Thanks John.

August 2012, 21 months ago.

I would not exactly call that constant or regular. Even Pentax have updated their cameras in that timeframe

That was the relevance of the question

Once again you have given the response expected but just, one final question before I get the sack:

Bearing in mind that it is May 2014, when was the change made to allow direct image uploading made?

John. I have shown interest in a separate video board and so have several others. So to say "Where it's obvious there's a new interest, sections have been put in straight away." is just not the case.

Even if it has only one or two posts in it, so what, it's not as if it takes up valuable resources.

There has already been several posts in this thread about the relative merits of the gallery vs the My photos board. Your defence of the gallery doesn't answer many of it's critics.

The mention of PU magazine was done to indicate just how out of date parts of this website are. Not to actually view it.

The 20% saving is great if you have problems with you equipment however, on a more day to day, mundane basis it's not that much of an incentive (and this is from someone who has just had his camera repaired and has a lens at JP as I type).

The fact that you, as a moderator, don't know if/when there will be an app is another indicator of the level of 'investment' being put into this site. Who does know, how can we, the humble members (who steer the direction of this forum, if I read your words correctly)find out?

This site needs investing in and bringing up to date. I feel that you are in the uncomfortable position of defending the indefensible, even if you don't realise it

I have aired my views and appreciate the opportunity to do so but I shall 'stand down now' otherwise my boss might notice and I may have to sell all my lovely pentax kit to make up for lost earnings

John, with all due respect that's not really true. Many moons ago I requested a Video topic board and you said no because there wasn't enough interest. Who knows how much interest there would have been had there of been such a board. Several other posters have indicated the same thing and yet we are no closer to achieving it.

There have been numerous requests to increase the 800px limit with dozens of comments about how it limits he viewers ability to adequately examine an image posted by another member. What we get it a simple "host it elsewhere and link to it" answer.

The comments made here about the usability of the gallery.... where will they go? will there be any action?

The request for a mobile app (raised several times)...no progress

The out of date Pentax Plus 'bonus features' I mentioned earlier.

The shop that has higher prices than numerous online suppliers.

Where is the 'Pentax User Magazine'? I see a team of 7 people listed on the 'Home' tab. This has an editor that uses a K20D (not criticising but I would have though he would have something more modern as well)and a 'Features Writer'.. where are the 'features' that need so much editing that they need an editor and an assistant?

Please don't get me wrong, I like this forum and I shall still keep visiting but unless it 'modernises' then those visits will become further apart.

It is extremely unusual for me to agree with smeggy but he wrote this earlier:
and I think he hit the nail on the head. there seems to be a distinct reluctance to change regardless of degree of difficulty.

Accepted

Now that's a forum that sounds vibrant and tempting

Joking aside that was my point from earlier. This is Pentax User not 'Better Photography with Pentx'.
I bought Pentax for a reason and not because I am a 'one make pony'. I am a bit fed up with being looked down on on other forums because its not a CaNikon. Equally I do find the inability to discuss other brands on here a bit stifling.
I would love this site to develop a real emphasis on improving photography but sadly I don't feel that that is where it's going

I'm not normally one to critisise but:

is the most blinkered and patronising comment so far and I am really disappointed that it was made by a moderator and someone that I respect the opinion of.

This thread has highlighted a lot of reasonably discussed and well founded issues that member have with this forum and that one response has demonstrated a poor regard for all the other points raised.

Maybe that wasn't the intent but that's how it comes across to me.

Most of the time I do but occasionally I visit the site using my iPad or iPhone and the options for adblocking are very limited on ios. Which, of course, could be solved by using tapatalk or some other forum based app if it was available.

I understand that the forum gets revenue from the ads but it also gets revenue from subscribing members. I paid for last year and saw no discernible gain for my money. As such I haven't renewed as I see no point. I am happy to pay and support something worthwhile (and I do think this site is worthwhile) but there has to be another reason other than sheer altruism.

I just checked and one of the bonuses for being a 'plus' member is Special shop offers. Currently these are:
Cokin Fluo Red Grad Filter A665 - £5.00 suitible for up to a 62mm fliter ring. I had to stop myself running for my wallet
JumpStart Guide Pentax K100D DVD - £2.50 and JumpStart Pentax K100D Super DVD - £2.50. really up to date that one
and that's it.

The discounts would be useful but the 10% off at SRS didn't apply when I bought my teleconverter or K3 battery grip for some reason

The 'multiple upload' into the gallery would be worthwhile if the gallery was worthwhile. It has already been discussed here but a basic wordpress site can produce a better gallery experience than what's on offer here without even considering 500px, flickr, google+ etc. etc.

I feel that the forum is still stuck in the 'Hoya' days suffering from a bit of under investment.

You could try facing away from the monitor and use a mirror on the opposite wall

I think that we're all missing one important point; this isn't a 'photography' forum this as a forum for the users of one specific brand of camera.
That means that you will get a wide variety of people with differing skills and ideas as to what makes a good picture.
Someone who has just bought their first camera, which just happens to be a pentax WG or MX, may not even know how to switch it to manual, and may have entered this site to have a look around. To them a picture that they think is 'nice' might be completely uninspiring for someone else who dreams of FF, has been shooting since birth and sleep with their DSLR. Does that mean that they're not entitled to comment?

There has already been comments made to forum members that because you don't shoot 'such and such' you can't comment on my picture of 'such and such'. Sounds a bit snobbish to me

Initially I put my photos on here in the hope that any critique I received would benefit my photography. In some cases it has. There are certain members that I have looked at their work and respect their views.
However this has been the minority. Most of the time I don't get any comments at all and sometimes I get the equivalent of 'nice'. I don't go to bed an sulk about it I just sigh and move on

If this were to be a 'proper' photography forum then we would need a specific section for landscapes, sport, transport, portraits, nudes, archtitecture as well as a forum for discussing business....... oh wait a minute, isn't that TalkPhotography.... okay forget that. If we want to discuss other brands then lets have a board for Canon, Nikon, Sony......... oh wait a minutes isn't that Ephotozine.......

Yes I do think that this forum is a bit 'last year' (no mobile app, no video board, no way to join and remove adverts, uploads restricted to 800px wide) and I do think that the moderation can bit a bit draconian sometimes but, it is what it is. The rules are clear and there are plenty of other places on the interweb to get the things that this place lacks.

I can happily go a few days without controversy and arguments. I get enough of that in normal life

By the way the B&W actually looks green to me. Of course it might be my eyes or the fact that I'm jealous or the lovely views