Stories Section Trashed!

chasncath
chasncath Forum Participant Posts: 1,659
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edited December 2016 in How to use Club Together #1

Old 'Stories' section has been trashed in the update. Photos in the 5-photo slide show have been replaced with grey blanks. Furthermore, looking for our old stories, we recognized some of our photos being used as identity photos above other members' names. Have a look!

Comments

  • N1805
    N1805 Forum Participant Posts: 1,092
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    edited December 2016 #2

    Hopefully this along with other problems will get sorted if we continue to point them out

    I hope you saved your stories onto your own laptop/device before submitting to CT  you at least can then 'wander down memory lane.'

     

     

  • chasncath
    chasncath Forum Participant Posts: 1,659
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    edited December 2016 #3

    To add insult to injury, I've just looked at one of our old stories and the photos are gone, except one slide which is someone's photo from who knows where!surprised

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,856 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #4

    Chas

    I have just looked at the last story I posted before the upgrade and the title picture is of the Queen stepping out of a caravan so goodness knows where that came from. Interestingly all the photos I added into the text are still there but you don't seem to be able to do that now with new stories.

    David

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited December 2016 #5

    another success for the CC IT team then .......  cool

     

    I know that if I'd had a line down at work for 3 days while I fixed it & when I started it, it still didn't work properly, they'd be questioning my competency!  sealed

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited December 2016 #6

    I wold rather it down for 4 days and then work than 3 days and not

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited December 2016 #7

    I wold rather it down for 4 days and then work than 3 days and not

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #8

    I hadn't spotted this, I'm afraid my sense of humour took over when I saw the variety of photos that had got attached to someone elses stories and Avatars.  A bit like some silly party game. You're lucky to have the Queen David, my last story is just a blank canvas. wink

    If I've got to be serious it obviously needs sorting.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #9

    One of my stories "A walk in Norfolk' has one photo left, looks like a landscape of Scotlandwink

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #10

    Just checked a selection of my stories, what a pain, there doesn't seem to be a search by author like the old model, unless someone knows different. 

    Some of my Avatars are correct and in some stories they are incorrect.  Some stories also have the wrong photo's/avatar.

    Will searching for my own stories it struck me that it would have been an ideal opportunity for the club to delete the dozens of non stories

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #11

    I see Roy and Sharon have lifted my Caractacus stone from Exmoor and taken it to Spain with them. wink At least we can add stories and the photos are sharper but they still need resizing first.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,856 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #12

    Unless the issues surrounding the Story Section can be resolved it might be best to start again and delete all previous stories? I know from personal experience a lot of work goes into submitting stories but unless they can get the migration right, starting again might be the best option?

    David

  • chasncath
    chasncath Forum Participant Posts: 1,659
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    edited April 2017 #13

    I've just come across an external link to one of our past 'stories'-Postcard from Coimbra' which someone once thought was worthy of interest. Out of curiosity I followed the link, only to find that the photos were and still are missing, and are replaced by a random selection of photos and blanks. 

    I was always encouraged that other people liked our postcards. It's still disheartening to see the disregard that the software managers showed for our efforts. Perhaps an apology would be appropriate, and then the pre update files could erased rather than let them exist in their tattered state.

  • Extugger
    Extugger Forum Participant Posts: 1,293
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    edited April 2017 #14

    As I've mentioned before, ChasnCath, it's thanks to your efforts and wonderful postcards, along with others, that we followed and enjoyed our best ever camping experiences in Croatia.

    It is becoming increasingly apparent that 'the Club' is employing people who are either incompetent or who are simply not up to the task in dealing with modern technology.

    Not only has the re-branding been thoroughly considered or correctly delivered, irrespective of anyone's views on it, the latest magazine also has glaring photographic mistakes in it and there's more adverts than 'content' (probably to pay for the aforementioned!)

    'We can appreciate that change can seem daunting, so we want to reassure you that this is still the same Club you know and love – we're just building upon your Club’s success to make sure it flourishes for many years to come'.

    Really?? 

    Thank you from someone who really enjoyed your efforts smile

  • ValDa
    ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004
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    edited April 2017 #15

    As someone who used to work with computers, it's becoming increasingly obvious that this forum software is very poorly 'written' behind the scenes.

    It seems that two topics with the same title start to link together even if they were added on completely different dates and by different original authors.  This means that old posts are 'resurrected' and become part of much newer posts with the same title.

    A current example of this is the ACSI ID Card post in the Overseas section, where Jamsdad started a new discussion, in late April to which I responded. Now the 'thread' states that it was started by Hitchglitch three months ago, and the two different threads have linked together.  Sometimes you can see only the recent additions, started by Jamsdad, sometimes you can see only the old posts in the thread started by Hitchglitch and sometimes you can see them all - depending on how the post is accessed.  I can see four posts if I go into the thread one way, Jamsdad, myself, Jamsdad again and Pippah, but if I access it another way there are more twenty one posts, the last added by IanH on the 29th April, and discussing Croatian campsites and the legality of passports being held by reception.

    This indicates a fundamental flaw in the 'code' used to write the forum (if not the rest of the website as the CL section seems to have a similar problem to stories) and it does make you speculate as to who did the work, and how competent they were.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2017 #16

    A real lash up, stories and reviews.  I have decided not to post anymore stories and to be honest I only give the story section a cursory glance now and then

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited April 2017 #17

    So now we know who the club "consulted " before the lash up of the "rebrand" was instigated, its all becoming clear nowsurprised

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2017 #18

    'We can appreciate that change can seem daunting, so we want to reassure you that this is still the same Club you know and love – we're just building upon your Club’s success to make sure it flourishes for many years to come'.

    No, I don't get that warm, cosy and loving feeling of belonging to a club.  

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,027 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2017 #19

    Well said ValDa and OP. I had spent time doing dozens of reviews, mainly for CLs and a few Club Sites, only to find he vast majority missing, so I no longer do them on here. I see doing a review as essential for CL owners, like to thank them for what is provided, so I leave reviews, and photographs on a more reliable and user friendly forum, Caravanchat. 

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2017 #20

    There's a fundamental lack of communication in areas of the web site that aren't functioning properly. The CL section has perhaps suffered the most, it lacks an explanation on it's front search page that searches and reviews are missing and there is work in progress. The story section needs a reference to archive errors. The rally section lacks a location search and this should be acknowledged. Malfunctions in the CT area continue without any explanation. This should really be normal business practice to help customers and provide them with information, even if it's only a basic apology. These errors of judgement come from a senior management level in the club.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,027 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2017 #22

    I could live without CT, and don't use TwitFace at all. However, if I was a new, prospective tourer, looking to join, the website as a whole does not give a good first impression. Clunky, unreliable, not easy to navigate, seems incompatible with Apple devices at times.......the Club has literally fallen at the first hurdle in this respect. Which makes a mockery of all the reaching out to the next generation of members, they have visited, given up in frustration and moved on elsewhere. 

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2017 #23

    If I was new on CT, using a phone as many do, I wouldn't understand the set up. The stories bit would be a complete mystery if I tapped into past authors, it's a complete mess. 

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,190 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2017 #24

    David I agree with what you're saying BUT whilst CT is probably well down the list for improvements I have seen nothing or little to assist CL's. All the points raised way back in mid December seem to have been ignored or badly tinkered with. There hasn't  been decent explanation from IT, I know they themselves don't comment, but Rochelle and Rowena have on the snagging list. Then only along the lines of an update is being tested we'll let you know when it's launched. Even the drop downs when using a computer, I believe an early fault on the original CT, hasn't been sorted 😢. Several months on from the launch of the new website and it still has very basic flaws. 

  • chasncath
    chasncath Forum Participant Posts: 1,659
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    edited April 2017 #25

    Having devised a way of inserting photos into 'stories', I may persevere with another story. Adding photos from external photo storage should mean that they can't be corrupted - I hope!

    I also hope that the IT maintainers don't try to block my access in a fit of piquecry

    • Dilbert Cartoon Creator Wishes Pro-Lifers "Would Die a Long, Horrible ...

     

  • PhilHeller
    PhilHeller Forum Participant Posts: 267
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    edited April 2017 #26

    DavidKline, does it cost them a lot, cash wise, to focus on Facebook and Twitter?

    Staff also probably find the superior response times and stability far easier to cope with than CT😂

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,856 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2017 #27

    I suspect that it is more labour intensive compared to CT as there are only staff monitoring it and they wouldn't want anything to appear on there that would be detrimental to the Club so it would use more resources compared to CT where we have volunteer moderators.

    David 

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited April 2017 #28

    I am sure the Marketing department will come up with "positive"comments to explain that the cost of the add staff time "costs"that is required to monitor the "other"social medias has been "costed"and the benefit from them far out ways anything that we had in the pastundecided