Site Problems and Questions for the Moderators

[Charlie Spencer]

6 minutes ago, Clip said:

Likes and thanks are my favorite too but I also love making people laugh. Laughter is a great thing.

Agreed, but I remember when I was new here.  I'd see a 'Reputation' value beside someone's name and think, "This person must be a pretty good birder."  I didn't know then that factors other than birding skills went it to that number.

If it comes back, I'd like to see it renamed 'Reactions'.  That's a more accurate name for the number.  If it doesn't come back, it won't bother me.  This is a free service, and I'm getting a lot more than I'm paying for.

Edited July 28, 2021 by Charlie Spencer

[Quiscalus quiscula]

7 minutes ago, Charlie Spencer said:

Agreed, but I remember when I was new here.  I'd see a 'Reputation' value beside someone's name and think, "This person must be a pretty good birder."  I didn't know then that factors other than birding skills went it to that number.

If it comes back, I'd like to see it renamed 'Reactions'.  That's a more accurate name for the number.  If it doesn't come back, it won't bother me.  This is a free service, and I'm getting a lot more than I'm paying for.

Definitely agree!

[Charlie Spencer]

Does anyone want to hear me rant about how my 2019 Mazda didn't come with a CD player, not even available as an added option?

And don't any of you snot-nosed punks ask, "What's a CD, Boomer?"

Edited July 28, 2021 by Charlie Spencer

[Quiscalus quiscula]

25 minutes ago, Charlie Spencer said:

Does anyone want to hear me rant about how my 2019 Mazda didn't come with a CD player, not even available as an added option?

And don't any of you snot-nosed punks ask, "What's a CD, Boomer?"

Haha, of course I know what a CD is! I grew up in a house with more older technology than most, so we even have some tube amplifiers.

[Seanbirds]

36 minutes ago, Charlie Spencer said:

"What's a CD, Boomer?"

Abbreviation for “Compact Disk”. 

[Aveschapines]

42 minutes ago, Charlie Spencer said:

Does anyone want to hear me rant about how my 2019 Mazda didn't come with a CD player, not even available as an added option?

And don't any of you snot-nosed punks ask, "What's a CD, Boomer?"

It's a certificate of deposit, of course!

[Aveschapines]

16 minutes ago, Quiscalus quiscula said:

Haha, of course I know what a CD is! I grew up in a house with more older technology than most, so we even have some tube amplifiers.

I grew up playing 45s and 78s on a record player. And my first stereo as an adult had an 8-track player, so you could enjoy that lovely "clunk" in the middle of the song on your tape.

[Quiscalus quiscula]

1 minute ago, Aveschapines said:

I grew up playing 45s and 78s on a record player. And my first stereo as an adult had an 8-track player, so you could enjoy that lovely "clunk" in the middle of the song on your tape.

Haha, we have a record player that we still use, the audio quality can actually be so much better than anything digitally on a laptop or phone.

[Connor Cochrane]

What’s the advantage of a CD player if you can get Spotify? We used CDs when I was younger, however streaming music is better in every way. 

[Quiscalus quiscula]

4 minutes ago, Connor Cochrane said:

What’s the advantage of a CD player if you can get Spotify? We used CDs when I was younger, however streaming music is better in every way. 

Agree. It's record players and tube amplifiers that are superior.

[Charlie Spencer]

46 minutes ago, Connor Cochrane said:

What’s the advantage of a CD player if you can get Spotify? We used CDs when I was younger, however streaming music is better in every way. 

For me, there are two advantages.  Note that these are specific to me.

1) I already own a few hundred CDs.  A quick check just now says Spotify wants $10 a month.  Why pay for what I already own?

Now, regarding the second advantage, some of you may need to sit down first.  Have some smelling salts handy, or a paper bag to breath into.  Those of you with pre-existing conditions, are pregnant or nursing, or are bikers may want to have medical assistance nearby.

Okay, ready?

2) We don't own a cell phone.   We have no reason to pay for one.  I have one issued by my employer, but we electronically limit the apps we're permitted to install.  eBird and Merlin are permitted, but most streaming apps are not (including Spotify).  Those that are allowed will only work when connected to a WiFi network; they won't work not over a cellular link.  Last time I checked, there was no WiFi connection in my car, but I could be wrong again ...

[Quiscalus quiscula]

1 hour ago, Charlie Spencer said:

For me, there are two advantages.  Note that these are specific to me.

1) I already own a few hundred CDs.  A quick check just now says Spotify wants $10 a month.  Why pay for what I already own?

Now, regarding the second advantage, some of you may need to sit down first.  Have some smelling salts handy, or a paper bag to breath into.  Those of you with pre-existing conditions, are pregnant or nursing, or are bikers may want to have medical assistance nearby.

Okay, ready?

2) We don't own a cell phone.   We have no reason to pay for one.  I have one issued by my employer, but we electronically limit the apps we're permitted to install.  eBird and Merlin are permitted, but most streaming apps are not (including Spotify).  Those that are allowed will only work when connected to a WiFi network; they won't work not over a cellular link.  Last time I checked, there was no WiFi connection in my car, but I could be wrong again ...

It's fine, I'm not shocked. I don't have spotify or a phone either. Although you can have spotify on a lap or desktop.

[Charlie Spencer]

11 minutes ago, Quiscalus quiscula said:

Although you can have spotify on a lap or desktop.

See advantage #1 

[Quiscalus quiscula]

Just now, Charlie Spencer said:

See advantage #1 

Yeah, so many services want money. Just a point to clarify.

[Charlie Spencer]

5 minutes ago, Quiscalus quiscula said:

Yeah, so many services want money.

Nothing wrong with that.  Streaming services are the primary method of distributing music these days.  If they don't get any money, there's nothing to pass on to the talent. The services also have their own infrastructure to pay for - servers, routers, electricity, bandwidth, employees (says the network administrator).

Edited July 28, 2021 by Charlie Spencer

[Quiscalus quiscula]

Just now, Charlie Spencer said:

Nothing wrong with that.  Streaming services are the primary method of distributing music these days.  If they don't get any money, there's nothing to pass on to the talent.

That's true, and on some streaming services the artists are actually not paid enough. Fortunately, I play my own music!🙂

[Kevin]

21 hours ago, Charlie Spencer said:

And don't any of you snot-nosed punks ask, "What's a CD, Boomer?"

I'm not snot-nosed....

What's a CD?

Edited July 29, 2021 by Kevin

[Kevin]

@Charlie Spencer seriously, we didn't know you were so advanced, thought you we still using cassettes.

[Charlie Spencer]

I really did have a reason to bring up the subject.  Technologies change, and there's little we as users can do except adapt.

My new car doesn't have a CD player, an item that used to be standard equipment.  I acknowledge it isn't available because most people have changed to other methods of music distribution.

Ditto displaying 'Reputation' points and a text string.  As a former programmer, take my word that no one removes part of an application because they have nothing better to do.  When an application is upgraded, the easiest approach is to leave as much alone as possible.  However minimal, taking something out takes some degree of effort.

Whatbird isn't the only forum that uses this software.  Like my CD player, it's possible most other sites don't use that part of the application any more.  Removing it now may simplify future maintenance.  Or there maybe enough protest that one or both of these features return in a future update.

 

Edited July 29, 2021 by Charlie Spencer

[SirVive]

On 7/27/2021 at 10:43 AM, Charlie Spencer said:

I garner far more of the last than of the first two.

Have another 😆

[SirVive]

On 7/28/2021 at 2:30 PM, Charlie Spencer said:

We don't own a cell phone

Wild guess says that I'm about 1/2 your age and I still only have a 'dumb' phone   My wife does have a smartphone that doubles as our only source of Internet and I ebird on her dinosaur of an S5🐊

[Seanbirds]

Since when is @Kevin a moderator???

[PaulK]

Just a quick note on Spotify/streaming music: the drawback is you don't actually own anything. I pay apple a lot of money for a family membership to Apple music and when they remove an album that I've listened to a bunch then that's just how it goes. Back before joining the streaming service when I was buying digital albums, sometimes I'd lose the albums that I specifically bought because they'd be removed from the service. CDs are forever, or at least until someone uses it as a coaster.

[Aveschapines]

1 hour ago, Seanbirds said:

Since when is @Kevin a moderator???

Since now 😄 He's going to take some time to get familiar with his new role and help me with some of the chores to keep the site running smoothly. 

[Aveschapines]

40 minutes ago, PaulK said:

Just a quick note on Spotify/streaming music: the drawback is you don't actually own anything. I pay apple a lot of money for a family membership to Apple music and when they remove an album that I've listened to a bunch then that's just how it goes. Back before joining the streaming service when I was buying digital albums, sometimes I'd lose the albums that I specifically bought because they'd be removed from the service. CDs are forever, or at least until someone uses it as a coaster.

...or until CDs become obsolete. I've lived through three major music formats (I'm not counting 8-track tapes) and I don't expect CDs to be any different from records, LP albums, and cassette tapes.

The other downside to streaming services is you have to have unlimited Internet access to use them!