The Platform is...No Good

Chinspinner · #1 02-03-2017, 06:53 PM

I was trying to respond to this forum and was handed papyrus... I might be from the 1980's, but I do not expect my websites to share my birth date. I think an AOL advert popped up at one point.

Please Christ update it.

Chinspinner · #2 02-03-2017, 10:44 PM

haha, well, given that 13 people have viewed this and none have responded; I must admit that I am at fault. Admittedly, they are all on dial up and their comments won't show up for two days.

Nick Pierce · #3 02-04-2017, 02:51 AM

Dial up

Man, how I miss waiting

brianpatrick · #4 02-04-2017, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by Chinspinner

haha, well, given that 13 people have viewed this and none have responded; I must admit that I am at fault. Admittedly, they are all on dial up and their comments won't show up for two days.

To me it seemed you'd tied it up nicely, nothing to add really. You realized your problem and have taken measures to correct it, hopefully.

Welcome to the new millennia.

Now shut-up and post us some work to read.

Mohican · #5 02-06-2017, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by Chinspinner

I was trying to respond to this forum and was handed papyrus... I might be from the 1980's, but I do not expect my websites to share my birth date. I think an AOL advert popped up at one point.

Please Christ update it.

The host (CrowdGather) is experienced technical issues with their server, and not everything has been resolved.

In addition, the forum is hosted on an older vBulletin platform.

I have taken these issues to the admins at Crowdgather, but they have not been able to help (yet). If you are taken by the site and the camaraderie stick around.

Nick Pierce · #6 03-20-2017, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by Mohican

The host (CrowdGather) is experienced technical issues with their server, and not everything has been resolved.

In addition, the forum is hosted on an older vBulletin platform.

I have taken these issues to the admins at Crowdgather, but they have not been able to help (yet). If you are taken by the site and the camaraderie stick around.

Ah, Chinspinner gone 2/6/17.

Hardly had time to get to know ya.

Adios, Amigo.

Via con Dios.

Chinspinner · #7 08-29-2017, 03:16 PM

Hi all,
My name is Update the Website. I thought I was a superhero that saved bad websites, but I discovered that a bad website harks to the past, a time that has gone.

A good website tends to be landscape format and easy to use. That is important; users must like it. It must be easy to navigate. An easily navigable website attracts users, but a terrible website scares them away. If you want business, make a good website.

Grace Gabriel · #8 08-29-2017, 03:26 PM

Check out the notice board - the thread called "Writersbeat Undergoing Server Replacement" will help get you up to speed.

We have only recently regained the ability to log on/off, use emoji's, have avatars , change, underline , italicise and bold font, use quotations, access the site regularly and have anything on the screen in colour.

Our current state of affairs is nothing less than luxury. A bonus - on top of the fact that we're still here.

It's a battered ship - but it's a gutsy little bugger.

Chinspinner · #9 08-29-2017, 03:34 PM

While I am talking to you I am listening to 80's pop, so I am really happy. Don't stop, the power cannot deny, we have hearts that should be one, look at your face, it is frowny, but I am clowny and clowny defeats frowny you sweet thing.

Grace Gabriel · #10 08-29-2017, 03:44 PM

Baby doll, I ain't wearin' no frown, even though Nick is out of town, got a bottle of something nice for later, and i'm chilled out from riding my favourite vibrator, so it has to be said that on the whole, I'm a very happy little soul...

Chinspinner · #11 08-29-2017, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by Grace Gabriel

Baby doll, I ain't wearin' no frown, even though Nick is out of town, got a bottle of something nice for later, and i'm chilled out from riding my favourite vibrator, so it has to be said that on the whole, I'm a very happy little soul...

You favourite vibrator is our favourite agitator,
Your quim qivers but our message delivers,
I get you miss Nick
But like a stick up my arse
my message might last
or I might rate a
vibrator more strongly an internet hater
we all gotta love that vibrations,
that silly vocation
the donations we make
when we all want to fake
it.

What the hell was that?

Grace Gabriel · #12 08-29-2017, 03:57 PM

A stick up your arse doesn't sound like a hoot.
Bend over honey and try my boot.

Chinspinner · #13 08-29-2017, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by Grace Gabriel

A stick up your arse doesn't sound like a hoot.
Bend over honey and try my boot.

we all gotta root for the snooty high flutin' suite; always fun.

Grace Gabriel · #14 08-29-2017, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by Chinspinner

we all gotta root for the snooty high flutin' suite; always fun.

As it goes, just rootin' up my nose, and sure as hell ain't snooty - I'm just shakin' my booty.

Myers · #15 08-29-2017, 04:11 PM

This has all been addressed -- many times.

Believe it or not, this has dawned on quite a few of us -- and likely anyone else who's stumbled across this place.

At the very least the site owners need to install the latest version of the forum software -- which would allow for a full screen design bigger avatars etc. and other features. But then something would still have to update the general look and feel of the site.

Feel free to try and contact the owners -- some of us have tried and they don't seem all that interested. Their focus has shifted to cannibis related websites. Seriously.

Chinspinner · #16 08-29-2017, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by Grace Gabriel

As it goes, just rootin' up my nose, and sure as hell ain't snooty - I'm just shakin' my booty.

It was a hoot until your boot started to shoot. You were shakin' but we were makin' you mute. Then you talked and walked and we were given a fork, silence the fool or let anarchy rule. We chose not to.

Chinspinner · #17 08-29-2017, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by Myers

This has all been addressed -- many times.

Believe it or not, this has dawned on quite a few of us -- and likely anyone else who's stumbled across this place.

At the very least the site owners need to install the latest version of the forum software -- which would allow for a full screen design bigger avatars etc. and other features. But then something would still have to update the general look and feel of the site.

Feel free to try and contact the owners -- some of us have tried and they don't seem all that interested. Their focus has shifted to cannibis related websites. Seriously.

Sorry, gotcha, but it is a silly decision. A decision that will kill their site.

Chinspinner · #18 08-29-2017, 04:19 PM

Plus you can do this shit free these days. Just move on!

Myers · #19 08-29-2017, 04:23 PM

Yeah -- I don't think they really give a shit. Can't imagine that it's generating any revenue. Must be a nostalgia thing.

And from what I've seen, forum participation is way down across the board anyway. I guess people have found other ways to waste their time -- social media etc. etc.

Chinspinner · #20 08-29-2017, 04:26 PM

Serially just make a new site, that simple

Myers · #21 08-29-2017, 04:29 PM

Okay! Go for it!

I'll help you in my "free time..."

brianpatrick · #22 08-29-2017, 06:13 PM

I access the forum on Tapatalk on my iPhone.

Most of the problems I don't notice.

Yeah, I can't pick my own avatar, but luckily Mo had a bunch of good ones.

I think if this forum got back to some critical mass the owners would fix it. Until then... this is what you want; this is what you get.

Myers · #23 08-29-2017, 06:21 PM

Doubt it will ever reach critical mass.

Even if you go to the one or two writing sites that are busy now -- the areas for writers who have a snowball's chance in hell of reaching some wider audience aren't much busier than this -- or it's just a bunch of people patting themselves on the back.

Sad to say -- but I think the days of the fairly serious writing site are over...

brianpatrick · #24 08-29-2017, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by Myers

Doubt it will ever reach critical mass.

Even if you go to the one or two writing sites that are busy now -- the areas for writers who have a snowball's chance in hell of reaching some wider audience aren't much busier than this -- or it's just a bunch of people patting themselves on the back.

Sad to say -- but I think the days of the fairly serious writing site are over...

Yeah. It's just too easy these days to get in contact with what you need, if you need anything.

Through this site and others I have emails and phone numbers of dozens of good writers.

It is fun here though. We probably chase away more people than we welcome in, but I never feel like it's MY fault😀

Myers · #25 08-29-2017, 06:40 PM

Yeah -- that was the main benefit.

I'm still in contact with some really good writers -- mostly from the halcyon days of the writing site -- some going back almost ten years now.

That would be a lot harder to do these days, I think.

I still think that most writers who have any kind of success don't or wouldn't bother with writing sites -- they just get it done.

brianpatrick · #26 08-29-2017, 07:54 PM

It's good to see some smart people filtering back in.

Smart people are so much more fun than dumb ones😀

brianpatrick · #27 08-29-2017, 07:54 PM

Sorry... that was probably insensitive

Myers · #28 08-30-2017, 03:47 AM

Smart people?

Grace Gabriel · #29 08-30-2017, 05:49 AM

Originally Posted by Myers

Doubt it will ever reach critical mass.

Even if you go to the one or two writing sites that are busy now -- the areas for writers who have a snowball's chance in hell of reaching some wider audience aren't much busier than this -- or it's just a bunch of people patting themselves on the back.

Sad to say -- but I think the days of the fairly serious writing site are over...

I came across this site quite by chance. I didn't have any interest in 'writing tips and advice' or the like. What made The Beat attractive (and still does) is the level of intelligent and respectful communication. Other sites with more active boards have crude or vulgar themes to tantalise their predominantly illiterate members. I don't want to trawl through sixty replies comprising solely of emoji faces accompanied by lol or roflmao - I'd rather read one, quality response. Anything longer than a sentence these days seems to qualify as heavy duty literatrure. I don't feel compelled to give thoughtful consideration to thread titles such as "Should I Do Her Or Not?"

Occasional forages on XERQ to catch up with Flea and Jats remind me why I like this site. I prefer posters who just use the occasional four letter word as a refreshing break from the longer ones.

Myers · #30 08-30-2017, 07:23 AM

Back when I first started writing, there were great "Members Only" style workshops at two of the other more notable writing sites -- one in particular.

Lots of good writing, great feedback and a real spirit of friendly competition.

That's the dragon I'm still chasing, I suppose.

All the rest is a bit of sideshow, a sometimes pleasant and occasionally enlightening diversion that gives me a little window into how people think and behave -- although sometimes it's all a colossal waste of time...