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| | | Author: | goshe7  | | Posted: | Oct 19, 2012 16:47 | | Subject: | Clarify the Current Purpose of Suggestions | | Viewed: | 210 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | | Status: | Open | | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
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| Thanks for the assist John P! 
In response to this:
http://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=673004
I would like for the general BrickLink populace to be informed in a clear and
definitive states regarding the purpose and utility of Suggestions at the present
time.
If I remember correctly, the Suggestions topic was put into a "hold" pattern
a couple years ago following the change in BrickLink administrators. The explanation
was not to lose any pending suggestions to the typical 6 month purge while the
new administrator came up to speed on the site functionality. Priorities have
shifted through stability considerations, rebuilds, and responses to hacks.
All the while, no clear direction on Suggestions remains. There is now a backlog
of 24+ months of suggestions with practically no actions taken. Zero implemented.
Three discarded (by virtue of being cancelled, I think). This has led many
to question if suggestions will ever be implemented or if it is worth anyone's
time to continue to make them.
The work to develop the core of BrickLink is daunting. Adding in hundreds of
suggestions makes the task even more so.
So what is the path forward? Will the hundreds of pending suggestions be dealt
with (Implemented/Discarded) in order received? Are they being read and incorporated
into various changes, even if the message status isn't changed? Should the community
continue to make suggestions? Is voting Yes/No as meaningless as it has always
been (and the content of the discussion, combined with implementation cost, being
the actual metric of merit in the Suggestions forum topic)?
I'd just like to see it clarified so that we can either:
1. Continue to engage in productive dialogs on suggestions -or-
2. Channel our inner Big Mac's and say "It is what it is" to terminate any useless
discussuion on suggestions that will not be considered -or-
3. Other.
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| | | | | Author: | bb289632 | | Posted: | Oct 19, 2012 17:51 | | Subject: | Re: Clarify the Current Purpose of Suggestions | | Viewed: | 63 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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I'd just like to see it clarified so that we can either:
1. Continue to engage in productive dialogs on suggestions -or-
2. Channel our inner Big Mac's and say "It is what it is" to terminate any useless
discussuion on suggestions that will not be considered -or-
3. Other.
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My dark age only ended when I finally embraced and celebrated the utter futility
of existence and human endeavour. It's about the bricks, not the tricks 
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| | | | | Author: | D.Rae.McCormick | | Posted: | Oct 19, 2012 19:10 | | Subject: | Re: Clarify the Current Purpose of Suggestions | | Viewed: | 64 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| With a site rewrite in the works, why would you question the
value of making suggestions to improve website functionality
and design? What better time to make suggestions can you
imagine?
And do you really think that revising the *old* code to include
such improvements should be a priority of *any* sort?
~Rae
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| | | | | | | Author: | goshe7 | | Posted: | Oct 19, 2012 19:49 | | Subject: | Re: Clarify the Current Purpose of Suggestions | | Viewed: | 41 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| | | In Suggestions, RaeMcCormick writes:
With a site rewrite in the works, why would you question the
value of making suggestions to improve website functionality
and design?
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1. I don't recall any official announcement of a site rewrite. I think the rumors
have been present long enough and passed on by people I would assume are adequately
informed that they are true. But I don't know it for a fact.
2. Assuming a rewrite is true, there is no schedule for it to be completed.
3. There has been no indication that any suggestions will or will not be implemented.
If the site rewrite is true I can understand that Implementation is not completed
(as it is part of the new site). I can't understand why virtually none of the
suggestions have been Discarded. And none have been clarified or responded to
by Admin. I do not expect an explanation or response to every suggestion, but
0 for 585 falls far short of my expectations.
| | What better time to make suggestions can you
imagine?
|
At a time when there is an indication that they are being considered and are
worth my time.
| |
And do you really think that revising the *old* code to include
such improvements should be a priority of *any* sort?
~Rae
|
Yes.
1. The old code is being fixed to address the security issues and that is absolutely
a priority. But that doesn't count as those aren't "Suggestions".
2. I'm going to estimate the rumors of a site rewrite are about 18 months old
and there is no schedule for the rewrite to be complete. So are we to wait another
6 months for suggestions to be implemented? 18 months? 60 months? The longer
that time stretches, the more that it makes sense to continue to improve the
existing infrastructure.
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | Rolf | | Posted: | Oct 19, 2012 20:16 | | Subject: | Re: Clarify the Current Purpose of Suggestions | | Viewed: | 38 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, goshe7 writes:
| | | | In Suggestions, RaeMcCormick writes:
With a site rewrite in the works, why would you question the
value of making suggestions to improve website functionality
and design?
|
1. I don't recall any official announcement of a site rewrite. I think the rumors
have been present long enough and passed on by people I would assume are adequately
informed that they are true. But I don't know it for a fact.
2. Assuming a rewrite is true, there is no schedule for it to be completed.
3. There has been no indication that any suggestions will or will not be implemented.
If the site rewrite is true I can understand that Implementation is not completed
(as it is part of the new site). I can't understand why virtually none of the
suggestions have been Discarded. And none have been clarified or responded to
by Admin. I do not expect an explanation or response to every suggestion, but
0 for 585 falls far short of my expectations.
| | What better time to make suggestions can you
imagine?
|
At a time when there is an indication that they are being considered and are
worth my time.
| |
And do you really think that revising the *old* code to include
such improvements should be a priority of *any* sort?
~Rae
|
Yes.
1. The old code is being fixed to address the security issues and that is absolutely
a priority. But that doesn't count as those aren't "Suggestions".
2. I'm going to estimate the rumors of a site rewrite are about 18 months old
and there is no schedule for the rewrite to be complete. So are we to wait another
6 months for suggestions to be implemented? 18 months? 60 months? The longer
that time stretches, the more that it makes sense to continue to improve the
existing infrastructure.
|
Rumors? Is it still rumor when Admin Eric went and posted that site rewrite is
going on? I guess you missed the 2 year annv. announcement.
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | bb289632 | | Posted: | Oct 19, 2012 20:21 | | Subject: | (Cancelled) | | Viewed: | 48 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| | (Cancelled) |
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | goshe7 | | Posted: | Oct 19, 2012 21:22 | | Subject: | Re: Clarify the Current Purpose of Suggestions | | Viewed: | 40 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, Rolf writes:
| | In Suggestions, goshe7 writes:
| | | | In Suggestions, RaeMcCormick writes:
With a site rewrite in the works, why would you question the
value of making suggestions to improve website functionality
and design?
|
1. I don't recall any official announcement of a site rewrite. I think the rumors
have been present long enough and passed on by people I would assume are adequately
informed that they are true. But I don't know it for a fact.
2. Assuming a rewrite is true, there is no schedule for it to be completed.
3. There has been no indication that any suggestions will or will not be implemented.
If the site rewrite is true I can understand that Implementation is not completed
(as it is part of the new site). I can't understand why virtually none of the
suggestions have been Discarded. And none have been clarified or responded to
by Admin. I do not expect an explanation or response to every suggestion, but
0 for 585 falls far short of my expectations.
| | What better time to make suggestions can you
imagine?
|
At a time when there is an indication that they are being considered and are
worth my time.
| |
And do you really think that revising the *old* code to include
such improvements should be a priority of *any* sort?
~Rae
|
Yes.
1. The old code is being fixed to address the security issues and that is absolutely
a priority. But that doesn't count as those aren't "Suggestions".
2. I'm going to estimate the rumors of a site rewrite are about 18 months old
and there is no schedule for the rewrite to be complete. So are we to wait another
6 months for suggestions to be implemented? 18 months? 60 months? The longer
that time stretches, the more that it makes sense to continue to improve the
existing infrastructure.
|
Rumors? Is it still rumor when Admin Eric went and posted that site rewrite is
going on? I guess you missed the 2 year annv. announcement.
|
This one?
http://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=667299
I am clearly missing it in my searches. I see posts about fixes. But I am not
finding an explicit confirmation of a new site.
http://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=668894
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | D.Rae.McCormick | | Posted: | Oct 19, 2012 22:27 | | Subject: | Re: Clarify the Current Purpose of Suggestions | | Viewed: | 44 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, RaeMcCormick writes:
BTW, I will gladly vote with you for improvements on the
current Forum search function Key word plus author
just doesn't make it!
~Rae
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | goshe7 | | Posted: | Oct 19, 2012 22:51 | | Subject: | Re: Clarify the Current Purpose of Suggestions | | Viewed: | 41 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, RaeMcCormick writes:
Many thanks. So are the suggestions that have been sent in the forum posts or
direct emails?
(I'm still looking for that clarification if forum suggestions are relevant.)
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | FigBits | | Posted: | Oct 19, 2012 23:10 | | Subject: | Re: Clarify the Current Purpose of Suggestions | | Viewed: | 50 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, goshe7 writes:
| | In Suggestions, RaeMcCormick writes:
Many thanks. So are the suggestions that have been sent in the forum posts or
direct emails?
(I'm still looking for that clarification if forum suggestions are relevant.)
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I can't think of any reason that Admin would have stopped Suggestions from being
purged, other than wanting to have them around for future review.
--
Marc.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | goshe7 | | Posted: | Oct 20, 2012 07:13 | | Subject: | Re: Clarify the Current Purpose of Suggestions | | Viewed: | 48 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, FigBits writes:
| | In Suggestions, goshe7 writes:
| | In Suggestions, RaeMcCormick writes:
Many thanks. So are the suggestions that have been sent in the forum posts or
direct emails?
(I'm still looking for that clarification if forum suggestions are relevant.)
|
I can't think of any reason that Admin would have stopped Suggestions from being
purged, other than wanting to have them around for future review.
--
Marc.
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Agreed. The concern is that the list has grown to such a size that the future
review is an overwhelming task that is always postponed in favor of activities
where progress is easier.
I have received the clarification I was looking for.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | mnementh | | Posted: | Oct 19, 2012 23:24 | | Subject: | Re: Clarify the Current Purpose of Suggestions | | Viewed: | 120 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, goshe7 writes:
| | (I'm still looking for that clarification if forum suggestions are relevant.)
|
They are. Keep making them and keep discussing them.
Many of the most important suggestions over the years, that became features that
are now indispensable, had to be suggested multiple times and took years to get
implemented.
While you may not see any direct response to a suggestion, they are certainly
part of the equation or where to allocate resources during the rewrite. It would
be foolish to rewrite the site to have the exact same functionality when said
functionality could be easily updated during the rewrite.
Troy
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| | | | | Author: | Nikilyn | | Posted: | Oct 19, 2012 21:00 | | Subject: | Re: Clarify the Current Purpose of Suggestions | | Viewed: | 48 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| | |
All the while, no clear direction on Suggestions remains. There is now a backlog
of 24+ months of suggestions with practically no actions taken. Zero implemented.
Three discarded (by virtue of being cancelled, I think). This has led many
to question if suggestions will ever be implemented or if it is worth anyone's
time to continue to make them.
|
I think you are forgetting the voting that goes on with the suggestions. Anyone
can anonymously vote yes or no. The site has 100's of people that use it, but
just a fraction of those people engage in the forum through threads or posting
messages themselves. That doesn't mean that these other lurkers if you will,
aren't voting. So perhaps they are just getting voted down. I have voted yes
on only 3 suggestions. So how about others out there? We don't know and I'm not
asking anyone to say.
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| | | | | | | Author: | goshe7 | | Posted: | Oct 19, 2012 21:25 | | Subject: | Re: Clarify the Current Purpose of Suggestions | | Viewed: | 47 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, Nikilyn writes:
| | | |
All the while, no clear direction on Suggestions remains. There is now a backlog
of 24+ months of suggestions with practically no actions taken. Zero implemented.
Three discarded (by virtue of being cancelled, I think). This has led many
to question if suggestions will ever be implemented or if it is worth anyone's
time to continue to make them.
|
I think you are forgetting the voting that goes on with the suggestions. Anyone
can anonymously vote yes or no. The site has 100's of people that use it, but
just a fraction of those people engage in the forum through threads or posting
messages themselves. That doesn't mean that these other lurkers if you will,
aren't voting. So perhaps they are just getting voted down. I have voted yes
on only 3 suggestions. So how about others out there? We don't know and I'm not
asking anyone to say.
|
Voting is mostly meaningless. It was a factor in Dan's prior decisions. But
there was never a firm threshold (total or percent) that guaranteed implementation.
I would be amazed if, of 585 suggestions, all had a substantial negative response
indicating no interest.
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | mnementh | | Posted: | Oct 19, 2012 23:30 | | Subject: | Re: Clarify the Current Purpose of Suggestions | | Viewed: | 79 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, goshe7 writes:
| | In Suggestions, Nikilyn writes:
| | | |
All the while, no clear direction on Suggestions remains. There is now a backlog
of 24+ months of suggestions with practically no actions taken. Zero implemented.
Three discarded (by virtue of being cancelled, I think). This has led many
to question if suggestions will ever be implemented or if it is worth anyone's
time to continue to make them.
|
I think you are forgetting the voting that goes on with the suggestions. Anyone
can anonymously vote yes or no. The site has 100's of people that use it, but
just a fraction of those people engage in the forum through threads or posting
messages themselves. That doesn't mean that these other lurkers if you will,
aren't voting. So perhaps they are just getting voted down. I have voted yes
on only 3 suggestions. So how about others out there? We don't know and I'm not
asking anyone to say.
|
Voting is mostly meaningless. It was a factor in Dan's prior decisions. But
there was never a firm threshold (total or percent) that guaranteed implementation.
I would be amazed if, of 585 suggestions, all had a substantial negative response
indicating no interest.
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Voting is not meaningless, it is one of many factors that are taken in to account
when deciding if and how to implement a suggestion. While there are no hard
rules such as "500 votes gets your suggestion implemented" voting does allow
gauging of the overall interest in in a particular suggestion.
A difficult to implement suggestion that has little support will not likely get
implemented. But a difficult suggestion that has overwhelming support stands
a decent chance of being implemented.
Troy
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USA, Ohio
Australia, New South Wales
Canada, Ontario
