Downloads Comments Feature

DominicS says for us to use the 'Comments' feature to give developers feedback. Well, you don't know what it is or how it works so how can you comment. Or maybe rename it to 'Feedback For Developer' and not 'Comments'? It would be nice to communicate with developer, of course. I agree with that part. But we are ALL used to them NOT providing their email, not providing support, being too sensitive when the silly kids try to be big shots (and are rude) and then they 'turn off' on us. Who's to blame!

Chuck B

Napamule

The comment feature is there so that members can leave feedback for the author. It's clearly labeled under each and every download.

Feedback can be in the form of a) praise, b) report an issue c) suggest ideas on how to improve the add-on.

If the author objects to any of the comments posted, he/she can contact the webmaster and the comment will be removed.

If you read the developer interviews we have conducted over the years, you'll notice that for the question:

What are some of the most important things a site or community can do to help the developer?

Feedback is pretty much the number one developer want.

Greetings Ladies and Gentlemen ,

I Thought i would throw a developers Point of view into the Mix , i am an X Plane Scenery Developer UK X We have Scenery files both here and on the Org , and when it comes to comments , the org is Fantastic for it , we get a lot of comments and a lot of advice from our User Base.

What i do not understand is why Flightsim .com members are against adding comments to something they clearly wish to Download ? the Facility is there for you to do such things , but yet none of you do , you just click download and move on , Which while that is your right , why would you not want to at least say thank you or offer a bit of advice on a product that someone has spent hours of work.

Getting Feedback is a fundamental aspect of being a developer , i would love to see more feedback on not just my products but other peoples products to allow a better working relationship , i think what Dominic has tried to do is fantastic , and it is a real testament to the community , PLEASE guys can we start replying to people and giving Comment? , is it really so hard to ask , after all ''Comments'' is exactly that ,

Thanks

Emma Bentley.

UKX Scenery Group.

Flight Factor Aero.

Feedbacks which gives general informations to the community or to the author are always welcome. And of course compliments for a good work (and those are very rare) are the feed for the motivation for the authors. If a single person has a certain problem because maybe he is a beginner and he thinks the answer can be also be interesting for others, than it is a good idea to use the Reply-option. Another user or the author probably will have an answer.

But at first I recommend to read the Readme. Often the answer is inside of that document.

Sometimes an object like an aircraft or one of my very detailed ships, made of many hundreds of parts, has a tiny error which I as author haven't realized before publishing. Sorry for that but why does the person who is noticing that error not contacting me by e-mail? Of course with a clear subject like "your FSX-aircraft xyz" and not "Hi guy", otherwides the mail is never opened but thrown into the trash can. Think about! Is such a good information really for the whole community or is it better to provide that detail directly to the author.

I realized that the Reply option is often misused. Of course to use it is faster than opening your mailbox and writing a mail. But you guys please be fair, don't save every second. We authors spend dozends or even hundred hours for our work. And you count the seconds?

And it is a pity or even a shame when the persons who gets a free addon use that great Reply-option just for blames and cheap critics, getting immidiatly "Followers" but there is no time to give a short compliment or a thanks

Erwin welker

I think the Comments add on is a good idea. Having said that, the only problem I have is: How can one leave a cogent (big word for the week. Now I have a brain cramp) comment without testing out whatever the Comment is attached to? So, I DL whatever it is, let's say an aircraft for example. Then I shut the down my browser, and install it. Maybe I test it out right off, maybe not. Whatever, when I finally get around to testing it out, let's say I like it. Ok, I should leave a positive Comment for the Dev. Cool. Now, where did I DL this thing from? FlightSim, Avsim? Where in which library did I find it? Darned it I recall. Aww heck with it, if I stumble across it again, I'll leave a Comment, assuming I got it from FlightSim.

You see my dilemma? Yes, the Comment is a good idea. Maybe adding a link to the particular Comment addy into the Readme would help idiots like me, with lousy short term memory? Or at least a hint? Something like "Hey, dum-dum. Go to [name of site downloaded from] and leave a Comment!" in the Readme would help people like me? I'd probable leave more Comments with a subtle nudge like that. Can't hurt...

Pat☺

I'm another developer and I agree that constructive comments from users are much appreciated - it's nice to know what folks think of my efforts.

I would have thought that the box entitled 'Add Comments' at the bottom of every listing was enough.

It's not really a good idea to append 'd/l from Flightsim.com' to every file-set as nothing is static on the 'net and can soon get out of date. The same goes with including the email address.

Anyway, keep them coming!:)

Cheers :pilot:

Dave M(oly)

Hiya!

As just another developer here, I really appreciate comments!

I like them as feedback to see if the add-ons are working correctly, or to find out why someone feels attracted to the files, or as some extra motivation, extra input or ideas.

Whatever the reason, I think it is great to just get some feedback from the community after some hours of hard work getting the product to the download page.

However, I don't think many more people are going to comment on files. You can see the same habits everywhere. Like on youtube. 1000 people can watch a video, only 20 can either like or dislike the video. Just a handfull will comment, with a bit of luck. Uploaders, professional videographers or not, have to ask people to like & subscribe (and even create clickbait).

I often think about this. Come up with new theories, every now and then. But at the end of the day: I think we have to make do with the few comments that show up, and kindly ask users to comment their thoughts. Or do we really have to start using clickbait? :pilot::p

Seeing the comments section always leaves a lot of conflicted emotions for me.

ho to write the comment for?

On the one hand, the developer would like "constructive criticism".

But the user (the next member downloading), would see those as negative comments. They might see it as a reason not to download it.

I occasionally found a file with an issue. I thought of posting a fix in the comments. But then, the developper might see that as encrouching on his turf. If I suggest the user edit one of the addon's files, I am recommending violating a copyright perhaps...? I find it ok to help someone with an issue in the forum, but not in the comments section. I expect the developer would think, it's so easy for you with the power of hindsight! Especially if I did it often it would be seen as rude.

For those issues I might contact the developer directly.

Then, some developers might welcome criticism. But others may think "mind your own business, be don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Another reason to perhaps comment is to mention things that aren's mentioned in the brief file description. Sucha as "works in fsx too". But then again, who am I to say so. It may be because I use accel, and win7, and few other addons. It may not work in fsx for everyone.

Also, I may Think it works fine in fsx, but I may have missed some important detail because of limited testing.

There is a reason descriptions from developers are brief. It takes a lot of testing before you can say anything about an addon with any certainty.

A last reason I don't comment much is that comments often spiral ot of control, and end up like the discussions you see on youtube (horrible).

I find it almost impossible to write a comment. Simply because I don't know who I'm adressing.

I read the request for more comments, and it is something I think about. But that's it I'm afraid. It doesn't go beyond thinking yet. Sorry about that.

il88pp.

@il88pp

I see your point of view.

However, as long as you stay polite and realistic in your comments, the original poster cannot blast you for commenting anything. Well, he can, but that shows more about the developer than it shows about you.

Constructive criticism is great, no matter if it's freeware. It will make things better in the end. If the developer can't handle this, it's his problem.

If a certain product also works in 'fsx', sure comment it! If you formulate it as "it works for me on product X" you protect yourself from getting blasted for forgetting aspects. Because it works for you, not them.

:) At the end of the day, just comment. Don't be afraid.

It's not your problem if someone can't handle the contents. Just as long as you stay polite, detailed and realistic (as in, don't start yelling because a pixel ended up overlapping somewhere, or you hate a certain brand of car in a scenery :p).

Thinking about how to formulate a comment can greatly influence the general tone of the message. Include positive remarks to still keep people downloading the files for example.

Don't worry about it. We all sometimes come across differently than we anticipated in the first place. Great thing is, you can always get back to it, later.

(I nearly always get back to a post after re-reading to correct and add nuances if required (this was edited, too ;) )

Cheers! :pilot:

..........However, as long as you stay polite and realistic in your comments, the original poster cannot blast you for commenting anything. Well, he can, but that shows more about the developer than it shows about you.

 

Constructive criticism is great, no matter if it's freeware. It will make things better in the end. If the developer can't handle this, it's his problem..........

I agree to a certain extent to the point being made here. However, a recent experience on this very site made me think about this very subject. Recently a developer released an update for his product, a product that he has continually worked on and updated for a number of years since its initial release. Whilst many of the updates that he has released over the years are small they are the result of the developer committing time and effort to improve it, including carrying out many hours of testing each update before releasing it to the community. This is commendable and, with a few notable exceptions, is a rarity in the community.

The developer also had an active thread where he posted information regarding the updates, general tips on how to get the best out of his product and which was also used by users to provide feedback etc. However, after the release of the latest update he got slagged off by a member for releasing yet another update and basically was accused of, among other things, releasing updates solely to keep himself in the spotlight. I, and several others, posted replies on the comments being made, which we considered to be very disrespectful and impolite.

The outcome was that the developer in question was (and may now still be) questioning whether to continue to support his product and, unfortunately and IMHO wrongfully, the subject thread was closed by a Moderator rather than deleting any offending posts. The developer in question was very respectful in his replies to the criticism received but the replies (and those made by me and others) simply attracted more abusive/disrespectful comments as the member concerned tried to justify/impose his opinion.

Whilst I like the inclusion of the Comments box, and will make efforts to use them when I finally load and test D/L items, (as well as doing my usual thing of contacting the dev if they have included contact details) I believe that their use in the long term may prove problematic and will keep the Mods busy. One solution may be to let the developer decide if a comments box is appended to the entry.

Thanks bwa.

I do see the value comments can have for developer and user. It's just been hard to find the right words. I'm sure I will eventually post a few more.

il.

From a developer that has received comments - good mainly, but recently a suggestion/query, which I answered.......all comments constructive pos or neg, gratefully received, but I would like a notification that a comment has been made, similar to a PM, mainly because I do not search all of my products that have been uploaded here & may have been slowly downloaded over the years & that may have attracted a comment or query in the intervening period, leaving the person commenting in the dark. Can that be done Dominic?

Keith

From a developer that has received comments - good mainly, but recently a suggestion/query, which I answered.......all comments constructive pos or neg, gratefully received, but I would like a notification that a comment has been made, similar to a PM, mainly because I do not search all of my products that have been uploaded here & may have been slowly downloaded over the years & that may have attracted a comment or query in the intervening period, leaving the person commenting in the dark. Can that be done Dominic?

Keith

Hi Keith,

I think I'll let Nels chime in here as this is beyond my area of expertise.

Making cups of tea is about my limit;)

Cheers

Dom

... How can one leave a cogent (big word for the week. Now I have a brain cramp) comment without testing out whatever the Comment is attached to? So, I DL whatever it is, let's say an aircraft for example. Then I shut the down my browser, and install it. Maybe I test it out right off, maybe not. Whatever, when I finally get around to testing it out, let's say I like it. Ok, I should leave a positive Comment for the Dev. Cool. Now, where did I DL this thing from? FlightSim, Avsim? Where in which library did I find it? Darned it I recall. Aww heck with it, if I stumble across it again, I'll leave a Comment, assuming I got it from FlightSim. ...

How true. I posted something similar in another thread on this topic; it is often weeks or months, or longer, between my download of a file and when I actually install it (I peruse the latest files whenever I'm here and download anything interesting). I can make no valid comment without trying the file, and by the time I do my comments may fall into the "who cares anymore" category.

My experience with download comments on other sites is that they end up as two extremes - a few are truly informative pro-and-con discussions, notes of possible incompatibilities, replies from the developer, etc.; but the majority are a tiresome parade of bandwidth wasting smiley face and thumbs-up emoticons. One site implemented a "leave thanks" button, clicking this increases the "Thanks" tally by one and adds your name to the "left thanks" list in a window on the download page (screenshot in the other thread); if you frequent any site long enough you know whose opinions you value, seeing their name in such a list is a good recommendation.

FWIW, I left one comment here; actually a question about the file, it scrolled away after a couple of weeks with no response.