It seems to me that the essence of CellarTracker (to the extent that it is more than just a fancy spreadsheet for tracking what wine you own) is that it is expanded and improved primarily by its users (obviously in many cases via the intermediation of CT staff).
In view of the upcoming, (very) long awaited updates to CellarTracker, and the news that future development will be focused primarily on mobile devices, I’m curious to learn how those of us who currently create the value that is the CT database go about doing that.
My hypothesis is that the majority of people who use CT simply to track their wine holdings do so these days via a mobile phone, but that those of us who actually contribute, pro bono, to the improvement of the underlying database of wines do so via a laptop or PC. But I could quite believe that I am just a dinosaur from another era who can’t accept that a 5" touch screen is preferable to a 20" screen and proper keyboard. So I’m looking for evidence. There are 8 separate questions in this poll - please answer all that apply to you. The questions about adding wines or vintages mean adding them to CT’s database when they aren’t already there. I’m not asking about how you add bottles to your inventory. Obviously, the mobile/PC/laptop split is not black & white, but please answer with what you primarily do. If you don’t do a category then please leave it blank.
I only use CT to track my own holdings and Tasting Notes, no more
In addition to my own inventory, I contribute to the CT database through additions and corrections
I don’t use CT
0voters
I submit Tasting Notes primarily via a mobile
I submit Tasting Notes primarily via a laptop/PC
0voters
I add new label pics primarily via a mobile
I add new label pics primarily via a laptop/PC
0voters
I add new wines or producers primarily via a mobile
I add new wines or producers primarily via a laptop/PC
0voters
I add a new vintage of an existing wine primarily via a mobile
I add a new vintage of an existing wine primarily via a laptop/PC
0voters
I report misplaced label pics primarily via a mobile
I report misplaced label pics primarily via a laptop/PC
0voters
I report wine/producer dupes primarily via a mobile
I report wine/producer dupes primarily via a laptop/PC
0voters
I report errors in wine definitions primarily via a mobile
I report errors in wine definitions primarily via a laptop/PC
Question - into which category does an Ipad fall? I have a very small phone (an SE) so, e.g., I am now using an Ipad (a mini, which is larger than any phone but smaller than a laptop) and i sometimes use it for CT. Does it count as a mobile device?
Good question. The fundamental distinction (perhaps I should have phrased it this way) is whether you use a browser (PC/laptop) or an app (mobile). But even then I’m not sure exactly how this works in the Appleverse.
Interesting poll. I’m 100% laptop today, but hope with a better mobile app I’ll use that version more. I can see myself consuming and adding photos more on mobile vs laptop. Still expect I will add new bottles, new wines, vintages w Laptop. Time will tell of course.
I don’t see this option in the survey,
My use of CT is to check tasting notes for a wine I’m contemplating buying.
Usually a wine I’ve never had or different vintages of wines I’m familiar with.
That’s because I’m trying to understand how people who add value to the database do so. There are hundreds of thousands of people who simply read the database, but they’re the ones freeloading on those of us who actually add to the database. I’m interested in the users who actually create the database that you read for free and without whom your browsing would be impossible.
I don’t think a poll like this is a good gauge for the real world, wineberserkers are mostly old dogs with bad eyes and hotmail/aol emails. The rest of the world (90%) is probably the target for the change. No offence intended to us old curmudgens
I still use Classic for just about everything except when i Accept Pending with multiple bottles of the same wine. I use my mobile phone mostly for quick queries but that’s about it.
Well perhaps, but my point is that it is people like us who actually build the database that the young whippersnappers just read and benefit from. It’s not clear to me that focussing the development on the people who freeload rather than the small minority who actually make CT valuable is wise.
I use them both for different purposes. Outside of potentially more advanced or dynamic reporting options I don’t know what other features I’d really want on the PC side.
I am a very active contributor to CT, not just in terms of adding public TNs, but making corrections to wines, removing duplicates, uploading labels, and helping new users via comments where appropriate. However, I don’t see “read-only” users as freeloaders. Importantly, CT has broader monetization opportunities because of these “more casual” users.
Many activities have a power distribution / Pareto distribution in terms of contribution and use. I’d invite everyone reading this to think of the many, many things they engage with and remember how much information they receive free of charge by people who have a passion for a given subject. Anyone with broad interests and curiosity is going to be getting a lot of value from people and platforms to which they contribute very little.
I’ll take a dozen so-called “freeloaders” vs. the people who create duplicate and incorrect wines, comment under the wrong wine, and contribute an endless stream of TNs with 99 points with text “Martha loved it.” and 93 points with text “Just OK”. (I block them.)
