EdinPhoto Guestbook

 

EdinPhoto Guestbook

Suggestion

December 2013

Suggestion

I feel that the EdinPhoto guestbook has become more trouble than it is worth.  I suggest that I leave the messages that have already been posted in it, but close it to future postings.

Instead, I would leave everybody to send their messages direct to me by email - as most people already do - rather than post more messages in the guestbook.

I'll then add their messages to the appropriate page on the EdinPhoto web site.  If there is not yet an appropriate page, I'll create one.  Perhaps I'll start by creating a page for Tam McLuskey and anyone else who sends a message saying 'Happy Christmas to al!' or similar message.

UPDATE

I've now created the Greetings page to include messages from Tam and others.

If you'd like to know more about my reason for making the suggestion above, please read my  Background paragraphs below .  I apologise for  the length of these comments!

Replies Please

Please email me to let me know if you would be comfortable with this  suggestion.  I look forward to reading your replies.

I realise that a small number of people would have to change how they sent messages, but I'd hope that they would accept this, and soon recognise advantages in this change.

UPDATE

Thank you for all your replies.  None of the people who replied has asked to be able to continue posting messages in the guestbook.  Please click on this link to read the replies that I received.

Conclusion

I'll add a note to the guestbook telling people that the guestbook will remain (for the time being, at least) so that anybody who wishes to can view old messages that have been posted in it. 

However, I'll ask for no further messages to be posted in the guestbook.  Please send any future messages that you might have considered  posting in the guestbook to me by email.

I'll then arrange for the messages to be added to the appropriate page on the EdinPhoto web site.  That way, I believe that more people who are looking for information will be likely to come across your message.

Occasionally, I receive more personal emails that I think would be more appropriately sent between individuals, rather than added to the EdinPhoto web site.  When that happens, I try to find the email address of the person wo whom the message has been written and pass that on to the sender.  I'll continue to do that.

Background

For several years the EdinPhoto web site has been linked to a guestbook hosted by Bravenet.  I've had some reservations about the EdinPhoto guestbook for a while.

In particular:

1. Only a very small proportion of people use the guestbook.

2. I don't know the email addresses of many of the people who have contributed to the guestbook so I have no easy way of contacting them.

3. Where questions are asked in the guestbook, I feel that there is not a high chance of them being seen by people who might be able to supply answers.

So, I often copy the questions into the appropriate section of the EdinPhoto web site, but it can take a lot time for me to work my way through postings, and any recent replies to earlier postings, then transfers the messages into the EdinPhoto web site.

My time could probably be more profitably spent in catching up on my backlog of emails and adding more new photos and other content to the EdinPhoto web site.

4. There are some features of the guestbook design that I am not happy with, but feel frustrated about because I have no control over them,  e.g.

- not being able to break down replies into paragraphs, to make reading easier.

- there being no notifications sent to people who have posted messages to let them know when anybody has sent a reply to their posting.

5. The guestbook looked useful when I first set it up, but looks rather more dated to me now - especially as some other sites have found ways to let their users post messages very easily and get feedback more instantly.

6.  And this was the final straw ...

I discovered, last week (without any warning, so far as I was aware) that Bravenet have now changed the way they expect people to use their Guestbooks:

-  Bravenet are now displaying this message for me (and no doubt for others):

Message displayed by Bravenet

"Your Browser Does Not Support this Bravenet Service.  This Bravenet Service requires javascript to be enabled and the latest Flash player to be installed ...."

-  I've spent some time investigating, but:

- I've not yet been able to get the guestbook working for myself using my normal browser, Internet Explorer.

- Using Firefox, I can get a little further and post some replies  but when I try to post other replies, the guestbook 'hangs' with the message: "Please wait, validating comments entry".  I don't know why.

-  I really don't feel that any of us should be spending any more time trying to overcome this week's problems with the guestbook.  Hence my suggestions above.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  December 11, 2013:  Updated December 14, 2013

 

EdinPhoto Guestbook

Summary of Replies

December 2013

Thank you for your emails.  Here is a brief summary of the replies that I've received so far.  I'll extend this list as more replies arrive.

A = Agreed.  Close the guestbook to future entries;  messages to be sent to me by email, then I'll add them to appropriate page on the EdinPhoto web site.

a =  I like the guestbook, but I'll accept it being closed.

K = Please keep the guestbook active.
I don't have any 'K's yet, so that makes my decision about what to do next easier!

1.

Tony (Scotty) Henderson

Canada

A

  

2.

Sandy Cameron

Edinburgh

A

  

3.

Eddie Williamson

Ontario, Canada

a

  

4.

Robert Laird

Edinburgh

A

  

5.

Bob Henderson

Edinburgh

A

  

6.

Ronnie Murphy

West Yorkshire, England

A

  

7.

Patrick Lindsay

Western Australia, Australia,

A

  

8.

Edith Caulfield

Ontario, Canada,

A

  
 

Reply

1.

from

Tony (Scotty) Henderson

Canada

"Peter,

If changing the guestbook is better for you, then by all means go ahead!

Just keep this great webs site going.    Thanks."

Scotty Henderson, Canada (since 1957):  December 12, 2013 (2 emails)

Hi Scotty

Thanks for your quick reply.  I can certainly say that changing the guestbook  would be better for me.  I spent two hours yesterday checking recent updates in the guestbook, but  now have nothing to show for that time.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  December 12, 2013

Reply

2.

from

Sandy Cameron

Edinburgh

"Hello Peter,

I agree with and support your proposal in relation to the Guest Book."

Sandy Cameron, Edinburgh:  December 12, 2013

Thanks Sandy.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  December 12, 2013

Reply

3.

from

Eddie Williamson

Pickering, Ontario, Canada

"Hi Peter,

I like the guestbook but you work hard enough.

I still enjoy the rest of the site and look at it every day.

Have a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year with your family."

Eddie Williamson, Pickering, Ontario, Canada:  December 12, 2013

Hi Eddie

Thanks for your comments about the guestbook and the EdinPhoto web site.

Thanks, also, and for your Christmas and New Year wishes.  I appreciate that and wish you all the best for Christmas and for 2014.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  December 12, 2013

Reply

4.

from

Robert Laird

Edinburgh

"I've never thought much about the guestbook, Peter.  I visited it once, if I remember right.

 I’m pleased the site format will not be altered too much and your idea to “prune” sounds a better idea.

For what it’s worth I suspect you are more critical of 'EdinPhoto' than the users are.  It is excellent."

Robert Laird, Edinburgh:  December 12, 2013

Hi Robert:

Thanks for your response, including your appreciative comments about the EdinPhoto web site.

I confirm that, following the responses that I received from yourself and  others last week, I now have no plans to make any significant changes to the way the site will operate.

I intend to continue to add more content (information, recollections, photos) to the site, and hope that some of the visitors will appreciate the opportunity to receive notification whenever I add any significant content by following my new @PeterEdinPhoto Twitter account .

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  December 12, 2013

Reply

5.

from

Bob Henderson

Burdiehouse, Edinburgh

"Hi Peter:

Although I found Edinphoto through the guestbook, I have only visited it a couple of times since.

I totally support you in closing it down to allow you more time for other things."

Bob Henderson, Burdiehouse, Edinburgh:  December 12, 2013

Hi Bob:

Thanks for your response.  It's encouraging to see that all the responses I've received so far have had similar messages for me.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  December 12, 2013

Reply

6.

from

Ronnie Murphy

West Yorkshire, England

"Peter:

I tend to agree with your comments re guestbook

Good luck with the modified web site.  It does a great job

Ronnie Murphy, West Yorkshire, England:  December 13, 2013

Hi Ronnie:

Thanks for your comments.

So far as the modified web site is concerned, there is likely to be very little modification.  I don't think most people will notice any difference. 

The only significant changes that I expect are:

(a)   If anybody wishes to receive messages about new pages added to the EdinPhoto web site, they can follow me on my new Twitter account @PeterEdinPhoto.

        Tweets concerning EdinPhoto Updates

(b)  I'm likely to close the guestbook to new messages, or possibly just encourage people to send emails to me rather than post  messages in the guestbook.

In fact, only a very small proportion of EdinPhoto users are currently posting any messages in the EdinPhoto guestbook.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  December 13, 2013

Reply

7.

from

Patrick Lindsay

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

"Peter:

"I agree with your comments on the (non) need for a guestbook.

I posted to the guestbook in the past, assuming that was the way feedback could be given - better off without it esp after your explanation of how it worked).

Also, thanks for your work on the EdinPhoto site through the year, including the interesting pics of the trams."

Patrick LIndsay, Perth, Western Australia, "It's a sweltering 38 degrees here today". Dec 13, 2013

Hi Patrick:

Thanks for your response, and for your encouraging comments.

I'm now very close to making a decision about the guestbook.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  December 13, 2013

Reply

8.

from

Edith Caulfield (née Cavanagh)

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

"I 'm fine with this, Peter"

Edith Caulfield (née Cavanagh), Toronto, Ontario, Canada:  December 13, 2013

Thanks for your reply, Edith.

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  December 13, 2013

 

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