The updates are awful...

While the site was closed down, it was a never ending series of "please bear with us", as days stretched to weeks.

When the new site was unveiled with a litany of faults and failings, there was a strategy of churning out word salads, non apologies short on specifics but rammed with technical phrases designed to bury the issue in terms that would go over the heads of many - we were told of "PR’s" being created "dev resource" being upped, "better fixes from a discoverability perspective", modules and control navigation etc.,

Posters raised 2 particularly serious issues, email addresses being revealed and messages surfacing years after they were supposed to be deleted. And it seems like both issues have been patched up for the time being. Now the updates are rammed with news of various glitches designed to make us forget the 2 most troubling issues with a "look over here at this, this is going well" strategy.

Odhran, Niamh, we've all been there, we know the amateur psychology when things go wrong, the initial grovel and pleading, and if that flies the growing confidence as we focus on the good news and try to move on. But I think for many the unanswered questions remain, just how exactly did the 2 serious issues happen, where does blame lie, and how do posters know they will not happen again?

B.A._Baracus

Conor74, you'd swear you are a paying customer demanding why their service went down....

con747

Op what do you want? Heads to roll?? Accountability?

There is a post here on it, look at the post @8.32am and the post being quoted. https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058201850/boards-ie-email-address-issue-july-2021#latest

iffandonlyif

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117746439#Comment_117746439

I detest this attitude which manifests in other areas of life in Ireland. Apparently, unless you’re paying for something, you should shut up and be grateful for what you’re given. It’s a base attitude and it holds back progress.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117746439#Comment_117746439

So you think respect for data privacy and deleting messages should depend on the payment of money?

I strongly disagree.

Pelvis Parsley

One thing that did carry over from the upgrade was the "misguided sycophancy" bug.

B.A._Baracus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117746518#Comment_117746518

Detest all you want. There's a big difference between complaining about a paid service (one that has not forfilled its obligations) and moaning about a free service.

If I go down to my local library and complain how there aren't enough books on computer programming (an example) and say who is going to take responsibility for this? Who is going to make sure this doesn't happen again? - that's a bit rich from me.

B.A._Baracus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117746526#Comment_117746526

So what exactly where you sending in these messages?

I dunno, call me a fool but posting name, dob, address, bank account in private messages on a free website sounds a bit daft.

Unless of course you didn't and just making a big deal about things. I suppose you were one who complained about boards.ie getting hacked a few years ago and emails and passwords were compromised. Yet, you continued to use the site as here you are...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117746746#Comment_117746746

I had nothing of note in my messages.

First you suggest that only those paying a fee should be concerned, you now think it's only those with something secretive in their messages.

Your points are an incoherent mess, because you seem fixated on my motives rather than the issues. What does that whole "supposing about something something years ago but continuing to use the site" even mean?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117746746#Comment_117746746

You are aware that there are Talk To forums on this site where you're asked to do precisely that?

B.A._Baracus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117746790#Comment_117746790

You brought up the issues about emails and deleted pm's returning - that was an issue for you as you mentioned it, correct? Yet, if we cast an eye a short time back boards.ie was compromised (emails and passwords). Yet you continue to use the site. point is = if that wasn't a big enough issue for you to not use the site, how is your email address being on show and deleted pm's returning the issue now? One would think a security breach would be a bigger issue than old pm's. Understand now?

Look, you can use words like "incoherent mess" to validate your opinion. I've been around boards long enough (as you have) to spot when someone does that. It's tiring and cheap. So let's skip that BS. But to fully explain my stand point ... its this:

Yes the new design is not as good as the old one. Boards do seem to be slowly changing things but it's a free site. I owe boards.ie nothing and boards.ie owes me nothing. It's a free service that I choose to use. I am probably a ban or two away from never using the site again as I feel there is over-moderation on this site but that's a topic in itself. Should that day come I am gone. it's no secret that some forums are quieter that usual so people are moving away. Thing is: Not everyone is demanding who should be responsible or demanding what assurances that this will never happen again. It's a free site dude. Who are you? who am I? who is anyone to start demanding those things? If you simply have an issue with a site you stop using it. It happens all the time over the internet.

What exactly are you looking for here? I mean the statement who is accountable / where does the blame lie? what do you want someone to lose their job or something?

As I said above if I went into my local library and start demanding to know who is responsible for the lack of certain books and what assurances will I have that this wont happen again, everyone would be thinking "who do you think you are?!"

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117746901#Comment_117746901

Just scanned your post as you seem to be getting more and more dug into non issues.

The issues are the emails and the private messages. The point of this thread is to say that the updates are really not addressing these, and saying they need to set out a position on the concerns raised. I don't know if "someone needs to lose their job", I would have thought someone needs to be hauled over the coals, maybe warned that these things matter to many posters...if not you.

The library analogy is a poor one...do you really think the presence or absence of library books is a GDPR issue? Do you appreciate the concerns at all? The whole "oh it can only matter to someone who pays, oh it can only matter to someone who has secrets to hide, oh it can only matter if something something mattered to you before"...they miss the point.

B.A._Baracus

Scanned through my post yet I am expected to read yours? .... shows what you are.

OK conor74. Let's see if you get your assurances it'll never happen again and let's see if you get your wish of someone getting the sack. You did say someone has to be held accountable.

Let's see. You really are a wonderful person.

Tow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117746724#Comment_117746724

It is not a free service, like Facebook we are the product and we generate income for the company.

The issues are caused by lack of experience from the staff in managing any sort of migration project. They had the idea that it was just a matter of dumping the data from the old system to the new one, after messing around with a few screens to make them look the same. Then going live with the result!!!

B.A._Baracus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117747153#Comment_117747153

Yes. Everyone is aware that boards.ie serves ads. A lot of sites do. That's how a website can make money. But there is no membership fee here. Hence free.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117747133#Comment_117747133

I see you are getting both angry and personal.

Look, you're happy with the updates, I'm not. Relax. We can agree to differ.

B.A._Baracus

Ah the old angry chestnut. Used to invalidate one's opinion. I did say both you and I have been using boards for a long time ;)

Look, being honest, once you said scanning through my posts - but yet I am expected to read yours - then that's it. No debate. No discussion. No point is there?

Your opinion. My opinion. Doesn't matter. I agree that we can differ.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117747267#Comment_117747267

The angry and personal stuff was the "shows what you are/you're a wonderful person" stuff.

You seem bent out of shape for having to read my posts. For the record, I don't care if you read my posts. In fact, please do not read my posts!

Now, does anyone think the updates are good?

B.A._Baracus

because what normal nice person would want "someone held accountable" - ie, you want someone sacked.

Ok, i'm out. It's talking with a brick wall. But watch conor74 as no one from boards cares what you say... or the very least gives you some lip service. lol.

bucketybuck

That awkward moment where you open a thread for feedback from the admins but then a regular poster makes it all about him instead.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117747362#Comment_117747362

Waaahey! An issue we agree on, that Boards.ie do not care. I say that the updates of Odhran and Niamh confirm this, they are designed to gloss over, obfuscate and ultimately not address the 2 serious problems.

Hence the thread.

B.A._Baracus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117749670#Comment_117749670

Because you know me deeply through html, css, javascript and some php.

I tell you what, let's make a gentlemens bet. My wager is that this thread will fall in to obscurity with nothing happening from it. No assurances from boards that it will never happen again. No one will be marked officially to blame. Otherwise I will gladly eat my hat and say how wrong I am to everyone on this thread. I mean this. I will.

Otherwise, if I am correct, you are all idiots who think because you use a free service are entitled to sole sort of opinion?

Those are the terms of being me right or wrong. Do you agree to those terms?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117750527#Comment_117750527

Every thread on every topic "falls into obscurity". None of them lead to lasting change.

It does not invalidate the point.

Threads and posts are a way of voicing an opinion. You have posted almost 10,000 times over a decade. Can you identify one that has effected change at any level?

Your 3rd paragraph - that people who don't pay are idiots who are not even entitled to an opinion - doesn't deserve to fall into obscurity. It's one of the most memorably ridiculous points I've read in my 15 years+ here.

dodzy

Conor 74 will not rest until……

B.A._Baracus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117750876#Comment_117750876

Here we are days after you created this thread and still nothing. Not a peep out of boards.

Because you know why? No one cares about the person who demands things. Especially when he is availing of something for free.

It's funny you mention 15 plus years because as soon as I saw your first post I pegged you for one of these "I've been here for years so i demand an answer" sort. Lol.

.. actually I'm done. I hate these little fantasy bubbles. Enjoy conor74 ... you showed boards! ;)

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117764258#Comment_117764258

Oh you're not done at all, you'll keep coming back for a look! ;)

You kept the head down for a couple of days after your "you're all fools, people who don't pay can't have an opinion" midnight ravings last Friday. But obviously it rankled you, and now you're back again.

Your post was awful, we are all entitled to an opinion, that's pretty much the point of Boards. And the updates have ceased, so maybe the penny dropped that they were a bit transparent.

Mr. Incognito

The thread isn't that obscure.

I googled Boards updates are awful and found it because they are.

Im shocked by the attitude of the responses.

I literally know nothing about the updates only that the site is literally unsearchable and unusable.

I guess I'll see you all in a year. Maybe. If it ever gets fixed

boombang

I've not spent time reading through the updates threads but I see the "find all my posts" function still isn't back. I think this shows little commitment to the site's future.