I agree with everyone above and hope you are sending these messages to the site owners. You are preaching to the choir here. I think one of the reasons they are going ahead with this is so many people are just oh well, I'll hate it but what can I do attitude. The owners have said they will listen to us so PLEASE send your comments to them where it could make a difference. I especially like the comments about those memebers who would drop out just because they don't get wish list books probably won't last long anyway and I hadn't even thought about that. Maybe TPTB haven't thought of that either or maybe they just don't care. Maybe they only want more books posted so it looks better to others. I don't know what their thinking is other than they prefer to please a few new people who aren't happy rather than all of us who have been on her and stayed on here.

I also really like the comment about the new people hating to have rank books also. Anyone who would rather read than rank will probably hate this new system including the new members. I have read lots of people from other sites saying how much easier this site is than the other ones they belong to and yet our site my change and be harder!!

I just sent my comments in, I also asked that when they do change that they give us a heads up, maybe in the newsletter saying it's coming in the next couple weeks if they don't want to give a specific date.  I really want the option to print out my reminder list, but don't want to do it until the last minute.  Plus it will give me time to delete all the multiple ISBN listings so that when the system does the inital ranking I won't waste spaces on duplicates.

I really, really hope that they leave the darn thing alone

I'm wondering if - and I don't know how it could be done - members could be given the opportunity to name 5 books that they want more than any others.  I can probably handle ranking 3, 4, or 5 books in order of desirability to me.  Sort of like they do with the free 2 credits upon listing the first 10 books.  The idea is to get new members going quickly so they don't get discouraged and quit or just leave without notice.  I can understand that since I have talked with a few new members who were dismayed by the numbers in line for some of the books.  It doesn't occur to them that the turnover is high and the wait for that book is probably going to be much less than the wait where you are #3 inline for an out-of-print book or a books that didn't have a high publication amount. ( So many people do not read the info or FAQ's or assk here about things that they should know before using the PBS system.)   Maybe they could get 2 free credits and 1 or 2 front of the line spots.....??  Don't kill me!!!  It's just a suggestion.  That way the incoming members get a little taste of immediate success but not so much that their delusions of primature are encouraged.  I rarely have Top 10 Bestseller books on my WL - I admit that.  But I do go looking for books that authors I like are about to publish and sell and put those ISBN's on my WL.   A lot depends on the genres involved - that might be limited - 1 top spot for a popular genre per new member.  I don't know.  It's just an idea that I understand TPTB want to encourage new members and still make it a great site for veteran members.  I don't know why charter members can't have a reward, too.  I've only been here since before Christmas '07, so I have no stake in saying that.  But I don't think there should be much more of a reward for being a new member than there already is.  Who can complain about free credits - even if they can't immediately be used for a very popular book.  Readers aren't generally by nature instant gratification people. { The ones who are will probably make the Kindle a big success!  I know that should be another thread - but I see the day coming when what the cell phone did to pay phones and home landlines the Kindle and it's ilk do to phyical edition books.}

Oh well, it's just an idea.

Ruth

I have to say I finally got my number one wish list book after a year! I'm sure that all the others on my list have come and gone, but since I wanted the one I just got really bad, I got nothing. Now that I have my number one choice, I wonder if the others will come. That is my only problem with wish list by priority. And every time I added a new book to my wish list, it went to number one automatically and I had to relist so that my number one looked like I had just listed it. So I stopped adding anything.

Bret - you must be wanting books completely different from mine.  I have a lot of books withover 20 people wanting them and several have up in the 60's.  There are many that are up in the hundreds.  Really.  I don't bother getting on those lists at all. 

I don't particularly see the need for a larger WL.  200 is a lot of books to keep (daily) accounting for if they do change the FIFO.  I think that there are other ways to encourage new members without them automatically getting in first place for all the books.  I can see offering them 1 to 3 books they can be in first or second place.  It's not fair to people who have been waiting forever and are good PBS members.  It's up to the new members to prove themselves to be good PBS members - like reading the guidelines and properly wrapping books as well as posting postable books.  PBS gets enough publicity that they aren't hurting for new members.

I don't want my RL books to be put on the wish list.

And yes, supposedly they will beputting the number of books in the system without having to put them on the RL - sort of like how many people are waiting info on the books' listing pages now.

So everyone be quiet now.  FIFO works well.  No change required.

Ruth

ETA - People usually do not want as many DVD's and CD's ( well maybe CD's) as the PBS members want hundreds of books.  I already have a large TBR and don't need or want more room on my WL because it's too much like an all your can eat buffet.  It would get too complicated just to keep checking on your books.

Who can we email/contact, etc. to voice our concern and why don't they solicit input from the users on that kind of sweeping changes? I think the straight FIFO is the best system, most fair and yes, sometimes I get very frustrated and go buy a book but it is because there are very few of that book posted so the wish list isn't moving. I don't like th points thing. Too complicated, and I use the Reminder list constantly to balance my points available with books I want. If I get a lot of Wish list books, I delay books on  my reminder list. I too use the reminder list for boxing to get most of them. Instead of just complaining, can we protest, talk to someone, give our input?

Rebecca, you can use the CONTACT US link at the bottom of the page to send in comments and suggestions, it will take you to a page to send in an e-mail with your thoughts.

I personally don't see the need to have more than 200 spots on your wishlist.  I would definitely hate to lose my reminder list though.

I've been a member of PBS since Oct 2005.  I have books on my WL that I've had since 2006!! I recently removed the one book I'd had on there since Dec 2005 since I was the only one wanting it. Yes, I have a secondary WL on my RL but have them tagged so I can search easily for them, but I'm usually the only person waiting for that book/edition. (not always, but most of the time).

I <b>prefer</b> the WL as it is NOW!! FIFO... I know that I can put a book on the WL & "eventually" I will get it!!  I can wait as long as I know that I <b>will get it!!</b> I tag the books on my WL with the place in line when I first WL'd it & my current place in line.  Yes, I know that I will sometimes lose a place in line (bumped back a spot) if a book arrives damaged or is marked as lost by a person "in front" of me.  I'm fine with that. I've been that person more times than I can count!!

I've also introduced friends to PBS by getting books for them first!! By letting them order books via my account!! They had items on my wishlist (& still do since they have a good place in the FIFO wishlist line). They now have their own account!!

I get books for other people I know since this is a small town & access to a good bookstore is difficult at best. I was able to get multiple copies of a book for a group I belong to!!  PBS is great, but I don't need to tell this group that.

I've tried the WL on Swap-a-DVD & I didn't like it.... too complicated.

K. I. S. S. = Keep It Simple & Streamlined!!

(Thank you for letting me rant.)