The MGoBlog HD App Has Been Discontinued
Please use the MGoBlog app instead.
January 31st, 2017 at 5:36 PM ^
January 31st, 2017 at 8:45 PM ^
Well, that's not true. How do you count people who aren't showing up? How do you count links not clicked, or pages not loaded?
That's the point. MGoBlog is incredibly popular and valuable despite the terrible user experience. I can understand that might make a lazy site owner apathetic about improvements, but we have evidence that Brian Cook is a smart guy. It is just bizarre that on this one issue, he is apparently either unwilling or unable to takes steps toward improvement, and can't be bothered to effectively communicate why we are stuck with this terrible user experience.
January 31st, 2017 at 10:07 PM ^
Amongst all of the complaints about the site are also pleas to do a kickstarter or something to raise money to fix the site. They raised $70k for a magazine. If they skipped the mag this year, I think they could easily raise $100k-120k if it went towards a complete overhaul of the site.
January 31st, 2017 at 4:10 PM ^
I'm getting lots of current server issues (hence the crashes)
January 31st, 2017 at 4:22 PM ^
Are you the native app creator?
January 31st, 2017 at 4:54 PM ^
January 31st, 2017 at 5:27 PM ^
you have issues now. Is the app going to be use for signing day?
January 31st, 2017 at 5:30 PM ^
in defense of the app? build in better error handling.
January 31st, 2017 at 4:10 PM ^
January 31st, 2017 at 4:18 PM ^
Just sayin'
January 31st, 2017 at 4:10 PM ^
It crashed twice within the first 30 seconds. Wasn't even doing anything tricky, just trying to load the front page.
I loved the HD app and paid beveled guilt, purchased MGoTShirts, etc. I know you got mouths to feed, and the blog is amazing, but surely there's a better way...
January 31st, 2017 at 4:14 PM ^
Yup, mine just crashed three times in the span of about a minute as well. Welp, this sucks.
January 31st, 2017 at 4:52 PM ^
yep, same here
January 31st, 2017 at 4:15 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
January 31st, 2017 at 4:19 PM ^
Thank you for the amazing content. However, the classic MGoBlog App is a very disapointing user experience. Before downloading the HD app, I used the classic version. However, too many crashes, slow load screens, and a poor interface caused me to search for another option. My experience after reading this post and downloading the classic app again has been no different.
As others have stated, the HD app is a far superior user experience and should be reinstated in a way that benefits MGoBlog and the app creator.
Please consider our pleas to bring this back!
January 31st, 2017 at 4:19 PM ^
Perfect, just got another 502 error while trying to refresh the page. Really looking forward to tomorrow. Good thing I signed up for WD's text alerts.
January 31st, 2017 at 4:19 PM ^
I used the original app until I tried the HD app. I haven't beeb back to the original since (several years ago), and already fear returning to it.
Perhaps that oft-rumored UX overhaul can be expedited?
January 31st, 2017 at 4:20 PM ^
January 31st, 2017 at 4:21 PM ^
... I will always defend Brian's right to run this site as he sees fit, but from a customer service perspective, this is a TERRIBLE roll out (or roll back).
January 31st, 2017 at 4:23 PM ^
His explanation is in the board thread on the same topic:
"It was never authorized by us, and we never saw a dime from it. "
February 1st, 2017 at 12:47 AM ^
That's a nice sentiment and all from Brian, but it should tell you something when a large portion of your community that you rely on for income is choosing an unauthorized app because the one you paid for is shit.
January 31st, 2017 at 4:22 PM ^
It's been trying to load the first page for 30 seconds....
aaaaaannnnnnddddd it just crashed and shut down.
January 31st, 2017 at 4:27 PM ^
The diaries and MGoBoard load, but not the front page.
Hmmmm.....if only there was something unique and relevant to everyone's interests in the diaries for everyone to read while waiting for the app to fix.
*cough*TBT*cough*
January 31st, 2017 at 5:31 PM ^
January 31st, 2017 at 4:23 PM ^
And never took hours to upload. Too bad.
January 31st, 2017 at 4:24 PM ^
minus the hot tub.
Website that crashes at the slightest provocation, and no mobile presence to speak of.
It's 1997 all over again.
January 31st, 2017 at 4:27 PM ^
That is disappointing.
January 31st, 2017 at 4:30 PM ^
Best part of the app experience is seeing that old "Hoke Springs Eternal" banner again.
January 31st, 2017 at 4:34 PM ^
I'll also be willing to shell money for the app.
January 31st, 2017 at 4:35 PM ^
January 31st, 2017 at 4:40 PM ^
502 caused double post - my apologies.
January 31st, 2017 at 4:39 PM ^
I can't recall an app that crashes as frequently as the MGoBlog. Couldn't even post my concern form the app without it crashing three different times. Pulled out the laptop, powered it up, and logged in just to say I think this is going to make reading the blog much harder now.
edit: And the good ole 502 4 times before I could post from the laptop. ouch. LONG day tomorrow.
January 31st, 2017 at 4:41 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
January 31st, 2017 at 5:45 PM ^
January 31st, 2017 at 4:48 PM ^
January 31st, 2017 at 4:54 PM ^
January 31st, 2017 at 4:49 PM ^
January 31st, 2017 at 5:28 PM ^
That would be easier to achieve gracefully with a Drupal upgrade, but that's another story...
January 31st, 2017 at 4:50 PM ^
It all makes sense now.
January 31st, 2017 at 4:52 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
January 31st, 2017 at 4:56 PM ^
January 31st, 2017 at 4:58 PM ^
January 31st, 2017 at 5:01 PM ^
I guess I could add to the chorus of those who tried the official app at one time or another with bad luck.
But instead, I'll offer this comment:
For a hugely popular blog that does tons of stuff right, I'm not quite sure why Brian is so quiet on topics like server upgrades and this one. There are many regular contributors and respected MGoBlog visitors who raise these concerns.
In this case it seems like more of an explanation is in order for an app that LOTS of people seem to like and use. So...what gives?
January 31st, 2017 at 5:52 PM ^
People ask a variation of this often. "Why doesn't Brian/Seth/Mom say something about (technical issue x)?"
My opinion: They have in the past, and what they have spoken of hasn't always panned out. There has been talk of upgrades, of different ways of organizing content, lots of things like that. Several years ago we were told that a massive overhaul was coming that did not come.
And I understand this, having worked on low-staff projects with indeterminate levels of complexity. Things can go haywire, or not turn out how you intend. And it's a lot of pressure if you have said you will do something and find that it is an impossible task with your resources. My guess is that Brian and Seth have put a fair amount of work into various technical upgrades (I cannot speculate what) and that so far things have not worked out. Perhaps a completely new site was built, but was so buggy that it would be too much trouble to get to work. Or perhaps they hired someone and that person spit the bit halfway through. I don't know. Given what a hassle previous voluntary or involuntary technical overhauls have been (remember when voting got trashed by a Drupal issue? The entire board culture was a disaster for months) I can understand some reluctance to roll out an update that isn't completely ready to go.
But the point is that I think Brian and Seth have decided that it is better not to speak speculatively of changes that may or may not take place. Their silence over the last couple of years, in contrast with previous years where there were full post updates on the technical status of the site, is significant to me.
I think they would rather maintain their credibility with the users by simply declining to make statements about changes whose timetable is open to question. So, rather than previous years where they've promised or suggested changes in "the future," they're just keeping quiet until a change is actually ready.
Just my guess.
January 31st, 2017 at 5:56 PM ^
That's a logical thought.
Also...
Brian did post on the META Topic (but not here in the front page story comments...) that the reason for discontinuing the HD App is that it isn't authorized nor did MGoBlog receive any money from it. If I had known that, I would have considered not using it before. But it is a very frustrating situation as the HD App seems to be much preferred over the "Official" App.
January 31st, 2017 at 6:47 PM ^
It's frustrating for its users, but a zero-revenue stream of traffic adds strain to the hamsters without paying for food or PEDs to make the hamsters better. I can understand the move.
January 31st, 2017 at 8:34 PM ^
But they could say something, without committal.
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