Events and Stats

DLee

Hi, and thanks for doing what you do. I am going to make a complaint or two and just want you to know that although frustrated from time to time I love my site and expect it will only continue to get better.

First, Stats. I am very disappointed with the new way that viewing statistics are counted. I think it's hugely mis-representational (new word, ha) and the bottom line with the current stats is that I don't have a clue what my clients are looking at if I spend any time working on the site.

If I go to my site to do some re-arranging, or editing, or even looking at stats that are showing up - my statistical view can go up by a thousand hits for that day... that's ridiculous and completely un-helpful. When I post a new gallery and send out links I want to know if my clients are looking at the pictures... why would I care how often I look at them? Since the change to statistics has been made I really don't have a clue how often clients or forum members are coming to my site to look at pictures unless I don't go to the site myself. Needless to say, I'm very disappointed with this change and it may not have been perfect before, but it's terrible now.

The other issue I have is with Events. This may be a bug, maybe not, but I think it should be addressed.

I had created a gallery of construction work for a potentially new client and sent guest links to a couple workers. The workers came to the site, signed in, and I'm assuming were sent a link for the gallery - an unlisted gallery by the way. The Event page says that they hadn't visited yet and therefore doesn't show their email addresses. I thought this was odd so I went through the process myself to see why they would sign in and not look at the gallery. Well, they obviously did see the gallery, but without my knowledge.

When you go to the guest link the registration block comes up. You fill it out and press ENTER (or whatever) and are informed that a link to the gallery has been sent to your email. Great. However, after closing this note about the link being sent, the gallery is sitting there, already opened, so you don't ever have to go and get the link from your email.

At this point the page can be bookmarked or shared; the link copied and sent from the address bar to anyone you'd like. So if people come to the site that I don't know... as one already has (I don't know if it's a client, worker, or general public...) they have a link to an unlisted gallery and can bookmark and share it freely without my knowledge. I just tested this by registering and entering the open gallery that followed and sending that 'open' link to my son. He clicked the link and it went straight to the gallery bypassing all registration. A veritable runaway train.

So there really isn't any gatekeeping here without using a password. A fact of life perhaps, but when I put up an event where registration is required... I expect to at least see the email address of the visitor - which in this case won't show up until they use the link they've been sent by Smugmug. If they don't ever use that link, which they don't necessarily need, you never will see their email address.

Another great idea that doesn't seem to be working too well.

I also find the hearts in 'favorites' very annoying and rather unprofessional... I realize you're catering to many levels here... and maybe as a pro I should be paying thousands elsewhere for what I want. But I do like it here. I just feel I have to voice a little of my frustration because it is frustrating and if I'm taking the time to write, others must be thinking the same thing.

Thanks for listening.

Dennis Lee

leftquark

Hi Dennis,
This is excellent feedback and you're spot on with pretty much everything you wrote. In fact, we agree that a few of those things need to change. Let me dive down a bit deeper:

1) We're working with our image provider to fix the stats. I don't have an ETA or an update on when this will happen but we really want to fix it.
2) We also agree the favoriting on events is horribly distracting. We just need to find some time/Engineering resources to work it. A bigger overhaul to Events would be nice too. It needs updating.
3) What you're experiencing regarding Unlisted galleries is by design (I know, that's not what you want to hear). Unlisted galleries are not meant to be a security feature. If someone has the link to any unlisted gallery they can view the photos, regardless of whether or not it's part of an Event. Your best bet would be to password protect the gallery but you're right, you can't then see who viewed the gallery because anyone could share the password with co-workers. With that said, your quote regarding your site "will only continue to get better" is true -- I think in the future you'll see something that will make you happy, although I can't give you any more details right now

leftquark

I am pleased to announce that we have fixed the issue with stats including owner views. See more info here: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=252551