Subject: Re: Has the Dojo become useless? Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1998 08:57:01 -0600 From: Jim Dougan To: MTG-STRATEGY-L@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM On Thu, 12 Nov 1998, Len Blado wrote: > That was then. Now, however, the Dojo seems in sharp decline. Sadly, I agree.....but for somewhat different reasons. I even tried to raise this point on usenet a while back. Didn't get many responses, but among those I did get were "haha - got to make your own decks now..." As if copying decks were the only reason to read the dojo.... > Problem Numero Uno-o: Christa Stenger and Cathy Nicoloff. I like > their articles. They write well. They also don't write much of anything > that has anything to do with Magic strategy. This isn't really a problem for me....I enjoy their articles, and find them informative, even if not strategic... > Problem Numero Two-o: Quard. This isn't really prominent enough to be a problem....just don't click on the links > Problem Numero Three-o: Lack of timeliness. This is problem numero uno for me...and probably the only problem, really. And it is *far* more than the delay on "decks to beat." Lately, the site is updated perhaps once a week, and incompletely updated at that. The dojo should be filled with reports from states as well as the bulk of the debate on the academy...but almost nothing is there simply because the site has not been updated. Although I look at the decks posted on the dojo, it is mainly a source of nes for me. I don't have the time to spend hours on IRC, so I look to the dojo to provide me with some of that news. It is just not happenning anymore... When I raised this issue on usenet, someone mentioned that, according to Frank, updating the site was getting to be like a second job. Perhaps (though he does get sponsor money - so maybe it is a second job?). I suggested that we rally around Frank to help him if this is the problem. If it is taking too much time to update regularly, Frank needs to have someone help him do the updates. If it is costing too much, he has to get more sponsors, or seek donations. I support public radio....I would also support the dojo with a donation. I worry that Frank has taken too much heat about "the dojo effect" and what we are seeing is simply burnout - too much work for too little reward, and lots of people complaining about what you do. If this is the case, we really need to remind Frank about what an important service he is offering. Just a few thoughts.... -- Jim Dougan