Steve , haven't succeeded at getting in yet - think I will wait. Interestingly, you apparently have to be on Discord to report this bug. Heck of a catch 22, eh?
"Moving forward, we'll be managing all new Bug Reports in the #bug-reports forum channel of our Discord. Please join us there, and let us know of any bugs you come across in our Marketplace."
Update to my last post - I closed down and re-booted and now I am able to get in. Not sure what was happening before. I am still trying to figure ouit what I am looking at ! Steve
What I'm most curious about is, once this thread is no longer in the "top of the list", how will any new user (or just someone who isn't around for a few days as this sinks below a "top 5 thread"), know that the Discord discussion forum even exists?
So far I have trouble figuring out what the heck I should be doing at Discord, but then I'm a semi senile 80 year old. One improvement over Hipstamp would be that the colours are vivid compared to the washed out colours used on Hip sites. I do have to ask - will Discord bring us more buyers?
I"m not going to waste my time on a new setup, when Hipstamp can't even improve the everyday use of it. I remember in the first weeks of Hips we were asked suggestions and nothing happened.
Not sure what this new App ? is supposed to do. I downloaded it but have not installed it, due to a warning message I received that files of this type can be dangerous. I indicated to install the App on my pc but there is no Icon. I've tried several times to install the HipStamp App on my iphone and ipad, but it never works. If this new Discord App is anything similar I doubt it will improve anything or I will get it to work. What's the point of all this crap?
Happy to answer a few questions on our Discord community here and clear up a few misconceptions.
First, note we haven't created the forum software that you see here - or Discord. Our current forum software here is a third-party software package called "Vanilla Forums," which has since been discontinued, and active development stopped about 6-7 years ago - which means that no new features have come out for our forums since then.
Similarly, we haven't created Discord (or named it). Discord, is a privately held company, last valued at $15 Billion, and has over 500 Million users worldwide. But most importantly - they release new features on a weekly basis.
So what is Discord, and what is it not?
Is Discord a social media site? No, it is not. Is Discord a public site? No, it is not.
Discord is a communications and forums platform that allows individual organizations to create their own online communities. In the same way that our forums here are only open to HipStamp Members, the Discord community that we set up is only open to HipStamp members.
How does Discord work?
Discord is organized into channels, the same way that categories work here in these forums. Channels generally fall into 2 types: forum channels and text channels.
Forum channels work exactly the same way and are organized exactly the same way as our forums here. There's no difference in the way that you would use these forums or our forum channels on Discord.
Just like here, you can view any of the current threads in a specific forum channel, and you can then view and reply to those threads. Once you've responded to a thread, you'll automatically follow the thread. So if you can use our forums here, you can use our forum channels on Discord since they work exactly the same way.
However, there are many additional benefits and features you'll find in our forum channels on Discord. It's also much easier to stay on top of and follow any posts and activities in Discord. This is because you'll see responses in real-time without the need to refresh your page, you can mark individual posts as unread, and you can additionally use the Discord app on either Windows, Android, or Apple to receive alerts and notifications to posts and threads you're following. That being said, if you just want to access Discord online, you can do so through your Internet Browser - the same way that you interact with these forums. There's no need to download the app if you do not want to.
There are also many features available in Discord that will help us to further increase engagement in our community. This includes features such as giveaways and polls - which we'll be running on a weekly basis, as well as the ability to host video Q&A sessions and interviews - which we'll be hosting on a regular basis. All items we wouldn't be able to do here. We're already in talks with several organizations and philatelic experts to bring you Q&As and live interviews - and we're excited to share more on this soon!
The other type of channel on Discord is a text channel. Think of this as a category with one main thread. This works best for topics such as "Chatter," which is intended to be an ongoing general conversation.
If you haven't already joined our Discord, please take a moment to do so here: https://discord.gg/BTncV3haXq Again, our Discord Community is private for HipStamp members, so you'll need this link to join.
Additionally, here's a quick overview of how our categories here map to our new Discord community:
Overall, we've been excited to see the engagement we're receiving in our Discord already, and as previously stated, we intend to focus all of our new community activity within our Discord community. You'll see that we've already moved our Feature Request and Bugs activity exclusively to Discord, and as our engagement on Discord continues to grow, we'll do the same with the remaining Categories here in order to bring our members together in one place.
While you should be able to quickly join our Discord and start posting to our forum and text channels by using the link above - if you do have any issues, please feel free to reach out to our support staff at support@hipstamp.com, and we'll be happy to help answer any additional questions.
Not excited at all. Don’t need this complication in my life. Sorry but forums have been around for a long time. We all know how to use them. I may be old. But who else buys stamps?
Thanks for the feedback, Bob. To be clear, our forum channels in Discord are forums - they work exactly the way that you would expect forums to work - because they are forums.
For example, here, this is how you would view our Feature Requests, in which you can click on any specific thread, review the thread, and then post a reply to it:
and in our Discord community, this is how you would view our Feature Requests, in which you can click on any specific thread, review the thread, and then post a reply to it:
I will politely and respectfully disagree with the belief that our entire buying demographic is at an age where "change is bad". We have all read the articles that scream about the imminent death of our hobby because all the collectors are dying. I would strongly agree that the old model we all have seen for how stamp collectors congregate is dying, but I also think that the fact that we are having this conversation digitally is a sign that there is a new model for how we congregate. We can have the same conversation around buying and selling stamps ... we don't go to the corner stamp store any more. We buy and sell more and more through digital means (HipStamp, eBay, etc.).
If your goal is to be cranky and complain about change, then feel free. I took the bait. There certainly have been changes that I haven't been the biggest fan of, but if we picked one thing and stuck with it forever, then the hobby would definitely die. Personally, I appreciate the fact that Mark and his team have created a platform that doesn't try to mimic what eBay does, and they keep working to enhance it. I've been more successful as a collector-turned seller than I ever imagined I would be. If that means that I have to deal with a short-lived bug now and then and a bit of ADHD when I go to Discord to keep up with what is happening in the HS community, then to me, that is the price of admission (and I pay it gladly).
You of course are free to feel differently, and to express those feelings as you see fit. I will do the same.
I think most of us suffer from the laws of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' and not caring much for change once we're comfortable where we are. My knee jerk reaction to this was 'discard the discord,' but now that I've played with the new platform a few times I find myself settling in nicely. Kudos to Robert W. for his timely as well as accurate post!
So I played a little bit on Discord and am trying to be more open minded about this. Actually commented on a couple of threads! It will take a few more trips over there, but I'm getting the hang of it. And thanks for adding Discord to the bottom of the page, Mark. Should make it easier to find the site. LOL.
When attempting to join, Discord does not recognize my email nor my password, which I use everyday when login into Hipstamp. When I click on "I do not remember my password" it does not recognize my email. Please make it easier to join. Francois.
Comments
Interestingly, you apparently have to be on Discord to report this bug. Heck of a catch 22, eh?
"Moving forward, we'll be managing all new Bug Reports in the #bug-reports forum channel of our Discord.
Please join us there, and let us know of any bugs you come across in our Marketplace."
Now at the top again.
Age group Percentage ofdiscordapp.com visitors
18-24 39.61%
25-34 31.49%
35-44 13.87%
45-54 7.67%
55-64 4.48%
+65 2.89%
From a post on April 6th'- did not look myself as no interest but you apparently need to contact Hipstamp.
" I have an issue with the HipStamp "Get a $5 Credit" Discord promotion: $5.00 IS NOT FREE when you have to make a $15.00 purchase to get it."
First, note we haven't created the forum software that you see here - or Discord. Our current forum software here is a third-party software package called "Vanilla Forums," which has since been discontinued, and active development stopped about 6-7 years ago - which means that no new features have come out for our forums since then.
Similarly, we haven't created Discord (or named it). Discord, is a privately held company, last valued at $15 Billion, and has over 500 Million users worldwide. But most importantly - they release new features on a weekly basis.
So what is Discord, and what is it not?
Is Discord a social media site? No, it is not. Is Discord a public site? No, it is not.
Discord is a communications and forums platform that allows individual organizations to create their own online communities. In the same way that our forums here are only open to HipStamp Members, the Discord community that we set up is only open to HipStamp members.
How does Discord work?
Discord is organized into channels, the same way that categories work here in these forums. Channels generally fall into 2 types: forum channels and text channels.
Forum channels work exactly the same way and are organized exactly the same way as our forums here. There's no difference in the way that you would use these forums or our forum channels on Discord.
Just like here, you can view any of the current threads in a specific forum channel, and you can then view and reply to those threads. Once you've responded to a thread, you'll automatically follow the thread. So if you can use our forums here, you can use our forum channels on Discord since they work exactly the same way.
However, there are many additional benefits and features you'll find in our forum channels on Discord. It's also much easier to stay on top of and follow any posts and activities in Discord. This is because you'll see responses in real-time without the need to refresh your page, you can mark individual posts as unread, and you can additionally use the Discord app on either Windows, Android, or Apple to receive alerts and notifications to posts and threads you're following. That being said, if you just want to access Discord online, you can do so through your Internet Browser - the same way that you interact with these forums. There's no need to download the app if you do not want to.
There are also many features available in Discord that will help us to further increase engagement in our community. This includes features such as giveaways and polls - which we'll be running on a weekly basis, as well as the ability to host video Q&A sessions and interviews - which we'll be hosting on a regular basis. All items we wouldn't be able to do here. We're already in talks with several organizations and philatelic experts to bring you Q&As and live interviews - and we're excited to share more on this soon!
The other type of channel on Discord is a text channel. Think of this as a category with one main thread. This works best for topics such as "Chatter," which is intended to be an ongoing general conversation.
If you haven't already joined our Discord, please take a moment to do so here:
https://discord.gg/BTncV3haXq
Again, our Discord Community is private for HipStamp members, so you'll need this link to join.
Additionally, here's a quick overview of how our categories here map to our new Discord community:
Questions > |support (forum channel)
Chatter > |general and |stamps-discussions and |topicals-discussions
Stamp Reviews > |help-identifying (forum channel) and |help-valuations (forum channel)
Feature Requests > |feature-requests (forum channel)
Bugs > |bug-reports (forum channel)
Promos > |sales-and-promos
Overall, we've been excited to see the engagement we're receiving in our Discord already, and as previously stated, we intend to focus all of our new community activity within our Discord community. You'll see that we've already moved our Feature Request and Bugs activity exclusively to Discord, and as our engagement on Discord continues to grow, we'll do the same with the remaining Categories here in order to bring our members together in one place.
While you should be able to quickly join our Discord and start posting to our forum and text channels by using the link above - if you do have any issues, please feel free to reach out to our support staff at support@hipstamp.com, and we'll be happy to help answer any additional questions.
Good luck. You’re going to need it.
For example, here, this is how you would view our Feature Requests, in which you can click on any specific thread, review the thread, and then post a reply to it:
and in our Discord community, this is how you would view our Feature Requests, in which you can click on any specific thread, review the thread, and then post a reply to it:
You use both the same exact way.
If your goal is to be cranky and complain about change, then feel free. I took the bait. There certainly have been changes that I haven't been the biggest fan of, but if we picked one thing and stuck with it forever, then the hobby would definitely die. Personally, I appreciate the fact that Mark and his team have created a platform that doesn't try to mimic what eBay does, and they keep working to enhance it. I've been more successful as a collector-turned seller than I ever imagined I would be. If that means that I have to deal with a short-lived bug now and then and a bit of ADHD when I go to Discord to keep up with what is happening in the HS community, then to me, that is the price of admission (and I pay it gladly).
You of course are free to feel differently, and to express those feelings as you see fit. I will do the same.
Rob
Kudos to Robert W. for his timely as well as accurate post!