eFront Day 3: Visitor Concerns Addressed

     It was a rough crossover to the new site to say the least, especially with early MySQL problems, then cookie errors, but we are working to iron out all of the bugs as quickly as possible so we can work on new features. We have been spending a lot of time with the site itself rather than content at the moment, but in a couple of days we should be back and running at full steam. First off, we at eFront would like to thank everyone for their great feedback (positive and negative), and also clarify a few misconceptions people are having about the site.

The first major issue is that some people do not like the layout of the new site. This was bound to happen and not only do we accept it, but agree it is an extremely valid point. However, the way the site looks now was done for a distinct purpose. With BetaNews becoming too large and hard to follow, filled with news articles and downloads, a change was needed. Many visitors wanted only downloads while others wanted only news. Logically, the site was broken up to separate the two. The content however will not change. Let's first take a look at FileForum.

FileForum will offer the same daily cutting-edge downloads as always. We understand many people are upset that they cannot simply visit one visit one single page, but in order to incorporate new features such as user ratings and reviews, screenshots, and more, this was the only way to do it. There are many advantages to doing it this way. Everything is stored in a database making older files searchable, something not possible in the old BetaNews. This is a plus for visitors that cannot visit the site every day. Ratings and reviews will give visitors a chance to see how the program works for others before they decide to download it. Who better knows how a program functions than those who have run it? Another positive is how URLs for programs are consistent. For example, if you bookmark a URL for a great program you use, you can return to the same URL to see an update and find out what’s been changed.

Unfortunately, everything is not perfect yet and many visitors have helped us fix a number of problems, as well as think up further customization features. A big complaint is not being able to see a full description on the main FileForum page, as many visitors feel the shorter descriptions do not give enough information to make a decision about reading on. We will soon have an option in user preferences that allows users to see the full description right off the bat. Another big change is how program authors will soon be able to post their programs directly to the site themselves to get listed, cutting out the middle man. We hope people will eventually get used to the new organization, because it was aimed to make downloading easier and faster.

As for BetaNews, this is where the confusion is coming in. Many people missed the announcement regarding the split of the site, and have been completely confused on where the downloads went. Bleeding-edge release announcements still exist, but full descriptions occur only on FileForum. The ‘Recent Betas’ box was added to BetaNews so visitors could quickly see what betas have been released since their last visit, without going to a different site.

Now you may be asking yourself why BetaNews was split up in the first place, and you deserve an answer. Downloads were overtaking the ‘news’ part of BetaNews, and with a lot of work being spent posting file releases, inside information was getting overlooked, as were other original goals to the site. With BetaNews split up, we are able to spend a lot more time hunting for insider news than ever before. We will also begin to offer more features, the biggest one being beta tests. By taking a comprehensive survey when you sign up (you will also soon be able to take it via preferences), you can get listed as an official BetaNews tester. This means software developers can come to BetaNews and find best testers for their software. The service will be completely free to both testers and developers and give smaller programmers a chance to find a great pool of beta testers not normally possible.

A lot of changes will be coming to BetaNews in the coming weeks. Many people find the current layout a bit too cramped, and we are working to resolve this. We will be also adding sections to BetaNews to sort articles, although a bit better than it was done in the old layout. Using the sections will be completely optional, but offer a way for people to only read news that suits their interests. Be patient, BetaNews will soon have a lot more customization features based on the feedback we have received in the past two days.

One big feature we are working on for the entire site is customizable colors. Many visitors did not like the transition from a black to white background, and we plan to let users revert back to the old scheme if so desired. Customizable time zones are also in the works.

Now it’s time to clear up some misconceptions about the site:

• No, BetaNews did not sell out. eFront is owned and managed by the same people that run BetaNews. eFront is merely a customizable front door for the two sites. Whether you choose to use it is your decision.
• No, you do not have to become a member to use the site. Becoming a member allows you to gain special features not available to normal users, but that is all. A member may become an official beta tester, customize their eFront pages, receive a free e-mail forward, submit news and files, and post ratings and reviews. To read the news, download files, etc., you do not have to become a member of the network.
• Downloads have not been removed completely, they are simply now located at FileForum.com.
• Search does not work perfectly, we are working on it.
• We are not trying to become a portal. eFront is the way to connect the two sites (maybe more in the future) in order to accommodate growth. The use of eFront.com is not required to use BetaNews or FileForum.
• Yes, we know help files need to be written. We are going to get these up as soon as possible to address problems you may be having, with cookies, or even with forgetting your login and password.
• We have not become an e-commerce portal. The eShop link is temporary until we can get our new section up. Our advertiser needed a place for it and that was the only feasible option at the time.

     To close, I just want to say that we are trying our hardest to get things up to par, and your response thus far has been excellent. Everything should be completely ironed out within a few days, whereupon even more special treats will be added to the site. We plan to start the first eFront contest next week with donations from Corel, Diamond Multimedia, and others.

As always, keep the feedback coming. It is the only way we can get the site how you want to see it.