Do we really need this ?

<p><strong>Come on Guys, do we really need these "moving ads" at the bottom of our screens?</strong><br>

If I've missed a previous gripe about this, I'm sorry............... but this is just too annoying to have to live with.<br>

My partner and I currently have our memberships under consideration as we no longer see PN as a fun and interactive site.... these ads do little to make us want to stay.<br>

So what's the excuse this time?</p>

<p>When I am logged on I never see those ads</p>

<p>What ads?</p>

<p>Haven't seen 'em, Grayham. As Robert alluded, are you signed in when you see them?</p>

 

<p>Likewise, haven't seen any such thing.</p>

<p>Same here. Which page?</p>

<p>Grayham, are you referring to the slideshow at the bottom of the page when you open a gallery image? If so, it's not an ad, just a selection of topics within PNet itself...</p>

<p>And, hey, thanks for the feedback... :-(</p>

<p>Sorry Guys, I was away from the PC over the weekend.<br>

Okay..... for those of you who cannot see what I'm on about, go to one of your own images and scroll down past all the comments. Low and behold we have 4 boxes, drawing ones attention to something.... whether ads or events or articles, they are annoyingly there.<br>

To answer the next question..... yes I am logged in.<br>

Full marks to William............. Yes, Yes, Yes.... a person on the same page as me... whoopdeedoo.<br>

So, back to my original gripe/question......... do we really need this?</p>

Those boxes provide links to recent reviews and learning articles on Photo.net. I don't find them intrusive at the bottom of the page. In fact, it took me a while to find what you were complaining about.

 

It reminds me of the story of the old lady who called the police to complain about a man walking naked in front of the window in the house next to hers. When an officer showed up to investigate he saw that the house was a quarter mile a way and he could barely make out the window itself. When he told the old lady he couldn't see anything she replied, "That's because you aren't using these binoculars."

<p>Hi James...... thanks for your comment and touch of humour, humour that probably relates to your interaction with PN more than mine. Your home page indicates your preference for Forum interaction rather than critique comments, which is my preference. Therefore you will not see these "boxes" of recent reviews/learning articles nearly as often as I will.<br>

A simple calculation..... If I post 10 critiques a day, how many times will I see the "boxes"? A minimum of 20 times....... 10 when I post each critique and 10 when I check each critique.<br>

Fortunately for you, these "boxes" do not pop up in the forum threads. Maybe if we all condone this initial thrust by PN, they may extend it to the Forum threads as well.<br>

THank you for your interest.<br>

Regards </p>

<p>It would seem to me that changes have been made to our home pages, and not for the better.<br /> I really don't know if any consultation with members took place, before these changes were thrust upon us, but in a nutshell, I'm at a loss to find what has actually been achieved, and equally frustrated at the incoveniece of multiple "clicking" to find out information that was previously available at a glance.<br /> There are now a number of drop down boxes that have to be "clicked" to get previously available information, I've done more clicking in the last couple of days than a flamenco dancer with a ferret down his trousers!<br /> By the same token, we now also have thrust upon us, images not of our choosing, from "people you follow" appearing on our home pages<br /> The drop down boxes are as follows: -<br /> <em><strong>"Subscriber Services"</strong></em> : - I'm not entirely against this being behind a drop down box, I rarely use this information.<br /> <em><strong>"Personal Information"</strong></em> : - I use this quite frequently to copy and paste links etc, so another click to find the appropriate information is a pain!<br /> "<em><strong>Photographers you Follow</strong></em>": - .......This is the killer! ..........The one that really peeves me. This box appears to be open all the time on our home page and consequently I now have images that I have NOT chosen to view being thrust upon me. I am quite capable of choosing for myself the images I wish to view, or make comment about, and I resent the fact that I am now being drip fed material not of my own choosing. The previous list of "photographers that you are interested in" was quite sufficient for me to follow the people of interest I had chosen, and without examples of thier work being thrust in my face!<br /> <em><strong>"Your forum posts</strong><strong>"</strong></em> again inconvenient clicking for frequent forum users, unless of course they also choose "notify me of comments"<br /> <em><strong>"Photo Critiques"</strong></em> .....now this was information that I used all the time previously available on the home page. Now to keep tabs on critiques and responses to comments I have to go through another clicking ritual every time I return to my hom epage!........Frustrating to say the least!<br /> <em><strong>"Photo ratings"</strong></em> Not of any particular interest to me, but for people that like to keep tages on ratings again it presents an inconvenience.<br /> <em><strong>"Favourite Images"</strong></em> .........Ironic......whilst the images<strong> I chose</strong> as "Favourites" were once available to view in a selective strip of thumbnails at the bottom of the page, these are now only available after doing yet more clicking, whilst unsolicted images from "people you follow" have now been thrust upon me!<br /> If I was to assume that all the drop down boxes were introduced to speed up the loading of the home page, then I would also assume that the (unwanted) images from "people you follow" and the time to upload must surely conteract this?<br /> One other valid point that was brought to my attention.......If I have commented previously on the work of any photographer that photographs nudes, then I may be well have unsolicited nude images appearing on my home page at times where I could be for instance, be showing my grandchildren my work.<br /> I am all for changes for the better........but I don't see any advantages in these current changes and I do see a whole lot of inconvenience and frustration!<br /> If I am using my home page wrong, and I can customise it to suit my preferences then I would be obliged if someone.....anyone ......would advise accordingly.<br>

And to answer Grayhams original question No! we don't need this, and really don't want it either!</p>

<p>Hi Alf................... Thank you for adding to my concern that changes (for changes sake) appear to be happening, independently of any "subscriber collaboration". The issues you have raised were not apparent at the time I raised this thread, BUT, I like you have the same concerns.... especially about the nudes on my front page.......... I now feel like a <strong>"peeping tom"</strong> in my own home.<br>

Regrettably, no-one of importance (PN official) actually saw my thread (let alone responded to it) and I fear that your concerns will be accorded the same fate..... nevertheless, I just wanted you to know that I support your concerns 100%.<br>

<em><strong>Maybe I can rattle a cage or two!</strong></em> (unfortunately I can only use one ! which rather waters-down the impact of the sentence)</p>

<p>To all my friends,<br>

If things progress as they are, and some of you leave PN, I will be available for contact through my personal email.<br>

I will most likely leave this site because it is failing to stream line the functionality of how it operates. Going in the wrong direction has never been an option for me in the many business opportunities that I have been successfully involved with.<br>

As some of you are aware, I have helped many PN members "off line", providing them free professional consultation about equipment issues, techniques used to get a shot, specific topics in photography, many other useful tips and even reviews of their works. I do this as I stated in my mission statement here on PN, to teach others and share what I know. I also provide the same services to PN.<br>

I am willing to continue this is a very straight forward method, where a group of people sharing the same interests can communicate openly, share their works and get expert advise.</p>

<p>Hi all</p>

<p>I thought I would come and air my views to the changes to the "home page"...... I would like to have been asked if I wanted to be inundated with images I have not chosen to look at!..... I am all for change too, if it's for the better,but in this instance, it isn't! I am more than capable of seeking out these images if I so desire...I don't need them thrust upon me. I wonder if PN have ever heard the expression "If it isn't broke, don't try and fix it". I hope PN listens to their members and for those who don't want their home page changed, can have it reverted back to its original state. I also think Alf Bailey raised a very valid point re his grandchildren and maybe having unwelcome nudes popping up at inopportune moments.<br>

I look forward to a response from a PN admin :)</p>

<p>Hi all. First regarding the moving ads - they are actually just other articles on the site that are recent and not advertisements. They've been there at least before my time, which was January. If you click in, it will just bring you to a recent article/tutorial/review right here on photo.net.<br /><br />Regarding the workspace, ability to customize, nudes, etc. - I responded here: http://www.photo.net/site-help-forum/00bpa6?start=0 Thanks for the feedback and sharing your thoughts. </p>

<p>Cara.......... thanks for your reply. I spend at least 2 hours a day on PN, and can assure you that these "pop-up, moving windows", irrespective of what they do or represent, are relatively new additions and very annoying.<br>

I have not laid the blame at your door ("at least before my time") what I'm saying is..... do we really need them?</p>