| Author |
Message |
lzrman
Member
|
# Posted: 2 Jan 2008 13:32 · Edited by: lzrman
Reply
What is being done to change this community going forward into 2008? are there plans on restructuring ?
Dissolving projects that are outdated, maybe combining smaller projects into bigger projects?
What does the community think?
How active really is our departments?
Can you say without thinking "Project ...... is working on this and is gonna have this done in ____ days."
I think every project should be reviewed by the Project Manager with the Assistance of the Executive council and say Yes/No to dissolving the project or keeping it, would benefit the server in more ways then one getting rid of old projects and saving space too!
Thoughts?
Can you answer the following question?
"What is the Vision for the Outpost10F Community for 2008?"
Lzrman
|
amandasp
Member
|
# Posted: 2 Jan 2008 14:27
Reply
With all due respect... this is the same thing we've gone over nine hundred times and been told to wait.... remember our forums a few months ago. This isn't going to change the same answer we had last time... we're waiting on a new server. One step at a time. That's the first step Hal is working on. We can't improve if we haven't taken care of of the base yet. Suggestions have not been forgotten, but they can't be enacted just yet. Iain is craddling our server the way it is.
|
ice
Member
|
# Posted: 2 Jan 2008 14:38
Reply
The main problem with the server is that its under soo much stress, if the old files etc that arent used it are removed it would clear up space. I have no idea on the server quota or used space but im pretty sure that around 40% is files that havent been access in atleast 6-12months, why do they need to stay?
We all like to view the old stuff but surely they could be compressed etc, this would clear up most the issues for space on the server. As for pressure on the cpu well I have no idea what its running or the server spec itself but a whole knew server seems like a strange thing to turn to before this one is cleaned out.
Iain himself recently said their was a db problem that was generating far to much, once thats got a perminant fix & other issues like that then the server will run fine. They dont get ill over age, their machines, they can always be cleaned & healed or a new ram stick etc dropped in.
|
lzrman
Member
|
# Posted: 2 Jan 2008 14:42 · Edited by: lzrman
Reply
Understanding that the First Step is waiting for a new server, and that Hal is currently working on this, but what is the estimate time to resolution to our current problems.
The first step should and forever will be the Base of OTF, the base of the community, the basis on which this community exists online, where people with common interests come to get to know each other and have a bit of fun here and there.
Our base from my perspective is the Chatroom, this is our prime feature to this site, where it then branches off to departments and subdivisions for the addition of features to enhance this community.
One issue that I have heared is plaguing the server is space required to store the various department files, the solution to improve our base on this issue is, go through every project and take a look at what has not been edited or revised for example 1 Year or even the last 8 Months, and consider removing these projects, this will help solidify our base and in turn bring us more server space in which to grow and expand upon.
Our second issue is with various server problems, has anyone considered going over the internal workings of the server and looking for ways to clean out the really old stuff, and checking out the database to see what information just sits there collecting potentially valuble space?
Step Two would be our membership, without them this community would be loosing members like a siv without prevention. What does the community want? and how can we implement it to help better this place?
Like Ice says, a server can be cleared out and once that happens it can run at its optimal server performance, as it did when we first got it.
Step Three would be to review all the moral in the place, find out reasons for people leaving, or staying and like retail find ways to help keep your patrons/customers and find ways to keep them enticed.
Maybe once all of the above is considered then maybe you can answer:
"What is the Vision for the Outpost10F Community for 2008"
|
ice
Member
|
# Posted: 2 Jan 2008 14:51
Reply
My view on OTF for 2008.
Step 1 - Clear up free space so depts can actually work
Step 2 - Create new areas of OTF that branch into popular things of the year (Social Networking such as MySpace, Facebook etc are hugely popular, sure we have a chat/doss/forums but we could branch further into this)
Step 3 - Get fresh faces into otf, i mean im all for talking to people i've known for years but i'd love some new people to get involved.
Step 4 - Kick dept work into action, as mentioned above the server space has retained this but still clear out inactive members.
Step 5 - This may not be appreciated but the MOST important thing is to get faster responses, approvals etc from the command structure. A new project idea can sometimes take weeks to go through, getting into & out of departments is far to slow a process all this needs speeded up if the community is to move & develop.
Just my 2cents.
|
amandasp
Member
|
# Posted: 2 Jan 2008 14:53
Reply
No, but there becomes a time when a piece of computer equipment can't be upgraded or babied anymore to compete. My computer has one more video card it can be upgraded and that's it. I have to get a new motherboard and start over almost. Technology changes so much as you, of all people know, Ice.
The very things Lzr suggested are being done. SMs are looking at projects to drop and what can be erased and archived for OTF history. A plan towards what OTF will be for the furture is being formed and discussed as you saw months ago when we looked at what the public had to say. Now we have to take what was suggested and find a way to make it work in a community. This might have momentarily put aside for more important problems such as the projects to be let go and the new server, but not forgotten. I, myself, have talked with Hal a few times on this and I know he has talked to other people, because let's be honest... I'm not high on the totem pole and he must have been really bored if he talked to me. I guess I'm more a little annoyed about how this was brought up. This is just rehashing the same thing over and over with an image attached. Not really needed.
If you really want something done... work hard at your teams and departments. Make it more efficent in itself. Get rid of what you don't need anymore. Improve where you can. Make your team an example. Forums discussions aren't going to get get things done. Work and small steps of leadership are. Pointing fingers about what we don't like about other people's work isn't going to get a thing done, but aggravate the people who are working. Concentrate on what you have before you... make it the best it can be. OTF has fallen into a pattern of a lot of finger pointing... a lot of great ideas not getting done by anyone. It's lack of participation that's hurting us. If you don't like it... show us how you will change that and pour yourself and energy into making it better instead of pointing out something someone else isn't doing. They're working. They're trying. I know I've done things lately that have gotten bashed. I just felt like why try? Why try is someone is just going to point out what I've done wrong? That's not something I want to work for and I know the same for you guys.
|
ice
Member
|
# Posted: 2 Jan 2008 14:57
Reply
Amanda just to confirm your point yes hardware can become outdated & even break but the entire server wont become "ill" theirs no reason for a new server when the current one could be upgraded alot smoother & without the hassle of moving everything. For example a backup could be made of this server, inserted onto a 1 tb hd and switched over around 1 minute of downtime (if that). The delays over this aren't exactly valid & money cant be that big of an issue with all the hosting people have paid for and for a large part not received.
In regard "pouring" ourselves into work I regularly speak with my TL about projects & this month the "Santa's Workshop" was for the most part project lead & developed by myself in just a few days. All other project ideas are "waiting to be approved" and I've applied for another department (and entry into two teams) which the TL's have confirmed they have work for me the moment i'm accepted but again the "high command" still hasn't processed the application so I cant touch the work.
|
amandasp
Member
|
# Posted: 2 Jan 2008 14:58 · Edited by: amandasp
Reply
Great, Ice, then you're doing your part. That's all you can do at this point.
Argue among yourselves. I tried to explain and be open. It's aggravating, but it's baby steps. I hate it... You hate it... EC hates it... Hal hates it. I've been working behind the scenes. What are you doing to make it better and move towards this vision? The End.
|
lzrman
Member
|
# Posted: 2 Jan 2008 15:00 · Edited by: lzrman
Reply
In addition to the above, rewarding our members for the contributions they make to this community would be great aswell. There has been members who continually contribute for many years have yet to receive any thank you for the work they continually do to support this place. I know a few of them have had continued recommendations for their advancement and yet people are taking sides on who moves up and who stays the same.
I did not mean to bring this up as a harsh reminder of what happened in the past, this was done to see what was happening and how fast it can happen.
What we need in this community is a little Personal Accountibility and I agree with what Amanda is saying here about Departments and there Teams, looking at what your deficiencies are and what projects you could get ride of is awesome. Currently in the Entertainment Department in our Special Operations Team is we are looking at a few projects the get rid of and see which members are currently still active and giving the ones on leave / extended leave a choice, if you don't respond or don't wish to continue to contribute then we ask that they make a choice in departing. There are various members in all departments who just like to sit on the roster to say " Yes I am in a Department ".
Like Amanda, I've done things too to get bashed, and hey we all move on, and figure out ways to improve apon our mistakes, to rekindle ourselfs and say, how can I participate again in making this community like it once was.
Once we all take Personal Accountibility and not point the finger at so and so, then we all can answer the question in question.
Another step is to find a way to market OTF, I have had a look at the marketing homepage, and we are still currently without a Marketing Director to help promote the site to gain membership in turn to solidify our base as a online science fiction community. This site too is also beyond outdated and I think should be dissolved and/or combined into another project maybe PR on the Communications Team.
|
buck_murray
Member
|
# Posted: 2 Jan 2008 15:17
Reply
I don't know if my opinion really says anything, but I agree to what has been said by Ice in his 3rd step. Getting new people to come into 'OTF', I know that this place is on the Search engines and webrings, but maybe there is another way to get people to come. I am not sure what that is but perhaps someone has a good idea.
Other then that, the departments are kind of losing their role, I believe. They started off strong when this place was made and from what I have been witnessing is they don't have as much of an impact on the site. I see Trivia running wild doing thier thing, and I am actually unsure of the Admin departments because I am too low of a rank to be involved with that, but somehow the departments need to get back into the action of the community.
Those are my thoughts but I may be wrong, just thought i'd put my two cents in (again)
|
lzrman
Member
|
# Posted: 2 Jan 2008 15:23 · Edited by: lzrman
Reply
Buck, your opinion, like everyone elses does matter. With your part on another idea to bring in membership, we have a member who created a topic in regards to promoting OTF in print via articles in a magazine / paper.
http://forums.outpost10f.com/minibb/index.php?acti on=vthread&forum=1&topic=9091
Bordner is a fairly new patron and has given us an chance to get out there, we are just waiting on someone to capture this possibility and turn it into an opportunity.
|
buck_murray
Member
|
# Posted: 2 Jan 2008 15:28
Reply
Lzrman,
Well that is actually a very nice idea. Lets hope we can get that going soemtime 
|
fat_man
Member
|
# Posted: 2 Jan 2008 21:24
Reply
nothing will ever change.
End
|
lzrman
Member
|
# Posted: 2 Jan 2008 21:51
Reply
And there is times I agree with Fat Man full heartedly.
|
buck_murray
Member
|
# Posted: 2 Jan 2008 23:24
Reply
As do I
|
bria
Member
|
# Posted: 3 Jan 2008 08:20
Reply
Quoting: lzrman we are just waiting on someone to capture this possibility and turn it into an opportunity.
I believe this sums it up. Everyone keeps arguing and discussing, everyone's full of opinions, but when it comes to actually doing anything most people seem quite content to point the finger at someone else, preferably the EC. What good does it do anyone to cast blame or wait for someone else to do something?
Seriously. Asim is right, nothing will ever change, because aside from Hal trying to sort the server out - and several other people continuing to do their jobs - I don't see anyone doing anything. Seems to me the people shouting the loudest are doing the least.
Generally. Please don't take this as an insult or an attack, because I will state quite clearly that it is not one. I'm just saying that returning to the same argument over and over isn't exactly productive.
|
crazytexan
Member
|
# Posted: 3 Jan 2008 09:53 · Edited by: crazytexan
Reply
Seriously? Y'all are still going on about this? 
|
ice
Member
|
# Posted: 3 Jan 2008 09:56
Reply
Its my view most dismay is pointed at the EC is because everything goes through them yet it takes so long to get responses. I'm not denying they do the work but its a slow process which delays everything else. I speak with several members of OTF on msn & not all of them are up for dept work (even though they are in them) but some are & all i'm ever hearing is "I'll hear back in a few days and I might be able to do t his" or "im waiting on this" and its a very slow process.
Perhaps shuffling up dept command structure might give people a nudge because half of the Exec's in their arent very active atall.
|
dominic
Member
|
# Posted: 3 Jan 2008 10:27
Reply
The way you guys are talking about the place its totally crumbling... So I haven't been active since '03 probably but i think i recognise some of the reasons i left in some of your arguments. I find that interesting.
HEY CT!!!!!!!! *kicks shins*
|
ajcardall
Member
|
# Posted: 4 Jan 2008 02:07
Reply
Jesus, this is still going on?!
Ah well. I've gone from being semi-interested to now being extremely passive about what ever happens!
Like Svenja said, it's all talk no action. For whatever reason.
And like Asim, I'll be surprised if anything meaningful does happen at all.
For now I'll continue to drop by the chat rooms whenever there's a decent crowd, but that's it for me.
|
fat_man
Member
|
# Posted: 4 Jan 2008 02:09
Reply
I love how Svenja is so blunt about this =D
When its true. I'm sure people are working away and toiling away in the backgrounds keeping the Site chugging along and what not.
And its not like anything new is being discussed here its the same old crap in every other version 3 thread.
|
ajcardall
Member
|
# Posted: 4 Jan 2008 02:15
Reply
Except we have a shiney graphic in this one.
Aesthetically pleasing threads ftw!
|
buck_murray
Member
|
# Posted: 4 Jan 2008 03:12
Reply
I noticed some people getting angered by this topic coming up again. Perhaps Lzrman was just asking about an update of what was going on in the Outpost since we last 'talked' about it, maybe not wondering what else we should be discussing like we did a few months ago. I kind of wish I knew if there were actually any updates on enhancing this community.
|
daecrist
Member
|
# Posted: 4 Jan 2008 11:21
Reply
Quoting: lzrman What is being done to change this community going forward into 2008
My hands have been tied and my lips have been sealed for the past month because of Andrew stepping aside. So I've been waiting and keeping quiet while we try to get all of the handover stuff sorted out as well as future plans for the Outpost with Andrew stepping down. I can see where this behind the scenes stuff could be taken for inaction by some, but this is one case where I really didn't feel comfortable saying anything until Andrew had made the announcement himself.
Quoting: lzrman Dissolving projects that are outdated
This is being worked on by the Executive Council at the moment. I've asked SMs to provide me with a list of inactive projects and the deleting will be starting within the next few weeks.
Quoting: lzrman How active really is our departments?
A lot of them aren't as active as they once were, and some were never as active as people remember them being. The departments will likely be getting a long hard look as we move ahead. A lot of what the departments used to do well they don't do well or at all anymore. This needs to change or they need to go away.
Quoting: amandasp Iain is craddling our server the way it is.
Amanda brings up a good point. Right now the first priority above anything else is ensuring the financial and server stability of the Outpost. There will be more on this in the next few days after working out all of the transition junk.
Quoting: ice once thats got a perminant fix & other issues like that then the server will run fine. They dont get ill over age, their machines, they can always be cleaned & healed or a new ram stick etc dropped in.
I know from talking with Iain extensively about the status of the server that it just needs to be replaced. The machine we're running is ancient and not upgradeable at this point. There are no fixes that can be made that will magically improve the quality of the server. Right now we're paying a ridiculous amount of money to host the Outpost on an obsolete machine. New hosting will cut the hosting costs by 2/3 and leave the headache of hardware maintenance in the hand of the hosting company.
Quoting: lzrman what is the estimate time to resolution to our current problems
The end of the server problems is February. At that point we will have either put together enough money to pay for new hosting or there will be no more Outpost10f as we have come to know it over the years.
Quoting: lzrman we are still currently without a Marketing Director
This is going to change.
Quoting: fat_man nothing will ever change
At this point it's a choice between change or go under. I'm opting for the former rather than the latter, but I'm not going to argue against the naysayers if doom and gloom is what makes them happy.
|
lzrman
Member
|
# Posted: 4 Jan 2008 21:06
Reply
This is exactly the type of response I was looking for, some type of update on whats happening. Thank you Hal, this was a very informative post.
|
rpmobsession
Member
|
# Posted: 5 Jan 2008 01:17
Reply
Ok, so I haven't been on the forums in forever because of topics like these, but that's not what I want to say. I find it interesting, though, that the one name that keeps coming up in these threads is Lzrman.
I don't care if people get mad at me for this post, to be quite honest, but it's due time some one said it bluntly.
Lzrman, seriously, leave it alone. I know you care about OTF. You have shown ample amount of dedication and support over the years, and believe me, people do appreciate that. But, personally, Hal did not have to respond whatsoever. The inner concerns and workings of OTF are not your responsibility nor concern. Do what you can. Work in your departments, do your work, participate, and donate your time, energy, and passion. But, leave the E.C. alone. Let them worry about the big issues. If they don't have a plan of action or are in need of advice from the community, they will ask. Otherwise, let it alone. The only answer you or anyone else asking need to get is "It's getting worked on." And, you know what? That should be enough. Please, let it be enough. You're not bringing up any questions or thoughts the E.C. hasn't been turning over for YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAARSSSSSSSS. So, just sit back, work in your departments, contribute where you can and when you can, and leave the E.C. and Hal to the bigger issues. Mmmk?
And, all that crap about the chain of command being lazy and it takes too long for projects to get approved...Guess what? THERE IS A REASON IT'S NOT BEING APPROVED. Mostly, my guess is because of MORE PRESSING NEEDS. Just wait, be patient, and contribute what you can. Again I say, the inner concerns of OTF ARE NOT OF ANY CONCERN TO ANYONE WHO HAS QUESTIONS. Because if it was your concern, you wouldn't have questions.
kthxbye
RPMObsession
|
fat_man
Member
|
# Posted: 5 Jan 2008 01:33
Reply
Quoting: daecrist At this point it's a choice between change or go under. I'm opting for the former rather than the latter, but I'm not going to argue against the naysayers if doom and gloom is what makes them happy.
i was actually being blunt and to the point about how i don't care for these forum threads.=(
But granted I am a pessimist at heart.
|
airen
Member
|
# Posted: 5 Jan 2008 01:57
Reply
candice, you rock
|
darth_balco
Member
|
# Posted: 5 Jan 2008 06:47
Reply
I know what we can do to get things moving!
We can have a slumber party with Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches and Rock Band.
Therefore those that wanna keep brining up the same subject can keep doing it while the rest of us that don't particularly care or just grown immune to the same forum threads can rock out on PBJ Sandwiches and Rock Band!
How does that sound?
|
lzrman
Member
|
# Posted: 5 Jan 2008 19:19
Reply
For the record I will not argue the situation by responding to your post Candice.
I welcome further responses on what the community thinks.
|
