APUG.ORG to PHOTRIO.COM Migration, Final Details.

[Peter Schrager]

Quite honestly most people I talked to never heard if APUG.
If photrio goes I'm going along for the ride
Thanks Sean!!

 

[bsdunek]

I'll look forward to this. I look at both sites anyway, so it will be fine if they are combined. The only bad part is that it sounds like the site(s) may be down 3-5 days. How will I get my photo fix?

 

[Sirius Glass]

I won't be able to say that I am APUGging any more. Woe is me. The sky will fall and the Sun will no longer rise. We will all be killed! We will all be killed.

Ok, all siriusness aside.

 

[winger]

I won't be able to say that I am APUGging any more.

There's a tradition in some areas to give directions based on landmarks that no longer exist - such as, "Take a left where the convenience store used to be." So why not still call it APUGing and say we're APUGgers even with a different URL?

 

[Sean]

Waking up here and going through the thread, as always you are all amazing! In just a day it's looking like enough donations have come in to cover what I see as 60-70% of what the final rollout will likely cost. WOW. Also, the support and positive comments have reduced my stress levels about 95% heh.

@MattKing @winger I was thinking similar. What about a sort of APUG Social group area, that allows for the original crew to keep in touch. We could even have an "APUG" tag option under members avatar in that area (the tag could also link to the APUG social group)? Open to additional suggestions.

 

[MattKing]

I think it is critical that someone who has been told about APUG sees a connection with APUG when the internet elves drops them at Photrio.

 

[Hatchetman]

I must say it is depressing that analog-only interest is continuing to decline as seen by falling traffic and donations here. I'm always trying to convince myself that the segment has stabilized. Guess not!

 

[winger]

I think it is critical that someone who has been told about APUG sees a connection with APUG when the internet elves drops them at Photrio.

Will typing apug.org still land someone at photrio? Maybe with a default of the analog only button checked?

I must say it is depressing that analog-only interest is continuing to decline as seen by falling traffic and donations here. I'm always trying to convince myself that the segment has stabilized. Guess not!

I think a lot of people get the info they need and then move on without making real connections - might be a generational thing or just the way the web has gotten? I see people on another site who are new to film, so they are out there. Not sure how to get them to try here without ticking off the mods there. Answers here are better, so I wish they'd find here.

 

[Sean]

I think it is critical that someone who has been told about APUG sees a connection with APUG when the internet elves drops them at Photrio.

I'll have some identifying name change banners in the header for a while, but there might even be a way to detect incoming apug links and throw a small popup notice regarding the site change (it would only need to show the popup once). I'll check with my coder.

 

[winger]

What about a sort of APUG Social group area, that allows for the original crew to keep in touch.

I haven't really used the social groups much myself. I wouldn't want it to make newbies to the site feel excluded though. Another forum I was in had secret groups that you couldn't tell existed, but you had to ask to be included. The way they handled it was part of why I don't go there anymore (not a photo site, was for moms).

 

[pdeeh]

I must say it is depressing that analog-only interest is continuing to decline as seen by falling traffic and donations here

I don't think one follows from the other.

Much as we like APUG, it is not necessarily an accurate barometer of interest in analogue photography.

Really, only the people running the companies involved in manufacturing analogue materials will know how healthy or otherwise the market is.

Consider that Kodak is introducing a new film named "Ektachrome" - not a sign of failing interest in the market.

Consider also that APUG's demographic is older, staider and by virtue of the extremely narrow focus of APUG thus far, not a welcoming place for those with an interest in multiple forms of image-making.

If the market for analogue materials is stable or even growing, it isn't likely to be those who are currently active at APUG who are responsible.

With a bit of luck, it'll be younger people who are not wedded to forums like APUG, or to single forms of imagemaking, and are using all sorts of social media (Flickr, FB, Instagram, Twitter, whatever) and all sorts of cameras and other devices. They won't turn up here very often.

 

[Todd Barlow]

I like APUG, not for the name but for the community and resource.
No longer an "analog boutique" but an improved "one stop shop" for all the work flows.
All is good!
I will continue to promote and subscribe!

 

[greg zinselmeier]

I must say it is depressing that analog-only interest is continuing to decline as seen by falling traffic and donations here. I'm always trying to convince myself that the segment has stabilized. Guess not!

+1

 

[Peter Schrager]

Mo

I must say it is depressing that analog-only interest is continuing to decline as seen by falling traffic and donations here. I'm always trying to convince myself that the segment has stabilized. Guess not!

More about people always wanting something for nothing..go to facebook...no really this is and will continue to be a great community

 

[Peter Schrager]

Analog is rebounding...fine art or making real photographs was never mainstream
O go into freestyle regularly...uptick...more schools putting in darkroom
Kodak bringing out new film..wake up it is happeninh

 

[mgb74]

Though Photrio sounds like a new drug to cure a non-existent disease.

Do you own Photrio.org as well? I would not be surprised if many first timers went to apug.com, got confused, and gave up. The .com address for photrio will help.

 

[Sean]

Do you own Photrio.org as well? I would not be surprised if many first timers went to apug.com, got confused, and gave up. The .com address for photrio will help.

apug.com was always the 'asia pacific utilities group', I own pretty much all the main photrio domains at this point. As for someone looking for APUG, google will most definitely lead them to photrio and if they ever directly entered apug.org in their url it will take them to photrio. Any existing APUG links will auto redirect to the same content but at photrio. It's quite common for sites to change names, ownership/get acquired so most should go 'ah, looks like it's here now' and carry on.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Reason why I stopped to pay is because previous upgrade made it worst. Wishing luck this time.

 

[ozphoto]

I do think that it is a mistake to not retain and make some use of the name "APUG".
Something like the "APUG Division" of Photrio.
And a nice "History" page.
I hope my relatively more limited interests don't result in my effectively screening myself from some of the interesting but not strictly on topic stuff, like the "What are you listening to" thread.

I also +1 this - retaining the branding of APUG, would also differentiate the Analog photography segment from the other two. No confusion or worry that you've suddenly entered enemy territory!!

I too am disappointed them move is necessary, but with less than 2% subscribers it is hardly surprising.

However, if this is what is needed to make the forum viable, then I will go with it.

I am a 100% analogue person, so I am glad I will be able to shut off the none analogue content.

Good luck with the move Sean.

Martin

And that is the beauty of what Sean has devised for the site - view what you what, block what you don't and by having a combined effort (and yes, embracing that hideous "dark side"), the site will (hopefully) survive and draw even more members.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

Photrio = photo trio, yes?

 

[Sean]

Photrio = photo trio, yes?

Yes, bit of a word play on 'trio' and the '3 workflows' The colors in the logo represent analog/silver, hybrid/orange (like the old hybridphoto.com), digital/blue (from dpug.org).

 

[Sirius Glass]

APUG has proved to be such a good information source that it has been my only place to go for information and help.

 

[drpsilver]

05 Aug 2017

Sean:

I wish you the best in migrating 3 sites into one site. I joined APUG 12 years ago, and have learned so much from the photographers here. I have found that all one needs to do is ask, and answers are freely given. The discussions have been serious, humorous, and at times heated, but all good. Sean, you have created a magical place on the internet. A place that has allowed me to escape from the world, learn more about photography/photographic chemistry, and help me keep my science skills in-shape.

It is unfortunate to loose APUG (once an APUGer always a APUGer). If the analytics show decreasing visitation, one must do what one must to reverse that trend. Paraphrasing what someone said before "Given the choice of having APUG disappear, or combine with a digital/hybrid site and survive, I will choose the latter".

I look forward to seeing, and experienceing, Photrio. I wish you the best.

Regards,
Darwin
(drpsilver)

 

[Tony Egan]

Perhaps we should run a contest to create an instantly recognizable symbol for the "Artists formally known as APUGers"?

Good luck Sean. I plan to still visit regularly and keep up my unbroken record of subscribing. Really, what a small price to pay for the wealth of information on hand here and your years of passion and dedication.

 

[Diapositivo]

Will people pronunce 'Photrio instead of Pho'trio?
I know it's late to suggest but Phototrio would be pronounced in only one way.

Maybe writing it Photrìo would stress the right sillable.

Photrio sounds dangerously near to "fuck" in Italian fòttere (also Sicilian futtìri although the stress is displaced) and French foutre.

OK Italian and French are a small part of the planet, but I think it would help if there is a way to say hint the stress is (maybe in the section "who we are" or such).