Originally Posted by
Admiral Ackbar
What does how a website looks like have to do with its functionality, performance and customer service? I run code that uses Fortran 77 because it just works. I could show you hundreds of websites (and millions of corporate intranet pages) that look like this because the job they do is simple. Unless you are a Mac user, appearances means squat for most IT professionals if it works.
If it works well, absolutely nothing. And I will repeat: I love EF and have been using it for years. And no, customer service has nothing to do with the look of a site, but everything to do with how a site interacts and communicates with its customers (direct pay, or ad revenue, you’re still paying).
What I have not seen from EF, though, is any communication from the site operators, other than the occasional banner, or any indication that there are actual people operating it. Take for instance gcmap.com or AV Herald. Also sites that don't have a modern look to them, both excellent and quite functional and I enjoy them both. gcmap.com has frequent featured maps and Simon is quite active on AV Herald. In each of these cases, should there be a technical problem I would expect a level of 'customer service' that I do not expect from EF because EF has never indicated anything of the sort in the past.
Had EF had regular communications to subscribers, a chat function, any kind of interaction with its customers other than automated billing, then I could see why people get upset by the radio silence when the site has issues. But a site that has been stagnant for decades has a bug and people are lamenting the lack of feedback… to the point of issuing a chargeback on a card for $9.99…that makes me bang my head against the wall. I guess Humans are as Humans do, to paraphrase a movie.