Over the past months It as become apparent, to me at least, that joet is pushing ahead with some sort of "modernisation" programme.
To me however it looks more like a push in the direction of untappd. A simplified website that caters for the moronic masses.
Are we heading for a website with less stats when we want more?
A brewers list that "temporarily???" doesn't list that brewers beers.
New Forum and Beermail interface. Plastic surgery for an old and degenerating hag?
A new app that no one seems to like and that is dumbed down to something that could run on a spectrum 48k.
Joe i didn't really give a shit about the sale to AbInbev, but you promised us an amazing tech support and great functionality. What exactly have they given you? Do they just keep you on hold on your dedicated tech support line?
I really hoped we would see a big modernisation programme and more of the stuff Ratebeer is famous for. However all I see is an effort to reduce Ratebeer to a ticking app. The more you dumb the site down, the more you will force users to migrate to dumb apps like untappd.
Don't betray us Joe.
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Obviously filling the website with lots of in-jokes is saving Ratebeer :-) |
Originally posted by Maakun
Obviously filling the website with lots of in-jokes is saving Ratebeer :-)
I wish more people would post in the forums and not leave it to degenerates like me to destroy. The forums are Only as good as those that use it.
My main concern here is the stats and usability of the website.
Where do you rank the issue with tossers like me on the forums with all the other issues with Ratebeer at the moment? |
While I think it is not unfair to ask yourself this question, I don't think it is the case.
It's clear to me -even to me I should perhaps say- that the site needs modernisation. At least, the site needs an upgrade technically. Now I don't know anything about the technical side of this, but I have -like everyone else- been extremely annoyed with the slowness and features being unavailable for long periods of time. Lots of people have tried to explain to me "that the site is built upon old techology and pages are linked in an unusual way" and what not, but as I said I have no idea what that means. But what I do get is that technically we desperately need to renew. We need a fast responding, working website. While we're still not there completely, I still believe Joe has people working on this and we're making steps forward, but it takes time. I'm still patient enough to wait for more results.
Implementing some features that appeal to people who don't want to rate properly (properly: what in general is considered a minimal rating might be up for debate, but I remember somebody posting a sort of guideline on the forum years ago, basically saying that a rating should consist of 'a description of the beer, preferably something about all attributes which are scored ('facts'), ending with a personal opinion (opinion, so bascially 'like it or don't like it')' isn't necessarily a bad thing imo. On the contrary, generating more traffic on the site sounds positive to me. Getting people involved is even more positive. There are lots of examples of people who started an account on this site just for the use of the forums for instance, but at some point started rating and are now actively contributing. The focus should remain on rating, don't get me wrong, this is RATEbeer for a reason, but that doesn't have to mean everything is else is a 100% excluded. I very much agree we should never become "A simplified website that caters for the moronic masses", but if our website has some features "that cater for the moronic masses" which aren't bothering us (meaning: not screwing with the averages, not slowing the site down, etc.), it might actually lead to something good.
I don't think there will be less stats, I think there will be more eventually. If The Netherlands needs to be broken up into provinces like some have suggested we do with a lot more countries other than USA Canada UK and Germany I will offer my help with that as far as I can do anything without being an admin.
The beers not being visible is indeed hopefully a "temporary" thing cause indeed that's annoying. I can only assume this has been reported and they're looking into it? Maybe one of the admins knows?
Regarding the new look for the forum and beermail: it always takes time to get used to that. I disliked the last changes too but I got used to it. The same will happen with this change.
I haven't tried the new app as I never used the old app either. I rate live via the website or in my notes on my phone if the site is down or if I don't have internet connection. I think the app should be simple and fast. It should do three things: allow raters to rate a beer properly, allow tickers to tick a beer easily and show all users easily and quickly which beers they have rated. That's the base I'd say. Want more info or long lists of statistics? Use the website.
I don't care about AbInbev either. Have no knowledge about tech support and how amazing (or not) it is. Maybe Joe can give some more info on that?
I think you're right about this: "The more you dumb the site down, the more you will force users to migrate to dumb apps like untappd." Let's hope it doesn't come to that. |
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Originally posted by SarkyNorthener
Where do you rank the issue with tossers like me on the forums with all the other issues with Ratebeer at the moment?
Ratings, even adding breweries that don't exist...
I've complained a lot about the site the last few months, but now we're finally seeing some improvements and, yes, actual communication! It's still a bumpy ride but for example the new forums are a huge step forward, I'll just hope there's many more coming. |
don't be a fool. why would be want to. i think that RB has never had the investment to do anything other than tread water. and as such its been in the grand scheme of things been dieing a slow death. were not seeing as many trades, forums are a tiny group, and i dont think were gaining new members at the rate we need to. Even though a percentage of untappd uses use RB to check a beers rating here when spending big cash.
there's much that needs done, i for one welcome better forums. its the forum / rating combo that gives RB a USP. I value RB for the community and friends I've made over the ratings, untappd could cover that, and while FB and twitter are just a big threats. if RB can get it right we can keep that community, grow it and thrive |
Originally posted by cgarvieuk
don't be a fool. why would be want to.
It's a question not a statement.
The title is meant to be sensationalist, it's got over 100 views and America hasn't even woken up yet.
But I think the questions in the content are valid. |
What should have been done, is leave the old site alone, rebuild a completely new one and test it bombproof before launch. Not patch up the old one... |
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Originally posted by Inbreak
What should have been done, is leave the old site alone, rebuild a completely new one and test it bombproof before launch. Not patch up the old one...
Would have been the best way indeed |
It was certainly an inexplicable step backwards to remove the ability to view individual scores for aroma, appearance, taste, palate, and overall from the ratings. |
The forum upgrade is absolutely necessary in my opinion. These ones have so many bugs and are missing so much functionality. Can't even get a notification when someone replies to a thread, have to manually check all the time. It's not a nice user experience at all.
But the main problem with the new ones isn't the change, the design, or anything like that. It's that already they are filled mostly with in-jokes and no actual discussion. I realise it's still in a sort of early testing phase but I don't see why this means everyone has to shitpost instead of fostering discussion. I mean it's not exactly welcoming to newer users like myself since none of us have any idea what's going on. Something needs to be done to encourage more users to post unless you want to stick with the same subset of hardcore tickers posting there, in which case the community will never grow.
The beer listing disabled on brewer pages was explained by Joe here: https://www.ratebeer.com/forums/slowness-and-errors_299704.htm
I also agree it's stupid and hope it's temporary. I just can't see how limiting that saves so much server power as all the info displayed should be cached, it really shouldn't be that big of a hit on the database unless it was calculating all the ratings and average on the fly. If that's the case then that is a high priority fix right there, that stuff really should be cached and only updated when a new rating is added or a user edits their existing rating.
Removing the ability to see individual rating scores was extremely frustrating and relegating it to a on-hover popover is a big reduction in usability and UX. I still hope this is brought back.
Also we absolutely do need more stats. More stats on everything. More top pages. This is a huge USP for RateBeer and is what draws me and I suspect many others here instead of Untappd. |
