First impressions

1. 95

   Rupert Taylorposted 8 years ago

   I have graduated from Boot Camp as my first five articles have been featured. There is a note that being featured is because of "quality ratings and search engine metrics." I seem to have mastered a skill without the faintest idea what it is. I would not know a search engine metric if one jumped out of my bowl of clam chowder.
   
   I have, so far, been unable to use the video clip capsule. The dialogue box pops up as advertised but I cannot get my cursor to settle into any of the cells. I have the same issue with URLs and captions for images. Although, strangely, I can insert Sources, URLs, and Caption in the first image uploaded but not subsequent ones.
   
   I like the platform but am disturbed by some of the dodgy material that gets published. There's a discussion that is featured on the home page that is a deranged diatribe about Obama and his extremist Muslim beliefs. There's an article about sexting and how to turn a guy on that I find to be over the top. Young women should not be encouraged to engage in behaviour that might, one day, come back to haunt them. Okay, I know I suffer from grumpy geezer syndrome.

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   1. 97

      RonElFranposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Remember that the "dodgy material" you see on the home page when you are signed in is only visible internally. Those who are not signed in as hubbers don't see those forum discussions or the low quality unfeatured hubs that haven't passed QAP.

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      1. 95

         Rupert Taylorposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Puts my mind at rest - somewhat. But, the notion that people holding such hateful views in a place with which I am associated is troubling.

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         1. 91

            Jesse Drzalposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            Just fire up one of those 'ole horsemeat steak slabs and wade your way through the muckety muck..the best way to deal with that stuff is not to even look at it.

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         2. 86

            TIMETRAVELER2posted 8 years agoin reply to this

            HP does not practice censorship except in very specific areas (which you can read about in the learning center).  That's why you see the hateful hubs, etc.  However, I suspect that those types of things will disappear as the new HP develops because they will be cut away before they ever get to enter that realm.
            
            I hope you do realize that this site is undergoing a massive makeover.  The team is now developing separate websites for specific niches and moving only the very best and most profitable articles to them.
            
            Right now TatRing and PetHelpful are up and running, and there are more to come.  Take a look at those, and you will see what I am talking about.

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         3. 71

            makingamarkposted 8 years agoin reply to this

            There's more than a few of us who cannot understand why any website wanting a decent reputation would put up with that sort of stuff.
            
            There is a theory that HubPages thinks that having "hot topic" "nasty" discussions which pull in people inflates traffic.
            
            There's another theory that Google is wise to such "tricks" and automatically 'slaps' any site which tries such activities.
            
            I'm  really puzzled as to why nobody at HubPages has yet considered that it might be the dodgy topics for hubs, dodgy discussions in the subject forums and general 'nastiness' that actually contributes to the problems between HP and Google.
            
            Or is it just me that thinks these are things that shouldn't be on any site where the owners want Google to like them?

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   2. 86

      TIMETRAVELER2posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Sounds like your having some technical problems.  Email the team for help with that.
      
      As for the garbage on here...yes, there is some, and the team has been working to try to get rid of it, but they are overwhelmed by it.  You're not the first person to complain.
      
      On the brighter side, there are a good number of really good writers here, some of whom have expertise in various areas and who write well. 
      
      Give it some time.  This is a very user friendly site that is striving to improve and needs quality writers to help it do that. 
      
      Use the form to ask specific questions, and many here will do their best to help you...but do make sure to take the time to read the info in the learning center and also read some of the articles from some of the more experienced writers here so that you can see how they format their work, use images, etc.
      
      It's a big learning curve, but well worth your time.  Welcome to HP!

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2. 91

   Millionaire Tipsposted 8 years ago

   Welcome to HubPages.  I recommend that you let HubPages deal with the material you don't deem to be worthy, and work on creating the best hubs you can.  The cream will rise to the top - might as well be your hubs.  Here's a link to the Learning Center, which will tell you the best practices.
   
   http://hubpages.com/learningcenter/contents

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3. 93

   jansharesposted 8 years ago

   Welcome to HubPages, Rupert Taylor. Your humor made me smile. I hope you're able to work through the technical stuff. The concerns you pose have many of us scratching our heads often, thinking, "hmmm." There will be many more issues that will make you wonder. But don't let it distract you too much from your mission of creating quality work and enjoying the craft. The pros outweigh the cons for the most part. HubPages is a great community with more good people than not. The learning experience and the support are immeasurable. Have fun and enjoy the ride, albeit bumpy at times. Hold on . . . .

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4. 96

   chef-de-jourposted 8 years ago

   Glad to have you on board. I'm sure you'll soon get the hang of the basics here on HP. The important thing is to keep producing quality content - now needed more than ever - and build up your nucleus of great hubs.
   There are many generous people on this site so don't be too disturbed by a tiny percentage of people who occasionally vent their spleens by ranting on about this, that and the price of button mushrooms!

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5. 95

   Rupert Taylorposted 8 years ago

   My thanks to everyone who has responded, mostly about my Cri de Coeur over the atrocious garbage that sneaks its way into public discourse. We don't have to take our cues from certain bigoted, ignorant, and crude political candidates. I am moved to counter this with a piece about Bull Connor, George Wallace, et al.
   
   As I don't have a ten-year-old in the house, I have placed my technical problems in the hands of HP's staff.
   
   Thanks

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