How is it November already? Where did this year go?

[rogueslayer452]

++ Tumblr made a massive layout update change that none are too happy about, and with good reason. Essentially, it was a decision for a new business revenue to make money off of becoming a video-based platform by means of becoming a YouTube competitor, which they then said that "there was no reason not to" do this, despite fucking everything up for their users including expanding the dashboard thus ruining the quality of graphics and gifs (blurrier and pixelated, even on individual blogs), and adding higher dimensions that the site cannot support. Why they did this without beta-testing first, let alone thinking that this was a good idea to begin with rather than fixing the other issues the site already had prior, is beyond me. And so far there hasn't been any further acknowledgments or announcements of these issues from the staff (and I don't think there ever will be). However there is an upside as others, thankfully, have come up with loophole solutions to return back to the old dimensions.

If you use Tumblr, please install this using the Stylish extension to restore the width of your dashboard, and this or this to fix your own and other people's blogs. I also know the Xkit guy is trying to fix things for Xkit extension users as well, it will just take some time.

++ On a more positive note, with all the exciting Marvel announcements, I think the one that is the most anticipated is Captain Marvel getting her own solo movie that hopefully, if all goes well, gets a future franchise. It's sad that there's no announcement for a future Black Widow solo movie (because come on after being featured in four Marvel films she deserves to be front and center of her own story), but at least there's going to be a female superhero movie and that is at least a step in the right direction. Personally, I still want Katee Sackhoff to play Carol Danvers, she is pretty much my number one choice. Of course, I'm a fan so naturally I would be biased in saying this role would be perfect for her.

Comments

[timewithers.livejournal.com]

Man they are really making tumblr completely unappealing to use. I'm glad I jumped ship when yahoo bought them.

[potentiality-26.livejournal.com]

Katee Sackhoff would be great. I have to say that while I'm excited for Captain Marvel and the Black Panther, I'm less excited for how long we're doing to wait for them. Marvel's gotten a little overconfident, I feel, in basically mapping out the rest of the decade like they have.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

The thing is, aside from a few mild annoyances here and there, I never really had a problem with Tumblr before now. This is a drastic change of direction that isn't going to go over well, because while they're betting on video formatting to be the "big" thing for the site it's not going to work. Tumblr is not designed to work that way, and it's going to fail.

I fear that if this continues on, or they just don't fix what they broke, Tumblr may lessen in popularity by the end of next year. This has happened before with other sites who were bought by other companies and tried to do something to "appeal" to a wider audience. I mean, look at what happened with LJ.

[dustofempires.livejournal.com]

The Tumblr changes don't bother me that much, but then I'm not a graphic maker so it doesn't really ruin anything I do. I didn't know that about the video thing, though, what the hell is that about =/ First of all anyone who thinks they can compete with YouTube is an idiot, and secondly I hardly EVER see video posts on my dash tbh.

I saw someone post fanart of Katheryn Winnick (Lagertha from Vikings) as Captain marvel, and I was totally okay with that =D Katee would definitely be an A+ choice too, though! ♥

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

I had seen some info about the Tumblr size changes, including the YouTube competitor goal, but I am only now remembering that there is no slower video streaming right now than Tumblr (Vimeo is super slow occasionally but works well the rest of the time). This is so not going to work for them.

I'm really excited about the Marvel news. ^__^ I've seen a lot of Katee Sackhoff fancasts, even before the announcement, and I'm game.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I agree. I understand wanting to plan for the future, but it definitely seems like they overconfident in setting up dates for future projects. I don't want to wait until 2018 in order to see Captain Marvel, and I certainly don't want to wait longer for there to be a solo Black Widow film, or any other women superhero films for that matter.

[icecoldrain.livejournal.com]

I was wondering why there were so many promotional video posts on my dash after the update. It all made sense when I saw that post saying that they want to compete with youtube!

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

It literally makes no sense. Like, their entire reasoning is because people were uploading more videos recently. So? Many sites do that, but it doesn't mean there's a need compete with YouTube. And really, why would anyone want to compete with YouTube? Just, I don't understand their logic behind this. Like, if they wanted to upgrade the video player? Fine. But this seems kind of pointless in the long run. It's going to backfire pretty hard on them, if not soonish then definitely within the next year or so.

(Also, it's ironic since there's plenty of well-known YouTubers who use Tumblr to promote their stuff and YouTube in general.)

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

While I'm not a graphic maker either, I'm quite a visual person and I liked how aesthetically pleasing Tumblr was. So when they changed the layout dimensions (affecting both the dash and personal blogs), it was quite noticeable for me. I feel awful for all the graphic makers who have spent so much time making and editing beautiful gifsets and photosets. And the worst part is even with the new dimensions it still doesn't work, because Tumblr cannot support anything higher than 500px.

It's a really shitty situation all around that could have been avoided had Tumblr done beta-testing first (which I've seen posts from software developers who say this was a bad and unprofessional move on Tumblr's part).

and secondly I hardly EVER see video posts on my dash tbh.

I've seen quite a few, though they're mostly through other sources (Vimeo, Vine, YouTube, etc.) But now that Tumblr has upgraded their own video player, which was kind of crappy and hadn't been updated in years despite complaints, they're now constantly using it for their stupidly annoying sponsored posts. Something else I wish they'd get rid of because none of us wanted these unwanted ads clogging up our dashboards.

I saw someone post fanart of Katheryn Winnick (Lagertha from Vikings) as Captain marvel, and I was totally okay with that

OMG YES. I like this idea, as well! :D

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

For real. And think about having tons of videos clogging up your dash, esp since the updated player autoplays to act like a vine, that would not only slow everything down but eventually freeze Tumblr/your computer. I was already fed up with those stupid sponsored posts, but now they're basically just becoming videoed sponsored posts now and it's super annoying. Nobody wanted those kinds of posts, nobody asked for those kinds of posts.

It's definitely going to backfire on them, I can't see this ever becoming a successful business choice in the long run. It's just going to cause a whole lot of problems, more so than there already are.

I've seen a lot of Katee Sackhoff fancasts, even before the announcement, and I'm game.

There was rumor last year when she was in talks with Marvel about something, which got everyone so excited and convinced that it was happened. But now with this official announcement it has brought it all back quite fiercely, and I am completely for it. (Though I'll be disappointed when it doesn't come true, I'll admit).

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

As a Tumblr lurker, I don't get any sponsored posts. Which is actually weird, because shouldn't anons be the ones who see more ads, as opposed to the registered users of the service?

I can imagine the disappointment very well. I have only to think of all those Pedro Pascal <3 fancasts for Doctor Strange and now it's probably going to be Cumberbatch, who's already in everything else.

[elizalavelle.livejournal.com]

That seems not fun. I'm rarely on Tumblr anymore but changes for profit that are widely disliked by the users don't seem to be a bright move.

[icecoldrain.livejournal.com]

I agree. I'm not sure why they thought it would be a good idea to make an update that scaled back the main features that people have been enjoying for a long time in exchange for a recent trend in video uploads.

I didn't notice much of a change in the pictures until two days ago. idk, maybe it wasn't completely across the board yet lol.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

You'd think, right? But no, we're subjected to these ridiculously pointless and annoying sponsored posts. :/

Fancastings always end in frustrating disappointment because there will be that actor that just fits so perfectly for a role, only the casting directors will choose someone completely not what that character is supposed to be and it's like, WE COULD HAVE HAD IT ALL. WHY U NO MAKE ENOUGH EFFORT?!

[giallarhorn.livejournal.com]

The thing that Yahoo's forgetting is that tumblr is slow as shit for streaming videos. If it's not the absolute slowest, I'm pretty sure it's in the bottom five in terms of buffering rate. Though there was something about how the numbers of videos uploaded to tumblr made sense of why they may think to do that move?

But then again, I suspect that a lot of it is trying to bank on the wide dispersal platform tumblr has, which is a large amount compared to most blogging platforms. But if you're translating reblogs into views? Even if you give it a favorable amount, you're a long way off from good numbers to even make a dent in the viewership Youtube can haul in.

Also, better deployment for mobile platforms, singular focused aim, easier entry, etc in favor of Youtube.

[dustofempires.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's affected personal blogs too? I hadn't noticed that, lucky for me I guess I've been spared that.

Those promo vids I haven't seen either tbh, maybe it has to do with AdBlock?

Seems like I've been pretty lucky not really noticing these changes, but indeed it sounds very unprofessional and it's money > users again =(

ETA; I guess I shouldn't have said that about the personal blog themes, now my two blogs are being wonky too >_< *not amused*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

Marvel castings are usually way more spot-on than others, though.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

It's sad when you know they won't listen anyway, because they rarely listen to the valid concerns about the functionality of the site. There really is no communication platform between the staff and its users, which isn't really surprising. I mean, think about LJ and what it's become and how even with our own concerns of the site these days nobody really listens to us. *sighs*

[elizalavelle.livejournal.com]

There are a lot of sites like that. Facebook makes so many changes that people say they don't like and they don't listen to user feedback. LJ has only recently started to make positive changes and pay attention to it's users.

I think it's all money. As long as profit is being made the companies don't care. They only have to pretend to care if their users stop paying/using the site in large enough numbers to make the owners lose money.

[carameltrap.livejournal.com]

Those Marvel announcements basically clogged my Twitter feed. lol. But it's all good. A bit disappointed that Black Widow won't ever get her movie but happy that we get another female surper hero movie.