Orlando Memory: opinions and suggestions

On the OCLS Learn 2.1 program dated 2 December 2008, we were asked to visit Orlando Memory and Orange Seed. Here are my thoughts.

I like the concept of Orlando Memory as a place for people to share photographs and musings inspired by the City Beautiful. However, I'm sorry to say I don't find the website to be very intuitive to use. As someone who uses websites such as Flickr, I found the image uploading page to be rather confusing and foreign. The upload box is placed below a very large text window that gives users format and font options and other things which aren't really necessary for putting up a blurb about a trip to Epcot or talking about someone's A&W Root Beer stand.

Also frustrating is when a photo is uploaded, or when a new topic is started, there is a moderation time. I strongly feel pictures and topics hostage like this until someone somewhere takes a look at them is unnecessary. Giving users the opportunity to flag topics and photos as inappropriate should be sufficient, along with disabling or banning users who try to put up inappropriate photographs, as well as moderators who will click periodically through new pictures. For someone wanting to start a new topic, like "Orlando protest pictures," he or she must wait until the topic is approved before being allowed to upload photos. It's been 45 minutes since I submitted a topic for approval, and as of this moment, it is still in "pending" status. This isn't very user-friendly at all.

Furthermore, if a user wants to upload many pictures at once, there isn't a way to do that. Websites such as Flickr and Facebook have ways of uploading many photos at one time. Even uploading five photos at once would be a significant improvement to the current system.

I realise this post might be harsh, and I'm not meaning for it to be mean, but as someone who uses websites which utilise photographs and uploading, trying to use the Orlando Memory site is like trying to use a Commodore 64.

In complete seriousness, I want to post photos to Orlando Memory. Collecting photographs from Orlando's past and present will be a great way for us to see what has changed and where this city is going. This is why the Orlando Memory site needs a redesign. It doesn't have to be as swank as, say, Serious Eats--another type of community which utilises a forum and photo uploads--but at least be functional.

Again, my commentary isn't meant to be any sort of jab at the people who made Orlando Memory. It isn't meant to be personal, so please don't take it that way. As someone with nearly 500 photographs tagged "Orlando" in my Flickr account, I would love to contribute to this project. But the idea of waiting for ten, twenty, thirty photos to be approved is ridiculous.

Please redo Orlando Memory. I'll be happy to provide further suggestions or examples of good design to possibly incorporate, if welcome.