Stone in Shoe Bob Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 I am sure I'll grumble to myself and I'll stumble here and there.But, I know we must advance and not just sit back in the past just because we are comfortable where we are. It will be a very short learning stage for all of us and surely make my life easier as an administrator. Do It! I think I'm with you on this one John. Change is sometimes uncomfortable, but where would we be without it? Click! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andelscott Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 Click! Wow - Bob - so you *were* a CP/M user then? John - Classic Blue does it for me, but then if the IP.board remembers each user's account preferences, what does it matter? Lo Fi must be good for those using overgrown telephones too. Thanks for asking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madquad Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 Classic Blue does it for me too John. And i like the upgraded forum version of Kitelife too, allso love the insert Media option. So if you want my opinion: Go on with this improved forum as shown there. I appreciate your effort in this , Keep up the good work !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcom714 Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 Humble is my opinion. I am a user of this service. If/when it changes I too will change with it. In life there are changes you can control and changes you cannot control. The key is being adaptive, flexible and open to the changes along the way. Make the change John! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felix Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 Humble is my opinion. I am a user of this service. If/when it changes I too will change with it. In life there are changes you can control and changes you cannot control. The key is being adaptive, flexible and open to the changes along the way. Make the change John! As a 'sys admin' some of the time I would say 'security takes priority' above all else. Please secure the forum without further delay. Thanks Felix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stone in Shoe Bob Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 Wow - Bob - so you *were* a CP/M user then?John - Classic Blue does it for me, but then if the IP.board remembers each user's account preferences, what does it matter? Lo Fi must be good for those using overgrown telephones too. Thanks for asking. No Andy, you are such an anorak. I hadn’t go a clue what sort of computer it was, maybe I was just being a bit lazy, but I just picked a picture of an old computer to illustrate a point. But since you asked this is where I started (technologically not geographically speaking). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiteLife Posted December 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 The forum that I spend the most time on is plain text, no avatars, no sigs. It loads in the blink of an eye, even on dial-up. Clicking a thread takes me to the first unread post. I can watch or ignore threads to suit my interests. Sound like the "low fi" option we've always had on both Rev and Kitelife forums... For anyone who doesn't have a use for "extra" images, videos, or is on dial up, etc, there is low-fi! http://www.revkites.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php You still get all the post content, but the forum "skin" itself is stripped down to the bare essentials. Screen shots from this on Kitelife: To find the same on Kitelife, the low fi version can be accessed in a drop down menu (lower left of any forum page), and it'll stay as your default provided you're logged in. Once the Rev forum is upgraded, you'll be able to use the same drop down menu here to activate low fi... For now, it's a link bottom center of any forum page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiteLife Posted December 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 Just one more Low-Fi comparison, using my most recent topic on Kitelife... Regular vs Low-Fi Actual post is here... http://kitelife.com/forum/index.php?/topic...kitelife-forum/ Another serious PRO for the upgrade, search engine friendly URLs... On the new format, topics have the actual subject in the URL... In this (outdated) version, it's just numbers. Simply, the search engines can't currently skim the Rev forum as effectively for listing when people search the web for Rev help. For those who have had issues with, or a distaste for the new format, please try the low-fi version, let me know how it works for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baloo Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 Another serious PRO for the upgrade, search engine friendly URLs... Just to show how stupid I am, I have been trying to work out where a B Pro comes into this discussion, DOPE!! I honestly think, as others are saying, despite the fact you will be dammed if you do. You will be more Dammed if you don't change it John. You have mentioned the best reason for a change. Stop the Spammers, better security, easier admin. I was put off with the Kitelife change, it was a bit of a shock. However I am back using it again. When this Forum has to change I presume it will be similar to the Kitelife one, this will mean it is not so much of a shock. We should all be more prepared for it. John, if it has to change, for good reason, change it must. It will not be change for changes sake, or a matter of if it aint broke dont fix it. Seems it is broke, get on and fix it. Please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzer Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 As a 'sys admin' some of the time I would say 'security takes priority' above all else.Please secure the forum without further delay. Thanks Felix Security and spam defense does not stand still. When its needed always move forward. Do it when you see fit John, you know better than most about whats out there knocking on our door. Bazzer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauranyyfan Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Hi John- It has to be done to try and stay a step ahead of the damn hackers of the world. I think we will all get through the changes as a group. The computer geeks of the "family" will take charge and guide us through our dilemmas. I'm quite confident that it will wind up being easier in the long run. So, I just say: "Take a deep breath and enjoy the ride"!! -just my two cents! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagnabbit Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 I'd upgrade, John. Security and code stability are most important. Look at any major gateway, forum or social networking site: users hate change. Period. But, if they really love what it's all about (whatever subject matter that the forum, web site or networking site facilitates), then they adjust and adapt. All: I'm not trying to be impersonal to everyone's needs- when Facebook went through recent major changes, I hated it. Yet I still use it. I'm speaking more from the viewpoint of a system administrator and network engineer. True, without users, there is no need for a network, so don;t drive off the users- but without a stable and secure platform, then the network (or in this case, the communication application) is doomed to failure. And I'll wager that everyone is here for kiting, and not because the forum is one way or the other (just that it works). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiteLife Posted December 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 True enough Ben, I agree. So here's my plan... I'll beat out a few more template tweaks and such on Kitelife, using it as the "skunkworks" for everyone to provide feedback, input, suggestions, etc, before I compile all that together and apply it here on the Rev forum... I hope that's sufficient motivation for everyone who has an active interest in the forum format to get involved in the development at Kitelife, regardless of whether they choose to use that forum on an ongoing basis, just look at in testing terms, stay if you like it. That being said, maybe 2-3 weeks... Then I'll roll out the upgrades here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiteLife Posted December 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 I'd also like to thank everyone who has gotten involved thus far, both positive, negative and "I don't care"... Whether or not it's used and implemented, your feedback is appreciated and invaluable to the process. I know not everyone will be happy, but I do hope you feel, really feel, that I've tried to find the middle ground amidst necessity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcom714 Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 True enough Ben, I agree.So here's my plan... I'll beat out a few more template tweaks and such on Kitelife, using it as the "skunkworks" for everyone Cool ideas could come out of everyone being in the "Skunkworks" room!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrdenny Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 I'd also like to thank everyone who has gotten involved thus far, both positive, negative and "I don't care"... Whether or not it's used and implemented, your feedback is appreciated and invaluable to the process. I know not everyone will be happy, but I do hope you feel, really feel, that I've tried to find the middle ground amidst necessity. To be honest John, the first attempt at the kitelife upgrade was MMMmmmm not good. You have not only asked for and listened to bitches, complaints and suggestions but you have worked (tweaked) on it for quite some time. I think you have put a lot more time into this than you anticipated but the results show it. I spent some time on kitelife over the past 2 days and must say I am starting to like it quite a bit. I tried all the "skins" and found the default IP.Board to be the best for me. The Clasic blue is not much different and the Lo-Fi doesn't loose much at all for the low band with folks. The pro skin is very sharp looking but for the older set of eyes a bit of a strain. Perhaps a larger monitor is in order. I'm glad you held off long enough to work out the bugs before bringing it over to the Rev forum. By the time it gets here it will be an improvement for not only you and the admins but for the user as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baloo Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Anyone who has not looked at the Kitelife forum in the last Day, pop on and look at it now. John has managed to alter one of the things I found off putting. Now when you log on to the "home" page the active topics, in forum tools is easy to see. Click on it and you then have the option to view 24hrs, week, 2 weeks etc, this is something I have always forund useful and did have to look down to the bottom of what was quite a long page. It is getting better, more user friendly than ever. I am starting to like it now. And you have the choice of choosing different skins to suit your mood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lummas Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 John, having just been tasked with completely ovrhauling our work web site, I certainly agree with simplifying the admin and tightening up security are vital and unavoidable, so I would add my voice to the 'go for it' camp. I can tell you that I do see significantly slower loading times on all pages of the Kitelife forum than I do on here. I know I can switch to the Low-Fi view as an option but heck, I like the look of the Kitelife site, so I am not sure I would want to. So I definitely think anything you can do to focus on speed will be important. Other than that though, the Kitelife site looks pretty good to me and I am sure I will get used to whatever changes are made pretty quickly. We always do as software/websites change. Keep up the great work. We appreciate it. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiteLife Posted December 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 All comments read and acknowledged. Part of what's happening here of course, I hope you realize, is that my sincere efforts to make this work have encouraged some of you to reach into the new Kitelife forum functionality a little further, and some are recovering from the shock of the new layout... In all reality, not so much has actually been changed from the first upgrade, but relevant information and introduction has been implemented a little more effectively. The new forum does work very well (from a functionality standpoint), I can assure you... As a web designer, I'm perhaps a little more critical of such things and toss new scripts/software on a daily basis for various reasons, bot functional and aesthetic... However, the drastically different layout and slight change in how some of the old functions have carried over are a bit of a shock, understandably. I think Jeepster, Baloo and Guru4tru are three prime examples of great folks who found the new format confusing due the differences... As I'm sure they'll attest however, it's all becoming clear as they use the new system more and more... It loads a little slower than the current set up here but still well within tolerances I think (been to www.prismkites.com or www.kittyhawk.com lately?), and some of the other added features are really most excellent. Just a few of the abilities/tools on the Kitelife forum now, and NOT on this older Rev forum: - Drag and drop moving of PMs between folders. - Mark PMs as unread, so you can come back and easily find PMs you want to answer later. - Add "positive" rating to posts, acknowledging helpful attitudes, information and content. - Clearer "multiquote" button, so you can reply to multiple posts in one shot. - Progress meter for file uploads, so you know if it's stalled or moving. - Insert YouTube videos directly into a post, so you don't have to leave the forum for viewing. - Search for text in your PMs, making it easier to find information there. - Threaded PM discussions, so you can see all PM interactions under one topic on the same page. - Add multiple people to PM discussions after the fact, to facilitate private group PM discussions. - Easy, integrated tool for printing or downloading (HTML/Word) entire forum topics. - Choice of "active topics" or "new content", allowing you to retain the list of new topics (for later) when you don't read them now. - Enhanced spammer blocking, including "challenge questions" (like 2+5 equals?) on the registration page to cull out bots and allow only real humans. Those are just a few, most of which are done using "hooks" (small addon plugins) which are being developed and improved every day, instead of having to actually modify the forum code and templates to add these types of features... And of course, new skins are released on a fairly regular basis, so the available choices should only improve from here on out. Again, the new forum kicks a$$ on the whole and if you've not spent at least a couple of days trying to actively use the new format, it may just be a matter of shock and resistance... I speak from personal experience on that note, as I HATED the new look when I first implemented it but my sentiments changed within a short time, and I'd never, ever go back to this one again. Thanks again to all (even the nay-sayers), this is a work in progress... Not only on my end as the developer here, but also from a familiarity and educational standpoint. Please keep it coming, every bit, pro and con. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiteLife Posted December 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Alright, I think I've tackled and addressed all the "hot topics" regarding the new format as best I can... Any other outstanding items that absolutely rub you raw about the format being used on the Kitelife forum? http://www.kitelife.com/forum Let's call this the "last call" for testing, abuse and skunkworking... List any outstanding items, please... I'll try and address/fix anything else you bring up. Once we've stalled on that front, I'll incorporate all that into the upgrade when we do it here to try and make it as seamless as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiteLife Posted December 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Another note, regarding load time on the new format... Here's the stock script at work without any of the banners and such, seems quick enough to me. http://community.invisionpower.com/ Anyone else care to test and comment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baloo Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Whatever the "stock script" might be seems to load about as fast as this forum. If that is any help at all. Once again, only my perseption on my system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchy Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Hi John, I have been using exactly this new board for some time on an Embroidery software forum that I belong to. After a few of days of use navigating around, you soon begin to see the benefits as a user and after a month or so I have even forgot what the old board looked like I have experienced no noticeable difference in load times from here in the UK either. Also I realise that there are all levels of computer competence when it comes to using forums, might I possibly suggest doing some short screen recording videos if any areas of the new forum prove difficult to explain in words. e.g Post a picture, settings, profile etc regards Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lummas Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Thanks for the "stock script" link John. An interesting observation. I clicked on the stock script ink you gave and it loaded the page fully in just under 3 seconds. On the same PC I then clicked on the kitelife forum link and it took just under 5 seconds to build the page, but had done, but with errors at the bottom. No matter how I navigate there or reload the page it still notes errors. When i looked at it earlier today it took a lot longer to load but had no errors. Not sure what that indicates or if you are working on anything, but just wanted to provide the feedback, since you were looking for it right now. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiteLife Posted December 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2009 Mark, will you PM or email with some details on the errors you're getting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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