Gather has been steadily declining for the past year.
There is both internal and external evidence for this claim.
The external evidence requires little analysis. A quick look at alexa a slow lumpy yet steady decline in use. Reach and traffic rank have fallen almost every week for the past year. Page views per user have gone up. The pattern shown is users are coming and doing things here but not producing things that bring in the outside world. This is a bad sign for advertisers. The people using this site are using it for social purposes and ignoring the advertisements. In turn, this is a bad thing for Gather (once the advertisers realize that ads on Gather aren't worth anything).
There are two forms of internal evidence.
The first requires a little bit of memory. A year ago, the posts that reached the top of the ‘most read' and ‘most discussed' lists had genuine content. Six months ago, the posts that reached the top of those lists tended to be humour related or flamewar related. There are still a few flamewar related posts. The remaining top posts are almost entirely socializing and designed purely for points posts.
The second piece of internal evidence is the recent behaviour of Gather administration. They have done two things: they've "tripled" points until the end of the month. This is a somewhat curious claim since administration hasn't every publicly said how points are calculated so it is very difficult to find out if they really are giving out three times as many points. Also, since one can be pretty sure that they aren't going to run at a loss, it means that users were getting a pretty poor deal on points up until now - unless the cash value of points gets divided by three just before people get to cash them in.
The other thing that Gather administration has done is encourage people to have multiple accounts. In part, this seems to recognize that they've been terrible at detecting them and uneven in deciding what to do about them. But, there are three more reasons for doing such things. First, by dividing up where an individual collects points, points will be cashed in more slowly leaving Gather holding cash for longer. Second, the number of accounts will rise and Gather can thus claim more ‘users' and make itself more saleable. Third, it promotes duplicity which in turn promotes flamewars which in turn keeps people here fighting.
I don't object to a floundering company trying various marketing gimmicks to try to turn things around. But, I do object to gimmicks that promote duplicity and Gather administration has done that. Again.
By the way, Jackie L. already wrote a lovely article on this subject. Please read it too and give her some points. While you're at it, please read Joanne's wonderful articles about me and give her some points. Finally, I always think that giving Sandy Knauer points is a good idea so please do that too.
So, I feel justified in giving this in answer to the question in the title: No.
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Comments: 76
The one thing people repeatedly ask for, the one thing everybody on any side of anything agrees on--do they address it? No...not great. Definitely not.
There are many intelligent articles here. Try this article about breastfeeding by a Harvard medical doctor, this article about Rudy Giuliani by The American Prospect, this short piece about an Ansel Adams exhibit by Lisa Gensheimer, this article about panopticism by Sigriet F., this interesting photo essay by Joel Carillet and there are many more!
Use the tag search and subscribe to those authors who write what you're looking for and you'll save some time wading through what you're not!
Cynical Coz: I click on google targetted ads. I find the service provided by targetted ads to be useful. I've found some wonderful things that way. On the other hand, not only do I not click on Gather's ads, I've stopped buying coffee from Starbucks because they advertise here.
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977010438 by De M.
I was wondering if this triple points things was a ploy to get their active user numbers up so that they can sell more ads???
Also, with all of this alter-ego stuff they are starting to look like Second Life. Where they say that they have X number of users, but actually it is a much smaller number of users that have multiple accounts/names.
BONGO.. I think a boycott on BOTH days would make a telling impact on the sale. I'll help organize it, if you want a wingman. Oh, and thanks for posting this to my fan club. All is forgiven.
I have nothing to add, Bongo (not even triple points, if you're right, and certainly I haven't seen my points moving three times faster than usual). I'm leaving a comment anyway. (Even though you'll soon delete this too.)
I also have suspicions about a sale or trying to attract some major advertiser. Seems kind of strange that this triple point bonanza would go in at the same time as the blessing of the alter egos. Divide what they have to pay out (hadn't thought of that) and increase the 'number' of participants.
As I mentioned somewhere else this weekend, our hospital is for sale so we are doing stuff to look good, like actually providing patient care.
I already gave Jackie L tons of points the evening she posted that article and just went and read a Joanne one. I always give Sandy points. I'll even give you one though you can't use it.
Why didn't they address giving cash or gift cards to people outside the US.
BTW, those alexa stats were very interesting.
Why aren't those article on the most read list? THIS is the most disgusting piece of the puzzle. Why would Gather refuse to recognize real talent and instead reward and feature some of the worst? There has to be a reason but I sure can't figure out what it might be. Any ideas on that?
There still are some good articles here. I don't think the site will collapse overnight. It is even imaginable that it can be fixed. I just don't think that will happen. I think there will be a slow decline and the writers of the most interesting stuff will move on.
Jackie: No. I can't explain the alexa stuff and you're right that there's a word missing and I don't feel like fixing it. If I took this place seriously, I would fix a missing word but then, if I took this place seriously, I wouldn't have posted this kind of article.
Good to see you.
1) get points
2) chat a lot (I do that easily anyway)
3) and tell everybody to buy my novel (because they'll really want to read it really bad if they JUST KNEW HOW FABULOUS IT WAS!!!)
That's 3X a benefit for me.
I have noticed "junk articles" but it's easy to ignore what you want to ignore and some articles are VERY GOOD (and some very funny - some of the funniest being the junk articles - like it's some parody of Gather, for people who need to see how silly this can all get).
I hope Gather stays around now that I've sort of figured it mosly out (time to start my own "post it here" catch-all group now!!! ha ha!!!!)
Peter: perhaps you'd like me to flag all of your articles for you so that you can learn about what a great place this is. Now, maybe I'm over sensitive about flagging. I mean, it has been over two days since an article that I helped develop got flagged. Not over three mind you but one can't have everything.
Rushmore J.: You are totally right. Thanks.
Wurdz: That's exactly the kind of thing I've been doing and I still adore you (platonically even though I'm not very fond of Plato -- I'll explain that on the other place).
Stunning article, and loaded with facts! Now, I have to go for another Blood Mary to absorb all this. Here's a 10 before the BM's (That's Bloody Mary's) take over.
Oh, and one more thing ... does Gather's medical site have the capability of disbursing medications - cuz I have a headache right now?
Oh, and one more thing ... who is this Article Writer family? They're everywhere, and soooo funny.
Oh, and one more thing ... the Alexa stats have flaws(like everything else). The problem is that the Alexa toolbar only runs on Internet Explorer on Windows machines, effectively voiding every single alternative browser and Mac users. Here's an nteresting article: http://paulstamatiou.com/2007/03/07/why-you-should-completely-ignore-alexa-stats/ac user.
Oh, and one more thing... Naw, just kidding.
http://paulstamatiou.com/2007/03/07/why-you-should-completely-ignore-alexa-stats
What I've learned about Gather is that it's a lot like high school. The 'teachers' (admins) have weird ideas about how to 'grade' the work handed in. Some of what you do is graded on a curve, some isn't. The popular jock gets rewarded for turning in drivel, while the smart guy with zits gets downgraded or ignored, no matter how good the work.
The 'school' launches feel good 'team spirit' initiatives, which the cheerleaders adore, and which the stoners in the parking lot will use as an excuse to set off stink bombs in the auditorium.
The people are like being in high school too. The chirpy girl that greets you at the door the first day, offering a welcome and friendship, who turns out to be the equvilent of a junior Amway salesman. You can't find your classes or the bathroom. You don't get the inside jokes, or politics of the older kids.
Eventually though, if you wander around, you'll fall in with a group of like minded people, who share your interests, who get your jokes, and with whom you can be yourself. Eventually, those are the only people you read, and since you have similar interests, you start following each other around to see what folks in the group are commenting on, reading, etc. And if, in your wanderings, you find another lost soul who seems to fit in, you invite them to join friends in a comment thread, or point them to interesting articles or images, etc.
And, you learn to clip your connections to non-productive or irritating people.
There's no one-size-fits-all Gather. You just need to find the area of Gather that fits you, make friends, and ignore the rest. I, for instance, could care less about points. I want to learn to write, and I've found people who are supporting me in that goal, who provide valuable feedback, who can provide technical info about the craft, who are savvy on the business part of getting published, etc. I found the Gather that fits me, and am trying to ignore all the Cassandras.
Gather is great for the articlewriters.
P.S. Don't listen to that other Siouxy... you'll like me better!
My sister's name is Susie, therefore I have this aversion to the name, you know, being as how my sister is a little beeyotch and all... I think I'll protest all Susies.
I guess that's changing the subject but I think it is allowed.
this reminds me of a certain article a eyar ago of a John A who was speculating on how points were calcualted as there is no clear explanation and some folks never gain, but remain stagnant regardless of what they do.
is life aint it?
but I think another sign of decline, corruption or putrefication is the amount of garbage the place collects as well as the type of rubbish it tries to promote. When you start making up contests that exploit the brutal death of Danny Pearl, you've really lost all sense of integrity at all
and the DO contest, splash was just as superficial. It's pretty sad that osmond would drop for something that low. Simon and Schuster are now getting hit in the writer's forums because they are now pressing writers to sign perpetual book contracts
okay, to someone who kows nothing about publishing or writing, it sounds like a good deal to sign with a company with perpetual printing--
but think about it seriously. If you sign a book contract with SS for perpetual rights, it also means that you cannot resell the title at a later dte for a better contract with another publisher, and SS doe not have to sell the book. They can squash it by archiving it and the writer is just plain out.
So okay the contests are a bit sleazy nd there is never any revelation on the "jedges" or criteria, etc...
and the ads encroach everywhere, but Gather likes empty, cookie-cutter comments, eatures cutncopy plagiarsim on the front page and the content is pretty empty.
love the buddy system here
great mutual ad society, but eeyore is down in his patch eating thistles like normal.
Time to leave gather, I think!
In response to a number of the issues that you raise, please note the following:
The triple points program was put together as a fun way to reward members for their activity over a holiday weekend when site use is sometimes slower. While increased traffic does result in Gather being a more attractive site to advertisers, Gather creates programs that shares the benefits with the entire Gather community. Point earnings are associated with each account; therefore, there is no incentive for members to create additional accounts for the purpose of deriving incremental benefit from this program.
When Gather amended its policy allowing multiple accounts, this was done after weighing the pros and cons of this change. Some members have expressed that they prefer that the policy remain as it had been, with one account per person, because of concern for abuse. Others can see a reason why some members would be more comfortable discussing health, money and other issues with a pen name. We are allowing multiple accounts for those members who want to use them. That said, all members are expected to uphold the terms of service regardless of whether they have 1 or more accounts.
Gather offers many programs and a variety of content in order to reach a broad audience. We do not expect all content to appeal to all members, but hope that members find an area of the site that is engaging and interesting for them. Gather is a community of interesting people who have something important to share. As I recently mentioned on another article, Gather is not a site that only features the best writers. Members have created friendships as well as showcased something about themselves, whether that is family photos or fiction. As a result, we see our role as representing a more diverse cross section of the Gather community.
I hope that you find this information useful.
Carl Rosendorf, President & COO of Gather
That's a problem for me. I'm not particularly interesting and I don't have anything important to share. I enjoy writing articles and commenting regardless. I hope the above aren't the primary criteria for membership.
Yeah, the beat goes on.
Drums keep pounding rhythms to the brain.
La Di Da Di De. La Di Da Di Da.
Damn, you all made me think of Sonny and Cher. Geeze!
I do agree that the people who dont write an article that is THOUGHT PROVOKING should be able to post.
I also agree that a one sentence post should not get featured.
My stance is that there is far too much "noise" or "garbage" on gather now.
The quality of posts does seem to have decreased.
Nice to hear from ya!
P.S. Dannielle, it's June - they are still here...!