertising!

 

Yep.  Sorry, JA, but your answer was *pathetic.*  I visit other advertiser-sponsored sites and when there's a problem, know what the owner does?  He contacts the server admins and advertisers and TELLS THEM TO FIX IT.

 

we are working on it...

our web developers and admins currently operate and maintain 4 different websites. so change comes, but not as rapidly as we wish sometimes.

Mark_C wrote:

Yep.  Sorry, JA, but your answer was *pathetic.*

Thank you, Mark_C. I was offering from my experience what the problem appears to be. When I work on the website's content engine, which allows me to see when stuff arrives, the data sourced from our own server appears immediately, followed by the Google ads (every time you click on a link at this website, it first goes to Google to be parsed) followed finally by by the ads from, well, it use to be the doubleclick server but I think that changed recently. My point is that every page on this site has content from multiple servers and the latency is unpredictable

Quote:

I visit other advertiser-sponsored sites and when there's a problem, know what the owner does?  He contacts the server admins and advertisers and TELLS THEM TO FIX IT.

Thank you for the advice. As Ariel just posted, we are working on the latency issue and I hope it will improve in the near future.

John Atkinson

Editor, Stereophile

The time you took getting snarky could've been spent on actually fixing the problem, John.

Mark_C wrote:

The time you took getting snarky could've been spent on actually fixing the problem, John.

I wasn't aware I was being particularly snarky. Anyhow, I have just finished talking to our IT director who tells me that she is migrating our site to a different server farm this weekend, which, other than the advertising latency I mentioned earlier, should speed things up.

John Atkinson

Editor, Stereophile

the website should be FAST now!

hope yall enjoy the changes.

as always, more to come.

Huge increase in speed. Thanx, I'll put you in for a raise.