The front page articles are looking great of late, IMHO. Keep out the AP style guide and keep up the good work!!!
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Who's writing the front page articles?
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I agree. I don't want to see MacRumors turn into that unprofessional site 9to5. They are good but unprofessional.
I though it was just me, but that new writing is doing a very terrible job at keeping personal opinions away from journalism. Also, smart remarks are rampant in his/her articles...
Example:
There is no need for the above.
This line makes sense in a reader to reader discussion and is up to the people who comment on the story. I don't want to see this type of personal remark in an article.
Again, personal lines. It should suffice to write the following:
BlackBerries account for 6%, while Windows Mobile and other mobiles aren't not counted since they do not represent a significant user base...
This next gem comes from a report about whether it's good to buy AppleCare or not to your iDevice.
Really unprofessional. If you are going to do something like that article, might as well do a good job and actually find useful information in the Terms & Conditions rather than just regurgitate what is said in the forums which everyone already knows or can simply infer.
Please have a serious talk with this writer; I hate for the quality of MacRumors to go down the drain.
Example:
There is no need for the above.
This line makes sense in a reader to reader discussion and is up to the people who comment on the story. I don't want to see this type of personal remark in an article.
Again, personal lines. It should suffice to write the following:
BlackBerries account for 6%, while Windows Mobile and other mobiles aren't not counted since they do not represent a significant user base...
This next gem comes from a report about whether it's good to buy AppleCare or not to your iDevice.
Really unprofessional. If you are going to do something like that article, might as well do a good job and actually find useful information in the Terms & Conditions rather than just regurgitate what is said in the forums which everyone already knows or can simply infer.
Please have a serious talk with this writer; I hate for the quality of MacRumors to go down the drain.
Agreed. Just look at this article from the Mac blog:
https://www.macrumors.com/2011/07/29/advice-from-a-genius-should-you-buy-applecare/MacRumors said:
The personal anecdote was bad enough, but the diction was even worse. Is this writer aware that he isn't on Gizmodo? Because his article quality suggests otherwise.
It had actually gotten better for a short time, but then went right back downhill again. Not to be mean, but I have to skim or skip any of the articles written by the new writer just because I find the "style" very grating.
I can already see what articles are written by Jordan by just looking at the title in Twitter. I have to say, I prefer Arn's and Eric's articles over Jordan's, the style is just so different and not familiar with MR. They feel more like a blog posts (e.g. the "You can bring a goat into an Apple Store) than serious journalism.
Sadly, I've begun to check the by line; if it happens to have been written by Jordan, I'll ignore it.
I prefer the factual, no nonsense style that Arn and Eric have. I'm not going to waste my time separating opinion from fact/ news/ rumor.
I don't think this is supposed to be that kind of site. For me MacRumors is the most professional of all the Apple news websites. I don't want to see it become just another blog.
Does anyone else not give a crap? Personally, I hope the new writer doesn't let this thread make him upset.
Agreed, don't know what the fuss is about. If you don't like to read it, don't read it. Simple.
Try to bring change, the world is about to end. Oo and yes, I know I've upset people by saying that... O well!
Agreed, don't know what the fuss is about. If you don't like to read it, don't read it. Simple.
Try to bring change, the world is about to end. Oo and yes, I know I've upset people by saying that... O well!
Hahaha, glad there is someone else
Hahaha, glad there is someone else
But at a price that humanity can't match... the doomed -1's!!!!!!!!
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The issue is, it's a big change since mainly Arn and Eric have done the writing for all these years - they have created the MacRumors style and also made this site popular. Now, a new writer comes with a totally different style. It just doesn't fit in MR IMO. Even though we have sections calles Mac Blog and iOS Blog, I personally think they are more like Page 2s like before, not actual blogs. That is how I view it because we didn't have blogs before. There are already enough Apple blog sites and frankly, I don't think they are all that popular or good, and I don't want MR to become another.
What brought me here to MR was the factual articles and great rumors. I don't read blogs or blog-like sites as I couldn't care less about people's opinions on something. If I want opinions, then I go to sites like AnandTech (yes, I still enjoy most of the articles even though I write for them too, and also did before I joined) where the opinions are always backed up with thorough testing and analysis of the topic, not just a random one-liner that I like or dislike this. From what I have been taught, using the word "I" in academic/serious writing is not allowed, you should use the passive or something more professional.
After all, this is the feedback forum so I think constructive feedback is valid. I'm not expecting or hoping Jordan to be fired but that Arn or someone else would talk with him about his writing style and what is MR's style. If Arn thinks Jordan's articles are good and what he wants, then fine, I guess we have to accept that. There have been good articles by him too but there are quite a few ones that at least I didn't like.
As I said in another thread, my email address is at the bottom of every page. I enjoy any and all feedback: jlgolson@macrumors.com
It's been a big switch to writing a more newsy style instead of the slightly more free-for-all style that I'm used to from the numerous other organizations that I've written for.
Writing is not easy and I'm working hard at it.
For the vocal minority, feel free to keep writing histrionic posts about how awful I am.
For everyone else, thanks for reading!
It's been a big switch to writing a more newsy style instead of the slightly more free-for-all style that I'm used to from the numerous other organizations that I've written for.
Writing is not easy and I'm working hard at it.
For the vocal minority, feel free to keep writing histrionic posts about how awful I am.
For everyone else, thanks for reading!
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As someone who is considering being a writer, I think it's important to understand that sometimes our opinions find their ways into our writing accidentally. It's difficult at times to be completely non-biased, and sometimes it even adds a lot to the quality of the article. Let me explain.
There are a lot of sites I visit where I feel like I'm reading something posted by a bot. And in terms of information, everything is there and I get everything I need. But what it's missing is the emotion and humanity that permits me to actually take interest in the article.
I'm not defending bias in articles, nor am I saying it's okay to be non-professional on a site such as this, but I don't think this is the time to start jumping on the site's writers. I'm sure the journalist who is in question here has taken a look at this thread, and will do his best to write his articles based on what the community has requested.
At the end of the day, though, the information is going out and the individual is doing his job.
There are a lot of sites I visit where I feel like I'm reading something posted by a bot. And in terms of information, everything is there and I get everything I need. But what it's missing is the emotion and humanity that permits me to actually take interest in the article.
I'm not defending bias in articles, nor am I saying it's okay to be non-professional on a site such as this, but I don't think this is the time to start jumping on the site's writers. I'm sure the journalist who is in question here has taken a look at this thread, and will do his best to write his articles based on what the community has requested.
At the end of the day, though, the information is going out and the individual is doing his job.
This thread was initially about the opinionated, unprofessional vibe that seemed to be evident in most of Jordan's articles. Arn let us know that he was new, and most of us made it clear that we were trying to be supportive, and that we wished Jordan well in his new position.
It seems, unfortunately, that the advice went unheeded. The thread is now focused on the fact that the writing style hasn't really changed, and that the constructive criticism is being both ignored and shunned.
Very well written post. I'd point out the thread is 60 days old.
MR ignoring its members?
See, that's the thing. Most of the "advice" and "constructive criticism" don't seem to be either of those - it's just slams.
Ever hear the adage "you catch more flies with honey than vinegar?" Perhaps being a little less toxic might get the desired results.
Since there have been some replies today, I guess the issue is still alive - so here's my two cents (pretty much what most of my comments are worth)
I prefer straight reportage, without editorializing within the report. That can be done in the thread. The article's writer is, I presume, welcome to offer opinions in the thread - just like anyone else.
I would prefer that to editorializing within the Front Page article.
I appreciate that others find a more personal style warmer and more "person to person".
But, for me, a more detached and objective style is preferable.
Just saying...
)I prefer straight reportage, without editorializing within the report. That can be done in the thread. The article's writer is, I presume, welcome to offer opinions in the thread - just like anyone else.
I would prefer that to editorializing within the Front Page article.
I appreciate that others find a more personal style warmer and more "person to person".
But, for me, a more detached and objective style is preferable.
Just saying...
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