Welcome back to those of you that have a family and/or a job :)
While you were off on holiday, I was busy messing up, ruining, destroying, etc… the web site. To understand what is going on and why, please read these blog updates (they already rolled off the list so you may have missed them)
The ID Show Feature
Where did my favorite show go?
Manicuring your garden
The summary is the free ride is over. A handful of volunteers have been helping me with the full time unpaid job to keep the information current. If this web site is helpful to you, be helpful to it while you have the opportunity. I don’t think an occasional “Yes, it worked” click is too much to ask. If I’m wrong, then I have some other decisions to make.
Glad to do so, Art. I deeply appreciate: the value of this site to me; and the enormous contribution of your time and wealth to create and maintain it. Thanks for making it so easy for me to help a little bit with maintaining the site in the future. You are one very clever programmer.
Wil Schuemann
Hey Art, on a regular basis I use 3 different MacBook Pros and an iMac desktop – when I test and have to hit the button to prompt the streaming player it will use the existing window to display the player thus making it impossible for me to confirm that I did in fact hear the show in question. I’m not sure which streamer does this.
Not having a Mac, I’m not sure what the answer is. Are you using safari or something else?
There are issues with how different browses launch different types of players. Email me with details and we can probably solve this..
Dear Art,
Since getting chewed out about ignoring tests, I now perform them every time. I use your very convienent guide morning noon and night.
I find that IE7 works all of the time, but that Mozilla based browsers do not want to open WMP.
Thank you for your time.
Turn on the status bar if you have it off. Then if the listen link doesn’t start with “javascript:void(window.open(” control-click the link and choose open link in a new tab or window.
It’s likely that some browsers might consider it a popup that it wants to block. The iPhone won’t launch the player without being clicked. It might also be a timing issue that the JavaScript is trying to click something that doesn’t exist yet.
I’m sorta having the same deal as HPaws on my Mac-24, running OS X. As far as performing these minuscule tasks, can’t see how they could be a bother. Glad to what I can … or know how to do. Mostly I run Firefox, but sometimes Opera, Chrome and rarely Safari. Cheers.
I appreciate your efforts on this website. I visit several times a day and do try to contribute by running tests.
Art may I please get back on the web page. I will test every time now that I know how to do it
Donna
I wait 20 seconds for the player to start, another 20 seconds…silence…check your program first before you dump good people like me. maybe I live to close to Canadian border to count. Wally
+1.
Can I get back in. I think my record over the past few years demonstrates that I do plenty of testing, but your new system gives me the same issues as Wally (I am a Firefox user).
foyle, I see your name all the time on top testers and even though the points that were once awarded meant nothing there were times it inspired me to test all sorts of shows I never even heard of since I spend all my time in bed. I enjoyed watching my point total rise as a top tester! I do not know why I am being denied access to the streaming site as if I did something wrong because few people tested sites as much as I did. I only listened to a couple shows, Twilight Zone and ‘The Other Side’. I usually would test every station that was running those 2 shows any week I listened to the shows. I am at a lost for words if someone like you ( a top 10 tester ) has been knocked off this site because along with noticing Art Stone’s name I do remember seeing the Foyle name quite frequently because it was right above me! Anyway I did enjoy this Streaming site and the work that went into it but see no reason to beg to be allowed to view it since I feel I did my very best in testing streams over and above what anyone would ask. All anyone has to do is to check my history. I know its not right to say but after seeing your post I dont feel so bad because if You have been banned I can’t imagine who is still able to access the site!
I am shocked. every show I listen to I test and if you check my record, I am among one of the top testers with over 3,000,000 points as Tomdox. Usually I test the other streams that are on for the same show especially when I notice that haven’t been tested on a while. I certainly have never taken this for granted and test streams constantly. Check my record. I am using Firefox and used to use Safari that awarded points after each test. Firefox doesnt show that anymore. Thank You.
Not sure what the deal is. I’ve done what I could over the years. I’ve tested and reported whatever I could, whenever I could. If the door is closed to me for real or imagined reasons, I can deal with that by finding other resources. That process is under way. One other thing I can do but won’t, is grovel.
Thanks Art Stone the Ride was NICE !!!!!!!!!! Butch Hilfiker
Aww, your streaming radio locator is really gone for me ?!?!?!
i would hit the test/update buttons, but apparenly not enuff.
Art:
I’m confused. Is your site down? I’ve read your blogs. (I was busy messing up, ruining, destroying, etc… the web site. The ID Show Feature, Where did my favorite show go?
Manicuring your garden) I use your site daily and typically test sites on a daily basis. I haven’t been redirected to another site. Please let me know whats up. Thanks!
Did you take your site down? I have been only an occasional user but responded to the tests whenever I could. This was a wonderful resource; if you have become unable to keep it up, I will really miss it. Please let us know what’s going on. Thank you.
PS Art I,d gladly pay for this Service ! Butch
I am a daily user of you site. Please Please DO NOT take it down… You are the BEST resource for radio out there. I do test three or four times a weeek — I will do it daily if that what it takes to get back your site.
I’m also a daily user (many hours/day) of your site and have come to depend on it to fit my favorite shows into my schedule. Please don’t take it away. I do test sites when prompted but only with IE. I try to not use Mozilla on your site because I do have problems but assumed the problems were on my end, hence the use of IE only. Thank you for all you’ve done.
Art… I usually press the “yes, it worked” whenever the window comes up. There are times when I haven’t. Having said that…
You’re telling me that pressing that little button in the pop-up window is critically important. However, you haven’t told me, the guy out here in Bush Alaska, just how important it is. Those of us who know and love the website would easily understand a message directed at us telling us that helping you out would keep the website up and running. Sorry, Art, but you didn’t do that. A brief message would do fine. Something like this: “We depend on the help of people such as yourself to maintain this website by telling us about the quality of the link you’ve selected. Please take the time each time you pick a radio station to tell us if the link worked or not by pressing one of the options below.” Write this in large blue letters, sans serif, perhaps in an Arial 18-point font.
You can further prod users by keeping a registry of every time they’ve pressed the link (or haven’t) in that pop-up box. A nice little message after the positive hits can be inserted; a negative one can be inserted when the number of times it has been ignored passes a certain percentage. Obligating folks to register would help, too. Maybe you’ve thought of these things. Still, I was a little confused when your site vanished yesterday.
Art… you’ve developed a community out here. Tell us in explicit terms what we can do help you first before throwing up your hands in disgust. It’s hard enough to discern the needs of people in the same room, let alone thousands of miles away. You have to be blunt and forward. If you want me to click on the link in the pop-up box every time I access a station, fine with me. Just ask. It’s not a hindrance.
I also have to tell you that I thought your site was being hacked when I came across the “Atlas Shrugged” advertisement. It took a little searching around to find this page – and you know that means it was important to me. Please reach out and help us help you.
And so it ends. Well, the only reason I was here for the past few months was to read the blog… so I can’t say I’ll miss it much. I used to do my share of testing but, I’ll be honest, work and changing taste in my Internet media experience has mostly led me away from talk radio. Oh, well. As the theme from Empty Nest goes, “life goes on, and so do we.”
Unless, of course, this is all a stunt.
I have no idea what any of this means. When I am asked to “test” I test and report.
What happened to the radio guide!!!!!
Ditto redpoll…bring the site back!
Art,
If SRG is down then I anxiously await it’s return.
If SRG is gone for good then BUMMER but thanks for the effort! It was greatly appreciated.
I would have paid to use the guide. Is that an option. I am on an iPad…. I tried to test, I don’t think the test worked with the iPad. Please bring your site back.
Please give us the steaming guide!! It is my favorite site.
I’m just confused. What happened?
I’d have no problem paying for the site.
I would – if by “pay” you mean money.