>> UX research and (more importantly) user expectations continue to evolve.

The beta has RESOUNDINGLY failed to meet the expectations of the current user base. Surely you mean "the user expectations of our new target audience are different to the current user base". Y'know, as in, "we don't give a crap what the current user base thinks, we want THAT user base", which of course begs the question, if you're not interested in targeting the current user base and want to target another i.e. target a more mainstream audience, why not start an entirely NEW website targeting that audience, rather than trash the current community in order to do that?

>> The classic design in 2014? Not too bad. The classic design in 2018? Probably not going to cut it.

It appears you have a crystal ball that predicts the future. Tell me, what exactly happens in 2018 that stops the current slashdot design from being a poor fit for the problem it solves?

Hear hear!

This whole process should have started with a AskSlashdot: What is wrong with the current slashdot, and what would you improve? Then you could introduce the requirement "The aim is to foster and embiggen the slashdot community whilst attracting a wider audience to that slashdot can keep improving".

That would have been a great jumping off point to start putting together a prioritized list of requirements, features and bugs. Then stick all that in a public bug tracker in another slashdot post.

THAT is how you engage and involve a community. You start by making them responsible for the survival of community itself.

It sucks.

Yup, everyone should email them now. Just emailed them the following:

Hi!

Long-time lurker (10+years) of Slashdot. Slashdot is the only site I visit every day, multiple times. After giving beta.slashdot.org a whirl I think I can confidently say that if you push forward insisting on a redesign of Slashdot.org and kill the classic Slashdot you will have a mutiny on your hands!

It is quite clear from using beta that the designers (or project lead) has never used Slashdot; the key killer features of Slashdot are removed! Let me make this plain to you so you understand: NO ONE VISITS SLASHDOT FOR THE STORIES; IT’S THE COMMENTS, STUPID!

The comment system and meta-moderation IS Slashdot. Kill that and you don’t have Slashdot anymore, you just have yet another tech news aggregator.

Look, I know DICE have much love for theverge.com but please, Slashdot.org is NOT a mainstream tech news site, and it never was!

Hopefully you’ll start to listen to your audience, because the community will move on if you proceed with the beta launch.

Cheers,
Ben

I think you forgot: Fuck Beta

Yup, all on board with this! I hardly ever comment (been a lurker for at least 10 years) but BETA is just rubbish! Improve classic! No one wants this BETA crap!

Bit harsh.