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July 2009 
intuitive navigation
Posted on Oct 3rd, 2008
by 
lightenup
lightenup
So, we've only lost a little bit of space.
Advertisting and revenue.
No choice.
Better navigation.
I disagree.
Space?
It is not just a little bit of space that has been lost here. It is a beautiful space that has been lost here. Doesn't Gaiam even consider what powered by zaadz means? When advertising first came to zaadz, it was non-obtrusive. The ads were color coordinated to not blare in your face, to maintain a pleasant space for the community we were creating. I clicked on a lot of those ads. I have not clicked on any lately.
Advertising and Revenue?
What is the very nature of advertising? To get your attention. How? Millions, nay billions, are spent on answering that question. So what is the highest answer that
Gaiam can give us? BIGGER ADS? Is that the best that we can do? Big honking billboards in the midst of the fields of flowering connections? If I was new to this site, I would not give it a second glance. I see nothing that draws people in anymore to spend time here. Our beautiful blogs are now lost in this sea of change. How would anyone know that this site offers them anything out of the ordinary?
No Choice?
I remember how wonderfully open to suggestions, how daring and creative the team was. They worked together with us, to create something wonderful for all. Bigger Ads can not be the only solution. You can't annoy me and then expect me to look into your business. We all know that as soon as a popup pops up, we can't find the close button fast enough. I never read them. Must we settle for "business as usual" ? Sad to say, that would be powered by business, not zaadz.
Better Navigation?
One thing that gives a social site character is its navigation. The zaadz seed theme was awesome needless to say. Now, there is absolutetly nothing that offers any sort of community identity in this new navigation. I find it plain and lifeless. I would like to see site navigation flow from the sites purpose and draw people intuitively to the areas that make Gaia great.
My intuition tells me there must be something better.
Access: Public
Excellent analysis Lightenup!
Zaadz used to be such a beautiful place…a home…now sadly it has the feeling of a …..store……a Walmart, if you will for new agers
…. There was a time when ZAADZ meant something of substance…now it appears to be a corporate entity with a smiley face…
The team?
What team?
Didnt a significant portion of the team “move on” to discover other ventures in life?
…I mean were they not fired? Terminated from employment…canned…given the boot after much hard work and dedication to building Zaadz….
Yes you are right…there must be something better…I hope they find it
This is what came to mind when I read this post. Let's imagine you are going to meet some dear friends. You love being with them. It would be ideal to meet them in a cozy little coffee shop or at the foot of a mountain trail. But, alas, you have to meet in a crowded mall at the food-court. The surroundings are a distraction for sure, but your friends make it wonderful all the same.
I agree otter, some place is better than no place and ideal places are hard to find. My point in this post is to hold the gaiam feet to the zaadz fire. What does powered by zaadz mean if not that the original passion for a beautiful community space is constantly in the forefront of our thoughts.
If someone put a flashy, intrusive, billboard in the middle of that same food court, it might become hard to carry on a quiet conversation. The “alas” part of it is the part I refuse to accept. If there was ever a communitity that had the potential to get rid of the alas, it was zaadz. I am dreaming of better things for gaia.
Gaia has become more and more like the gov. they made changes we did do want for the good of all they said, they promised ato get better, and they did not,
long ago, I said money was the absolute root cause of what they do regardless of what they say. ( sounding just like the gov - well except we don't get any bail outs for out own lives - although if the world were the Zaadz we were building, perhaps not bail out would have been needed)
And those here miss the Zaadz aura that surrounded us all, and hence the world. No mater what Gaia does, that aura will surround us always, and Zaadz continues to live in all of us and change the world.
We must remember, it is we who change the world, not Gaia. Gaia is vessel we choose to ride either with Great Joy and Love,,,,, or with Great Joy, Love and sadness at what it became as soon as it was bought.
Gaia is nothing without us, only just another place on the web, selling it self for the advertising money. And like the govenment, telling us it is all for our own good and must be done. No votes, only empty campaign promisses and their
forced agreement they can use whatever we post in any way they want.
I will always be the light I AM, no matter what Gaia does, is, or becomes.
I will always be the Love IAM, no mater what Gaia does, is, or becomes.
I will always be the Joy IAM no matter what Gais does, is or becomes
Gaia only holds up a mirror trying to reflect our light and claim it is theirs.
We of Zaadz will continue to be that what we are, the love that God is.
All we need do is send that love to all those in Gaia and expecially to those
who “think they run Gaia” to re-connect them to all there is, where they will
find the Love they too are………. And Gaia will again become Zaadz.