how to improve soompi

[Photogeek]

I agree with dreamskye and knockblock.

but I also agree with the moderators. Having deep discussions makes this place a more contraversial and inviting place. However these types of topics also guarantee that there will be problems such as bashing and the such. 

I believe that the best that we can do to have these contraversial topics available is to keep loyal soompiers on the lookout for bullies or people who post innappropriate content and report them. This way the innapropriate posts can be deleted from the topic.

We must allow for some candid discussion as well to keep this website alive. Too much authority can ruin anything, but not enough authority can cause problems. Let's just give Soompi a balance.

Another thing I had in mind yesterday night was that maybe recycling old topics... such as topics written two years ago that don't have responses should not only be closed, but deleted as well. This way we are saving resources, but we are also giving the new or older soompiers create their own topics.

Anyways, I'm going to try and come up with possible solutions. I think we should all do the same if we want to keep soompi running, and way better than "allkpop"....

Just want to note that I've been to allkpop before and it gave me a big headache. Why? Because it's all messy and it has no organization.

[fabrications.]

I used to come here and post 24/7 but now I barely ever go on it anymore because...eh. To be honest it's not all that fun anymore; it's okay sometimes though. ^^ A lot of the people I talked to on here aren't here anymore either. It could most likely be due to the big upgrade. It was kind of hard for me to navigate around, not to mention that soompi wiped out the option to switch back to "old school" completely. =/

oh, and my computer's extra extra slow too so soompi is one of the websites that take the longest for me to load sometimes ^^;;

[Guest EHNerJI]

I prefer the old profiles before the upgrade last August cause it doesn't take over a minute to load someone's profile page.

Oh and is it just me or is the "Go to first unread post" not working ever since the new soompi?

You have to click on the little arrow beside the last post time =/

[Guest x byul satang]

mmm i took a long hiatus from soompi because of school and because i was in china for a semester and the internet is so slow over there.

now that i'm back and i see it's not as active anymore and i do not like the new look. the new look makes me not want to come on here anymore... but i still do once in awhile. i definitely notice that it's dying too. i'm an avid poster in the beauty & fashion section. usually, it's pretty interesting in there and there's always something new to post in, but these days i see the same topics everyday on the first page. it's getting boring =_=

it's probably due to various reasons such as:

- summer = more time off the computer for some people

- vacationing to asia or other parts of the world may mean less access to a computer

- personally, i enjoy reading kpop news on allkpop better than soompi. maybe some ppl feel the same and have started using their forums instead

- the new look probably turned a lot of people off

[WENJJANG]

I was actually thinking about it yesterday and I realize many people don't want to comment or reply anymore to threads

because of the backlash they might receive if they disagree with the overall group. Sometimes, I feel there are also too many illogically replies.

So the forum seems less inviting?

As well so many pointless threads that seem to always bring negativity.

Especially threads in the beauty section for me anyways, about "What skin color looks better, etc." It just throws me off and makes me feel less welcome.

[elevatormusic]

i agree with pretty much everything anyone has said.

i feel the upgrades should have stopped with adding the "about me" section to the old soompi profiles. i really liked that upgrade and from there it kinda all went down hill.

as for the k-celebs photo section, mods close all the "news" threads there because it's in soompi's "news" section at the top. a lot of users aren't used to that, so they get annoyed when they go to that forum and only see "official ____ thread". and when i do go to the news section, it's like... a tiny piece of AKP came over.

the first upgrade was to encourage users to use the main site more. it felt like the main site was sort of being forced upon me, which was a total turn off, so i left. i know for a fact that if a marketing technique is "take it or leave it" most people WILL leave it.

i started coming to soompi for fanfics and artwork, but a lot of the friends i made there don't go on anymore, so i still keep in contact with them over facebook. after the first upgrade, a lot of people started leaving, including me.

i came back to soompi to open a shop, but it doesn't seem as active there either. i came back for the FOTY during the winter, but they changed the FOTY and i lost interest in the new one. i know for a fact that a lot of readers were disappointed with the new FOTY system and not a lot of people participated. but the mod has already expressed that she has no intent on bringing back the old FOTY.

but even though things go back to how they were originally, old users who have already outgrown soompi are NOT going to come back. the crowd here is so different now. everyone tells everyone else to be "more mature" and tries to act all cool. it really turns readers away. everyone thinks they're right and everyone else is wrong. soompi's not really a place for healthy discussion anymore. the upgrades that used to happen were just banner and color changes. now soompi is a WHOLE different site.

i started coming to soompi for fics back in 03 and left for a long time, and then remembered about it in 07 and came back, so soompi is really special to me, and i was really sad when i first noticed people were leaving after the first upgrade. but i guess that's what happened with xanga and myspace. new websites come around and old ones get forgotten.

[Jaeho]

as for the k-celebs photo section, mods close all the "news" threads there because it's in soompi's "news" section at the top. a lot of users aren't used to that, so they get annoyed when they go to that forum and only see "official ____ thread". and when i do go to the news section, it's like... a tiny piece of AKP came over.

I don't know where you got that, but people can still post news in the photo section as long as they post pics ---- it's been like that for years. The official threads are the main problem in the photo forum and we're trying to sort that out.

[elevatormusic]

^ i've seen in a couple times. the mod closes the thread because it's already been posted in the news section.

[Jaeho]

^ i've seen in a couple times. the mod closes the thread because it's already been posted in the news section.

Can you give me an example if you can? Because they're not supposed to. Me and suejinners are the k-photo mods. Nobody else should be handling the topics there, unless you're an admin.

edit - ...... OK, I take that back, but since when was this rule in effect? O_O

[elevatormusic]

i'm not saying it happens all the time, but i have seen it. these are threads that have been closed because they were already posted on the main site.

http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=341918

http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=342348

http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=342148

i understand not wanting to have things posted twice, but i think this discourages people from posting news in the photos forum. where as, before the main site upgrade, threads like these were always posted there.

edit,

i saw your edit, so ok. i don't know D: i didn't say the mod's name because i didn't want to sound like i was tattling on them.

[Jaeho]

^^^^ Hmm...

might as well get rid of the K-photo forum altogether if we're not gonna allow articles. The main site has a Photo section too.

btw i'm half kidding :x

Haha, sorry... gah I spoke too soon.

The admins/mods/others(?) are listening to all of your concerns!!! Don't worry.

[shortboy]

To me, I see the forum changing as the K-Pop industry changed as well.

My activity on here severely died down when the variety show X-Man was canceled, so I no longer really had to be around to sub the show anymore. Plus, from the looks of it, the majority of people that have posted in this thread alone are the ones that have been here for at least 3-5 years now. So to say, we're growing up.

Maybe the forum facelift had something to do with it too, but our interests have just gone elsewhere. I occasionally still pop up to read current event stuff but that's pretty much it...haha. Soompi in a sense is dying but if it does, it's gonna be us oldies that'll stick around and make this our own mini getaway haha. This has already happened to me on another forum I go.. Place severely died down but the regulars stuck so it's just become a kick it spot for us hah.

I also find it funny that someone mentions that threads in the general no longer have deep conversations and yet this thread has suddenly become deeper than 90% of those threads ahahah.

[crnflk]

This is slightly sad to read. I hadn't been on soompi for a while (due to personal, unrelated reasons) and hadn't really noticed the decline in users. Now that it's been pointed out, I definitely see what everyone is talking about.

Personally, the upgrades don't bother me. I mean, I came to soompi originally for the fanfictions, but kind of branched out and now I go to all the forums. But that's it. I never cared about the main page or anything except for the forums.

It is easier to go to allkpop and just skim through news articles, I admit. But a lot of the users there are really unreasonable and immature (more than here) and I just get annoyed, so I don't discuss much there. I've always come here. But I think that lately, like a few people pointed out, Korean pop music is changing, and it's not really for the better. And, unfortunately, the fans are changing as well.

I think a lot of the older users on soompi (myself not necessarily included...I've only been a member for two or three years) are getting tired of the shallow, repetetive conversations. Also, the users aren't even capable of having a civil, mature debate. Like, the Christianity thread was closed down because people were bashing. The current events forum is terrible because people aren't mature enough to realize that not everyone is going to have the same opinions as them. And, in the K-celeb photos forum if one person says something slightly negative about a particular artist they have to be worried about a giant web-mob of crazy fangirls getting angry at them.

Unfortunately, there's no way to limit who comes on soompi. I mean, users can be banned, but it's not like it's hard to simply create a new email address and username. Then they just come back with a vengeance and do their best to make people angry.

Anyways, I guess my point was that I think the decline can't really be reversed until the main subject bringing all of these people together changes. I'll always be an avid supporter of soompi because I learned so much on this website. It's not an exaggeration when I say that I am the person I am today because of soompi. And I'll continue coming on here with the hope that something will change.

I think, in the end, a lot of the younger crowd who's into the idol groups and this style of music will eventually die off and those of us with a real passion for k-pop will be left. Haha. So, until then, I guess the only thing to do is wait it out.

Okay. I'm done now. =D

[RiderKamen]

Whether soompi is dying we need statistics to prove that it is cause I really don't know lol.

However I'm going to be repetitive like the other users in this thread.

When it comes to soompi we all see redundant threads, redundant post, opinions, and etc of the same thing.

This redundancy is not new to any other existing sites; this is just part of the expectancy (aka formed territory) of the creators of the sites and the consumers of the sites.

We the consumers in this thread hope that the creators of this site will notice our opinions in making the site better for us. But we know in the back of our mind, our opinions doesn't matter because we're not running the site.

[1crazynyt]

I don't know if Soompi is dying or what but, it feels like it, I didn't log in for 3 days due the upgraded system of Soompi. Soompi was my hang out place but the new system kinda sent me away from Soompi. I was getting used to the last upgraded system and then BAM another upgrade again, some of my soompi friends mentioned that they can't log in and those who wanted to be invisible can no longer be invisible. What so funny was, the last time I logged in there was only 2 active users in the fan fix section I was like WTH happen to Soompi, normally in the morning the active users in the fix section would be most likely less than a 100 users and at night time almost 200. I think the members are getting frustrated with the new system its like you are getting use to the new system then upgrade again... Its really frustrating..

Hope they can fix the invisible mode when you log in....

[Guest suejinners]

i'm not saying it happens all the time, but i have seen it. these are threads that have been closed because they were already posted on the main site.

http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=341918

http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=342348

http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=342148

i understand not wanting to have things posted twice, but i think this discourages people from posting news in the photos forum. where as, before the main site upgrade, threads like these were always posted there.

edit,

i saw your edit, so ok. i don't know D: i didn't say the mod's name because i didn't want to sound like i was tattling on them.

Lol, that would be me. I do understand what your saying. News posts have been posted in the kcelebs pic forums for a while. And it also has been cluttered for a while. Closing a handful of duplicate posts just seemed to help though.

I appreciate your comments! We are all open to your comments and suggestions.

[Guest hunterheart]

I agree with you. All my friends from fanfic are gone. All my close friends from artwork are gone. The performers thread is kind of dead now. Everyone seems less friendly... more critical of your posts. I don't know if it's just me.

[Photogeek]

To me, I see the forum changing as the K-Pop industry changed as well.

My activity on here severely died down when the variety show X-Man was canceled, so I no longer really had to be around to sub the show anymore. Plus, from the looks of it, the majority of people that have posted in this thread alone are the ones that have been here for at least 3-5 years now. So to say, we're growing up.

Maybe the forum facelift had something to do with it too, but our interests have just gone elsewhere. I occasionally still pop up to read current event stuff but that's pretty much it...haha. Soompi in a sense is dying but if it does, it's gonna be us oldies that'll stick around and make this our own mini getaway haha. This has already happened to me on another forum I go.. Place severely died down but the regulars stuck so it's just become a kick it spot for us hah.

I also find it funny that someone mentions that threads in the general no longer have deep conversations and yet this thread has suddenly become deeper than 90% of those threads ahahah.

hahaha of course because it's about the place we frequent. And it's true what you say that most of the people that are replying here are the people who have been here longer... I'm probably going to stick around here still.

Anyways an idea popped up earlier while in college and I present it to everyone, maybe you guys will dissagree or dislike my idea but whatever. lol:

We should make a separate forum where all deep conversation threads will be hosted. Of course we will have to let people know that they are entering at their own risk, but it will give people the chance to submit their thoughts... Restrictions will apply such as no racism or the such (as long as it is contraversial but appropriate.)

I believe the elasticity of this website needs to show. We are babying everyone too much, and the older people (and young ones as well) want some interesting conversations where they can contribute....

anyways I would like to see some statistics on the usage of this website... In a way it's dying but it could be simply due to summer.

[Irony.]

I don't mind the new layout but all the coding went wrong ... and that's my reason for not being active anymore. Oh also, a lot of people aren't as active anymore. So, who am I supposed to talk to? Myself?

[melkimx]

just to lend some perspective:

i was part of a wave of soompiers who once left because we were convinced that soompi was going downhill. we railed against the absence of some of our older fellow soompiers and the presence some of the younger members whom we felt were totally ruining the original soompi vibe. we hated certain moderators and certain new rules, we hated the change in layout, and we were absolutely convinced soompi was failing big-time and wouldn't recover. did we judge correctly? well, when we got fed up and left, the year was 2000 or 2001. to my way of thinking, those "good old days" ended years before most of you were even around. my point is not that soompi really does suck now and it was awesome ten years ago; all i'm saying is that it's just extremely subjective. this topic has been coming up in one form or another throughout the years, and it will continue to do so.

as has been pointed out, the severe drop in number of active users a few days ago was the result of a bug, not an accurate reflection of our actual numbers. our traffic DID drop after our forum upgrades, but not so badly that you should be worried that we're going to close up shop.

what i really enjoy about this thread is that there are so many people who consider themselves supportive soompiers and want to figure out how to make things better. even at a time like this when people might be so frustrated that they just want to get up and leave, so many of you are trying to come up with ways to make things better! i think that's amazing. we have such an incredible community, and i feel proud to be a part of it. after the forum upgrade, we have been logging all the complaints and suggestions, and the moderators, admins, and other staff are currently busy brainstorming. additionally, boss julanrouge is creating an official statement and poll about the upgrades and bugs, so we can better address and target your preferences and problems.

thank you for your support and input! keep it coming, and we hope to pay you back soon.