Holy Cannoli! Sounds Mah-Velous (as Billy C. used to say)!

So, what happens to all the existing conversations?  I really do like that feature as it is SO casual and does not interfere with Q & A. NO more casual entries for conversations sake? 

Q & A (to me) is a totally different feature but I can see how it might be viewed from your end.  Lots of folks mistake it for Q & A.

OH BOY, no more articles?  Now that totally sucks a sour lollipop. :(

Nice, good changes... but the categories will remain the same? Some times I don't know where to put some articles...

hmmm, I didn't mean to imply articles would be disappearing.  They will be here to stay, we are only dropping conversations.  We are willing to bring them back, but we can't figure out a way to justify it. 

in other words, we don't want conversations and QA to get mixed up any longer.  If you can help us create a space for the conversations and help us create a name for it that will make it distinct from QA, we will definitely look closely at how to do it.

As for existing conversations, hopefully I can get Tim in here to explain a bit more about what will happen to those.

@Miguel I've heard you have some recommendations on how to name the categories.. We're all ears...

Status UPdates?  Is this like a tweet for SC?

@Eileen somewhat.  these updates are not saved right now (we just haven't figured out what to do with the data if we cache it). they will only affect your tag line for the moment.  Any thoughts on what you'd like the status messages to do?

I'll happily give you some of mine, but I would like to know if there is a demand to see these updates cached at all.

Hi Richard.

I don't know.  I had not thought about that at all.  :|  LOL

It sounded like a tweet tho'.

~~~~~

NO.  Probably not, as this could become a SPAM problem for some members. There might be links to who knows where scrolling along and you'd have a nightmare on your hands.

Don't trip chocolate chip. You may have to use the tool first to identify some potential thoughts on what it can do.  One thought I've had (which is definitely still evolving) is to create a section on the site that stores those updates for people to meet and greet (more like a real social network)

We made a lot of these improvements based on things we observed from the users on the site, and direct feedback from people here and on Twitter.

-----

I don't know that the status updates will support linking offsite.  I'll have to look into it.

OK SO - Here is a GREAT thing you are doing - the search for articles. 

See, there are plenty of times I've wanted to post a particular article here but had no idea if someone already posted on the item, information, software, whatever.  

IF there were already articles on say a particular Google update or some such, I would not want to spend the time simply writing about the same stuff someone else has already covered.  Especially if they beat me to it!

I would much rather comment with my views on an existing article, if I could find it.  Plus, I would not look like a doofuss for covering the same stuff. Sometimes two opposing views might be OK but not just coverage.

Thanks Eileen, we're trying to make search a lot better.  Cross your fingers that we are successful ^_^

Ha! Replace 'conversations' with 'chit chat' and note that it is NOT the place to ask questions about software of other members OR say "questions should be posted in Q & A."

Chit Chat is pretty social.  IF someone queries there, the members can respond that they are in the wrong place for posting questions.  Altho' I'd hate to be the one to do that.  It can be discouraging for newbies and quite embarrassing too.  Shucks.   

My idea for categories:

OS Utilities

Business and News

Creative and Hobbies

Games and Family

Apps And Mobile

Networking and Social

Just about exactly what I was thinking, Miguel.  "News" is definitely needed and/or "Commentary" might a good addition.  Just like you, I've had times I had no idea where to put an article in the current categories.

I don't know about removing "internet" though as that seems quite pertinent to the field - or perhaps a new category, all it's own.  A lot of thought and/or conversation on that might help.

Combining Creative and Hobbies is a great idea.  Games and Family is good too...

Good on YOU Miguel for thinking on this; I've been doing that too.

I've been thinking about the removal of "Conversations" and this is probably a good thing, after all.  I've seen some of Miguel's conversations that could have been articles for sure.  :)

We're definitely discussing these suggestions.  Realize we're set for the launch of V2 in terms of features.  Any of the suggestions in this conversation will have to come after we have released V2.

You keep talking about search here.  If I type in "my articles" is that what I would get, a list of my articles?  With the dates included? 

I know, I know, I'm keeping my shirt on!

BUT, inquiring minds want to know...

So have youz guyz set a date yet?  A time to shoot for?  Did you reserve a chapel?

OOps - no chapel, this is not a marriage (or a funeral). 

Won't this actually be v3?  I have seen some older pages, quite by mistake, I think but they are there... I know I did not dream this. ;)

It's V2 I assure you.  Yes, we do have a date in mind I'd rather not mention here, but it's coming very soon.  You'll come back one day and we'll be different.  It's how these things go =)

And it lives.  V2 is now online.  Hey Eileen and Miguel, go take a look at your new account pages.  you might see something that interests you ;)

It lives!!!!!

@ Richard and Tim:

A "SoftCity Chatpuccino" (formerly Conversations) is definitively needed and will allow us exchanging and debating (members)

@ Miguel: I like your ideas of having more/different categories

Here is my proposal as well:

OS Utilities

Business and Corporate (Productivity)

Breaking News! (Red button category with all breaking events and scoops)

Creative and Hobbies

Games and Family

Apps And Mobile

Networking and Social

Internet and The Cloud

This is a great new version

@mohamed, I had suggested we archive our "Status" message updates in a section like this.  Is this what you mean, or more contribution based like we currently have (just with a new section about general chit chat)?

Every forum I've ever been to has a section for general chit chat, so I strongly believe this is a feature we need here at Softcity.  

@Patrick You said it friend!

And I can repeat it at will :)

Its shiiiiiiny... everything look really nice, although it takes a while to understand where is everything. Where are we going to find the latest articles?

Mohamed, I like your sections... and I believe we need some kind of conversation/chats a place to discuss about small discoveries, youtube videos and short news.

@Miguel : In the menu, you can find Article oredered by popularity or by the most recent

The popular articles have been resorted based on a new algorithm.  "What was your first PC" is sadly no longer the number one article on Softcity.

Popularity in based on votes, comment, number of follower, and the publish date.

@Yes, I find it, but would be nice to have that list in the main page, perhaps instead of the featured experts... I don't know, I rather a page focused in the articles and not so much in the authors.

V2 is incredible! So impressed. Great work by all. Looking forward to spending more time on here with the new design.

Thanks for the love Michael.  We look forward to seeing you around.  It's always nice to hear what you have to say.

I like SOME of the NEW LOOK, but not all. :)

I don't like the new "My Account" as the organization is less than desirable. It should be LISTS not "comment" text. I have only published 31 articles here and it takes four pages to list them with the new layout. A SINGE line that includes date, title (LINKED), and vote/comment information is all that is needed.  BUT thank you for an article list.

For those of us who spend time here everyday, the organization of the data presented in our personal accounts is IMPORTANT.  The only thing that needed to change was the addition of the ARTICLE list.  

.02

Articles and Conversations are not the same thing.  Newbies missed that part of the time.  But without an area outside of articles and Q&A there won't be much social action.

This would be commiserate to opening a club with thousands of members and no place to have a party that could include everyone. Pretty boring, eh?

another .02

Conversations are good. Maybe call it something else if necessary, but a place for discussions on a wider scale than just how do I do this in WE8. A new update? I just started using Chrome, updated to IE9, and updated my Netzero email package. My mind is spinning and now something that I could navigate has just navigated away. WOW! This old mind is really spinning. Are your posts going from oldest to newest? Looks like that, at least here. I would recommend the newest on top. Change is good. Well, alomost ;-}

On the links in blue above (Channels, Contributions, etc) if you don't come down right through the arrow you lose it. It would be nice if you could have a wider margin of error in sliding down to the next menu.

I don't know where to go to see the last comments on all the articles I'm following... in my account I only see my last comments.

@Miguel - Me too. Can't find what I need. Going from page to page to find ONE days stuff and then, all the comment text is in the way of actual info I want to scan.

LISTS work better for the private areas for those of us who are active on a daily basis.  Way too time consuming with all the textual content getting in the way.

I believe also that software specific questions, and more general ones should be different. I'm interested in participate in the general ones, but not so much in the other ones. For me questions was always the software specific talks, and conversation general one.

That worked for me also. Seems simple. If it's so simple, why is it so hard? ;-)

Pretty much the "social" part is gone guys.  People don't comment on articles like they do in a conversation or in a chat area.  Whole different can of worms, that.  Reviews should have a premiere place but not at the cost of member interaction.

Communication with other members is pretty much gone too.  When I go to the folks I follow, there is no way to send them a message. When I go to messages I only get 10 people on the list, all the other folks I follow do not show up at all.

This is not a matter of  just a design change, it cuts us off from one another in more than one way, and so the "community" part is disappearing.

I agree with Eileen. The community part is gone.

Is the RSS working? I belive is not.

RSS has been changed.

You must update your link in your reader.

I like that the email updates point you to the new post.

Hey everyone, I've started a thread for the feedback on V2 and I'll be updating it with more info as we get it.  Please follow this new thread.

@Shan and Eileen ye of little faith.  The community part is not gone.  This thread is evidence of that. 

Yes, but this seems to be the only evidence. It is also proof that community is important.

I think part of this is adjustment to the new layout and some of this is bugs.  I know the team is working out the bugs and we've made progress (so please don't say we never fix anything, it hurts our feelings and it's not true.)

As for the community, you folks are as important as ever, so this thread is most definitely not the only evidence.  Eileen has been messaging me like crazy, so clearly something is working.  

We need time to develop, I'll be taking your suggestions, but I hope you'll take time to explore.  Things just changed on all of us, so 24 hours out in the wild isn't quite enough time to learn it in and out.

Don't mean to hurt your feelings. I noticed that I am not listed as a citizen and asked that question in the question section, but don't see that the question made it to the screen. Since I have been fairly active that must be a bug.

Hey Shan,  I'm not that upset.  It was just a little jarring that this is a major change and we are getting feedback from people saying we fix nothing.  I understand frustrations with a new web site layout, nothing is ever going to work right out of the box when it comes to things like this.  It's important to me to root out suggestions that come from a well thought out place and provide solutions.  Thanks to folks like you and Eileen, Softcity will be much better as we go forward. 

I also appreciate everyone continuing to visit and support us even though you have experienced these hiccups.  It shows great faith on your part and we won't disappoint. 

Thanks Richard. You have a good group. And what would a day be without eileen. Glad we didn't lose her articles. As I said before, I am processing a lot of changes right now with IE9, Chrome and Netzero. Gotta work them through. As I have wandered around in here today I like it more. Change is good . . . sorta.

That deserves a vote!  Are you following the change thread?

Yes, I am following the change thread. Something else I noticed earlier and it just hit me is that I leave SoftCity open on a tab so I can just come back to it. Every time I have come back to it today I have been logged out. 3 Times I have typed in a response only to find I am not logged in and lose the response to log in. Then have to type it over again. Not sure if that is on your end or on mine. Before I could stay logged in.