[QUOTE=Una Persson]
Forget it, chique. It’s Chinatown.
[/QUOTE]
My searching! <Slap!> My posting! <Slap!> My searching! <Slap!> My posting! <Slap!>
[QUOTE=danceswithcats]
Since you are aware of the growing anger being expressed by the members, could one of the Top Level Muckity-Mucks be persuaded to speak to us? Ongoing speculation isn’t helping the business model, assuming there is one. Every day that the complaints go unanswered only serves to foster further resentment regarding how we’re being treated.
[/QUOTE]
**Ed Zotti ** gave an update yesterday and it sounds like he will give us another today. At least I am hoping he does.
Here is the link and the post.
[QUOTE=Ed Zotti]
We met, but one of the honchos is coming into town tomorrow to go over a final set of numbers, so no announcement till after that. If you’re wondering, the discussion isn’t about how to fix the server - we’re confident Jerry can handle that - but rather agreeing on a business plan for TSD.
[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=TubaDiva]
You knock it off too. And YOU know better!
Don’t make me turn this message board around, now.
[/QUOTE]
Could you turn it around and take us back to when it was working decently?
[QUOTE=Ed Zotti]
If you’re wondering, the discussion isn’t about how to fix the server - we’re confident Jerry can handle that - but rather agreeing on a business plan for TSD.
[/QUOTE]
Business plan? You mean shilling for herbal remedies, Ghostface Killah DVDs, criminal background checks, and “Cover Barack’s Face” isn’t netting enough income?
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.]
Bad analogy. We still have the use of (most of) the message board. This is more like having the radio go out in your car. I don’t think Geico pays squat for that.
[/QUOTE]
I have to agree with Q.E.D. The search function going out for a week or so is relatively minor. I think the problem here is the culmination of this and all the other problems with the board coming to a head.
We’ve got to give Jerry his best shot.
I imagine to him fixing this board is like building a Rolls-Royce with Chevy parts.
I guess I just don’t understand the importance being placed on the Search function. I rarely use it–on average, maybe two or three times a month. If people hadn’t started all these outraged threads over it, I’d have probably not even noticed it was gone yet.
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.]
So, you spend 100% of your time on the SDMB searching and none posting?
[/QUOTE]
you didn’t ask me but the truth is I spend 95% searching and maybe 5 % posting.
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.]
I guess I just don’t understand the importance being placed on the Search function. I rarely use it–on average, maybe two or three times a month. If people hadn’t started all these outraged threads over it, I’d have probably not even noticed it was gone yet.
[/QUOTE]
Many of us make regular use of the very handy New Threads button. I would guess in my case, maybe 10 times per day.
I probably do an advance search on average about 10-20 per week.
Everyone’s usage will vary of course.
We really only pay for 3 things at this point.
Ability to Post past 30 days: well if we couldn’t post, there would be no board, almost amazing we have to pay to make the board work, but I have no problem with that. In fact I have happily paid for others to also provide content as I know you have.
To avoid the banner ads: OK, but we know that we could defeat that if we wanted to, so more of a minor perk than anything substantial.
To search the SDMB: Yep, this is the big ticket item and if the board goes to free posting in the future as Ed has suggested it might, I would guess that the search feature will be what membership would mainly buy. It is a fairly important part of this board, especially GQ where by searching I can often find an answer without having to start a new thread.
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.]
I guess I just don’t understand the importance being placed on the Search function. I rarely use it–on average, maybe two or three times a month.
[/QUOTE]
I don’t usually bother to subscribe to threads, so when I’m looking for a thread that no one has posted to in a couple of days, I find it by doing a search of words I know appeared in the thread. This means that I use it probably 5 or 6 times a week.
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.]
I guess I just don’t understand the importance being placed on the Search function. I rarely use it–on average, maybe two or three times a month. If people hadn’t started all these outraged threads over it, I’d have probably not even noticed it was gone yet.
[/QUOTE]
Searching is the single most important reason why I have a subscription.
I haven’t complained about board problems before (and I’m not starting now), but I am… anxious. Like my favorite puppy has to visit the vet for a whole week. I know there’s nothing can be done, but I want to pet it, and scratch it, and play with it, and laugh when it chases its tail, and take pictures of it to post on the internet, and now I can’t.
Argh.
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.]
I guess I just don’t understand the importance being placed on the Search function. I rarely use it–on average, maybe two or three times a month. If people hadn’t started all these outraged threads over it, I’d have probably not even noticed it was gone yet.
[/QUOTE]
Here’s how I normally use the board:
Open board, click Quick Links, My Profile. Click “All Posts by this User” Boom, search. This is how I keep up with threads I’m already a part of and reply to people who have replied to me.
Once all that’s done, I hit New Posts. 'Nother search. Look through, click up threads in tabs. Check 'em out, post or don’t post.
Then I’m interrupted for the 12th time by children, husband or phone. When I come back, I want to see if anyone’s noticed my genius, so I want to check the threads I’ve been in already. So it’s back to “All posts by this user” (I’ve left my Profile up since morning).
Lather, rinse, repeat. When I’m really bored and the board is slow, I sometimes do a Search every 2 minutes, just to see if there’s anything new worth reading. Yeah, I’m probably part of the problem.
Now, I’ve discovered that I can change my subscription settings, and I have, so I don’t need to Search for my own posted threads anymore. Instead of New Posts, I’m keeping the front page of every forum up in a tab and "Refresh all Tabs"ing in my Firefox to keep up with changes there. So, with the addition of 7 or 8 more tabs (I’m not keeping tabs, so to speak, on Games or Comments), I can keep up with new posts without Search. It’s a long more clunky than the New Posts way, but it can work. It’s sort of like wearing socks in the bathtub, though.
But today was a peanut butter in schools thread day. And I know that what I had to say about it last time completely contradicts what I think about it today. I’d really like to go back and see what I said last time. But there’s no way to find that thread.
For searching for old threads, I probably do that about half a dozen times a week, whether it’s to link to an old answer to a repeat question, to give a newbie some background on a current situation, or just because when a poster catches my eye, I like to go find out what they had to say in the past.
In the interests of full disclosure:
I use search maybe once or twice a month. But those of us who pay, pay for the ability to post and the ability to search. And at the moment we can’t do one of those two things.
And again, it’s not only about the search being disabled, that’s just the last straw really.
If we’d not had so many problems and broken promises in the past, and the DB had started playing up ONLY in the last week and they’d traced it back to search and disabled it whilst looking for a fix, I wouldn’t have posted this thread. I’d be one sitting back saying “Eh. Maybe if they give us a day or two” but I wouldn’t be so concerned.
But because this is symptomatic of a larger problem, that’s been going on for years now, despite offers from the community to do what they can to help it AND because despite those problems we’ve all been paying up year after year, I think it’s about time for TPTB to say “sorry” and perhaps give us a little something back to make up for the amount that we’ve been screwed around here.
Also, I love run-on sentences.
QFT
For me, it’s more than searching for terms; if you want to find other threads by a poster, that uses the search function and you’re hosed. For example, I like to take some set aside time to read Sampiro’s threads. They deserve quiet and contemplative time, as they can be delightfully convoluted.
[QUOTE=Guinastasia]
Could you turn it around and take us back to when it was working decently?
[/QUOTE]
When was that? :dubious:
Ok, maybe I’m stretching the un-meaning of “decently” a bit, but really, we’ve had these issues of time outs, of crashes, of lengthy search times, etc. since 1998. It’s never been a particularly well-functioning message board. :eek:
[QUOTE=danceswithcats]
Very well. Could you kindly provide a name and address to which complaints may be addressed? It’s not Jerry, and it’s not staff. So please give us the location of the castle to which the angry mob may proceed with their firebrands.
[/QUOTE]
Try the Chicago Reader, as you very well know.
The address should be easily available. Simply use the Search function. The one provided by Google, not us. 
[QUOTE=chique]
The fact of the matter is that “pay to post” is a misnomer. Anyone can post, paid or unpaid. I paid up so I can search.
[/QUOTE]
I wanted to make certain that this statement did not go unchallenged. You cannot post here without paying, unless you violate the Board’s rules and make repeated socks. Otherwise, after 30 days, you are unable to post.
The MAIN reason to pony up the $15 is to post. Searching is an added benefit.
[QUOTE=What Exit?]
**Ed Zotti ** gave an update yesterday and it sounds like he will give us another today. At least I am hoping he does.
Here is the link and the post.
[/QUOTE]
This is the crux of the matter.
At a guess, the meeting is about a last ditch attempt to save The Straight Dope Message Board. If a way to pay for it isn’t found, it will be abandoned by the new owners of The Chicago Reader. Clearly, the current method of financing it is not working.
Hopefully, a method of financing that is sound, and acceptable to the new masters, has been found. Otherwise, say sayonara, I am guessing.
In which case, the inability to search will be the least of our worries. 
[QUOTE=Nawth Chucka]
For me, it’s more than searching for terms; if you want to find other threads by a poster, that uses the search function and you’re hosed. For example, I like to take some set aside time to read Sampiro’s threads. They deserve quiet and contemplative time, as they can be delightfully convoluted.
[/QUOTE]
You can just extend the number of threads viewed to “from the beginning”* on the specific forums front page, then click on the header “Thread Starter”. All the threads in that forum will now be in alphabetical order by name of thread starter.
BTW, one reason why chique’s point about not listening to QED is valid. The guy isn’t actually paying even the super-duper-bargain charter member rate. No kidding he doesn’t feel ripped off.
*or however far back you think the thread is.
I don’t use the generic search that often. “New Posts”, OTOH, is core to the way I (and apparently many others) find new threads to read or follow active threads to which I haven’t replied (and thus don’t show up in User CP as subscribed).
Most of the thread I’ve read to day were via links inside threads I was already reading. I just don’t do that browsing the individual forums thread list thing.
For the duration that “New Posts” is disabled for paying members the subscription is basically worthless, IMO.