Discuss Detroit » DISCUSS DETROIT! » Has anyone tried digitalfreepress.com? « Previous Next »
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Lafontaine
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Username: Lafontaine

Post Number: 35
Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Sunday, March 29, 2009 - 10:34 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

It is free to use until Thursday. I looked it over this morning. I like how it replicates the printed paper, but the pages were very slow to load. Sometimes it took 20 seconds for a page to load. Many didn't load at all. Very clunky. I have a high speed connection, too.

I can see many readers getting frustrated with this very quickly.

I'm sticking with freep.com as just don't have time in the morning staring at blank pages.
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East_detroit
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Username: East_detroit

Post Number: 2084
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Sunday, March 29, 2009 - 10:38 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Very slow, kinda cumbersome.

I like freep.com better.

I like my paper even better.
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Gazhekwe
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Username: Gazhekwe

Post Number: 3023
Registered: 08-2007
Posted on Sunday, March 29, 2009 - 10:43 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I couldn't figure out how to make it big enough to read the print.
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B24liberator
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Username: B24liberator

Post Number: 89
Registered: 01-2007
Posted on Sunday, March 29, 2009 - 10:52 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Slow to load, failed to load........ They can keep this lemon.
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Bobl
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Username: Bobl

Post Number: 706
Registered: 07-2008
Posted on Sunday, March 29, 2009 - 10:57 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

15 seconds to load, 12 seconds to turn the page!
No, thanks.
So this is progress?

(Message edited by Bobl on March 29, 2009)
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Pkbroch
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Username: Pkbroch

Post Number: 247
Registered: 02-2008
Posted on Sunday, March 29, 2009 - 11:05 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

To slow to be of any use at least until they work out the speed factor.
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Rid0617
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Username: Rid0617

Post Number: 424
Registered: 03-2008
Posted on Sunday, March 29, 2009 - 1:36 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I shouldn't have to click every article to make it readable. They can keep it
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Russix
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Username: Russix

Post Number: 231
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Sunday, March 29, 2009 - 1:44 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

WTF? This would work better if they made one paper version and scanned it into jpegs!!!!!!!!! 15+ seconds nothing happened.
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Stosh
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Username: Stosh

Post Number: 202
Registered: 01-2009
Posted on Sunday, March 29, 2009 - 1:54 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I think that they are a little low on the bandwidth on their website. That and the graphics and paper itself are far to hi-res for anyone that don't have a T-1 to download.

I think they are counting on ad revenue for the paper to be justified by impressions on the on-line edition.
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Texorama
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Username: Texorama

Post Number: 385
Registered: 12-2006
Posted on Sunday, March 29, 2009 - 3:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I got it in about 7 seconds on a not-great connection and thought it actually worked OK to read the features.

You can increase the text size by clicking "increase" at the top. The problem I see is that you can't increase the general magnification--to read what's in a Kroger ad, say.

(Message edited by texorama on March 29, 2009)
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Roq
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Username: Roq

Post Number: 38
Registered: 02-2009
Posted on Sunday, March 29, 2009 - 3:29 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I average 12-18 mb download speeds on any given day and it took forever to load this site. Nice concept, but they need to work on making it load a hell of a lot faster.
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Detroitbob48209
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Username: Detroitbob48209

Post Number: 24
Registered: 02-2009
Posted on Sunday, March 29, 2009 - 3:51 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Using high speed connection and wireless router...no problems once I updated sign in and passwords, as I subscribe to both the DNews and Freep.
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Rhymeswithrawk
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Username: Rhymeswithrawk

Post Number: 1887
Registered: 11-2005
Posted on Sunday, March 29, 2009 - 4:28 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

How does that song go, "Ain't nuthin' like the real thing, baby."
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Urbanfisherman
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Username: Urbanfisherman

Post Number: 137
Registered: 07-2008
Posted on Sunday, March 29, 2009 - 6:10 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I like it! Every page loads in about 1 second. Not sure what your problems might be...
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Pffft
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Username: Pffft

Post Number: 1294
Registered: 12-2003
Posted on Monday, March 30, 2009 - 10:08 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The delays have been because of the huge volumes of people trying to access the e-editions of both the News and Freep ...
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Oldredfordette
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Username: Oldredfordette

Post Number: 6007
Registered: 02-2004
Posted on Monday, March 30, 2009 - 11:23 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Oh my.
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Pffft
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Username: Pffft

Post Number: 1295
Registered: 12-2003
Posted on Monday, March 30, 2009 - 11:26 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Oops, sorry ORF. I'm sure it was incompetence/greed/stupidity.
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Mkhopper
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Username: Mkhopper

Post Number: 19
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Monday, March 30, 2009 - 11:55 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Personally I can't stand it and will not be using it. Aside from the fact that it doesn't work correctly in the Firefox browser on a linux system, the user interface is horrible.

Plus, I just don't want to have my notebook PC sitting on the table during breakfast...

Trying to transition a printed newspaper to an online form just isn't going to work.
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Bobl
Member
Username: Bobl

Post Number: 709
Registered: 07-2008
Posted on Monday, March 30, 2009 - 12:17 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I just gave it another try. Not quite as slow this time, but still tedious. 15 seconds to load, only a few seconds to turn each of four pages.

Per the statement: "The delays have been because of the huge volumes of people trying to access the e-editions of both the News and Freep .."

Aren't high volumes to be expected, particularly in the morning? I would also expect volume to increase as subscribers become aware of it.

I hope the current free on line versions continue, as they are much faster and easier to use, but worry that they will soon go away.

I give the digitalfreepress.com a score of two on a scale of ten, because it is so sluggish.
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Bobl
Member
Username: Bobl

Post Number: 712
Registered: 07-2008
Posted on Monday, March 30, 2009 - 2:52 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

It appears that the Free Press has edited out (deleted) critical posts on their web site.

From the comments section:

"Wow, the multiple pages of comments on the other article about this debacle have disappeared? Shouldn't the powers that be have anticipated the traffic and been ready for it? What a sorry performance.



"I also noticed that several pages of comments (mostly critical) have disappeared while they try to spin the fact that heavy usage and outages show that people are somehow excited about this.

I will soon be subject to a major Free Press outage when I do not renew my subscription."
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Oldredfordette
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Username: Oldredfordette

Post Number: 6008
Registered: 02-2004
Posted on Monday, March 30, 2009 - 3:05 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

No, really, it's fine. It's great. It's working perfectly. It must be you.
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Big_baby_jebus
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Username: Big_baby_jebus

Post Number: 129
Registered: 09-2008
Posted on Monday, March 30, 2009 - 3:14 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I like it, used it this morning and read the whole paper. I expect the "Old Fart" crowd to have serious issues though.

Good Job Freep!!!
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Bobl
Member
Username: Bobl

Post Number: 713
Registered: 07-2008
Posted on Monday, March 30, 2009 - 3:17 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Well, what bothers me is the deletion of selected comments. If the digitalfreepress.com is going to edit out news and opinions that it does not like, what's the point of reading it? Do we really want only "all the news the Free Press feels is fit to print?"
All news sources have their preferences and opinions, but isn't this going too far?
Am I out of line here?
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Viziondetroit
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Username: Viziondetroit

Post Number: 1690
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Monday, March 30, 2009 - 3:35 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I'm not having any problems with it... I don't really like the design but it is a little easier to navigate than some e-papers I have seen.
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Bobl
Member
Username: Bobl

Post Number: 717
Registered: 07-2008
Posted on Monday, March 30, 2009 - 5:29 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Well, this "old fart" just tried again, with much better results. As far as I know, I did nothing different this time, but the paper loaded in a few seconds, and pages turned in about a second.
Perhaps there were some start up glitches.
I have no intention to subscribe, though, as news is accessible on free sites, both locally and nationally/internationally.
I agree that this time it was a little easier to navigate than some other e-papers.
The deletion of negative posts on the forum still bothers me, though!
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Torbusto
Member
Username: Torbusto

Post Number: 6
Registered: 03-2009
Posted on Monday, March 30, 2009 - 5:34 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Umm...yeah you are out of line Bobl in saying " If the digitalfreepress.com is going to edit out news and opinions that it does not like, what's the point of reading it?"

Are you serious??? Come on man. The digitalfreepress.com is a exact replica of the paper that is laid out by 1 am or so. Don't be so quick to jump on the bashing bandwagon without re-reading your post.

You screwed up here, there is a difference between the digital and www.freep.com which is what your REALLY meant to type

;)
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Bobl
Member
Username: Bobl

Post Number: 718
Registered: 07-2008
Posted on Monday, March 30, 2009 - 5:42 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

T:
Yep. I stand corrected. It was the www.freep.com., NOT digitalfreepress.com.
Still don't think they should have deleted negative comments, though. The purpose of a forum is to present all opinions, and educate the particpants, as you just did. Thanks.
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Rid0617
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Username: Rid0617

Post Number: 427
Registered: 03-2008
Posted on Monday, March 30, 2009 - 6:57 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There is another problem with this so called great idea. Many ISPs are now implementing download caps. Do we want to pay more on our cable/dsl bill because downloading the newspaper put us over our cap? Not me.
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Shadesofbleu
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Username: Shadesofbleu

Post Number: 23
Registered: 03-2009
Posted on Monday, March 30, 2009 - 7:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

It's telling me the page has moved.
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Detmsp
Member
Username: Detmsp

Post Number: 88
Registered: 08-2008
Posted on Monday, March 30, 2009 - 7:26 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

you think downloading the newspaper will put you over your limit? the limit from comcast is 300 GB/month. That's about 120,000 mp3s. or 70 complete DVD rips.

Don't want to go over your limit downloading the newspaper everyday? Exercise some self control and download ONLY 69 DVDs a month or maybe only 100,000 mp3s and you should be good.
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Zug
Member
Username: Zug

Post Number: 159
Registered: 01-2004
Posted on Monday, March 30, 2009 - 8:42 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

It worked fine for me. It was decent, but reading freep.com is easier & what i'm used to seeing when on the computer.

On another note, I wonder if the authors self-edit nowadays. Because it seems like 1/4 or more of the articles I read have grammatical errors or some other mistake. Example:

"But the terminal is remarkable modern, and the road out of the airport, while not as smooth as those in the Sun Belt, is not as rough as you might have been led to believe."

"remarkably" would be correct. It's from the article about 1st time Final Four visitors that I just read. Nitpicky of me? Maybe. But grammatical mistakes are so regular that I question whether anyone does more than just a spellcheck.
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Reddog289
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Username: Reddog289

Post Number: 1021
Registered: 08-2007
Posted on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 - 2:18 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Have to check it out cause the Freep is hoping to keep me till the end of June as so my last bill says.
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Bobl
Member
Username: Bobl

Post Number: 722
Registered: 07-2008
Posted on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 - 6:18 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Worked well this morning. Couple seconds to load, nearly instant page turning.
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Lafontaine
Member
Username: Lafontaine

Post Number: 36
Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 - 5:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Well, I started this thread. Just got done reading the DFP and it worked fine today. Looks like they have fixed the problem. I like it better than freep.com, but I won't subscribe to it as much of what is on freep.com is all I need to get by.
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Reddog289
Member
Username: Reddog289

Post Number: 1026
Registered: 08-2007
Posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 - 1:45 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I went to it finally, Had no problems with it except my eyes are acting funny. It was hard to focus for some reason.

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