Behind the scenes at RetouchPRO

[Jakaleena]

I was just reading through this again. I really appreciate knowing how RP has evolved and what all you have been through with it, especially since I wasn't here from the beginning.

And, I'm wondering how you feel about the way it has progressed, and how it measures up now to your original concept of such a place. And maybe a little about what you'd like to see happen with it from here.

I guess I'm also wondering if you think you'll ever get to a point where you'll be able to quit banging your head on that desk, so to speak??

[dcarr]

From what I've seen, this site truly exemplifies the meaning of world wide web. Our users span the globe, but no one is lost in the mix. I cannot believe the amount of knowledge, practice and encouragement I have gathered in only 2 months. The users on this site are giving, caring, thoughtful people....all of them. I really feel as if I know so many of you. I look forward to reading your posts and, at times, interacting with you. I am seriously disappointed when I log on and find no new posts. And I check every 5 minutes I mean come on!!! Where is everybody.
Seriously though, Doug you have turned a "hobby" into community. I hope all of us who have joined after the last fund raiser contribute to this one. I know I wish I could give more. This place is very valuable to me.
Funny, the group that led me here is a mailing list to which I belong. Since I started here, my mail has backed up to over 300 pieces from that site, and I don't bother to check. As a point, when I first joined that site I didn't understand the concept and one day I received mail from these "stangers". I politely sent each back thinking I had received them in error. When I next opened my mail, I had about 30 nasty emails from users who blasted me for replying "stupidly" to the previous messages and jamming their mailboxes. I didn't know a mailing list worked that way. But to slam me so blatently for a mistake really ticked me off. Especially after I came here and found so much patience and kindness.
OOPs looks like I'm on my soapbox again. Sorry folks. Just know that all the moderators and Doug, of course , as well as contributers are very appreciated.
Debbie Carr

[Doug Nelson]

Jak: There is no way to measure RP now against what I initially envisioned. My initial concept was based on guesswork and hope (delusion?), and things have turned out differently, but much better.

Probably my biggest goof in predicting what RP would be like was my choice of domain name. I thought we'd get a few dozen working professionals (and aspiring professionals) who could kibbitz about the biz, and basically help each other (and me) with their careers. It never occured to me that anyone but those earning or looking to earn a living through retouching would be interested. But here we are, with a mix of a few working pros, many aspiring pros, and a great many unabashed non-pros, and I couldn't be happier about the mix.

And where we're going? That depends on a great many things, all of them dollars. I occasionally daydream of a paid staff, offering services like online storage and printing, business services, training and certification, and every other e-biz type of thing that got so many pre-dotcom busters all dizzy with capitalistic fever. But then I remember I'm not Bill Gates, and the daydream evaporates.

As for my avatar, I was a headbanger long before RP, and I'm sure I'll be one long after robot agents take over the admin chores

[Schwartzie]

Very interesting read. I just recently found this site and love it. I belong to one site that after a certain amount of time removes uploaded pics. Could you do that maybe with saving special tutorials and such? Just an idea.

[winwintoo]

I just got this email notifaction (quoted below) that says that Doug Nelson has just replied to a thread etc.

When I follow the link, I find that Doug last posted to this thread on October 25 (or thereabouts) and schwartze posted on November 30. It is now December 4th.

Is this a glitch??

Below is the email notification I received:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hello winwintoo,

Doug Nelson has just replied to a thread you have subscribed to entitled - Behind the scenes at RetouchPRO - in the Website Feedback forum of RetouchPRO Forums.

This thread is located at:
http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/sho...4&goto=newpost

There may be other replies also, but you will not receive any more notifications until you visit the board again.

Yours,
RetouchPRO Forums team
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Take care, Margaret

[CJ Swartz]

Me, too, Margaret -- Doug was reworking the threads and by the time we got the email notification -- the thread was renamed and moved!