Will the Loop replace OurPPA forum?

[Ron_Jackson]

Aw Joe! You telling me you're a follower, instead of a leader??

First of all, who is Joe? I don't see a Joe posting here.

Secondly, I have read through the threads on the other post Whoohoo.... and I still don't see any answers as to what the heck the features and benefits of this Loop is. Plus, like Fuzzy mentioned in the other thread, this thing is crazy difficult to understand. I too don't need anything else in my life that takes more of my time to figure out. I am just way too crazy busy for that. Somebody needs to sit down and write a thread that tells us in much more detail that the heck the Loop is, what it will do for us, what are the features and benefits and why we want to be a part of it. Details please. This guessing game as you can see is just frustrating us all.

And I keep seeing replies such as, "We're rolling it out in bits and pieces." Be patient, we're working on it. Why didn't PPA finalize this new format and bench test it rather than throw it open to the members when it's just half baked creating more turmoil and confusion?

[Stan_Lawrence]

On top of that, and I hope this isn't too critical as I may not see the loop benefits at this point, it looks like a gigantic mess with a total lack of organization. Do I need to be trained to comprehend what's going on here?

It appears to me the forum is much better as it is a well organized structure. As far as sensitive information is concerned peaople need to submit to areas that are not available to non-members. PPA needs to make it clear as to what areas are private in each and every area so the membership is not confused as to whether non-PPA members will have access.

I have not read up on the loop I admit. I just see this thing coming into my e-mail and it looks like mass confusion and I basically ignore it all.

Am I wrong with this impression?

I had the same impression.... the forum seems much easier to navigate, and it seems to have the same conversations.... I'll stay here....

[Stan_Lawrence]

This is interesting.... it appears we need a moderator to approve a post?

[Amy_Hall]

I don't feel like I'm finding a clear answer to this question. Will The Loop and this forum continue to co-exist? Will members get to choose which one they want to use to interact with other members?

[markd61]

I find the Loop a very confusing place that ignores the basic conventions of forum postings.
As far as being social media, it isn't.Social media is not actually inclusive but is exclusive. One creates groups of "friends" that exclude "non-friends". It is an environment that encourages like-minded people to discuss and reinforce their opinions and beliefs and share their common interests.
What this forum does is include ALL PPA members (as does the Loop) to share and discuss the topics of our craft. It organizes the topics and is easily navigated and understood.The Loop is not.
But after those issues get fixed, then what do we have? We have another forum with cuter graphics. There is no "different" way of interacting with members unless posting replies to comments somehow qualifies as "different".

Sorry, but I see no enhanced value here.

[StreitPhoto2002]

I had the same impression.... the forum seems much easier to navigate, and it seems to have the same conversations.... I'll stay here....

Ditto...I can't tolerate what a waste of time the Loop is. Definitely NOT a PROFESSIONALLY devised site for PROFESSIONAL photographers.

[Stephen_Wrubel]

I also find the Loop very confusing. I can't figure most of it out and some of the pages don't work properly. I wish there was more information and help about the Loop. I have attempted to work with it every day since it started and have not had much success.

I find the forums perfectly aqueduct for discussion, and it is laid out in an orderly and non-confusing manner.

Also, if anyone can help point me in the right direction, please do so, as it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Stephen

[Joe_Galioto]

If there's going to be similar discussions on both forum & loop
I don't have the time to look at both
Has ppa given us a reason why we needed both of them when everybody seems content with the forum

[Michael_Gan]

Also, if anyone can help point me in the right direction, please do so, as it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Stephen

Stephen, write to TheLoop@ppa.com and they will help you. Best way to navigate through the loop is to go to you home page. At the bottom, click on the groups you're subscribed to and there you will see the different discussions. Once you get used to the interface, it's actually not as hard.

[Michael_Gan]

If there's going to be similar discussions on both forum & loop
I don't have the time to look at both
Has ppa given us a reason why we needed both of them when everybody seems content with the forum

Simple answer. If you noticed, you have to log in separately to the forum than you do for your PPA account. This disconnect is a problem for integrating the two. It's a software issue that couldn't be fixed. I'm available for pm's if anyone else have any civil questions