The last iStock Contact Sheet just landed in my inbox. It appears there won't be anymore.

"While we loved the Contact Sheet and its long history, we recognized that it was time for a change.

Starting next month we will send out regular email updates to all approved iStockphoto contributors in a simplified, text-only format. Email will become our main method of communication."

http://www.istockphoto.com/article_view.php?ID=1296&esource=eml_EN_ArtistCS_01122012

I'm all for it being simplified and factual. Cut the faff. Tell us what we need to know.
Don't bother about v2 the fun stuff. Spend the resources getting the site to work.

Cutting expenses?
Wonder how many "positions" that eliminated? 

Quote from: WarrenPrice on January 12, 2012, 17:32
Cutting expenses?
Wonder how many "positions" that eliminated? 

I was wondering the same thing.

Yet another sign that the Istock community is dead.  I never bothered giving the Contact Sheet more than a quick glance through, but the fact that they valued contributors enough to put the effort in was meaningful.  Guess at this point there's no reason to keep up the pretense any longer. 

Quote from: Karimala on January 12, 2012, 17:53

Quote from: WarrenPrice on January 12, 2012, 17:32
Cutting expenses?
Wonder how many "positions" that eliminated? 

I was wondering the same thing.

Well, if Istock's sales are falling at the rate suggested by the multimedia.de data then cut-backs are inevitable __ otherwise it becomes unsustainable.

Maybe the "free in-office massages at your desk from our very own masseuse" will be the next thing to go.

I don't have time to wade through the forums for news... I'm happy they are implementing this. Besides, people have been asking for better communication for as long as I can remember. Maybe this will help.

Quote from: scottdunlap on January 12, 2012, 18:18
I don't have time to wade through the forums for news... I'm happy they are implementing this. Besides, people have been asking for better communication for as long as I can remember. Maybe this will help.

Let's hope so.
And written in Plain English would help - none of the ambiguous stuff that causes debates in the forums about how they should be interpreted even among English speakers - easily understood by those for whom none the 'community languages' is their first language.

Quote from: WarrenPrice on January 12, 2012, 17:32
Cutting expenses?
Wonder how many "positions" that eliminated? 

Well it ought not to have taken any more than 1 man/day per month to produce it.

Quote from: ShadySue on January 12, 2012, 18:24

Quote from: scottdunlap on January 12, 2012, 18:18
I don't have time to wade through the forums for news... I'm happy they are implementing this. Besides, people have been asking for better communication for as long as I can remember. Maybe this will help.

Let's hope so.
And written in Plain English would help - none of the ambiguous stuff that causes debates in the forums about how they should be interpreted even among English speakers - easily understood by those for whom none the 'community languages' is their first language.

I'm guessing you're referring to JJRD's posts. If so, I couldn't agree more. But if Andrew's behind it, we won't have that problem.

Quote from: scottdunlap on January 12, 2012, 18:31

Quote from: ShadySue on January 12, 2012, 18:24

Quote from: scottdunlap on January 12, 2012, 18:18
I don't have time to wade through the forums for news... I'm happy they are implementing this. Besides, people have been asking for better communication for as long as I can remember. Maybe this will help.

Let's hope so.
And written in Plain English would help - none of the ambiguous stuff that causes debates in the forums about how they should be interpreted even among English speakers - easily understood by those for whom none the 'community languages' is their first language.

I'm guessing you're referring to JJRD's posts. If so, I couldn't agree more. But if Andrew's behind it, we won't have that problem.

Andrew is clearer than JJ, but some of his posts have been ambiguous and have needed subsequent clarification.

Before anyone says, I know I make a gazillion typos and only yesterday got the wrong end of the stick. But I'm just typing and posting, sometimes through the Red Mist. Official communications should be composed, left to rest, checked and rechecked by several people, including those whose English isn't fluent.

Seems the 'exclusive' community welcome the change, immediate hooora's from mods/admins etc.

Predictable and completely staged.

Quote from: Cogent Marketing on January 12, 2012, 19:30
Seems the 'exclusive' community welcome the change, immediate hooora's from mods/admins etc.

Predictable and completely staged.

You'd rather they stuck with the old version?
H*ll, I'd have cheered for this improvement.

Quote from: scottdunlap on January 12, 2012, 18:18
I don't have time to wade through the forums for news... I'm happy they are implementing this. Besides, people have been asking for better communication for as long as I can remember. Maybe this will help.

+1

Just as well...just like with today, I don't usually open them anymore so I missed that it was the last issue.  I still remember that they sent one out at the same time as the big clawback (I think it was??  It was at the height of some big blowup) and I thought, "Is this really a good time to be sending out a supposedly feel-good newsletter?"   

BUMP

Quote from: gostwyck on January 12, 2012, 18:10

Quote from: Karimala on January 12, 2012, 17:53

Quote from: WarrenPrice on January 12, 2012, 17:32
Cutting expenses?
Wonder how many "positions" that eliminated? 

I was wondering the same thing.

Well, if Istock's sales are falling at the rate suggested by the multimedia.de data then cut-backs are inevitable __ otherwise it becomes unsustainable.

Maybe the "free in-office massages at your desk from our very own masseuse" will be the next thing to go.

Yep...the writing was clearly on the wall.  Good call on the bump.