from villain to hero in one easy step

I'm not sure it takes up 6 hours of my day, either.  But there are some days...

Kris, Please point to the place that says you're going to have to reearn your points?  Because since this has first happened, I've seen it posted multiple times AR is planning to restore all the missing posts, points, etc.  So you have not truly LOST anything yet.  Now if they come back later and reverse course with a "sorry, but the database analyst we hired to fix this CAN'T", then I can understand being riled up.  But in the interim, deep breaths and keep working to build our business is the best thing any of us can do.  Cause yelling, screaming and throwing around "legal responsibility" terms aren't going to restore the missing posts or fix the links any faster.

I've deleted nothing.

(and now that you've totally re-written your comment, where you accused me specifically of deleting comments)... so my response no longer makes any sense... now THAT's a lack of integrity.

Alan, your "concerns" are not what mgt. touts to new members to get them to pay.  Where in the Terms does it describe that new members will be paying for stabilization efforts and keeping the lights on for what must be a hugh overhead of freebie accounts?

Is mgt's failure to support the existing platform while hawking new products, CRM and wealth seminars, contributing to destabilization?  No answers from mgt, two weeks and running.  No excuse.

Nor have I deleted comments here, so Kris, I don't know WHAT you are talking about at this point.

Bill, 

I wanted to thank you for your earlier independent confirmation about the blog ids that were reassigned to other members. 

Now after two weeks, we can't make the June fiasco about one issue as some are doing in selected responses that ignore key points. June's loss is indicative of a deeper root cause, yet undisclosed.  It is another symptom in the ongoing pattern of increasingly serious problems previously documented in Debe Maxwell's comprehensive report to mgt. made possible by contributions from many members and well discussed in Q&A at the time, I'm sure you saw it.  This was one of my comments which got deleted when you deleted your reply in Q&A this week.

Your deleted reply indicated, and forgive the paraphrase, to the effect that after Zillow no longer wanted this platform, current mgt. faced challenges making AR viable.  You have on occasion blogged on the challenges to SEO here when G. revamped algorithums,  Any business owner will face their share of unique challenges. But as excuses year-after-year for failures to perform?  Ultimately excuses that continue ad infinitum without resolution suggest that if mgt. cannot run this as a viable business, they need to sell to someone who can.

Not to worry, I have backups.  Perhaps the deleted comments need to be added to "An Open Letter to Active Rain Management" to ensure all issues can be found in one place and not taken out of context.

Don't put words in my mouth, Kris.  Alan did not admit that management is not investing in AR. Alan would have no way to know what management IS or IS NOT investing in.  What Alan said was: (and I quote) "I'm not concerned about them investing in the site anymore... I'm more concerned with just stabilization and keeping the lights on."

And I know that you know that's what I said, because you quoted only the first half of that statement.

(and again... you've totally re-written your comment where you accused me directly of admiting that management is not investing in the site,  so my response makes no sense.)

Where did Bill leave his bi-focals?  LOL! 

Bill, you pretnd not to know because you choose to "willfully ignore" (your term).

Alan, there is no lack of integrity updating or clarifying comments, it's what the site is about, learning and growing.

Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543 The questions to ask are: 

Why would a member pay for a blogging site where owners invest in things, other than the core platform in a state of disrepair for several years?  

Several have stated they have moved on for the right reasons, that they no longer post here due to AR's refusal to invest in the blog platform .  The numerous issues before the crash and burn have been ongoing for some time or as one said, "haven't worked for years",  Last year Debe Maxwell, CRS documented this in a comprehensive report to mgt. that many members contributed to.  Discussions about the issues are well documented in Q&A threads from that time.

Why is mgt. investing in CRMS and wealth seminars but not in the very platform that attracts new members ?  We are sales people; people do not buy from those who don't keep their promises or support what they sold them in the first place.

What is mgt's legal responsibility for reassigning blog ids to other members?

What is mgt's current mission for Active Rain?  When was it last updated?  Does it align with what's presented on the site? "Keeping the lights on" is not a purpose that will succeed or grow a business.

... and yet, I understand that to some... that dead president is important.  I imagine that once this issue is resolved... AR will come up with some plan for compensation... maybe extra points... maybe a free month of membership... maybe both?

All I can do at this point is counsel "patience".  Not unlimited patience, you understand... but for the moment give them some elbow room to maneuver.

Kris, I can see further attempts at discussion are completely pointless.  You willfully ignore what has been communicated and selectively choose parts of what are said so you can stick to your "I'm so injured" narrative and then flat out state "I have made no such assumptions" when it's quite clear that you have?  I've wasted enough time trying to help you, plot your own path.

John Henry, Florida Architect , do as I say and not as I do :)  Unfortunately I hadn't backed up recently enough to cover the June POOF.  That's totally on me as far as I'm concerned.  I know the pros and cons of this site and I know gremlins exist.  I don't consider it AR's job to make sure nothing bad ever happens.  Software fails.  Hardware fails.  Spammers spam and hackers hack.

Kris, THERE HAS BEEN NO ACTUAL LOSS UNTIL IT IS PERMANENTLY GONE.  You're assuming that everything is permanently gone.  I've already seen ARMS on more than one occasion identify that they FOUND the information, it's a matter of reintegrating everything. 

I'm not a database analyst, and I'd assume you aren't either so neither of us fully understands the complexity or the scope at hand or how long it will take to resolve.

And you're creating an false narrative if you think your loss is greater than anyone else's because you're STILL paying and I NO LONGER have to pay.  I just paid my dues at a different time than you did.   We're all in the same boat with the same risk.  There's no "first class" section here for paying members.

While Ben may not be directly communicating to you, there HAS been communication in the Q&A section by his delegates.  I've worked for a Fortune 50 company for almost 30 years and I don't expect the CEO to be the one that communicates everything to me.  Different levels handle different issues.  This is a tech/support type issue.  Ben's primary responsibility in this is to ensure appropriate resources are working on the problem, and he has done that. 

This community is more than a blogging site.  Social capital is built up, and destroyed depending upon one's approach.   You might want to consider walking back a fair number of your accusations.

Bill,  I think I recall you suggesting a few months ago to SAVE and download all our blogs for safekeeping.  A site going down happens everywhere.  Big box store sites are hacked, etc.  If you haven't saved your blogs (and I haven't yet!!!) you can't complain much.  The point loss is something that perhaps you could prove, maybe through the wayback.com site.  Thanks for all you ambassadors do~!

Wow, Bill in full force attack mode hurling accusatiosns, "willfully ignore" and "selectively choose" - presumptions and misrepresentations that speak to your anger management issues.  Your comments are an embarrassment and disgrace to members and other Ambassadors. If all Ambassadors spoke as you do to members, AR would have been out of business years ago. 

Did you offer any debate on the issues?  Leadership or communication skills?   The silly "injured" claim, a figment of your imagination.  The "blanket bombing" misrepresentations of a member's feedback create false narratives and censor discussion.  Do you think this behavior will inspire new members to take you seriously?  

This is not the first time you have triggered yourself, exploded and lashed out at a member adding implied retaliation about "social capital."

I simply disagree with you yet you take offense. 

Your voice represents one point of view like every other member. But your hammer and chisel is ever at the ready if someone disagrees with you.

You claim to know better what I think, "it's quite clear that you have?" How do you support that claim?  Are you a mind reader? LOL!

I am more than willing to debate on the issues, not someone who resorts to false narratives, nonsense and retaliatory threats when you are incapable of prevailing on the merits.

"I've wasted enough time trying to help you, plot your own path." I don't recall requesting your help and prefer to plot my own path, thank you very much.  So, why did you waste your time, and discredit your reputation in the process?

Corrections required Bill, to your false narratives about "assuming blogs are permanently gone and expecting Ben to communicate directly" to one member.   

How do you justify making ____ up about another member?

BTW How many newer membess have heard of BK? 

Perhaps you can encourage him to read Peter Drucker, "Leaders communicate in the sense that people around them know what they are trying to do. They are purpose driven--yes, mission driven... The only thing you can say about a leader is that a leader is somebody who has followers." Peter is not talking about hitting the follow button. 

How many followers under 500K points does BK have?  

How many comments in Alan's blog have presented a clear description of BK's mission for this site?  

How many members could actually describe BK's mission, his goals, or what he is trying to accomplish with AR?  Something beyond keeping the lights on.

Where is the suspport from members under 500k points in this blog?  Without them the site is oldy moldy.

The old-timers who are voicing support go back in history to find a reason.

As far as the community being more than a blogging site, how many members actually joined for that reason?

Nina Hollander quoting "Ron and Alexandra Seigel  I, too remember, all the promises made... and nothing has come to pass." 

Nina Hollander hits the point head on. 

Just multiply Nina's issues exponentially for members who don't yet have a website but who trusted AR to provide as mgt promised, a blogging site.  Those members not only lost points, content, time, lost business opporunity and sullied reputation when readers click AR's inoperable links, but the blog ids of these members were reassigned to other members!

Right on, John Henry, Florida Architect Two weeks and running, no word to break the silence.  No excuse. There's patience, then there's naivete. 

Consider:  What possible reason for mgt's failure to issue a statement or update to members?  Leaving it to ActiveRain Member Support to field issues is not the same as mgt. stepping up with a simple update. 

hasn't it been two weeks now??

it has, John.  I'd suggest some more patience.

No question... we have suffered a catastrophic crash/attack, or whatever it is.  And I remember the promises and the promise of active rain, and like you, I've invested my time and money here.

But I'm willing to give them a moment or two to recover.

Kris, the community has been provided a very clear status update in the Q&A section and it's been very consistent:

THERE WAS A CRASH, WE ARE WORKING ON IT, THE MISSING DATA WAS FOUND AND EVERYTHING IS EXPECTED TO BE RESTORED, WE JUST DON'T HAVE AN EXACT DATE FOR RESTORATION.  Words to that effeact have been said in the Q&A section multiple times, pinned to the Feature section of the Q&A section and I know you're in the section enough to have seen the updates and comments.  So please don't try to claim you've got justification to be "confused" about the status.  You're the only community member that's charging that ActiveRain is trying to make you pay twice for the same points.

Making a mountain out of a molehill ActiveRain Member Support.  Your announcements were never the issue, as trumped by naysayers. Raising the question and "charging" are two entirely different matters. Anytime mgt leaves critical communications to others, it is fair to question. As Thomas Nelson said, "All Ben needs to do is share updates with his community here and rally the troops."

(I don't recall mentioning any "hate").

No question, however, ... communication from management would be most helpful and most welcome at this point.

Alan May you didn't , but I interpreted this line and others as a form of hate-a revolution tends to be caused by folks hating their current circumstance and wanting drastic change-like on the news the last 4 weeks: "People are up in arms, some complaining bitterly on the Q&A section seeking revolution."

ahh... gotcha.   Well, you know what they say about interpretation...

"quelch differing points of view"  Simply put that would mean we could delete them.  We can't.  And if course I as an ambassador still have the right to respectfully disagree with another member.  I find your changing your comments to be a form of dishonesty. And I respectfully disagree with your take that "managment" is investing elsewhere.  I actually own more than one business also.  And what I invest in business B has not one thing to do with business A.  

The issue is two fold, one the code is old and finding someone to work on it is exspensive and difficult and secondly Amazon was down the other day.... but I didn't have a cow, I just went back later.  And I am a paying client there. Facebook has been down multiple times in my tenure there, I pay for ads... I don't berate management on line when it happens.  I sit back and wait for it to work again. 

If you are so dissatisfied here I'd be happy to personally refund your annual fee and have you take your negativity elsewhere.

As would I, Margaret.  I still find value here.

it is funny, isn't it?

Laura, some of the kindest people here have stopped blogging on AR as a result of all the issues, the current fiasco being the last straw for them.

I'm happy to hear that.

Thank you, Steve.  They're telling us that they're working hard to restore the points and the missing posts.

 LMHO!  I have too Wanda.

I'd agree... while I'd like to see everything restored... it's a molehill for me, and a mountain for some.

Suggest caution when talking about the molehill.  That POV is only being expressed by those from the mountaintop with highest points status who have already achieved many goals here.  

It's all about vantage point and avoiding being perceived as an ingrown clique. Newbies and those looking to join do not have your historical perspective as frame of reference.  They only know the here and now.  They must be the focus if the site will ever have a chance to thrive.

Truth Chris Ann Cleland 

Pay to Play All the Way is a huge take away from the June disaster.  Pay to Play will enable the fixes for performance failures  It will end excuses for letting the core platform deteriorate until an inevitable disaster like the June mess occured. 

It will end broken record excuses about reduced SEO.  New members don't care what SEO used to do 10 years ago. AR can't control G's algorithms but it can require all members to pay something.  Who would mind less SEO if their content is not subject to disappearing acts. 

How about mgt. running a contest offering huge points or even compensation for a new membership plan to implement Pay to Play.   What do you think is the best plan to implement Pay to Play?  Sliding Scale?  Point accumulation to award activity?  . Multiple paid options for member choice?  Enter the contest.

Pay to play would end excuses that it's tough to make a case for keeping AR open. If not, perhapst the root cause for the deterriorated platform was impacted by issues other than funding. At which point members would have some factual basis for deciding whether or not to continue.

your web presence is amazing.

Thx. I learned a lot from here.

me too Debbie (learned a lot here) and that's what keeps me coming back... the people I learned from and the friendships.  

I din't know that, either.  And I agree... I would have been long past the discussion by now.

Jeffrey Richman there was a Q&A on that very topic, buying AR, last year.

that's what AR is for me, too, Jeffrey.  The ultimate real estate water cooler.

Thank you, Kathy. We have definitly paid our dues.

it's been very hit or miss today... lots of gateway issues.  Clearly the hackers have had at it over the weekend.

and yet you've managed to comment here.

I've never had the pleasure.

I've had the pleasure to meet around 100ish face to face and talk to I'd guesstimate 500 on the phone.  It's who I am.

that's all I use it for, too.. a place to share ideas and learn from some exceptional people.

And you are one of them Alan May