Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

I've come to the concerned opinion that it may be incompetence

by John Robie Feb 14, 2004 12:18PM PST

with CNet programmers rather than "resources" ($$) is the reason no headway has been made on getting a SEARCH or even making a dent in reducing the "wish list". Almost every week there is a visitor in one of the help forums asking about a SEARCH feature.

So, Lee was able to con a programmer into getting the "Read" feature, the only improvement since implementation of this forum system. The constant excuse of "resources" just doesn't hold water in my book. I have mentioned before that ads should have been implemented with release of this forum to get revenue, and since then should be the 1st priority if "resources" "$$" is the problem. No answer or response to that....hurmpp...guess no "resources" to even do something to make a little money to save oneself. We had ads in to old forum that surely brought in a little money.

Management higher than Lee Koo needs to look into why the Ops Department is not trying to make money for CNet so they can have "resources" to fix this new forum system. It is utterly ridiculous for these forums to even drag out 4 months without fixing it.

And DaveK, you are the biggest echo of Lee about "resources" every time someone mentions improvement of the forums. You will probably say to me to take this to FeedBack. Well, this is SpeakEasy and I am trying to speak it EASY here rather than blow my top at FeedBack.
I'll make reference to this post at FeedBack if it would make you happy.

John Robie

Discussion is locked

27 Posts
- Collapse + Expand Details
- Collapse -
Re:I've come to the concerned opinion that it may be incompetence
by Dave Konkel [Moderator] Feb 14, 2004 12:23PM PST

Hi, John.

The read feature was trivial -- changing the "add discussion" button location or eliminating it (within a message) isn't much tougher. Search is another kettle of fish. I'll send Lee a copy of your message -- but he's not the problem, and I really don't know how to get the attention of someone at a higher level. But you probably should also post a link to your message at Feedback, too... Believe me, if I had to power to create Feedback, it would have been here in October!


-- Dave K, Speakeasy Moderator
click here to email semods4@yahoo.com

The opinions expressed above are my own,
and do not necessarily reflect those of CNET!

- Collapse -
Believe me, if I had to power to create Feedback, it would have been here in October!
by SteveGargini Feb 14, 2004 12:52PM PST

Dave - did you mean create search?

- Collapse -
I have a javascript that performs a site search - that would be better than nothing and easily included :(
by SteveGargini Feb 14, 2004 12:56PM PST

NT

- Collapse -
Steve, my dear man, I don't want to be nit picky about this, but .....
by Rosalie Feb 14, 2004 1:12PM PST

putting the NT in the body of your post serves no purpose at all. You need to put it in the subject line. Ok? Tks. Wink

Tell us more about your javascript, please.

- Collapse -
Not sure how this will come out but it's the script I use on my site - I think a simple registration with freefind.com may be necessary
by SteveGargini Feb 14, 2004 1:32PM PST

Rosalie - I couldn't display the HTML here for some reason - I have e-mailed it to you.
Registrying with another company may go against the grain - but freefind.com is very necessary for the site search.
I am working on a script which may not require another company registration Happy

- Collapse -
Re: Not sure how this will come out but it's the script I use on my site - I think a simple registration with freefind.com may be necessary
by Dave Konkel [Moderator] Feb 15, 2004 12:21PM PST

Hi, Steve.

If you perfect that code, please do post it -- search is greatly needed! It would be particularly useful to Moderators, as well...

-- Dave K, Speakeasy Moderator
click here to email semods4@yahoo.com

The opinions expressed above are my own,
and do not necessarily reflect those of CNET!

- Collapse -
Could you please post the exact url here - I will see what I can do - ok Dave NT
by SteveGargini Feb 15, 2004 3:58PM PST

nt

- Collapse -
Dave - I set freefind spider off to pull what it could from here but the limit for free use is 12 megs
by SteveGargini Feb 16, 2004 7:01AM PST

I guess there is more than 12 megs on here now and the spider just refused to continue - I didn't get any e-mail back so it doesn't sound good -
Any idea how many megs of data that may be on here now - probably about 400 to 500 megs of text at least I guess Sad

- Collapse -
Re:Dave - I set freefind spider off to pull what it could from here but the limit for free use is 12 megs
by SteveGargini Feb 16, 2004 8:11AM PST

Hi Dave,
I ran some web extraction software, and I used the URL of this forum. For some odd reason the software had to scan over 15 megs of Cnet advertisements before there was any sign of the text from the speakeasy forum. Freefind spider would have stopped after about 12 or 13 megs so we have no chance of using that.
I will study the data and links that I extracted and see if I can do anything to get just the speakeasy data, but don't hold your breath, things do not look good. The web capture software would have gone right through and captured all the forum data, but displaying it in a reasonable form is a bit more of a problem.
If I have your e-mail I shall post the two files to you and you will see the problem Sad

- Collapse -
Isn't this what Ian was doing that slowed the forums before? (nt)
by James Denison Feb 16, 2004 11:45PM PST

.

- Collapse -
It may be James but with my connection??? lol Broadband would be different!!! NT
by SteveGargini Feb 17, 2004 4:05AM PST

NT

- Collapse -
Sorry - this post is an NT - and this is something the old software did automatically :( It's like re-entering the Ice age
by SteveGargini Feb 14, 2004 1:35PM PST

NT

- Collapse -
Thanks John - I got one of the special replies earlier :(( NT
by SteveGargini Feb 14, 2004 12:48PM PST

nt

- Collapse -
I have wondered about this myself. I can see where they wouldn't give ....
by Rosalie Feb 14, 2004 1:31PM PST

.
a fig about Speakeasy, however, I would think the help forums would be a valuable asset to CNET. Don't they sell PCs, hardware and software. Also lessons on CD. Ashamed to say I don't really know what CNET does or sells.

The search feature for the help forums was used by me a lot and saved me having to post a lot of problems and waiting for an answer. I just searched the data base and most often found the answer. I realize there isn't too much of a database yet, these forums being new, but still the way they are going it won't take long before the help forums will have a huge amount of very valuable information. There should be a way to access that information.

- Collapse -
I think in view of this software falling so short of any improvement then the old forum should have been restored
by SteveGargini Feb 14, 2004 1:44PM PST

Lee said that the new forum software couldn't be used out of the box and a lot was necessary to even get it to work this well - Well I think it should have been placed back in it's box and sent packing, to be perfectly frank.
The old forum could have been purged a bit and the search fixed and we would have been better off than this. Sad

- Collapse -
In anyone's opinion or direct knowledge, could the "old" software be brought back?....NT
by MzLee Feb 15, 2004 9:35PM PST

.

- Collapse -
Re:i doubt it very much
by jonah jones Feb 15, 2004 9:45PM PST

for one thing, it would crush the ego of TPTB....

Wink

- Collapse -
ROFL........NT
by MzLee Feb 16, 2004 12:55AM PST

.

- Collapse -
I might have your answer here, John
by Angeline Booher Feb 16, 2004 7:38AM PST

For your answer, look at the main forum page.

No ads.

But there is another CNet.

http://www.cnet.com/

There's stuff to buy there, and info on lots of stuff to buy.

A list of those who write commentary (I assume for pay).

I believe I am correct in saying that they use the same ops team.

In other words, resources are spent where they get a return.

The CNet community forums are here, IMO, as a courtesy to the thousands of ZDNet members who built the ZDNet community into what became the top in it's class. it's their center for FREE help.

I don't know what happened to the "Ask the Expert".

But I see there is a place to visit a private support community to get expert answers for those who join CNet Advantage. (Membership is not free.)

So, my guess is that Lee's wants and wishes are not top priority.

Angeline
click here to email semods4@yahoo.com

- Collapse -
Re: incompetence -- Light at the end of the tunnel?
by Dave Konkel [Moderator] Feb 18, 2004 3:52AM PST
- Collapse -
Re:Re: incompetence -- Light at the end of the tunnel?
by SteveGargini Feb 18, 2004 7:46AM PST

Hi Dave,
I have been investigating the system and it appears that each message is an HTML entry with it's own name.
I shall see if there is an easy way to build a reference file up based on all the files with all the relevant search data. The new program can then be used to search the reference file for specific information and then display the relevant html page.
It shouldn't be any big shakes to allow changes to be made to the live html post, for moderators only that is.
If you could check with the technical staff to see if what I have found is correct.
Thanks
Steve

- Collapse -
Re: incompetence -- Light at the end of the tunnel?
by Dave Konkel [Moderator] Feb 18, 2004 7:53AM PST

Hi, Steve.

You should probably talk to Lee directly, either in e-mail or on the Feedback board -- having a technical ignoramus like me as a go-between wouldn't help much!

-- Dave K, Speakeasy Moderator
click here to email semods4@yahoo.com

The opinions expressed above are my own,
and do not necessarily reflect those of CNET!

- Collapse -
Ok Dave - I have posted to Lee Koo - Thanks anyway (NT)
by SteveGargini Feb 18, 2004 1:39PM PST

NT

- Collapse -
(NT)Light at the end of the tunnel--- is the headlamp of an oncoming train! (j/k)
by Roger NC Feb 18, 2004 11:51AM PST
Wink
- Collapse -
Re: headlamp of an oncoming train! -- Always the optimist, Roger! (NT)
by Dave Konkel [Moderator] Feb 18, 2004 11:55AM PST

.

- Collapse -
(NT) A disciple of Murphey
by Roger NC Feb 18, 2004 12:28PM PST
Wink
- Collapse -
I agree with Roger NC ...
by Mosonnow Feb 19, 2004 5:15AM PST

How long do TPTB think that the helpful Mods on the forums will continue with their helpful replies when they are being asked to answer the same question over and over.

If TPTB see the Help Forums as a lead-in to sales, wouldn't it be better to keep the Forums going rather than allowing them to disintegrate? So many forums have lost their credibility (according to my Google searches) because expert advice has "gone away".

Regards
Mo

Back to Speakeasy forum

CNET Forums

Operating Systems
Software
Electronics & Gadgets
Hardware
Tablets & Mobile Devices
General Help
Brand Forums
Roadshow Autos
Off Topic

Other Forums

Forum Info