MikeChilson

My Feedback: (2)

Again, we are NOT RCU but discussion is ALWAYS welcomed, not sure where you get that from.

CTDavies

Well only a few minutes ago I unsubscribed from the excellent Savoia Marchetti thread after having received 19(!) update notifications this weekend alone. When I view the thread I get the impression that half of the 19 posts have been removed in the mean time because the really don't contribute to the discussion.
Also, I don't buy the argument here 'If you can't do it better, don't critisize us'. As a model aircraft designer and producer I also have to accept critisism occasionally (I might say), but I don't forbid any of it because the critic has to prove he can do better first. If I supply the service/product I need to be willing to accept critisism and I will take appropriate action if needed.
I have been able to use the RCSB platform many times to post on my models which are ultimately my products which again results in me using it as a platform for advertising. For this I am very greatful.
Unfortunately I have to agree with Allan that the site does have its down sides, so please allow me to point out a few items that I think could do with some improvement (without being flamed in return, please):
Speed has been an issue over the years although it seems to fluctuate. While I can remember it being extremely bad about a year ot two ago, it seems to be better now but still not competely cured. Even the dutch model forum in Holland (yes, that tiny country in Europe) is much faster that RCSB, which in the end, makes me visit that forum more often than RCSB although I hardly speak the language.
Constant notifications: It should be enough to be notified once about an update until I visit the site the next time. It gets a little annoying when I open my inbox to see that of the 19 emails I received overnight 18 are RCSB notifications on the same thread. And then I find out that most of them are Atta-Boy remarks which I could actually do without, especially after spending 15 minutes reaching that page.
Log in log off: I believe this has been discussed many times before but would still like to bring it up. Usually I use two computers, one at home and one in the office. Every time I switch computers I need to log back in again. For me it's only a small deal to so that, but there's another side I would like to mention. When talking to customers, friends or even relatives I like to lead them to some of the build threads on my own kits when they are interested in what I'm doing. If the thread is on RCSB that only works if they sign in. Not all of my customers, friends or relatives want to do that and some don't even spreak english, so probably couldn't do it in the first place. I think this doesn't only apply to me. I'm sure a lot of people want to show what they are doing without having people to sign into a forum they probably wouldn't visit again in the near future anyway.
So these points, speed, notifications, log in log off, have kept me from using the forum the way I would like to. I think RCSB would be much more attractive for othe people and not only the 'scale snobs' (please - no offence intended) if some of these points could be rectified.
Still I thank everyone involved for their dedicated service and hope RCSB will be around for a long long time for us all to enjoy.
CT

MikeChilson

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks for the constructive criticism.

These are all know issues but unfortunately we have to work within our budget and time constraints. Since this is a service I do in my spare time and not a commercial venture (as your company is that benefits from my site as you stated) unfortunately this is what you get. I am currently working on a new version of the site as my time allows and these issues are being addressed.

Thanks!
Mike

puff daddy

You guy's kill me. It's like complaining about the black top on the road in front of my house. It is, what it is. Although we accept constructive critism. There is nothing here we do not know about.
Bottom line is. If you don't like it there, If it's speed is to slow for you, if you think there is nothing over there that is helpfull and you have to spend all of 30 seconds waiting for a page to download. Then do not go there.
This horse has been beaten to death over and over and over and over.
Like Mike said. Start a better site regarding "Scale Building " And put the effort into it that he does and we as Admin's/Mod's to keep it civil and focused. By all, means. Go for it
Just un-subscribe from the thread. If you do not notifications from it. Or will that take up to much of your time???
I'm done here.
Have fun waisting your time watching and reading another stupid thread here. Wait, I just got an email from Peter OZ's thread. Time to see what the temp's are in Australia. That's what it is all about. Right???

CTDavies

That's good to know, Mike. I'm really looking forward to seeing the new version of the site. I do my model design/production in my spare time also. It may be commercial venture, but any accountant would probably call it a rediculous one []

I think I won't comment on Puffy's post, though.

MikeChilson

My Feedback: (2)

LOL. I know what you mean. And don't mind Puffy.. He gets a little cranky when he misses his nap.

allanflowers

A brief summary of some of the above, plus my responses… maybe not as gentlemanly as Chris's..

"Soooooooo, What you are saying is. It's all about quantity, not quality."
-NOT WHAT I SAID - and what's wrong with both?

"I'll take quality over quantity any day of the week."
-There are some great builds and threads on this site too! Plus, they are ACCESSABLE.

"PS, If you don'thave the patience to wait for a page to load. You probably don't have the patience to build a scale plane."
-Talk about defensive - and offensive too!

"but alan's post about the server, and organization to me is a slap in the face of what Mike C has done with that site."
-First of all, it is Allan, not alan. Also, most people use a capital A for the first letter of a name. Secondly, I like Mike and his efforts. I like all the guys on that site. I have been a site supporter with comments, content, even coughing up money two or three times! But expressing an opinion and telling the truth is NOT a slap in the face. Get over it.

"but, everyone is entitled to their own opinions. but until one walks
in ones shoes, they dont really know how the shoe fits."
-Same tired defensive excuse

"As far as the image uploading being different we choose a in-line image format there as opposed to a thumbnail format like here. This allows a much better narrative when explaining detailed work. RCSB is not for everyone but if you SERIOUS about scale building then it's probably the place for you."
-I guess I must not be SERIOUS about scale…

"And for those others that feel compelled to let me know what an expert they are in web management and design and who are not happy with the way we do things, or speed or design, guess what... You don't have to come there."
-Guess what… if you don't like the truth… You don't have to come HERE.

"It always amazes me how folks feel compelled to TELL ME what I am doing wrong when they have ZERO knowledge of the subject."
-… I am troubled by the presumption that anyone criticizing YOU must be ignorant. Besides, the only expertise one needs to recognize a poor site is to experience a GOOD one.

"My suggestion is start your own community site and walk in the shoes of someone managing one of these sites before you start shooting off at the mouth. Oh well, guess that is just human nature."
-… but I LIKE to shoot off at the mouth.

It is unfortunate that some people cannot express an opinion without resorting to personal attacks, oversimplification and defensive verbiage.
What we see here is that these same folks are not only closed to constructive criticism but any new ideas.
If they are not going to FIX anything, maybe it is best for that site to just quietly die away, releasing the cadre of talented contributors (who are being "loyal" ) to move their efforts to a place where people can actually see and enjoy them.

I am HOPING that they just FIX it.

MikeChilson

My Feedback: (2)

Nice... I'm going back to quietly die away.

Enjoyed the entertainment here.

CoosBayLumber

My Feedback: (1)

When RC ScaleBuilder changed over to the new format, we go no place. A friend and I subscribed, and still got no place. Usually, got an answer back four days later that they were Upgrading or some other excuse. Talked to Mike in Toledo, and mentioned no one had access problems to his knowledge.

Still got no where.

Finally about summer of 2008, we were asked to renewal, and as we only got there two times per the one year, Naah. We will go someplace else. We ahve not been back in many a month now. Not attempted once in 2009 yet too.

I got a message from a subscriber a few months ago. He too was having problems simpliy logging on there. Per his thought, unless you were basically one of the few chosen, a bona-fide contest winner, you then got no place. Never heard from him again.


Wm.

t_burley

My Feedback: (59)

wOw thaNks for that Info aLan, you helped me With
my spelliN issues.

defensive verbage? so a "slap in the face" is defensive?

""quietly die away"" dont think the site will, but there are
times I wish it would. like I said, until you walk in the shoes
you dont know what its like to deal with the behind the scenes
dealings sometimes.

I guess it would be better off that you stay being an Attorney/spell checker
Allan, and I'll just keep my opinions to myself.[8D]

allanflowers

Gee, Todd, I am so sorry. When I put in that (exception: Todd) comment in the last part of my post, I thought the comments you had made were made by someone else - that your earlier post, more humorous post had been it from you. Obviously I messed up trying to take you off the hook (for misspelling and the "slap" comment) when it had been you all along.
Okay, I just edited that ( ) out.
I think that when people misspell someone's name, it can be a Freudian slip indicating hostility. I would never do that to you, Toad.

t_burley

My Feedback: (59)

thats the nicest thing you ever said to me Allan

R8893

My Feedback: (20)

deleted

CoosBayLumber

My Feedback: (1)

Todd has been more than helpfull in trying to get my friend's computer to permit input to the site. But, it may work OK when left that day, but before end of week it stops working once again. He is not a wiz, nor am I, we have other things to do, but play with settings for a couple of minutes of use per week, no, got better things to do with the time.

Perhaps a new site or an overhauled old one is best at this point.

But, can say, it sure ain't like it used to be.

Wm.

t_burley

My Feedback: (59)

one of these days William, when I am down in yours
and Bob's area, I need to stop buy and see what I
can do to get you both online

abufletcher

Ditto.

Nathan_L

You can turn off the notifications or change how often they come from RCSB. The site can be slow but once your in a thread I've never found it to be a problem.

Unlike RCU it's much easier to keep track of a build there. How many threads on RCU just die off and you never see anymore of it? A lot.

Take a popular plans designer like Ziroli and say you want to build the Stuka. There are several threads over 70+ pages on said topic all of varying degrees of "scale". Many other designers are the same way.

RCU is more of a question/answer type board. RCSB is defintly a build type board. Also one of the things you typically don't run into on RCSB that you often do on RCU is people answering a question that you have no idea if they are qualified to answer or not. At least on RCSB the community is small enough I can look at their builds/threads pretty quick and judge if they are on the right track.

As to pics I've never had a probleam. I just resize them and upload them right to their site. You can even download a widget from Microsoft if you run Windows so that when you right click on a picture the "resize" option comes up much like "Save as" etc....

Not to bash RCU as I frequent this site as well...but the "Signal to noise" ratio on RCSB or "Wheat to Chaff" ratio blows RCU out of the water over there. That's probably the biggest reason so many people use it. Not in the scale section here but look in the ARF section at times there are thrads that get to page 30 or more before anyone actually gets one in thier hands.....

abufletcher

This is a very good point. If you take a break from a build here on RCU the thread gets pushed down and out of sight and it can be hard finding it again unless you've personally bookmarked it.

Very true. As I said before RCSB build threads are almost like personal blogs. RCU threads are more about dialogue. Which, by the way, is precisely why I chose to ask my original question about posting photos here rather than over on RCSB. And I got an answer almost immediately!

It tends to be a little better here on RCU's Scale Forum. Some of the other forums are as you said: lots of talk, little building.

dhal22

abu, i think i agree with you but i'm not sure. here i find some build threads on the same plane (warbirds) as over there but there is a difference. here it seems to be mostly photos of progress, over there seems to be much more descriptive. regardless of load speed, etc, it is the defacto location for scale building.

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

I spent 3? years building my SE5a on RCSB. I tried to show every aspect of my build including my mistakes. The point was to show others how I did things (not that I'm all that great a builder!). I often asked for help from others and received lots of it from all over the world!!

I frequent both sites as each has something different to offer.

This isn't a Ford vs Chevy debate nor should it be! Take the best from each site and enjoy them for what they are!

I have yet to find a "perfect" web site any where. I'm sure Mike will improve RCSB as time and funds allow. He's just one guy doing it for our enjoyment! I don't think he's opened his Swiss bank account yet!

One "tip" on posting photos there (I've done that LOTS). You can post large (640x480) photos using photo shop IF you save them as a low resolution file.

Bent Nail

Here we go again, I believe the solution is simple; if you do not like RCSB then don’t visit the site. It is very simple! Mike has done a great job with the resources available. Hey $20.00 is a lot of money! Well you could buy a cheap servo for your $3-6K scale model. I have not been a contributor to RCSB for very long but what I have gained from the experiences with RCSB members is immeasurable. There are few communities that check their ego at the login. Yes we kid and cajole a lot but in the end the information I have received has been great.

Just think about the members of RCSB who contribute on an annual basis, especially those who are ‘lifetime supporters’ RCU vendors are not getting their modeling Dollars!

The only advice I have for Mike is that he should double the salaries of his Administrators! And, for those who complain about their perceived short comings of RCSB… Don’t visit the site! Again it is simple!

Keep up the good work Mike.


John M.

abufletcher

I've never agreed with the "love it or leave it" philosophy. Or the related "my way or the highway."

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

I think his point is is that neither of these web sites are a Democracy so we can only vote with our fingers

Icemanjr92

My Feedback: (73)

RCU.... Almost useless.
RCSB....PRICELESS.

RCSB is the ONLY site for Scale modelers.
RCSB will be around for a long time. Due to the enthusiasm from Mike Chilson and the members. This is the most unique site in the world.
I could give two craps about how long it takes me to load a picture, RCSB is worth the wait.

allanflowers

SO typical of the snob mentality there. 'Let's make a site so miserable slow that most people won't tolerate, so WE can all feel superior..' (Fortunately most of the guys there aren't that way)

Personally, I think there IS a great deal of neat stuff on that site. It is a SHAME that the management is so closed to any criticism and new ideas, which would make this great stuff AVAILABLE.