I was just cruising the forums and was just reading the recent update to this particular thread as I had read it before. So I re-read it again and decided to just chime in a bit. And as someone that uses the site a bit with my subscription though yet, not even all that excessive as I only watch Allen Bradley content, I think I can maybe give some clarity to what the OP and others are saying a bit. However, I do think as well that many are somewhat unclear in what they get as well as have access to in being a subscriber.
1. While I myself have learned and figure out how to find stuff and it's not that hard, I will still very much agree that the site Navigation of all the content can be greatly improved for everyone visiting RealPars. That very much includes anyone new to the site so they can either easily find or get to where they want to go looking for specific content. Whether Allen Bradley, Siemens, or other PLC Manufacturer's content. Though it's mostly Allen Bradley and Siemens (just exceedingly far more Siemens right now). If we are speaking in PLC Language, I would say the HMI can use a bit improving/updatefor easier navigating around to find stuff or other sub systems :)
2. Many and especially new subscribers are not clear why their videos of courses and then they are "paid" courses. This can be figured out just by watching the various courses which I have. You can watch everything on the site within your subscription or consume it as fast as you want to watching. But if you stop your subscription or lapse it then some may not also realize than you can purchase if you so choose a section of a course or a block of a course where you will always have access to outside of a subscription to re-watch or train on for whatever the reason. When some people see this section they think they also have to buy it to watch, yet they don't realize they can watch these videos already in the other listing. This goes back to point #1 in how the RealPars site is organized. But again keep things simple for newer subscribers this can maybe more easily explained. Watch all the course content on RealPars here. If you want to buy the course to have and re-watch if you no longer have a subscription then buy it here to have lifetime access. Some thing like that maybe.
3. Support comes in the form that you can ask a Technical PLC question on the Forums (be specific if can) and get feedback from Scott or one of the other RealPars team Automation Engineer to give feedback on. You can ask a question or as feedback in any course video that allows feedback (all i've seen) and get some feedback on. From my experience every comment made seem to get answered most the time on training videos and if its a PLC related issue question one the RealPars Automation Engineers will respond. I know Scott does as i myself do go back and re-read the followup responses, even weeks later when i can.
4. When "NEW" Video Courses or Content are produced and uploaded I know as a subscriber to RealPars that I do get a notice in my email box. However, in an age of so much unnecesssary emails that many now ignore to inbox these updates can be missed by many people even if they are subscribers. An easier way to convey that new videos have been posted is having a section of the RealPars website and when it can be reworked and improved as well show "What's New" or "New Courses", "New Course Video's Added" some versions of that to more people are easily aware cruising or looking at the site.
5. Relating to point #4, many people both are unaware when New Video's, Courses are added due to the RealPars site navigation having to drill down under some menu's to keep drilling down until you find the new courses added. New Content are burried down at the bottom of the list having to keep hitting the "Show All" button. For some people they are just unaware. Just make it easier functionality wise for people to find all the relavant content.
6. There should be a better way to show what courses you already watched and completed. I can tell based on the purple line for time on video that I somehow watched it or it remains unfinished. But have a better way to show a person at least watched the video or completed the course.
7. It can be improved when watching a course to easily get back to that point where you were to continue the course. While I myself have learned to figure this out, it can be greatly improved for everyone and made easier functionality wise and for everyone. That way if and when you return to watch or complete a course it can pickup right where you last were. I've had an issue myself with this.
8. RealPars, does PLC Training well, and high praise for that.
9. More Allen Bradley PLC and Programming content for subscribers to balance out loads of original Siemens content. Keep making new Siemens content too, but Allen Bradley content has a lot of catching up for all your subscribers. I'm just here for Allen Bradley PLC content mostly.
10. It could have some usefulness to poll the subscriber base whether the Youtube Subscribers as well the "Active" subscribers to know A. What PLC do they use and B. What or Which PLC are they most interested in content for. You can very much get two different answers there.
At my company, as an OEM and for the last 30 years of OEM Supplied Integrated Systems it's been 95% or greater Allen Bradley and at times on smaller systems Siemens PLC. For me, we don't use Siemens anywhere close enough for me to focus on learning that system. Yeah, cool to know some stuff from watching videos. So while it's nice to learn of other PLC's as any would like, my main content is Allen Bradley.
So hopefully that all help in more specifically breaking down the subscriber issue a bit.