Counterpunch wrote:Va'al wrote:Feel free to let us know what you make of this series of unfortunate events in the Seibertron Energon Pub, and we will keep you updated as soon as some news makes itself known about registration!
What is there to say at this point?
I'm not being ugly about it, but there's no more shock, indignation, or disappointment for me to express.
This is what we have. This is what we have had. It doesn't change from year to year.
I've tried to contribute my voice to the whole ordeal, much like others have, to no effect.
So I just shrug.
Planned attendance at BotCon also puts a personal investment into this. People are who aren't attending aren't going to care as much. It's easier to just shrug when you aren't attending.
As a programmer who has developed and programmed hundreds of e-commerce/shopping cart, event module, and multimedia websites over the past 15 years, I can assure all of you that the 4 primary websites associated with Fun Publications (both Club websites and both event websites) are relatively easy to program. There is nothing overly complex going on with BotCon registration website. I'm sure other programmers out there would be happy to back this statement up.
Either the development company has fooled Fun Pub into thinking that this is complex, or Fun Pub believes it is complex (which is a fair statement to make for people who work outside of the world of programming) which the development company is flat-out taking advantage of.
If you're reading what I wrote and you're thinking, "No Ryan, it really is complex. You just don't understand how complex it is." then that is where the problem lies and there is no helping. However, I assure all of you and everyone at Fun Pub that this is not relatively complex.
Regardless, the "event registration" website for BotCon is ultimately just a customized shopping cart module with specialized rules. If "Item #1" is placed in the cart, the customer can also purchase Items #2, #3, #5, and #9 (for example). Item #11 can only be purchased if Items #2, #4, or #9 are placed in the cart. Setting up the rules is the only time-consuming part, but not from a programming stand point. The rules should all be easily managed from an admin tool that the client can control.
I'm offering to help them resolve these issues. I would be happy to provide consultation, point them in the right direction, and if no solution is available or affordable, then I might be willing to toss my hat into the ring to resolve their problems with their websites. I'm sure between my associates and other people in the Transformers and GI Joe fandoms that a solution can be found. They just need to reach out to the communities who are passionate about these brands and ask for help. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of strength.
Albert Einstein said it best and, unfortunately, it really applies to these ongoing problems with Fun Pub's websites ...
Albert Einstein wrote:The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results
