ITidiots open forum > Making the forums useful...
the site needs to be redeveloped and a new clean launch.. i was talking to Nicky about this, however, because of my rant over the last couple of days, because of a certain someone winding up over the last year, I don't expect he would want to hear from me again away. i would suggest some sort of article submission section (i was going to suggest wordpress MU as a user blogging platform however it may be too difficult to moderated) and a proper forum. Thais what it needs a proper forum threads are written and stick to the subject in the title and moderated. So what happened over the last couple of days,which i am sorry for, cant be repeated.
Supernova
ideas...
1. Wordpess as main site - ITidiots official videos, articles and show notes.
2. Wordpress MU users have a blog to post it related articles with video from youtube etc, i could code up a report button for moderation.
3. A proper forum something like IPforum
number 2 could be like lockergnome
Supernova
I did offer a while back to offer a custom site, but also you could go back to using Joomla! but with some sort of connector for a well known forum (like phpBB)
Could work...
But the blog idea is good (then again, they all have twitter which the don't update...)
Jamie
A proper forum is what's needed as has been suggested like the phpBB forums. However, I think it's clear, and I'm not in anyway having a pop at Nicky and the gang, that because they do this for free and clearly aren't getting the sponsors and funding they'd hoped for, that the whole project is just a side hobby and nothing more. And doing all the above would just take up too much time and effort and I think it's clear, they have other things they want to be dealing with first.
If they could get proper sponsorship that hak5.org eventually got (check them out. All their season 1 videos and how they progressed as they got sponsorship). Then I think we'd see them spend more time on the site. But at the moment, I'm sure living their lives is more important for them than this place, and I don't blame them for that.
But I could be wrong.
joey pesci
@joey
I spoke to Nicky about this ,however, i cant comment without his consent. But yes i agree. I too have followed hak5 for many years. Although they have sponsorship, affiliate marketing via coupons and a shop, its still a hobby as they all have jobs and at times college as well. However, this show has been running none stop for many years and they have reinvested heavily in HD equipment and building sets, also there are a few members behind the scenes in its production and of course great guests such a Mubix. However, because the show has become so professional i think it has lost a little of its charm and i am always worried that it will be come too commercialised if you know what i mean. The other good example is chris pirillo who is a presenter turned 24/7 video blogger and owns lockergnome which is a great example of viewer generated content. But yes it does show that great things can be done and i am sure ITidiots has the potential to go down similar avenues, if that's the vision.
Supernova
Yeah I know what you mean about Hak5, it has lost a bit of the charm due to all the sponsorship. It's still useful for the odd topic.
I think the hak5 gang have committed more too it because they are young and starting out in their careers and I think production is a thing Darren really enjoys and wants to get into. It does seem easier to make a show like that or ITIdiots if you're based in American. It appears more difficult in the UK I feel.
But still. I still enjoy the ITidiot vids. However, and again I'm well aware they do all this for free, I think the long breaks in-between releasing new vids is what's killing ITIdiots. For example the SAN episode. Done before Christmas but took them almost a month to find the time to edit and release the 2nd part of it. Not having a pop, but I'm looking at it from an outsiders point of view. People will end up getting bored of waiting and move on elsewhere. That's what I do, until I get the urge to pop back a month later. But I'm not complaining as I can't afford to donate. Just giving some constructive criticism.
joey pesci
As great as a sponsorship will be, that would make the whole thing swing towards the Twit kind of direction (which unless you like advertisement) wouldn't be great...
I have been willing many a time to help out with building a site / creating content. In fact I've just started a new blog going (I won't plug it here, unless you want) and I do that in my spare time (bascially it is at random, some days a guide to something, other days a rant) but never mind about that...
I would even put in the time to upload/setup a forum solution, providing someone else did the graphics, I could get the old Joomla site going again... (but with new forums again...)
Jamie
I don't think sponsorship will make it go that way if they do it well. I also don't think they'd want a total stranger managing their site and have total control over it, as then it would feel, well if it was me it would, that it's not mine anymore.
joey pesci
Fair enough... I've had many sites around the internet and I've had people (users of the sites) ask me if I want a moderator and my reply was "We're not that large yet with only 3 users, I can manage" needless to say, the site closed after 1 month of operation.
But I've got another site now and its just a case of getting it known (and no, I won't plug it on here).
Jamie
No real forum input from Nick or Nicky anymore and lack of regular videos is why the site won't really go anywhere or become big. I know they have lives to live and they do this is their spare time, and they use to constantly say on the videos the same. We know already. But it was their choice to start it, no one asked them too, so constantly telling people the lack of regular updates is because they are busy with their lives but then expecting donations and it to become big seems a bit self destructive.
Throughout all the Hak5 videos, I've never heard them once ask for donations or complain about the lack of updates is because real life took over, because they were well aware they were the ones that started it up.
Sounds harsh maybe, but it's the reality of it all. Making it popular in the US is what they really need.
All the videos are still good to watch though.
joey pesci
Also like to add I don't expect it to go professional, the videos, I like them light hearted and wouldn't want that style to change.
joey pesci
I agree, I think if they just release them when they want to, filming them in Nicky's flat or on Nick's big orange sofa with no adverts or requests for donations, then the money would roll in.
I think they are maybe waiting until people give them lots of money before they do any more episodes voluntarily... I know Nicky has/had the drive to do some more videos, but they were nothing like the originals (not talking at all about people in them, so don't start on that one...) in the sense that the old ones weren't as professional (but nothing like the 1st episode again) but more enjoyable, especially in the "middle" episodes when they were reasonably established...
Plus people will only donate once or twice, then they will think "I've donated and what have you done?"
Jamie
It's difficult because no requests for donations and no adverts WON'T make the money roll in otherwise it would of by now as some episodes they haven't mentioned it.
Problem is, England is cheap. If we can get something for free, will take it.
joey pesci
"Problem is, England is cheap. If we can get something for free, will take it."
That is true. I once walked out of Rumbelows with 3 Pye colour television sets once, as they had left their doors open.
Mark H
And the random stealing of the mixed help yourself sweets gave a new meaning to help yourself and is why Woolworths went bust :)
joey pesci
lol, great...
I know that could be another reason...
Or by creating content, non-english people will donate?
Jamie
I think the forums are relatively unmoderated, which is fine because the ITidiots have better things to do than to moderate, like having jobs to go to and a life to live outside of tech.
These forums have become useless when reduced to name-calling and continuously go way off topic. How be somebody start a thread called "Rants" and keep the name calling there. These forums used to be vibrant and had much activity. That was when there were productive threads in which the forum user.
IT professionals and aspiring tech enthusiasts used to post questions and others provided answers and commentary on real tech issues. The tone was mutual collaboration to actually learn something and friendly banter.
I would like to see those days come back. I'm not pointing fingers at any one individual. I am just hoping that in 2010 we can revive the spirit of contribution and earn the membership of users that are like-minded, and willing to share with others their experiences in IT.