I have just received the email for the Better and Improved Studio Press and I have signed up as instructed and am not impressed.
The interface is drab and mechanical and not logical. For example the dashboard presents the user with a list of themes and buttons for downloads/ install/ and so on. But clicking on the code snippets however goes to Genesis in general and not snippets specific to the theme you are working on - very confusing.
This will never take the place of interactive Support Forums like this one which we have been using and which will be POOF on Monday in the sense that official support is now on a ticket system and they do not work weekends or holidays.
Mind you, they MAY offer support via the forums, but the primary source for help and support is by weekday ticket.
I've been around the block long enough to see a few successful and loved software / services go through a cycle of hobby / startup / success / corporate / down the tubes (as far as customer care goes) to feel concerned.
My experience has been that after a level of success is reached, corporate takes over and sees better business in devoting resources to fewer, fatter clients. The masses are better addressed with automated support and where this is not enough, a catch the line when you can ticket.
Nothing wrong with that - its how big brands are created, fortunes made and the way the system works.
Another concern that I have is that it appears that independent theme developers are not in the New and Improved Studio Press. The Control Panel says:
"Community Themes are supported by the developers themselves. To receive the support you need, please click on the setup link and you will be taken to the developer’s site."
But, everything is Studio Press Only. There is no other "Developer".
One of our favorite themes Driskill by Bill Erickson has unfortunately decided not to participate in the New And Improved Studio Press Support System and the theme has gone open source.
Finally what I find confusing is the warning that on Monday, these forums will be Read Only. While in the New and Improved MyStudioPress there is a link to Forums that you have to sign up all over again:
"These forums are for general discussion on WordPress, CSS and design and site feedback. Official support for StudioPress themes is offered exclusively through the
My StudioPress member area.
Responses in this forum are not guaranteed."
And the NEW FORUMS are but a sorry ghost of their former self:
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General Discussion
Introduce yourself and talk about all things WordPress.
Design Tips and Tricks
Share code snippets and get help with CSS questions.
Showcase and Feedback
Show off your website or blog and see what others think.
StudioPress Plugins
Discuss plugins developed by the StudioPress team.
Hire a Genesis Developer
Post your project specifics and find someone to help you.
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I somehow get the feeling of being hung out to dry....
Quote:
Originally Posted by ngb222
I have never found a better forum and product support then StudioPress. I hate ticket systems and I use almost all of the SP themes and 90% of the time I never have to even leave a comment because I find the answer in this forum. I will be so upset if you go to a ticket system. Also now I have bought almost all the community themes and have clients usign them, and today I went to buy antohter one and I see that section is gone? ( Update I just found the link on the sidebar of the theme page) whew.
What happened and also where can I go find the theme now to buy? I am feeling very worried about the direction SP is going at this time from what I am reading on this site.
Why are you going to a ticket system?
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