- Created By James
Hiatus
You could say that we have been on hiatus already for quite a while, but I figure I should actually make it official.
I am going to start the process of figuring out a better way to communicate with our users. Right now we are a bit hamstrung because we are unable to send mass emails from OB and that was a really great tool to reach everybody quickly.
Also, while OB World reaches people beyond OB itself, I'm doubtful that we are casting the net wide enough.
Before I sign off, I might as well ask: do you guys have any suggestions about this? What's the best way to handle community updates that doesn't involve needing to be on OB itself? Maybe an official Facebook page?
IP Board Software Upgrade
As I just announced on OB itself, we are about to upgrade the IP Board software at OtakuBoards on Saturday.
This is a pretty significant upgrade and even though the site will not radically change as a result, I think everyone will begin to notice a lot of small enhancements.
One of the biggest things is that the status updates you put on your profile will now post to OB's main page on a featured display panel (the panel will appear underneath the existing Recently Added and Watched Content panels).
But in addition, you will be able to comment on people's status updates as well. So it won't just be a static display - it will actually make status updates relevant and useable.
There are a ton of other little changes in the software, many of which should make life a lot easier. We will have a new and improved search function and the little member control panel on the top right of the page will be changed to be easier to use and more relevant. It will include a new notifications system that will pull together notifications from across OB and put them in one spot (a bit like Facebook notifications).
One of the best things about this upgrade, though, is that it will enable our team to begin working on a backlog of stuff that needs to be fixed. Stuff like the Avatar Gallery and the Reputation system are top priorities.
Also, early in the new year I hope to have a proper page set up on OB for the OB Podcast. It should make life a lot easier for Korey and Boo and it should also be a really easy and centralized place for all members to access the full podcast library.
I hope you guys like the update when it goes live - Petie and Des have been working very hard on it for the last few weeks and they've done a really fantastic job.
Staying Safe on the Internet
I am sure you have all seen this by now, but SunfallE has posted an important message regarding safety at theOtaku.com. You can view the message here.
The same rules definitely apply on OB - please be aware of any information you share on the Internet, including our own network. And please make sure to raise any concerns you may have with a member of staff. We definitely take this kind of issue very seriously and will take immediate action where necessary.
Calling All Artists: Photoshop Tutorials
A couple of great Photoshop tutorials topics have popped up recently at OB. These topics are pretty impressive, especially because they seem to be quite easy to follow.
We have created a pinned topic that will link to each tutorial. I have suggested that we could also link to some outside professional tutorials, too.
This would be a great opportunity for fan artists across theO to actually create their own tutorials so that we can build up a collection of them.
If you want to view the pinned topic, click here.
Have fans ever turned you away from a series?
Magus recently started a topic over at OB, which I've really enjoyed reading so far. The title pretty much says it all, but the actual topic is derived from an article that Magus was reading about this very subject.
Without re-creating the topic here, I do want to post a quote from said article that Magus presented:
Zach Logan @ Toonzone:
"What I am deriding here is the general attitude of the anime fan. This is what is destroying the anime you love, both here and in Japan. Fandom too often gets embroiled in its own inflexible and unnecessary arguments. People often get wrapped up in their own community’s culture for a given series that they forget people on the outside may be incredibly turned off by this kind of behavior. Because the Internet is cut off from actual reality, those fanatics forget the impression they may be making on those who come upon their posts or rants. Fiercely dedicated fandom has simultaneously kept anime alive while being an accomplice to its downfall."
Click here to see the full topic.
I would say that hardcore fans have not stopped me from watching a particular anime or playing a particular game, but I have been a bit reluctant to watch certain movies or TV shows on this basis. Generally fans haven't actually turned me off something (because I can like it independent of what anyone else thinks), but there are definitely times where hardcore fans can make me a bit reluctant to try something out in the first instance - although as I said, this seems to be especially true for TV shows or movies. I'm not sure why that is; with TV shows, for instance, I tend to rely heavily on word of mouth because I am not a big TV watcher.
