Actinic Updates / Development Blog...

[Benjamin Dyer]

Hello everyone,

Looking for some input, and I know you guys have a lot to give. ;)

For a while now we have been trying to improve the company / customer communication, especially with regards what it is we are cooking up at the Towers.

One idea I have been considering a blog, or maybe a sticky post on here, undecided just yet. However its only worth it if you guys get something out of it. So do you think this is a good idea and if so what TWO things would you want to see covered?

If I get enough positive responses I'll make it happen, and if there is some common ground (usual disclaimer) on the topic requests then so much the better.

Ben

[grantglendinnin]

A blog certainly sounds much better than a sticky IMO. The blog would allow comments so that actinic users could post on the relevant blog posts, forum threads always seem to drift off course. This would allow Actinic to see what we think about the topic.

I expect that the topics covered would be future developments - what's being done and what's not, possible future ideas (looking for our feedback), current bug fixes being remedied, etc.

[consciouspnm]

Or a twitter feed if you want to be really up to date...

[RuralWeb]

Don't get ben started on twitter as he spends half his life on there as it is! I think it should be posted on the forum to keep it al in one place. The thread/forum should be locked or heavily moderated to keep it on track. Having it elsewhere is just a pain in the arse IMO as I have enough other places to watch as it is without any more thank you.

If people subscribe they will get updates via email so it's better than twitter IMO plus you can only put so much in a twitter post so it would need to be linked somewhere for more info. Also if it's on the forum it's easier for people to link other threads etc. Let's keep all the actinic stuff in one place.

[CymraegKev]

I think a blog is the way to go. All major software houses that I use have devlopment/business focus blogs. Personally, I think the forum should be kept for support issues.

Adobe do great blogs for their products.

EDIT: Probably better to keep it mor up to date than this one:

http://www.actinic.co.uk/blog/ecommerce-marketing-seo/ :)

[george]

I dont see how a blog is any different to a forum thread (or subsection) if members are allowed to post on it?

Maybe a new subsection of the forum, with a thread where each topic covered can be discussed in an organised way.

If you announce say, that four different things are to be added on to the software, then have a thread for each one, as opposed to one (thread or blog) with everything getting mixed in together.

I'm finding this forum less `readable` now, in so much that there appears to be less `general` threads these days? More that its problems and bug issues so some new reading matter wouldnt go amiss. Unless the `news` would be just about problems and bug issues of course!

[george]

I think a blog is the way to go.

Actually Kev, I think I needed educated more in the use of blogs, but then, if peeps arent into them, like me at the moment, then how will they find out new Actincy stuff?

Announce on blog, then discuss on pre-made threads on the forum perhaps? (non bloggy types would then pick up on the info too?)

Just a thought.

[george]

So do you think this is a good idea and if so what TWO things would you want to see covered?


Can you give a few examples of what you might cover? Daily/weekly AUG and knowledgebase additions might hit some nails for some along with known bug workarounds as they are discovered. That sort of thing?

[Duncan Rounding]

I agree with Mal on this and would prefer information as posts in a locked thread here on the forum. Any discussions around any posting can be in separate posts so as not to mess it up. Anyone can subscribe and receive email notifications. I also don't want to have to look elsewhere for news and information.

BTW what happened to the monthly Actinic newsletter?

[Jan]

I like the idea of a blog. Anything serious posted on here is soon made useless by the members that love to spit the dummy at every possible opportunity and a lot of Actinic customers avoid this forum because of that. A focussed blog with strict moderation would attract more followers and be easily to publicise.

Regards,

[RuralWeb]

Personally I don't follow any blogs and cannot see how one would be better than using the forum which already has 10,000 members.

[malbro]

One idea I have been considering a blog, or maybe a sticky post on here, undecided just yet. However its only worth it if you guys get something out of it. So do you think this is a good idea and if so what TWO things would you want to see covered?
Ben I think a blog would be better than using the forum, but keep it on track and moderated.

for me
1/ Timeline for future developments
2/ Timeline for dealing with known problems i.e. which are getting fixed and when.

[george]

Actually, it might be worth having a look at what members want to see.

We have a number of designer types on here who push the software as far as it goes and are more interested in possibly the more hardcore (please, keep on topic) stuff (the design snapshot issues for example), and you have the store owners (people who just want rid of the server sync method on m-u, or in my case reliable stock levels). There are a number of people who fit in both categories of course, but are we looking at `service updates`, the continual fight against current bugs, or are we looking at hints at what is to come, re additions to the software? Two very different planets I think.

[parklifeclothes]

Keep it on the forum, just be sure to keep it well moderated.

Anything serious posted on here is soon made useless by the members that love to spit the dummy

A fair while ago couldn't see why there was so much of this going on but having watched with interest just lately you can see why the main members offering their help for free are getting tired of the many simple/stupid posts form what are mainly so called web designers asking absolutely simple questions.
I feel that many posts become 'aggressive' for this reason and more needs to be done to push new members towards searching or using the knowledge base.

[guccij]

I would prefer to keep a new updates stream on here. I don't have time to go looking elsewhere. Tightly moderated or closed, I don't mind which, just so long as it's here.

[CymraegKev]

If its going to be just new updates (i.e like the post about 9.04) and technical stuff, then it makes sense to leave it here I suppose.

However, if its going to be a productive disemination of information about where the product is going, ideas for the future, release dates, examples and samples from within the Towers then it really should be in a blog in my opinion.

We see it a lot on here when people tell shop builders to follow the big boys like Amazon - "they get it right", well, all the big boys in software have a blog that is not on their forums, and really isn't just a technical debate.

The blog could be a great tool - use it to demo potential new features, give videos of how to use some of the features, use it to give links to other sites that have useful information about eCommerce, announce when a new feature has been added to the Aug etc etc. Just take a look at the business (and developer) blogs of Adobe, MS, Apple, Mozilla - just to state a few.

It really does depend on what information is going to be detailed really.

[leehack]

Website, AUG, KB, Forum and now a Blog possibly. History tells us these areas are hard to assign time to when other things need that valuable time and thus keep them up to date long term. Whatever method is chosen in the end, it needs to be a long term decision with a committal to keep it up to date.

Personally I would choose the forum, but am happy either way. I'd like to see a list of current bugs and a list of those bugs 'hoped' to be fixed in the next release. I'd like some more transparency on release dates, so when we talk to clients, we can talk with some clear answers.

I've had quite a few frank discussions with Ben and Bruce offline of late and it has helped me in running my business tenfold. It's not always good news but there is something extremely satisfying about just knowing the future and being able to plan around it. Satisfaction with the towers is at the highest I have seen it for quite some time, that is undoubtedly linked to the 'upped' communication levels IMO, so long may it continue in whatever format.

[CymraegKev]

Whatever method is chosen in the end, it needs to be a long term decision with a committal to keep it up to date.

Yep, that is the key.

[dave_finlayson]

A blog would certainly be my choice, with a nice accompany RSS feed so I don;t always have to visit it! vBulletin do a blog add on so this could easily be kept as part of the forum too.

[RuralWeb]

vBulletin do a blog add on so this could easily be kept as part of the forum too.best of both worlds then:D

[dave_finlayson]

best of both worlds then:D

They also do a bug tracker too, having that might be too much to ask for though ;)

[TraceyHand]

They also do a bug tracker too, having that might be too much to ask for though ;)

you just need one of THESE (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Magnifying_glass_01.svg/603px-Magnifying_glass_01.svg.png)
;)

[dave_finlayson]

Oh you're on form today Mrs H!

[gabrielcrowe]

having your cake and eating it:

http://www.vbulletin.com/features_blog.php

[dave_finlayson]

And for reference, the rather good bug tracker:-

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/project.php?projectid=6

[pinbrook]

vBulletin do a blog add on so this could easily be kept as part of the forum too.seems a smart idea to me.

I'd like to keep the 2 separate as the forum does get junked alot, whereas the blog could be kept quite sucinct and searchable with relevant results. Blog with comments will make the announcements stand out, whereas a long thread in the forum becomes tedious to read.

For this to be of benefit to us, it needs to be 2 way which a forum thread would not be

[Mike Hughes]

Like others I think it depends on what you want to do.

If the idea is to communicate important stuff to actinic users then it needs to go on the forum. That way we can all see it, find it in searches and avoid the need for duplicate posts and crossed threads, etc. I wouldn't necessarily sticky the posts, but put them in their own section.

On the other hand if it's to broadcast general stuff about what's going on to keep a flow of information going then a blog makes more sense. Unlike Forums, Blogs can be quickly scanned for interesting info without having to open every thread.

Probably both would be a good idea. As Lee says though, the important thing is to make good use of them otherwise there's no point.

Mike

[chris ashdown]

what is a blog
what is a twitter

kiss use the forum, you know it makes sense

[Golf Tee Warehouse]

I'd prefer to see the information kept on the forum or a vBulletin Blog add-on and not have to check somewhere else extra.

[Rich Brady]

Or a twitter feed if you want to be really up to date...

Actinic have a twitter feed, but it's not updated very often. Last post Dec 16th... http://twitter.com/actinic

Unless someone at Actinic is tasked to update on a regular long term basis there's little point IMO.