Random questions about the site and future plans

Tools    





Even the basic idea, right off the bat, has a huge inflection point in the form of "Do we auto-generate a thread, or do we let people have lots of threads for each movie, IMDB-style?"
Definitely the former IMO. unless it's a tonne of work or something.



I must admit i don't use the watched feature much (also because of Letterboxd but mostly...) because i didn't really see much point to it if i couldn't see who has watched the film (you can't see that unless they've reviewed it right?). I'm always wondering which non Letterboxd using members have seen the film i've just watched as maybe i'd want to talk to them about it.
Yeah, exactly, I need to get this data in front of you guys (both what you've watched, and what others have) in order for you to want to use it more in the first place. That said, I think tracking it behind-the-scenes, even though there's not much incentive to do it now, is a nice compromise in that now it can "launch" with at least a modest amount of data already in there, as opposed to launching right away which gives people a reason to check them off, but with nothing to look at in the beginning.

Re: Letterboxd. Yeah, I assume that's true for a lot of people. I'm not looking to replace what they do, so much as (like with Intermission) I just want to...

a) give people the option to stay and do here more, if they want, and
b) I want to do lots of cool things with the data.

Also, if there's any easy way to export the data there and import it here, I'll definitely, definitely do that. Might not even end up being too hard, since we use the same data source.



It's not so much response that concerns me as it is just logic and order (for myself).
So for example, I started a January list. There may be two or three films from that month that I'd like to review but haven't gotten to it yet. In the meantime, I watch something today that just knocks my socks off! OMG I neeeeeed to write about this while it's fresh! But doing that technically puts that post before the few from January left to review.

Getting that out of order really bugs me. So I'm thinking to abandon my watch list and just write when I can, regardless of when I watched it.

I hope that makes more sense!
Just do it however you want to mate. If it bugs you you could "reserve" a post which is something often done in Countdown and Hall of Fame threads here. Just post "reserved" then go back and edit it with your review when you want to and post a link back to it.



Definitely the former IMO. unless it's a tonne of work or something.
Sorry, what I meant was: should there be only one thread linked to the movie, or should there be many? IMDB was the latter.



Sorry, what I meant was: should there be only one thread linked to the movie, or should there be many? IMDB was the latter.
Yeah, i was saying there should only be one IMO.



Oh WOW.
I think I noticed this list soon after I joined but I had no clue what it was and completely forgot about it since.
I am forever relearning the lesson that everybody uses websites differently, and that even putting something in the header and footer of every page in no way ensures that someone will notice or care about it. You'd think I've have gotten this through my head by now, but my blind spot on this stuff (presumably from being a developer and looking at every other site like a developer) makes it tough, so I'm shocked, like, every week when someone tells me they never noticed X or didn't know how to Y.

Is this linked to some news feed to update whenever a new movie is released, or is some admin hiding in the back end manually creating a page for each release?
It's not really a feed, but that's closer than the other one. It's definitely not us entering and updating it manually. I spent, like, 12-15 years wanting to do lots of cool things with favorite movies and reviews and stuff that required a comprehensive database, and I just couldn't, because adding that data, to say nothing of keeping it updated, is just a total non-starter. I've only gotten to start doing fun stuff with data and linking everything together over the last few years, because of TMDB and its API.

I see reviews associated with a movie that I've searched for. Is there a link from that page to create a new review? Or would I just create a new thread, write my independent review, and then check the "suggest this post for inclusion" option hoping that it will be associated to the movie page at some point in the future?
The latter, and yes, that's something else I'd like to take a look at. I'm not positive about that, though, because I think that would encourage a lot of short, lower-quality reviews that we'd have to reject. I might be okay with making it really easy to say or ask something about a film for anyone, but screening out a lot of sub-standard reviews by virtue of there being a few hoops to jump through. It's not always bad to make the user have to work to do something, particularly when there's a level of curation or quality control involved.

I'm hoping that's the last of my Qs for today. Thanks for that patience everyone.
I don't mind. I think I might move a lot of these posts into a new thread, though, if nobody minds.



Yeah, i was saying there should only be one IMO.
Gotcha. I might agree, but I'm not sure, since the obvious effect will be cross-talk where some people are reviewing the film and some are asking plot questions and others are speculating about what things mean. And we don't have a nested/threaded system here, just linear, so the idea of cross-talk and staying "on topic" matters a lot more.

The software does have threaded options, but I've spent years stripping out pretty much all vestiges of it, and I'm pretty loathe to make such a fundamental change back to threaded discussions.



Maybe make a small number of specific threads for each movie then .... general; plot; cast; queries etc... ?

Might be easier to implement rather than trying to link each and every thread a member might create on any film .... dunno about the technicals just seems like it would be more controlled = easier



Gotcha. I might agree, but I'm not sure, since the obvious effect will be cross-talk where some people are reviewing the film and some are asking plot questions and others are speculating about what things mean. And we don't have a nested/threaded system here, just linear, so the idea of cross-talk and staying "on topic" matters a lot more.

The software does have threaded options, but I've spent years stripping out pretty much all vestiges of it, and I'm pretty loathe to make such a fundamental change back to threaded discussions.
I'm not sure that will happen in an unmanageable way unless the active member amount spontaneously grows quite a bit which i understand is part of the goal here. I think the Star Wars/Marvel/DC threads are the maximum you are going to get for any one movie and they seem to be managed well enough.

I'm probably way off though.



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
I am forever relearning the lesson that everybody uses websites differently, and that even putting something in the header and footer of every page in no way ensures that someone will notice or care about it. You'd think I've have gotten this through my head by now, but my blind spot on this stuff (presumably from being a developer and looking at every other site like a developer) makes it tough, so I'm shocked, like, every week when someone tells me they never noticed X or didn't know how to Y.


It's not really a feed, but that's closer than the other one. It's definitely not us entering and updating it manually. I spent, like, 12-15 years wanting to do lots of cool things with favorite movies and reviews and stuff that required a comprehensive database, and I just couldn't, because adding that data, to say nothing of keeping it updated, is just a total non-starter. I've only gotten to start doing fun stuff with data and linking everything together over the last few years, because of TMDB and its API.


The latter, and yes, that's something else I'd like to take a look at. I'm not positive about that, though, because I think that would encourage a lot of short, lower-quality reviews that we'd have to reject. I might be okay with making it really easy to say or ask something about a film for anyone, but screening out a lot of sub-standard reviews by virtue of there being a few hoops to jump through. It's not always bad to make the user have to work to do something, particularly when there's a level of curation or quality control involved.


I don't mind. I think I might move a lot of these posts into a new thread, though, if nobody minds.
Awesome! Thanks for the thorough follow-up.
I totally understand what you mean by developer POV. I do graphics work, tech manuals, training material, and UI stuff. We have several developers here that wish I did not work here I kind of obsess over UI experience, troubleshooting responses, ease of use, logic, so much that I think most of our managers try to keep me out of their loops for as long as possible so as not to worry about the topic. Over the years we've adjusted and have learned each others' philosophies, so to speak, and work much better together as a result.

I guess I can see my questions over the last page or so echoing how I normally question our guys here. Sorry if that comes off as aggressive. That's so not my intent. I'm just genuinely curious about how things work and how other people approach making such things work. So again, thanks for the replies. I will print them out, folding them tightly into a small tin box, and carry them with me throughout my days until I die. Then on my deathbed I can open the box (that by that time I surely would have fashioned into some type of braided necklace charm), reread what remains of the creased, aged paper to share with those around me as I stumble. Perhaps my last words to a group of total strangers will be "developer.... movies... YODA!" then gently pass as my papers fall loose into the wind.

Maybe it won't be that dramatic, but I do still appreciate the reply.

meow.
=^.^=
__________________
"My Dionne Warwick understanding of your dream indicates that you are ambivalent on how you want life to eventually screw you." - Joel

"Ever try to forcibly pin down a house cat? It's not easy." - Captain Steel

"I just can't get pass sticking a finger up a dog's butt." - John Dumbear



I do want it to trend back towards a thread-per-movie kind of model. That hasn't generally "felt" right to me, but one thing the IMDB closure taught me is that a lot of people like it, and I can kind of see why: they see a movie and want a designated place to talk about that specific movie, and they want it to be easy to find. So I'm toying with the idea of an "official" thread for each movie, IMDB-style, in addition to the structure we already have. Might not be too hard, either. Gotta think about it some more.
That would be great. But would you also do a thread-per-tv show as IMDb had, which would also be great?

If you go to a dedicated thread per movie, do you see that as strictly conversation? A compilation of formal reviews from multiple users? Both? Or something entirely different?
Good question. I never read movie reviews here (since I have already read the review someplace else), but if I can go to a designated thread for a particular movie & see what people are saying about the movie - good & bad - that would be great. What I miss most about IMDb is being able to ask questions about things I don’t understand in the movie, etc.
__________________
I’m here only on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. That’s why I’m here now.



Yeah, i just really hate the way IMDB was. So cluttered and impersonal. I was obsessed with LOST so i camped out on those forums a lot in the mid-late 2000's, it definitely barely changed in the next decade.



Yeah, i just really hate the way IMDB was. So cluttered and impersonal.
Exactly. And I hate the threaded format. Please, PLEASE, do not switch to that.

I find the discussions on this site much easier to follow in the current format, as long as people are good about using quotes and mentions.

We are not IMDb. Let's keep it that way.



I've had them turned off practically since they were implemented. But yeah, agreed.
But they're helpful even if the person you're responding to has mentions turned off, so that people know who/what you're addressing in your post. The current format also enables people to respond to more than one person or post at the same time, which I don't think is really possible in the threaded format.



I guess I can see my questions over the last page or so echoing how I normally question our guys here. Sorry if that comes off as aggressive.
It doesn't, so no problem.



That would be great. But would you also do a thread-per-tv show as IMDb had, which would also be great?
Not sure yet; it'll depend on how our data source handles the distinction, and time constraints, since I'd probably want to give more movie-related features priority. But it's one of those things I'll probably do if it's sort of "on the way" to the stuff I'm doing anyway, which it might be.



But they're helpful even if the person you're responding to has mentions turned off, so that people know who/what you're addressing in your post. The current format also enables people to respond to more than one person or post at the same time, which I don't think is really possible in the threaded format.
They are useful to me in a selfish way that i can call people to me whenever i want, i don't like putting people on the spot that way especially if it's a member you like that you know will come up with some sort of response to your BS. I only use it for mass mentions or when a member is particularly relevant and i don't think they'll feel forced into the conversation.

That's my own BS though i know no one cares as much as me probably i just hate the idea of someone being bothered and not telling me.