Just wondering

[gfwgfw]

Hey Ho from rural Dorset

Like myself, I expect all the survivors of the sad "sinking" P&O site, are appreciating this excellent forum

I will go as far as to suggest that this is the best forum that I have ever used both for the host of facilities

Even an edit button for our Suff London herbert

Wishing you all a very productive day

[CaroleF]

I would agree that this is the best cruise forum that I have experienced - makes you think that if this is what happened as a result of the P&O CC site going down then maybe it wasn't such a bad thing!

Carole

[Dancing Queen]

I'll second that Carole

[qbman1]

...and I'll third it ! But if we could get free access on board......!!!

[Dancing Queen]

10 out of 10 for persistence qb

[JenniC]

I with you on this - best one ever, don't know how I will manage when I go back to work on 18th Feb and have to wait until evening to login - still there is always lunchtime and the days I work from home ( and before some smart a*se says it I do work).....

[qbman1]

10 out of 10 for persistence qb

Like a terrier with a rabbit, me (or as DarkKnight would put it "like a Jack Russell on a scotch egg") !!

Not sure what they put in their scotch eggs in Darkest Derbyshire though

[towny44]

Then how come P&O's costly IT dept made such a pigs breakfast of their forum.

It is a totally different ball game when you have bespoke software running within a corporate infrastructure ... that would be like saying to someone 'I believe you know how to drive a car so you could you land this 747 for me please'.

You are being very generous to P&O's IT dept Ken, I realise that bespoke systems are different but normally firms utilise this route to save on the cost of a bought in system. But David says this software was free so I think my point is still valid, how come the P&O IT management failed to realise that they could reduce costs by using the same software that David is using.

[Gill W]

They probably did realise they could use free software, but likely 'the person that makes decisions' wanted a system designed especially for P & O, and even though it wasn't up to scratch , had to keep on using it to justify the (probably) exorbitant cost of it all

[Kendhni]

towny, a while back I got speaking to a chap from the P&O IT department and I asked why they had not gone down the vBulletin (or similar) route. From what I can gather this was looked at but they wanted a more integrated system and went down the bespoke route. The reasons for going bespoke probably made sense at the time but sadly I think other issues with the software and trying to integrate too closely caused them the grief.

While I can see that things were far from perfect I generally refuse to condemn because I do not know the reasons why and I think, as an IT person. it would be very unprofessional for me to pass comment on systems I do not understand and the decisions taken.

[The Tinker]

Solidarity in the IT profession, Ken - interesting - I too will not comment but I am sure my fellow forum members can make their own minds up.

[david63]

The thing about the old P&O forum is that basically there is nothing wrong with the software - it is in use on quite a lot of sites worldwide. The main problem, I believe, is with the integration with the main site caused by the moaning Minnies that did not want to log on twice.

I also think that the implementation of the forum was poor, but that is the price you pay when you bring in outside consultants who do not understand the business.

[Kendhni]

At times I wonder if one decision was to make access free when on board ... and maybe they felt bespoke was the best way to achieve it ...

[lynden]

Excellent site and well done