How Do You Like Things So Far?

[Jason Dunn]

It's been one week since our official launch, and I'd like to take a moment to get some feedback from you, our readers. How are things going so far? How are you finding the content, the reviews, the discussions? We're a new site, but we're eager to grow, and your feedback on how we can improve would be greatly appreciated. :-) Tell us what you like, and what you don't like. What would you like to see more of, or less of?

[`helios]

Great site Jason! I did notice some cross-posts between DMT and PPCT, but I love this site, and it definately lives up to your PPCT reputation. I'd love to see more contests... I never won anything on PPCT, so I'm hoping to try my luck here!

Great site!!

[OSUKid7]

Pretty good so far. :) I'm also a visitor from PPCT, and check up on both from the RSS feeds from both sites.

I'd have to suggest that you widen the page some thogh. I'm running a 1280x1024 resolution and can't stand when only the center of the page is used for content. Any reason you made it a fixed-width site? I'd suggest at least making it a 75-85% width site, or go the full 100% as you did with PPCT.

[possmann]

I'll second that wide the page concept - I like how smartphones and pocketpc thoughts pages are nice and wide - making reading easier...

Otherwise keep up the fine work Jason!

[that_kid]

The topics and discussions are great, I am having a great time meeting others who are into digital media.

[David Horn]

I really like the content, but I wish that perhaps that you could widen the page a little. It just seems too narrow, even at 1024x768 it seems compressed to a small bar in the centre.

Apart from that, everything else is great... apart from a small bug I've just noticed in the "Topic Review" box... the fonts aren't showing Verdana; instead they're showing as Times. Maybe a CSS issue.. maybe it's just Firefox.

[Crocuta]

Well there's one thing that's really lacking... yes, that's right, there just are not enough emoticons! :lol: Check out this forum, and look at how many great things you can express with their set of over 200. It starts with your set, but then goes on from there with some really amusing ones.
http://jeepsunlimited.com/forums/

Seriously, though, it's looking great! It's the same eclectic mix of news, comments, etc., that makes PPCT so interesting, except on the new topic. It seems a bit slanted toward digital still photography, but that probably just reflects that more people do that than digital video. All we need now are a few more members, but that too will come in time. Well done! :way to go:

P.S. I like the current fixed width.

[arebelspy]

I like it a lot! I visit several times daily, the amount of new content astounds me! :D

-arebelspy

[nz0eBoy]

Looks great, although I do agree with the site width thing. It used to be PPCT was the only site I couldn't do without a daily dose or, now there are two - I will be subscribing as soon as the opportunity presents.

[hhsimpson]

Great site - good concept - needed coverage.

Would like to see comparison reviews of 35mm film scanners for those of us who want to go totally digital.

[Andy Manea]

Great job, Jason! I love this site already, and come chek it out every day :way to go: :way to go: :way to go: :way to go:

I agree with the emoticon suggestion, I need one to say "thank you", because I already found a lot of helpful suggestions here - in just a week, go figure!

[dartman]

Also a PPCT refugee. Love the new sight. More excitement here than in the PPC market these days.

Good coverage so far. Keep it up.

dart

[David Prahl]

Excellent! A few thoughts:

-> UP AND RUNNING QUICKLY - looks like the staff's experience from PPCT and SMT made DMT much easier to launch.

-> SO MUCH NEWS! I'm amazed that there are so many daily front page posts here. "Digital Media" is a wide market, and it's great to see a site keep up.

-> CONTEST - Nothing attracts members like $10,000 worth of giveaways! I can't wait until the party starts! :bday:

[js415]

Absolutely great site. As you know, I started asking questions before the "Official" launch, and was able to gain enough info to make a solid decision on a new camera.

Lots of great info, opinions, and the like to keep me busy several times a day.

I, too, look forward to a subscription, and hopefully winning a prize pretty soon!!

PPCT's and DMT's......don't start,,,or end the day without them!!!!!

Jerry

[Macguy59]

Off to a very good start :way to go:

[Suhit Gupta]

Off to a very good start :way to go:
No doubt... I love the response we have gotten so far. Can't wait for us to be huge.

Suhit

[mcsouth]

Yes, I too am a PPCT reader from way back, and have followed the growth of the Thoughts media empire with great interest.

I think what I am looking for the most in Digital Media Thoughts is not so much product reviews on digital cameras, or other hardware, so much as software and hardware solutions, tutorials, and other reviews that address the growing need to maintain control over the huge amount of digital media that we are amassing each day! I am finding that just trying to rip and organize my CD collection to be time-consuming and puzzling (I rip to 64 kbps wma to suit my PPC, but would like to have a higher quality format also - how to manage???)

I am unfortunately about 2-3 years too late with my "living room" PC, since I would love to have Star Trek Enterprise 'captured' and burned to DVD in some kind of appropriate file format (mpeg4? wmv? divx?...it's all so confusing....... :? ).

I have been involved in photography since high school, and have a large collection of photographs, both conventional and digital, but have had limited success trying to scan my older photos - not sure if it is the scanner or my settings.......

In short, I am hoping that Digital Media Thoughts may help bring some order and sanity to my little collection of digital media. :D

[SassKwatch]

Off to a very good start :way to go:
I'll third that notion!

I do have one question...........

The 'button' in the forums (Quote, Profile, messenger, etc)....they all have a rather blockish, mildy hard to read font on them. Not the polished look of their cousins over at PPCT. Is that a site thing....or is it the result of some browser setting I have configured on this end?

[Crocuta]

...the Thoughts media empire...

Now you have to love the ring of that, Jason! :D

[Jason Dunn]

I did notice some cross-posts between DMT and PPCT, but I love this site, and it definately lives up to your PPCT reputation. I'd love to see more contests... I never won anything on PPCT, so I'm hoping to try my luck here!

Yes, there will be some duplication among the sites because there is a different community here (or will be shortly). It will become more evident as we grow in size - right now the only place DMT has been publicized is on PPCT and SPT, so it probably seems like it's one big community. But over the next few months, I believe we'll see people who only come to DMT, so to them, these stories are all new. ;-) Something to keep in mind.

Regarding contests, oh boy, just you wait - I'm almost finished getting the final list of prizes, and we've got over $10,000 USD in prizes now thanks to some amazing vendors who want to support this site. It's going to be a great contest!

[Neil Enns]

All I can say is I curse Jason and his Thoughts Media Empire. Between this, PPCT and SPT I've got no time to do any real work during the day :twisted:

I have to say that I hope the pace of postings to Digital Media Thoughts slows down somewhat. If I miss a day I'm two pages behind! :)

Neil

[Jason Dunn]

Well there's one thing that's really lacking... yes, that's right, there just are not enough emoticons! :lol:

Actually, we're working on getting all the emoticons of all three sites in sync, based on PPCT as the master site.

It seems a bit slanted toward digital still photography, but that probably just reflects that more people do that than digital video.

Yeah, true. I hope to up the focus on digital video, because in many ways, I find it more fun than photography - at least the post-production part. ;-)

P.S. I like the current fixed width.

Well, that makes two of us. :lol: Got a survey and some comments coming up on that topic later tonight.

[Jason Dunn]

Would like to see comparison reviews of 35mm film scanners for those of us who want to go totally digital.

Hmm - that's a tough one! I don't think anyone on our editorial or review team shoots 35mm anymore...but I'll see what I can do. :wink:

[Jason Dunn]

I think what I am looking for the most in Digital Media Thoughts is not so much product reviews on digital cameras, or other hardware, so much as software and hardware solutions, tutorials, and other reviews that address the growing need to maintain control over the huge amount of digital media that we are amassing each day! I am finding that just trying to rip and organize my CD collection to be time-consuming and puzzling (I rip to 64 kbps wma to suit my PPC, but would like to have a higher quality format also - how to manage???)

That's some excellent feedback for us, and it underscores something I've felt about DMT since I started planning it with my team. I don't see us as writing camera reviews to rival those of dpreview.com, but what I do see us doing is leveraging the broad base of knowledge we have and creating exactly the kind of thing that you're asking about. Tutorials and editorials focused on bringing the world of digital media into focus in a practical, systematic way. I can't promise how quick we'll get to that, since we're still in "launch mode", but it's something I really want to make time for. :-)

[Jason Dunn]

...the Thoughts media empire...

Now you have to love the ring of that, Jason! :D

Actually, um, the server that hosts all three sites is named...Empire. :oops: :lol:

[Jason Dunn]

The 'button' in the forums (Quote, Profile, messenger, etc)....they all have a rather blockish, mildy hard to read font on them. Not the polished look of their cousins over at PPCT. Is that a site thing....or is it the result of some browser setting I have configured on this end?

Nope, it's not a browser setting, it's the graphics themselves. I kind of like them myself, but I suppose that's a personal thing. ;-)

[Jason Dunn]

I have to say that I hope the pace of postings to Digital Media Thoughts slows down somewhat. If I miss a day I'm two pages behind! :)

Once you become a subscriber, you can get them delivered to your email account, so you'll never miss a thing. ;-)

[ctmagnus]

And when can we subscribe? :onfire:

[PCKid]

I think it's an excellent site with a nice broad reference. Keep it up it's on my Links bar now :wink:

[Jason Dunn]

And when can we subscribe? :onfire:

Soon...very soon. Our master coder Fabrizo had to create the Media File Upload system. :D

[Neil Enns]

Once you become a subscriber, you can get them delivered to your email account, so you'll never miss a thing. ;-)

Great, just what I need. More spam in my inbox.

Oops, wrong site :lol:

Neil

[Rafe]

Excellent site. I'm not a diigtal media guru, but i have more than a passing interest and it is nice to see a site on the subject that is actually useful. I'm all for content sites like this.

Nice synergies between the Empire sites :)

Rafe

[Lotto]

I think since digital photography is more affordable than digital video more people have/or looking to buy digital cameras...and those who have video cams usually also have still digital cameras, or those capabilities on their video cam. So the talk may slant to digital for this reason.

I'd love to see a series of challenges (they do not have to be prize driven) to take pictures with contrasting settings. This to get us playing and understanding more what each setting on a camera does. I think many many will come here because they are not professionally trained and want to learn more. What better way than to do it yourself?

[Jason Dunn]

I'd love to see a series of challenges (they do not have to be prize driven) to take pictures with contrasting settings. This to get us playing and understanding more what each setting on a camera does. I think many many will come here because they are not professionally trained and want to learn more. What better way than to do it yourself?

Something like that just might be coming. ;-)

[Suhit Gupta]

Something like that just might be coming. ;-)
For one of those prizes in that $10K prize stash? ;-)

Suhit

[Lotto]

Honestly I would prefer it not be for a prize. I think it would alter the fun of the challenge. It might intimidate those learning to not post pictures, and the same professionals would always win. I also think if it was a contest for a prize, everyone would feel pressured to get a picture up fast to be one of the first. Where setting up a good picture may take some thought about what exactly to take a picture of to portray a certain feeling.

Or maybe I'm off in left field somewhere, it's just MHO.

[Jason Dunn]

Honestly I would prefer it not be for a prize. I think it would alter the fun of the challenge.

I agree with you - there will be no prizes for it. Besides, all our prizes are going into the grand opening prize bucket. ;-)

[David Prahl]

Do you have a catchy name for the big contest yet, Jason?

"The Big Picture"?
"Binary Booty"?

[Jason Dunn]

Do you have a catchy name for the big contest yet, Jason?

Not yet....I'm leaning towards:

THE BIG BAD-ASS CONTEST

But that's not final yet. :lol:

[David Prahl]

:rock on dude!:

:lol:

[Jonathon Watkins]

It's very impressive and I'm staggered by the large amount of decent articles you have got up at DMT in such a short time!

I got the newsletter today and it was really good - the article links etc were great - top notch. :-) Nice job all round!

[Jonathon Watkins]

I'd love to see a series of challenges (they do not have to be prize driven) to take pictures with contrasting settings. This to get us playing and understanding more what each setting on a camera does. I think many many will come here because they are not professionally trained and want to learn more. What better way than to do it yourself?

Something like that just might be coming. ;-)

Wonderfull - always good to have projects to go out and shoot. :D

[spg]

Very nice so far Jason, I've found good information here already. Looks like you have a good editorial team together as well, lots of news posting going on.

[JTWise]

Reviving this thread from the dead hoping for a couple of updates.

Well there's one thing that's really lacking... yes, that's right, there just are not enough emoticons! :lol:

Actually, we're working on getting all the emoticons of all three sites in sync, based on PPCT as the master site.



Any ETA on the emoticons. I know it is not high priority, but I really miss Mr. Drool.

Also, not like I am complaining about the extreme number of prizes in the Grand Opening Extravaganza, but are we still on track for the actual giveaway to begin soon? The list of prizes makes me want to :insert Mr. Drool emoticon here:. :wink:

The site is wonderful. I am on it multiple times a day (maybe even more than PPCT). I also wanted to add that the Thoughts RSS feeds are simply wonderful. They are actually very helpful since you post a large part of the story, whereas many sites only put out a one-line blurb.

Keep up the great work on all the Thoughts sites!

[Jason Dunn]

We SHOULD be able to start the contest the week after next - we have eight more partners to announce, then we start the giveaways...$15,000 is a lot of prizes. ;-)

[mrkablooey]

the site is still pretty slick and i'm sure it'll only get better. haven't been here in about a week or so and some of the forums are a bit slow but that's true everywhere you go. some of the forum sections are quite busy!