We have LJ clarification at last

[sparkindarkness]

And on the whole it is good. They are finally acting VAGUELY professional, have created professional sockpuppet and used it, are acting like they have customers rather than whiney children to babysit and are starting to clarify everything and even doing so WITHOUT doing something silly like calling their users paedophiles or extolling the virtues of pro-anorexia communities.

Well done LJ, you have now achieved minimal basic competence! Have a cookie!

Actually I have mental images of this new staff member, Rachel, arriving at the office, looking it over, screaming “you did WHAT?!” and laying about her with a baseball bat until everything stopped twitching.


Am I all happy and shiny? No, I am cautiously testing the water and most certainly am not happy.

Why? Because this whole fiasco was ridiculous - and the fact it took them as long as it did to manage a competent response (hell, ANY response except staff members mocking people) was pathetic. It’s made more pathetic that it’s their strike 3 - we had the breast feeding thing, then we had strikethrough and now this. Each time they come back with a “mea culpa, I’m sorry we screwed up” and EACH TIME they’ve gone back and done it again. The same mistakes, the same utterly worthless customer service, the same utter ignorance of what LJ is and how LJ works. 3 times. 3 monumental screw ups. 3 events each leading me to question whether Six Apart should be allowed to cross the road unsupervised.

Now, if they follow through with everything they’ve said (and add some much needed clarifications) then I’ll be happy. But all we have now are words - words from a company that has repeatedly flipped flopped, made promises, broken them, made assurances, gone back on them and released 3 different excuses for the same thing when it hasn’t just acted completely randomly without any recourse to anything vaguely resembling common sense.

I have said it before in this journal - the word “sorry” is rather useless on its own and I refuse to accept that because LJ has apologised yet AGAIN for yet ANOTHER screw up, we’re all supposed to say “thank you” and act like it never happened and everything is wonderful again.

Comments

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

I dunno, I've read a few of the things this Rachel person has said, and she doesn't really sound all that reliable to me. I'm trying to find the place where all lj staff comments about this fiasco were compiled, so I can point you at a few of Rachel's.

Sadly I can't find the thing, but here's this: http://community.livejournal.com/innocence_jihad/202332.html#cutid1

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

Oh, and you may want to look at this analysis of the latest lj biz post.

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

A very accurate analysis

Perhaps my post should better be read as "getting better." This response IS better from what we are used to and is certainly more professional. of course, what we are used to is very very very poor - but we definitely have improvement here

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

*nods*

Myself, well... they have a two strikes policy? I think so do I. They've struck out twice, big time. They're out. I honestly can't think of anything at all they could do that would convince me to give them money at this point. Maybe in a few years, if they've stayed consistent in their application of these "clarifications" that are most definitely not policy changes, oh no, not at all, I might consider buying a few extra icons or something, that is the one bit of my paid account I miss. But I really can't see that happening.

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

Same here. I want to see months, if not years, of consistent good service before a penny of mine heads their way

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

I've only read a few but they seem to be better than the standard slush we get from LJ - of course that may be damning with faint praise indeed. She is better, certainly, than what we had before.

What i am seeing is she's getting snippy and bitchy as the comments go on - there's a distinct "I said 'point taken' what more do you want?" Like she's getting impatient that we didn't just all say "thank you."

There is still a strong impression of them not understanding the issue - there really is a huge gulf of understanding and they don't realise just how badly they're doing.

Again, i think she's BETTER than the people they had before. But having your snake slither across the keys to produce a random letter email would be better than that. She has a lot of rope now, and she's braided a couple of nooses but I don't think she's hanged herslef quite yet - but I only got to page 2 of comments

[girl-working.livejournal.com]

I've read through most of the comments. She says thank you for people liking her a lot and ignores some points asking for clarification occasionally...

Looks like she has tried to answer some of them though...

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

She has tried to answer some, yes - and kudos for trying but there is an element of "doesn't get it" in all of her posts

[girl-working.livejournal.com]

They still haven't answered the pro-ana questions...

*goes back to poking yaoi.co.uk and debating doing more updates on it*

I'm so out of fandom in general atm it's unbelievable tho'... But it's still grrr...

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

I shall have to poke yaoi.co.uk myself

No, they are definitely avoiding that one. There are more than a few communities on LJ that are extremely objectionable and ToS violating.

personally, I'd be inclined to let all stand, given my own way. What annoys me is when the ToS is only selectively applied

[baranduyn.livejournal.com]

I wish they'd get their shit together. I now have five blogs and no patience.

**grumbles**

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

I think I'll pray for world peace first. It's more likely to happen