12/21/24
September 27, 2008
Sigh: I miss my personalised user page on which I spent so much time. First my locker room interview goes poof and now this.
Perhaps I missed a memo--or locker room thread--but can we get an update on the State of SpoFi please? Is someone working on prettifying the site? Returning things like personalised user pages? Returning all the threads (and interviews) that were archived to save database space well before the switch to the new(ish) LAMP system?
posted by scully to feature requests at 01:46 PM - 23 comments
I agree with the above statements, but from what I've gathered from rcade's past comments on this subject, people that do the things we want have been travelling or otherwise unavailable. I'm still gonna be patient with the completion of the redesign. Besides, where else is there?
posted by NoMich at 02:06 PM on September 27, 2008
I don't want to sound like I'm bitching again either, but I'm with grum on all but one point.
I can get my sports from any source. This was a place where I came to be informed and edified. It was also a place to crack wise and have fun with all the nifty features that this site allowed for expression. And the company is pretty OK. And because of that I will lurk and comment every now and again when I get time but I just don't see myself being as, I don't know, vocal (?) around here without the ease of use features returned.
I urge regulars like grum and some of the rest who may be staying away or who have left to stick it out. grum, I have learned a lot about baseball from your contributions, so don't give up.
But, yeah, maybe an update on the progress would be welcome. And do we get our numbers and all that jazz back?
posted by THX-1138 at 04:26 PM on September 27, 2008
You should start seeing new features in the next few days. Gary's back, so I'm coding again instead of moderating.
When we're done, SportsFilter will have its old feature set plus some new features that are easier on the new code.
I know it's a hassle to use the more clumsy version of the site, but we weren't planning this move, so it's been a kludge. The unreliability of the old server forced us to try something drastic.
posted by rcade at 06:01 PM on September 27, 2008
I am a little confused with the new format but will continue to lurk until things get better all around.
posted by skydivemom at 07:52 PM on September 27, 2008
Fortunately, everytime that I updated my profile, I saved a copy of the code in a .txt file. But yeah, the thing I miss the most is the multiple preview before posting a comment/ the ability to edit a comment within a couple minutes after posting.
posted by MrFrisby at 09:06 PM on September 27, 2008
I'm happy to see that the skydivers are at least still lurking among us.
posted by NoMich at 02:04 AM on September 28, 2008
rcade, do you think we could have the "every other comment highlighted" thing again? I realize I am not as young as I used to be and the eyes are going, but the aboved mentioned highlight makes the comments sooooo much easier to read. Thanks in advance.
posted by steelergirl at 03:43 PM on September 28, 2008
Hopefully everyone sticks around for a couple days. I'll be starting up the MLB Postseason Pick 'Em this afternoon, pending the outcome of DET @ CHI.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:34 AM on September 29, 2008
I will admit that I haven't visited SpoFi that much since the switch. The site design is just terrible now, and it makes it too hard to read all the comments.
Everything that grum said.
posted by jerseygirl at 11:48 AM on September 29, 2008
I'm dipped if I can understand why the new format would make this place seem less...congenial? Yet -- and I really hate to say this, because I feel that I'm looking a gift horse in the mouth -- it does. If I understood why, I'd be a UI designer.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 12:27 PM on September 29, 2008
rcade, I know the 'return of the profile page' question has been asked numerous times, and you've confirmed that the old feature set will return, but will all the previous profile data also return? Unlike MrFrisby, I didn't save my profile coding at all.
On the Side: How about we add a Fantasy Sports Champion list to the wiki? Any opposed? I'd be happy to do it.
posted by BoKnows at 01:02 PM on September 29, 2008
One suggestion: move or get rid of the left column. Before there was a very clear hierarchy and flow to a discussion, with all the crap out of the way and the focus on the comments. Now it feels like the comments are being squeezed between meta data and ads.
For functionality, please bring back the multiple previews and the ability to see all the preceding comments on the preview.
And last, Thank You!
posted by dusted at 01:02 PM on September 29, 2008
OK, one more... consider following metafilter's example of removing ads for logged-in users.
posted by dusted at 01:05 PM on September 29, 2008
Dusted, I find That the Firefox add-on 'AdBlock' does a great job of eliminating all the ads. Both on Spofi and everywhere else.
posted by BoKnows at 01:08 PM on September 29, 2008
I look forward to hearing the answer on whether all of the data from the old player profile pages will return. I love that stuff.
Also, I liked being able to view all of the most recent comments or posts that a user had made. Now it only shows a couple comments and if you click to see more it just shows you all of the threads that a person has posted in. Not useful.
Thanks for all the work on the site. I'm excited for when it gets back to where it was.
posted by DudeDykstra at 07:41 PM on September 29, 2008
I have no clue as to how the programing works but I am learning that it is not all that easy and takes a lot of time and work.
While SpoFi is going through this change I'm hanging on because I really enjoy this place.
I'm sending the Pantheon good vibes, happy thoughts and instant karma by waves of psychic energy
posted by Folkways at 10:01 PM on September 29, 2008
I too have been participating less, but I'm hanging on because I love it so much. I can help out with some usability testing should it come to that.
posted by trox at 11:03 PM on September 29, 2008
And I thought I was the only one...I also come here for the commentary and interesting threads, and like others, the redesign had made it much less usable for me. I feel bad about that because, well, lbb already said it better than I can. This is a free site to me and hate to bitch about it, but hope it gets a better UI so it can get back to it's awesomeness.
posted by jmd82 at 11:03 AM on September 30, 2008
BoKnows: As far as the wiki is concerned, knock yourself out. But that does bring up another sore subject with me. rcade, why are you avoiding the wiki? Gary (and others) have asked about including it as part of the site (with a little navigation love) and it seems to fall on deaf ears.
Also, not one mention about the UI. Has kirk jumped ship or is he still unavailable to help? You mention all of the features, old and new, but nothing about how the site looks. I am hesitant to refer to the site as ugly knowing you are cribbing from Workbench, and I don't want to insult that site. But when COMPARED to how the old SpoFi looked the new look is hideous and awkward to negotiate.
rcade also skips over my repeated questions about returning old threads, especially the lockerroom interviews. why? if they won't be back, then say so. I miss them, but I thought it was mentioned in previous threads that one of the benefits of this move was the return of the MIAs.
I am reading the RSS feeds, but I miss the commentary and camaraderie. I truly hope that something will be done soon.
Thanks for the opportunity to vent. Back to lurking.
posted by scully at 03:57 PM on October 01, 2008
You don't have to be shy about mentioning my design skills, or lack thereof. Kirk's just waiting for me to hand over the site for his design work. He needs all the information in place -- like the user page with bios -- before he can redo the CSS.
As for fixing the old threads and finding the rest of the missing ones, I'm working on that too but it's lower priority than getting the interface back.
posted by rcade at 04:15 PM on October 01, 2008
He needs all the information in place -- like the user page with bios -- before he can redo the CSS
This is helpful. When *I* design sites, I come up with something in Photoshop and then build the CSS divs, etc to fit match the design. I find it is easier for me to move layers around, tweak things, etc, before creating the code. To each their own, *obviously*. What I am getting at is that know that makes everything else clearer...
The last I recall reading was that Kirk was going out of town, and from comments above it seems like I am not the only one who recalls things that way. I am glad to here he is still involved with the UI. The corners of my frown are starting to inch upwards like the Grinch.
posted by scully at 03:52 PM on October 02, 2008
Glad to hear it.
posted by rcade at 02:27 PM on October 04, 2008
I will admit that I haven't visited SpoFi that much since the switch. The site design is just terrible now, and it makes it too hard to read all the comments.
As well, it always asks me to sign in, and I don't have the option to do multiple previews of the comments I do make.
Thanks for all the fun I had here the past few years, but unless something changes I'll probably be just following sports somewhere else.