Uks changes for july 2022

[MaryAnne]

...

Good luck anyway for the future and I am and will always be grateful to UKS for the friends I have met and made, I hope to keep those, but I think I am done here.

Don't want to assume what you mean, but it sounds a bit final so same as to Maggie - feel free to PM me if you want to be removed.

[pkcase]

I love it here. Most inspiration and solutions come from here.
In my opinion, there may be less traffic here as folks are using fb more to try to get solutions. I wish they would realize that fb solutions are often wonky answers. I have always received solid solutions to problems here.
I also really like it here in that new designs never appear to be junk or just fluff.
Happy paper cutting.

[Susie.A]

And the reality is that a lot of people are pretty wary of popping their heads up in a very public way, especially when what they have to say goes against long comments from a unified group. So yeah, maybe they felt more comfortable PMing me or Sue or Dolly to offer their thoughts. If the reaction to any question or comment is going to be met with such an aggressive tone, can you blame them for not wanting to risk that??


From MaryAnne's quote above this was exactly how I felt. I have joined in to this thread and posted a couple of times with my views, but felt the latter posts were not only negative but quite hostile too and this isn't something I have ever seen before on UKS. I didn't want to say anything and I suspect a lot of people felt the same and I did pm MaryAnne for this exact reason because I was worried she would think we all felt the same. Judging by the number of pm's received I guess I am not alone in being concerned about this.

It is sad to hear that people want to leave and won't give the July changes a try. Unless I am completely misunderstanding this, judging by the number of posts you've done those of you who are thinking of leaving have posted less than lots of other people including me. How does that make you more vocal? Perhaps I'm missing something here, I often am. Credit where it is due you certainly all post lots of lovely LO's which is what the site is about but the feeling of community has alway been paramount to the success of UKS and that comes from chatting and long may that continue.

So, since we are all saying where we stand I felt is was time to be brave and stick my head up above the parapet and say that my support goes to MaryAnne, Karen and Sue and I am happy to go along with any changes that may benefit UKS. It must be awful to be criticised so harshly when you are working hard to keep a site going and one which we beg each year not to be closed down don't forget.

Maybe if we all take a step back and re-think things and let this all calm down it will help. Unless some of you have been unhappy and thinking about leaving for a while then a knee-jerk reaction is never good.

Since having Covid and being unable to use the computer for weeks I did get out of the habit of coming on to UKS. But I'm back and you won't be getting rid of me any time soon.

Our builder called so if I've missed any posts in between typing this and posting, I'm not ignoring you but the building work is important too.

[scrapdolly]

Well I have thought long and hard what to reply to the wealth of comments on this thread. It has not been easy reading in many cases and I wanted to consider my answers carefully.

Firstly, our only intent was to shake things up a little to try and re-ignite the community we had here. The focus, in my opinion, has been too heavy on challenges and the garnering of points and less on the community. I blame myself, in part, as I was the one who actively sought to get more challenges for people to select from. However, many people tend to come in, post their challenge and leave. No community there. I appreciate people might have limited time, might be trying to limit screen time etc. but I find that difficult. To me, if someone is playing with what is offered in a community, then the polite thing is to try and give something back to that community by way of a little interaction. I adopt the same sentiment with Facebook groups. I try not to just do their challenges but to interact with the group because, to me, that seems fair and polite.

When we started the team system there were well over 40 teams and it was much needed … and we had 4 houses. Times changed and so did needs and I agree with MaryAnne that, for the purpose of points, they are no longer needed. However there is no question of disbanding them… people have made good friends in their teams and chat away there.

You queried the comment about most vocal group. In fairness you … you identified yourselves we didn’t… are not usually the most vocal. There are a few of you who chat on threads and comment on pages but in general the rest of you don’t participate. However, you all felt the need to share your views on this thread … what a shame it is only when there is controversy.

I was sad to read so many of you have problems with the perceived clunkiness of UKS. I am on several forums, not all scrapping, and they all work in a similar way. I use UKS on my phone, my iPad and computer and maybe it is just me but, apart from gallery images being small, I have no issues. True when using an iPad it doesn’t like punctuation on gallery comments but it is not an issue I have encountered in posting anywhere else as described.

UKS costs money to run and for many years MA has shouldered much of that burden and there is not mileage in a new system in the current marketplace. I use Facebook a lot but a lot of members don’t and have chosen not to. I remain firm in my personal belief that a forum with plenty of sub headings sub groups is easier to search for things than fast moving Facebook groups. But that’s me.

We have been encouraged by the messages of support we have had for proposed changes and just messages of support in the face of quite an onslaught highlighting how we and the forum has failed. Sadly a lot of people, as Susie said, find it scary to put themselves out there when there has been some very thinly disguised hostility and so chose not to write publically. Susie, and Petrina, well done for putting your head over the parapet and stating what you feel, which is just a valid as all of the people who feel negatively. Thank you.

MaryAnne asked, quite rightly, why those of you that dislike the way it works kept coming back. It was a genuine question. We really wanted to know.

At the end of the day, UKS is the way it is, love it or hate it. It has been a scrappy home for many many people over the years. Yes it has shrunk, yes it is more dated than a fast paced Facebook group, but in a world of Facebook groups we are offering something different, and it’s not for everyone. There are people who still love being here and it sounds like those of you that dislike it are leaving or have left anyway. MaryAnne is committed to keeping it, even in a scaled down form, for those who love it.

The last few days have been quite hard reading the oft vociferous and harsh comments when we were aiming to try and engender more of a sense of community and I, for one am ready to move on. I stand by why I have always said … to have a community you need to BE a community. I will do my level best to,try to engage with the people who want to be here and keep UKS going for those who want to be here.

Community …. It’s all about community ladies

[Jolene]

I’m not quite sure how or even if to respond to the last few posts. I am guilty of only coming in and posting layouts for challenges, generally not commenting on many. Although I usually look at the top line frequently and other than the team chat I don’t usually post in threads. What has kept me coming back is the team I belong to, contributing to collecting points for the team, the friendly banter about challenges, who’s doing what, what up in the abc etc. I think also that UKS for the last few years certainly seems to have been driven by challenges- they were the only threads that are active. Other than the daily chat and snap, which it seemed to me you had pop in regularly in order to have any idea what someone was talking about and I simply don’t have that kind of time. I work full time like many others and sometimes you have to decide where you spend your time.

I said in my earlier post that UKS isn’t my first port of call for inspiration. But I do like some aspects of the thread structure, as it doesn’t move and with the first unread feature you can find where you got to. I have enjoyed the threads posted in the general chat over the last few days, hopefully they’ll continue and I’ll be able to keep chatting in the one off conversation where it doesn’t necessarily matter if you read back. I think I gave up on them because last time I posted something it got about 4 replies and no discussion and there seemed at that time to be more interest on Facebook.

I am not sure if any of this is helpful, but thought I would try and answer why I have kept returning.

[elainevking]

I agree Jo. It’s the people that keep me coming back.
I feel I answered in an honest way but, rightly or wrongly, I thought I was being criticised for my comments.. especially when I was told to rally ‘my’ team. It isn’t my place to do so, nor is it the place of anyone it may have been directed at if it wasn’t me.
Quite frankly I don’t want to go over it all again. I don’t want angst. I don’t need points they were just a bit of friendly rivalry that spurred us on to scrap.
As I said I know my way around this site very well and can do all that needs to be done. I held a two hour FaceTime session to help our newer members, but some still struggle.
I will, if you will have me, stay and contribute to the new chats which are proving popular. Let’s hope that continues and it isn’t just the stalwarts that remain chatting eventually . I can’t commit to all of them all of the time but when I have time I will.
As far as challenges are concerned I will dip my toe in from time to time but the friendly rivalry that prompted me to post will probably eventually stop me contributing. We shall see.
In the meantime let’s get back to doing what we love, scrapping.

[scrapdolly]

Jo let’s all of us do all we can to keep that one of chat threads going ..I think we all need that. And your post was helpful, explaining why.

Elaine no one has asked anyone to leave. Like you I enjoyed the challenges but stepped back from them a little while ago as they were becoming the main focus and that wasn’t for me.


Like I keep saying … community.

[elainevking]

That’s cleared that up then. That’s good. Let’s move on

[Jimjams]

A great read with popcorn at my side It reminded me to read twice before replying to try be sure that I understood what was being said

As a very long-time member of UKS who used to help out a lot with challenges, cybercrops etc before work and life got in the way, I am guilty of abandoning the main forums for several years. I haven't uploaded to the gallery for a long time because my scrapping became so infrequent that it seemed wrong to receive comments when I didn't have time to return the favour. I haven't even been that good at joining in with my UKS Team threads - posting for a day/two each month or so and then going AWOL again. Like the good friends that they are, they forgive me and welcome me back and accept that my points are pitifully negligible so don't bother asking.

Why am I still here? Because I have made some really, really good friends through UKS and they like to chat here rather than FB. Because UKS was how I found scrappy inspiration when I first started. Because I know what a fabulous resource it is - inspiration, tips, help and company.

I'm not going to comment on what works well / badly compared to other platforms because the experience of what is clunky, hard to navigate, confusing or whatever has a lot to do with people's technical skills, the device they use, their patience and determination.
When I finally decided I wanted to get the hang of FB I asked questions, Googled, experimented ... and still get things wrong like double posting or commenting on the wrong post or making something public when it was meant to be Friends-only or ...
The same when I started with UKS: I asked questions on Testing & Help, searched the threads, posted for the practice ... and sometimes things worked, sometimes not.

Do the Admins know how many members keep coming back to UKS in a month? How many read the threads (rather than just popping into the social groups)?

Apparently 47 members have read this thread. Fewer have commented. That to me says that UKS is dying on its feet. Which would be a shame.
UK Scrapping needs a neutral platform - not associated with just one shop, not overwhelmed with adverts - with several different threads, running at different speeds (some chatty, others easier to keep up with), but with a few of the same (friendly) faces across the boards so that you don't feel intimidated or foolish when you dip your toe in the water. It is wonderful that UKS has been here for company for some, inspiration (via gallery / challenges) or motivation (gallery comments / points) for others. We are all different and at different stages in our scrappy lives.

So, I will donate again to UKS, try to be a better team-mate and forum-member for the next couple of months. I would hate to see UKS disappear, because (selfishly), I feel I might need it more when I retire next year plus I finally have a grandchild so my scrapping could be about to take off again

[Jimjams]

Oh and I would like to thank MA, Dolly, and Miniowner for ALL their hard work building and maintaining the wonderful UKS Community
And thanks also go to the people who do keep coming back - UKS needs us ALL

(Have to keep editing my posts because the smilies are different from FB )

[Susie.A]

Jemma, congratulations on your grandchild, yes so many photo's to scrap when you have the time. But please don't think that when you retire you'll have more time, the retirees all seem to be as busy as ever if not more so, you'll be wondering how you ever found time to work.

One thing that has become apparent to me from this thread, is how this site means different things to different people. You hit the nail on the head Jo when you said about going onto a thread such as Community Chat or Snapchat when we used that more for chatting and not being able to follow what was going on because you're not on there everyday. I read today that Alison's cockerel has gone missing, which Alison if you read this I am so sorry to hear. I hope it does turn up again. But unless you are on these threads every day you simply can't follow some of what has been said and who has the time to go scrolling back to find out what has been going on.

I am also enjoying the new threads which you can dip in and out of without missing anything as you said Elaine, let's hope it continues but that's down to us to do that. I'm relieved to hear you are staying and look forward to seeing more of your great LO's when you step away from the paint brush. No pressure there.

I think the reason so many viewed this thread Jemma but didn't comment was the tone that it had taken on but now views have been aired perhaps and hopefully we can move on and each enjoy this site in the way we always have done.

A final thing that has really become apparent is this - don't we all lead very busy lives in one way or another. Why is life so hectic! And you're right Jemma, UKS does need us all - well said.x

[Jimjams]

I think you may be right about time after retirement - but hopefully it will at least mean I get to use my crafting desk again (it's for working-from-home since the pandemic)

Apparently 47 members have read this thread. Fewer have commented. That to me says that UKS is dying on its feet. Which would be a shame.

I think the reason so many viewed this thread Jemma but didn't comment was the tone that it had taken on but now views have been aired perhaps and hopefully we can move on and each enjoy this site in the way we always have done.

I actually meant that the fact that only 47 people (out of thousands of UKS members) had read a fairly active thread is the issue (the number of people who have commented, is a separate issue - you'll always have more readers than writers) - in the old days UKS was visited by hundreds every day ... hence the confusingly fast pace of some threads and the sense of bewilderment felt by UKS newbies.

[scrapdolly]

Jemma you will love scrapping a grand-baby.

Don’t bank on that time Jemma … I think retirement is the busiest time of all … oh and the fact you slow down because you think you have so much more time.

I remember when I worked 12 hour days and fitted in housework, appointments etc as well. Now if we have, for example, the dentist we are quite likely to say ‘oh well we can’t do anything much on Tuesday, we have the dentist!’ Or maybe that’s just us. But you will love it. It’s very liberating.

[MaryAnne]

I appreciate the input from everyone. I think July might be a bit of a shake up month but like all experiments (with luck, hopefully) it will reveal some interesting insights.

At some point UKS will shut the door and turn out the light. Will that be at the end of this year? It might be. But for now, we might as well celebrate those of us still here, maybe find time to reconnect a little bit, and perhaps even forge a few new friendships.

Aside from the scrapping inspiration, finding friends and community was once what UKS was all about and it would be very nice to see a bit more of that.

[sharon1973]

Hi Everyone.
I have also been a long standing member here. Initially I just joined in with some of the challenges and chats, then in recent years I have become a points collecting member of a team and we regularly chat in our group. My love of UKS is a place for inspiration - the huge gallery and the ongoing challenges which I try to do, but I quite often run out of time. I enjoy chosing the challenge that speaks to me to complete.

In the past I have been an anti and non FB user, but I had to relent and become a user due to my childrens clubs, etc using FB as their message board and I kept missing notices! The problem now is that I have found loads of scrapping groups and lots of other challenges, so I am holding up my hands and saying that primarily I post my challenges here in UKS and chat in my team then go! Sorry!

FB is great for inspiration but if you see a layout or comment you like and want to come back to it, unless you screenshot it or write it down - its gone! Things in the albums tend to be easier to find, but not always... Its great for keeping current things to the top, but not if you want to go back to it, then scrolling and scrolling is a pain. Posting photos of layouts is quicker as you don't have to resize, but thats not the end of the world and it doesn't stop me posting here.

I like UKS having regular challenges as I like a prompt to get me started - I will make more of an effort to chat in the threads. I wouldn't have the lovely craft room I have today and the friends I have without UKS at the start and I would be sad to see it go, if it does.

I am happy to not collect points - or maybe not have groups/teams anymore to encourage us all to go to the general thread and chat there? I am happy to see and try new ways of using UKS.

I also don't feel that some of the strong negative comments are helpful at all! Mary Anne, Sue and Karen do a super job with this site and we should be trying to help it continue if we want it to, rather than criticising. If you don't want to be here then there are lots of other places you can go to!