Should we target GeoCities users?

[zen-r]

Good find, Russ.

That means half the work is already done. It just needs adapting to be X10 specific now (without infringing their copyright). And the tutorial needs disseminating to all the relevant places.

Also the info that link contains can hopefully now help you decide, garrettroyce, what is & isn't possible in terms of that migration tool. :biggthump

 

[garrettroyce]

http://www.thesitewizard.com/webhosting/move-from-geocities.shtml

EDIT: Beat me too it, Zen-r

That's half the battle

I think the part that is really going to make our new X10 members nuts is how much more complicated CPanel is compared to geocities. Maybe if we just write a tutorial how to take files from geocities and make them display on X10, that will be enough until they get curious about all the other great features on X10 and need more information.

 

[Smith6612]

That's half the battle

I think the part that is really going to make our new X10 members nuts is how much more complicated CPanel is compared to geocities. Maybe if we just write a tutorial how to take files from geocities and make them display on X10, that will be enough until they get curious about all the other great features on X10 and need more information.

That would be a great thing for a video tutorial to be. Summer is right around the corner now so I should be able to begin working on the tutorials, as well by then, hopefully the server changes are all set.

 

[Anna]

EDIT: Beat me too it, Zen-r

That's half the battle

I think the part that is really going to make our new X10 members nuts is how much more complicated CPanel is compared to geocities. Maybe if we just write a tutorial how to take files from geocities and make them display on X10, that will be enough until they get curious about all the other great features on X10 and need more information.

That sounds as a good plan. I think it is safe to assume that the ones currently on geocities don't (yet) have needs for MySQL and php features, if they had they'd not be on geocities Let them get comfortable with x10 hosting, when they are and realise there's more to websites then pure html, let them ask about the other possibilities.

 

[zen-r]

That sounds as a good plan. I think it is safe to assume that the ones currently on geocities don't (yet) have needs for MySQL and php features, if they had they'd not be on geocities Let them get comfortable with x10 hosting, when they are and realise there's more to websites then pure html, let them ask about the other possibilities.

Exactly. The Step-by-Step Guide need only explain the easiest migration process.

The exciting additional features that X10 has to offer can be pointed out, but the actual instructions for using them can be left out. The need for that sort of info is the same for every newcomer here, not just GeoCities refugees. So that is a separate project, if people feel that the general provision of tutorials needs improving.

That would be a great thing for a video tutorial to be. Summer is right around the corner now so I should be able to begin working on the tutorials, as well by then, hopefully the server changes are all set.

Looking forward to it, Smith6612 !

It would be good to get some feedback from Corey & other senior staff here. I wouldn't want to see this idea move too far forward without their views being known & acted upon.

(Edit: I mean the central idea of the whole thread : whether/how we should deal with GeoCities closure, not just the latest point about video tutorials)

 

[garrettroyce]

I think a migration script would not be in the best interest of the users coming over. It's going to contain a bunch of broken links, missing images and backgrounds, and probably some yahoo ad codes. They would have all the same problems if they copied the files themselves, so I think the tutorial should also talk about creating new content using some of their old content instead of using old pages. The sitebuilder is going to be their best friend.

 

[Smith6612]

Looking forward to it, Smith6612 !

It would be good to get some feedback from Corey & other senior staff here. I wouldn't want to see this idea move too far forward without their views being known & acted upon.

I'm going to be talking to the x10Hosting staff about the tutorials as soon as the time comes. I'm going to see what they'd like to be added, as well as me throwing in some things that the community itself would appreciate, as well as getting permission to possibly create another temporary free hosting account which I'll use solely for the tutorials.

 

[garrettroyce]

You can piggyback on my free hosting account if you want. I'm using mine for tutorials as well, since my paid is my primary now

 

[zen-r]

Have you seen this thread? http://forums.x10hosting.com/tutorials/97376-info-tutorial-requests-index.html

If jeeter is serious about continuing to index existing tutorials, & helping to produce more, it may be worth having a word with him & coordinating your strategy. Note though that jeeter is still only a relatively new member, so may by now have decided that he has bitten off more than he can chew! Just a thought.

 

[Smith6612]

Have you seen this thread? http://forums.x10hosting.com/tutorials/97376-info-tutorial-requests-index.html

If jeeter is serious about continuing to index existing tutorials, & helping to produce more, it may be worth having a word with him & coordinating your strategy. Note though that jeeter is still only a relatively new member, so may by now have decided that he has bitten off more than he can chew! Just a thought.

I didn't see that link, so thanks. I'll be sure to look into all of this and work with the staff and anyone else to make these tutorials. What I had in mind for getting the tutorials known, was for parts throughout the site, plaster a link to a page dedicated to the tutorials somewhere where people should notice them and then click on them.

 

[garrettroyce]

We can probably get a mod to sticky a tutorial in the "free hosting support" and "introductions" forums.

 

[davidandkaren]

MSN Communities also shut down this year at the end of February. That's what drove me here. Actually first I tried to use the free webspace provided by my ISP but it was extremely difficult to do updates (You had to call them on the phone to get it to work)

So speaking as someone with a basic html site, similar to Geocities the big plus is being able to constantly update/tweak your site. Something that I've had few problems doing on here (well before yesterday anyway - but I take it a big upgrade is in progress)

 

[garrettroyce]

MSN Communities also shut down this year at the end of February. That's what drove me here. Actually first I tried to use the free webspace provided by my ISP but it was extremely difficult to do updates (You had to call them on the phone to get it to work)

So speaking as someone with a basic html site, similar to Geocities the big plus is being able to constantly update/tweak your site. Something that I've had few problems doing on here (well before yesterday anyway - but I take it a big upgrade is in progress)

I didn't know that MSN shut their sites down too. Welcome!

Maybe you could list some of the things that are hard for you on X10 coming from a different site, so we can make a better tutorial

 

[davidandkaren]

Well its too late to port the site - MSN transferred everyone to a blog style service called 'Multiply' which doesn't work for my site

My website is basically a photo album with text.

I knew the end was coming so I had saved all the html files and I have been able to recreate it in Front Page.

I think my biggest challenge with X10 was all the different error messages I got using ftp. I kept thinking I was doing something wrong or it had something to do with Webdisk. I understand now that it's just hit or miss because quite often the server is down and that Webdisk is just an alternative to ftp.

I was also confused about the suspensions due to inactivity. I was logged into my account & surfing the forum regularly - the fact that you have to log into the forum specifically is not obvious.

 

[zen-r]

Thank you to the people who have contributed & added suggestions to this thread.

I haven't forgotten this thread by any means, but the last few weeks have seen a lot of server upgrade-related upheaval for both members & staff. Clearly it didn't seem like the best time to try to push through anything else which could only add yet more stress to the already stretched resources.

Two bits of good news since my last post here ;

• With Corey's latest announcement ; http://forums.x10hosting.com/news-announcements/99054-update-6-29-09-a.html we seem to be through the majority of the server maintenance work now, & there is even a newly designed website in the works. This should make it easier to navigate, find the information one is looking for, & receive timely News Updates. Both these steps make the planned growth of x10, as it acquires new members from sites such as GeoCities, a much more realistic, workable possibility.

• I've just noticed that the GeoCities website has posted a final closing date on their homepage of 26th October 2009. This info might have been up there long ago, but so far I've found that their page has always redirected to another page without that info on it. Now knowing this deadline, gives x10 a bit more of a time-frame to work to - if it wants to grow its member-base.

Clearly, a lot of GeoCities members are going to find their way over here anyway, whether or not x10 actively does something to encourage this. I have already noticed (& greeted) several new arrivals in the Introductions section, who mentioned that they're from GeoCities. Many, many more have arrived un-announced, & the numbers will only grow ever larger as the deadline approaches.

So, given that if even only a small proportion of the 1.8 million GeoCities members arrive here "un-encouraged", that still means that we are in for a deluge!

It really is in our interest to get the website, tutorials & other ideas sorted out quickly, & at the very least for some nice person to complete that proposed Step-by-step guide for GeoCities members on how to transfer to X10. As I mentioned before, it would also save a lot of work in the long-run for everyone here, by not having to reply to endless requests for help & Support.

Is anyone interested in having a go at this? A link to a GeoCities page was given earlier in this thread, which would provide an excellent prototype & starting point. Other ex-GeoCities members in this forum may also be able to provide additional insight & tips into their migration to x10.

 

[rebellion]

They will love cPanel, and ad-free, and all the features, compared to what they are used to at Geocities....

 

[the_site]

I have an old geocities account I dug up.