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Printable You know what this should have been adressed ahead of time. This is why people do tests. I'm sure 90 percent of people that joined had already registered their email so there could have been an estimate made as too how many people would be logging on at the same time and how much server space was needed.
Also there should have been research done ahead of time into what kind of security banks have and the transaction part of the site should have been designed accordingly, not after the fact. It's not just European banks that do these things. I couldn't get tickets because Lotusflow3r tried to charge my card 1 penny to authorize it and my card doesn't accept 1 penny charges and it's not just my card it's many banks, and I have never had that happen before so obviously it wasn't necessary in the first place. Saying that it's the banks fault or people's computers is cop out. My computer and internet connection are top notch and the site doesn't work right and my bank is a normal big bank and the site made errors and couldn't process my transaction and I couldn't get one ticket. Many of my friends couldn't even get in at all! The only thing that would be acceptable at this point is to offer a grace period for members to ask for their money back, because I myself would like a refund, and they can even deduct the 12 dollar charge of the CDs because that would be fair, but I have emailed them and asked for a refund and not had any response. | |
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squirrelgrease said: Anxiety said: really? i thought it was a very professional, very nicely worded message. maybe i just get off on being condescended to.   I would like to say something condescending, but it would probably just go over your head. that's the sweetest thing anyone has said to me all week.  | |
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stanleylieber said: udo said: If that is true, why do we pay? Why does P make a scene about his (C)opyrights? This is very contrary his normal pose. (!!) At least for us we would expect that content is not accessible to non-members (because we paid). it's not like that on purpose.  So it is by accident? Who is supposed to be competent? We are just the customers, didn't you know? Yes, I might be asking something here, but it is not too much for $77. Pills and thrills and daffodils will kill... If you don't believe me or don't get it, I don't have time to try to convince you, sorry. | |
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drclay said: You know what this should have been adressed ahead of time. This is why people do tests. I'm sure 90 percent of people that joined had already registered their email so there could have been an estimate made as too how many people would be logging on at the same time and how much server space was needed.
Also there should have been research done ahead of time into what kind of security banks have and the transaction part of the site should have been designed accordingly, not after the fact. It's not just European banks that do these things. I couldn't get tickets because Lotusflow3r tried to charge my card 1 penny to authorize it and my card doesn't accept 1 penny charges and it's not just my card it's many banks, and I have never had that happen before so obviously it wasn't necessary in the first place. Saying that it's the banks fault or people's computers is cop out. My computer and internet connection are top notch and the site doesn't work right and my bank is a normal big bank and the site made errors and couldn't process my transaction and I couldn't get one ticket. Many of my friends couldn't even get in at all! The only thing that would be acceptable at this point is to offer a grace period for members to ask for their money back, because I myself would like a refund, and they can even deduct the 12 dollar charge of the CDs because that would be fair, but I have emailed them and asked for a refund and not had any response. You don't even have to do RESEARCH. There should be plenty of American websites having a CC payment system suitable for international credit cards. The NPGMC had it!!!  | |
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EmancipationLover said: You don't even have to do RESEARCH. There should be plenty of American websites having a CC payment system suitable for international credit cards. The NPGMC had it!!!
So it is a regression issue? Pills and thrills and daffodils will kill... If you don't believe me or don't get it, I don't have time to try to convince you, sorry. | |
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udo said: stanleylieber said: it's not like that on purpose. So it is by accident? Who is supposed to be competent? We are just the customers, didn't you know? Yes, I might be asking something here, but it is not too much for $77. prince's web people are supposed to be competent. but prince doesn't run his operation like a real business. it's time for a new direction / it's time for jazz to die | |
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japanrocks said: it seems clear to me that this website was set up for the fans - so we should be patient I agree with being patient to a degree... but as for "this website was set up for the fans" I'm sorry I have to disagree. This is not an act of philanthropy or altruism. No one is being GIVEN anything. This is an exchange of money for goods and services, no more no less. Prince set it up that way when he decided to charge $77 in order to access the site. We are customers, which I don't have a problem being. But while I like the product (music, video, and prospective tickets), the customer service on the site is lacking. Proof of that is that the site designer has to communicate to customers THROUGH ANOTHER SITE (this one). Their own site seems ill-equipped at providing basic customer service information. "That...magic, the start of something revolutionary-the Minneapolis Sound, we should cherish it and not punish prince for not being able to replicate it."-Dreamshaman32 | |
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Anxiety said: squirrelgrease said: I would like to say something condescending, but it would probably just go over your head. that's the sweetest thing anyone has said to me all week. That's what I do. I fuckin' cheer bitches the hell up. I volunteer at nursing homes on the weekend.If prince.org were to be made idiot proof, someone would just invent a better idiot. | |
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udo said: EmancipationLover said: You don't even have to do RESEARCH. There should be plenty of American websites having a CC payment system suitable for international credit cards. The NPGMC had it!!!
So it is a regression issue? i like the graphical elements of the site (it has been more than ten years since i have liked the graphical elements of a prince production), but most of these problems paying customers are having to deal with are basic interaction design mistakes that a competent web commerce designer would not have made. credit card information being transmitted in the clear? that's actually a crime in some jurisdictions. faulty form filtering? come on! the lack of customer support staff is also telling. it's time for a new direction / it's time for jazz to die | |
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squirrelgrease said: Anxiety said: that's the sweetest thing anyone has said to me all week. That's what I do. I fuckin' cheer bitches the hell up. I volunteer at nursing homes on the weekend.i am interested in your services. do you have a website? does it accept credit cards?  it's time for a new direction / it's time for jazz to die | |
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stanleylieber said: squirrelgrease said: That's what I do. I fuckin' cheer bitches the hell up. I volunteer at nursing homes on the weekend.i am interested in your services. do you have a website? does it accept credit cards? Calm down your hopes. It uses the same payment system as lotusflow3r.com...  | |
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A simple solution Scott
Shut the website down. Leave a note on the front "website shut due to technical difficulties will re-open within 24 hours" Start again. Sit up ALL night, employ others if you need but solve every issue the website has before taking it live again. Make sure that the website is 100% safe and secure especially for your customer’s transaction and the website downloads. People should be given the option Flash or html page for signing up/login the security padlock should be seen at all times when private details need to be entered. You need to include a simple html interface; it is good business sense to do this for those that do not have speedy computers/connection. This was done for the npgmc and is easily implemented so no excuses just do it. If you do not your decreasing your boss’s profit margins and that’s not good business sense. Have a simple help/FAQ page for General queries and troubleshooting problems Have a simple service fault/update page so that your customers can check for outages and scheduled maintenance that may affect the service Implement a decent customer service: When a customer contacts with a problem they should receive an automatic reply stating that someone will contact them with an answer within 48 hours. Fix all issues ASAP and most in this community will become happy bunnies praising whatever bones Prince throws at us. If you don’t run for cover cause this community will go on and on and on and on and on and drive you bonkers. You know how irritating that song "the song that never ends it goes on and on my friends" You have been warned...
. [Edited 3/26/09 9:38am] | |
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stanleylieber said: udo said: So it is by accident? Who is supposed to be competent? We are just the customers, didn't you know? Yes, I might be asking something here, but it is not too much for $77. prince's web people are supposed to be competent. but prince doesn't run his operation like a real business. Maybe. It could depend on the type of deal he struck with them. But indeed, some managament appears to be missing. Pills and thrills and daffodils will kill... If you don't believe me or don't get it, I don't have time to try to convince you, sorry. | |
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TypoQueen said: A simple solution Scott
Amen! And yes, some of os ARE willing to help out. So YES you can. (and don't mention CHANGE because O doesn't do change) Pills and thrills and daffodils will kill... If you don't believe me or don't get it, I don't have time to try to convince you, sorry. | |
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zobilamouche said: ShadeoViolet said: I just feel, as a graphic design minor, I might have at least a tiny bit of insight on this issue...
When designing anything, we were always taught that FUNCTIONALITY comes before everything else. (Yes, even aesthetics.) The site has to work and work effortlessly. Period. If it doesn't do that, then all of the artistic flourishes are ignored and put to waste due to user frustration.. (Here's an analogy:: Imagine walking into an art gallery, and before you could view any of the beautiful pieces, you had to complete a successful round of Sudoku just to properly view any kind of drawing or painting.. That's just frustrating, isn't it?) I don't know about everyone else, but when I want to visit a Prince website, I just want the music and videos. I don't want to play a game. Heck, that's why we have video game counsels. They are BUILT solely for that purpose. Trying to make a website into some elaborate "Myst" experience is just a very poor idea on its face. Why? Because it all goes back to functionality. Websites are built for this and for accessing information first and foremost. If they aren't doing that very well, then there needs to be a redesign. It really is that simple. Plus, why would you want to alienate a large portion of your fan base who happen to be running PC's with lower specs? If anyone has ever wondered why the "Diablo" video game series has been so ridiculously popular after all these years, I speculate that a large part of its success might have to do with the fact that ANYONE with ANY kind of computer can smoothly run the game. (PC or Mac) This increases your potential market share greatly and ends up benefiting everyone involved.. Basically, it comes down to this:: Make the website leaner, faster, and more straightforward. I say this even as a Graphic Design minor and Art major. There's a time and place for clever Flash tricks.. and this certainly isn't it. See, THIS is why HQ was far better then any Official Prince site. People may vent on Aaron, the mods and all that, but HQ was first and foremost the perfect tool for a prince-fan to get info. And back in the day, to see video, pictures etc. Unless Lotusflower starts providing a substantial amount of interesting unavailable items (these do NOT include candles and insence), I'll be spending some money on music elsewhere and will settle for the cd-set when it hits the stores. so then y don't u go back 2 HQ? oh yeah that's right  man, he has such an amazing body of music that it's sad to see him constrict it down to the basics. he's too talented for the lineup he's doing. estelle 81 | |
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EmancipationLover said: stanleylieber said: i am interested in your services. do you have a website? does it accept credit cards? Calm down your hopes. It uses the same payment system as lotusflow3r.com... i don't know why everyone is hating on squirrelgrease and cussing him and everything. his website only charged me sixteen times. it's not like i was going to do anything else with that money. i love him. i hope he sees my blog and invites me to his crib where a little spanish man will serve me captain crunch and load my ps3 games for me. it's time for a new direction / it's time for jazz to die | |
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udo said: stanleylieber said: prince's web people are supposed to be competent. but prince doesn't run his operation like a real business. Maybe. It could depend on the type of deal he struck with them. But indeed, some managament appears to be missing. how much you wanna bet the site spec was given to scott in the form of a princebonics haiku it's time for a new direction / it's time for jazz to die | |
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L4OATheOriginal said: zobilamouche said: See, THIS is why HQ was far better then any Official Prince site. People may vent on Aaron, the mods and all that, but HQ was first and foremost the perfect tool for a prince-fan to get info. And back in the day, to see video, pictures etc. Unless Lotusflower starts providing a substantial amount of interesting unavailable items (these do NOT include candles and insence), I'll be spending some money on music elsewhere and will settle for the cd-set when it hits the stores. so then y don't u go back 2 HQ? oh yeah that's right hq shut down because lotusflow3r.com makes it redundant. aaron saw this in advance. it's time for a new direction / it's time for jazz to die | |
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stanleylieber said: EmancipationLover said: Calm down your hopes. It uses the same payment system as lotusflow3r.com... i don't know why everyone is hating on squirrelgrease and cussing him and everything. his website only charged me sixteen times. it's not like i was going to do anything else with that money. i love him. i hope he sees my blog and invites me to his crib where a little spanish man will serve me captain crunch and load my ps3 games for me. 
...and a mouth full of rainsonettes... | |
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stanleylieber said: squirrelgrease said: That's what I do. I fuckin' cheer bitches the hell up. I volunteer at nursing homes on the weekend.i am interested in your services. do you have a website? does it accept credit cards? 
One of the services I offer. If prince.org were to be made idiot proof, someone would just invent a better idiot. | |
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squirrelgrease said: stanleylieber said: i am interested in your services. do you have a website? does it accept credit cards?
One of the services I offer. this is an AWESOME service i'm so glad i didn't wait until sunday it's time for a new direction / it's time for jazz to die | |
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EmancipationLover said: stanleylieber said: i don't know why everyone is hating on squirrelgrease and cussing him and everything. his website only charged me sixteen times. it's not like i was going to do anything else with that money. i love him. i hope he sees my blog and invites me to his crib where a little spanish man will serve me captain crunch and load my ps3 games for me.
...and a mouth full of rainsonettes... Co- If prince.org were to be made idiot proof, someone would just invent a better idiot. | |
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stanleylieber said: udo said: Maybe. It could depend on the type of deal he struck with them. But indeed, some managament appears to be missing. how much you wanna bet the site spec was given to scott in the form of a princebonics haiku Well, also some www-experience, business-sense (as explained), normal testing by abusers like us all, etc could come in VERY handy. If the instructions from P were shady, then he (Scott) should have put his foot down about risks, issues, and assumptions. Not too firm, but at least P was aware then. P's management (which is void) could have extrapolated on P's vague wishes. (if they were vague...) And yes: just gimme access and I can test. Fee is negotiable. Pills and thrills and daffodils will kill... If you don't believe me or don't get it, I don't have time to try to convince you, sorry. | |
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stanleylieber said: hq shut down because lotusflow3r.com makes it redundant. aaron saw this in advance.
Aaron was tired of it all long before the latest shutdown. Ask A about his police matters. He'll understand. He just continued because the HQ 10 year anniversary party wasn't just right. Pills and thrills and daffodils will kill... If you don't believe me or don't get it, I don't have time to try to convince you, sorry. | |
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is this another glitch on the site where the music from the albums are not playing anymore nor can u click on2 one song in particular? whenever i try 2 go 2 the worlds, the song titles keep running over and over but nothing can b heard.. man, he has such an amazing body of music that it's sad to see him constrict it down to the basics. he's too talented for the lineup he's doing. estelle 81 | |
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TypoQueen said: A simple solution Scott
Shut the website down. Leave a note on the front "website shut due to technical difficulties will re-open within 24 hours" Start again. Sit up ALL night, employ others if you need but solve every issue the website has before taking it live again. Make sure that the website is 100% safe and secure especially for your customer’s transaction and the website downloads. People should be given the option Flash or html page for signing up/login the security padlock should be seen at all times when private details need to be entered. You need to include a simple html interface; it is good business sense to do this for those that do not have speedy computers/connection. This was done for the npgmc and is easily implemented so no excuses just do it. If you do not your decreasing your boss’s profit margins and that’s not good business sense. Have a simple help/FAQ page for General queries and troubleshooting problems Have a simple service fault/update page so that your customers can check for outages and scheduled maintenance that may affect the service Implement a decent customer service: When a customer contacts with a problem they should receive an automatic reply stating that someone will contact them with an answer within 48 hours. Fix all issues ASAP and most in this community will become happy bunnies praising whatever bones Prince throws at us. If you don’t run for cover cause this community will go on and on and on and on and on and drive you bonkers. You know how irritating that song "the song that never ends it goes on and on my friends" You have been warned...
. [Edited 3/26/09 9:38am] Shutting the site down and fixing the issues with downloads should be a priority. They should consider that group legal action could be coming their way if they are unable to supply the content that was promised with the membership fee. "No Refunds" does not hold water in that regard. Also, there are many firms that could be contracted to do customer service for them (maybe that way you could AT LEAST get an automated form letter acknowledging you sent them something). | |
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udo said: stanleylieber said: how much you wanna bet the site spec was given to scott in the form of a princebonics haiku Well, also some www-experience, business-sense (as explained), normal testing by abusers like us all, etc could come in VERY handy. If the instructions from P were shady, then he (Scott) should have put his foot down about risks, issues, and assumptions. Not too firm, but at least P was aware then. P's management (which is void) could have extrapolated on P's vague wishes. (if they were vague...) And yes: just gimme access and I can test. Fee is negotiable. totally agree. you gotta beta test stuff like this. just wrangle a small group of purple heads and give 'em a couple of freebies in exchange for participating in the beta/focus group. most of these problems could have been solved in advance with a couple of days worth of testing. i don't think bandwidth is even in the top ten. it's time for a new direction / it's time for jazz to die | |
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Also, since "you guys" were sent a statement from the designer, please pass this along...
How hard is it to put up an HTML announcement page addressing our concerns? I could do it for you in thirty minutes or less. Seeing as how I'm unemployed I'd be happy to do so, for a fee. Please send me an Org Note to disuss.
 [Edited 3/26/09 10:34am] | |
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AH Hahahaa! Server Farm...yea, so all the animals, mostly stupid sheep, can EASILY, with no brain work, use the site...right? Riiiight.
Go for a fun trip everyone. Just drop 77 in that bucket and keep moving....keep the line tidy and neat...single file now... Fucking lots a laughs. Prince is going to be bored again. | |
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barnum and bailey circus had a sign at the entrance: "this way to egress"
how to do this right: http://nin.com it's time for a new direction / it's time for jazz to die | |
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