Hello sweet kittens and puppies,
We've been having a biggg overhaul of BacktoFrankBlack this week (which has admitedly delayed the much awaited John Kennenth Muir podcast follow up - up this weekend!).
The main drive of these changes has been to streamline and cut out what has fallen behind in being updated, or simply is no longer being used. We want BacktoFrankBlack in 2010 to have consistent visual tone and be in a position where myself and Troy can manage it with efficiency. So if you're interested in what this means, I'll break it down.
- www.backtofrankblack.com has had a technical - and slightly visually - upheaval. I've been very concerned about how that beast has been spiralling out of control, with far too many interviews, features and links to keep updated in its current form and how its current form is so webmaster unfriendly. So for now, it's being cut back as I replace the extra content in a more user friendly and webfriendly manner. This means the features, interviews and extras are currently inaccessible (unless you've been sage to bookmark them) as I move the site from html to php. I will gradually return the extra features over time and keep you all updated to their reappearance. The main page is now a more functional news page and Barry Renshaw's fabulous opening artwork will become a free wallpaper - pending Barry's approval (another thing to check!). languages are also offline until we decide how to revamp those as well. The standard information, podcasts, links, FAQs etc remain. The aim is to make the website sleeker campaign tool and ensure all its features are easily updated and in effect, all up to date. So expect the features to return, but for now, I've just trimmed the stuff which was out of date and required offline inspection.
- The mailing list is gone for now. The list was far too cumbersome a software to use on a regular basis so I'm considering restarting it or looking at how we use it. It will return.
- Myspace B2FB is inactive - and potentially looking at being shut down. Why? Aside from Myspace often being very buddy and virus laden? Because myself and Troy are very keen to focus our community efforts rather than try and operate too many at once. Myspace is not a big platform these days and as such is really a lower priority than Twitter or Face book.
- Twitter and Facebook BacktoFrankBlack groups have had a face lift bringing them in tone with the main website. We have more consistency across the groups.
A big thanks to my long term friend Zach Demeter for his help in getting my technical updated kickstarted. Couldn't have done it without him!
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6 Responses to "Ezekiel Editorial: BacktoFrankblack changes!"
Thanks for the update, good to know these things.
And I don't really lament the MySpace thingy. It's so easy to add a profile to your friend's list and never look at the profile in ages.
I don't really see much point in MySpace outside of music.
And the new look is very millenniumistic and dark and moody. Well done.
Cheers from Iceland!
- Jósef
Thanks Josef. We really appreciate your feedback. I like the new dark, gloomy feel to the blog. Yes, Myspace is just basically a pain now and not much action over there. More spam and viruses than anything. Thanks for all your support Josef and get your friends back over here for comments and such! :)
It's all a learning experience. Thanks for the feedback. Yes Myspace served its purpose, but its just not rally able to pull its weight or offer anything, just lost in the backwash of spam and ego.
Glad you like the update. Was going to go more drastic but then I realised, this is Backto FrankBlack. Dark. Minimalist. Moody.
Well hello there. Praise be to all you good people who keep the dream alive. I have to say I do not follow the campaign with the vigour I used to do. I know you guys are busy with changes and I salute you but the heart and soul and sense of celebration needs to be brought back to this campaign and the overhaul is a little dour and unapproachable possibly? I am one of those backward fools who meddles with Myspace and has yet to venture into the new dimension that is Facebook so I will be sad to see it go but I understand your reasons for jettisoning it. Could you explain to me why Myspace suffered because of "ego"? That makes no sense to me at all??
David,
Really not sure what to take from your comment. Um, the heart and soul of this campaign is still here. The people behind it may be different, but it is still there. The reason for letting myspace go is simple, it's just not worth the time anymore. In the past 3 months, there has been nothing but spam and potential virus links. We just don't have the time to deal with something that isn't helping the campaing. We appreciate everyone who has joined the myspace page, but as Myspace's popularity has plummeted, it's time for us to let that page go and move on.
Hi David,
A candid and honest response - I sincerely appreciate it. Never looking for praise/adulation, we need to know what people are thinking.
As for dour and unapproachable, I can't really say. I think the design reflects the show, which I suppose is slightly dour lol. But I think we're an open team - and as the person who started this campaign, I've always kept it open and fun. The podcasts with myself and Troy I believe reflect that, Mark did that on this blog - and while we've shifted away from the less comicy graphics (something Mark was never keen of when he was editing the blog), the ethos remains.
But yes, graphically there won't be as many unique features, simply because we are now shorted by one individual and have to prioritise what's required. I think the design reflects the show and the character that it holds true to the campaign leaving myself and Troy to focus on the media, industry and fans themselves in trying to bring the show back.
As for the "ego" comment, every Myspace page is customised often with blaring sounds, bad animations and sluggish designs - all very in-your-face expressions of personality. The profile is entirely made from ego.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not being snobbish. I've been a member of Myspace for years www.myspace.com/jamessmclean. Nothing wrong in promoting what you love, what you hate and who you are, I just think for networking groups of fans, Facebook works better and its where more people are at right now, so it makes sense out of the two, we move with the times and the demographic changes show that Myspace has lost a lot of its community to Facebook and been left with just a lot of product advertisement, spam and a wealth of viruses I'd like to personally avoid!
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