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  • 07/09/2012, 10:04AM ET

Let's List the Problems With Fan Nation - The Editorial Manager Is Listening.

Atro SYB (6-4-1) vs YODA (106-11-17)
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Last week we found the email for Fan Nation's Editorial Manager. We sent him an email asking him if he was aware of the technical and procedural problems with the website, and this is what he said via his iPhone:

"Thanks for the note--I understand your frustration with the issues on FanNation, and hope you can be patient. We are working with our technical team to smooth the difficulties and improve the experience on the site. Besides the things you point out, any specifics you can provide around other issues you encounter would be helpful."

He sounds like a nice guy and he seems receptive. So let's use this Throwdown to list the issues with FN and send them on to him. And let's not waste space with stuff like "FN SUcks" and other nonsense. Maybe we can really accomplish something here.


The combination of apathy and incompetence of this site's "staff" has been disgraceful.

You'd think even one damn SI employee would log in and USE FanNation occasionally (perhaps from home on a user account) so they'd have at least some idea how exasperating it is.

Today was a prime example of the site "unusability". I could barely log on. Pages took an ungodly amount of time to load. And trying to go through the thread comments was futile.

Virtually every other website runs smoother. Long-time FN users grow frustrated and leave. Newbies think they've time-warped back to 1998.

Generally there's ZERO communication from SI.
If a bumbling staffer or mod (or former mod who still has admin codes) does speak up, they act like they're hearing about an issue for the very first time. Whether it's spam, technical issues, or idiotic dupe accounts, SI staffers do nothing except offer hollow platitudes about how they "understand" and "care about the user experience".
It's reprehensible. And insulting.

For Christ's sake, Mr. "Editorial Manager", if you're actually reading this, show some basic respect for the users and for your brand. Do something.


So far we've had a lot of good suggestions, ideas and valid complaints. And then there's Redfoot, who's so busy massaging strawberry compote into his ass he hasn't found time to say anything on point.

But anyway, keep it coming, folks. We'll compile the good stuff at the end of the week.


1. SITE FUNCTIONALITY

These suck:
* trying to log in
* the lag
* spinny thing
* double/triple posts
* Extra sluggishness via multiple streaming video/banner ads

2. SPAM: Very weak attempts at addressing this.

3. TD SECTION: The broken timer creates multiple problems (a TD area clogged up with outdated trash, for instance). TDers and commenters have been driven away.

4. MOD/STAFF COMMUNCATION: Rare, bumbling, unprofessional, erratic, and dishonest.
Why isn't there even something as simple as a weekly blog from the staff with general site updates?

5. DUPES/TROLLS: Very easy to track. Deal with these losers rather than banning regular contributors who occasionally curse.

6. T&R SECTION: Who's in charge of these interns?
The stories chosen are weak, outdated, or even rehashed clones of a prior week's T&R update. The editing and transcribing is also scattered and sloppy.

7. DJ'S DAILY BANS/TIME-OUTS.
I have to be fair and give credit where credit is due. FanNation is doing an excellent job with this one.


It's not just the funds given to incompetent staffers; it's the money they're pissing away on lost opportunities. It's too bad.


Good stuff, Yoda. But I'm not so sure the daily "timeout" bans are such a great idea . . aren't they supposed to "teach him a lesson" or warn him against further such perceived abuses in the future? Dude's been banned 75 times or so, if there's a message being sent, I don't think he's getting it. Perhaps more severe repercussions are in order.

That being said, nothing personal, DJ. Just thinking analytically about the whole concept of temporary bannings in general.

I read this thread and there's great information here. This should be quite the list for the Editorial Director. I'm sure he'll sit right down on Saturday morning and read it while eating his Corn Flakes.

Comments (517) Add A Comment

July 9, 2012  10:09 AM ET
Report Abuse | QUOTE

Okay. I'll post on this one.

If the spinney thing lets me.

July 9, 2012  10:18 AM ET
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The worst problem in my opinion is the daily struggle with just making a simple post. It doesn't load, the spinny thing just goes on and on, you refresh the page and the post either disappears or shows up again an hour later completely out of context and in the midst of an entirely different conversation.

All

day

long.

July 9, 2012  10:22 AM ET
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QUOTE(#2):
Originally posted 10:18 AM ET  07.09 by Atro SYB

The worst problem in my opinion is the daily struggle with just making a simple post. It doesn't load, the spinny thing just goes on and on, you refresh the page and the post either disappears or shows up again an hour later completely out of context and in the midst of an entirely different conversation. Alldaylong.

The lag is definitely the #1 most frustrating issue.

Comment #4 has been removed
Comment #5 has been removed
July 9, 2012  10:26 AM ET
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QUOTE(#4):
Originally posted 10:23 AM ET  07.09 by Looka

I like the effort, but FN is running on a skeleton crew (and that's being nice) me thinks you're just going to get lip service. Unless we stage a font grenade jehad and force change...which we would need Slinky's aproval for of course.

I agree. Thanks to Atro for trying this but the e-mail from the FN guy, while it seems pleasant enough, sounds more like a brush off than anything. I hope I'm wrong as I like the idea of the site.

July 9, 2012  10:28 AM ET
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QUOTE(#4):
Originally posted 10:23 AM ET  07.09 by Looka

I like the effort, but FN is running on a skeleton crew (and that's being nice) me thinks you're just going to get lip service. Unless we stage a font grenade jehad and force change...which we would need Slinky's aproval for of course.

I don't think you understand ... we are going to compile the most valid complaints listed here, and forward them to the Editorial Manager directly. He seems genuinely interested in knowing what the issues are. If it turns out that lip service is all we get, at least we made the effort.

July 9, 2012  10:29 AM ET
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QUOTE(#6):
Originally posted 10:26 AM ET  07.09 by Nobody expects Phantomphan MMT

I agree. Thanks to Atro for trying this but the e-mail from the FN guy, while it seems pleasant enough, sounds more like a brush off than anything. I hope I'm wrong as I like the idea of the site.

I hope you're wrong, too . . . so why not voice your opinions on the issues instead of voicing only your skepticism?

July 9, 2012  10:31 AM ET
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It is the lag/freeze of posting comments. The only way to clear it is either refresh (F5) the thread (instead of the "last" button), or to close the browser and come back into the thread. In my experience this is indicative of a network session being lost by the server and the client attempting to reconnect to a session that has been vacated (not FIN'd, just lost). It appears (and I mean appears since I don't know the architecture), that the network session information is not being maintained during the "last" button usage. Almost like a TTL expires, without the appropriate session resets being done. My input for what it's worth....

July 9, 2012  10:34 AM ET
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QUOTE(#8):
Originally posted 10:29 AM ET  07.09 by Atro SYB

I hope you're wrong, too . . . so why not voice your opinions on the issues instead of voicing only your skepticism?

It'll never do any good at all. It's hopeless. Pointless. Futile, like resisting the Borg.

Comment #11 has been removed
July 9, 2012  10:35 AM ET
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QUOTE(#9):
Originally posted 10:31 AM ET  07.09 by Lex-LOU-thor

It is the lag/freeze of posting comments. The only way to clear it is either refresh (F5) the thread (instead of the "last" button), or to close the browser and come back into the thread. In my experience this is indicative of a network session being lost by the server and the client attempting to reconnect to a session that has been vacated (not FIN'd, just lost). It appears (and I mean appears since I don't know the architecture), that the network session information is not being maintained during the "last" button usage. Almost like a TTL expires, without the appropriate session resets being done. My input for what it's worth....

You forgot "oh and by the way ... YOU'RE WELCOME!"

July 9, 2012  10:36 AM ET
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QUOTE(#11):
Originally posted 10:35 AM ET  07.09 by Looka

I don't think you understand, they have 1 guy that might be able to fix the code for a product that is no longer strategic nor a significant revenue generator...a simple "follow the dollar" flow chart will lead you to a dead end, no matter the path you take. The developers that build this site have moved on to building fantasy sports sites. But since you're compiling a list, my top to fixable complaints are: HellAwaitsDJsuxcoxalot

Thanks for your input. Contstructive, as usual.

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July 9, 2012  10:44 AM ET
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QUOTE(#15):
Originally posted 10:38 AM ET  07.09 by Looka

I like to call it, "voice of reason"...but I get that you're honestly concerned about bettering this site, so I'll tone down the negative nelly act.

That would be appreciated, Mr. Pimp.

Comment #18 has been removed
July 9, 2012  10:46 AM ET
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QUOTE(#12):
Originally posted 10:35 AM ET  07.09 by Atro SYB

You forgot "oh and by the way ... YOU'RE WELCOME!"

I may be wrong - so the info I gave may be useless..... ;-)

 
July 9, 2012  10:47 AM ET
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QUOTE(#5):
Originally posted 10:25 AM ET  07.09 by BM: RIP Mil Town Pride

1. The lag, obviously.2. Bring back forfeited turns and take away the unlimited timer for arguments. 3. Take away the "Most Active Users" section, considering 2 of them have been deleted for like 2 years. 4. Don't allow voting in TDs until 2 arguments have been posted by each side.

That's good stuff too.

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