Dear AppleVis Community,
As our non-Apple forums continue to grow in popularity, I wanted to take a moment to make a request that I hope will improve the experience for everyone.
When we created our non-Apple forums in 2024, we wanted a dedicated place for people to be able to share their expertise and discuss other technologies besides Apple. Our non-Apple forums have proven very popular, and we are honored that people are choosing to have these conversations on AppleVis.
As excited as we are about the success of our non-Apple forums, we are nevertheless growing increasingly concerned about the number of off-topic (and sometimes counterproductive) posts, particularly in the Android forum.
While most replies posted in the Android forum are helpful and bring genuine value to the discussion, there is a certain amount of ‘android-bashing’ from those fully committed to the Apple ecosystem, and it detracts from the experience. To be very clear, when I say ‘Android-bashing’, I am not talking about legitimate criticism of Android from those who know it well or those who are potentially interested in exploring it; I am not talking about well-articulated comparisons in topics where the author explicitly wants to compare the two operating systems; rather, I am talking about commentary from those who are heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem, have little or no knowledge of the current Android landscape, and have zero interest in exploring the platform. (And lest you think I am singling out this particular user base in our community, I count myself among them.)
Our hope for the non-Apple forums is that they will be a welcoming and authentic place to discuss Android and other technologies in our increasingly interconnected world, not a place to discuss non-Apple technologies with a pro-Apple bias or slant. Put another way, Android-bashing in the designated Android forum is not helpful, and it gets in the way of people who come to AppleVis to give and get support with their devices and software. As a rule of thumb, please assume that people post on the Android forum because they actually want answers about Android from people who know and use the platform; they don’t post to be challenged about their choice of operating system or to be convinced that the Apple ecosystem is better for their use case.
Going forward, we ask that everyone please keep the following in mind when posting in the Android and other non-Apple forums. While a lot of this could apply equally well across the site, my immediate concern is the helpfulness of our Android discussions.
- The purpose of our Android forum is for people to give and get support using Android, period.
- Please do not post comments comparing Android to iOS unless the author of the topic specifically invites comparisons or creates a post surrounding a comparison of their experience.
- Example: A person posts a review of the latest Google Pixel. It would not be appropriate to comment about how your iPhone with VoiceOver does this-or-that better than the Pixel with TalkBack, because the author did not write the post or invite comparisons of the two platforms. The purpose of our Android forum is Android, not Apple.
- If you are not a current Android user but have used the platform in the past, please be thoughtful when sharing commentary on your experience. Technology is constantly changing, and what may have been accurate even 2-3 years ago very well may not be accurate now.
- Example: You had a bad experience with an Android phone in 2020, switched to iOS, and have never looked back. If sharing your experience (in the appropriate thread), please be sure to indicate that it was in 2020, and that you haven't used Android since then. This will help readers take and evaluate your comment in context.
- As much as it depends on you, please fact-check your posts. Doing so will help ensure that the information shared on AppleVis is as helpful and informative as possible.
Thank you for reading, and for doing your part to help make AppleVis a welcoming and informative resource for everyone.
Comments
this is why I was against other forums
When the Survey was taken this is why I was against this. There are other forums in my opinion where people can get this information. I still believe this should be an apple place only.
if you don't like it then don't use it
no one is forcing you to use the android section of the site if you don't want to
four comments with the same thing?
4 comments with the same thing? I think we got the point the first time.
well that glitched
that was a bad glitch
sorry about that
Please be Respectful
Dennis and everyone,
This isn’t helpful. The majority of users we’ve heard from really appreciate the new non-Apple section. We have made every effort to keep the Apple and non-Apple areas separate. AppleVis remains fully focused on Apple content such as guides, blogs, podcasts, and more.
We ask everyone to be respectful and mindful when posting. Please stay on topic and respond only with useful information. If you’re unsure or lack experience with a question, it’s better not to respond than to provide unhelpful or off-topic comments.
What Michael is pointing out is that some users feel confused or reluctant to participate because they fear negative or irrelevant feedback when asking legitimate questions. We ask users to contribute thoughtfully and constructively, regardless of the topic—whether it’s Apple, Windows, Mac, or something else.
While we welcome curious discussions, some people are looking for clear, helpful answers. Discouraging new or existing users with off-topic or negative remarks hurts the community. Additionally, please don’t treat AppleVis like an email list where you feel obligated to respond to everything, especially with unrelated comments.
We kindly ask again to stay on topic and be considerate of others. We hope to avoid having to remind users of the guidelines, but if discouraging behavior continues, we may need to take further action.
We want AppleVis to grow, and that requires adherence to these guidelines. Remember where we were nearly a year ago when David stepped down amid ongoing negative sentiment. As a team, we’ve committed to improving the site, and this is one area we’re focused on. We recognize we can’t please everyone, but we listen closely to the majority’s wishes.
One of the biggest compliments from the recent AppleVis Report Card is that users feel the site is a better, more welcoming place to have useful, respectful conversations.
This message is a friendly reminder of our goals, and we ask for your help to maintain a positive community. Without all of you, this site wouldn’t exist.
When the AppleVis Report Card comes around again this fall, please share your feedback. That input will guide us in making improvements. Keep in mind, there will always be differing opinions, but we’re doing our best to balance things fairly.
Thank you for your understanding, and we encourage your support and respect for the team and fellow users.
Thanks again.
AppleVis
It is done, I had posted on the android section asking questions about it because I am curious and windows because I like to know. I can said that I did not like it but is done and is time to move on. Thanks all.
the comments
the site was glitching for me when i posted that comment making it post 4 times, i don't know what was going on but the site seems to be working normallyy now
Thanks for all you do. I…
Thanks for all you do. I would hate to see this site Go down again. Should I be worried about that?
Well said!
This post is appreciated. The negativity that occasionally appears in the Android forum isn't helpful to anyone.
To Jimmy V
Hi Jimmy,
The future of AppleVis is very secure. AnonyMouse was just making the point, and it is a point that I have made elsewhere and in some of my correspondence with people privately, is that negativity and 'climate' was a contributing factor to the site's near-closure last year. That is all. 😊
something the team should know
hi
for some reason this post shows up in both the apple and non apple sections of the site
wasn't sure if you new
I think every post that's in…
I think every post that's in this forum category is appearing like that. Not sure if that's meant by design or not. Makes it confusing Lol.
yeah
not sure why
Reviews
I completely agree with the general principle but I think reviews are one case where articulate and respectful comparison by someone familiar with both systems is valid, since a review is typically used to help people determine which product to buy. I would say though that such comparisons should be factual and narrow in scope while also contributing to the discussion rather than simply trying to hold it over the other party. For example if someone said Pixels are great for X, I just stick with an iPhone because I can't give up Y.
Effectively I'm suggesting we draw a distinction between a review and an experiences post. The former needs context within the current market to fulfill it's purpose, the latter does not.
at AppleVis team,Michael and AnonyMouse
Thank you very much for your post as a team. I think it was needed, some members completely misinform to the community instead of informing.
Question to you as a team.
Do you accept Android podcast audio tutorials?
This is to inform the apple community who never had the experience of testing the accessibility in an android device and is really interesting in learn.
There are many rumors and misinformation out there that are completely false and personally I believe that with a demo the opinion of each
member would change completely.
Two places
These appear in both areas because they are not Apple nor non Apple specific. They are a general forum that the team would like everyone to read. Or I suspect that is what it is.
Some Answers
Hi all,
A few answers to some questions from earlier comments:
Thanks,
Michael
Please don't compare Android with iOS
Hello,
I agree with these comments.
As AppleVis keeps going, we don't want any users to say things from iOS on the Android section.
iOS is only for iOS. Android is only for Android.
So please don't refer to any Apple things in the Android
The same applies to Windows
Thank you all for all your respect.