MyOtaku

[Horendithas]

[FONT="Arial"][COLOR="Indigo"][quote name='sbsp13668] [FONT="Arial"']If a member doesn?t have any Worlds, but has a guestbook in their portfolio, then the majority of their signings will probably be "HAY I LIEK UR AVI AND ARTZ. BE MY FRIEND PLZ".[/FONT][/quote]That?s how people chose to comment or sign. No matter where you put it, you have no control over what someone is going to say unless you restrict it in the first place. But if you?re going to do that, you may as well simply delete comments you don?t like since you wouldn?t approve them anyway. So again, people can easily solve it by deleting comments they don?t want on their guestbook.

Like SunfallE, I see this as a non-issue since it?s so easily solved. And coincidentally, the comment tracking system at theOtaku, which tells you where you got a comment and on what, makes tracking down and removing unwanted comments easy to do.[quote name='sbsp13668][FONT="Arial"'] If I have to look for an older post on a user?s site, I find it just as difficult sifting through pages of posts on Worlds as it is on sites. However, I do enjoy the tag-making abilities on Worlds, but since most users don?t use them, it?s still tedious searching the pages.[/FONT][/quote]Actually, searching older posts in worlds is simpler. You have the option to filter what was posted based on what type of post it is (life, guide, essay, fiction, etc) and you can change the view to a list, which gives you the titles for the most recent forty posts. MyOtaku didn?t have this function at all. So any in depth browsing for an earlier post, was time consuming since it had a max of displaying somewhere between five to seven posts per page.

Anyway, like SunfallE said, even if it's not possible for myOtaku, she does keep all suggestions in mind so they can be considered for theOtaku and Worlds. So taking the time to hash it out here, is useful in that respect. I'm sure it had to be a tough decision for Adam to decide to seperate the sites up like that, but if it's not physically possible to expand myOtaku as desired, that kind of leaves you with no choice. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[SomeGuy]

See, you guys've forced me to post. You know this never happens. Good job, team.

The Jedi Master/Padawan thingy he's thinking of was "The Crèche". It was a blog set up by Dark Phoenix ("Shanny") as a means to set up a mentor/pupil setup. Exactly as he mentioned.


It was also completely 100% user-generated and user-run. It's something that could absolutely be done in theOtaku Worlds. In fact, there IS a method for new members to get mentors if they so wish them in the "new member introductions" page. It may not be Star Wars themed like the Master/Padawan system . . . but let's face it, Shanny quite unabashedly ripped that system off of TheForce.net's forums.

[sbsp13668]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="2"][quote name='Allamorph'][FONT="Arial"]Lastly, your font size and format are murder on the eyes. If you drop it down to size 2 it'd be a lot better for all involved.[/FONT][/QUOTE]

Sorry; I thought it was easier to read, since it was big. I?m happy to drop it down a notch. :P Also, I?ll just state what I?ve been thinking before replying to specific comments/parts of comments, since that seems to have been creating some confusion and it?ll keep me from repeating myself too much.

I don?t want TheOtaku to become exactly like MyOtaku because there are flaws with MyOtaku. However, there are also flaws with TheOtaku, and when I say that I?d like TheOtaku to become more similar to MyOtaku, I mean to have similar benefits (not similar problems). The most important of these benefits are the update system and customization options.

If a better update system for TheOtaku is being worked on and has been taking a very long time (more than a year) to set up, then that?s great. However, there haven?t been many signs of the update system being upgraded to help members who can?t get on TheOtaku/MyOtaku as much or have subscribed to a lot of people. The update system that I?m thinking of is one that shows specific updates with their titles and can be sorted into the different categories (like we have now), but it shows as a list of the subscribed usernames and can show when the users? last updates were. Since this system is hard to get set up, I?m still willing to help in [I]any[/I] way that I can.

All of my friends who have been updating on MyOtaku after VersionVibrant was set up have said that they prefer MyOtaku mostly because of the customization option. I?m not saying that TheOtaku should be made totally customizable, if it?s not possible, but several more options to make Worlds look different would be nice. Also, I?m not saying that the Worlds?design should be changed completely because some people like that design; I mean, provide people with the option of switching up more of the deisgn. Although members who won?t switch to TheOtaku mainly because of the lack of customization options still probably won?t switch over, I can see most members on TheOtaku still benefiting from more options.

Please don?t think that I?m saying that active TheOtaku users don?t have lives, and that that?s the reason that they enjoy the current update system. I?m saying that the users who aren?t benefiting from the current update system are those who are busy and can?t get on for weeks or months; that?s the difference between the people who prefer TheOtaku?s update system and the people who prefer MyOtaku?s update system, one is able to get on the website more than the other. Simply being busy isn?t the only reason that some members have to leave for long periods of time, but these users share the same problem.

As for members who have subscribed to many other members, I don?t see this as a bad thing, if the member who has subscribed to many people intends to keep up with the updates. Since we all enjoy TheOtaku/MyOtaku partly for the friends that we?ve made here, making a lot of friends should be a good thing if it?s possible to keep in touch well with them. (The reason that I?ve subscribed to so many members is due to the fact that I made a lot of friends on MyOtaku when I had lots of free time [years ago], so I subscribed to a lot of my MyOtaku friends on TheOtaku). Also, when I said that it would take forever to visit each of my friends? portfolios to find out whether or not they updated anything, I meant that if I did so, there wouldn?t be time left to comment on all of their updates, which is quite the inconvenience.

It seems that we all pretty much agree on eventually fixing TheOtaku?s update system and getting more customization options, so there isn?t a reason to continue debating these??

Someone suggested polling people to find out how many people preferred certain things; I didn?t conduct a bunch of polls before posting this because that would take too long, and by the end of it I wouldn?t have enough time to address the issue anyways. Also, since there aren?t a lot of people left of MyOtaku and those who still are have expressed their reasons for staying, so I?d say that my friends and their friends are still a considerable amount who have reasons to use the older blogging system. However, I think we?ve reached a stalemate about the guestbooks, coming down to personal opinion, so maybe we should conduct a poll about the guestbooks?? Where should it be put, though, TheOtaku or OtakuBoards? I think TheOtaku would be a good place to hold the poll on the home page, since not everybody uses OtakuBoards, but most people at least visit TheOtaku. O.O

Also, it?s rather rude to assume that all of MyOtaku?s users are nostalgic and hate change, or prefer MyOtaku?s familiarity. One of my friends who went away for a while before VersionVibrant came up said that they were sticking with MyOtaku because they didn?t understand all of the changes to TheOtaku (so they were having trouble navigating and submitting art and such). However, none of my friends have said or implied that they just hate TheOtaku because it changed, and most of them enjoy some of the changes that occurred on TheOtaku. Many of my friends on MyOtaku enjoy Worlds as a way to feature art and clubs, as I said before. So it?s not like I want to get rid of Worlds either. Nor do I think that all of the changes made to TheOtaku were terrible, and I enjoy them, as I have said many times before.

So now I know that it isn?t possible at all for new members to gain access to MyOtaku because of the technical limitations. Maybe some minor things can be added of MyOtaku still to show that the members who prefer MyOtaku aren?t going to be ignored simply for being a minority?? I mean, the minor additions can come after all the major additions to TheOtaku, and that?ll be in a long time, but it would be good to know that TheOtaku cares about [I]all[/I] of its members. That?s what I?ve been trying to get at: provide some benefits for the minority of TheOtaku/MyOtaku?s users, as long as it doesn?t hurt the majority. Parts of the majority can probably benefit from some of the suggested changes, as well. I?m assuming that MyOtaku will eventually get some additions because there?s still an open thread about suggestions/features for MyOtaku here?

The minor changes that could be made are fixing the PM link, restoring the colour options in the comment box, edit button for comments on MyOtaku, and maybe setting up the reply management system (or getting the one on TheOtaku to manage replies from MyOtaku, as well, if that?s possible)??

For some reason I?m being accused of brushing people off and not promoting discussion. I?m assuming that this is a misunderstanding, since I?ve said several times that further discussion would be greatly appreciated (and still is). Also, it seems that we are all getting things out of this discussion. Y?all are receiving feedback about TheOtaku/MyOtaku, and considering certain upgrades (update system, less limitations, etc.). And I?m learning about the limitations of running a website and changing my feedback accordingly. So I don?t think that it?s fair to assume that any of us aren?t listening to each other. ^.~

As for my lack of knowledge (leading to the learning about running a website stuff), I don?t know what to research because I don?t know where to start (feel free to tell me where). This is the ?Information Kiosk?, though, and it seems to provide questions and answers, so I didn?t think that my lack of knowledge would make me such an outcast. O.O; Also, I offer my opinion on a lot of this stuff (like most other people here as well) because I thought it was encouraged, and that my friends share similar opinions?

I quickly went to Adam?s blogging World to see what this stuff about a game is, but I couldn?t find anything. So what?s this about? I?m just curious, since a bunch of people mentioned it. ^.^

Now, onto a few specific replies? sorry if this gets too long.

[quote name='Korey'][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"][COLOR="navy"]?So if this is seriously an issue that needs to be adressed, you would round up your posse and make your voices heard.[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE][/QUOTE]

I know, I gotta get my friends out here to show that I?m not the only person who wants this stuff. I might get to it next weekend, but no guarantees? o.O

[quote name='Sangome'][SIZE="1"]The news[I] category[/I] itself may not, but if you look right down below it, there's a little column entitled [B]Official Updates[/B].[/SIZE][/QUOTE]

Hehe. ^.^; Sorry, I didn?t notice that recently. ^.^;

[quote name='Sangome'][SIZE="1"]super late edit: Also, this debate of yours seems a weeeeeeee bit out of left field, especially considering most of the MyO/World drama was well over a year ago. Just sayin'.[/SIZE][/QUOTE]

Yesh, it [I]does[/I] seem to have settled down a bit. I brought it up again to remind people of the issues, and because I have some time now. XD

[quote name='Allamorph'][FONT="Arial"]?Also, the Worlds show a standard five posts per page, whereas MyOtaku was extremely variable, sometimes showing three posts per page and sometimes only showing one.[/FONT][/QUOTE]

[quote name='Indi'][FONT="Arial"][COLOR="Indigo"]Actually, searching older posts in worlds is simpler. You have the option to filter what was posted based on what type of post it is (life, guide, essay, fiction, etc) and you can change the view to a list, which gives you the titles for the most recent forty posts. MyOtaku didn?t have this function at all. So any in depth browsing for an earlier post, was time consuming since it had a max of displaying somewhere between five to seven posts per page.[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE]

I like that sites have the option of number of posts displayed because if you post something with a lot of pictures in it, you can stick it in the archives, so it won?t cause loading problems for visitors; I?d post vacation photos, then use the permalink to the photos? post in a later post discussing my vacation. However, I do like the list display option; I didn?t notice it before. ^.^

Even the Official Otaku World doesn?t use tags very well, most tags are ?podcast, category, and caption battle.? Also, searching by the type of post doesn?t help much if you?re in a member?s World that they chose to only blog in (keeping their art in a different World), since the majority of posts would be of the ?life? type. Maybe it [I]is[/I] only my friends who don?t use tags and have unspecific titles for their posts, though. XD Either way, going through old posts is tedious, so maybe some sort of search can be built into Worlds to let people search for tags or something in a post (if that?s not to difficult to do).

[quote name='SunfallE'][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]And lots of sites have the FAQ link on the bottom of their page. It?s a given that if it?s not at the top, then it will most likely be along the bottom.[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE]

To be honest, the FAQ link isn?t really important to me. I was just trying to find another possible reason for why cosplayers wouldn?t have found out about the plans for the cosplay section.

[quote name='Allamorph'][FONT="Arial"]No, it does not. It [I]does[/I], however, take clearer thoughts.[/FONT][/QUOTE]

I like to imagine that most people try to blog with a clear head, but of course I can?t speak for everyone. However, e-mails/PMs need to be more specific than a post, since they?re going to a specific person. And if someone wants to give feedback, it should be detailed and include several areas for improvement. Whereas simply mentioning a common issue in a post in a blog, doesn?t require as much detail and can be just a few sentences.

[quote name='Allamorph'][FONT="Arial"]Second. The benefits. Name them.

And by that I mean list for us the services and uses MyOtaku can perform which Worlds cannot. I do not mean list why one might prefer the former to the latter, which is largely what you have done so far.[/FONT][/QUOTE]

Update system
Customization options
Less limitations (# of pics, # of videos, types of video players, etc.)
Movable comment box
Control over # of displayed posts (as mentioned above)
Quiz results page
It?s all free (I know that it?s expensive running a website, but if you ask most people whether they?d like to have something free or pay for it, they?ll ask for it free)
Guestbook (which is mostly a matter of opinion)

I didn?t list it before because explaining the reasoning behind these preferences would lead to further discussion about improving the websites. Sorry if this was an inconvenience for you.

[quote name='SunfallE'][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]You could try to actually[I][U] pay attention better[/U][/I], instead of getting slightly snarky over my explaining to you, more than once, why it?s not going to be possible to tie myOtaku back into theOtaku for all members.[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE]

Well, as I said before, my misunderstandings mostly come from my lack of internet knowledge and that I was under the impression that minor changes could be made. Also, in all of the previous discussion the phrase ?MyOtaku can not be expanded?? was used, and I wasn?t sure if this meant that new users couldn?t join or upgrades couldn?t be made or both.

I?ve sorta been taking passive aggressive and outright aggressive hits here, which caused my snarkiness. However, it was lousy of me to take it all out on you, so I?m really sorry for being so low. And I appreciate your explanations greatly; I?m learning much from you. ^.^

[quote name='SomeGuy']See, you guys've forced me to post. You know this never happens. Good job, team.

The Jedi Master/Padawan thingy he's thinking of was "The Crèche". It was a blog set up by Dark Phoenix ("Shanny") as a means to set up a mentor/pupil setup. Exactly as he mentioned.


It was also completely 100% user-generated and user-run. It's something that could absolutely be done in theOtaku Worlds. In fact, there IS a method for new members to get mentors if they so wish them in the "new member introductions" page. It may not be Star Wars themed like the Master/Padawan system . . . but let's face it, Shanny quite unabashedly ripped that system off of TheForce.net's forums.[/QUOTE]

I remember that Dark Phoenix was involved, but I didn?t know that she started it all. Nifty! ^.^ It would be nice to have something like that on TheOtaku; maybe I?ll work on that next summer or during the winter holidays (depending on how busy I am). I agree that the new members introduction page is good too. ^.~



Also, I?m really sorry that this reply is really massive, and not well-organied. @.@ I?ll try to make the next one shorter and better. ^.~ I?ll see if I can get some of my friends to voice their opinions in this, as well, so you don?t have to keep thinking that I?m the only person who has a problem. :P [/SIZE][/FONT]

[Sangome]

[SIZE="1"]Alright, I'm generally gonna stay out of the rest of this for the most part, but there's one snippet by you that kinda bothered me.[/SIZE]

[QUOTE]I like to imagine that most people try to blog with a clear head, but of course I can’t speak for everyone.[/QUOTE]

[SIZE="1"]I like to imagine that most people try to [I]PM/email[/I] with a clear head, but of course I can't speak for everyone.

See...yeah. That statement made little sense to me. Why should it matter if it's PM/email or through a blog? Plenty of people can make their thoughts clear either way.[/SIZE]

[QUOTE]However, e-mails/PMs need to be more specific than a post, since they’re going to a specific person.[/QUOTE]

[SIZE="1"]I can agree with that, but at the same time, no one said blogging can't be just as effective. Heck, if anything, if it garners enough attention in the comments, gaining more support, it just might be more effective.

Now I'm not encouraging people to start mobbing in their Worlds, but you get the general idea.[/SIZE]

[QUOTE]Whereas simply mentioning a common issue in a post in a blog, doesn’t require as much detail and can be just a few sentences.[/QUOTE]

[SIZE="1"]So can a PM/email. Seriously, how many emails/PMs do you think Adam gets on a regular basis that consist nothing more than "omg adam i luv theotaku.com ^_^" or "OMFG ADAM U ROK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1"? And no one's ever said a clear, well-thought out World post can't address several issues either. After all, that's what [I]you're[/I] doing right now, albeit on a forum, is it not? =D

Bottom line, I dunno what's wrong with addressing issues in Worlds as opposed to PMs...it really all depends on the user.[/SIZE]

[Japan]

[quote name='sbsp13668'][FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]Your World seems like a good temporary solution for the lack of the cosplay section. ^.^ [/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]


I didn't realize that my cosplay world was a temporary solution. It is there to stay. I was told that the cosplay section wasn't coming back so I did something about it. I feel my world is pretty well off, thanks.

[SunfallE]

[FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"][quote name='sbsp13668] I don?t want TheOtaku to become exactly like MyOtaku because there are flaws with MyOtaku. However, there are also flaws with TheOtaku, and when I say that I?d like TheOtaku to become more similar to MyOtaku, I mean to have similar benefits (not similar problems). The most important of these benefits are the update system and customization options.[/quote]No worries there, that is the intent, to continue to add new features and upgrade the existing system. [quote=sbsp13668]If a better update system for TheOtaku is being worked on and has been taking a very long time (more than a year) to set up, then that?s great. However, there haven?t been many signs of the update system being upgraded to help members who can?t get on TheOtaku/MyOtaku as much or have subscribed to a lot of people. The update system that I?m thinking of is one that shows specific updates with their titles and can be sorted into the different categories (like we have now), but it shows as a list of the subscribed usernames and can show when the users? last updates were. Since this system is hard to get set up, I?m still willing to help in any way that I can.[/quote]The biggest reason you?re not seeing that kind of upgrade is on account of what James was talking about. Bigger items are not only more time consuming to do, but more expensive. We certainly haven?t forgotten it though and the plan is to eventually get that system improved even more.[quote=sbsp13668] All of my friends who have been updating on MyOtaku after VersionVibrant was set up have said that they prefer MyOtaku mostly because of the customization option. I?m not saying that TheOtaku should be made totally customizable, if it?s not possible, but several more options to make Worlds look different would be nice. Also, I?m not saying that the Worlds?design should be changed completely because some people like that design; I mean, provide people with the option of switching up more of the deisgn. Although members who won?t switch to TheOtaku mainly because of the lack of customization options still probably won?t switch over, I can see most members on TheOtaku still benefiting from more options.[/quote]I can?t speak for full customization since as far as I know, it?s going to stay limited to avoid the issue of those customizations breaking one?s world. However I can certainly see requesting more colors to choose from or even eventually adding different layouts that you can choose from. I don?t know how feasible that is, but I can certainly add it to the list of things people would like to see.[quote=sbsp13668] Please don?t think that I?m saying that active TheOtaku users don?t have lives, and that that?s the reason that they enjoy the current update system. I?m saying that the users who aren?t benefiting from the current update system are those who are busy and can?t get on for weeks or months; that?s the difference between the people who prefer TheOtaku?s update system and the people who prefer MyOtaku?s update system, one is able to get on the website more than the other. Simply being busy isn?t the only reason that some members have to leave for long periods of time, but these users share the same problem.[/quote]I believe that the biggest issue you?re addressing here is the fact that after so many updates, it scrolls off and you can?t see it anymore. That kind of ties back into eventually improving the updates so that?s less of an issue. [quote=sbsp13668] As for members who have subscribed to many other members, I don?t see this as a bad thing, if the member who has subscribed to many people intends to keep up with the updates. Since we all enjoy TheOtaku/MyOtaku partly for the friends that we?ve made here, making a lot of friends should be a good thing if it?s possible to keep in touch well with them. (The reason that I?ve subscribed to so many members is due to the fact that I made a lot of friends on MyOtaku when I had lots of free time [years ago], so I subscribed to a lot of my MyOtaku friends on TheOtaku). Also, when I said that it would take forever to visit each of my friends? portfolios to find out whether or not they updated anything, I meant that if I did so, there wouldn?t be time left to comment on all of their updates, which is quite the inconvenience.[/quote]And I understand what you?re saying here. You want a means to be able to see, at a glance, if someone has updated recently and when. We?re certainly going to keep that in mind when the time comes to work on upgrading the update system again. Simply visiting everyone in an attempt to see if they have posted would be a bit tedious and overly time consuming. So I understand what you?re talking about.[quote=sbsp13668] It seems that we all pretty much agree on eventually fixing TheOtaku?s update system and getting more customization options, so there isn?t a reason to continue debating these??[/quote]I think we?ve covered it pretty well. [quote=sbsp13668'] I think we?ve reached a stalemate about the guestbooks, coming down to personal opinion, so maybe we should conduct a poll about the guestbooks?? Where should it be put, though, TheOtaku or OtakuBoards? I think TheOtaku would be a good place to hold the poll on the home page, since not everybody uses OtakuBoards, but most people at least visit TheOtaku. O.O[/quote]It might be better for me to see if switching its location would be an easy task, before we consider holding a poll. Guestbooks use the comment system and it?s very complex and therefore not easy to change. I?d hate to hold a poll and then have to turn around and tell people, oh sorry, can?t do that after all. So for now, I think it would be better for me to see just what alternatives would actually be doable. Once we determine that, then we can consider a poll. Though you?re more than welcome to hold one on your world or post one here asking what people think. [quote=sbsp13668] So now I know that it isn?t possible at all for new members to gain access to MyOtaku because of the technical limitations. Maybe some minor things can be added of MyOtaku still to show that the members who prefer MyOtaku aren?t going to be ignored simply for being a minority?? I mean, the minor additions can come after all the major additions to TheOtaku, and that?ll be in a long time, but it would be good to know that TheOtaku cares about all of its members. That?s what I?ve been trying to get at: provide some benefits for the minority of TheOtaku/MyOtaku?s users, as long as it doesn?t hurt the majority. Parts of the majority can probably benefit from some of the suggested changes, as well. I?m assuming that MyOtaku will eventually get some additions because there?s still an open thread about suggestions/features for MyOtaku here?

The minor changes that could be made are fixing the PM link, restoring the colour options in the comment box, edit button for comments on MyOtaku, and maybe setting up the reply management system (or getting the one on TheOtaku to manage replies from MyOtaku, as well, if that?s possible)??[/quote]It really has nothing to do with them being a minority. Most of the changes aren?t possible since they?re tied into the new system. I can ask about the stuff for the comment system. Also, the threads here are left open so those who still use it can come here for assistance. We simply didn?t bother to go in and change the wording of the existing threads and sections. It was left open because myOtaku is still being used by members.[quote name='sbsp13668] As for my lack of knowledge (leading to the learning about running a website stuff), I don?t know what to research because I don?t know where to start (feel free to tell me where). This is the ?Information Kiosk?, though, and it seems to provide questions and answers, so I didn?t think that my lack of knowledge would make me such an outcast. O.O; Also, I offer my opinion on a lot of this stuff (like most other people here as well) because I thought it was encouraged, and that my friends share similar opinions?[/quote]I don?t think anyone considers you an outcast, but it did seem that you weren?t understanding that myOtaku simply can?t be upgraded. But I think that misunderstanding has been sorted out. And that?s what this place is for so you?re certainly welcome to continue if there are other things you want clarification on. [quote=sbsp13668'] I quickly went to Adam?s blogging World to see what this stuff about a game is, but I couldn?t find anything. So what?s this about? I?m just curious, since a bunch of people mentioned it. ^.^[/quote]He?s not really putting the details out on his world since it?s not something for theOtaku, it?s a separate project that he?s working on. So other than to know it?s his main focus, we don?t have a lot of details on it either. [quote=sbsp13668] Update system
Customization options
Less limitations (# of pics, # of videos, types of video players, etc.)
Movable comment box
Control over # of displayed posts (as mentioned above)
Quiz results page
It?s all free (I know that it?s expensive running a website, but if you ask most people whether they?d like to have something free or pay for it, they?ll ask for it free)
Guestbook (which is mostly a matter of opinion)[/quote]Okay, let?s look at this list. Improving the updates, adding more customization options and increasing the number of pictures and videos are on the list I have of things people would like to see.

Moveable comment box is as well, however I can honestly say that restoring some moderation features are at the top of the list for the comment system. I don?t remember if making it detachable or not is possible, but I do have it on the list of things people would like to see.

Improving the ability to change the number of posts is something to consider. Right now I believe its set to a default of five so I can see if it?s possible to let people choose between different settings. So I?ll include that as yet another thing people would like to see.

Asking about a quiz results page is rather ironic since I presented an idea to Adam on how to restore this feature just last week in our staff meeting. People have mentioned to me, more than once, that they miss the quiz manager, so I worked out a possible solution and explained it to Adam. I don?t know when it will be implemented, but he liked the idea so we do plan on adding it back.

As for the guestbook I already covered it so I?m not going to repeat myself. [quote=sbsp13668] Well, as I said before, my misunderstandings mostly come from my lack of internet knowledge and that I was under the impression that minor changes could be made. Also, in all of the previous discussion the phrase ?MyOtaku can not be expanded?? was used, and I wasn?t sure if this meant that new users couldn?t join or upgrades couldn?t be made or both.

I?ve sorta been taking passive aggressive and outright aggressive hits here, which caused my snarkiness. However, it was lousy of me to take it all out on you, so I?m really sorry for being so low. And I appreciate your explanations greatly; I?m learning much from you. ^.^[/quote]Ah, I see. I don?t mean to be snarky either. I just felt like you weren?t listening, which unfortunately, I get a lot of from people. I explain again and again that it can?t be done and it?s like it goes in one ear and out the other. o_O So it kind of gets old after a while. So you don?t need me being abrupt either, sorry about that.

Anyway, I?m always open for suggestions. Even if our list is rather long, we do like to know what members are interested in seeing. Perhaps I should write up that list and put it out there so people can see that their feedback has been received and not forgotten. It just takes time to keep adding new features and slowly upgrade existing ones. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[emeraldsky]

Actually, more than anything else I wish people could make profiles on myOtaku again. Ever since I got a myOtaku my two cousins wanted a site there too. But they had to wait until they were old enough. When the finally got old enough to join it was too late. And they were actually very dissapointed. I'm dissapointed too... out of all the features they disabled, I just wish people could join myOtaku. Just so my cousins can have an account there.
And yes, they have a theOtaku account. I wish they could have a myO account too.

[shred]

I have to say I agree with you. Mostly how ever on the fact that I'm put off by how unwelcome I feel on that site. Primarily the chat I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate the chat I cannot express to you how much I hated it there. Of course that is why I no longer go in fact I don't go to that site at all. As for the site customizing I find it boring so I don't even worry about the worlds. The day after VV started up I received message after message saying "we don't like the new site we're leaving" yes in plurals whole groups of people <_<. The customizing thing was a big turn off. One final thing that bothered me was what seemed to be a lack of moding when it came to submitted arts. There was a person on the site with wallpapers that were incredible I had saved countless numbers of them to my computer. However due to plagiarism they removed all of their wallpapers which I now have none of -_-. There have been a few instances where I have seen flat out undeniable plagiarism so its not a simple one time thing.

[Sangome]

[quote name='shred']...There have been a few instances where I have seen flat out undeniable plagiarism so its not a simple one time thing.[/QUOTE]

[SIZE="1"][FONT="Microsoft Sans Serif"][COLOR="#862A51"]Okay, I can understand some of your previous points [Chat makes a lot of people (myself included) want to bash their heads into walls, trust me], but this I have issue with.

You do realize it is literally impossible for those who handle submissions and submission reports to recognize [I]every last thing[/I] that's submitted to the site? That's why the report system is in place. If you suspect something to be stolen, and you have proof of it, then you report it. I can guarantee that it'll be taken care of, so long as you have proof [and I mean a URL and everything, not just "trust me" or something along those lines].[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]

[SunfallE]

[FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"][QUOTE=emeraldsky]Actually, more than anything else I wish people could make profiles on myOtaku again. Ever since I got a myOtaku my two cousins wanted a site there too. But they had to wait until they were old enough. When the finally got old enough to join it was too late. And they were actually very dissapointed. I'm dissapointed too... out of all the features they disabled, I just wish people could join myOtaku. Just so my cousins can have an account there.
And yes, they have a theOtaku account. I wish they could have a myO account too.[/QUOTE]As much as we'd like to offer this, it's simply not possible. As it was mentioned here in this thread, myOtaku simply wasn't built to expand to the extent that would be necessary to give people the features they wanted. [quote name='shred']One final thing that bothered me was what seemed to be a lack of moding when it came to submitted arts. There was a person on the site with wallpapers that were incredible I had saved countless numbers of them to my computer. However due to plagiarism they removed all of their wallpapers which I now have none of -_-. There have been a few instances where I have seen flat out undeniable plagiarism so its not a simple one time thing.[/quote]If you're concerned about plagiarism, like Sangome pointed out, we've provided a reporting system so members can alert us when something has been ripped from another site or member. With millions and millions of wallpapers, fan arts and other media posted on the web, it simply isn't possible for someone to recognize every single one.

So if you know something is stolen and from where, use the report function and we'll deal with it. Just make sure you provide what's known as a proof of URL. Otherwise, unless it's something I happen to recognize, nothing will be done. I can't even begin to count the number of times people report things without bothering to give any form of proof.

To remove it is unfair to the person who posted it since I have dealt with hundreds of reports where the person accused of stealing, was actually innocent of any wrongdoing, something that the person reporting it would have known if they had just taken a little time to look into it.

Also, I wouldn't worry about it not being an isolated case here and there. This kind of thing, people stealing from others, isn't going to go away. So just report what you can, and don't worry about the rest. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[shred]

[quote name='SunfallE'][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode][COLOR=RoyalBlue]

So if you know something is stolen and from where, use the report function and we'll deal with it. Just make sure you provide what's known as a proof of URL. Otherwise, unless it's something I happen to recognize, nothing will be done. I can't even begin to count the number of times people report things without bothering to give any form of proof.

To remove it is unfair to the person who posted it since I have dealt with hundreds of reports where the person accused of stealing, was actually innocent of any wrongdoing, something that the person reporting it would have known if they had just taken a little time to look into it.

Also, I wouldn't worry about it not being an isolated case here and there. This kind of thing, people stealing from others, isn't going to go away. So just report what you can, and don't worry about the rest. [/COLOR][/FONT][/quote]

I'll just reply to Sangome at the same time since its generally the same thing. (yes I know the quote is choppy)

Yes actually I am fully aware that it would be completely impossible to handle every single piece of art, fan fiction, and wallpaper. I am also aware that if a person has a problem with a piece of art then they need to report it. However for the person I mentioned they said that they actually did report it and "nothing was done" so that was the end for them. I can only go on what I observed myself and was told perhaps there was more to it. I know as mods you are human and no system is perfect I by no means aim to label you all as useless and a like. It just seemed like more could be done in certain areas however if everyone is doing the best they can then that is fine and it cannot be helped. The other members will simply have to report the plagiarism and hope its dealt with accordingly.

[Allamorph]

[quote name='shred']However for the person I mentioned they said that they actually did report it and "nothing was done" so that was the end for them. ... The other members will simply have to report the plagiarism and hope its dealt with accordingly.[/quote]
[FONT=Calibri]There's also the possibility that a member who reports plagiarism is incorrect.

The reason members are asked to provide proof of plagiarism is so that [COLOR="DarkRed"]SunfallE[/COLOR] can examine the submitted work and compare it to the first work to see if the two are identical. Sometimes they're [URL="http://www.theotaku.com/worlds/moderation/view/118366/why_aren%27t_you_removing_stolen_works%3F/"][COLOR="Blue"]not[/COLOR][/URL].

Remember the "innocent until proven guilty" deal. Just as artwork that is reported stolen without proof is ignored, so is artwork that isn't actually stolen.[/FONT]

[SunfallE]

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][quote name='shred']However for the person I mentioned they said that they actually did report it and "nothing was done" so that was the end for them. I can only go on what I observed myself and was told perhaps there was more to it. [/quote]If it's still up, then it's for one of the following reasons:
[SIZE="1"][LIST][*]No proof provided (which is fairly common)
[*]The proof was unrelated (I do see this a lot, links to stuff that has nothing to do with it)
[*]They were mistaken and it's not stolen (just like I explained in the link Allamorph provided in his post)[/LIST][/SIZE][quote name='shred']I know as mods you are human and no system is perfect I by no means aim to label you all as useless and a like. It just seemed like more could be done in certain areas however if everyone is doing the best they can then that is fine and it cannot be helped. The other members will simply have to report the plagiarism and hope its dealt with accordingly.[/quote]Oh I know you're not trying to imply that moderators are useless, but it there is a lot more to it than people think about, mainly since they aren't responsible for dealing with complaints so they honestly don't know what's involved in the process.

See, the thing is, when someone tells me that it seems like more could be done, they never come forth with just what could actually be done. Naturally it's not so simple since you don't know what we already do, but at the same time, it's feedback that isn't very useful since saying "it seems like more could be done" doesn't let me know if someone feels like something isn't being covered.

If there is something that you feel isn't being covered then by all means feel free to send me a pm and I can try and clarify it for you. If it helps, the basic rundown goes as follows.

We have regular moderators who check the daily submissions, they look for repeat items and stuff that is in the wrong category. If they see something they believe is stolen, they report it and I take care of it. If I see something that I know is stolen, I take care of it. On top of that, I also review each report made by members and take any action if warranted.

Naturally members aren't going to see just how much work is done each day to deal with mistakes and plagiarism issues. So even if it might appear nothing is being done or not enough, we do have a dedicated crew that checks things regularly. [/FONT][/COLOR]

[sbsp13668]

[SIZE="2"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]I?m so sorry that it?s taken me so long to get on here. I had time about 2 or 3 weeks ago, but my other computer broke (now I have 3 broken computers)? O.O Other than that, I?ve had so much homework, and I?m putting off my physics homework to write this. XD Also, I tried to get some of my friends on MyOtaku to come into the discussion, but my blog only got comments from 2 users; my friends haven?t been blogging much recently, so I?m assuming that their school year is becoming just as hectic as mine. @.@ Anyways! On with the replies![/FONT][/SIZE]

[quote name='Sangome'][SIZE="1"]I like to imagine that most people try to [I]PM/email[/I] with a clear head, but of course I can't speak for everyone.

See...yeah. That statement made little sense to me. Why should it matter if it's PM/email or through a blog? Plenty of people can make their thoughts clear either way.

?Bottom line, I dunno what's wrong with addressing issues in Worlds as opposed to PMs...it really all depends on the user.[/SIZE][/QUOTE]

[SIZE="2"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]When I said that, I was referring to something that Allamorph said about needing clearer thoughts to write an e-mail, and I agree with you, people should write both their blogs and e-mails with a clear head. The comment that Allamorph made was about the discussion that not many MyOtaku users have been e-mailing or PMing TheOtaku?s staff about any problems that they?ve been experiencing, but instead they?ve been blogging about it. Also, I see nothing wrong with raising the issues in a World instead of through e-mail, PM, or MyOtaku.[/FONT][/SIZE]

[quote name='SunfallE'][FONT="Lucida Sans Unicode"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]?However I can certainly see requesting more colors to choose from or even eventually adding different layouts that you can choose from. I don?t know how feasible that is, but I can certainly add it to the list of things people would like to see.

?It might be better for me to see if switching its location would be an easy task, before we consider holding a poll. Guestbooks use the comment system and it?s very complex and therefore not easy to change. I?d hate to hold a poll and then have to turn around and tell people, oh sorry, can?t do that after all. So for now, I think it would be better for me to see just what alternatives would actually be doable. Once we determine that, then we can consider a poll. Though you?re more than welcome to hold one on your world or post one here asking what people think.

?Okay, let?s look at this list. Improving the updates, adding more customization options and increasing the number of pictures and videos are on the list I have of things people would like to see.

Moveable comment box is as well, however I can honestly say that restoring some moderation features are at the top of the list for the comment system. I don?t remember if making it detachable or not is possible, but I do have it on the list of things people would like to see.

Improving the ability to change the number of posts is something to consider. Right now I believe its set to a default of five so I can see if it?s possible to let people choose between different settings. So I?ll include that as yet another thing people would like to see.

Asking about a quiz results page is rather ironic since I presented an idea to Adam on how to restore this feature just last week in our staff meeting. People have mentioned to me, more than once, that they miss the quiz manager, so I worked out a possible solution and explained it to Adam. I don?t know when it will be implemented, but he liked the idea so we do plan on adding it back.

?Anyway, I?m always open for suggestions. Even if our list is rather long, we do like to know what members are interested in seeing. Perhaps I should write up that list and put it out there so people can see that their feedback has been received and not forgotten. It just takes time to keep adding new features and slowly upgrade existing ones.[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="2"]Sorry about the formatting here; for some reason when I went to quote you, everything you said didn?t have any paragraphs. XD

I like the idea of having some more layout options on Worlds, so if it?s possible, I?ll be looking forward to it. ^.^ Also, it sounds like you have a good plan for the guestbooks, and I think I?ll try to start a poll on my site/World. Lastly, it seems that we agree on the upgrades for TheOtaku/MyOtaku, and I think it would be good to have that list posted for users. ^.~

It seems like the debate here is over, since we agree on what can be done, now. I?ll make a post in my blog about the results of this thread and the upgrades that my friends and I have been wanting to see to prevent any repetition or confusion in the future. Thanks a lot to everyone involved in this thread! Your advice, explanations, and opinions are all very useful! ^.^ If anybody wants to continue the discussion here, feel free to. However, it may take me a while to get around to replying, now that school?s started. ^.^; [/SIZE][/FONT]

[Allamorph]

[FONT=Calibri]Only thing I want to touch on here.
[QUOTE=sbsp13668][SIZE="2"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Also, I see nothing wrong with raising the issues in a World instead of through e-mail, PM, or MyOtaku.
[/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]

Considering Adam not only has to run the site, but make sure it's maintained, fix issues that arise, conceptualise/invent/get code written for site improvements, work on his game for the iPod Touch, and generally have a working life, it's a bit much to expect him to browse the upwards of ten [I]thousand[/I] worlds looking for people who have ideas about the site.

And that's saying nothing about the number of MyOtaku blogs that still exist, which really is the same as raising the issue through a World.

What e-mails and PMs do for Adam is alert him to the mere [I]existence[/I] of someone else who has an idea. That then allows him to see: what he can understand about the situation; whether or not it's already being discussed/planned on/formulated/etc.; if the person has an idea of their own;if that idea has already been suggested by his team, and if not whether the suggester has a plan for the idea's implementation.

Basically, asking Adam to come to you on the matter of a site of which he is in full control is rather presumptuous, and assumes he has nothing better to do with his time than to endlessly browse a plethora of Worlds which most likely will hold little value to him.

As for discussing it between other people, doing so on Worlds is all well and good. However, again, the important facet is that Adam is made aware of it, so in that light discussion does nothing until it reaches his knowledge.[/FONT]

[Dot.Hack//LOVER]

Wow, I agree with EVERYTHING you said!

I first got an otaku 4 years ago almost 5 and it was AWESOME but slowly it got turned into a blob of horrible non-communicative place called TheOtaku!
I deleted my account later after because, no one EVER talked, I don't even get comments on my art anymore... :/.
I miss all my old friends because I lost them ALL! Good thing I have my old account username back (MyDark2). I still like the otaku in general but I love MyOtaku better....I wish they'd bring it back...it was the best!

[Allamorph]

[FONT=Calibri]It won't be. That's why it's called 'change', bucko. ()[/FONT]

[TheShinje]

[quote name='Dot.Hack//LOVER' date='14 June 2010 - 04:03 PM' timestamp='1276484635' post='695238']
Wow, I agree with EVERYTHING you said!

I first got an otaku 4 years ago almost 5 and it was AWESOME but slowly it got turned into a blob of horrible non-communicative place called TheOtaku!
I deleted my account later after because, no one EVER talked, I don't even get comments on my art anymore... :/.
I miss all my old friends because I lost them ALL! Good thing I have my old account username back (MyDark2). I still like the otaku in general but I love MyOtaku better....I wish they'd bring it back...it was the best!
[/quote]

It's always been called TheOtaku. o_O;

I've been a member here since all TheO had in terms of user-created content was the chatroom and OtakuBoards. To say that it has evolved into a "horrible non-communicative place" is a little naive. TheO has evolved from it's origins as a place where anime news and screenshot captures were it's backbone into a place where user blogs and fanart now lie at it's core. Put simply, [i]TheOtaku is now more user content and interaction driven than ever before[/i].

MyOtaku was a huge step towards getting the site to where it is now, and the worlds are simply built to intergrate with the site better. I would compare it it to a relay race; MyOtaku has passed the baton on to TheO: Worlds.

It's great that Adam kept MyO around for the users that put a lot of time and effort into their pages, most website admins in his situation would have just thrown it into the dustbin of history and forced their members to start over. Edited June 15, 2010 by Shinje

[Dot.Hack//LOVER]

[quote name='Shinje' date='15 June 2010 - 07:56 AM' timestamp='1276602962' post='695329']
It's always been called TheOtaku. o_O;

I've been a member here since all TheO had in terms of user-created content was the chatroom and OtakuBoards. To say that it has evolved into a "horrible non-communicative place" is a little naive. TheO has evolved from it's origins as a place where anime news and screenshot captures were it's backbone into a place where user blogs and fanart now lie at it's core. Put simply, [i]TheOtaku is now more user content and interaction driven than ever before[/i].

MyOtaku was a huge step towards getting the site to where it is now, and the worlds are simply built to intergrate with the site better. I would compare it it to a relay race; MyOtaku has passed the baton on to TheO: Worlds.

It's great that Adam kept MyO around for the users that put a lot of time and effort into their pages, most website admins in his situation would have just thrown it into the dustbin of history and forced their members to start over.
[/quote]

I know it's always been called TheOtaku, but now thats the main name.

It's not naive at all! If you think about it, does anyone ever talk? Sure you get subscriptions here and there but my art never gets noticed because it seems no one cares anymore to even comment. I say thank you to them for favoriting on my art piece and they never reply and it pisses me off. The main thing about that is that they don't show new art on the front page, they show most active which ticks me off too.

MyOtaku isn't even working anymore, so he didn't really keep it around. More so, TheOtaku went downwards after they made the changes for TheOtaku to be the main site. So many people hated it, and still hate it. I especially despise the stupid, Worlds. They're not as great as your own special page like on MyO. I just think they should've kept MyO, make improvements on it here and there. And keep TheO for new art, news, cards, comics, writings and etc..

[Japan]

[quote name='Dot.Hack//LOVER' date='18 June 2010 - 09:55 AM' timestamp='1276880140' post='695549']
It's not naive at all! If you think about it, does anyone ever talk? Sure you get subscriptions here and there but my art never gets noticed because it seems no one cares anymore to even comment. I say thank you to them for favoriting on my art piece and they never reply and it pisses me off. The main thing about that is that they don't show new art on the front page, they show most active which ticks me off too.
[color="#8b0000"][color="#000000"]MyOtaku isn't even working anymore, so he didn't really keep it around. More so, TheOtaku went downwards after they made the changes for TheOtaku to be the main site. So many people hated it, and still hate it. I especially despise the stupid, Worlds. They're not as great as your own special page like on MyO. I just think they should've kept MyO, make improvements on it here and there. And keep TheO for new art, news, cards, comics, writings and etc..
[/quote][/color]

Generally, if you have friends who notice your art/posts, no doubt they will comment. I am certainly not very popular on TheOtaku but I have my group of friends that I met through Chat that comment on my stuff. They are really neat people. When you comment saying thank you, you expect everyone to comment back saying you're welcome? Adding something that you spent a lot of time working on to their favorites should be apparent enough that they appreciate your stuff.

When you click on an art section, there are a few different options. Sort by freshness or sort by active. You can go as recent as the last twenty-four hours or up to the past year if it tickles your fancy.

MyOtaku is still up and kicking. Sure, new members since VV cannot make their own MyOtaku page. However they can comment and sign guest-books. I've joined MyOtaku like two days after it went live. I was a pretty active user of it. I've seen the design freedoms overly abused with over excessive animated .GIFS, and bright pink size one font over a lime green background and only one site. With worlds, you can have more than one. You and your friends can post on it (for role playing, shrines, clubs), and it is simplistic. As I have stated in this thread before, you will learn that simplicity makes a successful web site in a web design class. I noticed with MyOtaku that it was a huge popularity contest. I personally feel that that kind of atmosphere really mellowed out with the launch of version vibrant.

I also prefer TheOtaku as it is now. I am no longer in high school so I don't have the time to go to multiple sites. I can just go to my backroom on TheOtaku, check if I have any new comments or private messages, and check for friend updates. After all that, I'm done. TheOtaku is awesome the way it is now. If Version Vibrant never came, I probably wouldn't of come back to the network like I did. [/color] Edited June 18, 2010 by Japan

[Sangome]

[quote name='Dot.Hack//LOVER' date='18 June 2010 - 11:55 AM' timestamp='1276880140' post='695549']If you think about it, does anyone ever talk?[/quote]

[color="#9932CC"][font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]Yes. Just because you don't seem to get feedback on your stuff doesn't mean that no one ever talks. It's rather unfair to lump the whole site in that way.[/font][/color]

[quote name='Dot.Hack//LOVER']I say thank you to them for favoriting on my art piece and they never reply and it pisses me off.[/quote]

[color="#9932CC"][font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]If it's anything like, say, DeviantArt, then they probably fave so much that they get way too many "Thanks for the fave" comments and never bother to reply. Or they're just faving to seek attention. Or both. While that is indeed frustrating, it's unfortunately unavoidable.[/font][/color]

[quote name='Dot.Hack//LOVER'] I just think they should've kept MyO, make improvements on it here and there. And keep TheO for new art, news, cards, comics, writings and etc..[/quote]

[color="#9932CC"][font="Microsoft Sans Serif"] And this is the part where I dig up my old argument, since it's the best comparison I can think of. [And since E3 just ended, this is like, timely and stuff!][/font][/color]

[quote name='I']
Now, as for MyOtaku. I am going to liken this to the best way I know possible, the video game industry. Every few years, a new console comes out from the big trio of companies, further expanding on their previous systems. This usually consists of internal stuff such as power, processing, and, of course, grahpical prowess. External, you have size, weight, and look. And then you have all the stuff like internet and downloading capabilities, games produced, the list goes on.

How is this relevant? Thoughts aside about what people may claim about Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo, if they kept producing the same kind of system every few years, people would eventually complain and get tired of it. It would be like if we never got out of the graphics that Final Fantasy VII or Super Mario 64 had. People would complain that it was dated, and that we need to strive forward. The same applies for MyOtaku -- if we kept with that old, dated blogging system, people would whine and complain about us being steps behind the other big blogging sites.

And then we have the old school hardcore types, who get upset because we are moving forward, and insist on clinging to their old systems of lore. While there's nothing inherently wrong with that, it doesn't make any sense to stay with old stuff and not move forward [unless it's money, but that's an entirely different argument], when we have the capabilities to do so. Which is why MyO is the old version, and Worlds is the new.

Finally, to satisfy the old schoolers [and the nostalgic types] that lack the old games/game systems or just want a fresher experience, as well as the current generation, the triad of home consoles each offer a downloading service, in which you can obtain a myriad of older games. The Wii has the Virtual Console, the 360 has Xbox Live Arcade contained within the Xbox Live Marketplace, and Sony has the Playstation Network. That way, people can enjoy the games of the old days. Likewise, even though newer members cannot create one, Adam rather graciously kept MyOtaku for the old schoolers, to keep posting in, or just use as an archive.

As for updates...while some games may be re-released in some form, it wouldn't make sense for Sony to suddenly start releasing PS1 games in physical form. Same goes for Microsoft or Nintendo's old systems. You can re-release, but releasing physical copies for systems long out of production makes no sense at all, really.[/quote] Edited June 18, 2010 by Vivian

[Horendithas]

[quote name='Dot.Hack//LOVER' date='18 June 2010 - 10:55 AM' timestamp='1276880140' post='695549']
I just think they should've kept MyO, make improvements on it here and there. And keep TheO for new art, news, cards, comics, writings and etc..
[/quote]
[color="#4B0082"][font="Arial"]Are people still beating this dead horse? It's not a hard concept to grasp.. Technically myOtaku is [i]not [/i]capable of being [i]improved[/i]. No matter how much people might [i]wish[/i] it. [/font][/color]

[Desbreko]

[color=#4B0082]theOtaku has [i]always[/i] been the primary website in the network and it existed years before myOtaku was created. Just like OtakuBoards here is a forum sister site for theOtaku, myOtaku was a blogging sister site for it.[/color]