PNN - The Good, The Bad, and the Oh So Ugly Ad Banner

PNN - The Good,  The Bad, and the Oh So Ugly Ad Banner

I'm gathering my first impressions of PNN as a geek (the term newbie makes me shudder)  new to a social networking venue.  (I love new toys)  I'll start with the good because my first impressions are very good.  (Diehard PNN fans, don't hate me yet - there's still plenty of time for that.)  I like the simplicity and speed with which the PNN site works.  There is some confusion at first, (and others too I've discovered at "HOME" are having the same issues) regarding page design (for each page) but I've quickly learned most of the nuances and idiocyncises.  (Anyone want to spellcheck that for me since I'm on a rant right now?)  There's one quirk I don't like in the page design section and that is the page title editing.  It only partially edits the site title PER page.  I would have expected the site title to change either across the board or page by page (to appear differently).  From what I can see, the color can be different but the text must remain the same (and change across the board).  But that's ok.  It's not a biggie.  Other than that, each page can be totally different in theme, layout, design, etc.  Way cool.

What I dislike here at PNN which doesn't mean it's bad, it's just bad for me, is that there's no "draft" feature.  That means that if I screw up this post, it's already out in the "wild" before I may realize it to make the edits.  I just can't proof my own shit.   Lesson learned already.  Damn.  I swear I didn't mean to post such crap to start with.  It was a TEST DAMNIT and you may have been the involuntary lab rat if you were here at the time. 

I noticed too that when posting an audio file (maybe a few other things too) there's nowhere to comment on it.  I posted an audio file and bless someone's heart, they had to comment about it on another post.  I definitely don't like that.  After all, if the audio file is CRAP I'd appreciate hearing about it right then and THERE.  Not somewhere else.  Wait.  I really don't want to hear it's crap at all.  If you don't like it, maybe it's just best you talk behind my back.  OH come on - we're women!  We have  specific genes going back to prehistoric times for just these special occasions, that will continue to baffle the male species and scientists for decades to come.  (The gossip gene, the backstabbing gene, and a ton more)  I swear, our DNA strand is longer and has more of those little ladder thingies than a man's.  Go Ladies!

Anywho - the Oh so Ugly AD banner.  All I can say is FUCK.  How freaking ugly is that to have a banner slam across the TOP of your site and pages of which you have worked so hard and are so proud of, only to have a ghastly, off color, no matching AD.  Now I FULLY understand that any and all social networking sites (herein referred to as s/n site because I talk about them a lot and that's just too much freaking typing added to my already too much freaking typing)... must survive.  And they must do it by using ADS if they are going to survive.  And I'm a huge advocate of their making money because when they make money, the free users will reap the bennies.  But Holy Christ on a biscuit!  I'm looking at all this valuable empty real estate on both the left and right side of the main body of each page and could that AD be a little more discreet and better placed ANYWHERE else besides there?  First - I don't click on them anyway but if I did I won't now just because I'm pissed off at the placement.  And don't say I'm too new here to be pissed off at anything.  If I didn't care I wouldn't be pissed which means I care enough to really really like it here (and be pissed off)!  Confused?  So am I, so blame it on that butt ugly ad banner.  It's enough to enduce a seizure. So I've "hidden" it so I can't see it but I swear I really wanted to invite a few thousand people over here to PNN and I'm afraid until that banner gets better placement I don't know that I will.  I don't want them to see it on my site and it will be THE number one determining factor of whether they will even read what I have here, much less if they join (and they are some really great women that you would really love and certainly much better than you probably like me right now so I'll quit bitching)

I contacted PNN via email reference what I thought might be a solution to the Ad banner (since I've explored PNN and can find nothing about it but that doesn't mean it's not here) and that was to find out if they have a sort of Premium (paid) service that would negate ads on sites and allow the Premium member to not see them on PNN at all. (I explored for that too but my spelunking skills are still being finetuned here).  I believe there are many that would take advantage of this since I'm a premium member on other s/n sites for this very reason as are my thousands or so friends from other s/n sites.  It's the weekend and I've not heard back and how dare PNN take a day to be with their families when I'm taking a day to write them.  (Ok, so it took 30 seconds typing at 200 wpm)  I'd also like to see more theme choices but I'm an options freak and though I like them simple I want a lot of them - because with all this untapped valuable (ADLESS) real estate both on the left and right side of my theme, I'm just partial to wide or fluid based themes.  Ok.. so I'm into EYE CANDY.  And changing the header/mast just wasn't going to be my first priority. 

Ok, so this has been my first impression of PNN, and let me end this on a high note.  PNN reminds me of Newsvine on steroids which suits me just fine.  I tried newsvine and I LOVED IT.  Except for one really big bastardly thing - if you do just ONE thing wrong there not only are the Newsvine Gestapo up your ass, but the users there, instead of banding together and drawing straws and deciding which user (whom you've never even met before you posted) is going to approach you and gently guide you (privately) about how to better do what you just fucked up, they ring the church bell, band together with sticks and big rocks, and chase you down like the illiterate idiot that you just might be and publicly stone you to death all over google.  How fucked up is that.  Seriously.   And their NUMERO UNO offense that will also end up in having your dead body burned at the stake after the stoning is if you do anything to self promote yourself.  Ok - think about that.  WTF does ANYONE do on a social site that doesn't involve typing SOMETHING out with the expressed desire that someone, anyone read the damned thing and then at least be kind enough to comment.  Or kind enough not to in some cases.

So I have just one request as I further explore PNN (and I promise that other than the AD banner rant that I can't promise I won't shut about, there's nothing I have to complain but maybe just to comment about) ..... and as I am sure to fuck up more than once, PLEASE band together, draw straws and one of you pull me aside and gently tell me that I'm screwed up royally, and either get my shit together or move on.  No - don't tell me that.  I might hurt you.   Just tell me I fucked up and why and how to fix it.  

And in the meantime I'll play with the font in this editor because it's very possible that the font I'm using right now makes my ass look too big and my reading glasses too inadequate.

Sidenote:  Someone gave me a star my first couple of posts.  I know they did.  I found it in my email alerts.  I even saw it here when I went to look (by adding the widget on a goodies page.)  Now it's gone before I even posted this.   Someone took it back.  So see, I've fucked up already.  Damn.  I wanted that star too.  I was going to wear it out.