Zeropaid News Concerns

[Jorge]

News mods

I recently recieved an email from a member who was concerned about the lack of news that is published on zeropaid.com.

As a relative newcomer to ZP I must say that the possibility of current news was the thing that initially drew me here.


Since then, I've found much more to like but I have to admit puzzlement at the paucity of current news stories pertaining to file sharing related issues.

I agree. Not only have I seen a recent lack of p2p news being published but also a lack of technology/music news published. Zp is a portal site and we do encourage the publication of non-p2p news. Zp staff also encourage users to post relevent stories on tips & tricks, cool technology and music technology news. However the most important news here is p2p information, this should not be overlooked.

I've submitted a few relevant stories and had a couple make the cut, but I cannot figure why so many stories are ignored. I submitted one today which was the lead story in the NY Times technology section concerning The New Napster, but it wasn't put in the ZP news section submitted by anyone. Why pass on good stories?

He does have point. Most visitors visit the site more then once a day and even more then once an hour. So current up-to-date information is key in Zp performance.

Lets figure out how we can get more stories published daily while keeping important stories from not being overlooked.

Thanks for your time.

jorge

[MP3guy]

I could not agree more. Ive recently began using both google news search and boycott.riaa.com for current p2p-RIAA stories since most updates go un reported on Zeropaid. Ive also had numerous news articled ignored when submitted.

[shawners]

I posted news before, and when i submit it, it looks funky like all the lines and sentences are run together, i did mostly copy and paste, and it shows no paraghraps, and with the link wrap it was too much for my mind to boggle.. and i submitted news about things and a few days later someone else submits it, and it goes in. So i figure most people submit it and get passed so they may say, "why bother". Mostly i come to zeropaid to get news from saving me time to go to six websights to get the same content.. IT saves time if i could read what the big thing going on without having to search for 6 websights relating to p2p.

[Kooperman]

Yes, I've noticed that the way a news story is submitted apparently has no resemblance to the story I may have pasted in the submission box, at least in terms of page layout. Everything is in one monstrous paragraph. Is this the way the story actually gets to the news mod? If so, no wonder so few are accepted.....the work involved in cleaning the submissions up would be very time consuming.
By the way, who are the news mods? If there is a list of them somewhere I've managed to avoid finding it.

[Ken17625]

Yes, I've noticed that the way a news story is submitted apparently has no resemblance to the story I may have pasted in the submission box, at least in terms of page layout. Everything is in one monstrous paragraph. Is this the way the story actually gets to the news mod? If so, no wonder so few are accepted.....the work involved in cleaning the submissions up would be very time consuming.
By the way, who are the news mods? If there is a list of them somewhere I've managed to avoid finding it.

You have to format it using HTML.

[aqlo]

The newsies are running sort of thin right now
http://www.zeropaid.com/bbs/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13723

dubstylee has an idea about using the forum software for news comments
http://www.zeropaid.com/bbs/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13699
maybe they could use it for the news too
sort of blurs the distinction between news and dialogue though

[wonderboy2005]

another great reason to switch the news software.

[shawners]

if i have to edit news to html format, thats too much work required for it not to be passed on and posted on zeropaid. I like to just copy paste it, and be done with it. Just cause it may be user friendly, dont mean we have to throw our xp's out and give in to the penguin dude.

[phalkon30]

Although nothing really came of it...I tried to jump start the news in THIS THREAD (http://www.zeropaid.com/bbs/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13337)

I was also told (don't remember by who) to not post anything not p2p related, I can try and change that though

As far as the system used.....I haven't been doing as much work because I don't have the time! Its too hard to post something...editing comments isn't much better. Basicly, I think you would have more news, and better moderated comments if you went to a new news system, possibly an extension of the forums.

Some news mods need to be removed, and new mods added also. I think sockfulloflove would like to help out (if I remember right), he knows html and runs a p2p site with another member.

If you do stick with the current news system, please think about some of the suggestions I made in THIS THREAD (http://www.zeropaid.com/bbs/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13337)

[Kooperman]

phalkon, you really hit the nail on the head with your comments in that thread. Some change has to be made in the submission process to allow the news mods to both have a life and be a news mod.

[phalkon30]

It would be cool if I could post news also....its giving errors
insert into news (id, title, submitting_user_id, article, date_submitted, num_comments, status, filename, homepage) values (0, 'GLT Poliane 2.09', '137442', 'GLT Poliane 2.09 has been released!

This new version is for correct some urgent bugs.

GLT Poliane is a web-based p2p that share only mp3 files.

If you don't tested it yet, do it now!
Are only 181KB the full download... and is free of adware/spyware/popup banners.

download it at http://www.gltpoliane.com/baixar.php




Www.GLTPoliane.com', '2003-08-17 21:28:43', 0, 'LIVE', '08172003d', '1')

[PuNiShErKiLl666]

I could be a news mod.. really. Im on all the time (I dont have a life) I post alot of my own stories (Not here cause nobody appreciates them)
I have had gotten good remarks at my sites about my news postings and I know alot of HTML (Well duh) so I could help out.

[cpugeniusmv]

Originally posted by phalkon30
I was also told (don't remember by who) to not post anything not p2p related, I can try and change that though


i was told the same thing...can't remember from where......

[DeadMan2003]

I've just posted a couple of P2P news items. Hope someone sorts it out soon.

[phalkon30]

Jorge, your changes are a good start, should save a few clicks. Its also less confusing for training somebody new

[cpugeniusmv]

Originally posted by phalkon30
Jorge, your changes are a good start, should save a few clicks. Its also less confusing for training somebody new

cheers!

a welcome change...and ZPNews still works without a hitch :)

[MusikBeatz23]

Hmm... but I would also like to apologize for not helping out as much as before, but this summer has been very very time consuming... and i am back to normal... If you would still give me the chance, I would like to help out again... I enjoy posting news and editing comments...

[MoonMan]

A few changes I'd like to see with the current news software...

- When publishing a "GENERAL" story, I think it should just go straight to the front page without having to create a home page include. The biggest mistake I see (besides people forgetting to insert html formatting tags) is that happening. So the story exists, but its not showing up on the front page because of this. See what I am saying ? That step shouldn't even be there, it should just happen.

- When a story is submitted using this (http://www.zeropaid.com/news/submit_news_form.php) link, the text should ADD the appropriate formatting tags (like <br> and <p>) based on how the submitter writes it. This way, if a large news story comes in with no link but its original we do not have to spend 25 minutes trying to figure out which is part of paragraph 4 and which starts paragraph 5.

Example:

If someone submits something like this.

With no tags such as <p> or <br>.

And no link.

it will show up as:

If someone submits something like this.

With no tags such as <p> or <br>.

And no link.


------------------------------------------

My two cents.

[MoonMan]

Also,

when a story is changed to "RELEASE", there should be NO WAY to create a home page include. This takes out the chance that a program release will be placed in the news article section. Alot of newer news mods make this mistake and I have on occasion.

[Kooperman]

I was the unnamed user who contacted Jorge about the front page news section being woefully barren so often. I've since learned that it's mainly too much work reshaping the formless blobs that we submit. The html stuff is alien to many of us.....sure wish there was a change which enabled us to submit stories that require minimal editing. As it is now, I just submit selected stories as threads in the appropriate forum, rather than the news section.

[MoonMan]

I'd like to expand on what I mean when I say there shouldn't be ANY NEED for html formatting tags. Many journal and blog sites do not require (although they do allow) those particular tags since newbies do not know about them and it is a big ant-motivation (for lack of a better word).

Again here is an example of how it should work:

Sample A

P2P NEWS
by some guy

Today in p2p news the RIAA, with the support of China, unleashed a plethora of nukes upon the free citizens of the world for file sharing.

It was fun and stuff.

http://riaanukedus.com

----------------------------------------------

Sample B

P2P NEWS<br>
by some guy<p>

Today in p2p news the RIAA, with the support of China, unleashed a plethora of nukes upon the free citizens of the world for file sharing.<p>

It was fun and stuff.<p>

http://riaanukedus.com



Sample A & B should look identical in the finished product which would be something like this:

P2P NEWS
by some guy

Today in p2p news the RIAA, with the support of China, unleashed a plethora of nukes upon the free citizens of the world for file sharing.

It was fun and stuff.

http://riaanukedus.com

[MusikBeatz23]

I could agree with you there MoonMan, and with phalkon about the betanews format...

[nasrules]

Originally posted by shawners
if i have to edit news to html format, thats too much work required for it not to be passed on and posted on zeropaid. I like to just copy paste it, and be done with it. Just cause it may be user friendly, dont mean we have to throw our xp's out and give in to the penguin dude.

It isn't exactly hard to format it in HTML. If all you want is simple paragraphs, use <p> at the beginning and </p> at the end of each one. I'm sure there's a thread somewhere outlining the basic HTML tags needed for news posts, but that's really all you need. URLs don't need to be linked, the mods can do that for you.

However, I do agree that a new system is needed. I have my personal blog set up so that it automatically inserts paragraphs, links and line breaks etc, and I know HTML like the back of my hand. Sure, it might cause a small amount of disruption, but if the end product is an end to all these 'problems', does anybody really care?

I have to say that I'm not the most active of News Mods. Not only am I not very active as a member full stop, I got pissed off with people submitting totally incoherent stories full of <hr>'s, <b>'s, and <font size="10">'s. A new system is needed, and I'm sure Jorge can provide that. If you need any advice mate, you know where I am.

[rainbowdemon]

When using html to post images you have to use [ ......]. In your post you use <.....> as an example. What is the difference? I'm just starting to learn html. Never messed with it before.

[MoonMan]

Originally posted by rainbowdemon
When using html to post images you have to use [ ......]. In your post you use <.....> as an example. What is the difference? I'm just starting to learn html. Never messed with it before.

[img] - Vbulletin tag to insert images
<img src="blah.jpg"> - html way to insert images

[rainbowdemon]

Originally posted by MoonMan
[img] - Vbulletin tag to insert images
<img src="blah.jpg"> - html way to insert images I see. I thought Vbulletin and html were more or less the same thing. Thanks!!

[aqlo]

it's mainly too much work reshaping the formless blobs that we submit A quick workaround here is to right-click on the exyternal news story you are submitting and choose "view source". Cut and paste the html directly from there.

Dubstylee was talking seriously about fixes but in the meantime that will help you Kooperman and others submitting. Thanks for the great stories you guys!

[phalkon30]

Lets say that we keep our current news system, at least make some of the changes (like a new news poster guide) or html basics.

[TC75580]

I was on vacation when this thread was posted so I never noticed it until now.

I haven't been posting news in a while, the only privelege I have been using lately is my ability to moderating news comments. The reason I originally stopped posting news was because everyone was posting in a different style and there were too many news mods, so my absence at first did not have an effect.

We still need a common format that EVERY PIECE OF NEWS adheres to, and I don't care what it is, but we need something. I proposed this before but my request was ignored, and I won't post news regularly until I get a response. We need to work together here.

[begoodbebad]

Originally posted by shawners
...... and i submitted news about things and a few days later someone else submits it, and it goes in. So i figure most people submit it and get passed so they may say, "why bother". Mostly i come to zeropaid to get news from saving me time to go to six websights to get the same content.. IT saves time if i could read what the big thing going on without having to search for 6 websights relating to p2p.

Shawners and mp3guy have a point. You can submit news even correctly edited in html and it will be ignored...and then a while later someone else with a face that fits submits the same thing and it's posted.....so you think ok this place only wants contributions from certain people so why should I make any effort? I did what others did...gave up after a few submissions, even when I knew relevant stories I also felt they will only be accepted if they come from the inner circle.
ZP especially lately with all the RIAA shit has got far too defensive and inward looking generally and the news problem is a big symptom, along with crushing new people just for the sake of it. Obviously someone comes along and posts warez or verifieds they will get a hard time but so do lots of others who like all of us got born without knowing it all.
New members will keep it fresh. Things either evolve or wither away, it can't stay exactly the same forever.

But it won't hurt if it's easier to submit a story......you have to really strongly want to post that story to learn html!

[MoonMan]

Originally posted by begoodbebad
Shawners and mp3man have a point. You can submit news even correctly edited in html and it will be ignored...and then a while later someone else with a face that fits submits the same thing and it's posted.....so you think ok this place only wants contributions from certain people so why should I make any effort? I did what everyone else did...gave up after a few submissions, even when I knew relevant stories I also felt they will only be accepted if they come from the inner circle.


No you are just being paranoid. When a story is submitted we only see the member number, not the member name. I'm sure it is possible to use that number and search for which member submitted it, but as far as I know no one actually cares enough to do that. Far too much trouble for something so trivial.

If your story was published but under let's say my name, it was because you didn't use html tags to format it and frankly I do not want to deal with a shapeless blob for 25 minutes trying to make it readable. I just go directly to the link on the page (if there is one), copy and paste 2 3rds of it (with a "read the full story" link at the end), and insert the appropriate tags so it doesn't turn into a monstrosity again.

Also, I hardly consider knowing 2 tags is learning html. It's simple but people make it hard.

<br> is a line break. Whatever comes after it is on the next line.
<p> is a paragraph tag. Anything after it is two lines down.

[phalkon30]

Adding to that, the only other tags you need are the <B> bold tag, and the html link tag (which is right on the submit page)

[TC75580]

I don't care if people who submit stories format them or not. Why should they waste their time? WE'RE the news mods.

It only takes at most five minutes to format a story. Delete whatever the person submitted, copy and paste the news story directly from the source, insert paragraph tags in the breaks, and add a link to the source. It takes practically no effort. I really don't see the reason people submitting the story need to do anything but notify us of the story.

In fact, I think it would be better if the news mods that edit the stories are credited instead of the members that submit them. That is the way most sites work, and it's more advantageous. It pushes competition amongst news mods so they actually WANT to release stories because they get to see their name on the front page a lot more, without having to go through effort to find the stories.

[phalkon30]

Thats not a bad idea. We could make the news completely uniform this way, and it would be less confusing/would get news waiting to be posted faster.

Going on this system, make a template or something, that we could "fill in the blank". Sorta like my comment on program releases, how betanews does their stuff, have a form for the news mods, we get a link, and fill in the necessary info, it formats it for us, and looks uniform.

[Truncheon]

For the most part I would like to thank ZP members for keeping me up to date on P2P news! I read the forums and check the news here daily. Although I have been monitoring the site for a long time, I have only recently starting posting. I just want to thank you all for really giving me an education in P2P!

[begoodbebad]

Originally posted by MoonMan
No you are just being paranoid. When a story is submitted we only see the member number, not the member name. I'm sure it is possible to use that number and search for which member submitted it, but as far as I know no one actually cares enough to do that. Far too much trouble for something so trivial.

If your story was published but under let's say my name, it was because you didn't use html tags to format it and frankly I do not want to deal with a shapeless blob for 25 minutes trying to make it readable. I just go directly to the link on the page (if there is one), copy and paste 2 3rds of it (with a "read the full story" link at the end), and insert the appropriate tags so it doesn't turn into a monstrosity again.

Also, I hardly consider knowing 2 tags is learning html. It's simple but people make it hard.

<br> is a line break. Whatever comes after it is on the next line.
<p> is a paragraph tag. Anything after it is two lines down.


OK maybe I'm paranoid, less skunkweed more tea......

but it stands about what happened....I'm not the only one with the same experience.

Also TC75580 has a point, if it is so easy for you then do it. Fact is there is less and less news on ZP and don't blame the members if it is hassle to submit it or they get no credit. If you want a good flow of news people will do it for you but let them see their name in lights.....we all like a little appreciation. If only mods get the credit then who will take the time......
Anyhow the point is to get some stories!!!! Do what you have to do....make it as simple as possible for anyone.
Give people a little credit! Members are the life of ZP not a nuisance.....even when they are being a nuisance. Other sites can do it so can ZP.

[TipYourBartender]

Originally posted by TC75580
In fact, I think it would be better if the news mods that edit the stories are credited instead of the members that submit them.

Originally posted by begoodbebad
you want a good flow of news people will do it for you but let them see their name in lights.....we all like a little appreciation. If only mods get the credit then who will take the time......

Simple compromise: How about crediting BOTH the member who submitted the story AND the mod who entered it?

[MoonMan]

I dunno about TC, but I hate trying to fix a story with no formatting and that is why I do what I do. I could care less who gets the credit really as long as the story is out there for reading.

If you do not want me "stealing the credit", then use the <br> and <p> tags. Simple as that.