Hoping to clear up the air

Dusty59

Luds, thanks for putting that info out there. :)

I think it's healthy to have a change, and while I agree with the feeling of loss that a lot of members are no doubt feeling with regards to the threads and posted material that has become unavailable - no matter how temporarily - I feel that this is a good opportunity to change things up a little. Humans by nature are uncomfortable with change in the most part - I remember when the original forums were dark blue and there were personalised signatures - but positive enthusiasm about change make it less painful.

Working with the human element of managing change in the organisation I currently work for off the forums, I know that it's not always easy to anticipate change, and sometimes things come around faster than we'd all like or be truly comfortable with. I guess I hope that though I've been a little more away than present over the last while, it doesn't make this post seem less genuine when I say cut the guys some slack and just see how it goes.

Here's to year 9 or so of being around here :)

Samuel001

Quoting lalala2004:

I mean before the change happened.

Well, that's big talking point at the moment.

Quoting retrokitty:

I'd like someone to clear the air about why Samuel is
speaking so much on behalf of the admins.

Quoting retrokitty: I thought maybe he'd been made a junior mod or something. Thanks.

Ha, ha! No chance. And quite a job to have I'd imagine at the moment.

I'm just passing on what other mods have said and hopefully setting members on the right path in the process.

I'm sorry if I caused you any inconvenience and overstepped the mark again.

strangelove

First post, I guess. Really strange that this happened all of a sudden. Shocking, actually. "Positively shocking". I couldn't even get my old "dr. strangelove" handle back, so had to settle for just strangelove.

Why weren't we warned before this happened?

WillardWhyte

I am glad to hear what the mods have offered so far. Hopefully in the coming days other news will be offered.

Agent_OO7

Honestly, I haven't visited the community for years. I had grown to get bored with the old design, but this new change has brought me back. It has brought me back to all of you fantastic people and I am happy that I did. Sure, we all lost some memories, but the fact is they are memories. We haven't forgotten them. I'd prefer them to be stories as opposed to 0s and 1s.

Let us start new memories. Let us be the trailblazers on these forums. And to those that had already done the trailblazing previously, please do not be discouraged, I enjoy your company.

haserot

this new design is very plain and jarring at first - but i am slowly getting used to it.... in time, it will be the norm... people just need to get passed the initial shock, and find a way to cope with it.. it's a change, and it's highly unlikely that it will revert back..

JackWade

My biggest issue isn't the content being gone or the change happening without telling us. My issue is the layout of this forum is bloody terrible.

I have no ill will toward any of the admins and mods. It's just that the great thing of the old forum was how clean and easy it was, and that's been turned completely on its head.

TheWhiteTuxedo

Quoting JackWade: My biggest issue isn't the content being gone or the change happening without telling us. My issue is the layout of this forum is bloody terrible.

I have no ill will toward any of the admins and mods. It's just that the great thing of the old forum was how clean and easy it was, and that's been turned completely on its head.

My sentiments exactly. This place is unusable to me.

Bartleby

@JackWade I think that this forum is much cleaner and easier to use. The recent topics (the first thing I used to check) are laid out on the front page. The directory is on the side, taking up 10% of the space instead of 80%. It's also much easier to read topics. The old style of message boards needs to be phased out. This board is a great improvement.

Moore

Quoting TheWhiteTuxedo: My sentiments exactly. This place is unusable to me.

True dat.

Agent_OO7

Quoting Moore: True dat.

I'm sorry to disagree, but I find it quite easy and effortless, an almost streamlined experience. I totally understand why you guys might be frustrated, but don't let it blind you.

Dusty59

hey @agent_007 nice to see you!

MrBrown

How've you been lately @Dusty59 ? Haven't seen you around much.

Dusty59

Yah, I know @MrBrown I've not been around that much - pretty busy at work, enjoying city life! Hope you're well Brown?

MrBrown

Quite well, Dusters. :)

w7

Quoting lalala2004:
1. How much warning was there about this? Could people not have been warned sooner, instead of being kept in the dark?

That question has been asked frequently, and not been answered. Why wasn't it answered, and what is the answer?

We surely appreciate the time and love and effort the admin team puts into this site. But the way this change was handled seems disrespectful against members who used the old site for years.

boldfinger

Thanks Luds and James Page for clearing what you can.
Quite a thrill, almost like the MGM situation.
I can´t say I like the layout and usability of the new site so far, but I haven´t tried too hard either. Anyway I guess many of the common complaints can be fixed over time.

Simon

Quoting Luds: The core team which handled the main sites and monitored the forum remains intact and now handles the new main site (http://www.mi6-hq.com), the magazine (http://www.mi6confidential.com/) and the new forums. As has already been explained multiple times, technical issues of having such a large database with defunct software prevented its transition, and is also why the orginal forum was never upgraded, despite the best efforts of all involved. Sadly, it was has not been possible to keep the old domain names and the original registrant is in control of where they point and the forum database.

Is this the long way of saying the domain registrant and forum host jumped ship, probably in acrimonius circumstances, and is why we have the Twitbook replacement we're using now?

Luds

Quoting Simon: Is this the long way of saying the domain registrant and forum host jumped ship, probably in acrimonius circumstances, and is why we have the Twitbook replacement we're using now?

I can't speculate as to other people's actions.
But the choice of software to build the site was made over by the current admins and multiple solutions were tested, it was determined that this one had the best features. It's good to see you Simon, if you have any suggestions there's a suggestion thread, or feel free to drop me a line @Luds ;)

Moore

Quoting w7: That question has been asked frequently, and not been answered. Why wasn't it answered, and what is the answer?

Probably humiliated about having the rug pulled out from under their feet. The lack of transparency and informing us about the transition is what has some people upset. But apparently JP can't comprehend this. Or he can't handle criticism. I never took a hostile tone. But, in light of how the admins have become increasingly hostile basically telling long time members that made this site worthwhile to "just leave" or "whatever" is a tad bit ridiculous. The total lack of respect is what has people truly upset. If you don't want to answer questions about the change. Fine. If you don't want to explain the situation. Fine. But I draw the line at being rude and basically showing everyone the door who is upset because they merely have some questions.

Moore

And the attempts here to "clear the air" have been about as productive as using an air purifier to solve Beijing's pollution problem: a joke.

AndrewLucas

@Moore Respect is a two-way street. Unfortunately, a large number of the 'long time members' have declared that they are leaving without respecting that the decisions have been difficult and not made without understanding the consequences. The comments you refer to were in reply to certain members who, despite claming they are leaving, continue to undermine the hard work that was required to ensure that the websites weren't shut for good.

Moore

I certainly agree and if the comments weren't directed at me that is fine, but I'm pretty sure at least one or two were.

I have said that I was upset with the lack of information? You bet I did. But I have not tried to undermine MI6 or what they are doing. I haven't said I would leave. I don't know if I'll post here much, but I hold no ill will towards the site, members, or mods. I just wanted some answers and I get a bit annoyed when I see people being told "here's the door, see ya"

I understand that it was a difficult move and that it is a lot of work and I agree with respect being a two way street. I understand that it was tough. I know you guys have always worked hard to make the site great and I know you guys probably had to confront a lot of issues that brought this day about. I respect you guys for all that work.

But some members have just wanted some answers, haven't threatened to leave, but instead have been ignored or shot down as being out of line or that they should just leave.

In the end, I guess this discussion will get us nowhere. It will just be a vicious cycle.

I guess the best I can say is I hope everything works out for the best and that one day, perhaps, we'll learn a little bit more about it.

saunders

Like with many members the forum had become an important part of my 007 world and I was shocked and dismayed to find it suddenly evolve into something unfamiliar. However thanks for the explanation Luds and James Page and I can appreciate that in a obliviously delicate situation you have had to be cautious with the information made available to us, I can also understand that removing access to all the previous forums content is a situation beyond your control and a decision not lightly undertaken. While I've found plenty not not to like about this new site (I'm one of those people who doesn't adapt easily to change) I'm sure with time I will get used to it and recognise the improvements, certinally it's provided an adrenaline boost to the level of postings. Sorry you guys are getting a rough time from us and personally I'm just glad that you run a site for Bond addicted people like me regardless of your operating decisions.

Moore

May I ask, just to clear this up. Who uses the MI6 login name?

I attempted to post auditions for a Goldfinger audio drama this afternoon. About five minutes ago. I had trouble getting the new formatting correct so I edited it. (JOBEGDG actually saw the post and edited his once he saw it was taken down, so he can confirm the content of my post).

However, the MI6 name then said something to the effect of Don't be shy, I'll post it for you: And linked to another Bond community site.

I don't know what point was being made, but I felt that was slightly immature. Hope James Page finds out about it and does something.

Hope that's not the kind of people running this site. That would be awfully humiliating to find out immature, unprofessional people like that are running the site!

nick_007

I can't answer the first part of your question but I know who deleted it: I did.

I saw the topic title was called: DELETED and the first post was a dot with some info about the post being an accident due to incorrect formatting. There was no discussion so I acted instinctively. Were you intending to keep that topic?

AndrewLucas

I believe that another post may have been accidentally merged from a removed thread, before the mentioned thread was deleted. As nick says, the intention was to remove the post but there are still a few teething problems with the software.

Moore

No, it isn't a big deal if it was deleted. I was just going to repost it. But I was having trouble getting all the fonts, spacing, to work right with the new bold, italics, format, etc.

I didn't care for the post from MI6 mod that came across like they were acting a bit childish. If it was accidentally merged that is fine. However, the text suggested otherwise.

TheWhiteTuxedo

In an attempt to help clear up the air, I'll try to move on with you guys. The last 48 hours have been a helluva jolt. I've said things I wouldn't say now. I said them as the whole of MI6 came crashing down on all of us.

I've been with MI6 and with so many of you too long to just walk away. I still may not be as regular a member as I have been before. We all know that an alternative was found, so we don't need to dwell on it. And it's a comfortable place. Fact is, I really don't like this new software or layout or whatever it is, and I can't really see myself using it very much. The layout simply doesn't look like a message board to me. And it doesn't feel like one.

I'm still also not happy about how everything was handled and the lack of any info. My ears are open to hear new info, and in time I hope we can all move forward. I think it's just gonna be different.

I don't think the admins and powers that be on MI6 are evildoers. It looks like they had a crisis to face and they faced it. And what happened, happened. On the flip side of that, please know that those of us who became disillusioned are not being petty or childish. Trust me, it takes a lot get some of us disillusioned with something we've been a part of for years. I say we try to understand each other and give each other the benefit of the doubt for now.

UndiscoveredCountry

Glad to see you on board (at least tentatively), Tux. :) I hope you find enough here on the new MI6 to justify sticking around -- the place just wouldn't be the same without some longstanding members like yourself. True, the interface may be worlds apart from the classic KTBEU's format, but it has its charms (I'm actually finding many of the new features to be quite convenient) and the mods have emphasized that it's still a work in progress.

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