Value of Commerce Meetings? Just Blog It

[Toysoldier Thor]

OK so like many of you, I attended yesterday's bi-monthly inworld commerce group meeting (aka the OH meetings) hosted by Brooke.  At first I thought to myself, 1 meeting every two month?? Really?? With all the outstanding issues and unfinished SLM features still being ignored or on the backburner or trying to be solved... 1 meeting every two month?? 

But then I sat there and observed what went down last night.

2 major observations - of which my thoughts were validated by other Merchants that didnt instantly poof right after the Lindens poofed from the meeting...

 

1. Like the good old days... the meeting was primarily - about 95% - a one way communication from Brooke to the Merchant masses.  Very few questions were publicly asked (through the Colossus filter) and even few of them were answered.
2. It was agreed by many - as little time as 1 hour is to go through a ton of content we all wanted to know - Brooke's typing is equivilent to a Glacier moving across Greenland.  Her slow typing ensured that 60 minutes of type chatted content ended up being only about 30 minutes.  I actually walked away from the computer and got a pop and came back without even missing one statement from Brooke.

So... Brooke and LL Commerce Team.... advise from me.... save yourselves a lot of time and hassle and save us a lot of wasted time, just take all the things you wanted to tell us at this meeting and just create a BLOG POSTING.

The meeting yesterday was pretty much a waste of my hour.

 

[Catwise Yoshikawa]

 

---

Toysoldier Thor wrote:

So... Brooke and LL Commerce Team.... advise from me.... save yourselves a lot of time and hassle and save us a lot of wasted time, just take all the things you wanted to tell us at this meeting and just create a BLOG POSTING.

 

---

This is exactly what I thought when I did go to office hours. Could be better to create a blog post, they could write the topic and then read carefully and reply when they have an answer or just discuss bout it.

 

[Lasher Oh]

Spot on - I've felt that way about those Office Hours for a long time. Not that I was a fan of Jack's hours but  at least there was a two way exchange and most folks attending didn't really expect to come away with much of a a result but at least it was a chance to vent and the jousting could be fun to watch. Commerce  Hours  seem  to more like  office Buzzword and jargon Masterclasses where a lot of wind is expelled but very little of worth is conveyed. At least with a blog post we all get a chance to respond and ask detailed questions. I suspect though that vagueness and lack of clarity is seen as an asset for the C - team.

^L^

[Madeliefste Oh]

Where can I find the subscription of this office hour, please?

[Rene Erlanger]

Sign of the times Toy. :smileysad: Communication is being stifled in general....with the what you described of the OH meeting, the way the new forums are being moderated and the removal of voting on Jiras.

[Apotheus Silverman]

Meetings in pure text are tough and slow at best. When they've tried voice in the past it worked so much better as people can type more freely at the same time as the speakers are talking, but then people complain about the use of voice. It's a catch 22.

I'd prefer doing them all with voice. People who care enough to attend the meetings should be flexible enough to use all of SL's features. Just because voice is enabled doesn't mean questions can't be asked via text.

[Porky Gorky]

Wow don't see Apotheus Silverman on the forums everyday.

/me bows down.....were not worthy....were not worthy :smileyvery-happy:

[Pandorah Ashdene]

 

---

Madeliefste Oh wrote:

Where can I find the subscription of this office hour, please?

---

http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/User:Brooke_Linden/March_User_Group_3-1-2011

 

[Madeliefste Oh]

Thanks, Pandorah. * hands over some 'helpful answer' points *

[Toysoldier Thor]

 

---

Apotheus Silverman wrote:

Meetings in pure text are tough and slow at best. When they've tried voice in the past it worked so much better as people can type more freely at the same time as the speakers are talking, but then people complain about the use of voice. It's a catch 22.

I'd prefer doing them all with voice. People who care enough to attend the meetings should be flexible enough to use all of SL's features. Just because voice is enabled doesn't mean questions can't be asked via text.

---

 

This is not a matter of Text vs Voice (other than Brooke's typing speed is equal to a hunt&peck technique).  Yes, if Brooke could voice to all those that attended AND if all those that attended could hear her, then the flow of information from Brookes Lips to everyone else's ears would be at a much faster pace.

BUT...

• Its not that ppl who are not attending simply do not care to attend - most of us have RL Jobs and cannot attend.  I was able to finally attend a meeting because it was after work hours for me.
• Even though there is voice to text conversion - i suspect it would be ineffective IF anyone other than Brooke talks as it would not effectively distinguish and label who said what in the meeting.
• MOST importantly - the major weakness of these meetings is ... BROOKE COMMUNICATES... EVERYONE BASICALLY LISTENS (rare chance for any real questions or dialog to happen).

So since Brooke is basically using these meetings for her to update us on what her team has accomplished - just write it in a blog - where everyone can read it at their leisure and we call can then respond to the blog with questions that brooke can take her own time to think and respond to.  When a Linden is on the spot and doesnt exactly know how to answer the question - we will all just hear a watered down response - if any at all.

The real purpose of the bi-monthly meetings is just for optics to make it look like she is actively engaging with the merchant community and taking in our questions and concerns.  Make a bunch of Merchants feel good that they are involved and participating in the merchant community when really - they are not.

BLOG IT BROOKE!

[Argus Collingwood]

 

---

Toysoldier Thor wrote:

OK so like many of you, I attended yesterday's bi-monthly inworld commerce group meeting (aka the OH meetings) hosted by Brooke.  At first I thought to myself, 1 meeting every two month?? Really?? With all the outstanding issues and unfinished SLM features still being ignored or on the backburner or trying to be solved... 1 meeting every two month?? 

*********

Toy, it is a meeting every month,the days and times vary: [see below]

Wednesday - First Wednesday of the month, every other month Starting 4/6. @10 AM PT

Tuesday - First Tuesday of the month, every other month Starting 3/1. @ 5 PM/PT

[i find that the larger the audience, the more I crash]

 

[Madeliefste Oh]

I do agree with Toysoldier. This kind of communication will work better when it's blogged. 

What can be done effectively in only 6 hours of communication a year? Brooke can update us about what is going on. There is hardly time to answer questions, for having a discussion where different point of views can be adressed office hours don't seem to be the best place at all.

So I support the suggestion to put those updates on the blog, and set the blog open for comments / discussion.

[Pamela Galli]

Agree with all -- most of the discussion after the meeting among those who stayed around (or were in the inworld group) was about this, and most said the same thing. Our avis do not need to be present and the information does not have to be in real time (tho I admit I do like seeing my merchant friends there). 

 

We have this new forum which from looking at the video demo looks like it can very easily be adapted to the purpose.