An interesting blog..

**pauland** · 27 April 2011, 09:40 AM

..perhaps not for everyone, but I think it's a good place to spend some time.

http://www.subtraction.com/

**gwpriester** · 02 May 2011, 10:59 PM

I found it interesting Paul. Seems everyone else in this forum is asleep.

As an experiment I did not post for a week and there are now at least 16 pages of unanswered posts (I just did the first page). Hello? Is anybody else moderating here?

**AntonyF** · 03 May 2011, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by gwpriester

I found it interesting Paul. Seems everyone else in this forum is asleep.

Took you five days to notice, so clearly you were having a nap.

Gary, to clarify a moderator doesn't necessarily have to reply to every topic - they keep things on track, keep things spam free (in itself a big task) and generally keep an eye on things.

Off-topic by its very nature is where people will discuss in a topic if they feel it of interest.

**pauland** · 03 May 2011, 02:20 PM

I'm actually quite dissappointed at how insular the TG forums can be - focussed on the technology but not so interested in design and content issues.

The subtraction.com blog is particularly diverse and I would have thought might have some interest for most people on TG since it ranges over so many topics across art, design and technology.

I thought there might be some more of a "heads-up" from TG members, but that wasn't to be. I confess that I don't always chip in to threads if it's just going to be a "me too" pat on the back.

I came across Khoi Vinh's blog because I bought his book on grids.

I wonder what the site statistics say about browsing habits for TG. I always go for "what's new" regardless of forum, so I get to see what's going on regardless of topic. I suspect most people don't do that.

I think really that TG has become a misnomer. It needs a good kick up the backside so it becomes more of a graphics/design site rather than 101 questions, all the same, about building websites that are astonishingly bad clones.

That said, I'm not sure how to get TG back on track. If I had time (I don't) I might re-envigorate the FAQ, because 60% of TG traffic is about stuff that could be answered by references to a good FAQ and probably half of that 60% is because Xara hasn't sorted out synchronising web files and remote websites properly (I know there are a load of technical reasons that can be cited for problems and of course users don't do what they should do, but it's no excuse for Xara to have a system for synchronisation that users can screw up easily and without warning from the software).

Anyway, I'm wandering off topic on a thread only three of us are taking notice of!

Thanks for the heads-up.

**AntonyF** · 03 May 2011, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by pauland

That said, I'm not sure how to get TG back on track.

Yeah, while this is a separate topic I will answer it...

If I had to sum it up, TG feels like it's suffering from ennui. There's still some interest, but it's all bit ho hum. People either aren't contributing, or posting that people aren't contributing. Even Gary took five days to respond to this and all he could say manage "it was interesting" and he's one of our most prolific posters.

I do have a few things in mind... was talking with Kate at Xara recently and need to talk some more (time is my main problem at the moment). But they aren't magic bullets... so suggestions are always welcome (and your FAQ is one such example).

I think web questions were always here... it's just they are more apparant to the 'graphics crowd' as it were now the forums mingle together more, and probably because a few of the graphic heavyweights aren't around anymore.

FWIW I did look at the site the day you suggested it. Found it very slow. Nice design. Liked the city sculpture, but didn't really get it. Can't remember if I bookmarked it to investigate further. Trouble is these days, I (and probably most people) just scan, and if they don't get it straight away move on.

I didn't post this... it would be a bit of a downer, and you'd have gone "Hey, was only suggesting". So some of us are looking, even if we're not responding.

**mwenz** · 03 May 2011, 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by pauland

I'm actually quite dissappointed at how insular the TG forums can be - focussed on the technology but not so interested in design and content issues...

Well, to be defensive of posters, I think most/many people come to a forum based on software applications for issues related to use of software, not necessarily the why and how of design. There are some very good blogs and sites specifically for design issues that get good/great traffic.

Originally Posted by pauland

I wonder what the site statistics say about browsing habits for TG. I always go for "what's new" regardless of forum, so I get to see what's going on regardless of topic. I suspect most people don't do that.

Yeah, on here and most all forums I use the What's New type of search as well. Some I don't as I might have a narrow focus for their broad spectrum of software offerings.

Originally Posted by pauland

I think really that TG has become a misnomer. It needs a good kick up the backside so it becomes more of a graphics/design site rather than 101 questions, all the same, about building websites that are astonishingly bad clones.

I think that, as mentioned above, a forum largely by and for a company's application(s) will nearly always suffer this narrower focus of application use--the technological use, not what is produced by the technology.

Best regards, Mike

**AntonyF** · 03 May 2011, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by mwenz

I think that, as mentioned above, a forum largely by and for a company's application(s) will nearly always suffer this narrower focus of application use--the technological use, not what is produced by the technology.

Very fair point. I think TG is probably quite unique to have as much general chat/graphics as it does. I guess we also don't want to lose that, if it's subsiding.

**Mike Bailey** · 03 May 2011, 04:52 PM

So some of us are looking, even if we're not responding.

Ditto.

**handrawn** · 03 May 2011, 05:16 PM

Ditto + 1

**mwenz** · 03 May 2011, 05:54 PM

To expand on my personal reasons for visiting...

There are 3 "application-based" forums that I frequent. Two are Xara forums. For all three, I come by for only two reasons--which makes me part of the problem, really. I come to either "mindlessly" read or, most often the purpose, to see if there is something I can help with. Which makes the "mindless" part usually incidental to the offer of aid reason.

I don't think I have ever (since the inet began) used an application-based forum for other than giving or receiving aid. Pathetic? Sad? Or ? I don't know. I do know that most of my work is not art, rather it is usually technical for one of my businesses or for tech writing. Rather boring stuff. I don't have much time in any concentrated fashion to draw for fun. Not that I am not working on something "for the fun of it." But like most things on my honey-do list it may never get finished.

Take care, Mike