Rate U2.com

[Chizip]

I think U2.com is an embarrassment to U2, and I wonder if U2 really knows just how bad it is. The website is a laughing stock among the U2 fanbase, and it's shame that a band as great as U2 has such a terrible website representing them.

But don't let my opinion sway your vote. Please rate U2.com honestly, with 0 being the worst and 10 being the best. I'm curious to see just how low (or high) it rates among U2 fans.

Thanks!

 

[bathiu]

6

There's much work to be done there... but it's not as bad as some people are saying...

 

[Chizip]

ok, well maybe if you do like it post the things you like about it, maybe it could help me appreciate it more

here are some of the things i dont like about it

-initial sign up problems, some people got charged twice, some peoples registration never processed at all...
-most people still havent gotten the awesome keychain
-the original presale fiasco and how crappy fanfires sevice is
-poorly worded emails that confuse people over future presales
-false information in emails sent out (they said both vegas shows would be available in a presale, that didnt happen)
-setlists posted before the shows are finished
-incorrect setlists
-ridiculous articles such as the one claiming the original GA lottery system was a huge success (with only one quote from a guy who got in the oval when he arrived as the show was starting, obviously he would like the system)
-never posted any information about the GA lottery system until after the first show
-no great content for members (such as live audio or video from the tour)
-late to get news out (fan sites break u2 news much earlier than they do)
-it cost 40 freaking bucks per year
-the message board sucks

its really just the gross incompotence that bothers me. people are getting paid to make sure the information is accurate, yet they are even failing to do that. interference.com is a fan site run by volunteers that get no compensation for their work, and is vastly superior in every way.

like i said, i find u2.com embarrassing. please feel free to post things you like about it, or add to my list of bad things if you wish.

thanks again.

 

[jacobus]

U2.com sucks. its total crap. its bad design. its difficult to read.

 

[deep]

needs more black

 

[Popmartijn]

6

There's much work to be done there... but it's not as bad as some people are saying...

Indeed, my opinion too.

So, Chizip, from the list you mention there are a whole lot I don't agree with or which I don't think are that bad.
You also mention some things that are not web-site related at all (like the keychain), so do we rate just the website or the whole organisation? And if it is the latter, then why mention negative aspects of other organisations (Fanfire, Ticketmaster, etc.).

As for positives:
- they did give members an opportunity to buy tickets before the general sale, greatly increasing their chances for a ticket
- Willie's Diaries and the Tour Personnel profiles
- Audio/video
- At least they don't pretend that band members are posting on the site, despite it being the official site.

 

[Chizip]

I consider U2.com and fanfire to be related, when you subscribe to U2.com, you are subscribing to a fanclub that is run by fanfire

so when you rate, please take into account that I mean both the fanclub and U2.com, as to me they are one in the same

you mention ticketmaster, but that is a whole seperate entity altogether...

 

[Popmartijn]

Yes, Ticketmaster is a separate entity, but you mentioned the initial presale situation (which they tried to correct/improve for later presales BTW) and that was done with Ticketmaster.

 

[Chizip]

As for positives:
- they did give members an opportunity to buy tickets before the general sale, greatly increasing their chances for a ticket
- Willie's Diaries and the Tour Personnel profiles
- Audio/video
- At least they don't pretend that band members are posting on the site, despite it being the official site.

as for your comments on the positives

- they did give members an opportunity to buy tickets before the general sale, greatly increasing their chances for a ticket

this was not really an added feature for u2 fans, this was a task that u2.com took over for propaganda. i think any fan who belonged to propaganda would tell you the old system was a million times better than this new system u2.com came up with. most people paid 40 bucks to get first chance at the "best available tickets" that u2.com mentioned to only end up with nosebleeds. Someone had a great post documenting the changes in the u2.com language describing the presale as it drew closer. it changed from "best available tickets" to "a chance at tickets" after most people had paid their 40 bucks. very misleading information. so i would not praise u2.com with the initial presales.

- Willie's Diaries and the Tour Personnel profiles

that is cool, but didn't that used to be on the old u2.com site for free? now we have to pay 40 bucks to read it...

- Audio/video

how often are people going to listen to streaming audio of the songs off their website? and im pretty sure anybody who pays 40 bucks to be a member already has all the songs on cd or in mp3 format. if they had audio/video from the tour, then that would be cool. even fan websites have pro shot live video clips from the tour, and u2.com cant provide that? please...

- At least they don't pretend that band members are posting on the site, despite it being the official site.

true, but it could be really cool if maybe they did have a feature where the edge or somebody visited once a month or something to answer fan questions


there is just so much more they could be doing. but the least i ask for is correct information on the website and in the emails they send out, and they cant even do that. so im not holding out hope for much improvement in other areas.

 

[MsMofoGone]

I don't think U2.com is as bad as people say either.
The only things that come to mind that are bad is ...
the $40 membership to view video content and that joke of a
presale. Other than those 2 incidences ... I personally like the
website. I enjoy checking out the news, exclusives and photo gallery ... not to mention the interactive timeline to review past
news from decades ago. Pretty interesting stuff !!
I rate it as a 7 ... not too bad ... after all !!

 

[Popmartijn]

as for your comments on the positives

- they did give members an opportunity to buy tickets before the general sale, greatly increasing their chances for a ticket

this was not really an added feature for u2 fans, this was a task that u2.com took over for propaganda. i think any fan who belonged to propaganda would tell you the old system was a million times better than this new system u2.com came up with.[/b]

Actually, I prefer this new system. Why? Because now I had the opportunity to get tickets for an US concert (and US members had a chance to get tickets for an European concert). This wasn't possible under the old system.
Besides, this is an added feature of the U2.com site. It shouldn't matter whether or not they took over that task from Propaganda. I mean, Propaganda is no more so if U2.com wouldn't have these presales then no one would have them for U2 concerts. Now, U2.com is offering members participation in presales.

- Willie's Diaries and the Tour Personnel profiles

that is cool, but didn't that used to be on the old u2.com site for free? now we have to pay 40 bucks to read it...

Yes, the old U2.com site also had Willie's Diaries. Then it was free, now it is part of the paid membership. Does that take away from its quality?
The same goes with this site. Membership used to be free and you could do everything, now you have to pay $12 for 'premium access'. Does this mean Interference.com now sucks balls? Everyone should decide whether or not Interference.com is worth $12, but I doubt that if you think it isn't worth it that immediately means it sucks.
And oh, the old U2.com site never had those Tour Personnel profiles. And I think those profiles are pretty good.

- Audio/video

how often are people going to listen to streaming audio of the songs off their website? and im pretty sure anybody who pays 40 bucks to be a member already has all the songs on cd or in mp3 format. if they had audio/video from the tour, then that would be cool. even fan websites have pro shot live video clips from the tour, and u2.com cant provide that? please...

I'm at work now and don't have my CD's here, nor any MP3's on my computer, so it's nice to have this opportunity. And yes, while it is a pity there's no real audio/video from the tour yet, I am happy to see/hear some other exclusives, like the HOF induction (as they never showed that one here on the telly).

 

[Chizip]

I don't think U2.com is as bad as people say either.
The only things that come to mind that are bad is ...
the $40 membership to view video content and that joke of a
presale. Other than those 2 incidences ... I personally like the
website. I enjoy checking out the news, exclusives and photo gallery ... not to mention the interactive timeline to review past
news from decades ago. Pretty interesting stuff !!
I rate it as a 7 ... not too bad ... after all !!

the timeline?? it barely has any information on it, the timeline on the old u2.com was muuuch more detailed

this timeline even forgot to put in the release of the joshua tree!!

another embarrassing error..

how could you forget to put the release of the most popular cd of the bands career into the timeline??

 

[bathiu]

-initial sign up problems, some people got charged twice, some peoples registration never processed at all...
-most people still havent gotten the awesome keychain
-the original presale fiasco and how crappy fanfires sevice is
-poorly worded emails that confuse people over future presales
-false information in emails sent out (they said both vegas shows would be available in a presale, that didnt happen)
-setlists posted before the shows are finished
-incorrect setlists
-ridiculous articles such as the one claiming the original GA lottery system was a huge success (with only one quote from a guy who got in the oval when he arrived as the show was starting, obviously he would like the system)
-never posted any information about the GA lottery system until after the first show
-no great content for members (such as live audio or video from the tour)
-late to get news out (fan sites break u2 news much earlier than they do)
-it cost 40 freaking bucks per year

most of this is actualy complaining about only one thing -> memebrship for 40$, there's no need in making so many points describing one thing...
...and the rest:
- they are late with the news, because they have to have "official news"... that's all, more than half of the "news" from fan sites is described as "rumors"... even if most of them are true they still were only "rumors". Official site can't post rumors.
- as for those e-mails before the pre-sale, you have to remember that this tour had many problems, if I understad corectly it was even possible there will be no tour for HTDAAB at some point... it started a month later than originaly planned...etc.

-the message board sucks

- Maybe true... but *cough* at least they didn't have a false Edge posting there...
----------

I agree, it's not a first class "official site"... but please, it's at least average among others... not the worst one.

 

[MsMofoGone]

the timeline?? it barely has any information on it, the timeline on the old u2.com was muuuch more detailed

this timeline even forgot to put in the release of the joshua tree!!

another embarrassing error..

how could you forget to put the most popular cd of the bands career into the timeline??

I never said the timeline was perfect ... because it does have it's
faults. I just think there is alot of stuff there ... that I find interesting to read about. There IS information in the past archives that people may not have known about U2. That's what
is great about the timeline ... you can access this information
without having to try and find it elsewhere !!

 

[Chizip]

actually, most of my complaints are over incompetency and misinformation rather than features and costs

the intitial sign up problems
the not sending out the keychain (minor, but still...)
the very poorly worded emails
the crappy customer service
misleading presale information
other incorrect information on the website and emails sent out (wrong setlists, wrong information on presales, missing information, etc...)
late news

all of these things are due to incompetence, and u2 is a great band that doesnt tolerate incompetence in their music or shows, so why allow it in the people who represent them?

 

[Axver]

3 - mediocre

The content is usually unoriginal and easily surpassed by fan sites. The audio/video isn't anything to write home about. The $40 fee is excessive.

Bland, bland, bland.

Edit: And they should just leave setlists to sites like U2-Vertigo-Tour.com and U2Tours.com. At least we know what we're doing.

 

[Chizip]

the current rating is 4

we need more votes...

 

[martha]

U2.com was lame beyond belief when it was free. I can't imagine paying 40 bucks for lameness.

 

[Chizip]

wow, three 9 votes??

surprising...

 

[wizard2c]

reply

Hi!

Interference is the U2 official site in this wizard's heart.


carol
wizard2c

 

[JOFO]

sux ass.

 

[thrillme]

Actually, I prefer this new system. Why? Because now I had the opportunity to get tickets for an US concert (and US members had a chance to get tickets for an European concert). This wasn't possible under the old system.
Besides, this is an added feature of the U2.com site. It shouldn't matter whether or not they took over that task from Propaganda. I mean, Propaganda is no more so if U2.com wouldn't have these presales then no one would have them for U2 concerts. Now, U2.com is offering members participation in presales.



Yes, the old U2.com site also had Willie's Diaries. Then it was free, now it is part of the paid membership. Does that take away from its quality?
The same goes with this site. Membership used to be free and you could do everything, now you have to pay $12 for 'premium access'. Does this mean Interference.com now sucks balls? Everyone should decide whether or not Interference.com is worth $12, but I doubt that if you think it isn't worth it that immediately means it sucks.
And oh, the old U2.com site never had those Tour Personnel profiles. And I think those profiles are pretty good.

That's more along my thinking. Ignore the $40 subscription fee, how is the site itself.

I have a Propaganda magazine talking about the new (then) U2.com site, article about how U2 didn't have an official site for awhile, and Edge responded that there already some great fan sites out there already, offering news, interviews, etc, that they wanted their website to offer something those sites don't in the content.

Yes the first time watching videos was free, that kinda sucks to pay for those, but at the same time, it's not like it's the only site that charges a fee for "perks." Interference charges $12 for "premium" membership, other official fan clubs charge fees so maybe for some it's the amount of money they are putting in, not the fact they are paying.

I'm a paid member U2.com, and no, not just for the presales. If you only joined just to get presale opportunities, well then that was your choice. With propaganda they offered a magazine, and presales for tours for $20 a year, and occasionally threw in surprises like those CD's they gave out a couple times. I paid the fee in hopes there will be more surprises like that.

 

[nbcrusader]

The new site has been around for less than 6 months. For the average fan, it is a nice one-stop shop for U2 info.

 

[lmjhitman]

needs more black

yeah, like maybe the font? making it black would be the ONLY way that it would be harder to read.

i only go there maybe once a week. and zootopia, ugh. is it just me or is everyone that posts there like, 12?

i come here about 2 times a day it's organized better and i can get U2 news faster than at U2.com. and most of the people here are pretty cool, not all "OMIGOD LIEK BONOOOO IS LIEK SOOO HAWT!!" (keep in mind, i haven't really visited pleba that often ).

the clincher for me, of course, is Just the Bang & Clatter!