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If developers weren’t already peeved enough, we have some more bad news for them – Google’s shutting down the developer support forums where the coders of the market convene to discuss issues with the Android market or application development. The site has been home to huge discussions and complaints from market developers with massive threads usually spawning when developers are seeing diminished returns due to Android market bugs, errors or what have you.
Now, Google’s going to focus on supporting developers one-on-one, handling issues only when developers directly contact them. We like to think they’re getting a bit annoyed when a big ****storm brews over market issues and seeing the entire tech community immediately alerted to it.
But what’s the alternative? Developers can continue to contact Google independently for each issue as they always have. The problem with that is, more often than not, developers are met with canned responses. And in some rare instances, they are met with no response at all.
If you do get that canned response, you probably won’t get a status update on whatever fix you’re concerned with. I imagine a lot of isolated issues are handled in a timely manner, but the widespread issues that have popped up in recent months have taken Google forever to fix, with some not even having a resolution in sight.
Many would say that Google’s taking the easy way out (or being a “cop out”) by shutting the developer support forums down. I’m not so sure I’d disagree. As one Reddit user put it, their customer service and support were already rock bottom with the forums, and to take away the avenue developers use to discuss issues in hopes to fix problems Google drags their feet with is doing nothing at all to help. [Google]
From August 22 on, this Android Market forum will be dedicated to user issues and discussion. Because of the nature of developer issues, we feel that one-on-one support is best for the types of threads that have historically been posted to this forum by app developers.Moving forward, threads regarding developer-facing issues will be closed, and we ask that developers report Android Market issues here so we can address your concerns in a timely manner:In addition to addressing concerns sent in via these “Contact us” fields, we’ll maintain the developer known issues page with up-to-date information on widespread issues:Thanks for your understanding and cooperation in helping us get your issues and concerns resolved in the most efficient way.
Really? I mean really?
So…. is phandroid gonna open up some developer forums?
Actually, we already have and it’s met with some success already.
Here’s the link for the general development –
http://androidforums.com/application-development/
Here’s the link to our custom rom developer’s area, with info there on how to become recognized as a rom developer here –
http://androidforums.com/custom-roms/
Here’s where we encourage announcement of all new apps, from new or established app devs –
http://androidforums.com/application-announcements/
Here’s where users (and quite often app devs) discuss apps –
http://androidforums.com/android-applications/
And, there’s always more – please join us at Phandroid’s forum, the oldest and largest Android user self-help forum around – AndroidForums.com
Great support there, Google. Keep up the good work!
/s
Not a good idea. But at the same time if they forums were blowing up with shit storms then I can kinda understand the move.
so its ok for them to hide the shitstorms? I guess thats what fandroids want, hiding the bad truth. Like the whole malware thing ‘OMG ENGADGET WHY ARE YOU REPORTING THIS”
Just like Apple hides the shitstorm of its phone being totally pwned by simply visiting a website? Didnt Apple try to hide antennagate by erasing posts from their forums. Didn’t they spend weeks denying the Mac malware that was obviously running around and command their employees not to help with it? Yea. Clean around your own porch first troll.
Meh, I didn’t really use them.
I must have complained one too many times on the market developer forums. But seriously, they need to fix the commenting/rating system, so unfair and painful to developers when heartless people rate 1-star.
Not so much heartless, but mainly brainless-basing reviews on permissions they don’t understand, or incompatibility with their device even though its stated in the description what’s supported.
It can’t be a good sign that a company wants to take what was a very visible support forum and bring it behind closed doors. Public perception and the pressure resulting from it are often the strongest motivator for companies to fix problems. The solution to embarrassing and prolonged situations in the public eye is to correct them quickly – not hide them from the public.
While this by itself won’t sway me to another platform as a user, I have lost a little respect for Google.
welcome to android, where “open” means more closed than the competition.
Yet another reason I’m moving to the iPhone 5. I hate Apple but it’s better than putting up with all the bugs and lack of support and transparency from Google. You would think OSS would make a difference but in reality it’s just more of the same from Google. Their customer support was already considered some of the worst in the industry, this just confirms they have no intention on improving that image.
Man people give up on things I’m sorry I will stick by Google and not change up they will get right or make everything they do better run to apple or window I’m sorry with android you do alot with there phone then the others iPhone you have to jelly brake that sucks nothing is perfect