Now let me get this straight......

Well, the private "Groups" feature gave me pause, or is that paws. Anyway, I can just see Moi and Party Hat starting a private Group and not inviting me.

Originally Posted by Orleans_Ed

Well, the private "Groups" feature gave me pause, or is that paws. Anyway, I can just see Moi and Party Hat starting a private Group and not inviting me.

??? None of that makes much sense to me. If people you don't like start their own group.. to talk about their own stuff. Why would that even be an issue? Even better if it is private!

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Right now the Groups features.. are not as good as they could be. The largest PROBLEM is the lack of Email notification of a reply to your message.

That "Problem" has been fixed in the new version.

And.. There are these super cool new GROUP features:

Your own HOME page.
Events Calendar
Forums
Photos
Members list
Videos.

I believe once the "Group" has been set to PRIVATE.. that would be for not only the conversations but also any "Content" such as the videos and photos posted. Plus Google is blocked from crawling private forums.

It is like a "Micro" OpenVegas of your own.

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Instead of taking the EXTREME BAD viewpoint.. I can see it as a way of say Chip fanatics using it. Posting Chip info and even doing some trading. Or maybe fans of some other part of Las Vegas that *I* would never in a million years think of!

I'm very sure we will be losing the Classified ads with OV2.0. But people right now are trading coupons using OV PM easy enough. No reason they can't do the same in a private group. Even better since the folks there should actually KNOW each other. Either because they met each other at a meet or something else.

I believe there is either a setting or something that gives the Mini-Admin of their group the ability to admit or eject members. Just like "Big Site"..

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The new OV2.0 is vastly HUGE compared to OV1.0. Very dynamic.. user friendly and seamless in its operation.

Maybe the NEW OV2.0 will be just to much for our "Legacy Members" to take in. That's fine with us. There is vast array of Simple Vegas Message forums for our people to go to. We are not leaving anybody out in the cold.

Even as a result of this thread.. we have had long time members LEAVE.. for no other reason but they "Think" they won't like the NEW forums.

That kind of "Thinking".. better written.. "Not Thinking".. has been the hallmark of some of our more out spoken critics over the years. Their lack of reading comprehension.

There isn't anything I can write that will change a persons mind once it has already been made up.
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Yes I strongly admit that my PR (Bull Scatt Skills) are not the best in the world. We like it that way.

I get up in the morning/afternoon/evening knowing that I'm doing the best job I can do.. I'm not lying to anybody. Not attempting to STEAL members from another sites. Not bad mouthing so-in-so for my/our advantage.

I do my best to treat people the way I expect to be treated online. I'm truthful and honest in all my dealings with OpenVegas and it's members. Generally.. the members that take the time to PM me or even MEET me at one of our Admin meets. Eventually "Get" what I'm all about.

Every single post I write to a member.. is exactly what I would say to that person's face in public. Yea.. really.

We were here when the Internet bubble was growing like crazy.. it burst and we are still here. 9/11 happened (A terrible thing BTW). Travel to Vegas came to a complete stop for months. We survived that.

Right now Vegas suffering big time. Las Vegas is the Foreclosure capital of the US. Frank and I both live here.. Pay taxes here. And of course pay our business taxes. All above board and out in the open.

If the residents of Vegas are suffering.. we are suffering right with them.. We also don't live behind walled / gated communities. And we are NOT running OpenVegas as a "Hobby System" so we can take our Vegas adventures (trips) off on our taxes. (For free)

None of this is a "Hobby" for us. It is a full time job that we take very seriously.

Never in a million years I thought I'd be involved in a Cutting/Bleeding Edge Las Vegas Online Community website when I graduated from LVHS.

In case you missed it ED. Frank and I have been in the Online World since Frank started the FIRST dial-up BBS in Las Vegas in 1983.

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OV2.0 is the biggest expansion project we have ever attempted in our history together.

Our Legacy members could "Cheer" us on.. and get up on the boat with us. Or they can take the low road.. throw stones.. and hurl cheap shots.



It is always easier to tear something down than to build something up.

So ED how do you "Feel" about the above?

GENE

I was joking, Gene.

But, as far as increasing membership and the use of the various site-features, it's always been my opinion that the strength of the website lies overwhelmingly in the Vegas forums, not the other way around: in the feature offerings.

I'd promote and support the forums first, increase viewership and let people gravitate towards the other aspects of the site; the bigger the membership, the more likely the peripheral features will be used.

I do see your point of view in that you'd like the site to evolve into something similar to a Facebook-like enterprise, etc., and therefore would like to downplay the forums. The problem is that your core support is Vegas forum oriented.

As Bill Parcels tells a player: if you're a giraffe and not a gazelle, don't try to be a gazelle, just try to be a great giraffe.

Originally Posted by Orleans_Ed

I was joking, Gene.

it's always been my opinion that the strength of the website lies overwhelmingly in the Vegas forums, not the other way around: in the feature offerings.e.

After running "Forums" for years.. it is clearly a dead end.

The Strength as you put it.. Is in the Quality and Quantity of usable information.

That has served us well.. and will with the upgrade.

GENE

To go into more detail... Yea you didn't ask for it. But here goes.

Originally Posted by Orleans_Ed

But, as far as increasing membership and the use of the various site-features, it's always been my opinion that the strength of the website lies overwhelmingly in the Vegas forums, not the other way around: in the feature offerings.

This is pretty well documented here on the site. Some of my words have aged out.. but most of it is still here.

Back in 2005 I "Fought" like crazy to KEEP the forums. I thought they were very important. Frank looking at it as a Work-Reward... as in. We spend 90% of our time working on the forums and make virtually NADDA for our troubles.

I had him move us away from that Forums Pay service.. ?? It was costing our members like $8000 a year. Totally unacceptable IMHO. So we took BACK the software.. (More work too btw). Of the 8K. we didn't get a penny of that. If that matters. We did have the "Dollar a Month" BS.. That money wouldn't cover our morning coffee.

2006.. Especially in the VIP areas I witnessed people eating each other. Just "Going at it" for the sake of it. Causing a lot of hurt feelings.. and a whole lot of folks READ the forums but were afraid to post. Mostly because some "member" would talk behind their back.. First it was in the Private Message system. Only Paid members back then could use it. Now everybody can PM another member.

I "Thought" that if LVTalk.com had MORE FEATURES.. like games, polls, quizzes, etc.. It would give our members more to do. Get them to stop the in-fighting.

That was the beginnings of what OV is today.

I'd promote and support the forums first, increase viewership and let people gravitate towards the other aspects of the site; the bigger the membership, the more likely the peripheral features will be used.

I continue to PROMOTE the features of this site. And some of the "Rank & File" think I'm trying to twist their arm or something. It is of no use.

Using your logic. We have already tried that for nearly 2 years. It failed.

I do see your point of view in that you'd like the site to evolve into something similar to a Facebook-like enterprise, etc., and therefore would like to downplay the forums. The problem is that your core support is Vegas forum oriented.

The forums are not going away. In fact we will be adding as many as 100 more.

But the days of members logging into OV and "Hovering" in the Main LVTalk area will (or should) be over.

As Bill Parcels tells a player: if you're a giraffe and not a gazelle, don't try to be a gazelle, just try to be a great giraffe.

What would Bill Parcels say about everybody thinking you're a Gazelle.. when you really are a Giraffe? Then gets all pissed off when you can't look them eye to eye.

The days of the "Simple" message forums are about over.

The two major software programs that are "Forums".. are adding in features like Avatars.. Videos, Photos, Games, etc.. It seems like a last "Gasp" IMHO. Forums are going away.. in favor of the big Social Networks.

Hardly anybody cares WHO runs the online service that they use. Hell.. Look at the TOS of Myspace or Youtube! I nearly fell out of my chair when I read YouTube's TOS. They might have changed it.. but when I read it. YouTube/Google OWNS every single part of the VIDEO you upload. The characters, story, music,.. everything! And people could care less.

Frank and I have NEVER jerked a member around when it came to copyright or ownership. The language that is in our TOS is for our protection. Necessary because of the world we live in.

I'm pretty sure if "Family Guy" started out on YouTube.com today. Either YouTube would claim ownership outright.. Or if Fox wanted it bad enough.. would have to PAY YouTube for the HONOR of Seth McFarlands good works.

We would never do anything like that. Nor Data-mine our memberships info.. like Myspace does. Or give up private user info based on a telephone call from the cops. Something that Myspace is known for.. and promotes.

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Message forums have a life of their own. Run their course.. and eventually die. If you compare ANY message forum started in 2000... to today. The exact same events have happened to them. The Admin guy is "Horrible".. I hate the new software! THAT IS WHY ME AND MY FRIENDS LEFT!

It is a sad cycle that has been repeated on the Internet many thousands of times.

No matter how well run the forum is.. What happened to LVTalk happened to all the others. Probably the only exceptions are the 100% private systems. But when you compare FREE and OPEN forums.. this is what you get.

Common Sense and logic doesn't really mean much when you are dealing with human beings.

GENE

Gene,

YOu wrote....."The forums are not going away. In fact we will be adding as many as 100 more.

But the days of members logging into OV and "Hovering" in the Main LVTalk area will (or should) be over. "

Can you explain this in more detail?

So if I am understanding this correctly...unless as a member I participate into another area of the site, other than reading the forums, I will not have access???


I do not take pictures at all, never upload them, so I will never participate in that area. I also never use any other area of your site, except for the gaming area, which I haven't used in months.

Does this mean I will not have access to the forums in the future?

I am a bit perplexed????

Originally Posted by ILuvToTravel

Gene,

YOu wrote....."The forums are not going away. In fact we will be adding as many as 100 more.

But the days of members logging into OV and "Hovering" in the Main LVTalk area will (or should) be over. "

Can you explain this in more detail?

So if I am understanding this correctly...unless as a member I participate into another area of the site, other than reading the forums, I will not have access???


I do not take pictures at all, never upload them, so I will never participate in that area. I also never use any other area of your site, except for the gaming area, which I haven't used in months.

Does this mean I will not have access to the forums in the future?

I am a bit perplexed????

You have an Avatar.. Based on FEEDBACK from many of our Militant GRAY "Legacy" members. Once we DEMAND they use a Valid AVATAR here. They will all leave.

I'm not 100% sure on this.. but I'm pretty sure the LVTalk main message area will no longer exist. Answering one of your questions.

Today or tomorrow.. I'm pulling out a large black board.. printing out screen shots of each part of the new system. Then taping each screen shot to the board. That will give Frank and I a better look of "Everything". As I wrote above.. the new system is vast. Speaking of.. have you ever looked at our Business Directory? Probably one of the best business listing programs available on the Internet Today. And we have it here on OV. Does any of our OV members know about it? No.

As we move forward into 2010.. 2011.. and even 2012. OV will grow right along with our other Vegas sites.

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Still makes no sense to me why you would want to use a Social Network like this? Especially with all the other Vegas sites out there. ??

AND if I'm not 100% senile. You are already a member of nearly all of them already.

Why do you care?

BTW.. have you actually read this whole thread from the start to finish? People that post.. really should do me that courtesy.

Lurkers.. the folks that READ but never join. Usually they are more informed then our "Rank & File" members. Just an observation.

GENE _________

To answer your questions…
The reason I stay on this site is because I have been here for a long time and seen a lot of changes…it is my original site and I feel it is like an old shoe…very comfortable…but having said that, I have never put down the new things that were done here...

What difference does it make if I am on other sites? that has nothing to do with this site…I read quite a few sites to get Vegas info ….

And yes I have read the entire thread…and I don’t think you want me to opine on my thoughts on that…I expressed in a private email to you a while back what I thought of your posts…that is not for this thread…

I am not a militant poster…I am just someone who has gleaned so much from this site, had a great time here, and I don’t want to leave….I will leave when I am good and ready…

I am still confused as to what the forums will be. If they will exist at all ….so I will simply sit back, watch and wait and linger quietly while you get the new software up and running…

If I don’t like it, then I will decide if I leave or not….until then I will go back to lurking as posting here now seems to elicit rather terse responses from you…

Back in lurking mode…

Originally Posted by ILuvToTravel

What difference does it make if I am on other sites? that has nothing to do with this site…I read quite a few sites to get Vegas info ….…

Because.. THIS SITE should be / and is FULL of Vegas info... not 99% of the junk you said you read above.

And MOST of the OTHER self styled Simple Message forums hardly ever talk about Vegas.. and offer up no credible Vegas info. Just "Tea Party Talk".

or at least.. I've yet to see ONE example.

And.. if the time comes you don't feel comfortable here anymore. You have plenty of places to go to.

We have a long way to go with OV2.0.. Thus what I said about the board..

GENE