So, here's the thing.

[conuly]

I *do* kinda think that LJ users overreacted a bit to the original news post. I understand people's complaints, but the way people were acting it's like some of them thought there's a magic button LJ could press that could prevent anybody from ever maliciously screenshotting their posts and putting them up wherever. (Not everybody was. Just some of them.)

There isn't, of course, and I hold fast to the old adage that if there's something you wouldn't want on the front page of the NY Times you shouldn't put it in a letter on the internet. (At least, not under anything traceable to you, but that's hard.) I don't particularly like this "crosspost to Facebook!" option, I certainly don't see the point of crossposting contextless comments, and I accept that I might feel differently if I were in the habit of posting things that really ought to stay private... but it all seemed a bit like the usual biannual "OMG! Something we don't like in news! PANIC!" mode.

However, when this action is on top of a history of ignoring what the users want, and when there's now a week with no response (and "holiday weekends" don't kick in on Thursdays, that answer is really overgenerous) - that's troubling.

I don't think the reaction was the stupidest thing ever, although I did think it was a little overblown. However, even if I did, even if LJ did, even if everybody in the world did, to have so little response to this is just bad. The customer might not always be right, the customer might be batshit crazy, but you don't do your business any favors by ignoring them outright.

Quite aside from that, I think it'd be good for LJ to have some healthy, viable competition of the model we all like. You know, the one where the people in charge at least act like they care what people think.

So, two things. First, the newest incarnation of my code-sharing post of doom, and secondly I'd like anybody with a DW username to comment on the Dreamwidth post with their usernames. Even if you've done so before, or added me before. I keep meaning to get everything squared away, and then I don't bother, so let's see if I can fix that. I doubt I'm leaving LJ, but I know some of you are, and I'd like to be on top of things for a change.

Comments

[steorra]

secondly I'd like anybody with a DW username to comment on the Dreamwidth post with their usernames. Even if you've done so before, or added me before.

steorra = tungol

[conuly]

You know, for a while I was wondering about that, but I wasn't about to just *ask*! I knew we must know each other, but I couldn't remember!

[dragonwolf]

Sydneyrodriguez from LJ (also, Dragonwolf from FRK, even though I don't post there as much anymore).

I think the large issue people have with the Facebook thing is that, while yes, someone could copy/paste or do a screenshot, LJ made it easy and downright effortless to do so. Copy/pasting or screenshots take effort. Clicking a box (or setting it to do so automatically) doesn't.

Did you read the links scarletribbon provided in her comment, or the article that the quote from the board member came from? While I think it's a lot of cultural differences, it's pretty clear they think we're out to destroy them or something and have been even before Brad sold the site, as if it's always been one specific group of people and they've lashed out against every change that's ever been implemented.

[codeman38]

Not to mention that with the "click one checkbox to crosspost" thing, it's very easy to accidentally do so... something that's much harder to do with a screenshot. I say this as someone who has inadvertently downvoted videos on YouTube and buried posts on Digg thanks to sheer clumsiness.

And when you change the tab order so that the checkboxes are before the "submit" button if you're using the keyboard? Yeahhh...

[conuly]

The accidental crosspost is a slightly different issue, though.

I say this as someone who has inadvertently downvoted videos on YouTube and buried posts on Digg thanks to sheer clumsiness.

I'm more likely to accidentally upvote something. "No, argh, I didn't mean to + that racist piece of shit! NOOOOOOOO!"

[conuly]

I think the large issue people have with the Facebook thing is that, while yes, someone could copy/paste or do a screenshot, LJ made it easy and downright effortless to do so.

And also given this their tacit approval. I know. (And yes, I read the board member quote, something which is far more upsetting to me than the actual tech issues!) I understand why people are upset, and I support them.

But a lot of people have been a bit over the top with "I want LJ to not allow this at all!", to which I say... you're starting to actually ask for more than LJ can do.

It's me...

[codeman38]

Same username as on LJ. :)

[chaos_by_design]

I pretty much agree with you, and this comes from a person who regularly posts to Twitter and FB when she updates her 'real' blog. Mostly for me it's just another symptom of how far LJ has gotten from what it used to be before the sale to Six Apart and then to SUP. I have nostalgia for the old daze.

[redbird]

Hi, same username here as on LJ; I just added you here.

[mc776]

Same.

[siderea]

I'm commenting because you requested us to.

I do not agree with your post.

[conuly]

Not even the part about how LJ's continued lack of response is really shitty customer service?

[conuly]

Not even the part about how LJ's continued lack of response is really shitty customer service?

[akamine_chan]

akamine_chan

[pne]

I'd like anybody with a DW username to comment on the Dreamwidth post with their usernames.

It would have been nice if you had, you know, linked to it on the LiveJournal version of this post, rather than sending people to find it through your journal.

Anyway, I'm pne = pne.

[conuly]

I, uh, did. I deliberately altered my normal crosspost settings so it'd link automatically.

[pne]

Maybe the link disappeared once you changed your crosspost settings back to the default? I have no idea.

Anyway, thanks for adding it.

[conuly]

No, I remember what happened - once I was done with that post, I edited the crosspost settings and posted a new post, but for some reason that didn't crosspost. (It wouldn't've anyway, it was too big, but it didn't at all.) I didn't realize that, though, and when I was on LJ routinely editing the crosspost to fix the icon I thought I was in the NEXT post and went "WTF?" and deleted the message.

But then when I realized, I went back and re-edited it. I don't know why the second edit didn't take.

[conuly]

Okay, that's odd, I think I deleted it accidentally. Sorry about that.

[pne]

For people (like me) who read on both sites (whether they post on both or not) - will you be cross-posting all of your entries? If so, which "version" would you prefer we read?

(I don't generally need to see each entry twice, though admittedly the comments, if any, will be different.)

[conuly]

Absolutely.

Even if I'm upset enough at LJ's customer service (or total lack thereof) to leave, I'd still crosspost because not everybody is leaving, and I kinda like a lot of you and your comments.

[phoenix]

I've fortunately not been around for much of this mess (a well-timed move) but based on what I've absorbed, I agree with your even-handed thoughts on this. I'm phoenixdreaming back on LJ - I'm not sure why I haven't already added you here.