I’m frustrated. Wanna know why? How would you like if those people who bitched an wined about how Flash sux were on a forumn that only THEY were on, ALL day. Then, people like Mike Chambers read that forumn, and made the assumption that this was the voice of the community, and they actually modified Flash to suit those “supposed” community needs. Wouldn’t ever happen, right?
Well, it’s happening with Star Wars Galaxies right now. Somehow, the forumns that station.sony.com hosts appear to be the main customer feedback area. Not only that, but they are communist-like controlled in that some posts are deleted, and a lot of them ignored by the devs.
The game was released with a lot of bugs and things didn’t work, but it was, and still is fun as hell. However, they keep changing things, and only fixing 1 or 2 bugs each change (about every 3 days). The game is not what it was 2 months ago.
The people on the forumns are rude a-holes, negative, and frustrated with no way other than the forums to funnel their frustration towards SOE, the company making the game. Out of the hundreds of people I’ve met online and played with, I’ve only met 2 who were “slightly” annoying, and even then, I’d still play with them. No one acts like they do in the forumns. I don’t like them being my representatives, but the forums suck usability wise, and customer relation wise.
Over the course of 2 years, I’ve seen Macromedia people get involved in all walks of life to understand their customer’s needs. I’ve seen the results of people’s inquires, suggestions, and frustations. I’ve seen Macromedia improve their products. By giving us people to talk to, and “inside” channels of information, Flash (yes, and ColdFusion, and all the others) has given us such a great community of people and a phat product.
You don’t appreciate someone until you realize how valuable they are when you don’t have them.
Thanks guys and gals! I think I speak for the Flash community, and the MM community as a whole when I say thank you, you are appreciated!
I couldn’t agree more!
Thanks! I can’t speak for the other community people, but I learned most of what I know about flash from the community.
I try to use my position at Macromedia to:
1. make sure that the community’s concerns are heard within the company.
2. give ack to the community some of what it has given to me.
Btw, I just moved out to SF and am getting my DSL today, so I might check out SWG.
mike chambers
mesh@macromedia.com
Right on. Most west coasters play on the Tarquinas server for some reason. Regardless, my guild will hook you up!
It’s just insane how cool and lucky we are to have a structure like this. I consider myself lucky to be in the mix.
Who are those people Jesse?
Because they suck! :)
It’s not worth even mentioning… they are bitter and they spread their negativity like a disease.
Nice thread on Flash Lounge today! What you started resulted in my previous post.
I agree – there aren’t many companies that are very good at taking what the people want and turning it into reality the very next release. MM is one of the few, along with some others like Bare Bones software. Props to Mesh and the rest of the crew.
What Sean Voisen said is right. Kudos.
Well I would like to say a few words about this topic. I think that criticism strengthens not only the community but Macromedia as well. I don’t like when things became reduced to We against Them. Of course, insults can’t be tolerated. Let me explain.
I grow up in the middle of criticism. I learned that only criticism can make me better day after day. The whole thing is how I deal with criticism. Besides, we (humans) are never satisfied, that’s why the social and personal evolution exist. I have learned that the strong emotional reactions when I recieve negative feedback is foolish. When I recieve a negative feedback, I never take a defensive position by default because I’ll block positive changes on me. I believe that criticism make me more succesful, even when I’m working hard on something and people came to say things that surprise me. So, I’m not even vulnerable for personal flaws or shortcomings. I accept criticism as part of life and I appreciate more the friends who are critics with me than those who believe that friendship means “never question me”. My best friends are those who talk to me what they are really thinking, those with I can disagree and say things as they are.
I always learn from negative feedback. I try to listen and understand fist. I think that it’s not good to ignore, deny or blame someone because, I repeat, I’ll block my success. I prefer confront issues in my life and develop some areas where I can’t see by myself.
Why I react like that? Because my psychological balance doesn’t depends on what people say. And this is very important. If I don’t understand why criticism is REALLY important in my life then of course I’ll feel vulnerable so I’ll take a defensive position blocking important changes because I need to preserve my emotional and psychological balance. And you got fights, they and we… everything changes in other thing (even insults, threads, verbal violence, vexation, even soft enemies…) only because I have counterproductive psychologichal mechanisms that interfer with a constructively behavior. I think that in this century we (humans) are able to learn how to deal with conflict. Of course this is very complex but what it is at stake is the human success or failure. And we (humans) would be able to succes as species if all of us work hardly to make the difference.
Conclusion: It’s better don’t deny, ignore or blame when you recieve negative feedback because ultimately will be more painful.
Saying this I have to said 3 more things:
1. I admire Macromedia for such a great products. I’m a customer and I never have any doubt to recomend their products. They are the best. But (here comes the but) they can be better. And I know they can, because they want. And because I admire their work I want to be critical to improve their success.
2. I don’t know how Mike Chambers does to be everywhere. I mean when there are some issue about MM he is always there. I think it’s quiet amazing because he have a lot of work in MM. Great work he’s doing. Really appreciated. Thanks Mr Chambers.
3. Well Mr. Warden, as you can see it’s the first time that I disagree with you. And I disagree because I feel a high blood pressure around and I don’t think it’s good to create more poles in the earth. We are a community, we work together, we learn together, and we need eachother. Let’s try to solve the problems or find methods to calm people. Honestly, I don’t like comments like “they are bitter and they spread their negativity like a disease. “. I don’t know who you where talking about and I don’t want know.
I still admire you a lot, when you leave the lists I was very sad. You are one of the most helpfull people that I know (like Darron Schall). I respect you tons, I have learned tons with you, and I’m pleased to read your messages and post always. You are one of the most important members of the flash community. Because I admire you tons I wanted to write this comment;
Take care,
aSH
Well put Ash.
I think what I’m referring to is spite, not criticism. Usually, when I was in art school, we learned the difference between “criticism” and “constructive criticism”. The former was just to make a negative comment about a piece of work with no intent on helping the person make it better; simply identifying things they considered wrong or ugly about a piece. Constructive criticism on the other hand was given to help identify weak points in a design and to help make it better by offereing solutions.
The people I am referring to were insulting mass groups of people by making broad assumptions about them, as well as being rude to my girlfriend. Next thing you know, I’m on there, going to their level, trying my hardest to debase the value of their opinions, and then I realize I’m stooping to their level. Their being rude and immature negatively affected me, hence the disease metaphor.
Flames on forums are stupid.
So, yes I agree with your words on critcism, but in my eyes only applying to construtive criticism; pointing out flaws in something and offering up solutions to make it better.
People are just rude, complain for the sake of complaining, no, I will not listen to with an earnest to improve. I do, however, understand WHY they are bitching, which is important in understanding where they are coming from. That, at least, is some silver lining. They are upset because the QA process in SWG is screwed, and the change process of fixing bugs and implementing change is messed up beyond belief.
I see Mr Warden. I missunderstood your post. It’s just that I’m a little nervous. Like you I would like to see more constructive criticism. Thanks for clarify, thanks for your time, and thanks for anwer me.
Have a nice weekend.
Best regards;
aSH
All good manxt! Sharing ideas and learning from eachother rules any way you slice it.
And you have a good weekend as well!