Facebook and Google Plus are so easy to use. This gives them a potential userbase of almost everyone.
I have been on LJ for ten years and don't think I have ever used comment subjects or the threading tools. Equally I tend to use the default icon and would pay nothing for any more icons. So I guess it is interesting how people value things differently.
If you look at from a newbies eyes all those options are quite scary. Here on Dreamwith now I cam reply to this, thread from start, parent, thread or hide 50 comments.
Below this I can icon(or make it random), I can enter a subject and then a message, there is a quote icon, I can post or preview, there is a more options tabe and a button to check spelling. Finally I am told that my IP address is logged. I can imagine if I introduced my mum to this site cold she would be completely confused. She would understand none of the threading, hsve no idea what an icon is, would expect a message to not be public and have no idea about IP logging and even be fearful of it.
I have a hunch that most Dreamwidth users are ex-LJers, but LJ cannot really rely on being fed by another site and ensuring people are versed in "genre codes". So it needs to move towards simplicity if it is to grow.
no subject
I have been on LJ for ten years and don't think I have ever used comment subjects or the threading tools. Equally I tend to use the default icon and would pay nothing for any more icons. So I guess it is interesting how people value things differently.
If you look at from a newbies eyes all those options are quite scary. Here on Dreamwith now I cam reply to this, thread from start, parent, thread or hide 50 comments.
Below this I can icon(or make it random), I can enter a subject and then a message, there is a quote icon, I can post or preview, there is a more options tabe and a button to check spelling. Finally I am told that my IP address is logged. I can imagine if I introduced my mum to this site cold she would be completely confused. She would understand none of the threading, hsve no idea what an icon is, would expect a message to not be public and have no idea about IP logging and even be fearful of it.
I have a hunch that most Dreamwidth users are ex-LJers, but LJ cannot really rely on being fed by another site and ensuring people are versed in "genre codes". So it needs to move towards simplicity if it is to grow.