what is wrong with Vanessa-Mae's official Sony forum?

Xanthippe · Post by **Xanthippe** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 6:36 am

What is wrong with the official Sony boards? See:

Vanessa-Mae official Sony forum

It looks like Sony will stop this service for Vanessa-Mae fans. This is not so strange as we see that hardly anyone posts messages there. It is the same inactivity as we seen here in the fans forum!

Does anyone know how other artist discussion boards function? Are there boards with real active fans? Does someone has an example?

Arioch · Post by **Arioch** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 10:06 am

This seems strange, I have not received any email from Sony informing
me of this action so i will email them and let you know what their reply
is.

As far as i know the forum runs along side many others and is part of
a package so inactivity should not cause them to pull the plug on it.
Not unless Vanessa-Mae has made the request?

Arioch · Post by **Arioch** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 10:21 am

I am unable to access the admin also. So it seems that Sony have
failed to pay the bill for use of the software?

The only way to find this out is if some one here was a member of
another one of Sony's artists fans forum and if they are having the
same problem?

It may also be just a failure of the software? which explains the
problems i have been having when trying to moderate the forum?

Xanthippe · Post by **Xanthippe** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 7:59 pm

I've checked several other forums of Sony artists. All seem to function as normal.

To me it all looks like they pulled out the plug for the Vanessa-Mae forum only.

Arioch · Post by **Arioch** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 10:54 pm

Rijko i have sent a email to the forum admin
asking about the board, i will let you know what is going on
as soon as i hear from them.

Xanthippe · Post by **Xanthippe** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 5:18 pm

Thanks,

I don't get the impression that anyone cares. Too bad but I am afraid that the forums have lost their value and impact.

Xanthippe · Post by **Xanthippe** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 9:12 pm

I checked a few official message boards for a few Sony artists. All services are suspended. So, apparently this has nothing to do with our Vanessa-Mae in particular. Perhaps Sony will use a complete new design with new features?

Or perhaps nothing more than server maintenance and software update.

Arioch · Post by **Arioch** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:00 pm

Hmmm! it seems that you could be right, No one seems to be bothered
that the forum is suspended?

I am still awaiting a response from Sony about the forum but yes it
is possible that the server or software is undergoing a update if it is
I hope that we will not lose any of our posts?

DavidM · Post by **DavidM** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 7:21 pm

Truthfully, I almost never look at the offical forum. I can get more and better information here on the fans forum, where people seem to care a lot more about Vanessa-Mae and her work.

I find the same thing for several other bands -- the best source of information is often the "unofficial" forums and newsletters run by the fans.

Xanthippe · Post by **Xanthippe** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 8:28 pm

That is true, DavidM. Good fan sites are often more regularly updated than the official artist site run by the record labels.

The official boards are maintained by the record companies but fans make them by posting their messages.