New Web Site

What would you like to see? All feedback and suggestions appreciated!
sobres
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Joined: 14 Jan 2005, 17:05
Location: Southampton

New Web Site

Post by sobres »

I have often looked at the old web site and waited for the new one to arrive only to be disappointed. I find that many of the pictures do not appear. the links are not that easy to follow. I had hoped to see a much improved site with all the known Blyton titles listed in pictures ect. and maybe a list of all her books as well. Not everyone wishes to join the Society to gain info but it would help if there was some basic info on the web site to encourage others to join. If any site should get it right it one like yours.

I hope the missing pictures can be corrected asap as you should really check the pages to make sure all is appearing before you publish the site to the web.

My comments are not to offend just an observation
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Matthew Roberts
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Re: New Web site

Post by Matthew Roberts »

Thank you for your comments, sobres. Duly noted. However, I would like to respond to a few points.

Firstly, the reason we took the decision to publish the new site early was that we were tired of seeing the "Watch this space" message on the old site and wanted to get things moving. Vix had completed the design and we were very pleased with it. We hoped visitors would be patient with us, and consider the site a work-in-progress, checking back frequently to see what is new. I wish I had the time and the money to run this Web site full-time, believe me, but I don't. The Society is a non-profit organisation and the Journal, Day and Web site are organised by just a few people. As such, I fail to see why you see it as our duty to provide people with a site.

We realise not everybody wants to join in order to gain information, and will be providing much more than "basic info". As it is members' fees which pay for this Web site, we want to offer them something extra, but most of the site will be available to all. As for a list of "all the known Blytons", you do realise that this would run to over seven hundred books? Tony Summerfield's bibliography, which is available from the Shop, has over 1,000 entries and it is to that that you will have to turn for a comprehensive listing of Blyton's work. We have provided a list of the main books (161 so far, and only ten without pictures) in the Works section and pictures and reviews will follow.

We hope that you return regularly and participate in the forums, and that you and other visitors will bear with us as we work on the site.

Regards,

Matt
sobres
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Joined: 14 Jan 2005, 17:05
Location: Southampton

The Society Web Site

Post by sobres »

It was nice of you to reply to my posting.

You may well a non profit making organisation all I stated was there were missing pictures and as you want to encourage people to look it and join where's the inclination to do this when the site clearly isn't upto much. I noted that the first book you have listed is The Enid Blyton Book of Bunnies but I thought there were lots before this one so why start at this book why not the first one. Very strange how you seem to think this is spending members fees Wisely. you did say the members paid for the site didn't you.

As members fees pay for the site maybe it is your duty to offer them a list of her books. Im sure there are many of them who would like to see a list of the know books by Enid Blyton.
Or do you provide this information for members maybe in the journals?
It was nice of you to point me to the bibliography books but what you are asking is for me to buy 3 books totalling over £57.00 to gain a list of her books and then only upto 1962 a big price to pay for a list of her books and pictures. clever how it was put in volumes as it means that a buyer has to buy all the copies plus more.

I had considered many times about joining and have wondered what I might be missing. But now I realise not a lot, you may be non profit making but you seem also like a secret society where everything is hush hush. unless of course you are prepared to pay join the society or buy books from them. Maybe you should rename yourself "The Secret Enid Blyton Society"
Tony Summerfield
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Kind Comments

Post by Tony Summerfield »

How nice to read your kind appreciative comments Sobres! I suppose that every website in its infancy gets some idiot who thinks that everything should be there immediately, but I rather hoped that we might avoid people whose one aim in life seems to be to discourage one's efforts.

As the author of the illustrated Bibliographies I feel I must respond when you refer to them as a list of books with pictures. Each one is 200 or more pages long and each contains a mass of information gathered after many years research. Despite what you may think it is not just a nice little earner for me - I have actually virtually completed Part 4, but have delayed publishing it as I am not sure that I can afford to do so as I will probably not break even on it.

I should also point out to you that there isn't any subscription at all to the Society as such - our members pay a magazine subscription, for which they get three Journals all of which now have 60 or more pages with a full colour cover and some colour inside. I have never yet had a single complaint that subscribers aren't getting value for money. As Matt pointed out in his very restrained reply to you (particularly after all the hours he has spent in building the website) this is meant as a bonus for our members and guests are very welcome.

Most guests have been very kind and unerstanding about the fact that the website is still very much under construction and I can only apologise to those who read your comments - if I was writing such things I wouldn't be so cowardly as to hide behind a pseudonym.
Anita Bensoussane

Site in Progress

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Hi,

I've been following this discussion with interest. I must admit that the idea of a website "in progress" really appeals to me. Some websites are "finished" almost from the day they open and, after you've viewed them once or twice, there's no incentive to visit them again. With websites in progress, it's fun to visit them every few weeks/months and discover something new.

Anita
Tony Summerfield
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Site in Progress

Post by Tony Summerfield »

Hi Anita,
Nice to have your first post on the site - I have just been singing your praises in reply to another message!

It is nice to read a comment with a bit of common sense to it after the vitriolic remarks of the originator of this message.

Hope that you register - Your contribution is far too valuable to just have you as a guest!

Best wishes
Tony
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Matthew Roberts
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Site in progress

Post by Matthew Roberts »

Thanks, Anita. :D

And good to have you here!
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HeatherS
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Post by HeatherS »

After all that, I would love to thank Matthew and the other contributors for such a wonderful, informative site. There are other websites which attempt (sometimes quite successfully) to compile a full list of Blyton's works. We don't really need another one! What is far more interesting about this site are the members only sections - the beautiful photographs and scans of some one-of-a-kind Blyton memorabilia even including her passport and identity card! An excellently put together, easy to navigate site which deserves praise and is certainly not worthy of the criticism shown above.

Keep it up, Matt! :D
heather
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Joined: 29 Jan 2005, 07:31
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Post by heather »

and I agree too.
This is a great site - especially this forum which as it takes off will become invaluable for Blyton fans to talk to like minded people. Taking this topic a bit further - I wiuld imagine that if Blyton herself had seen the advent of the internet then she would have had such fun using it to contact her fans, publish magazines to members - and even use it as subject matter in some of her novels.
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Moonraker
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Post by Moonraker »

I think it is a fantastic web site - much better than the old one. I think Matt and Tony are to be congratulated! As for the subscription; it is marvellous value. For a little more than 3 pints of beer, we have three super journals a year plus the benefits of the "secret" web pages! :D

Nigel Rowe (not hiding behind a pseudonym!)
Tony Summerfield
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Kind Words

Post by Tony Summerfield »

Many thanks for those kind words Nigel - you and others have almost washed the unpleasant taste left by Sobres out of our mouths - and I can promise you that as time allows the site will go on improving.

Just to straighten out one point though - I can't claim any credit at all for this website it is entirely Matt's doing. Such technicalties are way beyond me and I just stick to trying to make the Journal as interesting as possible.

Best wishes
Tony
gareth jones
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new web site.

Post by gareth jones »

i know i'm a bit late but just read this site. I think Tony and Mathew are doing a great job. Main reason i joined was to write to and read about fellow E.B fans. Having read Barbara Stoney's book and others i know quite a bit about Enid's life and books. I know we all want as much as possible on the site and i'm sure in time it will get bigger. But we all have to our bit not just leave it to others.
Thanks to all members together we'll
GROW.
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Moonraker
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Re: Site in Progress

Post by Moonraker »

Anita Bensoussane wrote: I must admit that the idea of a website "in progress" really appeals to me. Some websites are "finished" almost from the day they open and, after you've viewed them once or twice, there's no incentive to visit them again. With websites in progress, it's fun to visit them every few weeks/months and discover something new.
How true. And here we are, almost nine years after that idiot sobres wrote his two posts, and the site is still growing! We still log in and find new things added to the site. Much water has flowed under many bridges since 2005, and although Matt has since retired, the website and forums have gone from strength to strength. Here's to the next ten years, God bless all those who sail with us!
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Moonraker
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Re: Site in Progress

Post by Moonraker »

Tony Summerfield wrote:Hi Anita,
Nice to have your first post on the site .... I Hope that you register - Your contribution is far too valuable to just have you as a guest!
My word, how pertinent was that comment!!!
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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: New Web Site

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Amazing that all this was nine years ago! I remember it so well. Surely even Sobres would be impressed with the site now! :)
Moonraker wrote:Here's to the next ten years, God bless all those who sail with us!
Hear hear!
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
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