Cor Blimey !!! - Another Idea ! (Feedback and General Suggestions for dooyoo)

Member Name: sidneygee

Product:	Feedback and General Suggestions for dooyoo
Date:	07/02/02 (188 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The Site is Mostly OK!, Those in Control ARE interested in what you and I have to say., We should do all we can to retain the site.

Disadvantages: It may take you some time to read this 'ramble' and the Comments string, cos' I do 'rabbit' on a bit!, Those in control are not always amenable to 'constructive criticism'., Some Guides also take umbrage if you dare criticise them.

I thought that it was about time that I got my thinking gear around this category. I have used the site since October 2000 and had written 120 reviews previous to this.

Whilst I am working from home, I try look in on the site once each day. When I am away on my Consultancy business, I try to find time to look in at least once a week.

On my return, I always look over the latest opinions flagged up from my 'friends' or in my favourite category (Motors). But, I have now given up writing new reviews. I may complete and post some that have been written in part and just need completion, but at some time within the next few months I will be making a complete break with the site. You will know when it happens since each of my reviews will have been removed. So, as even Heather has admitted, I am no longer "hooked on DooYoo".

It has been good while it has lasted, but there are now so few new reviews worth reading, too much back-biting taking place and the antics of assorted prima donnas on the site and (even) the DooYoo management that the site now fills me with loathing on some visits. Now this same feeling has occured with two Laboratories that I tried to assist with reorganising their Management systems. They didn't "listen" to my advice, and both have now closed down, so I hope that this is not an omen for DooYoo.

When I first posted this review I posed a variety of questions and a variety of comments appeared, that I tried to respond to. Even got a couple form the Opmeister Fuhrer ! I cannot promise that I will respond to any more because of my work committments.

Surely - Everyone should ask me - there must be areas that I can see capable of being improved ? After all, my Consultancy is based mainly around dealing with "Quality", "Quality Systems" and "Quality Management". Although it is most often to do with "Laboratory Quality Systems" I
have been a Manager and have made contributions as a 'Management Guru' on occasions, so perhaps this is a challenge I should face up to.....

OK, let's look at the positive sides of DooYoo. I am not going to do a complete SWOT (Strength/Weekness/Opportunity/Threat) analysis here. If DooYoo really want that they can 'engage' me, and my fees for this level of service would be not less than £350 a day ... but remember, all a Consultant does really is to 'borrow' your watch to tell you the time (and the mark of the 'best' Consultant is that they will always give you your watch back !)

Anyway, I have gained quite a lot from the site and I argued these points to Heather:-

I can now type faster;
I can create reasonably meaningful sentences and arguments much faster now than I could 18 months ago; and
I type everything straight-off, no longer spending time writing out drafts in long-hand (to be typed in later, usually by Heather).

I served as a DooYoo Guide (for Motors) for a few months, but I gave that up. I enjoyed being a Guide but increasing professional commitments meant I was no longer going to be in a position to provide a (mostly) daily commitment to DooYoo, so I resigned before it became an issue.

I firmly believe that anyone appointed by DooYoo as a Guide should be willing and able to provide a Guidey 'service' on most days in each week, in order to carry out the duties effectively. If there are problems with an individual providing this, then a small bevy of Guides should be appointed and liaise with one another to ensure proper coverage of the sector. It is a real pity that others who act as Guides have not followed this same principle. To accept the accolade and then not read the Reviews in your sector (even if it is due to illness) is, IMHO just 'not on'. Takes only a quick email to the Opmeister so that the category is not over-looked, and
if you cannot provide the committment needed, you really should resign and pass it on to someone else.

Remember that although Guides are purely volunteers but it seems that there are a number of DooYooers, 'itching' to become Guides, so I reckon that I did the right thing there in resigning and giving someone else a chance.

To sum up then, my general experiences of the site have been good and on the surface, I found precious little to actually criticise.

But, during this time, over 16 months, ideas had occurred to me on how the site could be improved.

And as soon as I started thinking, I was surprised so much pure venom and frustration came pouring out into this review.

Well, perhaps that is a wee bit of an exaggeration, but OK, there are a number of 'frustrations' that I have had with this (goddamn-s*dding) lovely site.

If I did have 'the power' then there are some things I would certainly change. But before I do 'let go', I wondered if I was likely to get any support from those who take the trouble to read this opinion/review ? Or - best of all possibilities - from the DooYoo management or the DooYoo Fat-Cats who have bank-rolled this operation (and perhaps now collecting the occasional saucer of cream from their investment)?

Well, OK, events have shown that I have got the reads, but not the full support that I had hoped for. Yes I even got the "some negative reaction" that I had anticipated. Always, there are always so many in management who think that at least 95% of what they do is 'perfect' - wheras I usually reckon their score is no more than a (still credible) 65%. But I can say one thing now - if the fact that I didn't get support and approbation, then didn't lose me any sleep.

The ultimate Dooyoo put-down - accusing someone of being 'self-indulegent' - has been voiced by two readers already but, as my
profile states ... I feel NO pain .... so, as my motto would say "S*d 'em all"!!

On many occasions, in my current profession as a Consultant and previously as a Public Analyst, I have provided professional advice to Local Authorities, to Government Departments, to public companies, professional bodies, 'learned bodies' and advisory bodies. As is the experience of ALL Consultants, some has fallen on 'stony ground', but I have never let myself fret about this (as long as my invoices are paid now, and my salary was paid then!). Life is too short to get pi**ed off at every set-back and attempted 'put-down'. But one thing that I do promise any clients of Gee Scientific Service is that they will always get CONSTRUCTIVE criticism from Sidneygee with (hopefully):
more answers than questions; and
more suggested solutions to existing problems than new problems caused.
Now, believe me, there are a lot of Consultants who cannot make similar claims (!).

I am listing these ideas and suggestions in no particular order, so that perhaps the odd 'rant' will appear in the midst of a number of what I hope you and others may think are quite acceptable.

Oh yes - one other point of detail. At present, I have not read any other opinions in this category, so please do not accuse me of 'nicking' anyone else's ideas. If I have made similar suggestions as others' it is just that we have all used the same impeccable 'logic' in formulating our opinions.

Indeed I did not appreciate there was such a category until I was checking through some of the previous opinions posted by a relatively 'new' member of my COF - michaelhudson. If you haven't read any of his yet, there are some treats in store for you !

I do note that there have been more than 130 opinions posted before mine, so I cannot think why this category did not catch my eye.


1 Rewards
I can accept that with the increased numbers of participants, the two cuts in the reward rate that have occurred since I started were essential to ensure the continued operation of the site.

However, the cuts really are 'substantial'. If all my opinions had been paid at the current rate, even taking into account the increased payments for 'Crowns', then I would have earned £87 LESS than I have actually earned, so that gives some idea of how much substantially less rewarding it is now.

Fortunately, I do not rely on this in any way as an income. I declare it for taxation purposes (at 40%), and have paid the proceeds of the 3 cheques received from it so far into my Charity Aid Foundation (CAF) account to augment my other payments. That means the full value of every 3 pence I receive for a read and every £1.50 for a Crown goes to 'good causes'. Read the opinions on the Charity Aid Foundation, if you are unfamiliar with its system.

(http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/servlets/Item2Connect or?template=item&sessionID=aaafI 68daS4EwD&itemID=101364&order=&wop=&sponsor=&adstr =&rchm=)

The aspect which worries me a lot is that there is definitely a slow-down in the number of opinions being posted and I reckon that this is due to the substantial cut-back in rewards. This in itself must mean fewer 'visitings' of the site and in common with a number of other DooYooers I have noticed the fall-off in reads of older opinions (so fewer people are 'browsing'). Indeed during the recent Festive period, the number of opinions posted each day fell to 30. Thankfully the numbers are now mostly back up to over 100 each day at my latest daily counts, but the rate cannot be approaching the numbers seen, say 5-6 months ago, when I reckoned that there were about 250-300 a day. Unfortunately, my latest check, from 21.49 hrs Friday 8th February to 21.54 hrs Saturday 9th February shows DooYooers have made
barely 84 opinions and even that includes at least 10 from a bl**dy churner of copied or crapped opinions.

Actually, these figures allow us to make a rough calculation as to how much it costs DooYoo to run the Rewards scheme. Say that (optimistically) there are 125 opinions on an average day at present, and let us say each reaches an average of, say 20 member reads each(eventually). I reckon that is a fair estimate. Say also that 12 crowns are awarded, on average, daily. OK, perhaps I am not totally accurate, but it will give us a ballpark figure. That costs about £75 on average for a day's reads rewards and £18 for crowns, so that those total apparent reward costs are no more than, say £600 a week (taking into accounting the reduction in rewards if you cash in at less than £100). Now compare that with the previous reward situation with say 300 opinions each getting 10 pence for writing and 5 pence per read!

Surely, with the significantly lower number of staff employed, there must be at least some scope for increasing the rewards payments from that awarded currently ?

It is of particular concern that most valued DooYooers have either reduced their output of opinions substantially or have even stopped contributing entirely. OK, there have been some newcomers who produce high quality opinions, but it would be good to have many of the much-missed former contributors back reading and writing and commenting.

Thus, I consider that a modification to the Rewards system is needed to re-kindle interest - both to attract high quality new members and hopefully to draw back some valued writers who seem to have deserted the site. I accept that this cannot be so generous as to cause the costs to escalate beyond what is sustainable. But I reckon that even an extra £50 a week could do wonders for the site.

One possibility, perhaps, is to have an increased reward rate for 'product' reviews, over 'experience'
; reviews ? After all, the original intention of DooYoo was to give you an option of making a 'better buying decision'. However, if you examine anyone's opinion list you will find that it is not the 'product' opinions which get the most 'paid' reads. It is more often the opinions in Speakers Corner or the (often very moving) accounts of personal experience problems that earn the most member reads (see also my footnote) or even opinions on opinion sites (that seems a bit strange to me ...). However, the product opinions frequently get high non-member reads, which can get the advertising messages on the page over and costs DooYoo nowt in payments.

The danger in suggesting this modification though is that DooYoo might be tempted to "Doo a Ciao", and not give any payment at all for many of the 'interesting' categories of opinions. If they were to do this then I reckon they will be in danger of losing far more than they save.

But how about the introduction of 'Bonus payments' ?

This could be a possible way forward, but an equitable system could be difficult to introduce without causing the usual 'back-biting'. For example, any system based on making even more generous payments for Crowns would cause all sorts of allegations about the 'secret enclave of cross-crowning Guides' (Dib! Dib! Dib!). On the other hand, it can be argued that another increase in the rewards for Crowns would be welcome and make the incentive for really good writers all the more, but this inevitably leads to whinging from the 'usual crew' who get 'miffed' if ALL their offering are not rewarded.

So my suggestion is for SPECIFIC categories to include the awarding of extra 'incentive miles'. Possibly this would be better for any 'New Categories' introduced, with the occasional inclusion of an existing category or one which DooYoo might want to encourage. No
w, I do feel that an approach along these lines could inject some more 'life' into the site....

2 Plop-ups
Oh c'mon Op-meisters and DooYoo FatCats, this really does annoy everyone and must discourage both new recruits and casual vistors. Most of us old 'uns have learned how to install that program (suggested originally by auldmac) which blocks out plop-ups (and produces a very apt and satisfying 'farting' noise whenever it has 'zapped' a plop-up).

I know that DooYoo gets well-paid for these intrusions, and Fat-Cat Ammon gets right up-tight if you do criticise. But c'mon - if I am trying to encourage friends/colleagues to view the site when I am with them on their own computers, seeing this intrusive Flashing plopping up all over the place advertising Lord-Knows-What (?) does rather get in the way and slows everything right down. Now I use the term 'plop-up' because I reckon the image conjured up in my mind is just about 'right'.

3 Opinion Deletion
Now I was not aware that you could ask for an opinion to be deleted, just for your own purposes, and it was only by suggesting this as a 'good idea' was I told (via this Comments thread) that it is possible. There are at least 3 rather obtuse opinions made in my early days that I would like to eliminate completely and rewrite as opinions from a different direction. No prizes for detecting which they are !

4 Free Speech
I reckon that to be a successful Opinion site, DooYoo must allow itself to be used as a platform for free speech (as far as possible within the law). This is where I feel particularly let down by the site.

Opinions can be funny things. We may have an opinion that we think is perfectly lucid and reasonable, and we post it. Indeed, (with the exception of a 'Goose' or two), I cannot see any established DooYooer putting up an opinion which they feel will not get at least a '
Useful' rating.

However, another DooYooer may read this opinion we have posted and think "HEY!!! What a load of Doo-Dee (Doo-Dah-Dey!!!)".

But, when they then read the Comments thread, they find a load of consensual a**e-licking tripe-hounds. They rate highly and make comments like:- "Wow ! I did not realise this - thanks for putting the record straight" - and similar, suggesting that these readers have swallowed the whole fish and transferred the utter tripe or full gloss finish applied by the person writing the opinion into the "Truth" box in their tiny minds.

So what can the dissenting DooYooer doo ?

My word, you really have to be careful with some writers ! There have been several occasions on several opinions (by different writers) where my own, somewhat disparaging and 'robust' comments have been removed by the DooYoo Politzei-Fuhrer with my getting a wee rap or twa over the knuckles with suggestions that I should not read/rate/comment on that particular DooYooers opinions “for the time being”. On each occasion, this arse-kicking has been at the request of the author of the work in question.

On other occasions I have received an indignant email from the writer displaying a high degree of petulance and wanting to “scratch my eyes out” (and that is just the 'guys' - lol).

On two occasions, even worse (and, arguably, 'actionable') retaliation has occured.

For goodness sakes ! We are all adults (or should be) and surely we should be in a position to argue our corners without resorting to 'gagging' ? Now I rarely use very rude words but there have been occasions when I have called a "spade" a "blooming shovel" (or a cannabis smoker a 'pot-heid') and perhaps pointed out some potential character defects that some opinion-writers or commenters might have. But c'mon - we have
all left school, haven't we ?

OK, I will put my hands up ! There have been occasions when even I have agreed that I might have 'gone too far' - and if I have, I do apologise. Indeed with making such apologies I have sometimes become very good friends with those who I have had slightly 'cross' words with. There are at least six DooYooers that I consider as good 'cyber-friends' where this 'friendship' has started as a result of 'curt exchanges'. And after particularly fraught exchanges, where I admit I may have gone 'too far', I donate £10 or so to a charity of the offended party's choice (so surely I am not all that "evil"?).

For my own part, I am perfectly capable of defending any corner I want to take in an opinion (my usual attitude being : "Doo yoo want the 5 minutes argument or the full half-hour ?") but there are so many out there who seem to want to retain an unblemished, "no-conflict Man" or "we are all a collection of libby-luvvies" list of opinions and comment-threads which they can fool themselves (and any new-comers onto the site) into thinking that everyone agrees with them and their (sometimes, IMHO) VERY misguided opinions. The only occasion when I have had to ask for removal of a comment has been where I reckon the comment has been libelous and it would perhaps have been going too far for me to invite in "m'learneds".

Now I will admit that I love rattling cages -and also I am infamous for doing it in 'friendly conversation' too. I can and do get into some really juicy discussions going over a wee dram or twa in my neighbourhood (mainly about Religion and Scotland !). That is just the way I am ...

I must hasten to add that there is no criticism of the lovely Jo Starr in this. I can imagine that she was sometimes put in a very difficult position - with some harpie or lily-hearted-liberal
ranting on about that reprobate Sidneygee upsetting them and they will leave the site with all their lovely friends (and Thcream and Thcream and Thcream!!) if I am not soundly whipped or spanked, etc. etc. (OK, any volunteers ?). Puts Jo in an invidious position. She knew (cos I told her) that I don't get 'upset' about these incidents, but I am, well, just let us say "disappointed" that such censorship has occurred.

On the same tack, I wonder if it has been sensible to put some categories on the site (e.g. dealing with 'racism') in the Speakers' Corner section and then, in effect, not allowing one side of the argument (e.g. the racists) to put their 'extreme' opinions up ? Now I know that there is the law to contend with - and I am not an expert in this matter - but it just seems a bit twee to put up a category which allows only one side of the argument to be put, doesn't it ? Personally, I would love to 'have a go' at racists (and those with one or two other less desirable character defects) in their Comments Thread....

Such censorship is even more rife in DooYoo than many may realise. Whilst I was a Guide, I suggested the inclusion of a Category dealing with the pros and cons of Freemasonry. I have an opinion in draft format that I would have wanted to post in such a category. But one Guide protested most vociferously about this perhaps upsetting the Freemasons and the Category has not been included. Fortunately I can see another category where I feel I can post my opinion with impunity, so watch out ! I am just awaiting the publication of some specific information that I reckon will support this opinion even more....

5 24/7/365
As you all should now realise, Jo Starr, the Chief of the Thought Police has now left DooYoo. I am not yet acquainted with her successor, but one tribute I will pay to Jo is that she took her responsibilities very seriously - so seriously that sh
e would keep logging onto the site even on her weekends. Thus when the occasional 'Goose' turned up, then a quick email to the lovely Jo would soon have him trussed up, 'cooked' and removed forthwith.

When Jo went away for the occasional long weekends in Devon and would not be able to ensure the site was properly policed during her absence, she would delegate the 'spying' duties to some of the Guides. They could at least report back to Jo on her return and get any 'Gooses' or other miscreants removed ASAP. I doubt if any successor can be persuaded to exert any similar amount of commitment. Indeed, the site was rather spoiled for me and others the other weekend by a new ramification of the 'Goose' appearing again. His large number of useless excuses for Opinions, pushed other more deserving opinions off the latest opinions list, generally getting up to mischief, and up our collective nostrils. There are also occasional problems with 'churners' who need 'nipping in the bud', and I despair of the lack of control that will occur without as close as possible to 24/7/365 policing.

Surely it is possible for volunteers from the Guide Troop to 'take control' when Jo's successor is asleep or boozing Sangria ?

6 Publicity
I travel quite wide widely in the UK, and I have yet to meet anyone else who has heard of DooYoo (unless I have made 'private' arrangements to meet any that I have been in contact with through the site).

This surprises me. After all, most people I meet know about the www.friendsreunited.co.uk site.

Why is this ? Because that 'friends' site has gained so much more publicity - on TV, newspapers, radio ....

It really amazes me. I would argue that DooYoo is sooo much more rewarding, in sooo many ways.

The only mentions of DooYoo that I have heard is on late night Radio 2 twice - and one of those
was when I won a book on the 'Lynn Parsons' Midnight Friday show, when I mentioned that I had spent some time 'on-line' that evening. I did miss an appearance by an eminent DooYooer on Killjoy one morning, but I am not 'allowed' to switch the box on that morning by she who must be obeyed (a 'tale' in itself).

So c'mon DooYoo management, where's your advertising/entertainment budget?

The more publicity that you get, explaining the ethos of the site, then surely the more 'hits' you will get and the better will be the advertising income ?

7 Great Opinionators
Now we all have our favourite writers on DooYoo, and I think you must agree that many of them are much better than the regular crew you read in the Maily Dail/Sin/Murror/Scootsman/Da Toimes/ etc. Every now and again, you will get a really superior piece of writing that deserves national (or even international !) publication in a newspaper or a magazine.

Why oh Why oh Why hasn't DooYoo woken up to this resource ?

I reckon that a link-up with a major newspaper or magazine publisher should be explored, and every now and again, an example of the great consumer journalism/story-writing that appears on the site could gain a much wider audience.

Now, since this would give such writers excellent exposure, and possibly lead to some extra freelance work, I cannot think anyone would object. I won't list those who I reckon should benefit most from such an arrangement, because I am bound to miss out some deserving cases out, but I occasionally make this point in a comment.

Such a move could also encourage some of those who have 'given up' writing opinions to come back on board, too.

I do note that my good friend 'a-true-ben' has had a synopsis of his "argos.co.uk" opinion published in the Internet Advisor magazine, and part of my 'jocular' opinion on Ha
ynes Manuals appeared in the Sunday Times Colour supplement (but without any attribution).

I suppose there will be other ad-hoc examples that I will have missed, but what I am suggesting is a proper 'professional' link-up.

So c'mon DooYoo management, where's your advertising/entertainment budget?

The more publicity that you get, explaining the ethos of the site, then surely the more 'hits' you will get and the better will be the advertising income ?

8 Guides - Cry 'Foul' !!!
One thing which you must hand to the Fat-Cats who dreamt up and financed DooYoo is that on occasions they have been very clever.

There were so many staff starting off and establishing the concept; each category seemed to have an Op-Meister (as I christened them). Then there became Category assistants recruited from the DooYooer ranks of “Gurus” that they set up, and then these became Guides and gained better recognition.

Great idea that ! The Guides are expected to do much of the day-to-day work, a lot of the reading, and recommend crowns to the Op-meisters, all for free. OK I admit it, I did receive one tangible inducement when I was a Guide- a free DooYoo T shirt (WOW !!).

But what then happened ? There were periodic culls of Op-meisters and then the move to Madrid on (reported) much smaller wedges for those who went, each move giving an ideal opportunity to be rid of 'superfluous fluff' from the operation.

Having served as a Guide, I can tell you that it is a pretty thankless task. You really are expected to be a goody-goody-two-shoes-helpful-sort-of-cove (which, unfortunately, I am not and never pretend to be), and 'help' newcomers and all that jazz, but there is only general guidance given as to how Guides should operate. Well that was the situation at the beginning but things may have changed since I left.

I had suggested the set
ting up of a 'protocol' or 'terms of reference', so that each guide operated - as far as possible - in a similar manner, but my suggestion was defeated by the 'anarchist-faction' of the original Guide troop (lol - I still 'love' ya all !).

As anticipated, a major problem that I have noted is that there is a distinct lack of consistency between Guides. Many do read and rate all of the opinions that are posted in their area, but several don't. And when it comes to the awarding of Crowns - well there's a tale in itself. Oh that objectivity ruled - but it certainly doesn't !

I try to give opinions in a wide variety of categories. I have had the occasional blitz - for example on Scotch whisky and on Motors, but I try to provide a spectrum (and I am not trying for a full set of Crowns in every category like some DooYooers!).

I cannot and will not complain about the NUMBER of Crowns I have won. However, let us just say that I notice there are some categories where Crowns are rarer than a happy Dundonian in February! Like everyone on the site, I will also admit that I am disappointed not to have received a Crown for one or two specific opinions that I was rather pleased with. I believed that these may have broken new ground or given a different slant on a subject and (well) have been more deserving of crowning than one or two that have been in the appropriate Category.

On the other hand I don't 'try for a crown' with each opinion. I’ll go so far as to declare that there are at least 18 opinions where I have been awarded a crown where I would not necessarily agree that one was justified. The balance is thus heavily in my favour. However, to take this issue further, one Guide has written that he will not read/rate opinions in one particular category that is in his 'bag'. Now, IMHO, THAT is not on ... if you are the Guide then you "either sh*t, or pass th
e pot" (words that he is familiar with !!), so that is something which would certainly have been put into a Guides Protocol! - and I do NOT accept his reasons for not reading/rating !!

If you want to see another major category where NO crowns have been awarded, then look no further than "Education System" in 'Lifestyle'. There are several other Categories, but this is one which has particularly intrigued me. There are some excellent opinions and comments threads there...

I also note that there are THREE Music guides, but not one of them has read the opinion I posted on the Jazz Group "Lambert Hendricks & Ross". I did wonder if some bias is being shown there. Jazz is a minority taste perhaps, but one of them should be covering this sector, surely ? Then I find out from my Comments Thread that this is one major area of opinions where there are others feeling similarly affronted by those Guides NOT READING the opinions.
I checked back and found that none of the 'latest' Music Opinions (over about 4 days) had been read by any of the Music Guides. To those three Music Guides, I need hardly say it again (about passing pots ....?)*.

I also know that some DooYooers think they haven't (or won't) receive Crowns that they deserve because they have had disagreements with specific Guides or they have given a well-argued opinion that is totally contrary to that of the Guide. Or because they have 'exchanged words' with a Dooyooer in a Comments Thread and that DooYooer just so happens to be a Guide. Now a Guide wouldn't 'bear a grudge' would they ? Or would they ? It is wrong for anyone to feel this way.

I have also indicated elsewhere in a previous opinion on DooYoo that I can become annoyed when a very good (usually 'new') writer is ignored for the awarding of crowns, whereas hoary old S*ds like me/da Scotchgirl/da Murphy/da alki guy/da mad-cabby-of-
auld-Dooblin-Toon/(and da others where my descriptions would be unprintable) are immediately read/rated and crowned, almost as a matter of course. And if they are not, they are continually recycling these un-crowned opinions to the top of the heap (with no substantial update) in the hope of picking up the award (as a certain 'someone' perhaps shows in one of the comments made on this opinion! lol)

Whenever I feel that this has happened and a deserving case missed, then I do try to find time to email the Guide and/or the Op-Meister to point out this injustice. But it can all seem too subjective and much too cosy for my taste. How do you feel ?


Right, that is THAT specific rant over, but how to solve it ?

Well I reckon that the site really needs an Agony AuntyJill/UncleKen or similar for "Dis-gruntled of Auchtermuchty", "Incensed of Itchen" or "Bitter&twisted of Bilfawst) to email where they reckon that a particular Guide/Opmeister is asleep/falling down on their job/showing bias etc.

Also, if you feel that you have the time and the commitment to be considered as a Guide for a specific area where you have some knowledge (and preferably a few Crowns), then please contact DooYoo and volunteer !!

9 New Idea!
How many times have you serached the Index looking for an opinions on something specific and none are present ?

Well, in my case, not often, but it does happen.

I wonder if it would be possible to put up a 'Wish-List-Corner', where Dooyooers wanting information on a specific item (eg B&Q Pent Sheds) can put their wish on the site. Hopefully someone out there will be able to produce an opinion. Just a thought !

Conclusions
OK, that's probably my lot for a while. I'll try and look in and answer comments, but my on-site activity will be reduced over the next few weeks because of up and coming professional and domestic
activities. I will try & post the occasional opinion, but I may not be in a position to do quite as much reading/rating/commenting for a month or two .... unless my circumstances alter, that is.

Footnote (1)
I am certain that I am not the only one who will mourn the recent departure of the lovely Jo Starr. Great to have someone in charge of the Thought Police so committed to the ethos of DooYoo and working for the outfit. Jo even removed a blaspheming Goose at 01.25 on a Sunday morning that myself and others found and emailed her about. THAT is dedication. She will be greatly missed.

I cannot wait to 'have a tangle' with her successor ... but if her successor is such a darling as Jo was, then I would prefer it to be 'hand-to-hand' - in the dark - (he he he - dirty old bu**er that I am....).

Footnote (2)
In the first 24 hours, my ranting here has received 50 'reads' and many thanks for the support of those who have read and rated. The previous opinion that I wrote, on the Jazz group "Lambert Hendricks & Ross" has achieved just 30 reads over the past two days. It must have been read and crowned by the gorgeous Simone ....

Oh that this wonderful vocal Group encouraged an equal interest (and readers logging on to the excerpts of their recordings that are available on Amazon.com).

Good on kenjohn and some others for doing just that.... They can confirm that it is an experience NOT to be missed, so what are you others waiting for ?

Footnote (3)
* One of my Friends has emailed me and told me that one of the Music Guides has taken 'umbrage', protested at criticism received, and resigned (with a rant on OpCom - which I personally have 'no time for' (read as you like !).

Well, I reckon that any criticism given here is perfectly justified. Why have Guides if they are not willing (between them) to try to read as near to 100% of the opinions a
s possible?

All I will ask is for those REALLY interested in the continuation and advancement of the site should volunteer as Guides but, please, if you do volunteer, DO the job properly.

When my life is a little more settled, I shall certainly volunteer myself as a Guide again - but maybe my up-front attitude has blackened my balls in the eyes of the DooYoo Op-Meisters ?

Time will tell. He He He....

© Sidneygee 2002

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