Omaha.com not so user friendly anymore

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 11:58 am

So the OWH has decided to require login info to read their online edition.

If they start telemarketing me I may have to get midevil and start taking pictures of their building.

TechnicalDisaster · Post by **TechnicalDisaster** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 2:00 pm

From their website:

In the event Omaha.com contracts with an outside research firm, we may provide your contact information to the research firm to contact you regarding participation in surveys, focus groups or other research activities that will help us improve Omaha.com's products and services. The research firm will be bound by its contract with Omaha.com to use your information strictly for Omaha.com research purposes, to keep your information confidential, and to adequately secure or destroy its records of your information when the research is complete.

Great, if I want to read the online news, I have to PAY for it with phone calls from survey groups.

This is just another reason for me to hate the OWH. I don't get the paper sent to my home, now I won't read the free online one either. Oh well.....

jjjjhskr · Post by **jjjjhskr** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 2:36 pm

It's still a bargain. I tried getting the news from Morgantown, Wv to see what they were saying about the Creighton - WVU matchup this week. You actually have to pay to subscribe online for their newspaper. I haven't seen any others so far (I bet they're out there though) that charge for online viewing - some do charge for detailed content.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 3:44 pm

jjjjhskr is right... the World Herald is actually behind other large papers in requiring registration. I'm sure their printed distribution numbers have been taking a real hit over the years ... we can't expect them to keep delivering the news for free, they need some means of generating revenue.

POTUS · Post by **POTUS** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 4:09 pm

The information age takes a backseat to capitalism.

I don't read the WH. Here's how I look at information media: if I can go months without it and my life isn't affected by the loss, then that media source wasn't worthy of my time in the first place.

Besides I get all the best summaries of the WH right here on eomaha.com.

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 6:09 pm

Honestly, I don't have a problem with having to login to read the W-H's online edition. You have to login most everywhere else..

No biggie..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 6:25 pm

There also is a consortium of newspapers that if you signed up for one - you signed up for all. The worst thing about OWH is that even if you say to remember my login - it doesn't - so you always have to sign in. Its not a big thing but an annoyance.

flyOMA · Post by **flyOMA** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 12:16 am

Speaking of being behind, does anybody else think the OWH's website is so....1996? My god, of all the online newspapers I read everyday, it is by far the worst i've seen.

Time to update.

jjjjhskr · Post by **jjjjhskr** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 12:34 am

Not sure what you mean? It seems to be a pretty good site to me with easy access to archives and lists most everything that is in the paper. A lot of the ones I check either list little of what is in print, are not easy to navigate, don't put out news until late in the day, or charge to see an entire article. What do you think could be better on the OWH site?

omahastylee459 · Post by **omahastylee459** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 12:37 am

if they up the style it will probably just take the page forever to load, and with having to log in now im all for quick, painless loading

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 12:51 am

jjjhskr does have a point. it could be worse - Lincoln Journal Star's website is pretty archane. I'm still pretty suspicious about OWH's "privacy" policy.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 4:14 am

Yeah forget the glitz... more important is the fact that the World Herald has what must be virtually every article they carry in their printed product online... that isn't the case in many other newspaper websites.

flyOMA · Post by **flyOMA** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 4:22 am

I dunno...I guess when I view a website, I am one of those people that is judgemental towards looks, rather than the content (not saying the OWH is notorius for good content).

Also, being omaha.com, I think of it as the doorstep to our city, thus leaving a good impression should be important. It just seems like the type of website that the Mason City, Iowa or Hastings newspaper would have, not a major city newspaper like Omaha.

Just my opinion though.

Jon · Post by **Jon** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 4:28 am

From Bugmenot.com, a log in for Omaha.com:

[email protected]
bugmenot

Post by **nebugeater** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 3:11 pm

If you are having to log in each time you got o Omaha.com you may want to checkt eh setting on your PC. I go to this site from Two PC and in both cases after logging in and setting up an account, and then logging in on the second PC I have not had to re-log in on either PC any time I have been back to the site to see the full content.

As for the layout, it is good and clean. Easy to navigate, If it works, there is somthing to be said for consistancy. Nothing I hate more than a site that goes for the look of the month and every other time you go there things are in a difforent place.

papiostud · Post by **papiostud** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 8:25 pm

You could just enter a false email addy and a mailing address. Ya think they'd ever really find out? No I didn't do this but I might wish I had once the phone calls come.

adam186 · Post by **adam186** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 11:43 pm

You could probably fake everything except your email. They make you confirm it by clicking a link they send you. By confirming it, you activate your account.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 4:18 am

How tough is it to create a 'throw away' hotmail account to register your World Herald access.

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 4:30 am

Yeah, I think I have like 5 or 6 throw-away Yahoo! acounts.