Please Sort It Out

I agree with Dr. O and the changes he'd like to see.

As regards other brands it isn't just that people move on but several of us use two or more marques - my sig will show the different brands I use. It'd be nice to have one port of call where the main content is Pentax based but space for other photography related discussion and pics from other brands is allowed / encouraged.

A one stop shop approach if you like.

Also , for me, a hugely less heavy handed approach to moderation and significant lightening of approach / mood would be a good thing and I believe would encourage new members.

i have, from day -1, found the place to be a bit "stuffed shirts" .. like a very, very out of date camera club run by old guys with an approach and attitude stuck in a long bygone time.

So there's two members suggestions / feedback.

I'd also suggest that the time you are asking for is one luxury you do not have. It seems every few days more people are moving elsewhere and / or getting banned. I would suggest positive action / steps need to be made very, very soon.

it's such a shame to see a site with such potential hellbent on damaging itself beyond repair.

Above just my thoughts and opinions.

Dr O speaks really good sense - there are some very worthwhile suggestions there .

When I joined PU was a really vibrant board - I got lots of help and so did others - but somehow people have got frustrated and we have lost posters of great photographic talent because of these frustrations.

A minor frustration which could very easily be rectified is, being very blunt John , but I'm not the only one to have spotted this is , the removal of your signature .

After lambasting someone and telling them that they are being deleted the addition of your signature is really not appreciated , nor is it appropriate.

I can answer that last point now, because I actually feel no ill will to anybody over anything. Life's too short. My best regards are me, and I mean them as well.

It's not what people are but what they do that leads to banning, in other words it makes no comment about them as people whatsoever.

I'm afraid I feel it is appropriate, so I'll beg to differ on that one.

I'm wholeheartedly with Dr O. I would prefer to see PU as photography forum first and foremost with Pentax being a common denominator with the member photographers. If one has made a fine image he or she wishes to get feedback for it shouldn't matter if that was taken with the Pentax or another brand. As the Dr. poknted out, promotion of other brands at the cost of Pentax should have no room. The same should hold for promotion of other fora.

What would help us all improving our photography would be honest and outspoken critique that isn't received as personal insult. Maybe a seperate sub-forum "tread on my toes with your critique" (well, that shouldn't be the actual title obviously) could serve that purpose.

I've apologised to John for my earlier post, I extend that apology to the remainder of the forum.

I was out of line by making my post personal, I'm sorry for that.

There are enough members here who can put their point across better than I so I'll make no further contribution to 'improving' this forum.

We can only hope that some of the suggestions are taken onboard and that we'll see the benefits in due course.

Good to see you back Peter.

Nice to see a bit of give and take all round.

Now bloody well behave yourself

Nice to have you back Peter.

Apology accepted, glad that we talked. Let's now move forwards and look forwards to a more harmonious future.

Well having read this thread, the place is a real mess. People being banned for saying what they think.

Moderators who can talk about dogs and not cameras whereas they enforce a ridiculous rule on others. I should start a thread about shark attacks as I have been talking to people about one locally.

Thanks to the various members who sent me some useful links too - several messages had the same details.

Growing pains, that's what I see here, or maybe shrinking pains nowadays?

My observations would be as this:
There are essentially two types of Pentaxuser members:
Ones who deal only with Pentax, and who view all discussions on the forum as needing to be completely Pentax related, as there are other forums out there for other brands. To me this type of user reminds me seriously of watching this clip and substituting in 'Pentax' every time they say Jag...

And then there are those who want to see Pentaxuser as a home, where they identify as being a Pentaxuser, but who also want to discuss all things photography, not just strictly Pentax related.

There are lots of things in common between the two, so they are very nearly the same, but it's a viewpoint that will always create a rift, and that needs to be addressed if you want the issue to be resolved/to heal/to 'go away'. Splitting the already small group of Pentax users is never going to be a good thing.

My take on this is the site is called PentaxUser, so I think it's a place that Pentax Users can come and hang out. It is not called PentaxOnlyUser and many would do well to take note of that.

I wouldn't be able to join PentaxOnlyUser as I have a crappy old Canon point and shoot and more recently an iPhone. I'd like to think that I am welcome at PentaxUser though. There is nothing in the name that suggests PentaxUsers will only have pentax equipment, and can only talk about Pentax equipment. The name suggests we all have in common the fact that we use Pentax equipment, but it doesn't say we need to use this exclusively.

What sort of things would a PentaxUser be interested in? -I'd hazard a guess that they would enjoy photography, talk about things that make for good photographic subject matter, fun things associated with photography (whatever the brand may be) (like the youtube DigitalRev TV video of a photo challenge tour through London post that was removed...), and talk about the competition.

I put that last one in there because we all ended up with a Pentax device, but there were plenty more options besides this. Talk about why you selected Pentax over other brands would be useful for others, and talk about what other brands are doing, and what that could mean for future Pentax products would be interesting also. You've still got a Pentax, so you are a PentaxUser, but you're just talking about development in the wider field of photography...

Financially successful companies are branching out to offer services their customers desire, even if it's a move away from their norm/core business area. It happens when companies want to retain their customers, and also to make more money. An example would be lightroom, which has grown from a basic image management/photo editor , by incorporating new photobook modules, video support, gps mapping integration etc over time. It's a paradigm shift PentaxUser would do well to consider, and potentially it's not that difficult to implement.

So, long post, but I see two options here, either move with the times to expand into the areas that some users want, or stay as you have been and retain your existing user base only. Really it's a case of some of the userbase wanting more, and if PentaxUser can't or won't change with them then I expect those who have outgrown it to move on.

top drawer and spot on post sir ^^

Mannesty's Back!

It doesn't bother me one way or the other as I've only used Pentax for my serious photography over the last 40 years, but perhaps the mods could state if there is some sort of contractual obligation to keep the topic Pentax only. Perhaps with SRS who are 'Official' partners or even a hang over from the past from Pentax themselves. If there is then that's that.

I logged in last night for the first time since this all kicked off nearly three weeks ago now, since joining the forum I have logged in nearly every day so this is the longest break I have had from the forum.

What I have read and seen in this thread has really saddened me. When I originally joined the forum I was studying photography at college and used the forum for constructive criticism and self improvement which the forum gave me in spades in return I gave feedback and took an active part in discussions and even made a couple of tutorials recently despite me moving to another brand. I like to think I have given back to the forum far more than I have received and been a good ambassador for the brand.However the bickering and heavy moderation recently has made me consider my membership of this forum and I really wanted to delete my account.

Last night I logged in to delete my account but held off and I think I am just going to take a long break from it instead which makes me sad. I do hope all the problems can be ironed out.

We seem to be in a 'hold off' sort of situation ... its good to see some names back in action again here and more real discussion - we can certainly do with more of that and less of the attempts to destabilise things. It does appear to me that there are so many who have a kind of attachment to this site - its been a place over the years where so much has happened thats its clearly hard to just let go finally - although I appreciate that those who are banned don't have the choice.

For the record, I don't have anything personal against any other site, nothing to 'slander' it with at all - I feel a commitment here, thats real, and the practicality is my internet time is fairly limited and there's just not the time to check different sites and threads split between two forums to keep up with things and follow where I contribute.

Suggestions from the 'other side' that I'm on the staff, a moderator or working for PU are ridiculous - frankly I've never been flavour of the month here really, but I just have my own way of dealing with issues and holding to my points. But I would support any changes they can make here that will increase the appeal to more and bring members back.