80 replies to this topic

[Ranokoa]

I'm double posting for the sake of the reason of this post. When I try to EDIT a post, just as above, I notice it takes FOREVER to go through once I click EDIT.... hmm... the text size of forum posts also looks a tiny bit bigger IMO... Did the changes kill BB coded sizes? (Roughly 2 minutes 40ish seconds for EDIT to go through as opposed to .5 seconds before this change.)

Be well, sleep well, fight well, live long.
~Ranokoa

[Surenas]

The profile pages still start with the 'recent status updates' instead of the to be expected 'about me' part. Only the latter is of public interest imo. Moreover, the media tag doesn't start automatically as it was before. Dunno if this is on purpose or not.

In the meantime I come to grips with the upgrade. Good job.

[Keanumoreira]

I don't like it. I mean I appreciate you guys working to make your users happy, kudus for that, but now It's just a hassle to have to adjust to new forums.

[Zaldiir]

guys, guys... The forum upgrade isn't done... It got stalled because of a hacker attack...
So, wait for Dark0ne to complete the upgrade, THEN complain about features you don't like...
Give him time!

[LHammonds]

I don't like it. I mean I appreciate you guys working to make your users happy, kudus for that, but now It's just a hassle to have to adjust to new forums.

Sorry but this is one of those things that HAD TO BE DONE. You simply cannot let a forum "go" when hackers are able to exploit security flaws when newer versions of the software patch those holes.

It just so happens that the current forum upgrade was fairly substantial and you simply cannot upgrade the base code without having to re-implement all the extra bells and whistles immediately. Each plugin depends on and works with certain revision levels...much like upgrading your Firefox browser and then you find out that 1/2 of your plugins are not compatible right now...but will be in a week or so...assuming they are still under development and being supported.

Also, IP.Board forums are very popular (Bethsoft uses it too) and if this site is upgraded and comes with new features and such from the base forum software...just get used to it because other IP.Board sites all over the Internet will soon look like it as well when they upgrade. Anyone remember the last major upgrade which changed the forums quite a bit? Bethsoft went under the exact same metamorphosis.

LHammonds

[Thor.]

I don't like it. I mean I appreciate you guys working to make your users happy, kudus for that, but now It's just a hassle to have to adjust to new forums.

Sorry but this is one of those things that HAD TO BE DONE. You simply cannot let a forum "go" when hackers are able to exploit security flaws when newer versions of the software patch those holes.

It just so happens that the current forum upgrade was fairly substantial and you simply cannot upgrade the base code without having to re-implement all the extra bells and whistles immediately. Each plugin depends on and works with certain revision levels...much like upgrading your Firefox browser and then you find out that 1/2 of your plugins are not compatible right now...but will be in a week or so...assuming they are still under development and being supported.

Also, IP.Board forums are very popular (Bethsoft uses it too) and if this site is upgraded and comes with new features and such from the base forum software...just get used to it because other IP.Board sites all over the Internet will soon look like it as well when they upgrade. Anyone remember the last major upgrade which changed the forums quite a bit? Bethsoft went under the exact same metamorphosis.

LHammonds

The skin could be changed though, its a simple template. Atleast give us the option to change it to a white theme or something else.

Its just a thought though.

Knowing there was one once already.

I just liked it better that's all

[mod]EDIT by LHammonds: You've had access to the light / white theme the entire time. Look in the lower-left corner and change the drop-down selection from "Dark" to "Original"...and no, it is not as simple as a theme change. If the theme (in this example (Underground) was updated to accommodate the new forum features, you are going to see the new version of said skin...not the old version that worked for the older forum.[/mod]

Oh thanks for the heads up LHammonds.

[Ranokoa]

Yes, but isn't there a way to rewire the building without demolishing and putting up a new wall? Can't you just make a nice little hole to patch up when done that doesn't destroy the entire wall? If you get my meaning. Features, upgrades, etc. All nice. But it's the façade that bugs me, personally. Idk... What do you think, Lham?

Be well, sleep well, fight well, live long.
~Ranokoa

[Tchos]

[mod]EDIT by LHammonds: You've had access to the light / white theme the entire time. Look in the lower-left corner and change the drop-down selection from "Dark" to "Original"...and no, it is not as simple as a theme change. If the theme (in this example (Underground) was updated to accommodate the new forum features, you are going to see the new version of said skin...not the old version that worked for the older forum.[/mod]

LHammonds, this is not the case for me, and probably for these others. There is only one option in the drop-down selector in the lower left corner (next to the language selector), and that option is "Original". For me, and probably for these others, "Original" is the dark theme, not the white one. Shall I post a screenshot showing the selector?

To the others: If you like, I can share my settings when I redo the colours to suit my preferences, if this continues to be the case.

[LHammonds]

Yes, but isn't there a way to rewire the building without demolishing and putting up a new wall? Can't you just make a nice little hole to patch up when done that doesn't destroy the entire wall? If you get my meaning. Features, upgrades, etc. All nice. But it's the façade that bugs me, personally. Idk... What do you think, Lham?

Completely depends on the situation. Is the building foundation infested with termites that you did not see before you started remodeling? Uh-oh.

Have you ever run a forum, installed tons of add-ons and implemented special customizations...even to the point that you create your own SDK for a forum? And then go through the process of upgrading the core forum? It might go a lot smoother if you have things such as a lot of time, a development server and a rollout server to aid in a smooth transition but none of that will help if you have to upgrade in a hurry to avoid hackers breaking into your system due to a vulnerability in the current version you are using.

I don't know how many customizations Dark0ne has installed on this site but let's go through an example with only one simply add-on feature.

Let's say you are running a phpBB forum and want to bolt-on a gallery module. It is pretty easy to drop in the files, run the admin tool to update your database to include the gallery tables and data. But you find out that the gallery is only visible on your forum via a "gallery" link at the top...and nowhere else. Then you start to modify the phpBB code to insert a nice little graphical button in the editor so people can insert gallery pictures directly from the post editor. Customization #1 done. Then you decide to include a slideshow preview of the most recent images added to the gallery (or highest rated). You edit the phpBB code so that it display gallery info on certain pages. Customization #2 done.

Time goes on and you find out that the gallery plugin is out-of-date and needs to be updated. You download the files, extract them to the plugin folder, run the database upgrade utility if necessary and then check the documentation to see if the same function calls are still available that you used in your code customizations (might have to make code changes to the phpBB system).

Time goes on and you need to upgrade your phpBB forum. It is an easy process to download the files, extract them on top of your existing files and run the database upgrade tool (if necessary)....oh crap!!! You just overwrote both of your customizations...you go back to a prior backup, extract the files and find where your code changes were and copy those particular changes into the sites new code and you've saved the day. Only problem is that the gallery plugin no longer works. To your dismay, you find out that the gallery plugin only works with phpBB 1.0 thru 2.x. You just upgraded phpBB to version 3.0. You now are faced with the decision to disable the plugin and remove the custom code changes and go without a gallery until the galley is made to be compatible with version 3.0 or you start looking for another gallery plugin that works with 3.0...but now you have to see if there is a way to salvage the existing image gallery data so it can be imported into the new gallery.

Oh my. Things can get very complicated with a bunch of decisions very quickly with just one system and one plugin. It gets much more difficult to turn the ship in one direction or the other with more content and users that are stuffed into that system. Now multiply that scenario out by all the little bells and whistles are were missing when the site was just upgraded. There are a LOT of customizations that I can think of just as an end-user of this forum that have to be addressed and there are far more on the back-end that I don't mess with that also have to be addressed (example: the entire subscription thingy + all the related "benefits")

I'll stop here because I think anyone can get the point I'm making even if they have never admin'd a customized forum before.

[mod]EDIT by LHammonds: You've had access to the light / white theme the entire time. Look in the lower-left corner and change the drop-down selection from "Dark" to "Original"...and no, it is not as simple as a theme change. If the theme (in this example (Underground) was updated to accommodate the new forum features, you are going to see the new version of said skin...not the old version that worked for the older forum.[/mod]

LHammonds, this is not the case for me, and probably for these others. There is only one option in the drop-down selector in the lower left corner (next to the language selector), and that option is "Original". For me, and probably for these others, "Original" is the dark theme, not the white one. Shall I post a screenshot showing the selector?

To the others: If you like, I can share my settings when I redo the colours to suit my preferences, if this continues to be the case.

Ok, my bad. It is available to me probably because I'm an admin. Dark0ne said he would allow multiple skins when he knows for sure there is not a security risk associated to them. Stay tuned and it WILL eventually show up there for you too. Just please be patient.

LHammonds

[Tchos]

Dark0ne said he would allow multiple skins when he knows for sure there is not a security risk associated to them. Stay tuned and it WILL eventually show up there for you too. Just please be patient.

Good to hear. Thank you.