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DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> "Grow DPC" - A hosted meeting with the DPC SC
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 01/15/2014 11:25:37 AM · #26
As a Site Council member, I want to say that much of what has been said here is absolutely true... we do not control the direction of the site. I think it will be important for everyone to recognize and understand that for Saturday's discussion.

According to the Site Council Guide (yes, there is such a thing!), our responsibilities include:

- Handling disqualification reviews and investigating suspicious voting activity
- Helping to moderate the forums
- Enforcing suspensions for rules or forum violations
- Making occasional announcements (for example, when a ribbon winner is disqualified, and results are recalculated)
- Responding to tickets (questions/problems) from members
- Maintaining the equipment (camera/lens) database
- Other small administrative tasks, like helping someone change a username

There is nothing that even implies that we are the site's marketing department, to be completely honest. I like to think that I have spread the word to other photographers as often as I have been able over the years, because I do feel as though I am an "ambassador" for the site. Of course anyone who feels strongly about the site can do the same, Site Council or not.

I don't feel that we as Site Council members have any obligation to "create a store" as Leo suggested (nor do we have legal rights to use the DPC logo, etc., to do such a thing anyway), and I have to be completely honest in saying that I don't feel we should be tasked with promoting other web sites that compliment the efforts here. Our main role is administrative, and is all done on a volunteer basis.

I love DPC... I have spent an alarming amount of the last 11+ years participating in the site in one form or another, and like most people here, I would love to see it flourish.

I just wanted to toss all that out there in order to keep expectations in check for this discussion. I think it's great that Leo has been cheerleading for the site as he has... but in reality, only the owners of the site have the ability to evoke the kind of changes people would like to see.
 01/15/2014 11:48:35 AM · #27
I was going to stay quite on this issue but after seeing Alan's post I have to ask: Have the Site Council members been invited to attend this meeting?

I'm sure the intentions of the meeting are for the betterment of this site but if the SC have not been asked or invited privately previous to this announcement!..... then what guarantee will you have of any of them attending?
 01/15/2014 11:53:01 AM · #28
I believe the purpose of this thread is to discuss what CAN be done WITHOUT Langdon's involvement. It is not that I disagree with the views of those clamoring for his attention, nor do I feel that the site couldn't use some technical improvements; but the reality is that the owner is NOT likely to get involved again. Operating under that assumption, our questions should be directed at SC, and what THEY can do to make the machine work more smoothly.

Since they are mainly tasked with administrative duties, it is those issues we should be discussing. Taking into account that they contribute on a volunteer basis, I think it is appropriate to ask them why:

the Cliches and Sayings III results have not been updated and the ribbons reissued.
payments are not being credited correctly
there is not more policing/moderating of forums
it takes so long to get an image validated
etc.

Regarding growing membership/advertising: With the advent of social media, advertising and marketing has been turned on its head and is no longer dependent on one governing individual to get the word out. To continue to beat that drum, at this point, is truly useless. Efforts such as those Cory and Leo are making, as well as quieter, background efforts myself and other DPC members are doing, is the way most "advertising" is done these days, and also the most effective. You don't need a banner or fancy gifs and logos - just post a hyperlink. An involved membership is a thriving membership. To sit back and wait for someone else to do something doesn't help anyone.

I completely agree that the money hiccup needs to be resolved - that is simply not right. But beyond that, DPC is, quite literally, what WE decide to make of it. I truly, deeply believe, that all the bickering in the forums has done far more harm to the moral, membership and participation on the site than everything else combined. THAT is something SC can do something about.
 01/15/2014 11:54:00 AM · #29
Originally posted by Stagolee:
I was going to stay quite on this issue but after seeing Alan's post I have to ask: Have the Site Council members been invited to attend this meeting?

I'm sure the intentions of the meeting are for the betterment of this site but if the SC have not been asked or invited privately previous to this announcement!..... then what guarantee will you have of any of them attending?


Read the OP.
 01/15/2014 12:02:07 PM · #30
Quick reply as I am on a treadmill at the gym...

Yes, Leo has been communicating with us about the discussion. I certainly never meant to imply otherwise. I do feel that we may not be on the same page about the potential direction or expectations of it.

To address a couple of tanhuera's concerns... Please know we have NO control over payment issues... When it comes to policing forums, people should simply use the "report post" mechanism to bring things to our attention. That flags the thread for us and we can then look into issues. It's not reasonable to expect that we are reading all of the threads.

As for slowness on other issues, that's certainly an area where we have room for improvement.

Message edited by author 2014-01-15 13:46:34.
 01/15/2014 12:41:17 PM · #31
Originally posted by tanguera:
Originally posted by Stagolee:
I was going to stay quite on this issue but after seeing Alan's post I have to ask: Have the Site Council members been invited to attend this meeting?

I'm sure the intentions of the meeting are for the betterment of this site but if the SC have not been asked or invited privately previous to this announcement!..... then what guarantee will you have of any of them attending?


Read the OP.


Information was not in the OP! That's why I asked! Alan has now answered the question..thanks
 01/15/2014 12:57:59 PM · #32
Originally posted by tanguera:
I completely agree that the money hiccup needs to be resolved - that is simply not right.

AFAIK the problems a couple of members had with renewal payments not being properly credited were resolved at least a couple of weeks ago ΓΆ€” I guess no one thought it necessary to make a public announcement about that ... :-(

Originally posted by Stagolee:
Originally posted by tanguera:
Originally posted by Stagolee:
I was going to stay quite on this issue but after seeing Alan's post I have to ask: Have the Site Council members been invited to attend this meeting?

I'm sure the intentions of the meeting are for the betterment of this site but if the SC have not been asked or invited privately previous to this announcement!..... then what guarantee will you have of any of them attending?


Read the OP.


Information was not in the OP! That's why I asked!

Is it not at least implied in the title of this thread: "Grow DPC" - A hosted meeting with the DPC SC ...?
 01/15/2014 01:03:30 PM · #33
Originally posted by Stagolee:
Originally posted by tanguera:
Originally posted by Stagolee:
I was going to stay quite on this issue but after seeing Alan's post I have to ask: Have the Site Council members been invited to attend this meeting?

I'm sure the intentions of the meeting are for the betterment of this site but if the SC have not been asked or invited privately previous to this announcement!..... then what guarantee will you have of any of them attending?


Read the OP.


Information was not in the OP! That's why I asked! Alan has now answered the question..thanks


He's right - I should have been more clear on that.

Yes, we have invited most of the SC to join us. (I say most, because some of them haven't been heard from in years)..

We did not explicitly invite L to join us, but I think we may well tackle that with a special meeting if he agreed to join us at some point - after all, as has been noted, he has much more power to do things around here.

For this meeting, our concentration isn't on what we can't do - it's on what we can do... Let's do try to get something useful out of this. :D
 01/15/2014 01:32:30 PM · #34
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Originally posted by tanguera:
I completely agree that the money hiccup needs to be resolved - that is simply not right.

AFAIK the problems a couple of members had with renewal payments not being properly credited were resolved at least a couple of weeks ago ΓΆ€” I guess no one thought it necessary to make a public announcement about that ... :-(


The length of time it took to be resolved was the real issue here!

Originally posted by GeneralE:
Is it not at least implied in the title of this thread: "Grow DPC" - A hosted meeting with the DPC SC ...?


Implied yes! but that did not answer the query. What is wrong with asking a question here? Thank you Cory for your detailed response, that's the information I was after.

Message edited by author 2014-01-15 13:33:05.
 01/15/2014 02:19:27 PM · #35
Originally posted by Stagolee:
What is wrong with asking a question here?

Absolutely nothing ... glad it's been clarified.
 01/15/2014 02:57:59 PM · #36
Does the SC have the ability to make threads sticky?
 01/15/2014 02:59:16 PM · #37
BTW, I haven't been around for a while, but who was the last person to hear from Langdon, just as a point of curiosity?
 01/15/2014 03:07:06 PM · #38
Originally posted by goinskiing:
BTW, I haven't been around for a while, but who was the last person to hear from Langdon, just as a point of curiosity?

He posted in the forums yesterday, actually, to change eligibility on Master Free Study.
 01/15/2014 03:08:12 PM · #39
Originally posted by goinskiing:
BTW, I haven't been around for a while, but who was the last person to hear from Langdon, just as a point of curiosity?

Just yesterday he changed the Masters challenge from member to open, and announced it in the thread.
 01/15/2014 03:34:10 PM · #40
Originally posted by goinskiing:
BTW, I haven't been around for a while, but who was the last person to hear from Langdon, just as a point of curiosity?


He also responded to a PM I sent him on the subject.
 01/15/2014 03:58:51 PM · #41
I'm trying to think of what kind of revival is needed to rejuvenate the site (outside of Langdon updates). I think really, there needs to be a way to pull people like myself out of the wood works. Somehow, social media needs to be involved (not entirely sure how exactly). Dunno, having a hard time here coming up with external solutions.
 01/15/2014 04:02:38 PM · #42
Or coming up with good questions for that matter. :P
 01/15/2014 04:11:55 PM · #43
Originally posted by goinskiing:
I think really, there needs to be a way to pull people like myself out of the wood works.

Seems like this thread is working so far ... ;-)
 01/15/2014 04:16:19 PM · #44
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Originally posted by goinskiing:
I think really, there needs to be a way to pull people like myself out of the wood works.

Seems like this thread is working so far ... ;-)


Tocuhe.
 01/15/2014 04:25:22 PM · #45
Originally posted by GeneralE:
AFAIK the problems a couple of members had with renewal payments not being properly credited were resolved at least a couple of weeks ago ΓΆ€” I guess no one thought it necessary to make a public announcement about that ... :-(


fwiw I recently renewed (after 3 years gone) and had a paypal hiccup that was resolved within a day after frisca learned of it, and got a quick PM from langdon as well. I can't join the discussion Saturday but will watch it with interest. I am saddened by the differences since I left - fewer entries, fewer/slower voting, and perhaps less international diversity. But the heart and soul of the site is still there, which is to say all of you. Harnessing that for positive change will not be easy, but it is a hugely positive place to start.
 01/15/2014 04:43:19 PM · #46
Originally posted by EstimatedEyes:
fwiw I recently renewed (after 3 years gone)


Go start an "I'm back" thread!! You deserve a warm welcome that isn't hidden amidst other stuff!!

Oh, and welcome back!
 01/15/2014 05:52:08 PM · #47
Originally posted by EstimatedEyes:
Originally posted by GeneralE:
AFAIK the problems a couple of members had with renewal payments not being properly credited were resolved at least a couple of weeks ago ΓΆ€” I guess no one thought it necessary to make a public announcement about that ... :-(


fwiw I recently renewed (after 3 years gone) and had a paypal hiccup that was resolved within a day after frisca learned of it, and got a quick PM from langdon as well. I can't join the discussion Saturday but will watch it with interest. I am saddened by the differences since I left - fewer entries, fewer/slower voting, and perhaps less international diversity. But the heart and soul of the site is still there, which is to say all of you. Harnessing that for positive change will not be easy, but it is a hugely positive place to start.


Here here!
 01/15/2014 06:01:34 PM · #48
Ah, I see someone is already utilizing social media.

//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236285

Anyways, I think one of the main challenges that DPC faces is the boom of mobile over the last few years. I have found myself using my cell-phone for photography than I truly care to admit. Really, the boom of mobile computing has made me (sad to admit) taken advantage of my inherent laziness to get out and "lug" my good gear around. Dunno, just a thought.
 01/15/2014 06:14:48 PM · #49
Originally posted by goinskiing:
Ah, I see someone is already utilizing social media.

//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236285

FB

Anyways, I think one of the main challenges that DPC faces is the boom of mobile over the last few years. I have found myself using my cell-phone for photography than I truly care to admit. Really, the boom of mobile computing has made me (sad to admit) taken advantage of my inherent laziness to get out and "lug" my good gear around. Dunno, just a thought.
01/15/2014 06:28:58 PM · #50
Originally posted by goinskiing:
Ah, I see someone is already utilizing social media.

//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=1236285

Anyways, I think one of the main challenges that DPC faces is the boom of mobile over the last few years. I have found myself using my cell-phone for photography than I truly care to admit. Really, the boom of mobile computing has made me (sad to admit) taken advantage of my inherent laziness to get out and "lug" my good gear around. Dunno, just a thought.


Apparently my English has become worse as well. :P
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