Just wondering why the non-serious issues in posts get responded to around here, while very serious issues seem to be ignored? You have posts refering to questions about 'adding new things to the site' that get instant responses from admins..then you have the very large threads about the current problems with merchants leaving and why, security, trust, and a host of other important goodies that pertain to the happiness and well being of this site and its members...the latter seems to be getting the fewest replies from mods /or/ admins...whats the 'cone of silence' for??! 'Rosity, this isn't looking good...and Im not the only one seeing it. :|

jumpstartme2 - contrary to what you have suggested, no thread is being ignored. Mods and Admins oversee all threads on the site. The ones that deal with site suggestions and site problems as you have mentioned are being answered because those are directed towards Mods and Admins. Correct me if I assume incorrectly, but the posts you are referring to are most commonly being directed towards members and not directly towards Mods/Admins. However, if their is a comment directed towards a Mod or Admin then it is being answered. As I look down through this particular forum it looks like Mods/Admins are doing an excellent job of responding quickly to any questions and issues that were directed towards Mods & Admins.

Not always when discussing site-specific stuff without stating: "Mods/Admins: I expect an answer."

Do we really have to preface all posts with a request that it be answered? That seems utterly ridiculous.

Tutone1234...I mod at a few different sites, so please do not tell me that unless the members are not 'directly' asking a mod/admin a question..that they are not expected to answer.. If a thread, where alot of members are voicing complaints, and asking questions, is not getting any feedback from the mods/admins..then yes, that thread is being ignored. Just because there are members discussing the issues at hand..that doesn't mean they are not waiting for someone higher up to say something about the issue..and something a little more than 'We're discussing it"...those members just have nobody else to talk to about it..and so it eventually leads to flames between members..alot of which could just be avoided IMO if mods and admins would step up to the plate where they are needed. And just like CS, I see no reason why the mods/admin cannot jump into a conversation without being called upon...yup..I agree with CS,...its utterly ridiculous.

I would agree that the PTB here tend to stay out of alot that the members would appreciate them being involved in, but if you think about it, why would they want to subject themselves to it? They're often being called upon to defend their policies which they have the right to make, but to alot of people it doesn't matter what they say, they're going to get blasted for it. Alot of the decisions made around here that cause problems are simply the result of the site owners creating a new policy and essentially saying, This is the way it's gonna be, and it's not up for debate, so deal with it! Unfortunately, you're not likely to hear any of the PTB say that, because even being brutally honest would cause problems, a whole new set of different problems... Not defending their choice to stay silent or at least mostly silent in the Big Issues, just offering what I feel to be an accurate perspective: It's simply better, less aggravating, to let the members fight it out and wait for it to blow over.

By not saying anything, R'osity is also giving the impression that they could care less about the "community" they have built/are trying to rebuild. When you are dealing with the public, you have to expect a certain level of malcontent. The trick is, not to let that deter you from participating with your membership. Without members, a community site is a waste of useless virtual space.

What someone does not say is sometimes more important than what someone does say.

I imagine this thread, too, will fade into nothingness with little or no replies. At least R'osity is consistent. :0)

HI!

Never one to disappoint, eh? ;0)

Blows a raspberry at Spike :P What someone does not say is sometimes more important than what someone does say. Exactly! Actions speak louder than words sometimes. I imagine this thread, too, will fade into nothingness with little or no replies. At least R'osity is consistent. :0) Yeah, 'Rosity IS consistant in these instances..and you're probably right on the money with "I imagine this thread, too, will fade into nothingness with little or no replies" MikeJ, I hear what you're saying..and agree to a point..but just cruise around and look at the lack of responses from the PTB concerning the 'big issues' and then look at threads concerning the 'little issues'..see the difference in the PTB's involvement? Check out the copyright Forum..in one 119 post thread, Jeny addresses the members concerns about 3-4 times...then Tim comes in simply to bite Mehndi..{not to address members concerns} and then....nothing more from the PTB {at least I haven't seen it yet..will be going there from here ;)} nope, I still see no reason why the PTB can't jump into the fire with the rest of us..it concerns them as well as the reg members.

They have no intention of changing certain things, so they don't bother to reply...

I can see how it can be perceived this way. We tend to work on harder issues behind the scenes. Communicating with those that are directly involved and tend to monitor but not participate in the public communications. I would say the best way to judge how we are doing would be based on what changes, improvements, advances you see within Renderosity. I hope your perceived good changes overcast the ones you did not like. But I would say the communications to the public is an area that we need to improve. tammy

I was referring to admins... I think our mods do an excellent job trying to answer member questions. tammy

IMO, there will always be areas that we need to improve and that will be communications, responsiveness, and inconsistencies as you have posted. Managing an international community has different perceptions all the way around. I will say that our team does care about the members and always tries to do the right thing. But it is not viewed that way some of the time. I have to disagree on greed, customer service, and member concerns. If it were just greed, then nothing would be improved on the community side of Renderosity. It is true that we are a business and make decisions as one. I believe our customer service and member feedback is addressed. It might take some time but we generally get it done. From the 1000 emails or more we get a day, the IMs our team receives, forum posts, etc, we stay on top of them. We just completed out community, merchant, and buyer survey. The results look very good. We will be sharing those in October with the community. thanks tammy

I have to disagree on greed, customer service, and member concerns And I would have to disagree on these three points..customer service and members concerns go hand in hand on alot of issues here of late..I have been a customer service manager, and the way things are running here towards customers is appalling to me..and yes, it boils down to greed IMHO. If greed weren't a factor here, then 'Rosity would be willing to eat some of the 'refunds' owed its customers..something 'Rosity just isn't willing to do. Its called good customer relations..and something most big businesses practice. Changes in the site are nice..refreshing even..but its something alot of sites do..and need to do..but the really big issues, like Illusions stated, do not change..they just get 'discussed in the backroom' until things blow over, and nothing changes in those areas. The members notice this, and have been noticing it for quite awhile..if things were going smoothly, I highly doubt you would hear much dissent in the crowd. You need to listen to your members more when they have suggestions. And act on them..especially the 'big issues' as those are the ones most often complained about. Get out here in the mud with the rest of us, and 'actually' fix something that needs fixing, and has for awhile. Be willing to bend,{not break} and be willing to do what needs to be done even if it takes more money out of your profits. This is the area that most members are seeing the 'greed' factor I would think {I could be wrong, but I don't think so}

We just completed out community, merchant, and buyer survey I hope the results of this 'survey' comes out as well as you expect it to. I have to ask tho, why create a survey for the areas you know are problimatic to begin with? Also, if the results come out negative, what are you going to do about it? Is 'Rosity going to 'really' listen to its members then?

Who was surveyed? Has anyone who participated in this thread been surveyed? No one has contacted me. Did I miss my chance?

Heh, The survey is supposed to come out in October...I'm just wondering why they don't release it now..

Ack! Wait a sec...I just re-read that...and yes indeed it DOES sound like this survey has ALREADY taken place!..Now I'm also wondering why we were not aware of this 'survey'?? If the members, merchants, and customers survey was conducted already...WHO WAS SURVEYED?! THE MODS AND ADMINS??!

the staff remains silent and let us take the "heat". Truer words were never spoken IMO.

Your words truly hit home with a BANG..illusions..very well said. Almost like a sad premonition..very sad..

I don't consider you being harsh Illusions. I understand that there are areas that you would like to see improved. And that if you did not care, we probably would not be hearing from you. In our annual admin meeting which was held last week, we discussed some ways to improve the community structure. This is in the beginning stages and will talk more about this in October. thanks tammy

thanks for the feedback.

Very well put Illusions. ;)

I know that the merchant survey was administered well before any of the recent major changes have taken place. (Was it 2 months ago the survey came out?) It's quite possible the results might be a bit different if it was posted again.

Perhaps R'osity should re-release the survey and compare the differences? It would provide useful insight into the changing perceptions if they had responses from the same surveyed members.

After a little thought, I thought, I'd chime in on this subject, even tho, I probably have no busines doing so.. I can't speak for what any other Mods do.. We were all trained the same way.. If I have to remove an image, I give a specific TOS reference for the image in question.. I know one image I removed(not from one of my areas) took no less than 10 IM's to resolve.. Remember, the TOS like any other "law or Rule" is to some degree open to intereptation.. I tend not to wander around galleries other than the ones I'm in charge of.. Especially looking for problems.. If any of "my" members have an issue, I deal with it as best I can, and if I can't resolve it, I bring it to the attention of some one who can.. I know everyone has their own "style" of being a Mod..No different than members have their own ways of expressing them selves.. The one thing I find interesting, and agin, I'm not looking to stir up trouble, is a few of the folks who replies to this thread seem to have an issue with certain moderators.. But, haven't named names.. If you really feel that a moderator treated you in an unprofessional way, why not just document their actions and bring it to someones attention? Yeah, there are times I get frustrated too.. Believe me... I enjoy being a moderator.. I take a lot of pride in the work I do here.. Pushinfaders..

"If you really feel that a moderator treated you in an unprofessional way, why not just document their actions and bring it to someones attention?"

Speaking only of what I have seen since I have joined, this has been as fruitless as discussing policies that have already been determined to be set in stone. In the past, some members have brought complaints against Mods to the Admin's/Owner's attention, and nothing was done. No offense to the ladies, but it appears - from this side of the monitor - to be an "old boy network": Mods/Admins/Owners take care of themselves, Members/Merchants take care of each other.

IIRC, there have been some people who have been banned by publicly discussing problems with Mods/Admins and using descriptive - but not profane/vulgar - terms for them. This is not an atmosphere in which people feel they can be 100% honest if they desire to remain an active community member.

IMHO, this is yet another area that R'osity needs some serious work. You make the laws, you abide by the laws - Lead by Example.

"You make the laws, you abide by the laws - Lead by Example." I can't speak for anyone else but my self.. I do the best I can to lead by example.. I'll admit, I have probably two of the easiest areas to manage.. Landscape artists tend to be pretty easy going.. :-) I tend to deal with any "issues" on a case by case basis, sometimes a gental nudge will resolve a problem, sometimes a bit more "force" is required.. Again, it all a matter of personal style and preference.. It's the same way in any organization.. I've spent 20 years working in the entertainment business, some folks are great to work with, some aren't.. I've been a mod here for less than a year.. So, I may not know all the history of the goings on here.. I was a member for about a year prior to that.. I dunno, I do the best I can to keep "my" members happy.. If it gets to be too much, I'll give it up, my personal sanity is worth too much to me. :-) I'm here first and foremost as an artist.. Please don't take that as a love it or leave it attitude, I'm just saying that we do what we can to affect changes.. I can't change the world, I can just make my corner of it a little better than I found it.. Bruce "Pushinfaders"

No offense taken nor intended. Yet, if others "were all trained the same way", this would not be an issue. It begs the question if the training is followed up by remedial training and/or appropriate disciplinary actions?

Since I do not know you, I applaud your apparent dedication to taking care of "your" members. However, this attitude is not pervasive throughout this site by a long shot; although, IMHO, it should be.

This leads us to another nagging issue: Consistency. I will not beat this horse too much, because it has been mentioned ad nauseam; yet it still seems to be an issue at times.

If any of "my" members have an issue, I deal with it as best I can, and if I can't resolve it, I bring it to the attention of some one who can.. And in my opinion, this is the way it is supposed to work..the problem arises when 'someone who can' fails to listen, respond, or fix the problem... I think you're doing a good job Bruce..;) You have always been there when I needed your advise or needed a question answered. I agree with CS too..this attitude needs to engulf the whole of 'Rosity's staff..not just a few.