Contact details for BCUK Management (edit: resolved)

« Blocking sites | How to make a STICKY Post »

Contact details for BCUK Management (edit: resolved)

by SeasideMan ^Pro @ 2009-11-05 – 12:59:12

Do any of you have them?

I'm particularly keen to be able to get in touch with the BCUK Customer Services Manager to discuss the tagging fiasco. Does anyone know if such a person exists or how to contact them?

It's all very well talking to Rampage, Cyzzie etc. who do a fine job at the sharp end, but on this occasion we need answers from higher up the management chain.

Thanks, Tom.

(Edit): These are the 2 managers:

http://www.blog.de/user/florian/
http://www.blog.de/user/vasco/

Vasco joined in on a discussion here:

http://armchairrevolutionaries.blog.co.uk/2009/11/05/mokono-company-aims-7312522/
Options:
Tags:
- contact
- management
- details
- tagging
- fiasco

42 Comments to Contact details for BCUK Management (edit: resolved)

Hide subcomments

- brokendownangel ^Pro
- 2009-11-05 @ 13:09:30
Not a clue!
- Reply to comment
- Permalink
- Rampage ^team
- 2009-11-05 @ 13:11:27
I assure you that Vasco and Flo, the two managing directors, are very much aware of the situation and are working just as hard as everyone else to find a solution.

As the English Support, all mails come to me. I am the contact person between the users and the team. For this reason, cYzzie, the head of IT, is going out of his way to be actively answering comments from users.

We understand that everyone is pissed off and that we messed up. Continuing to tell us this is only slowing down our ability to react and rectify the situation.
- - SeasideMan ^Pro
  - 2009-11-05 @ 13:16:07
  OK, thanks for the response. Can you please give an approximate estimate for when we can expect the situation to be resolved? Then all of us who are so concerned can be patient until that time.
  
  Thanks.
  - - Rampage ^team
    - 2009-11-05 @ 13:34:41
    We're working on correlating the German and English statements, but they will be online within the next few hours.
    - - SeasideMan ^Pro
      - 2009-11-05 @ 13:38:00
      That's good to know, thankyou.
      
      Tom.
      - Reply to comment
      - Permalink
- - banana ^Pro
  - http://poetry4fun.blog.co.uk
  - 2009-11-05 @ 14:16:42
  Having run a website business previously I well know the horrible sinking feeling and the tightness at the back of the neck that accompanies a major b*lls up of this proportion.
  
  Not sure what difference it makes - but you have my support - even if it makes me sound like a crawly teacher's pet.
  
  I'm not going anywhere with my blog subscription - I researched the competitors and as long as you can get things back on track you are by far the best option out there.
  
  Have deep breath, don't overdose on caffeine and I am sure you'll put things right soon.
  - - Rampage ^team
    - 2009-11-05 @ 17:57:39
    Thanks for that comment. We're only human after all, we messed up and we're trying to fix it.
    - Reply to comment
    - Permalink
- justgrrl
- 2009-11-05 @ 13:12:32
what do you actually call "tagging fiasco" - I mean, what exactly is the "fiasco" part?
- - SeasideMan ^Pro
  - 2009-11-05 @ 13:19:47
  BCUK changed the tagging system and gave only 2 days notice in a post on a group blog that most people don't look at. They deleted all tags containing over 50 characters or 5 words, or over 15 tags to a post without giving any notice at all and then emailed those who had tags deleted partially in German afterwards.
  
  This has badly messed up quite a lot of people and intensely irritated some others. The general feeling is that the change needs to be reversed ASAP. Some people have already cancelled their subscriptions, others are waiting to see how they respond to the flood of complaints.
  
  It's a big mess and how they handle it will make a lot of people jump one way or another.
  - - justgrrl
    - 2009-11-05 @ 13:43:58
    why should 'tags' be of so massive importance, they are not part of the 'post contents', but only sort of appendages.
    
    I partly underststand the need to 'regulate' the use of tags, for instance, I sometimes see tags like:
    
    "yesterday-I-ate-a-sandwich-with-garlic-and-then-I-got-bad-breath-and-my-girlfriend-left-me-and-I-am-now-deadly-unhappy".
    
    Tags like that are, admitted, very interesting , but - technically - a bit getting 'out of hand'.
    
    The only (rather small) faux pas of blog.co.uk might have been they did not translate the German explanation for the not German speaking bloggers. The explanation (translated) would have offered very clearly the (to me quite acceptable) new 'concept' of using tags.
    - - SeasideMan ^Pro
      - 2009-11-05 @ 13:53:29
      This may not be of importance to you, but it is to lots of others.
      
      There have been several faux pas here:
      
      Lack of consultation
      Total lack of notification for some changes
      Insufficient notification time for the bits that were notified
      Deletion of user-created content without permission and notification after the fact
      Reduction of service
      
      Those of us paying for this service are rightly upset that the service we are paying for has been changed without us having a say in it. Those getting a free service have equal right to be upset as they have an expectation of ongoing service too.
      
      The fact that several people have already cancelled their subscriptions and that others are considering doing so indicates how seriously many people take this. Tags are not merely appendages, they are how posts are indexed and searched for both internally to bcuk and via internet search engines.
      
      Tom.
      - justgrrl
        
        2009-11-05 @ 14:12:31
        
        of course tags are of importance to me too, I use them for specific searches, but not such 'tags' I gave an example of. Even if the above example is a fictive tag, I can say from reading some blogs that real examples are equally 'relevant'.
        
        To 'consultation' of bloggers when changes occur - I guess this aspect is not part of the agreement, or contract, or 'terms of use' (as far as I remember to have read 'terms of use' in an email we all got some months ago from bcuk). I mean "us having a say in it" is not part of the contract, I think. Anyway, not for the 'non paying bloggers/customers'.
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        SeasideMan ^Pro
        
        2009-11-05 @ 14:22:19
        
        I would suspect that nothing BCUK has done contravenes any contracts, nor the "terms of use" they have with their users.
        
        On another note, if you have a few minutes it would be most helpful if you'd have a look at the video linked to in my OP and give a very brief English summary of it. If you don't have the time, that's fine - I know I'm being a bit cheeky asking this!
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        justgrrl
        
        2009-11-05 @ 14:31:06
        
        can't find that video you mean, where is it exactly?
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        SeasideMan ^Pro
        
        2009-11-05 @ 14:39:58
        
        It's in the OP. Here it is again:
        
        http://www.turi2.de/2009/03/17/interview2-florian-wilken-blog-de-5772617/
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        justgrrl
        
        2009-11-05 @ 15:38:14
        
        it's nothing sensational in that video. (I sent you a message with 'sort of' summary)
        All known facts about the new trend of advertising on blog. But that is not something he, or bcuk, had invented.
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        justgrrl
        
        2009-11-05 @ 14:32:01
        
        ok, I see, you mean the interview... will have a look
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
    - - la_spice
      - 2009-11-05 @ 14:00:38
      On a personal level I have a poetry blog and I used the poem titles as a "tag" thereby producing an index of over 260 poems so that visitors can simply click on a title they like the sound of and go straight to that poem. Many of my titles exceeded the "5 word limit" and were subsequently deleted. This system which has developed over almost three years has at a stroke been undone.
      
      Rather a big faux pas in my book!
      - banana ^Pro
        
        http://poetry4fun.blog.co.uk
        
        2009-11-05 @ 14:13:05
        
        That is a brilliant idea!
        
        Sorry it has gone kaput.
        
        Will they be reinstating it or is it gone forever?
        
        If things get put back to how it was before - I might copy that system.
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        la_spice
        
        2009-11-05 @ 14:50:28
        
        Just keep your poem titles less than five words and you'll be ok!
        
        There is talk of them putting them back for us to amend to fit their new criteria but that won't work for me and many others
        
        Btw - I've not had any questions for your interview from the Wide Awake Gang despite asking them twice. Sorry
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
      - justgrrl
        
        2009-11-05 @ 14:25:59
        
        well, I feel for you being now disappointed, I know (from scientific work) how it is when an index is no longer at hand. Still, I think the 'tagging' system was not an 'indexing' device, people have just used it for that purpose. Tagging - in my knowledge - is a simplified system to enable quick searches, and as such it should be simple (not too wordy).
        
        For special requirements - like poetry blogs, or any other contents that need entire titles to be indexed - may be bcuk could introduce an extra (blog internal) device for users to 'arrange' their blog contents how they desire (?).
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        la_spice
        
        2009-11-05 @ 15:08:47
        
        According to BCUK "The intended audience for tags are the visitors of your blog, tags act as part of the navigation of your blog" that's exactly how my tags worked for me.
        
        The issue is changing the system practically overnight and deleting existing tags. In future I will have to limit the number of words in the titles of my poems. Had the "new criteria" been in place from the outset I would have accepted the "five word limit"
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        SeasideMan ^Pro
        
        2009-11-05 @ 15:20:40
        
        The announcement is out now Marian, and the change isn't being undone but they are offering a partial compromise...I think...
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        la_spice
        
        2009-11-05 @ 15:34:56
        
        It'll take a look now - I've just had a lot of stupid twaddle from cYzzie on Landers Blog - it's priceless:
        
        http://landersuk.blog.co.uk/2009/11/05/new-bcuk-logos-7311829/#comments
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        SeasideMan ^Pro
        
        2009-11-05 @ 16:35:36
        
        That is indeed a load of nonsense!
        
        One thing leaps out for me: if 99.9% of tags fit the standard, how serious can it really be to keep the other 0.1% lying around?
        
        One interesting point, the Terms of Service say this:
        
        http://www.blog.co.uk/company/tos.php
        
        "“Content” in the sense of the present General Terms of Service refers to all content posted on the site and made available by User. This refers above all to text material (including comments on texts of other users), uploaded photos, videos, music files, graphics and other files (.doc, flash, etc.) as well as other picture elements and personal data, in so far as User makes such material visible for other users and for the general public"
        
        Thus, your tags are content, and BCUK shouldn't be editing or deleting them. I can't see how they can wriggle out of that! A tag is undoubtedly "text material"!
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        la_spice
        
        2009-11-05 @ 16:45:32
        
        I think you're right.
        
        As for how tags are used that's surely up to the blogger. Had the 5 word criteria been established I would have had to comply.
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        SeasideMan ^Pro
        
        2009-11-05 @ 16:49:38
        
        They have invoked another clause to trump this.
        
        http://the.blog.co.uk/2009/11/05/tags-revisited-7312844/#comments
        
        "§5.3 clearly states that we can delete any content anytime, of course it is not our intention to do that just cause"
        
        Basically, they can delete anything you post at any time without giving a reason, including any and all of your tags.
        
        That leaves a nice warm glow about this place, doesn't it?
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        la_spice
        
        2009-11-05 @ 16:56:31
        
        I wonder what would happen in the unlikely event that everyone stopped using tags???
        
        Just a thought.
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        SeasideMan ^Pro
        
        2009-11-05 @ 17:06:18
        
        We wouldn't show up on google searches so much.
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        la_spice
        
        2009-11-05 @ 17:30:28
        
        Exactly
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        SeasideMan ^Pro
        
        2009-11-05 @ 17:36:41
        
        Hmmm...
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        banana ^Pro
        
        http://poetry4fun.blog.co.uk
        
        2009-11-05 @ 15:46:58
        
        Where is the announcement Tom?
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        SeasideMan ^Pro
        
        2009-11-05 @ 16:31:49
        
        It's posted in the "News" tab of your My Blog page.
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        la_spice
        
        2009-11-05 @ 15:49:57
        
        If I stay I won't be using any tags on my poetry blog apart from "poem" the very tag that mysteriously disappeared anyway BCUK said they didn't remove all 260 or so "poem" tags but neither did I. The only reason I'm going to even bother tagging is that if you don't add a tag it prompts you for one!
        
        Hey ho!
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        SeasideMan ^Pro
        
        2009-11-05 @ 16:25:36
        
        Did they really say they didn't do it? Since you didn't either that means there are only these, all rather unpleasant, possibilities:
        
        1. There is a very serious bug in the BCUK system that they don't know about
        2. BCUK have been hacked
        3. BCUK are lying to you
        
        I think 1 is the most likely.
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        la_spice
        
        2009-11-05 @ 16:39:59
        
        They said that at that time no tags had been deleted and they were investigating.
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        SeasideMan ^Pro
        
        2009-11-05 @ 16:45:17
        
        OK, then let us hope that their investigation finds either the bug or the culprit. It could easily be a member of staff making a mistake: I used to do that sort of work myself and it's all too easy to delete stuff that shouldn't have been deleted. All they have to do is restore it!
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
        
        Show this thread
        
        la_spice
        
        2009-11-05 @ 16:51:08
        
        I'm still waiting
        
        Thankfully I'm a "belts and braces" sort of person and fortunately used both "poem" and "poetry" tags on all new poems so the impact isn't as great as the "five word limit".
        
        Reply to comment
        
        Permalink
- freeasthewind
- 2009-11-05 @ 13:16:18
I think I missed something
- - SeasideMan ^Pro
  - 2009-11-05 @ 13:20:56
  Please see my response to justgrrl above.
  - Reply to comment
  - Permalink
- moonwoman
- http://www.moonwomenspirituality.com
- 2009-11-05 @ 13:16:51
I totally agree with you!
- Reply to comment
- Permalink
- freeasthewind
- 2009-11-05 @ 13:24:41
I had something about it but didnt understand what they were doing. I guess it is because I rarely use or check tags. But I understand everyone elses issue
- Reply to comment
- Permalink