Informal Survey on New GCA: Update-Responses and Personal Attacks

[Ronald Montesano]

Not collecting emails, not collecting names. Anonymous reporting. Trying to collect some information on browsers, devices, and issues, to help the magi of GCA.

https://forms.gle/DNosf4kfdMGEY7PRA

[John_Cullum]

Other than a color change, what is fundamentally different?

[Joe_Tucholski]

Other than a color change, what is fundamentally different?

The forum/discussion group doesn't seem to have changed much but the other features on the site (courses by country, feature interview, in my opinion, contributions and 147 custodians) have changed their appearance adding images and thumbnails and such.

[Greg Hohman]

Move DG to top of Home Page “Go to” drop-down menu.

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

With the various photo hosting sights making it difficult to post pictures, especially Photobucket and it's picture branding, it would be nice to be able to post directly.  Many of my photo posts from the past are no longer able to be seen.

[Tim Leahy]

Get rid of that "An error has occurred" thing after tags at the bottom of the page

[Tony_Muldoon]

Is the work finished? 


Is photo posting any easier?


I know when you edit or quite in a post without pressing the red bracket button above you still get the rubbish resizing.  ( tried to demonstrate but it seems to be impossible to edit on a kindle now?)


Can't log on via my Android phone.


Perhaps someone could update us?


Least functional DG I know.

[Kevin_Reilly]

Still the same for me (Mac)....all the old problems from the board's ancient OS still exist. 


I looked at a thread today where the text was microscopic in size (formatting issue probably because there was a URL in the post), so assume nothing has changed, yet, on the DG platform.

[Kalen Braley]

As far as I can tell, the DG remains unchanged with the exception of:
- Red banners and buttons being changed to Blue.
- Everyone being demoted to Newbie status


I'm was hoping for an improved board, but it is what it is.

[Ronald Montesano]

The unfortunate one is the one in bold. I'll come back with devices and browsers in a bit.

The problem I'm having is...19 responses (as of 10:01 EST USA Sunday 02132022)

none

None

Only the error message on the bottom of the browser page in Discussion Board.

Nada

I have still not been able to register for GCA, I'd love to, I Hope that you consider me.

iOS the DG won't scroll in landscape -- all I can see is the header

Change in fonts for posts.

Posting photos

not having a problem, yet.

Nothing at this time.

no problems

N/A. I am not a member of the web site. But, look at the site most days. I like the changes.

An Error Has Occurred! for years and years and years.

Works fine, just a little buggy - often an error message displays at the bottom of forum threads.

While not directly related to the discussion board (which I think is just fine) - the new design has made it more difficult to find new articles - be the feature interviews or golf course commentary. I'd love to see that surfaced more easily. Thanks!

All works fine for me

[Ronald Montesano]

I use this combination of browser and cellular device

5     iphone and safari
4     iphone and chrome
4     android phone and chrome
4     I don't use my cell phone to access GCA
1     iphone and other browser
1     android phone and other browser

I use this combination of browser and tablet to access GCA Discussion Board.

10     I don't use a table to access GCA
3     Safari and iPad
2     Chrome and iPad
2     Some other browser/tablet combination
2     Chrome and Microsoft-based tablet
1     Other browser and Microsoft-based tablet

I use this combination of computer (laptop or desktop) to access GCA Discussion Board.


9     Chrome and Microsoft
4     Edge and Microsoft
3     Chrome and Apple
1     Firefox and Apple
1     Safari and Apple
1     I don't use a computer to access GCA Discussion Board.

Again, this is 19 responses, so hardly a massive sample. Still, a beginning...

[Wayne_Kozun]

With the various photo hosting sights making it difficult to post pictures, especially Photobucket and it's picture branding, it would be nice to be able to post directly.  Many of my photo posts from the past are no longer able to be seen.

This would be a great idea.  Many newer types of forum software allow you to copy/paste a photo or to upload from a local hard drive.  This would be hugely beneficial for the sustainability of this site over the long term, but it might increase hosting costs as storing lots of high quality photos will use up more storage space.

[V. Kmetz]

e Photos are e photos...and like jobs or relationships, we've got to realize we're already given over to free hosting platforms changing and wrinkling constantly...


Flickr seems the easiest to use currently, allows the sizing to control from the url copy...hasn't changed much since 2018...


the new makeup here on site, doesn't seem so substantial, so I am satisfied with it

[Ronald Montesano]

Even though internet software strips down photos to be viewable but not super-printable, they still take up space. I can promise that Ran's server bills would go through the roof if images were stored and not linked. Just not feasible for a site that relies on voluntary donations.

[Kalen Braley]

Even though internet software strips down photos to be viewable but not super-printable, they still take up space. I can promise that Ran's server bills would go through the roof if images were stored and not linked. Just not feasible for a site that relies on voluntary donations.

Ron,

I'm not sure where you're getting your information from, but storage space is cheaper than ever...and a ton of it.  Just a couple of annual donations on this site, could completely cover...and then some...an absurd amount of jpegs which don't take up much space relative to other formats like video.  Its stupid simple to do, in addition to being super cheap.  And the functionality already exists in this forum software, just needs to be configured and turned on.

Now if Ran doesn't want to do it for whatever reason, so be it, its his site...but cost is certainly not the deterrent.

[JC Jones]

Seems odd that Ran wouldn't just start his own thread for this.


Also, why do you use such a large font?

[Donnie Beck]

I use this combination of browser and cellular device

5     iphone and safari
4     iphone and chrome
4     android phone and chrome
4     I don't use my cell phone to access GCA
1     iphone and other browser
1     android phone and other browser

I use this combination of browser and tablet to access GCA Discussion Board.

10     I don't use a table to access GCA
3     Safari and iPad
2     Chrome and iPad
2     Some other browser/tablet combination
2     Chrome and Microsoft-based tablet
1     Other browser and Microsoft-based tablet

I use this combination of computer (laptop or desktop) to access GCA Discussion Board.


9     Chrome and Microsoft
4     Edge and Microsoft
3     Chrome and Apple
1     Firefox and Apple
1     Safari and Apple
1     I don't use a computer to access GCA Discussion Board.

Again, this is 19 responses, so hardly a massive sample. Still, a beginning...

There was no option for AmigaOS I use Timberwolf and OWB to access with amiga OS3.2

[Ronald Montesano]

Large Font = COMPENSATING


I'm glad to know that storage costs have come down.

Let's move on the security issue of storing someone else's image files, and also to the copyright issue.

I'd suggest that folks write to other discussion group owners and ask how/why they do or don't store images on site.

[Tim Martin]

Large Font = COMPENSATING


I'm glad to know that storage costs have come down.

Let's move on the security issue of storing someone else's image files, and also to the copyright issue.

I'd suggest that folks write to other discussion group owners and ask how/why they do or don't store images on site.

Why don’t you write to other discussion group owners? I don’t see where Ran, Joe or Ben have asked you to act as their proxy or even get involved in this issue but that certainly hasn’t stopped you from inserting yourself in similar campaigns in the past.

[JC Jones]

Timmy, that’s a good point to bring up. 


Ron tried to claim in his initial post that he is gathering this information on behalf of Golf Club Atlas.  He is not.  He is doing this on his own without the request of anyone.  Who knows his motivations, but, whatever they are, they are his and not others.

[Cal Seifert]

Not sure if this is the right location for this post or if it has been brought to Ran’s attention yet but when looking at courses by country, clicking a country for example “Scotland” is a dead link.

[Kalen Braley]

Not sure if this is the right location for this post or if it has been brought to Ran’s attention yet but when looking at courses by country, clicking a country for example “Scotland” is a dead link.

You may want to clear your cache Cal, it works as expected for me (using latest version of Chrome)...although it is a little slow loading the first time you select a country.

[Ronald Montesano]

1. I played golf with Tim Martin twice. I had a great time both times. In the past two years, for reasons unknown to me, he has chosen to fire salvos at certain things that I propose. He does not contact me directly and has blocked me from contacting him individually

Send report

User 'Tim Martin' has blocked your personal message.


2. JC Jones has for years fired unsubstantiated salvos at me, including the current one. He says "on behalf of GCA" and if you read the initial post, those are not the words that I use. I've never met JC Jones and don't know why he decides, from time to time, to make a personal attack. See the initial thread post below and above.


To his credit, JC Jones does not have me blocked on DM, so I am able to contact him that way (which I just did.) Since he made this one public, I'll resolve it publicly. I chuckle when GCA members ask questions like "why do you use such a large font size," rather than asking about the matter that was brought up. Size 10 font is a really-small default font size. It isn't easy to read. Size 12 works better for me. I also have opinions on golf course architecture, but I usually share those on TFA (TypeFace Architects) discussion board...

3. You have all the date collected in this thread. It is anonymous and without value for sale. If you really think that what we share here, matters beyond this little table at the 19th hole, you are incorrect.

4. You should have noticed by now that the other RM is super-busy with his Golf Magazine and Golf.Com work, in addition to whatever other job he has in life (I don't pry.) He has curated a great deal of photography and course description in the GCA Instagram account. He simply does not have time to read every single thread post on this discussion board.

5. What was learned from the informal survey was, very little. There was no browser/device/OS revelation. As Kalen accurately points out, clear your cache. "Clear your cache" is the 21st-century version of "is it plugged in?" It is basic and we should all do it every month or two.

[Terry Lavin]

The Eleventh Commandment:  Thou Shalt Not Whine. Especially when you’re the provocateur.

[Tim Martin]

1. I played golf with Tim Martin twice. I had a great time both times. In the past two years, for reasons unknown to me, he has chosen to fire salvos at certain things that I propose. He does not contact me directly and has blocked me from contacting him individually

Send report

User 'Tim Martin' has blocked your personal message.

Ron-I have had a sign on for the past thirteen years on GCA and only blocked four people with you being the latest. I’m not interested in any more of your inane personal messages or agenda driven proposals. Just this morning I see you provided yet another link to your website The Buffalo Golfer on the George Wright thread. As I stated in my post you undertook this thread without any prompt from Ran and report that you shockingly   got very few responses. Finally replies from me to the bulk of your posts/threads aren’t the result of malice but rather stem from varying degrees of incredulity to what you have penned. Thanks.