Debacle

My opinion of the “new” SiteMeter is stated perfectly in this post’s title: Debacle. So… assuming you use it… what do you think of the new SiteMeter, Gentle Reader? I’ve yet to read a “well-done” anywhere on the ‘net, and I’ve found LOTS of critics. I know it’s said “Everyone’s a critic” … but in this case, the negative criticism is WELL deserved. Case in point: a post from Luboš Motla, a blogger writing from the Czech Republic:

The statistics is suddenly shown in Flash applets. Because of the following and other reasons, I believe that the old SiteMeter was more usable:

· the new SiteMeter is much slower than the old one; it takes 20 seconds to get to the statistics page (useless clicks, unlinkable subpages, initiation of the Flash, illogical default settings for sorting criteria that have to be changed)

· the fonts are too small and ugly and they cannot be magnified; characters in Flash are not designed to look as pretty and flexible as those in the full-fledged HTML

· the new SiteMeter doesn't seem to show the number of visitors during the last week or month (and not even the total number for today, as far as I can say)

· the new SiteMeter doesn't seem to show the (verbal) domain associated with the IP of a visitor

· most of the lists in the new SiteMeter don't fit the space reserved for them which is why only a few visitors/pages are shown, each having a small number of initial characters of the URL (in my case, all URLs are displayed as http://motls.blogs)

· consequently, it's impossible to understand the URLs without scrolling down and right for each of them separately; this problem significantly increases the time needed to extract something useful from the page

· I still don't know how to access the statistics of other users who have made their data "public": it was easy before (and conversely, I don't know how to allow you to access mine)

and let me finish because there are many other problems that make the new system virtually unusable. The creators of the new system probably like Flash (and for many purposes, I also think that Flash is simply great) but what I simply don't understand is why the owners of SiteMeter.com allowed a change that manifestly makes things worse from a user's viewpoint.

Lumo follows up with a laundry list of people with bitches and complaints, which isn’t exhaustive, by any means… but it is instructive:

I encourage SiteMeter.com to restore a classic version to view the data or one that is as close to it as possible, at least as an option. It seems that almost all users agree with me:

· SiteMeter stinks: it's even more horrible than ever before

· The new SiteMeter is a stinking pile of crap

· New Sitemeter: I don't like it

· SiteMeter has really screwed things up

· The new & improved SiteMeter: ummmm

· Grrrr: boy, do I hates me some of that new SiteMeter

· New SiteMeter really sucks

· I really was more comfortable with the old one

· Bye-bye SiteMeter

· I hate hate hate hate the new SiteMeter

· I feel very disappointed with it

· The new SiteMeter is much much worse

· I hate the new SiteMeter

· I still preferred the original

· So far, I do not like it one bit

· SiteMeter redesigned, killed

· Why the hell did SiteMeter...? (link removed to keep the blog family-friendly)

· SiteMeter - arghhhh

· They've ruined SiteMeter

· If it ain't broke, don't fix it

· Why SiteMeter, Why?

· It's official: the new SiteMeter genuinely sucks

· I think it's too complex and the basic design is much better

· A big thumbs down

Positive reactions are yet to occur.

And then there’s this… from SiteMeter’s web site:

SiteMeter Rollback

September 14, 2008 ·

Good Afternoon,

We have received and heard your feedback concerning the latest changes to the website. We will implementing a rollback to the website immediately. We will also be responding to each of your support requests as soon as possible. If you have any questions please let us know.

Sincerely,

SiteMeter Support Team

I saw some horrible implementations during my 16 years in the IT Biz, but I never saw a fiasco quite as bad… and as public… as this. It’s truly awful system design with apparently ZERO end-user testing. But the migration went well, eh? <=== Snark.

Update 9/14/2008 1820 hrs: Morgan, in comments, tells us the roll-back message I posted above is gone and has been replaced with this. "Our apologies," indeed.