Domenica 6 Lug 2008, 13:25
Hee hee! I was dying to use that as a title! Sorry, Last.fm, no offence, I just couldn't resist. :D
We're having a funny old time in Last.fm Beta. I've found myself embroiled in some heated arguments getting to the bottom of things, I hope it was all worth it.
If you've seen the beta site and it all looks weird or nonsensical to you, hopefully, this will help.
First and foremost, it's essential everyone sees this:
…what we've been working on is a fresh start, a new foundation for a Last.fm that can hold all our ideas and yours. If things look a little bare or basic in places, that's why ;-) we need your feedback before we build up the rest of the site and put on finishing touches.From: Read Me First
What that means is the beta site is more or less a template. It's like they cleared out a city and just put the landmarks in. It's up to us how we put everything back. Basically, we can have whatever we want. We have already seen things moved around based on our request. Nothing seems to be written in stone and everything seems to be in flux.
The way it works is this: users give feedback either via the feedback link on the top left of every beta page or in the beta group. Staff regularly read everyone's posts then go back and discuss, and possibly implement. From time to time, they pop in to say thank you and ask us to keep it coming. They don't engage in any discussion.
Assumptions:
1: we can have whatever we want
Within reason, although quite what the parameters are is unclear. Can we redesign the template? What's the final vision? What are we aiming for? Secrets aren't helping here. There will be a new and revised Reply Tracker, but quite what we don't know, for example. It's hard for us to get excited and start dreaming up ideas if they're going clash with these secret surprises Last.fm have planned for us.
2: we've reached the end of the line with the live site
Last.fm is positioning itself as THE music site on the internet. More and more search engines are pointing to it, from the BBC to Pirate Bay. In the future, with mobile computing picking up, there will be even greater interest. Last.fm is the only site that has everything in one place. It's a one-stop-shop. It does need to move from something that grew organically to something more sophisticated.
The live site, much as we love it, isn't very stable. The new site aims to be more stable, better organised with room to grow. None of our ideas will be future-proof and I don't doubt the site will be upgraded yet again in about 18 months' time (as usual!).
3: the same page
What do we know?
* there will be a new site
* it's beta but not as we know it
* Last.fm ARE responding to feedback
* it will be a while before the beta goes live, we have literally only just started
* we are invited to shape our beloved Last.fm anyway we want. All we need do is ask.
I like keeping up with who's doing what in the business world. I have never heard of an instance where a company took this approach with their customer base. Usually, we get what we're given. A lot of people have looked at the beta and assumed that's what we're getting. Their knee-jerk reactions are understandable given there's no precedence to go on. Last.fm have invited us to help without actually telling us that was what they were doing. This has led to some people feeling disheartened or frustrated. Fair enough, really. We should all be extremely excited but instead, we're all a bit confused.
I've made a start with a little brainstorming. I just want to capture my ideas here in my journal. They're more for me than they are for you, sorry, but feel free to go see, add your penny's worth, whatever. (Please write beta-related comments in the Beta group. I'm not building the site, they are.)
I'll add any future thoughts here too.
Videos Page 10 Jul 08
Users Page 11 Jul 08
Feedback on Feedback (and tagging) 11 Jul 08
Link Artists/Last.fm users with their Artist pages? 12 Jul 08
New site rules: tiered access for non-subs / subs / super-subs
related: word from staff, from the same thread 14 Jul 08
Events page 16 Jul 08
17 July 08:
It looks like beta isn't beta anymore. No official announcement yet (2.45pm). It's nowhere near ready yet.
I already said it but I'll say it again: RIP fantastic, beautiful live site, you jewel in the crown, you sensational example of web design, you award winner, you trend-setter. Miss you already. :(
Babs My Gang
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