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About MyOtaku

MyOtaku is the old blogging system for TheOtaku; instead of Worlds, there are sites. New members can not join MyOtaku to make a site. I’m guessing that the reason for this restriction is that TheOtaku’s managers are hoping that eventually all of the old MyOtaku users will die, get lost, or switch to TheOtaku’s Worlds.


When VersionVibrant went up, MyOtaku lost some somewhat minor features. At first, MyOtaku lost the link to users’ inboxes, so users were forced to go to TheOtaku to check their messages. Now, MyOtaku users have got the PM link back, but it only says that there are 0 new PMs. Also, there was a comment/reply management system that was similar to the one that’s currently on TheOtaku, but the managers never gave that back to MyOtaku. The page that displayed members’ popularity based on the number of visits their sites received was never returned to MyOtaku, as well. That page would also display the usernames of new members and of members who recently updated their sites.


Another thing that MyOtaku lost was the old comment box, where avatars would appear next the user’s name, and font and colour options were available (for each comment, so you weren’t stuck with the same thing for all of your comments). When VersionVibrant was first put up, members couldn’t make paragraphs in their comments. Now, MyOtaku members have got the avatars and paragraphs back, but they still don’t have the font and colour options, or the new edit and reply features. However, the comment box on MyOtaku is still better than the comment box on TheOtaku, since users are able to move it around. Many users like to type their comments while reading the post or looking at the artwork, so they can type everything that comes to mind. The new comment boxes on TheOtaku stay in the centre of the screen and shade the rest of the page.


The guestbook on MyOtaku is much better, and signers still have font and colour options. Also, the guestbook is accessible from a member’s site, and it isn’t just another comment box; it’s a separate page on the site. Guestbooks are more for making friends and leaving comments that don’t always relate to art, so it makes more sense to have the guestbook located where its owner blogs. However, in this area the managers still haven’t given back the users’ avatars that would be next to their signing, after VersionVibrant’s installment.

By taking away the somewhat minor features mentioned above, forbidding new members from blogging on MyOtaku, and not improving MyOtaku at all while making all those changes with VersionVibrant, it is obvious that TheOtaku’s managers want to get rid of MyOtaku eventually. Maybe I’m getting a bit ahead of myself there; I should start telling y’all about the ways that MyOtaku’s sites are better than TheOtaku’s Worlds, and that forcing users to use the cruddier blogging system is unfair.


To start, sites are much more customizable than Worlds. Similarly to MySpace, if you or a friend has some knowledge of HTML, you can make your site look anyway that you’d like it to look. There is a 1500 character limit to the amount of text that can be used to customize a site, but that limit can be easily bypassed (hehe). To be honest, though, I don’t think people bypassing this limit has become a major problem, since a good amount of users also like to keep their sites simple (not coming close to exceeding the limit). Here are just a few examples of sites that have been customized:





Besides having no limits on the basic appearance of a site, there also isn’t a limit on the amount of pictures, music players, or videos that can be in a post (or in the introduction section). Also, members are not restricted to embedding only YouTube videos. And the amount of posts that are displayed on the main page of a user’s site can be changed. Not to mention, the quiz results page is pretty cool, since you can show off prettyful quiz results, and the results can come from any quiz website.


MyOtaku’s way of showing updates is superior to almost every website that I know; DeviantArt is pretty much even with its inbox-like way of showing updates. MyOtaku’s update system is a list of all your friends’ usernames with the dates of their last update next to them and the most recently updated are highlighted with a light blue. The new update system on TheOtaku only shows which members have recently updated and included in these recent updates are art updates as well. Since I don’t get on very often, I miss a lot of updates, so I like to go down the list of dates to find out who has updated since my last visit. Now, I have no idea how many of my friends are using Worlds or when they last updated anything, since I only see that a few of them updated in the past day or so! >.< It’s very frustrating and inconvenient. (Fun fact: MyOtaku’s update system was used for a short time on TheOtaku for art updates. I have no idea why the managers changed it.)

The best thing about MyOtaku is its friendly atmosphere, though. And I have yet to find another website with such a vast majority of nice members. Unfortunately, despite still having friendly members, the atmosphere on TheOtaku is no longer friendly. People definitely don’t comment on Worlds as much as they did on sites (possibly because of the update system problems), and sites are getting less comments than before because no new members have been coming and old members have been going. It’s getting lonely around here!

TheOtaku has become more art and profit-oriented. Well, TheOtaku was the art part of the MyOtaku/TheOtaku relationship. However, since Worlds are failing at being a good blogging system and MyOtaku has been abandoned, all that’s left is the art. Then there’s this Premium membership stuff. If TheOtaku’s staff members are getting a little tight for money, I’m sure that many members would be happy to DONATE, but restricting certain features from regular members is lousy. Where’s the love in that? Also, I thought that TheOtaku wouldn’t really need the money, since it was selling that artbook and art lessons…? So far I haven’t seen any major problems developing from the Premium membership stuff, but my experience with DeviantArt tells me that Premium memberships will probably lead to trouble in the future.

Anyways! Back to MyOtaku’s generally friendly atmosphere! ^.^ There was a way that older MyOtaku members would welcome new members and teach them how to make friends, develop good netiquette, and create snazzy sites; forgive me for not remembering the details exactly, but I remember that the teaching involved a level system in which new members who wanted to learn some stuff would start off as padawans, then become Jedi masters who have the option of becoming teachers.

Overall, the users on MyOtaku care about each other. They don’t just want subscribers and favourites; they want to become friends, so they can help each other through the hard times and share the good times. Most of the remaining MyOtaku users are still here for the friendship and the refuge from the real world. That’s what MyOtaku is: a place where everybody is the person that they want to become, thus the members have created their own perfect world to live in.

Areas of Improvement

Now, I didn’t post this to point out only the great things about MyOtaku. I also wanted to point out that there are parts of MyOtaku that still need improvement, and that the managers really have no reason to abandon the better blogging system for this new one. Also, I want y’all to know that I don’t totally hate the new changes made to TheOtaku, since some good ones were still made.


The main problem that comes with MyOtaku is the way that sites using the basic layout get all messed up on Firefox and versions of InternetExplorer over 6. I’ve heard that this problem has something to do with the HTML formatting. But I know some people who seem to know how to get the page back to normal, using HTML formatting, so I doubt that it would be very difficult for TheOtaku’s staff members to fix.

Also, I’ve had a couple friends whose profiles have just stopped working or their accounts have been deleted for no apparent reason. A better security system would be nice for sites, as well. Perhaps an optional security system that gives members the choice to block non-members from viewing their sites.

On MyOtaku, clubs have always seemed difficult to run and participate in. However, here’s where Worlds can actually be useful, if equipped with a better update system! Being able to have multiple Worlds and put them in categories is perfect for clubs; not to mention, having guest posters works well with running a clubl. Also, Worlds are good for users who want to post lots of their written artistic creations (poems, fanfics, reviews, etc.).

Gifts and the chat feature are nice, but I wish that the limit on the amount of gifts that a member could send out wasn’t so low. I have a lot of friends with a lot of birthdays! ^.^; Also, I like that more categories and a fanfiction section have been added, but I hate that the cosplay section was removed (shows how much the managers cared about TheOtaku’s cosplaying community)! But the fancomic section is the best fancomic section that I’ve seen so far.

So what I’m trying to say is that TheOtaku is a fantastic art website, but MyOtaku is a much better blog website. MyOtaku and the older members don’t deserve to be ditched like this, and all of TheOtaku’s members deserve to have the option of using the better blogging system.



Sorry for my lousy vocabulary; I hope that despite it, people are able to grasp the meaning behind the words and are willing to share their thoughts on the matter. Also, I didn’t state every way that TheOtaku could improve because this post is already far too long, and this post is meant to put focus on MyOtaku. Thanks for reading, and it would be even more appreciated if some action could be taken to remedy these issues. ^.^

I applaud you on taking the time to write out this lengthy article about a very nostalgic site. It was nice to read some feedback on something that perhaps people have began to abandon.

There were, however, just a couple things I disagreed with...

First off, I think the premium membership as it is now is completely fair, and people who are willing to spend money on it deserve some sort of special features. And sure, the donation idea is great, but you need to keep the fact in mind that a majority of the active users on the site are not legal adults yet, and their parents may not agree to giving some website on the internet free money.

The premium membership gives people an option, and if they're willing to spend the money then they are ultimately helping out the site. Because let's face it, running a site of this caliber is not pocket-change..

Another thing, I don't believe that theOtaku is any less friendly than MyOtaku. If anything it would be more friendly, and much more open to the community because of the new chat function, as well as the easier way to keep up with your comments and replies you may have gotten around the site. In the past it was almost impossible to realize who commented on what without having to go back and search for yourself.

Thanks for taking the time to write this up though; I'm sure the administrators are thankful to have such in depth feedback. :3

Hmm very interesting article. Since you took the time to write in such a nice article, let me respond to several of your points.

TheOtaku’s managers are hoping that eventually all of the old MyOtaku users will die, get lost, or switch to TheOtaku’s Worlds.

This is fundamentally untrue. MyO members are encouraged to keep their sites if they so desire and there is no mandated requirement to switch to TheOtaku's Worlds system. We want to keep as many members as we can, not shun them away like red-headed stepchildren.

Now, for progresses's sake, it's kind of old news to keep things the way they are. There were problems with MyOtaku as well and some of them actually stemmed from the amount of customization options that were affored to the members because of the HTML format that dominated the system. Some sites, while nifty, possessed an unessecary amount of clutter and didn't look as nice. Sometimes simplicity can be more elegant than "OMG LOOK I HAVE A MUSIC PLAYER AND PICCIES ALL OVER MY SITE, DOHOHOHO :3 "

When VersionVibrant went up, MyOtaku lost some somewhat minor features. At first, MyOtaku lost the link to users’ inboxes, so users were forced to go to TheOtaku to check their messages. Now, MyOtaku users have got the PM link back, but it only says that there are 0 new PMs. Also, there was a comment/reply management system that was similar to the one that’s currently on TheOtaku, but the managers never gave that back to MyOtaku. The page that displayed members’ popularity based on the number of visits their sites received was never returned to MyOtaku, as well. That page would also display the usernames of new members and of members who recently updated their sites.

Now, this is something that we do want to bring towards TheOtaku. TheO as it is now is sort of a "one-stop shop". Think about it. You can check your PM inbox, have your own blog/space to customize however you wish (within parameters), availibility to see who has updated their sites or uploaded new art, e-cards, wallpaper...etc etc. The reason that all of this has been brought to theO is to make it more convient for all the members. The link to the popularity of members is on theOtaku's page , because a good percentage of members have transferred over to VV's new, more efficient design.

Another thing that MyOtaku lost was the old comment box, where avatars would appear next the user’s name, and font and colour options were available (for each comment, so you weren’t stuck with the same thing for all of your comments). When VersionVibrant was first put up, members couldn’t make paragraphs in their comments. Now, MyOtaku members have got the avatars and paragraphs back, but they still don’t have the font and colour options, or the new edit and reply features. However, the comment box on MyOtaku is still better than the comment box on TheOtaku, since users are able to move it around. Many users like to type their comments while reading the post or looking at the artwork, so they can type everything that comes to mind. The new comment boxes on TheOtaku stay in the centre of the screen and shade the rest of the page.

This is odd, because my computer displays the avatars just fine, no problems. Perhaps it is your computer? Also, theO does allow customization options for comment styles in your profile, so you can pick your font color and style instead of using the drop down menu's everytime you posted. Now all you have to do is type and click send. Easier, right?

TheO's comment box may need some tweaking, but I actually like the box the way it is. There is also an edit feature that you can use in case you have to make any modifications to your posts. So if something else does come to mind, you can edit your post and add in whatever you want.

The guestbook on MyOtaku is much better, and signers still have font and colour options. Also, the guestbook is accessible from a member’s site, and it isn’t just another comment box; it’s a separate page on the site. Guestbooks are more for making friends and leaving comments that don’t always relate to art, so it makes more sense to have the guestbook located where its owner blogs. However, in this area the managers still haven’t given back the users’ avatars that would be next to their signing, after VersionVibrant’s installment.

I have no problem with the Guestbook as it is on VV and I think that it's great that it's not another page. It makes things a lot more convient to just click on a member's site and click their guestbook and make an entry right on the page. Again, you are able to select your comment style on your profile page, so you still have an option to select the color and font of your post.

By taking away the somewhat minor features mentioned above, forbidding new members from blogging on MyOtaku, and not improving MyOtaku at all while making all those changes with VersionVibrant, it is obvious that TheOtaku’s managers want to get rid of MyOtaku eventually. Maybe I’m getting a bit ahead of myself there; I should start telling y’all about the ways that MyOtaku’s sites are better than TheOtaku’s Worlds, and that forcing users to use the cruddier blogging system is unfair.

No one is forbidden from blogging on their myotaku site, in fact, several users in my personal friends list update their MyOtaku quite frequently. In fact, you can even see that in your updates in your backroom on theOtaku. So, post away and others will be able to see it if they are suscribed to you.

Again, no one is forcing to use the worlds system. I actually like the design modules better than MyOtaku and it's easier to make a dazzling page without having to be a whiz at HTML coding.

MyOtaku’s way of showing updates is superior to almost every website that I know; DeviantArt is pretty much even with its inbox-like way of showing updates. MyOtaku’s update system is a list of all your friends’ usernames with the dates of their last update next to them and the most recently updated are highlighted with a light blue. The new update system on TheOtaku only shows which members have recently updated and included in these recent updates are art updates as well. Since I don’t get on very often, I miss a lot of updates, so I like to go down the list of dates to find out who has updated since my last visit. Now, I have no idea how many of my friends are using Worlds or when they last updated anything, since I only see that a few of them updated in the past day or so! >.< It’s very frustrating and inconvenient. (Fun fact: MyOtaku’s update system was used for a short time on TheOtaku for art updates. I have no idea why the managers changed it.)

The update system I think is more efficient and better than MyOtaku. When you think about it, the system on MyOtaku only shows you who updated their site. The new system shows many different things besides just the Worlds posts. You can see new Fan Art, Wallpapers, E-Cards and even MyOtaku updates. You can even filter the the search to worlds, submissions and even jump from member to member. Of course, the limitations of such a system makes it so that you can't see who has updated in the past few days if you haven't been on. It's a tough decision, for sure, but I think it ended up better in retrospect.

The best thing about MyOtaku is its friendly atmosphere, though. And I have yet to find another website with such a vast majority of nice members. Unfortunately, despite still having friendly members, the atmosphere on TheOtaku is no longer friendly. People definitely don’t comment on Worlds as much as they did on sites (possibly because of the update system problems), and sites are getting less comments than before because no new members have been coming and old members have been going. It’s getting lonely around here!

I really can't believe that theOtaku is less friendly now than it ever was. I find that the system on theOtaku actually encourages camraderie more than ever. We expanded the site to have a community chat function, which allows you to interact with other Otakuites in real-time. What can be better right? Now you get to chat with all the oldies that you talk to on MyOtaku or theO.

Now as far as the sites getting less traffic, more specifically the worlds, it's because no can see when you update your world unless they are suscribed to you, much like your buddy list on MyOtaku. But since you recieve updates every time they contribute to the site, you can see and comment whenever. So I don't forsee that being a problem.

Concerning the declining amount of traffic on MyOtaku, I believe that's a sign of theOtaku's emerging presence as a site. People are more attracted to the "one-stop-shop" format and can do everything on one site, instead of jumping from site to site to site. So it's just a symbol of the times.

TheOtaku has become more art and profit-oriented. Well, TheOtaku was the art part of the MyOtaku/TheOtaku relationship. However, since Worlds are failing at being a good blogging system and MyOtaku has been abandoned, all that’s left is the art. Then there’s this Premium membership stuff. If TheOtaku’s staff members are getting a little tight for money, I’m sure that many members would be happy to DONATE, but restricting certain features from regular members is lousy. Where’s the love in that? Also, I thought that TheOtaku wouldn’t really need the money, since it was selling that artbook and art lessons…? So far I haven’t seen any major problems developing from the Premium membership stuff, but my experience with DeviantArt tells me that Premium memberships will probably lead to trouble in the future.

I completely disagree. I don't think theOtaku is becoming more profit-oriented at all. Most features on the site are completely free. Aside from a few products (Art of Otaku) and the premium membership, nothing costs anything. As far as being dominated by art goes, I think theOtaku has always been art dominated. In my history with the site (over 6 years) I have always seen news, art, cosplays (RIP), and things of a more artsy nature. That really hasn't changed with Version Vibrant launching.

Premium memberships have been a part of many sites and the premium members have had the luxury to more features than those who are not premium members. You mentioned Deviantart as an example, however, as you may well know, Deviantart has had some problems with trolling, flaming and overall problems with their member base. TheOtaku has mostly free features and in my opinion has a better staff than Deviantart does. We work really hard to keep the quality of the site up. As far as donations or paying money towards Art of Otaku goes, that is not really trying to garner money for the site. Art of Otaku is a product that theOtaku offers and you are not obligated to buy it, nor are you obligated to buy premium membership. I am not a premium member on theOtaku and I enjoy myself thoroughly on the site.

Anyways! Back to MyOtaku’s generally friendly atmosphere! ^.^ There was a way that older MyOtaku members would welcome new members and teach them how to make friends, develop good netiquette, and create snazzy sites; forgive me for not remembering the details exactly, but I remember that the teaching involved a level system in which new members who wanted to learn some stuff would start off as padawans, then become Jedi masters who have the option of becoming teachers.

Overall, the users on MyOtaku care about each other. They don’t just want subscribers and favourites; they want to become friends, so they can help each other through the hard times and share the good times. Most of the remaining MyOtaku users are still here for the friendship and the refuge from the real world. That’s what MyOtaku is: a place where everybody is the person that they want to become, thus the members have created their own perfect world to live in.

Now I may not have seen this on Myotaku because I learned almost everything myself, but I do see things of this nature on theOtaku as well. In fact you can introduce yourself on theOtaku and have people comment back to you, including all of the older members. In fact, if anyone actually approaches me that needs help, I'm more than willing to do so, as are most members. However, it's not really our "job" to do so. It was just a nice thing that older members did.

I'm not sure what you mean about theOtaku members not caring for each other. I've had a great deal of friends on theOtaku and have made many more through the chat function. So, it's a case by case basis, I suppose.

But I have to disagree with you about the suscribers and favorites on myOtaku. I had many members on my site that would not update or even comment on my posts or work, so I was just a statistic to them. It happens with social networking sites, as you may know. But I feel that theOtaku can be a refuge and place of freindship, it's just how you view the world.

Again, thank you for the detailed response. It's nice to recieve feedback like this.

Without getting into the detail of the OP (there are plenty of general points I agree with, as well as many I don't), I just want to point one thing out.

Before Version Vibrant was on the table, I was talking with Adam about doing a new version of myOtaku. In fact, we had a design ready to go.

The problem was that myOtaku wasn't built to be expanded as needed. Also if we'd done a major upgrade, we would have destroyed a lot of content - especially people's custom pages.

Although I was really opposed to the idea of splitting the userbase between myOtaku and theOtaku, it was necessary to build an entirely new site, because it wasn't physically possible to do what we had to do with myOtaku.

Remember, kids, before you go start assuming everything has turned against you and abandoned what you love, talk to the guy at the top first. Often, the Why of a situation will help you understand the necessity of the What.

Originally Posted by Korey

This is fundamentally untrue. MyO members are encouraged to keep their sites if they so desire and there is no mandated requirement to switch to TheOtaku's Worlds system.

Since MyOtaku isn’t getting any new members, MyOtaku is becoming less and less active. Eventually MyOtaku members are going to get lonely, since there’ll be less posts and comments made (if that’s not already the case, because it’s starting to get rather dead around there). It may not be a requirement to switch, but in the lonely end, is there really a choice for those remaining?

Originally Posted by Korey

Now, this is something that we do want to bring towards TheOtaku. TheO as it is now is sort of a "one-stop shop". Think about it. You can check your PM inbox, have your own blog/space to customize however you wish (within parameters), availibility to see who has updated their sites or uploaded new art, e-cards, wallpaper...etc etc. The reason that all of this has been brought to theO is to make it more convient for all the members. The link to the popularity of members is on theOtaku's page , because a good percentage of members have transferred over to VV's new, more efficient design.

I don’t have a problem with my inbox being on TheOtaku. It’s just that if I’ve only been on MyOtaku and I wanna know if I’ve received any new messages, the link on MyOtaku to my inbox only tells me that I have “0 new messages.” I know it’s only 1 click to find out, but it’s still slightly irritating. As for the popularity page that used to be on MyOtaku, the reason that most MyOtaku users miss it is that it was a good way to meet new members (this is rendered obsolete due to the loss of new members on MyOtaku, though). However, it would be nice to know who still updates their sites with this page, since there aren’t as many MyOtaku users left.

Originally Posted by Korey

This is odd, because my computer displays the avatars just fine, no problems. Perhaps it is your computer? Also, theO does allow customization options for comment styles in your profile, so you can pick your font color and style instead of using the drop down menu's everytime you posted. Now all you have to do is type and click send. Easier, right?

I can still see the avatars in the comment box, but avatars can’t be seen any more in guestbooks that follow the basic layout for MyOtaku sites; I know that members can always customize their guestbooks to see the avatars, but it’s just another minor inconvenience. The drop down menu for every comment was good for members who like to use different colours in each of comment, but there are other members who prefer to have one colour for all comments. An option for a single colour or the choice of different colours for each comment should be offered to be fair. Also, for the different colour per comment members, having to go to the profile page every time they want to comment with a different colour is less easy.

Originally Posted by Korey

There is also an edit feature that you can use in case you have to make any modifications to your posts. So if something else does come to mind, you can edit your post and add in whatever you want.

Members of MyOtaku would like this feature, as well, and the old colour-rific comment box back. XD

Originally Posted by Korey

I have no problem with the Guestbook as it is on VV and I think that it's great that it's not another page. It makes things a lot more convient to just click on a member's site and click their guestbook and make an entry right on the page.

The guestbook on MyOtaku is better for that reason; you’re on a user’s site, then you click the guestbook link, and type your signing. With the guestbook on TheOtaku you’re on a member’s World, then you have to click to go to their profile, then open the guestbook comment box, and type your signing (=more clicks). Also, if you want to visit more pages on a user’s site (portfolio, quiz results, friends of the user’s sites, and any customized pages), the other pages are only 1 click away.

Originally Posted by Korey

No one is forbidden from blogging on their myotaku site, in fact, several users in my personal friends list update their MyOtaku quite frequently. In fact, you can even see that in your updates in your backroom on theOtaku. So, post away and others will be able to see it if they are suscribed to you.

Again, no one is forcing to use the worlds system. I actually like the design modules better than MyOtaku and it's easier to make a dazzling page without having to be a whiz at HTML coding.

New members aren’t able to update their profiles on MyOtaku, so they’re stuck with the plain, white and grey, basic design. I don’t know if new members are able to post or comment on MyOtaku posts, but most new members would probably want to have at least some colour or a picture or two in their blog introduction section (hello, Worlds).

As for being a whiz at HTML coding, there was that old system of teaching new user’s with the Jedi Knight system. I love the way that it’s Star Wars! Haha! ^.^ Also, some members design layouts for sites, and they are willing to share those layouts. Of course, many users are also willing to answer the questions of members who don’t know about HTML coding. It’s not very difficult to find out the secrets of HTML coding, and considering the many different ways to customize a site using HTML coding, investing some time into it is worth it.

Originally Posted by Korey

The update system I think is more efficient and better than MyOtaku. When you think about it, the system on MyOtaku only shows you who updated their site. The new system shows many different things besides just the Worlds posts. You can see new Fan Art, Wallpapers, E-Cards and even MyOtaku updates.

(See the Fun Fact thingy) TheOtaku used to have an update system just for members’ portfolios that was the same as the update system on MyOtaku for a short while (this was a time before Worlds, by the way). It allowed you to see when a member last updated their portfolio and had recent updates highlighted with orange, so you wouldn’t miss any older updates, like we do now.

Originally Posted by Korey

Now as far as the sites getting less traffic, more specifically the worlds, it's because no can see when you update your world unless they are suscribed to you, much like your buddy list on MyOtaku. But since you recieve updates every time they contribute to the site, you can see and comment whenever. So I don't forsee that being a problem.

Less comments on Worlds isn’t a problem because of a lack of subscribers. The problem is caused by the fact that members who are busy, like me, and can’t be on TheOtaku/MyOtaku all the time and/or are subscribed to a lot of people can’t view older updates, since only a few recent updates are shown with VersionVibrant’s update system. So we busy/subscriber-happy folk don’t know who to comment on, since we don’t know if anything new to comment on has been made.

Originally Posted by Korey

…You mentioned Deviantart as an example, however, as you may well know, Deviantart has had some problems with trolling, flaming and overall problems with their member base. TheOtaku has mostly free features and in my opinion has a better staff than Deviantart does. We work really hard to keep the quality of the site up. As far as donations or paying money towards Art of Otaku goes, that is not really trying to garner money for the site. Art of Otaku is a product that theOtaku offers and you are not obligated to buy it, nor are you obligated to buy premium membership. I am not a premium member on theOtaku and I enjoy myself thoroughly on the site.

So far I haven’t seen any major problems emerging from the Premium membership stuff, and I imagine that the reason that problems haven’t emerged is due to the superior staff here. ^.^ I didn’t know that Art of Otaku didn’t provide any money for TheOtaku’s maintenance, but aren’t online lessons offered, as well…? In that case, TheOtaku should be paid some money in offering online lessons, since TheOtaku is the website that’s hosting/providing the lessons (and of course the rest of the money would go to the artist providing the lessons, if they requested pay).

Originally Posted by Kimmeh

First off, I think the premium membership as it is now is completely fair, and people who are willing to spend money on it deserve some sort of special features. And sure, the donation idea is great, but you need to keep the fact in mind that a majority of the active users on the site are not legal adults yet, and their parents may not agree to giving some website on the internet free money.

The premium membership gives people an option, and if they're willing to spend the money then they are ultimately helping out the site. Because let's face it, running a site of this caliber is not pocket-change..

Well, I don’t think that most parents would let their kid buy a Premium membership just so their kid can have a cupcake next to their username. XD I can see some parents letting their kids buy the Premium membership for the Art of Otaku book, but I think you can buy that separately…

Originally Posted by Korey

Now, for progresses's sake, it's kind of old news to keep things the way they are. There were problems with MyOtaku as well and some of them actually stemmed from the amount of customization options that were affored to the members because of the HTML format that dominated the system. Some sites, while nifty, possessed an unessecary amount of clutter and didn't look as nice. Sometimes simplicity can be more elegant than "OMG LOOK I HAVE A MUSIC PLAYER AND PICCIES ALL OVER MY SITE, DOHOHOHO :3 "

After reading Kimmeh’s reply, then this reply, I got thinking. :P Since Art of Otaku doesn’t make much of an impact on the costs of running TheOtaku/MyOtaku, why don’t Premium members get the option of creating a customizable site on MyOtaku? At least that way Premium members are paying for whatever additional costs they’ll make if they decide to make a cluttered site. Also, old members of MyOtaku should be allowed to keep their sites without becoming Premium members, since the older members have been sorta forgotten about/abandoned here. Lastly, experienced members of TheOtaku who are newer, like newer Otaku Legends or something, can be allowed to make sites due to their involvement in the TheOtaku/MyOtaku community (thus earning the option, and promoting involvement); more experienced members would know better than to create clutter sites, as well.

Originally Posted by Korey

I really can't believe that theOtaku is less friendly now than it ever was. I find that the system on theOtaku actually encourages camraderie more than ever. We expanded the site to have a community chat function, which allows you to interact with other Otakuites in real-time. What can be better right? Now you get to chat with all the oldies that you talk to on MyOtaku or theO.

…

I'm not sure what you mean about theOtaku members not caring for each other. I've had a great deal of friends on theOtaku and have made many more through the chat function. So, it's a case by case basis, I suppose.

Originally Posted by Kimmeh

Another thing, I don't believe that theOtaku is any less friendly than MyOtaku. If anything it would be more friendly, and much more open to the community because of the new chat function, as well as the easier way to keep up with your comments and replies you may have gotten around the site. In the past it was almost impossible to realize who commented on what without having to go back and search for yourself.

I’m sorry, but that’s not what I meant! T.T TheOtaku members are just as nice as MyOtaku members. What I was trying to say is that TheOtaku has lost its friendly atmosphere, since members aren’t commenting on Worlds as much as they did on sites (not their fault, as stated above), and it’s an art website, making the website less personal than MyOtaku (the blogging website). Also, I wasn’t trying to say that TheOtaku members are less caring than MyOtaku users; I was trying to point out that there isn’t a difference between bloggers on TheOtaku and bloggers on MyOtaku, since MyOtaku users are just as caring and friendly as the members of TheOtaku. Sorry about my poor communication skills. ^.^;

Also, I really like the chat system too, and I don’t mind that it’s on TheOtaku. It wouldn’t work on MyOtaku unless it had a separate page in the backroom, but it’s better suited for TheOtaku or OtakuBoards. As for the comment management system, MyOtaku had a comment management system for a short while; I’m pretty sure that it included replies, as well.

Originally Posted by James

Before Version Vibrant was on the table, I was talking with Adam about doing a new version of myOtaku. In fact, we had a design ready to go.

The problem was that myOtaku wasn't built to be expanded as needed. Also if we'd done a major upgrade, we would have destroyed a lot of content - especially people's custom pages.

Although I was really opposed to the idea of splitting the userbase between myOtaku and theOtaku, it was necessary to build an entirely new site, because it wasn't physically possible to do what we had to do with myOtaku.

Well, MyOtaku lost some of its old features, so putting those back to normal shouldn’t destroy any content. Fixing the problem with the basic layout for Firefox and the new InternetExplorer shouldn’t be too difficult either; I think it has something to do with sizing and placement, and other members with customized sites have been able to get their sites to work with the new browsers. It’s good to know that updates for MyOtaku were considered at one time, though.

Originally Posted by Allamorph

Remember, kids, before you go start assuming everything has turned against you and abandoned what you love, talk to the guy at the top first. Often, the Why of a situation will help you understand the necessity of the What.

The last time I contacted Adam about the lack of attention that MyOtaku was receiving and the loss of those few features, he only restored the comment box and the PM link to what it is now. However, he was busier last year with the final touch-ups of VersionVibrant, and he may have forgotten later. So I shall e-mail him the link to this thread. ^.^;

Also, I didn’t want to go straight to Adam, since I wanted to find out some other members’ views on the subject. So thank you for everyone’s responses on this so far, and I encourage more members to offer their views, as well!


P.S. I'm sorry that this is such a long reply, and that it's late (I'm busy).

I still don't comprehend how te atmosphere has changed since VV has dropped. I still think theO is very friendly. People are people, no matter what category you place them in.

But I think you are making some generalizations based upon isolated instances. For example, you mentioned people get busy and don't update or comment because of that. This holds just as true for MyO.

Concerning the guestbook, look at it this way: You go to my site. You see my info. You can sign into my GB, press escape and still be on my site. The GB on myO took you to a different part of the site. You'd have to do more clicking to get back.

Premium members get much more than a free copy of Art of Otaku. I don't know all of the specifics but they do get nice perks. But coming back to the more restrictive Worlds customization options, I still stand firm in saying that "less is more." Myspace has the problem of being too customize-able. Thus, layouts get way too cluttered. Same with MyO's system. It was too customize-able. The beauty of the Worlds system is its simplicity.

Originally Posted by Korey

I still don't comprehend how te atmosphere has changed since VV has dropped. I still think theO is very friendly. People are people, no matter what category you place them in.

But I think you are making some generalizations based upon isolated instances. For example, you mentioned people get busy and don't update or comment because of that. This holds just as true for MyO.

Concerning the guestbook, look at it this way: You go to my site. You see my info. You can sign into my GB, press escape and still be on my site. The GB on myO took you to a different part of the site. You'd have to do more clicking to get back.

The atmosphere has changed because you are unable to hear as much from the nice members on TheOtaku; I have nothing against any of the members on TheOtaku and MyOtaku. The main reason that I'm still on TheOtaku/MyOtaku is for the company of these people.

Well, the update system probably isn't the only reason for less comments on Worlds. I'm sure that there people who just don't like reading and commenting, but I think only a minority of the active members on TheOtaku are like that, since most of the members are nice, caring people.

Are you talking about when you're in a person's portfolio to sign their guestbook? I'm talking about being on a person's World, then going to sign their guestbook to comment about their World's features or something else about their blog. And I already mentioned before that I think guestbooks are better suited for a member's place of blogging, so signers can comment on more personal aspects and make friends, rather than comment on art (but you can comment on art if you want to; it just seems more suitable to comment in an artwork's comment box, not the guestbook). Unless there's a link to the guestbook on Worlds that I don't know about...?

Little Diddy on worlds:

They're not used specifically for blogging. You can use them however. I have multiple worlds that I use for various functions. In fact, I'd say the Worlds are a separate entity from the Portfolio. Thus, the GB is on the portfolio, where you first go when you visit a member.

Art work does have separate comment boxes for each piece when you click the link for them. However, most members sign GB's with "OMG IWUV UR ART!" , so it can be a tad bit confusing.

Make sense?

Originally Posted by sbsp13668

The atmosphere has changed because you are unable to hear as much from the nice members on TheOtaku; I have nothing against any of the members on TheOtaku and MyOtaku. The main reason that I'm still on TheOtaku/MyOtaku is for the company of these people.

Personally, I have to disagree with this point. Though I was a very frequent user of MyO before VV and I did get feedback on my blogging from plenty of pleasant and interesting individuals, I have actually noticed a huge upsurge in communication between myself and other members since switching to the World system. Granted, it might be because I spend a lot of time casually conversing with my friends on the Chat system and in general make a better effort to get to know other people and make myself known now, but I consider it a lot easier to communicate through the Worlds. The ability to have multiple worlds dedicated to whatever you want is a great way to get known, as you can make one essentially a shrine to whatever you want and showcase it for all to see. On top of that, the Guest Poster function allows you to better collaborate with friends and share your likes and dislikes with each other.

tl;dr: The Worlds can seem limited compared to MyO's functionality, but there's plenty of stuff you can use them for that MyO can't do, too. Personally I prefer the World format, but to each their own.

Originally Posted by sbsp13668

The last time I contacted Adam about the lack of attention that MyOtaku was receiving and the loss of those few features, he only restored the comment box and the PM link to what it is now. However, he was busier last year with the final touch-ups of VersionVibrant, and he may have forgotten later. So I shall e-mail him the link to this thread. ^.^;

But have you tried working with him?

The reason the comment box on MyOtaku got fixed after the VV switch was because Desbreko saw the need for a better comment box (let's face it, it got hit pretty bad) and wrote the code for it himself, then presented it to Adam.

Adam is actually rather busy with stuff (mostly involved with running the site), so people who step up and give specific ideas, and even moreso specific solutions to the ideas, will more than likely get listened to. For instance, in the first few weeks of the VV switch I noticed that background images for Worlds were either left-aligned or right-aligned, which made for clunky image breaks in certain resolutions depending on the size of the image, and it occurred to me that being able to center the image would help minimise that clunkiness. I suggested it to him, and the option was added in less than a day.

It's all well and good to say that there needs to be a return (of at least attention if nothing else) to MyOtaku, but what initiative have you taken on fixing the issues, aside from talking about it?

You’ll have to forgive me if I miss some of your points since the initial post and responses are on the long side. I know some of this has been answered already, but bear with me if you don’t mind.

Originally Posted by sbsp13668

New members can not join MyOtaku to make a site. I’m guessing that the reason for this restriction is that TheOtaku’s managers are hoping that eventually all of the old MyOtaku users will die, get lost, or switch to TheOtaku’s Worlds.

I sincerely hope you are joking. Mainly because, why in the world would we want any user to die? x_X Or to get lost for that matter? myOtaku holds a lot of fond memories for people so instead of getting rid of it (which is what often happens when upgrades happen), Adam chose to keep it around for those who joined initially.

Also, new members can’t make a myOtaku page, but they can log in with their theOtaku account and password in order to comment on members pages. So they do have limited access to the older site.

Originally Posted by sbsp13668

The new comment boxes on TheOtaku stay in the centre of the screen and shade the rest of the page.

You do realize that it is a simple matter to type something up in say word or notepad, which is similar to how people would simply move their comment box over to the side, and then simply copy and paste once you are done? It’s not a fix all, but you can get around it being in the way of the post.

Originally Posted by sbsp13668

I should start telling y’all about the ways that MyOtaku’s sites are better than TheOtaku’s Worlds, and that forcing users to use the cruddier blogging system is unfair.

This is obviously going to come down to personal preference really. I like worlds better and anyone who was around before the change can use both, so no one is being forced to use one over the other.

New members who joined after the change were provided with Worlds. How is that unfair? Since they can’t access the older blogging, they were given a new one with features myOtaku lacked to make up for what did not transfer over. As a member of staff, I’ve seen the positives and negatives of both means of blogging. So going down the path of one is better than the other, falls flat pretty fast.

Originally Posted by sbsp13668

To start, sites are much more customizable than Worlds. Similarly to MySpace, if you or a friend has some knowledge of HTML, you can make your site look anyway that you’d like it to look. There is a 1500 character limit to the amount of text that can be used to customize a site, but that limit can be easily bypassed (hehe). To be honest, though, I don’t think people bypassing this limit has become a major problem, since a good amount of users also like to keep their sites simple (not coming close to exceeding the limit). Here are just a few examples of sites that have been customized:

And this is where your argument falls apart a bit. The ability for people to bypass it via customization, lead to numerous issues with people breaking their page and making it unusable. Plus, every time an upgrade was done, it would break these sites that were essentially ‘hacked’.

You’re assuming that people were reasonable and knew what they were doing. It is an easy assumption to make when a member, unlike staff, is not required to deal with the complaints and help people fix the damage that they did by ‘hacking’ their pages.

One of the advantage of the new system is the lack of ‘hacking/customizing’ since in that respect, it means that upgrades are easier to apply and don’t destroy people’s pages anymore.

You’re complaints about number of images and videos allowed falls flat as well. All of these are things that eventually can be upgraded to include more and in fact already have from what was allowed when the new version launched. The same goes for updates. What we have now, can consistently be upgraded to make keeping track of your friends, their submissions and their activities, easier. I already requested a filter and increase in the number of updates showing, and Adam implemented it.

Originally Posted by sbsp13668

TheOtaku has become more art and profit-oriented.

If that were really true, it wouldn’t be a free site. Do a little research into what it takes to run a site the size of theOtaku. Also, it was already covered, but theOtaku has always been about art so in that respect, nothing has changed.

Originally Posted by sbsp13668

But I know some people who seem to know how to get the page back to normal, using HTML formatting, so I doubt that it would be very difficult for TheOtaku’s staff members to fix.

Also, I’ve had a couple friends whose profiles have just stopped working or their accounts have been deleted for no apparent reason. A better security system would be nice for sites, as well. Perhaps an optional security system that gives members the choice to block non-members from viewing their sites.

It’s not as simple as you think. Someone who is an admin, has to go in and literally strip all of the code from the page out. It’s time consuming and tedious to constantly need to go in and fix pages for people.

The security system you wish was incorporated with Worlds. You can set your privacy setting so only members can see your page, or only your friends you’ve subscribed to. You can even set a world where only you can see it. So you’re asking for something that we already have.

Originally Posted by sbsp13668

but I hate that the cosplay section was removed (shows how much the managers cared about TheOtaku’s cosplaying community)!

It has nothing to do with like or dislike but rather priority. Since the launch of Version Vibrant, the fan words (articles) and news have been restored. We still have all of the cosplay data stored and the plan is to eventually work it back in.

Originally Posted by sbsp13668

So what I’m trying to say is that TheOtaku is a fantastic art website, but MyOtaku is a much better blog website. MyOtaku and the older members don’t deserve to be ditched like this, and all of TheOtaku’s members deserve to have the option of using the better blogging system.

No one was ditched. And as much fun as myOtaku was, it is not the better blogging site, at least not in terms of potential upgrades and growth. As James said:

“The problem was that myOtaku wasn't built to be expanded as needed.”

Plain and simple really. It wasn’t that Adam didn’t want to upgrade and make myOtaku more fancy and such, it was that he literally couldn’t.

Bottom line, you’re barking up the wrong tree when it comes to improvements. If something can be done for myOtaku, it is. Like the comment box and pm link, however other things like new members being able to blog, aren’t going to happen. I take each and every suggestion brought forth and present it to Adam at our weekly staff meetings. If it can be done with the older system, he does it, if it’s not that simple, he does not.

On the flip side, like Allamorph just pointed out, a lot of suggestions for Version Vibrant end up being implemented because unlike myOtaku, it is designed for expansion. A lot of the things you want, have a much better chance of happening for theOtaku and Worlds. There are a lot of features that myOtaku couldn’t support that Worlds and the new theOtaku can. Which is why it was created in the first place.

Originally Posted by Allamorph

The reason the comment box on MyOtaku got fixed after the VV switch was because Desbreko saw the need for a better comment box (let's face it, it got hit pretty bad) and wrote the code for it himself, then presented it to Adam.

Actually, I only coded the comment box design because I was bored. Adam had said about a month earlier on his myO page that if anyone sent him a better design, he'd use it, and not one person had contacted him about it. Everyone was whining in his comments about the old design getting scrapped (which was unavoidable because it was tied to the old version of theO, by the way), yet no one was willing to put in any effort to make it better. So I thought, "Hey, I could do that," and banged out the current design in a few hours.

Originally Posted by Desbreko

Actually, I only coded the comment box design because I was bored.

Your point?

All I said was you saw the need, which is a pretty broad coverall. Point is, you didn't have to do it. You decided to do it because no one else was doing it, and so it got done. You didn't join in the wailing at Adam, you took the initiative, bored as you may have been.

Originally Posted by Ace

…The ability to have multiple worlds dedicated to whatever you want is a great way to get known, as you can make one essentially a shrine to whatever you want and showcase it for all to see. On top of that, the Guest Poster function allows you to better collaborate with friends and share your likes and dislikes with each other.

tl;dr: The Worlds can seem limited compared to MyO's functionality, but there's plenty of stuff you can use them for that MyO can't do, too. Personally I prefer the World format, but to each their own.

Originally Posted by Korey

Little Diddy on worlds:

They're not used specifically for blogging. You can use them however. I have multiple worlds that I use for various functions. In fact, I'd say the Worlds are a separate entity from the Portfolio. Thus, the GB is on the portfolio, where you first go when you visit a member.

Art work does have separate comment boxes for each piece when you click the link for them. However, most members sign GB's with "OMG IWUV UR ART!" , so it can be a tad bit confusing.

Make sense?

I like being able to have multiple Worlds, since it is good for making shrines, clubs, and other fandom and art related things. The guest poster function is perfect for those things, as well.

Since most of the users that I know dislike getting guestbook signings such as "OMG IWUV UR ART!", having the guestbook located where a member blogs slightly discourages those types of signings. I know that some users on MyOtaku used to sign guestbooks like that, but having the guestbook located right in a member’s portfolio doesn’t discourage such signings at all.

Originally Posted by Ace

Personally, I have to disagree with this point. Though I was a very frequent user of MyO before VV and I did get feedback on my blogging from plenty of pleasant and interesting individuals, I have actually noticed a huge upsurge in communication between myself and other members since switching to the World system. Granted, it might be because I spend a lot of time casually conversing with my friends on the Chat system and in general make a better effort to get to know other people and make myself known now, but I consider it a lot easier to communicate through the Worlds. …

Most, if not all, of my friends are experiencing a decrease in the amount of comments that they get on Worlds compared to what they had on MyOtaku, even my friends who are popular are receiving less comments. The popular members on MyOtaku would receive 40+ comments on a post without replies from the member who posted. Now, with my friends who are popular on TheOtaku they get 40+ comments with their replies included, and usually it’s a lot of individual replies, so it’s a somewhat significant difference. However, it’s good to hear that this isn’t the case with everybody! ^.^ However, I think that something should still be done to help out those who are experiencing this problem, and I think that fixing the update system might help.

Originally Posted by Allamorph

But have you tried working with him?

The reason the comment box on MyOtaku got fixed after the VV switch was because Desbreko saw the need for a better comment box (let's face it, it got hit pretty bad) and wrote the code for it himself, then presented it to Adam.

Adam is actually rather busy with stuff (mostly involved with running the site), so people who step up and give specific ideas, and even moreso specific solutions to the ideas, will more than likely get listened to. For instance, in the first few weeks of the VV switch I noticed that background images for Worlds were either left-aligned or right-aligned, which made for clunky image breaks in certain resolutions depending on the size of the image, and it occurred to me that being able to center the image would help minimise that clunkiness. I suggested it to him, and the option was added in less than a day.

It's all well and good to say that there needs to be a return (of at least attention if nothing else) to MyOtaku, but what initiative have you taken on fixing the issues, aside from talking about it?

I’m grateful to Desbreko for fixing the old comment box, because it really was terrible at the time, when you couldn’t even make paragraphs. XD

Well, since you asked, here is my e-mail from last year addressing the issues that had started coming up with VersionVibrant. Please note that this was about a year ago, so VersionVibrant was completing its final stages and I hadn’t began to address all of the issues or the issues that have begun to appear now. Also, at the time I was pretty convinced that DeviantArt’s update system was better, but now that I have 900+ deviations from the people who I’m watching to still comment on, so I think that MyOtaku definitely has the superior update system. O.O

“Hiyas! *^.^*‏
From: Theresa Plumb (spongebob_squarepants13668@hotmail.com)

Sent: April 12, 2008 10:06:54 PM
To: adam@theotaku.com


there are 2 captain jacks!?

^ ignore that, it's just a silly thing that pops up in my e-mails ^.^;

Anyways! This is sbsp13668 from TheOtaku/MyOaku/OtakuBoards! *^.^*

I'm sorta responding to your reply on OtakuBoards to my post expressing my concern about MyOtaku and the changes that have been happening around here. Here's the link to the post, if you don't remember (sorry it took me forever to resond ^.^:
http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=58909

I don't want you to get the impression that I hate all the changes you've made and the effort you've put into these changes, because some of them are really great and I'm sure there are even better ones in store for the future! *^.^* Well, onto what I wanted to talk to you about! XD

Hehe, I hope this feedback isn't too inconvenient for you... especially if you've already heard it before. ^.^; Well, the major things that need to be fixed I think are the memberlist for MyOtaku and the subscription feature on TheOtaku. Overall a few changes to MyOtaku would be greatly appreciated, even if you plan on saving them for after all the changes on TheOtaku. ^.^
Alright, a memberlist for MyOtaku might not work out entirely, since new members are going to TheOtaku anyways. But a few links from MyOtaku to the new members' portfolios on TheOtaku would still be handy to have and it would kill that rumour going around that MyOtakuites are mean and anti-social people.

Subscriptions, this was mostly mentioned in that post on OtakuBoards, but I have a few suggestions on how you could try to design it. Since the subscription list limits the updates a member can view, a system that works like an inbox for updates I think would be best. An example of this system would be DeviantArt's; it has 2 separate "inboxes" one for artwork and the other for blogs, replies, and news letters. The downside of this system is that if you go away for a long time you can get overwhelmed with updates. ^.^; So if you have some better ideas go for them ^.~ If DeviantArt's subscription system is to difficult to create, you could temporarily put the system back to the Artist Tracking one with the highlighted usernames and dates of the last update they did...

Lastly, I was wondering if you could tell me what you plan on changing in the future with TheOtaku and MyOtaku because many members are quite curious and MyOtakuites are worried that there may not be a MyOtaku in the future. Please?
Also, I don't have much experience in making websites (certainly nowhere near as much as you do), but if you want any help with adding the changes to TheOtaku and MyOtaku you can always ask me for help ^.^ I'm busy a lot of the time, but if I get any free time I certainly would want to help! Afterall, I love these sites! *^.^*

Well, I've sent you an PM with basically all the same information, so I hope that doesn't make any inconveniences for you either ^.^; Good Luck with improving the sites! I hope you're having a good weekend and I hope you're not feeling sick any more too (your most recent post in your World said you were sick, so get well). I suggest getting lots of sleep, TheOtaku can wait! ^.^ See Yas! *^.^*”

tl; dr To: Adam I don’t hate all of recent changes made to TheOtaku. The new update system doesn’t work well for me; something similar to DeviantArt, or restoring it to the old MyOtaku update system or Art Tracking system would be nice. Returning to inbox link on MyOtaku, and fixing the broken link to portfolios would be nice. Some members and I have been worried that MyOtaku is going to be shut down for good…? I know that you’re busy, so if you want any help handling stuff on MyOtaku, I’m willing to help in anyway that I can, despite my limited capabilities. From: sbsp13668

So yesh, I volunteered to help. I still have limited capabilities, but I’d be willing to find some people who might have experience and are willing to help too. There were details about things that needed improvement in a few areas of the website. As a result, a link to members’ inboxes was made and I think the portfolio link was fixed on sites (it was broken for a while). However, the update system still causes problems for me. Adam was busy at the time, though, so hopefully he has time to make some bigger changes, now.

Originally Posted by SunfallE

You’ll have to forgive me if I miss some of your points since the initial post and responses are on the long side. I know some of this has been answered already, but bear with me if you don’t mind.I sincerely hope you are joking. Mainly because, why in the world would we want any user to die? x_X Or to get lost for that matter? myOtaku holds a lot of fond memories for people so instead of getting rid of it (which is what often happens when upgrades happen), Adam chose to keep it around for those who joined initially.

Ahhh… I’m sorry; again, I suffer from poor communication skills. What I meant to say is that it seems like the managers are hoping that MyOtaku will eventually become inactive due to older users dying off, leaving the website altogether (getting lost), or by switching to TheOtaku. I meant dying off, getting lost, and switching to TheOtaku as ways of leaving MyOtaku, thus decreasing activity on MyOtaku. … I don’t think that the managers are sadistic and/or serial killers. Hehe…

Originally Posted by SunfallE

Also, new members can’t make a myOtaku page, but they can log in with their theOtaku account and password in order to comment on members pages. So they do have limited access to the older site. You do realize that it is a simple matter to type something up in say word or notepad, which is similar to how people would simply move their comment box over to the side, and then simply copy and paste once you are done? It’s not a fix all, but you can get around it being in the way of the post.

I doubt that a lot of members would want to comment on sites, if they aren’t able to make and post on their own, though, not unless a friend of theirs tended to blog more on MyOtaku; are they still able to add friends on MyOtaku and use the update system, by the way? Wordpad has replaced the comment box for me, but I don’t like having to go to the Start menu of my computer just to make a decent comment.

Originally Posted by SunfallE

You’re complaints about number of images and videos allowed falls flat as well. All of these are things that eventually can be upgraded to include more and in fact already have from what was allowed when the new version launched. The same goes for updates. What we have now, can consistently be upgraded to make keeping track of your friends, their submissions and their activities, easier. I already requested a filter and increase in the number of updates showing, and Adam implemented it. … Also, it was already covered, but theOtaku has always been about art so in that respect, nothing has changed. …

The number of pictures allowed in the introduction section and the posts of a World has increased since VersionVibrant was first set up. However, there’s still a limit. Often I find myself a few pictures over the limit from fanart thumbnails, and other features. I don’t have this problem in MyOtaku’s post because it allows an unlimited amount of pictures and videos.

As I stated before, the update system only shows a member the most recent updates per category, and if that member is away for some time, they miss any older updates. Simply increasing the number of updates that appear doesn’t help people who go away for longer periods of time; some people have busy lives outside of the internet, so it can’t be help.

Also, I have no problems with TheOtaku being art-oriented (maybe I wasn’t very clear about that earlier, sorry). TheOtaku was the art part of the TheOtaku/MyOtaku relationship, and that’s really nice, since a lot of anime fans are artists. And TheOtaku is a great anime art website.

Originally Posted by SunfallE

…We still have all of the cosplay data stored and the plan is to eventually work it back in. …

Well, that’s good to hear, but why isn’t this more well-known by other members? I know people who have left TheOtaku/MyOtaku because of the cosplay section being dropped with no sign of returning. T.T

Originally Posted by SunfallE

New members who joined after the change were provided with Worlds. How is that unfair? Since they can’t access the older blogging, they were given a new one with features myOtaku lacked to make up for what did not transfer over. As a member of staff, I’ve seen the positives and negatives of both means of blogging. So going down the path of one is better than the other, falls flat pretty fast. …

Well, since you seem to be saying that whether a member likes MyOtaku over TheOtaku is a matter of opinion, isn’t it more fair to provide members with the option of choosing where they’d like to blog based on this opinion? New members used to be able to blog on MyOtaku, and somehow the changes on VersionVibrant made it so that new members can no longer blog on MyOtaku…? Would it require too much work to provide these new members with a way of making sites and blogging on MyOtaku? For members who are away for long periods of time or have subscribed to a lot of people MyOtaku is the ideal place to blog. Since such members exist on MyOtaku, it seems unfair to make them use the more difficult blogging system.

Originally Posted by SunfallE

The security system you wish was incorporated with Worlds. You can set your privacy setting so only members can see your page, or only your friends you’ve subscribed to. You can even set a world where only you can see it. …

Oops! I forgot that we had that for Worlds; I haven’t modified my World in ages. I’ll tell my friend on MyOtaku who wanted a better security system that there’s one for Worlds. ^.^ Thanks! If it’s possible to get one for MyOtaku, that would be great, but that leads me to my next point…

Originally Posted by SunfallE

…The ability for people to bypass it via customization, lead to numerous issues with people breaking their page and making it unusable. Plus, every time an upgrade was done, it would break these sites that were essentially ‘hacked’.

You’re assuming that people were reasonable and knew what they were doing. It is an easy assumption to make when a member, unlike staff, is not required to deal with the complaints and help people fix the damage that they did by ‘hacking’ their pages.

…

Plain and simple really. It wasn’t that Adam didn’t want to upgrade and make myOtaku more fancy and such, it was that he literally couldn’t.

…Like the comment box and pm link, however other things like new members being able to blog, aren’t going to happen. …

On the flip side, like Allamorph just pointed out, a lot of suggestions for Version Vibrant end up being implemented because unlike myOtaku, it is designed for expansion. A lot of the things you want, have a much better chance of happening for theOtaku and Worlds. There are a lot of features that myOtaku couldn’t support that Worlds and the new theOtaku can. Which is why it was created in the first place.

In that case, then why not make TheOtaku into MyOtaku, but with the benefits of both systems? It makes sense to combine the benefits onto the website that is easier to change/upgrade, so why hasn’t that been done yet? The main reasons that I don’t prefer Worlds for blogging are the problems with the update system, the comment boxes, and the limitations. If changes were made on TheOtaku that fixed these problems, I would consider switching to using my Worlds. However, since the update system hasn’t been going towards the way that it is on MyOtaku, comment boxes haven’t been made movable, and the restrictions are still too much for other users and I, I am sticking up for the old blogging system. (< I am sorry for the amount of commas used in that sentence. O.O I hope it’s not too difficult to read.)


Sorry again for the late response; I’ve been entertaining guests. ^.^; I’m e-mailing Adam as soon as I can after this, so please don’t associate me with someone who wants to wail without knowing anything. Also, I’m sorry about the length; I didn’t expect so many replies, but I am grateful to get them! ^.^