Forum - View topicImproving the Bugs & Technical Tips Forum
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Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 23753 |
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...because apparently no ANN staffer bothers to read the questions there on any kind of regular basis. I posted a question a week ago about difficulties I'm having with ANN and my Safari browser and still have not received any kind of reply. As I asked in a follow-up post to my original enquiry, what's the point of having such a forum if nobody at ANN bothers to reply. May as well shut it down so that posters don't get the mistaken impression that anybody at ANN actually gives a shit.
I should mention that this is not the first time this has happened to me. A while back a different enquiry went unanswered for over a week. eta: I have edited the title of this thread to try and make it a bit more constructive. I haven't edited my original message above, because to do so would probably render the following discussion incomprehensible (I mean, even more than it is now). Last edited by Blood- on Fri Jan 21, 2011 9:45 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor
 Posts: 9902 Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC |
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1. Dan is the only person who can answer technical questions.
2. Most tech guys other than those who work for Apple don't use Mac. 
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 23753 |
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Which is fine. If my question can't be answered, I'd at least like to be told that as opposed to having my question sit there, completely unacknowledged. Again, I return to my original point: if ANN does not have the ability to deal with technical questions and bugs, then why bother having a forum for it? It raises expectations that cannot be met, which is frustrating for a user.
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
 Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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It's not like nothing ever gets addressed there and it is helpful when users are having an issue we're not aware of. But Dan is an extremely busy guy and doesn't get to the bugs forum very often, and as Dormcat pointed out, and it's kind of pointless for someone to rush in and say "sorry, gotta wait for Dan to answer" every time someone asks a question. I apologize that it took a while for you to get a response, but I think you're being a little melodramatic about it. |
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 23753 |
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Actually, I still haven't received a response from ANN. Another user offered some advice. I don't think I'm being melodramatic at all. The Bugs & Technical Tips forum is not that busy of a place. It's not like 10 new threads are being generated a day. But again fine - if "Dan" is too busy to properly monitor the forum, why have it?
Anyway, next time I have a technical problem I'll just PM tempest directly and see if that yields any result. Going a week without any kind of response from an ANN staffer is just garbage customer service and if that's melodramatic, so be it. |
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Dessa
 Posts: 4438 |
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You know, last time I checked, the forum description said "get technical help", not "get technical help from ANN staff". You posted your question, someone provided you with a solution. I've posted solutions before for people.
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 23753 |
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I'm not fussy. I'll take a helpful hint from anybody, doesn't have to be an ANN staffer. But my thread went a week without ANY response. In fact, if I hadn't bitched about it here, it still would slowly be working its way down the page with zero replies, I'm sure. Not to mention that there are some problems a non-staffer just couldn't help with. I noticed one thread from somebody who paid for premium content that isn't unlocking. You gonna help out with that, Sparky? |
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Dan42
Chief Encyclopedist
 Posts: 3782 Location: Montreal |
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I try to check all relevant forums regularly, but it happens that I hadn't checked in a little while because I was busy with other non-technical-support stuff. But, and forgive me if I sound rude, the subscription perks do not include personalized one-on-one at-your-call slavish customer support. As much as we'd like to.
That being said, I must admit I have a tendency to not answer questions when I don't have a response. Just saying "Uh I don't know" just doesn't seem helpful at all, even when no one else could possibly know the answer. |
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 23753 |
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Well, I can't speak for anybody else, but let me assure you that even a, "sorry, I don't have an answer for you" is preferable than a total non-response - assuming, as my problem was, it isn't something that involves money. If money is involved, then yeah, that wouldn't couldn't it.
I am generally happy with the way ANN is run, but I have to say its bug/technical questions response system is a signal failure in my experience. In fairness, I guess it would require a paid, part-time person to look after it alone, which I'm sure isn't practical (I don't think there are enough enquiries to require a full-time position). As I say, in the future, rather than go through the frustration of an enquiry being ignored, I'll simply contact tempest directly. |
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DerekTheRed
 Posts: 3544 Location: ::Points to hand:: |
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That probably won't work, seeing as tempest's location is "Do not message me for support."
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 23753 |
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Doh. Then I guess I just better hope I never have a bug/technical question problem ever again.
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ikillchicken
 Posts: 7272 Location: Vancouver |
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I want to make clear that I in no way am agreeing with either Blood's complains or the rather...forceful way in which he presents them. That said...
Personally, I'd much rather you did that than not respond at all. If you just don't respond at all then the user really doesn't know what to do. Should they keep waiting? Should they press the issue or try to contact someone directly? They're left in limbo. If you can't help them then it would be better to let them know right off the bat. I don't expect anyone will be glad to hear that there's nothing you can do but at least if they know that's the case they can stop waiting/wondering and just accept that the problem will persist. At least the issue has been resolved even if it's not the resolution they wanted. That's how it seems to me anyway. |
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dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor
Posts: 9902 Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC |
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Shiroi Hane is not just "another user." |
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 23753 |
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Really? I don't seem to see him listed in the staff directory, nor does his profile indicate that he is on staff. And yes, ikillchicken articulated the same thought I had: without some sort of acknowledgement - even an "errrr, I don't know," a poster has no way of knowing whether anybody has even seen his message. This should become standard practice for that forum.
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PetrifiedJello
Posts: 3782 |
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I disagree and I also find Blood-'s attitude rather insulting to expect service while giving back no information himself on the corrections he has tried... in an entire week he's had to try, at least. Sorry, Blood-, but gotta stand up for the tech side of things today. Do people understand how frustrating this is to be on the receiving end of these requests? At the very least, before people post for assistance, they should apply what they've tried to do to fix the problem. In the future, people with problems on ANN should do the following: Step 1: Use a different browser. If the problem goes away, the issue is localized to the browser and Dan can not help, but other ANN users may. Before asking them, however... Step 2: Disable add-ons and clear the cache including cookies. If the problem goes away, you're done. Celebrate knowing you can do it yourself. If the problem persists... Step 3: Disable ads on ANN The use of scripting in web ads is growing. It may be embedded in the ad itself, or run when it's requested from the server. Disable them by: Subscribers: turn off of the ads in the settings and... Everyone else: disable image viewing from the browser (this will not work with Flash ads, so disabling Flash may be required... even if it means uninstalling it). If this doesn't work... Step 4: Use Google to assist You'd think this would be step 1, right? Well, this is where things get dicey, and helps people to understand what Dan would face. Issues, and their solutions, vary. By searching, many times the issues can be resolved. If Google doesn't help, links to Dan on information will be helpful if there is a correlation between browser and site so he doesn't have to do it himself. If Google doesn't seem to turn up any results... Step 5: Get help from ANN users Chances are, some may share the same issue or will have a history of the same issue. However, if there is no reply, chance are you're on your own to fix the problem once the above steps are applied. To Mac users: you're really in a tough position because Safari comprises less than 2% of users world wide, so finding assistance is going to be tremendously difficult. I strongly urge you to ditch Safari and use Firefox, Chrome, or IE as your primary browser. If Safari, a good browser on its own accord, fails to properly render a page to which every other person has no issue with using other browsers, shouldn't this have been the first clue the issue is not the ANN website? My two cents. If you take nothing away from this, I expect a refund. |
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