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Is PinPics down

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Is PinPics down
^ When I input the hundreds of entries (text and pictures) I contributed to PinPics over the years it was for the PIN COMMUNITY'S PUBLIC USE. Not for private ownership that later took over the site to try to capitalize on (and attempt to monetize). When PinPics tried to claim ownership of MY writing and MY pictures that I contributed for EVERYONE - and stopped Ethan from using PUBLICLY SOURCED non-proprietary information (not to mention information and pictures taken directly from Disney) I knew it was the end for PinPics' integrity and usefulness.

My thoughts exactly (although I didn't contribute except maybe one pin). I'm not even sure that the original Pinpics had a "If you submit photos/writing, we then own it" disclaimer, because it was very much a site by fans, for fans.
 
This is something I haven't talked publicly about, because I have been extremely concerned about my ability to actually pull it off. But in the interest of "putting my money where my mouth is," when Pinpics launched their "new site" and we all hated it. I started working on creating my own. I started from scratch, knowledge-wise, and I'm using a CMS because I still don't know HOW to build a custom database. I am not a programmer or DBA. My Mom getting sick, put a huge delay in it, and for the last year I've felt like I'm "3 months away from getting it ready." But then I learn something new, and that sets me back because I have to redo stuff. I don't want to step on pintradingdb.com's toes too much but I've been worried that when Ryan started it, he was more committed than he is now that he really isn't into Disney pins anymore and I wasn't sure how viable of a solution it was (before all of this recent Pinpics issue started). Plus, I think my longevity in this hobby and the extensiveness of my collection gives me some perspective of what the new site should be capable of. Honestly, after 3 years of working on this on and off, I'll still have breakthroughs in realizing that the back end really needs to be organized like THIS not THAT to really get it to be useful. I started 2018 with the goal of getting it online by 2019 and that's still my goal. There are a few things I really wish I could do that I still don't really think I am going to be able to learn how to do, but I'm too the point where I don't think it's any worse than Pinpics (especially a non-functional Pinpics). But we'll see...typing this out loud is making me nervous that I'm going to get myself "stuck" again, lol.

The only big thing is that I won't be doing a Trade Assistant. I just don't want to take on the responsibility of handling all the stuff Pinpics has to deal with when "trades go bad." I want to at least have comparison tools, but that is one of the things I'm not quite sure I can manage without it being "clunky." I know this might be a deal breaker for people, and why Ryan and if he lets GreyWyvern provide assistance, should still work on improving pintradingDB. It may be a better Trading solution, than I can ever provide. I can promise that in terms of an information repository and inventory management tool it will have many of the features we lost when Pinpics got redesigned, or things we never had but always wanted.

Of course, now that I'm in Florida, I can't work on it for 3 weeks, when I should probably be working double-time on it.

Just as a preface: I'm not writing this shoot anyone down or be a know-it-all, just to offer some information and perhaps a call to duty.

Keep in mind that @ryanfury hasn't really run PTDB in a while; that's been @starry_solo, who has worked on it tirelessly for the past couple years (sorry Ryan, but it's true). In my humble opinion, if we are to back another pin trading website, I think it should be something that this community to some extent creates and controls. Pin trading is an ENORMOUS hobby and having a site run/controlled/managed by one or two people is just asking for trouble and all kinds of problems (again, not looking to put anyone down).

My solution/thought is, if Ryan and Li are open to it, getting a fair number of earnest DPFers on board with PTDB as mods/volunteers/helpers/designers/what-have-yous in order to really push it to the level that PinPics was and beyond. With many people helping and many minds banding together, we could really make something awesome. Something that stays free (or donation only) and for the pin traders. Just my two cents.
 
My thoughts exactly (although I didn't contribute except maybe one pin). I'm not even sure that the original Pinpics had a "If you submit photos/writing, we then own it" disclaimer, because it was very much a site by fans, for fans.
My recollection is that the original owners were quite clear that the info and pics contributed were for everyone's free use and weren't "owned" by anyone - which is why I contributed so much back in the day - so everyone would have information and use of it but no one else claimed rights to what I contributed.

It was just essentially a crowd sourced nice version of a wiki that they maintained for the benefit of and by the gracious contributions of the pin community. Not for their own benefit or profit nor claims to "ownership" of other people's contributions.

And as a result of the community maintaining it rather than a small private team - it was far more accurate, comprehensive and kept constantly updated by the community on a minute by minute basis. The current version of the site became a sinking ship the second the pin community as a whole stopped being able to immediately plug the holes and fix it.
 
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@starry_solo has done a great job of adding pins and promoting the PTDB. The ptdb codebase has been unchanged for about 3 years, as I had accepted that pinpics got their act together enough, and also stopped collecting pins as much. If there's a need in the community we can start back on active development immediately. I believe we are happy to accept any help. Li and I are often in the DPF chatroom for any discussions.

I believe I have fixed that issue with blank price and edition size. It will just default to 0 if you leave them empty.
 
Just as a preface: I'm not writing this shoot anyone down or be a know-it-all, just to offer some information and perhaps a call to duty.

Keep in mind that @ryanfury hasn't really run PTDB in a while; that's been @starry_solo, who has worked on it tirelessly for the past couple years (sorry Ryan, but it's true). In my humble opinion, if we are to back another pin trading website, I think it should be something that this community to some extent creates and controls. Pin trading is an ENORMOUS hobby and having a site run/controlled/managed by one or two people is just asking for trouble and all kinds of problems (again, not looking to put anyone down).

My solution/thought is, if Ryan and Li are open to it, getting a fair number of earnest DPFers on board with PTDB as mods/volunteers/helpers/designers/what-have-yous in order to really push it to the level that PinPics was and beyond. With many people helping and many minds banding together, we could really make something awesome. Something that stays free (or donation only) and for the pin traders. Just my two cents.
Was thinking along these lines too. If one person is considered the owner then they could just sell it again and history repeats itself.
Is there a way to create a board to control a database for pins? Sort of like a non-profit organization that is run by a group and not owned by any one person?
 
A multiple owner LLC would be best. Ryan could keep his control but give up % to other owners that would all have a set of operation guidelines to keep the company on track. But I'm sure many of us would also trust Ryan to not let us down or let history repeat its self.
 
If you want a silver lining for the whole "pp is dead just when we need it for the big pin event" mischigas (sp?), look at it this way:

With pinpics down, at least you won't have traders going to pp to look up the wants and trades ratios and slowing a prospective trade to a halt!
 
If you want a silver lining for the whole "pp is dead just when we need it for the big pin event" mischigas (sp?), look at it this way:

With pinpics down, at least you won't have traders going to pp to look up the wants and trades ratios and slowing a prospective trade to a halt!

Either that or everybody won’t trade at all because they can’t find their pin on Ebay sold auctions and they don’t want to get sharked.:p
 
The thought of reentering all of my pins (I have been collecting since 2000) is a bit over whelming, but I am willing to give it a shot. I will be at the pin event. I am only bring 2 or 3 bags with to trade as I will only carry them on because I have "lost" some when I checked them in the past. I am in Philly and hoping to do the NJ event this fall. Anyway, I arrive Monday night, staying at the BW DVC, and I am picking up pins on Thursday so will be in the trading room. I wear a brown vest with my Holy Grails on the back, a dark green hat with some of favorite keepers and drive an ecv due to a myriad of medical issues. If any of you are around and want to show me how to navigate the new site and upload stuff (I am not as computer literate as you youngsters,) I would be glad to start entering the pins I bring with. I will then attempt to do some more entering when I come home. I am chaoscent on pinpics, if it ever gets fixed. I have decided to print what I have and worry about the ratios if/when PP gets fixed. I am friends with a trader named EngineerJohn and I always look to him for advice so hopefully he can help me make some trades. Take care, Penny
 
This is truly crazy. I have a web site and a person that maintains it for me. Does not take him two weeks to fix something . More like one day. I do feel sorry for everyone associated with Pinworld.com and Pinpics. There will be no hiding on Thursday. Time to hire a new IT person. I had a person who maintained my web site disappear a few years ago. Had to hire someone else and it can be a long process. Hope to See everyone at the Event.
 
If you want a silver lining for the whole "pp is dead just when we need it for the big pin event" mischigas (sp?), look at it this way:

With pinpics down, at least you won't have traders going to pp to look up the wants and trades ratios and slowing a prospective trade to a halt!
Either that or everybody won’t trade at all because they can’t find their pin on Ebay sold auctions and they don’t want to get sharked.:p

This is my worry. No one will want to trade Auctions and Shopping pins (what I really want this time), and it's just going to be miserable for everyone. You can't add ten bajillion pins in less than 5 days to pintradingdb.com (I would love that, but it would take some major PR and the whole pin community to support it). If they went down a month before, we would have more time to adjust. If they say, "Here's new Pinpics!" the day before, I will be so disappointed, because there's bound to be so many bugs with a new site.
 
A small bit of progress made. I was able to pull up pictures (in some case partial pictures) but now all I am getting is black. Still can't access my account. I am just going to print what I have. Very Frustrated.
 
I was able to see photos late last night too. I logged in on my phone, refreshed a bunch of times, closed the browser, reopened, and I was logged in. Then a series of refreshes, back and forward buttons got me to view the pages I needed. No sweat, right?
 
I was able to see photos late last night too. I logged in on my phone, refreshed a bunch of times, closed the browser, reopened, and I was logged in. Then a series of refreshes, back and forward buttons got me to view the pages I needed. No sweat, right?
Can only hope Pinpics works as well for me when I give it another try. hahaha
 
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A multiple owner LLC would be best. Ryan could keep his control but give up % to other owners that would all have a set of operation guidelines to keep the company on track. But I'm sure many of us would also trust Ryan to not let us down or let history repeat its self.
Just want to clarify my comment was not directed at pintradingdb.com or Ryan (I know nothing specific about either... the DB or Ryan.) I purposely excluded any references to any specific DB or person, since my comment applies to any effort at a new database (devils advocate and all). :)

The ideal database set up? **go into dream mode here** Perhaps a DB run by an organization (LLC or what have you) with a membership (members can run for board and/or vote) and elected board (ie, the DB is owned by the organization of which anyone can join if they say... for example... pay dues or contribute time to the database... adding pins, setup, or upkeep)… perhaps a 'club' type set up... Any dues collected would pay for costs of the DB upkeep/maintenance/server/etc., but club members would also be encouraged to volunteer their time and expertise to save on the cost of upkeep. You would not need to be a member to use the database (and have an account), but if you want to vote for the board, you would need to meet membership requirements (whatever that is determined to be by a board...) Anyway, that was what I was thinking... too complicated? probably... but dare to dream we could come together as a community like that. :cool:

Was thinking along these lines too. If one person is considered the owner then they could just sell it again and history repeats itself.
Is there a way to create a board to control a database for pins? Sort of like a non-profit organization that is run by a group and not owned by any one person?
The pin trading community is up in arms with what happened/is happening with Pinpics and one would think trying to learn from the history is a good thing. … do not repeat mistakes of the past... something I was taught when I was young.

But ultimately I am good with just getting a new database up and running. A more formal entity would take much more time and thought. Sometimes you just have to go on faith (as someone told me recently.) :)

Okay, going to add more pins to PTDB! :D
 
From Facebook an hour ago:
9e6997237d601b8a569561ee4528e69d.jpg


Maybe if the problem happened August 5 you could have addressed it before August 19? Just a thought. *shrug*


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From Facebook an hour ago:
9e6997237d601b8a569561ee4528e69d.jpg


Maybe if the problem happened August 5 you could have addressed it before August 19? Just a thought. *shrug*


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thank you for sharing the info... for us non-facebookers...
 
I'm in the camp for both sites to continue to be available for collectors. My hopes are that Pinpics is repaired and improved and PTDB continues to grow and innovate. Both sites have much to offer the pin collector. For earlier pins, Pinpics will be tough to beat, whereas, PTDB does an awesome job on all of the newer releases. It is not a matter of one or the other for me, but would just rather see both continue. In fact, the more the merrier, after all there are no guarantees on either.
 
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