by Matthew Emmett Townsend
Member since:
August 4, 2006

Gathers Response to the problems and new developments, including NOT featuring people who Do Not participate in Essentials groups

March 13, 2007 01:05 AM EDT (Updated: March 13, 2007 04:59 PM EDT)
views: 224 | rating: 8.7/10 (24 votes) | comments: 56

Gathers Response to the problems and new developments, including NOT featuring people who do not participate in Essentials groups

 

Date: Mar 13, 2007 12:31 AM

Message:

#1 Maryanne... a friend here on gather informed me today that ....and I quote verbatim." Jennifer wrote me weeks ago asking me to submit articles to gathers new groups, and further explained that my work wouldn't be featured until I participated in their groups and essentials."

So if we do not join your groups WE WONT BE FEATURED!!!

SO what is it...? Gather is not playing friendly if they say that...

It is called blackmail...

I will not give you the name of the person who told me BECAUSE the person DIDN'T TELL ME I COULD, But I am publishing all you have written and his quotes in an article...

I suggest you clear this up before I waste my time arguing the other problems...

#2 I have lost 50% or more of my readership because of Gathers New structure... and now Jennifer says we HAVE to PARTICIPATE in Gathers Groups or Essentials we will not be featured.... Figure it out, Maryanne... At least 10 others that I regularly chat with say they also have lost readership.... maybe because we wont play nice nice with Essential groups of Gather????

That is Literary Blackmail and quite possibly against your own TOS and may even be illegal....


#3 I have followed through my words. I have created new banner and icon and will be changing it momentarily.

I am Honestly Confused about Gather.com's intentions and seeming lack of integrity in relation to forcing activity in Essential groups(I did not say your integrity, you may be being played for the fool (ie behind your back) or maybe people at gather are overstepping their bounds without Tom and you knowing, MAYBE) so much so that I am forwarding this to all parties that should be concerned.

I wonder what their thoughts are...

The ball is in Gather court....

Sincerely,

Emmett

Matthew Emmett Townsend

M. Emmett Townsend's Gather Page






> Hi Emmett,
> Thanks for letting me know the icon and banner were temporary and there was a reason for your use of them. It worked!
>
> Thank you also for letting me know you thought my response was bland and cursory. That was not my intention. When checking Tom's mailbox for support issues I always respond with the same opening paragraph so members realize it is me, rather then Tom, responding. Perhaps I should change that?
>
> Your 2nd point has also been heard. We are working on a program to launch as early as tomorrow that will feature more content from more members. We look forward to any feedback you have on it.
>
> To address your 3rd point, there are many vital topics that are not covered by specific essentials. Essentials are a way to organize content, but they do not replace groups. We will continue to add essentials over time. And members should continue to create groups that are of significance to them. Our strategy was to start the Essential program with a size we could manage and to expand it over time. There seems to be many members interested in Spirituality and this interest has been passed on to the content management team.
>
> I am hoping you can give me a little more information regarding your 4th point. Why do you think the Essentials are destroying Gather? We hope they will bring in more members, and those members will be additional readers of your content.
>
> Thank you for your time and comments.
>
> Best regards,
> MaryAnne
> Director of Member Services
> Gather, Inc.
>
> > #1 the use of your copyright temporarily was on purpose, we want your attention.
> >
> > I will be creating a new icon and banner today..
> >
> > #2 But the issue is that Gather seems to be ignoring the writers now that they have paid ones. And personally your new Essentials group do not work when you NEVER accept article posting from us to them...
> >
> > #3 (actually the main point) you seem to be ignoring Spirituality and Religion, and even Poetry, in your essential groups...
> >
> > #4 Many of us have noticed a big drop (50% or more) in readership beginning just after the Essentials program was begun. This above all makes Gather less worth it, by about 50%... think about it... I personally have only gone to one essentials article in the past month, becouse it was a friend of mines... otherwise I like several others ignore them becouse they seem to be destroying Gather.
> >
> > I am forwarding this to everyone of my contacts, and I invite any of them to send it to those they feel would care to note your bland cursory e-mail and comment to all of us or to you.
> >
> > Sincearly,
> >
> > Emmett
> > Matthew Emmett Townsend
> > M. Emmett Townsend's Gather Page
> >
> > > Hi Emmett,
> > > I am writing you on Tom Gerace's behalf. Tom reads all his email and greatly appreciates hearing from members! However, his work takes him out of the office quite a bit these days and he receives more email then he can personally reply to, so I review his mailbox for any support inquiries sent to him. Please feel free to send an email to support@gather.com when you have any questions.
> > >
> > > It's great to see you creating a group about Social Values! We love it when members take the initiative. For clarity for both gather members and the thousand of gather browsers who visit Gather daily, please be sure you are not using the gather "g" icon, or the "essential" terminology when you create your groups. These items are trademarked by gather for our use.
> > >
> > > If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to write back.
> > >
> > > Best regards,
> > > MaryAnne
> > > Director of Member Services
> > > Gather, Inc.
> > > http://www.maryannef.gather.com
> > >
> > >
> > > > Hello Friends...
> > > >
> > > > C.L Mareydt and several of us have started a rebellion of sorts, becouse we feel the new Gather essentials has left many of us out in the cold, most of us loosing readership and our area of writing not being one of the Essential groups Gather believes in...
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > So in rebellion I have created
> > > > Gather Essentials: Social Values Group
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > and as such I have created some icons and banner that I will eventually need to change, but I would like as many of you as possible that like the subject area to jump on the band wagon so that Gather realizes that this is an area of writing that needs to be addressed in the Essentials system... and to remind them many of us feel left out with the new system as we seem top be loosing readership etc...
> > > >
> > > > There are other areas missed as well like religion etc.. and I invite any of you to create anyone of those you feel you are willing to...
> > > >
> > > > Please lets give this a good showing and if you agree feel free to forward this to your contacts that would care....
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Thanks for being my contacts and for all the support you give me and so may writers here on gather esp the ones that gather tends to ignore but you do not, you are the inspirational lifeline to many a writer....
> > > >
> > > > Emmett
> > > >
> > > > PS: yes, Tom Gerace I do realize I sent this to you also.... go figure please come join our group your writing is also welcome...

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Comments: 56

Cynical Coz Mar 13, 2007, 1:08am EDT
Gather definitely needs to change its featuring policy and begin to feature more creative writers and fewer hobby enthusiats. There can be an equilibrium of both but if you are a creative writer on gather there is no essential group for you, you have a reduction in readership, and you will not get featured. Short end of the stick? I think so... Thank you for unveiling this problem that has remained dormant right under my nose the whole time Emmett.
Wendy F. Mar 13, 2007, 1:13am EDT
So give it up already, I really do not see any problem with what Gather has been doing at all with the front page. I have seen some of my pictures on the front page and they were in not published in a Gather Essential group . I published a couple of news articles to Gather Essentials News. I figure they might get rejected but thought it was worth a try. They got accepted and I was featured two days in a row .
*LORA* M. Mar 13, 2007, 1:19am EDT
sorry it happened to you.
Cynical Coz Mar 13, 2007, 1:20am EDT
Yes Wendy and where do you propose us creative authors go? Gather use to be that site where creative writers gathered together and shared their work, not to say that gather's expansion is wrong, it is certainly a clever buisness move there are more hobby enthusiasts than writers, but I know many writers on here express anger at the fact that gather has suddenly morphed in front of their eyes without their consent and now suddenly it is as though gather has completely abandoned its original purpose in the first place. I have no interst in writing news stories for gather, I have interest in writing creative stories for everyone to enjoy, but where do I post those on gather so that they do not get sucked into the twenty four hour void. And the fact is I like many others feels a little stuck because where else are we supposed to go?
Sandy (Site Psychic™) Knauer Mar 13, 2007, 1:24am EDT
Sigh.

They feature articles with multiple errors, someone who frequently publishes words that others have written (T.S. Eliot recently) and "copyrights" them under his own name, "articles" that are a couple of lines with a link to someone else's work . . .

and ignore original, quality efforts by people who did not join their "essentials" groups.

Meanwhile, they promote a mediocre writer who has sent out numerous letters to newcomers, warning them to beware of people who might get more attention - because this member has managed to connect with a billion people and convince them that it is to "their" benefit to connect and read what this member publishes.

Emmett, I hope someone cares more about your complaints than they did about the hundreds many of us have submitted before yours.
Sandy (Site Psychic™) Knauer Mar 13, 2007, 1:29am EDT
I missed a couple of comments while I was typing mine.

Wendy's comment brings a question to mind. If "thousands" are submitting to the essentials groups, why are the same people being featured repeatedly? I am not familiar with Wendy's work but know without a doubt they repeatedly feature Randy and his work is on about a sixth grade level (at best).

Cynical, I share your concerns, and hope there will be a new site for creative writers soon. If I find it first, I'll let you know and will appreciate if you do the same for me.
Jenny D. Mar 13, 2007, 1:32am EDT
Interesting...

Please post this to gatherwatch.gather.com
Cynical Coz Mar 13, 2007, 1:32am EDT
lol wow that sounds interesting Sandy, maybe I should start bothering to read the essentials just to try and find fault with them.
Wendy F. Mar 13, 2007, 1:32am EDT
Cynical Coz - I have always understood that you can publish your stories to a zillion public groups on here, or create either moderated or private groups and invite whom ever you want to publish to those groups. I was told connect to more people , and join more groups , to get more exposure. I don't see a lot of what you call creative writing on here , I assume that I am not connected to such people or they are publishing privately .
Cynical Coz Mar 13, 2007, 1:37am EDT
I will certainly do so Sandy, I have tried a couple of other sites but more often then not they are worse than gather! Wendy obviously you are not looking hard enough depending on the time of day I see a ratio of 1:1 or sometimes 2:1 (more posts on hobbies) but there is certainly a large amount of creative work being published. Last night alone for five minutes in the first 5 or six articles I found three poems and commented them. I am connected to quite a few people and I am in a number of private groups and groups focused on creative writing and I do have a small entourage of critics that read my work regularly. However, it would be nice to get a few more comments from time to time instead of the 5-8 I usually recieve from the same people, of course those 5-8 people are the only thing keeping me on this site quite honestly. I publish for them.
Matthew Emmett Townsend Mar 13, 2007, 1:39am EDT
Sandy, you and I are on the same side here, I welcome any insight you may have in this present situation...

Thank you for checking in.

Coz... that is my point, why be here on Gather if they bury us intentionally....

I have not given up.... but then I am always a rebel rouser of some sort...

Laura M, noting has happened to me in a vacuum here on gather it has happened to probably more then 1/2 of us, I am willing to bet. But some do not post as often or care enough to figure out what has changed...

Wendy,

Just becouse you joined an Essential group and it worked for you does not mean it is correct of them to tell us if we do not join the new groups then they Will not feature us... I mean so much for caring about good content.
Sandy (Site Psychic™) Knauer Mar 13, 2007, 1:39am EDT
My serious work has been insulted repeatedly by flaggers and low-raters who want to make sure it doesn't get any attention that I don't publish anything new if I care about it.
Sandy (Site Psychic™) Knauer Mar 13, 2007, 1:48am EDT
Emmett, I don't believe they care one bit about "good content". Everything they have done in the last six monts says otherwise.

They allowed hoards of people, who contribute zero in the way of quality, to insult and badger those of us who begged for quality (and thought we were defending the original mission statement). Some of the best writers this site has ever seen have left as a result, and many more are biding their time. They called us the "Grammar Police", accused us of being in "gangs", created hit list groups with a mission to "get us kicked off Gather", and almost without fail have sided with those people when they complained about us, even though those people were (and are) blatently, openly, repeatedly doing exactly what they accused of us doing.

I took a stand for quality and fairness on this site, and I have been run through the mud because of it. I'm sure you've seen it.
Randy- Being true to myself Mar 13, 2007, 1:51am EDT
Emmett, I have to agree with your commenters. I see so many wonderful writers not being recognized. One example is Coz. There needs to be a feature outlet on the front for those who do not join or submit to those groups. It needs to be an open forum based on quality. I would love to see great writing featured more. Many of Sandy's good writing deserves to be featured as well as yours. I may write at only a six grade level, and may have been featured, but that does not mean that I do not agree that there needs to be an outlet for great writing of substance and not of tearing people down.

I truly appreciate your article.
JoAnne D. Mar 13, 2007, 1:54am EDT
I figutres there was probably a pay them in there somewhere. Oh well, i still like Gather
Cynical Coz Mar 13, 2007, 1:54am EDT
Sadly, it is a buisness like anything else Sandy. So, I daresay that gather is probably quite happy with the excess of memebers they are receiving daily. It is not about the writing it is about the money and the fact is there is clearly more money in hobbies than there is in good, coherent writing. But hell, I guess it should have been expected at some time or other that Gather would conform like the rest of the world. It is just sad to see that yet again creative writers cannot find a "home." Maybe, like the Lost Generation, we should all move away from Gather and create our own site. Unfortunately, we are only writers not computer programmers.
Sandy (Site Psychic™) Knauer Mar 13, 2007, 1:58am EDT
Why are they encouraging people to create new groups, publish to a billion groups, and then DEMAND that we join "their" selected groups if we want to be recognized? That makes no sense.

If they wanted to solve the problems, they categories would have been:

Fiction
Poetry
Non-fiction
Games
Plagiarized Material
Links to other sites

Then, we could have found or way around and been happy.
Cynical Coz Mar 13, 2007, 2:02am EDT
LOL! Nice Sandy, I defintely would not mind those categories, but you forgot the Pointless Crap category then I think everyone would be satisfied.
Matthew Emmett Townsend Mar 13, 2007, 2:04am EDT
That is sad. I post becouse I share, but I am agravated that many peoples writing is ignored becouse of "games" and "untold rules" gather seems to be adding...
Sandy (Site Psychic™) Knauer Mar 13, 2007, 2:10am EDT
I agree, Emmett, and tried to warn people when the crew who publishes multiple (some of them six - fifteen) non-articles a day came in. I discussed exponential growth, and how far down we would be buried when those people invited ten of their friend, and those friends invited ten of their friends - and soon, everyone was playing games, offering links to freebies, and saying 'good morning' a hundred "articles" a day.

I just looked at something else interesting. The comments pages documehts 621 pages of comments in the last 24 hours. Six of those pages belong to me. Anybody want to look at their numbers and see if I am anywhere near "typical", and then see how many of us are commenting on essentials articles as compared to those who are commenting on other stuff?
Jackie L. Mar 13, 2007, 2:14am EDT
Don't forget to add this to Popular Whiners (and Gather Grippers)!

I've never been featured, which I consider a badge of honor. I'm not part of any Gather Essentials, as I've not yet found a topic that appeals to me. I've suggested "family" and "humor" as sections, but my opinion and $4 will get you a Frappucino (the small one, of course).

As often happens, the PTB designed this environment to appeal to the lowest common denominator.
Sandy (Site Psychic™) Knauer Mar 13, 2007, 2:18am EDT
I forgot a couple of popular groups:

Diary entries
Saying Good Morning 5 times a day
Satire and Parody
People who wish they could write satire and parody
Carol Roach Mar 13, 2007, 2:20am EDT
well emmett you know how disappointment I am with everything about gather. They will be nothing in my books until I can cash out my 20000 some odd points.
Jackie L. Mar 13, 2007, 2:21am EDT
Don't forget

Embittered & Envious
Grammatically Challenged
Can't be Bothered to Spellcheck This 5,000 Word Article
Randy- Being true to myself Mar 13, 2007, 2:37am EDT
Not to toss fuel to the fire, but have any of you actually gone to any of those groups and looked at the members? There are dozens who just show up, and write one article then do nothing????

Jackie and Sandy, YOu do realize we all agree to a point, maybe a better way to achieve what we all would truly like to see is to stop the extra curricular bickering and try to honestly get gather to recognize some things.

I agree about the letter games, the emails, the jokes etc. that should be categorized differently.

Whether my writing is as good as a professional or not, I believe that we should have a place for real articles written, and then the satire needs to be somewhere, but most satire is satire of gather people, so I have a distaste for that.

So where do we disagree?
Randy- Being true to myself Mar 13, 2007, 2:41am EDT
JAckie, it would be nice if people all spelled wonderfully, but as I read the comments, there are three different people, other than you and I that have spelling errors, so we all have spelling errors, and that is easier to deal with than how many words start with an "a" that has to do with snow....

dear diary? i never saw one of those Sandy. not that I do not believe you
Shawnee G. Mar 13, 2007, 3:12am EDT
I may sound stupid here, but who is Jennifer?

I think the Essentials additions that should be made are
poetry
fiction stories
non fiction stories
family
I think there is room on Gather to add 4 more essential groups.

I myself have never been featured, I am not a serious writer, and I have had two articles accepted to essentials groups out of two submitted.
☆ ƒåitĥ ☆ Mar 13, 2007, 3:39am EDT
I just can't figure out why everyone is in such an uproar. I came to Gather August of 06, so I'm fairly new and I know you guys are probably going to jump on me about this. I am nice to everyone here and so I am not saying this to be mean in any way. This is just coming from someone new, who read Gathers FAQ's before even signing up. This is what it says "Everyone's passionate about something. It's part of what makes people tick, what moves and motivates us. Really into jazz? Historical fiction your passion? Know the best way to peel grapes? From the conservative to the unconventional, all content, all personalities -- everyone and everything is welcome. Gather is a place where you can share what inspires you. Meet others whose interests overlap with your own, or learn something new. Your unique voice will be heard through the articles, images, or reviews you publish on the very things you know and love." The thing is, if I knew that so many people were going to get angry because the newer people were straying from what is considered CREATIVE WRITING, then I would have never joined up. I know I'm not a professional writer, and I'm not here to say that I am or to even try to write. I'm here to make friends, spend some time interacting with adults (since I'm a SAHM mom and I need adult stimulation every once in awhile) and to sharpen my newfound love for photography by posting photos that I've taken and talking back and forth with people who can help me improve my skills. I guess I had no idea that this was a site for strictly creative writing, and I thought it was OK that we were all here for different reasons. I hope that your issue is resolved soon, I hate to think that newer people like me might be the reason for your dissatisfaction.
Cynical Coz Mar 13, 2007, 4:15am EDT
We're writers were always in an uproar ;). No, we just want equal treatment of everyone we want a gather essentials page to ourslevs and we want two seperate newly screated articles pages one, where the good and serious articles go (political pieces, creative writing, etc.) and another where the not so serious articles go (the jokes, the links to other sites, the once sentance articles, the good morning gathers, etc.)
Wurdzgurl !!! Mar 13, 2007, 9:35am EDT
I agree with Jackie about the Essentials. None of the Essentials are really Essential for me to write about. I had one article featured under music essentials just because I needed a place to post an article about music I downloaded. I think a Family Essential would be great or a Life Essential. Life is really pretty essential to me. Politics is just a really sick diversion.
a g. Mar 13, 2007, 9:41am EDT
i got featured out of blue and no one asked me to join a particular group to be featured..so bit confused on that.on essentials group..haven't joined any as of this very second..
Nana to Seven Cutiepies Mar 13, 2007, 10:43am EDT
Faith, you took the words right out of my mouth. I was under the impression that there was room for everyone and that is why I joined. I would like to see more categories in the Essentials groupings though. Kathleen, your suggestion makes the most sense.
Felix R. Mar 13, 2007, 11:30am EDT
What are Essentials? I haven't a clue about what you folks are talking about...but, it seems that it entails joining. I am not a joiner so I needn't worry. I will not join anything and don't care to be featured anywhere. I live off my own energy and become apoplectic in the limelight. Here in my hammock sauntering in my blissful anonymity. Thuffering thuccotash! Look at the hour!
Marsha F. Mar 13, 2007, 12:47pm EDT
I simply don't care to join the Essential Groups because they are not related to what I write. Now I have to admit, I've seen some great essential group ideas put forth in these comments.
It is my understanding that they intend to add more Essentials, but I don't really think that will change how I use Gather, or the articles that I choose to read.
☆ ƒåitĥ ☆ Mar 13, 2007, 1:53pm EDT
Thanks for not jumping all over me for what I wrote. I went to bed after I posted that and actually woke up this morning kind of dreading what would be said here. I completely understand what you're all saying now. I think this Gather Essentials thing is a tad odd too, and totally agree that there should be more categories. I also agree that there should be a section for dedicated, "good and serious" articles to go, and another and different place for the "Gather Fluff" articles to go.
☆ ƒåitĥ ☆ Mar 13, 2007, 1:54pm EDT
One more thing: I just like to dabble in a little of everything here, so as long as I know where to go when I want to post & read serious stuff, and where to go when I want to post & read fluff, then I'm totally happy with my Gather experience.
Clark Kent Mar 13, 2007, 2:25pm EDT
Interesting. I haven't seen a single one of my articles appear on the main politics page since they made their server upgrade a month or so ago. The only place that my articles seem to post is in "my content." I've tried numerous different tagging methods (even though I changed nothing on my end) to no avail, and received no response whatsoever when I emailed for support.
Kevin (''The SiteWizard'') V. Mar 13, 2007, 2:25pm EDT
Emmett,

I apologize if this has already been discussed in the comments above me, but I believe that there is a little 'disconnect' that should be pointed out in the communication from Gather, or in the interpretation of their words (although, it is possible that the disconnect is mine).

It is my understanding that ALL members have the ability to have their articles featured on the Gather home page...whether they publish to a Gather 'Essentials' group or not. For example, there are 9 Essentials 'Channels' and 10 featured categories. This leaves 1 'general' category to be filled by anything from within the community, whether it relates to, or is published to, one of the 9 Essentials Channels or not. This includes articles on spirituality, family issues, or other content that doesn't have a channel of its own (yet).

Hence, for Gather to state that you will not be featured unless you publish to one of the Essentials Groups is, I believe, incorrect.
Bill's Spirit Mar 13, 2007, 3:39pm EDT
I, too, have suffered a drop in readership since The Nine was started.

I'm also going to post an article to point and complain about it.

Maybe it's time someone started a new web site for writers. One like Gather used to be.
donna f. Mar 13, 2007, 4:35pm EDT
My personal gripe is with the "Health Corps" . I have pointed out several articles which were featured, the most recent, last weekend, which were "cut & paste" jobs, lifted verbatim from other websites. My complaint is not with the so called author, as she was ignorant but with Gather. Copyright infringement is serious business, and should not be tolerated, much less featured for two flippin' days in a row. I don't care how "valuable" the information is.
Matthew Emmett Townsend Mar 13, 2007, 5:31pm EDT
I did not receive an e-mail from Maryanne or Tom today.... wonder if there is a meeting.... I gave them the link to the article etc...


Important for them and Us to note....


Many of us do not like each other overly much, politically and otherwise.... BUT: we are all here agree on the same problem.

Example:

Sandy K and I are not friends, we are polite to each other, but we have areas of disagreement, and yet this is NOT one of them.

Clark Kent and I are more likely to be social/political enemies, we disagree with style and tome of each others political writing etc... BUT again here we are in agreement.

this should be important for Gather to notice, when enemies of any sort can band together on an issue it usually mean the issue needs looking into... it does not mean we are right, but it does mean the issue needs to be investigated...

So formerly on different sides...

we are untied in the reality of the problems that Gather now has becouse of decisions they have made...

Including literary threats by Jennifer " she is a content editor for Gather of some sort..."(veiled a tiny bit maybe) that if we do not write where (essentials) and how they want us to then they will not feature us...

Tom are you reading this????

Marryanne please let him know...

Forwarding the link to the Borders member name I think might be helpful... and other on gather advertisers.
Bill's Spirit Mar 13, 2007, 6:02pm EDT
Emmett - The point of your last comment is quite strong.

I'm pretty sure that Gather's TOS protects them legally from any content a user posts. It is the plagarising member that law enforcement will come after.

Gather would only bear liability if an accessible chain of evidence existed, that showed they knew about the offense and deliberately left the article up for an inappropriate length of time (due diligence; and all that).

TJ - Yup. This has been a growing issue which has been discussed among the membership for many, many months.

But, whereas "the old folks" used to rant about the influx of MySpace quality postings; now the old folks and some of us not so old folks are ranting about having MySpace quality postings featured, and given extra rewards.

Once upon a time, the site was about giving rewards to people who were trying to better their craft, not just rake them in cheaply.
c.l.m. 180˚ Mar 13, 2007, 6:46pm EDT
NOW ...

since I was the initial sound off concerning this problematic problem ... much has been incited & many members have voiced an opinion. Here is the original article that prefaced our revolution:

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976927841

Please visit & read. Emmett has jumped in and taken a united stand with me in words & actions. We have drawn the attention of Gather, now to see it thru to a change in Gather reality .... real time.

Thanks to everyone, since your articles & postings are what speak around here! Let your voice be heard. Make sure & visit the links that are there to solve problems like this & I am sure ... Justice & Sanity will Prevail & we will see our own "Essential Buttons" !!!!!!!!!!!!
Travis B. Mar 13, 2007, 6:51pm EDT
" Want more readership? Start a controversy! (Or, even easier, rehash an age-old one!)"

You forgot about starting a Good (Insert Time of Day Here) article and posting ten or more email C&P jokes or some other smarmy shit every day.
Jean E. Mar 13, 2007, 7:01pm EDT
Recently I saw an article that was going to be featured, and I couldn't believe it. It was a piece of poop - nothing original and nothing but controversial. This was after I spent three weeks researching and writing a detailed essay - which was at least a great article for SOME people to read. I received 14 or so great returns on readership. The piece of poop got well over 100.

Bottom line is - I guess I don't need to worry about being featured - because I'm here to write about things important to me and fellow animal lovers. Not things that just put someone else's ideas out for debate.

Great article, btw..........Jean j.
Sandy (Site Psychic™) Knauer Mar 13, 2007, 9:25pm EDT
Donna, I've seen 'health' articles that were poorly written and the information inaccurate. Very disappointing.

Have you seen the latest? Today, one Gather Identity made the front page several times with a one line (p)article about nothing. Honestly - it offered ZERO content and asked readers to "discuss" anything in the comment thread.

Of course, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to publish one of my own to see if I get featured.
Felix R. Mar 13, 2007, 11:26pm EDT
Clark,

I think you and I...and a few others...are personas non grata here at Gather. They want as few people as possible to view what we have to say or post.
Felicia R. Mar 14, 2007, 5:40am EDT
You get a lovely Ten... Yea For you!!!! :)
melanie j. Mar 14, 2007, 6:16am EDT
Intellegent with integrity.
c.l.m. 180˚ Mar 14, 2007, 9:50am EDT
In case anyone is REALLY interested anymore ...
since we know the average intelligent attention span of internet readers today is that of a sixteen year old ...

(which usually means you can have about three minutes of their time attention - before their mind turns off & has to go on to something more exciting and pleasure seeking) ...

You are cordially invited to join:
GATHER ESSENTIALS - SPIRITUALITY - GATHER.COM
http://g-spirituality.gather.com/

It is time to take the high road. It is time to choose.

This by no means is a quick fix to the disparaging problem of not having 'g - essentials' for the topics that are being so obviously overlooked. SPIRITUALITY being one of them.

It is but a minute start, to keep the attention of Gather and to hopefully make a difference within our Community.
John Knight Mar 15, 2007, 9:01am EDT
I have a sneaking suspicion Gather has been bought up by Rev. Moon.
Matthew Emmett Townsend Mar 15, 2007, 11:14pm EDT
C.L Mareydt, I created a group already.... didn't I invite you?

I am back online, The lightening storm on the 13 fried my modem, but luckly didnt fry the computer itself...


SO all fixed and here.
Melissa G. Mar 21, 2007, 12:35pm EDT
It seems to me that Gather is the manifestation of one of America's most treasured values - the Right to Free Speech (within reason, of course).

It is very snobbish and unfair for people who consider themselves "writers" to want to discriminate against or exclude those who express themselves through means other than "creative writing". There is room here for everyone's interests. If you don't like specific content, then you should avoid groups and articles centered on that content. If you are interested in something particular, join a group or create one of your own. People with similar interests will do the same and/or search for content involving those interests and your readership will not suffer. Just because you don't get "window-shoppers" glancing at your stories doesn't mean you've lost readership - it means that the readers that remain are more seriously interested in what you have to write. That is a good thing. I myself write poetry as well as articles about other things that interest me and I know that other than my contacts, there will be people who find my articles by searching for those topics. I have no need to crave readers who are not interested in what I have to say. Like I said, there is a niche here for everyone, not just those who fancy themselves (often falsely) as good writers.

So come back down to earth and accept the fact that not only are you not better than everyone else, but that the rest of us also have equally relevant content to share and discuss.
Ron Hall Mar 23, 2007, 10:48pm EDT
I am actually in favor of Gather having the "most popular" groups. There were, frankly, some sorry excuses for groups on the Gather Group front page, and this managed to push a few of them off. I'm not talking about the member-initiated groups, but the commercial ventures, and publishers clearinghouse wannabes.
necee t. Apr 17, 2008, 12:21am EDT
uh, what year is this??? must be de ja vous... hehe

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