SSE on-line yearbook

[Wi-sunflower]

For those of us dreaming of tomatoes but have already gone thru the catalogs we've gotten, there is the big SSE yearbook. I know the paper book doesn't get in hand til late Jan, early Feb, but the on-line version is up now.

I've been slow the last few days with a cold and didn't want to be out in the barn, so went to a couple of sites I haven't been at in ages, including the SSE public forum. There I found a question about the on-line yearbook. That reminded me to check it out again.

When I joined this fall I only had about 10 days to enter some listings. I only got a few up as iIwas too busy and the site seemed slow and a bit buggy. It also didn't actually have hardly any listings to look at at that time.

But now there are over 300 pages just in the tomato section alone. Basically it gives 15 variety names / page with an abreviated description. There is also a "more info" button where there will be a fuller description and all those that have it listed for this year.

You do have to be a SSE member and have to get a "sign-in" code the first time you try to access the yearbook. And it logs you out if you leave the browser open but minimized for a while. But you just have to log-in again. Considering the number of listings and the fact that it's meant to be "private", the site works OK.

I will be browsing it off and on now for a while, looking up varieties I've gotten or heard about here.

Carol

[amideutch]

I also got to check out the online 2010 SSE Yearbook and am pretty impressed. In fact I'm ordering from it's listings and sending the requests out tomorrow. Ami

[Blueaussi]

Can you give us a link? I can find the 2009 yearbook, but not the 2010.

[Wi-sunflower]

This is what I have http://yearbook.seedsavers.org/default.aspx

As far as I can see, it's the 2010 book.

I've only been browsing so far and haven't figured out how to actually order from the on-line. There are email links for some members tho.

Ted,

info on how to order would be nice.

Thanks,
Carol

[Blueaussi]

Thank you!


***

[Wi-sunflower]

I just checked and found 1 of my listings so it must be the 2010.

Carol

[amideutch]

It's the 2010 as the varieties I'm ordering weren't in my 2009 yearbook. Ami

[travis]

Because I had trouble logging in, I called a couple weeks ago and asked that my password be activated. The person to whom I spoke assured me it would work for me, but it didn't and hasn't so I just gave up. Too frustrating. I hate frustrating online stuff. I guess I'll just wait for the print copy or until SSE can get their online yearbook to work right.

[carolyn137]

I haven't yet gotten my password to log in but some of those who have have told me that there's still a message at the top that says the site is still under construction. And I'm told that the download for the 2010 SSE Request form is also not in place yet.

I do know of a few folks who have gotten requests from the online using their 2009 request form, since it's still 2009 for another week, but i think it's good to look at what the individual listers are saying about how they want requests sent.

I'm told a very few allow for e-mail requests, most don't, and I know that I said I would accept requests only with the official 2010 SSE request form, having had problems in the past with folks using other ways of contacting me.

Also, I'm told that the individual blurbs each of us write with our personal information are not that accessible, if they are there, so I'd appreciate those of you who have your passwords if maybe you could look for your own personal blurbs, the ones usually at the front of the paper Yearbook and tell me if they are there.

I know from this and that person that there have been some glitches with the online, and I had thought when it was open for requests that that would be said somewhere and the bit about still under construction would disappear and that the download for the 2010 SSE request form would also be there.

But what do I know since I haven't accessed it myself yet.

[bcday]

Travis, if your password is more than 7 characters long, pick a new one that is at least 5 but not more than 7 characters. The person you spoke to may not have known about the 7-character maximum length. I had trouble at first too, because the first password I picked was too long.

You can email membership@seedsavers.org and ask them to reset your password, and when they send you the reset one, change it to the new password you picked.

Are you sure it's the 2010 Yearbook that you're trying to log in to? The link to it is http://yearbook.seedsavers.org/
I don't think you can log in to the 2009 one, which is at a different URL.

Although the listings are viewable, as far as I know the 2010 online Yearbook is not in its final form yet. Work is still being done on it, and as has been noticed, some important parts have yet to be added.

[Wi-sunflower]

I too think it's not quite done yet.

I don't get that under construction message at all. I CAN browse listings and I'm starting to make a wish list.

But I can't see any link for actually ordering anything other than emailing on the listings where the member has their link.

I can't see any of the member info yet. I can see my own blurb thru the "edit" part, but you can only see your own info there.

There is a "confirm member status" link where you enter a last name and zip. But all you get back is "member exists". Not even "listing member" or not.

So yes the site needs some work yet.

My original post tho wasn't so much for using the whole site as much as being able to browse for varieties and info. That's what I'm doing with it right now.

Carol

[DiggingDogFarm]

The entire online presence of SSE is questionable.

Every time we try to use nearly any online function we get errors or some other problem.
The search function for the online yearbook is extremely buggy. What good is an online yearbook without a good search engine?

Today I attempted to renew my membership and got the following error....

The web cart is currently closed. Please try again later or place a phone order now. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

Grrrrrr!!!!

SSE it's time to stop spending money on "fluff" and pay attention to the fundamentals!!!

Those letters begging for money will go unanswered until we see the money already sent spent in a more productive way!

Sorry!

It's just extremely frustrating to have problems EVERY time we access the site regardless of operating system, web browser, etc. !!!


~DiggingDog

[pooklette]

Originally Posted by DiggingDogFarm

Today I attempted to renew my membership and got the following error....

The web cart is currently closed. Please try again later or place a phone order now. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

On main 'buy online' page of SSE's website, there is a warning at the top saying:

"We will be doing year-end inventory December 30th - January 5th. Through this period you will not be able to order online, please call our office to place an order or if you have questions at (563) 382-5990. Thank you!"

I think your online renewal problem is due to this year end inventory period, not necessarily due to a buggy website (at least in this case.)

I do agree that the online yearbook is a little disappointing so far. I know that projects like this are huge and take quite a bit of time...I really do. But - putting the online 'work in progress' up leads to frustration for many and seems to make them feel like the online version was just a bad idea. I think it WILL be great; it's just nowhere near completion yet. It'll get there though.

[DiggingDogFarm]

Originally Posted by pooklette

On main 'buy online' page of SSE's website, there is a warning at the top saying:

"We will be doing year-end inventory December 30th - January 5th. Through this period you will not be able to order online, please call our office to place an order or if you have questions at (563) 382-5990. Thank you!"

Thanks for posting that, it, I think, explains the problem, or one of the problems!!!!

That notice isn't anywhere to be seen the way I attempted to renew.

On the main web page I clicked on "Membership", then "Become a SSE member now" that takes you to the renewal page. No notice anywhere!

I must say, SSE web site is one of the most frustrating and unituitive sites I've ever dealt with, and I've dealt with a lot of them!!!

It's time for a MAJOR usability update!!!!


~DiggingDog

[DiggingDogFarm]

There's also no notice when you click on "quick order".

Very sloppy website!!!



~DiggingDog