No longer fixing bugs with the Feed

I have found the feed to be a positive space filled with motivation and a way to spread awareness, reflections, and general connection. It is based on other social media feeds with a positive twist as in it is all fully supportive. The idea of sharing pictures, updates, trains of change, thoughts, and support keep it going. Some people do not like forums, the feed is a more easier, nice way to scroll through support.

I was going to write:

"Note to Self: Come back and add here what I like about the feed and how seldom/often I use it."

@Ece7Cups

But, after reading a few of the other (M)/(L) comments, I've realized this: This announcement/change seems to be one that can be very polarizing. It is very hard to read through the comments that sound so angry, especially when I think the writer is actually trying to say what he/she *likes* about the feed!

So, now I am not sure if I will come back and add my "2 cents" or not. Or if it even really matters. @7cupscommunity ... oh! and I thought I read some clarification that the feed will still exist as it is now. Is that correct? And that this thread here is 'just' to say that the tech team will not continue to fix any problems with the feed? Please, do correct me here if I am wrong. Thank you, Platy

I'm very sad to hear this news. I feel like the feed has always been neglected no matter how many people use it or try to promote the utilization of it.

Friday Feeder (7cups.com/~FridayFeeders) was launched and led by @ArwaS to give shoutouts to the people who are actively using the feed and sharing positive and motivational posts. Moreover, @Jenna leads the feed team and thinks of an idea or themes of what to post.

Making a post or reposting doesn't even let you earn cheers. Let alone the hearts earned by the posts don't count as compassion hearts. It seems like the cheers and compassion hearts only focus on other areas of the site and didn't give feed a chance to be paid attention to.

On the other hand, the feed lets me connect with other users.
>Especially when I connect with a member for the first time and they use the feed to vent. It gives me at least an idea how they're doing in the past months - when they do the growth path and make feed posts out of it; I've also witnessed that members don't have the availability to PM another member and often times they use the feed and tag someone for them to communicate if the rooms get so crowded. They repost each other's post and leave a comment.
>When someone follows me, the curiosity of wanting to get to know more about them or interact with them sparks when you visit their feed and you see their amazing posts. I bet just by hearting or reposting their posts puts a smile on their face because someone acknowledges their effort in making feed posts.

The feed lets me join tons of feed challenges/feed trains/feed hunt.
>They were also made because it's easy to make a post and tag someone to do it. And I like that the certain hashtags give you a throwback of what 7cups was before and learn the journey of every user who participated in them. It's easier to do it in the feed and easier to gain participation because your followers can see it and get interested.

The feed lets me take a break when I'm overwhelmed with group chats, forums or 1on1 chats.
>I like that I just spend time to check out My Feed and scroll through it to see amazing posts especially by @scenicwindow and @mieracurie. I also like when @abbyharis1976 and @lavendersubmarine repost the posts done by other users to complete a task in the growth path.

Lastly, the feed lets me share amazing posts and spread awareness of something.
>Before the feed bug, I was so motivated to post every week and it gave me excitement that I'm able to post new things in my feed. I always thought of an idea what to post every week or gather up pictures or quotes I've seen in other site that are worth sharing to people on 7cups.

I really wish there was still hope to revive the feed. Even though there's only a small percentage of user's engagement, it still matters. And I'm happy that you're willing to hear our feedback and experience with the feed. I hope that this gets resolved or at least helps in coming up with an alternative of the feed that's much better. Thank you for all you do!

🍕🍕🍕🍕

@Ece7Cups

I am very sorry to hear this. I actually love my feed!

The feed lets me contact MY followers and I am proud to say that I have 315 today! and that direct 'feeding' of MistyMagic personality has been a real support line to many many of the 1-1 members that I connect with every single day! I can send them pictures and share inspiration and support directed to those that have felt a connection to me, directly to me.

I am an avid forum poster too, nearly 3,500 forum posts and nearly 6,000 upvotes, but users can't easily find what I say, crumbs even I sometimes can't find forum posts! But the forum is no competition to the feed. The popularity of the hashtag is important, annoying but important too. If this announcement is signalling the end of the feed, and your figures seem to mean that any business person would agree that, then what is going to replace it?

4) Most people arent using it: Over the past 6 months, less than 2.5% of active users on the site have engaged with their feed (posting, following, hearting, etc). Even if we look at only engaged Members & Listeners, that number is still just 10%.

We're a small team with limited resources & in considering all of this we came to the conclusion that we just can not afford the engineering time it would take to fix the feed when it does not benefit > 90% of our engaged Members & Listeners.

This point may be giving you inaccurate figures of the use of the feed. The feed is featured on the side bar of the main page of every sub-community. It is where we can 'decorate' and draw attention to important events that are happening, share pearls of wisdom and reach lots and lots of members and listeners. I am sure the figure of users that just read the feed must be many more than 10% but you can't easily or exactly find out the true numbers that gain benefit from the feed can you?

Listening .... One Step At A Time

@Ece7Cups Do you think there will be opportunities for IT graduates to volunteer for the team in a few years time or is this information strictly confidential. I honestly would be glad to give back to the community if possible since I would've completed an IT qualification by then.

I like the feed because it gives me all kinds of things to print out and put up on my walls at home, reminding me to be upbeat, that self care is important and all kinds of wellness issues that resonate with me......

.....if it is 1/3d of the costs of the site however, this is not sustainable.. I will be forever grateful for the introduction to chibird and emm's artworks but maybe its time for the feed to be part of the past.. It was.. and it is good that it was..

@Ece7Cups "The feed lets me.....

Create my personal space. It's my blog, my news announcement and it gives me feedback by hearts and reposts. Followers help me to understand who feels connected with me and is interested in the content I create."

@Ece7Cups

I do not use the feed because I am not interested. I use this website to get better, not to make update posts

@Ece7Cups the feed lets me promote subcom teams in need of help so it does actually get that 90 percent you say it doesnt help we on the help wanted engagement task force rotate using the feed the subcoms in need of help each month and that team and need is only growing so to lose a vital resource would not be very helpful why not update it rather than try fix old make new ?

I would ask these guys if they would like to help. I think they would in one way or the other.