Author Topic: WEBSITE  (Read 11192 times)

kensmith

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WEBSITE
« on: December 07, 2014, 01:35:55 PM »

I have no wish to HiJack the testimonies to Derek Sands, they are well deserved, he did do a good job as Webmaster and that cannot be denied, but that was many years ago when the website was much smaller in membership, we have moved on since then and now have a very much larger membership so there is no real comparison between the two periods.

I would seem from the comments being received that there is discontent with the current Leadership and there was I thinking that the Admin Team and myself were doing OK but apparently not, as you will know we cannot please everyone and there will always be those that will disagree but I am not entirely clear what it is I am being criticised for, as I have said we have a very large membership which is increasing everyday and I have to say there is far more to do as Webmaster than just dealing with the membership.

I can say that decisions taken are within the Guidelines as laid down and we are therefore within ours rights to make these decisions but we are being accused of getting too tough and to coin a phase becoming "High and Mighty" in other words going above our Station.

I would disagree with that becasue I am often told to "Keep Up The Good Work" and I am sure most of you would agree that we do try our best to do that albeit along the way we may upset someone, but that is not intentional, we always try to be courteous with all members and if an Admin steps out of line then he will be told, but that does not happen very often.

We now have a little crisis on our hands and I am coming to the conclusion that my role on the Website is becoming untenable, I have worked for the past three years in this role but from what I am reading it has not been good enough, you are not happy with my performance so to rectify the situation tell me what you want from this website, spell it out, I am not perfect, no one is, but I do work very hard for this website and would not like to throw it all away but whatever you want to say in reply it must be within our Rules our Guidelines, if you want changes then they can be considered but I am not making any promises.

Kind Regards
Ken

 

Offline peter j. fitzpatrick

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Re: WEBSITE
« Reply #1 on: December 07, 2014, 02:24:47 PM »
Ken
You do a good job on this site that most of us would not even attempt
But because other admins are making decisions that members are unhappy with you as the webmaster take the flack
This is not your fault and you shouldn't think that it is
Trying to keep the peace is a hard job and members are offended if a photo is deleted even if it's not a good shot its a good shot to them
That's the issue and we know rules are rules but common sense must prevail
A bit of give and take would be good
Derek sands was a good webmaster but so are you and I would not want to lose you as well as Derek
Rethink the deletion process if possible , and if a photo is to be deleted ,start conversing with the photographer before its deleted giving reasons why
Kind regards
Peter j.fitzpatrick

Offline Cody Williams

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Re: WEBSITE
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2014, 02:33:58 PM »
I think it might be a good idea for a mandatory at log-in survey about site standards to be taken. Each member rating the each rule out of one to five; five being fair and one being completely unfair. This way the Ken and the admin team can get a good idea of what members think and what should be fixed etc.

Cody

Offline Hannes van Rijn

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Re: WEBSITE
« Reply #3 on: December 07, 2014, 03:50:16 PM »
Hi Ken.

Don't let influence your decisions by negative comments.You Henrik and Derek have always led the site well.If someone does not agree with  the rules, they can voluntarily  leave this site.
We want no trouble here.

Rgds:Hannes.

Offline Olaf Numssen

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Re: WEBSITE
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2014, 03:53:27 PM »
Hi Ken, I am not a top poster but visiting the site nearly each day and look at vessels.

I can only imagine the difficulty dealing with members from allover the world and different age groups.

Love the site and think, this is the best site on the net.

Keep it up pls.

Rgds Olaf

Offline martin klingsick

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Re: WEBSITE
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2014, 04:49:19 PM »
Hi Ken
I totally agree with Hannes and Olaf.I very much appreciate the amount of time you devote to this excellent site which most of us would not be prepared to do.Yes it is not a nice feeling when you get deleted but there is usually a good reason for this and I think it improves the standard of photos on the site.You personally set a good standard with your own photos which surely inspires others to improve their shots.
best regards
martin

Offline Dan Owen

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Re: WEBSITE
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2014, 05:25:55 PM »
From a person in the U.S. who views the Inland Vessels and Tugs images daily and does not post photos, Shipspotting is the best site on the Internet to view such images. I have never thought there was any problem with anything regarding the site. Even though I do not post photos, I do jump in once in a while to provide info on U.S. tugs and pushboats or a correct a name. Shipspotting gives me a chance to view towboat photos that I otherwise would not see, especially Russian pushers.

Offline Cornelia Klier

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Re: WEBSITE
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2014, 05:39:57 PM »
Hello folks, Hello Ken,

I have been following these matters discussed for some time now, and the whole thing makes me thinking, and partly I do understand this. I try to explain from my point of view, and perhaps this is same what some others think, regarding topics, which I will give numbers to.

1. Deletions and photo restrictions: The rule about 6 photos per ships was very generous, as well was it with the deletions. If the site does become bigger and bigger, and this will also take more space, I understand the decision, that not so many photos should be uploaded and of better quality. Let's be serious: Everyone is taking good and bad photos. Simply only upload your best ones here and you stay on the safe side. If you upload other, and they get deleted, that is risk. Happened to me as well and it is no problem. I regard this as the better solutation than letting everyone upload all stuff. So, no critic to any webmaster or moderator here!

2. Times changing, and such: I do not think, that "times changing". Perhaps computers and cameras change, perhaps possibilites. But we are still the same old people we used to be, and we did not change much, I hope. We just have to realize, that some things - see above - will have to be different, and that is o.k.

3. Admin team: I must admit, and I am very frank here, that Derek always had a certain way to deal with problems and matters, that was making me comfortable with, despite critic or disagreement. He is using a langauge, that is very easy to understand also for a foreigner like me. And THIS is something, what I do regard as very important! Some admins are using a language, that does not make me feel comfortable. It reminds me in school days, when Mr. old teacher told me off and let me feel like a complete idiot. It is neccessary, to speak from face to face, onees alike, and not one standing up and looking down on another. And this is something, where work can be done!

4. Attitude: I have came across the imagination, that sometimes it is not "solve the problem, despite difficulties" but like "don't rock the boat" and putting matters under the carpet. There was a certain problem, Capt. Ted raised because of the funnel category once. Nothing happened!! A good admin would think, and stand up for rights and solve the problem.

5. Friendliness: Alot can be done here. OK goes in same direction as "speaking from face to face". Sometimes this is missing, and the feeling is, that it is more unfriendly here.

6. Socializing: OK I am honest here: There were times, when admins encouraged us, to keep conversation with other members, when this website was also good for making contacts with all kinds of people from all places. It was also very common to write comments, or bring photos to ones attention. I posted less and less to shipspotting.com because you can literally upload 100 photos and no one recognizes you or writes a comment.
If everyone is just interested in uploading as many photos as possible, but forgetting about the socializing aspect, it is not really my website anymore. To be honest, just because of that, I more or less turned my back to this site and am more active on facebook. There, at least you get feedback ! Perhaps, admins should rather than stopping us wish harsh behaviour like not post comments under own photo, rather encourage us, to keep contact with other members. To sum up: WHERE is the community spirit gone ??

OK, so far my concerns in speaking frank and free. I really hope, the site will change to the one it was before, becauuse it felt very nice to be part of the community.

Greetings,

Cornelia

Offline Cap'

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Re: WEBSITE
« Reply #8 on: December 07, 2014, 05:52:25 PM »
Hi Ken, lots of good sentiment here... keep up the good work...please.

Regards, Brian.
Aye aye Cap'

Offline Bob Scott

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Re: WEBSITE
« Reply #9 on: December 07, 2014, 06:36:41 PM »
Perhaps admins would be best advised to say no more on this subject and just quietly get on with their sterling work, having hopefully taken on board some of the valid comments made in this and the other thread regarding the departure of Derek Sands.

Offline brunoh

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Re: WEBSITE
« Reply #10 on: December 07, 2014, 07:02:45 PM »
Now a French comes on line, and of course he will criticize everything! Haha, wrong...

I am very surprised with the "crisis" happening here.
First, to see such a huge website being run by a non profit team is absolutely fantastic. I can barely imagine all the hard work behind the scenes. So I just can show my total admiration for this to all of those who maintain and administrate the site.Including of course those who are leaving, which is always sad.

As it seems all started with deletions, I will point a few things:
- I am no master photographer, but I uploaded more than 600 pictures, and only one was deleted. So I don't think the "rules" are so tough; it just requires respect (sort out and choose the best picture, don't dump your whole memory card!)
- As I also do aviation spotting, go to sites like airliners.net and try to umpload a picture: the rules there are REALLY tough, and you have to use a very good camera and shoot sharp pictures, well framed etc, if not you have no chance. In comparison shipspotting is very relaxed, giving a chance to all shiplovers to post pictures of their passion. If a few cannot stand a bit of rejection, well...

I will just say "keep calm and carry on", and thanks for letting a lot of us share their passion.

Bruno

Offline Tony des Landes

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Re: WEBSITE
« Reply #11 on: December 07, 2014, 08:44:34 PM »
The deletion processed really evolved a few years back from the discontent of many members who were not happy with the amount of rubbish being posted on the site and the liberties some members took in posting unsuitable material. We used to get some members posting 20+ shots of the same ship, ships made of lego blocks, a building with a roof resembling a hull, floating cars, pictures on the side of buildings etc all appearing on this site and the discussion then was about stopping this.

All websites have to be managed, and apart from checking content, to ensure that the site does not become overloaded with material that will see disc space run out. We are fortunate in that this site allows large files to be posted, something that many sites restrict, but by allowing this then the demand for disc space increases.

I suppose admins are a bit like referees, offering their service to make the site run smoothly, but referees get it wrong time to time, and even if a referee makes a mistake, his decision still stands. I think the site has gone to great lengths to make members aware of the standards, but unfortunately ticking a box saying you have read and understood the rules doesn
« Last Edit: December 07, 2014, 09:51:29 PM by Tony des Landes »
...

Offline RPB

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Re: WEBSITE
« Reply #12 on: December 07, 2014, 09:05:41 PM »
Hi Ken,

I have never sent any post on this website and up till now I have never uploaded any photo.
So I have been a very passive member. Maybe I will change this for the future.

I visit and enjoy the site nearly every day.
Please let me tell you, you and the team does a great job.
ShipSpotting.com is the best website concerning shipspotting.

Thank you for that. It must continue !

Best regards
Ralph


Offline Hannes van Rijn

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Re: WEBSITE
« Reply #13 on: December 07, 2014, 10:03:07 PM »
Hi Cornelia.

I totally agree with your point of vieuw, and I hope that the site will be more socially again .

Rgds:Hannes.

DanEarl

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Re: WEBSITE
« Reply #14 on: December 07, 2014, 11:09:58 PM »
Hi Ken,

You are doing in my eyes is what I would class as a 'perfect job'.

I am seeing that this topic is heading back into the 'deletion issues' where we see time after time it rise's its angry head.

I was not a member when Derek Sands was the webmaster so therefore cannot comment or compare how the site was running then to how it is running now.

Shipspotting.com is a very valuable website, not only for photographs but for information, it's free and should (and is) enjoyed.

The past few days has developed a few disgruntled members possibly because uploading of photographs is not possible so they show there frustration in other ways.

The day to day running of this site runs very smoothly, for the members that have a photograph deleted it is for a reason that is within the guidelines and site standards, they tick the box before uploading to agree with these rules, the photograph is deleted, and then comes the complaints..... I am not perfect, I have had a few deleted myself because I was incorrect uploading a photograph that didn't meet the site standards - I don't complain ..... (well I did once but using the messaging option and Ken quite rightly corrected me)

I know there are a lot of improvements put forward to the owner of this site, lets take some time to wait and see if they happen and how it might improve this website even more, but for now I will go back to my first line and say "Ken is doing a perfect job"

If you want to know how my life as an admin works day by day then ask, you will be amazed !!! If I had a

 

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