dw_thomas wrote:................... Bizarre -- but dovetails with my theory this site has been creatively duct taped and baling wired beyond its original design.
DaveT
Hi DaveT
I'm cautiously posting this reply here instead of starting a new thread - as there are two other threads as you mention on its topic of discussion; I feel it may provide food-for-thought to a few individuals (and maybe administration).
I don't understand much more than basics (if even that) about PC's and programming. However for a couple of years reading posts complaining the lack of improvements, I have thought one explanation might be that the Pbase program language is not capable very easily, efficiently, or at all, in doing anymore than what it is doing now. If this is the case I feel management should tell its users, so they know what to expect.
It would not cause me to leave since admittedly I have no need or desire to keep pace with technology. In truth I'm a very senior individual who has difficulty just trying to comprehend and afford the technology I use at the moment. Quite possibly as the years have passed a bit of "spaghetti code" may also have crept into Pbase. For all I know the hardware being used may also play a significant role.
I haven't a clue concerning the (proper) maintenance costs to keep Pbase running. I would expect the hardware cost to be large. I have no idea of how many paying customers there are, or whether Pbase is profitable or breaking even. I don't know how many people Pbase employs either.
However, as just a paying customer, from the outside my impression is that 2 or 3 individuals are involved but none full time and perhaps that's not a problem when everything is running smoothly. It is apparent this is not a company with a number of individuals working a 9 to 5 schedule, and 4 or 5 administrators/managers/developers sitting in offices. The impression I've always had is that of a home/hobby business of 2 maybe 3 part time individuals who have to allocate their time trying to raise and manage a growing family and a small business. When one starts either one, responsibilities do come with it. I have no problem with that at all but it would be nice to have management find a way to satisfy both family and business. Perhaps a short statement in their Pbase preamble without getting too personal (I enjoy my privacy also) would allow more customers to understand the style of the "company" and determine to stay or not or to join or not. How can an individual truly enjoy photography if their upset half the time over the functions (or not) of their imaging hosting website.
Everything I've said is possibly nothing but twoddle and may have gotten in over my head in an area or two, but I would end with my personal Pbase needs (ymmv).
- Pbase functionality: (when everything is working as designed) fills my needs with no complaints.
- Pbase design appearance (though probably haven't seen every other site in www land) haven't found a replacement - very satisfied.