The Forum has gone to pot

[AlanHo]

An hour ago I posted a thread pointing out that the Jokes Forum had vanished.

An hour later it has now reappeared.

However all the posts made from 01.07 hours today seem to have vanished. I can only assume that some unannounced maintenance is taking place - hopefully to reconstruct the board to how it was before the recent "fiddling" which is making using the forum an increasing chore.

[Craig]

An hour ago I posted a thread pointing out that the Jokes Forum had vanished.

An hour later it has now reappeared.

However all the posts made from 01.07 hours today seem to have vanished. I can only assume that some unannounced maintenance is taking place - hopefully to reconstruct the board to how it was before the recent "fiddling" which is making using the forum an increasing chore.

All fingers point at Chris!

We had a little hiccup tonight when moving some forums around, one hiccup was the missing 'Jokes' forum. We could only get that forum back by doing a complete board restore from a backup created this morning at 01:00. So any topics / posts since then have unfortunately gone (although new registrations are up-to-date).

[Chris]

How exactly is using this forum a chore?

[AlanHo]

This forum used to have a clean and attractive appearance (skin) which differentiated it from the majority of forums on the internet. We now have a dour, drab, navy blue and grey skin that looks like any run of the mill forum on the internet. I don't use Frosty and hope that it will soon be replaced by our old attractive skin.

The size and position of the link for "Todays active topics" and "New content" are indistinctive and small. They would be better placed alongside each other at the top of the page with more prominent "buttons"

The "Flash Uploader" option to enable you to select several files for uploading does not function with IE8.

The facility to "Enable Visual RTE Editor" is welcome because you see the proper font and layout as you type. However the right click to cut/paste text is not available and I have to use my pet hate - keyboard shortcuts.

The Acronis tab is no longer there - does this indicate that subscribers can no longer get a discount?

Why the Portal tab at the top of the page - I can't make out what it is intended for

There are probably more - but that will do for starters.

[Chris]

This forum used to have a clean and attractive appearance(skin) which differentiated it from the majority of forums on the internet. We now have a dour, drab, navy blue and grey skin that look slike any run of the mill forum on the internet. I don't use Frosty and hope that it will soon be replaced by our old attractive skin.

The skin that we had was not compatible with this version of the forum.Craig is getting a new skin (or updating the old one). That will not happen this year - we have to wait on that one.

The sizeand position of the link for "Todays active topics" and "New content"are indistinctive and small. They would be better placed alongside each other at the top of the page with more prominent "buttons"

I don't agree with a button but the positioning would make more sense. We'll see if we can move it. It's not too hard to scroll down and you can always bookmark that page.

The "Flash Uploader" option to enable you to select several files for uploading does not function with IE8.

It works here as well in Firefox, Opera and Safari. What are you trying to attach, how big is it, what is the file attachment and where are you trying it?

The facility to "Enable Visual RTE Editor" is welcome because you see the proper font and layout as you type. However the right click to cut/paste text is not available and I have to use mypet hate - keyboard shortcuts.

Yes I have that as well so I suspect it's an IE problem. It does however work in Firefox, Opera and Safari.

The Acronis tab is no longer there - does this indicate that subscribers can no longer get a discount?

Of course they can. That could be moved also.

Why the Portal tab at the top of the page - I can't make out what it is intended for

Ah yes, the portal. I think that has been around for years but we never used it. Looks like it has been added back or a previous disable option have been reset. Just ignore it and I'll see what I can find out.

There are probably more - but that will do for starters.

Post them if you will and we'll try and get them sorted. (Quoting is on the topic)

The skin called IP.Board is the default skin for the IPB software and it's what you will see on other IPB forums assuming they have not created/bought there own. I personally like it But we are then no different to another IPB board which is why we are in the middle of getting another skin (Well Craig to be precise).

[Dencandy]

Also the Insert Link button for external links doesn't work in IE8 but does with Firefox (see my test in the Quoting thread). Hope you manage to get all these problems sorted. I have to say that the new style for me is not as intuitively easy to use as the old one. What was wrong with the old one that warranted it being changed? :(

[doug]

One slight irritation, now when I click on page refresh It asks to resend page request. didn't earlier yesterday.

[doug]

someone was looking over my shoulder as I typed, suddenly behaves normally.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

I have only one gripe with the new forum software.

In the "old" forum (IPB 2.3), clicking on a hyperlink opened a new browser tab or window.

In the "new" forum (IPB 3.0), clicking on a hyperlink opens in the same tab/window.

But I am sure that is just a setting; can we have the old functionality back?

(Any other opinions on this?)

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

What was wrong with the old one that warranted it being changed? :(

There are lots of security enhancements in the new forum software. Also, behind the scenes there are many enhancements that make it much easier to handle spammers.

I think with a bit of tweaking by the admins, some of the "lost" functionality can be brought back.

But I am personally quite happy with the new forum, although there are some little malfunctions occurring occasionally.

[AlanHo]

I have just tried the Flash Uploader again and it worked OK in IE8.

Not sure what happened before.

[andsome]

Several of the e mail links that I click on this morning are not working. I am getting more used to the new forum, and don't have the link posting problem that some seem to have. It was difficult to find todays posts at first until Rong pointed me in the right direction, but it is possible that newcomers may never find it.

Here is another example of posting a link to show that this DOES work.

[AlanHo]

I have just realised that the Forum pages lack a title stating that this is Windows Forum

We are now IPBoard with an irrelevant logo.

We are not exactly selling ourselves are we.......................................

[andsome]

I have just realised that the Forum pages lack a title stating that this is Windows Forum

We are now IPBoard with an irrelevant logo.

We are not exactly selling ourselves are we.......................................

[AlanHo]

andsome

You have overlooked the fact - clearly stated in my original post - that I don't use the Frosty skin. I am not sure what skin visitors to the forum are presented with.

[Irene]

I have been using the 'Frosty' skin, so I just did a change to check out the standard one. I don't like it, so I'll look forward to Craig's efforts to change it. ;)

The position of the 'View New Content' is, I agree with Alan, not very well positioned.

My usual habit is to touch the 'Up' button in a thread, then 'New Content'. On the Standard board, 'New Content' is too insignificant and small.

Where are the UP and DOWN buttons?

Where are the formatting links, when replying to a post? (Left, centre, right, bold, italic, etc.)

Do we have to enter our own code? :0

If at all possible, could the Emoticons be moved to the left?

Also, please can we have a Preview button in 'Edit' posting?

.

.

.

[rong]

I think frosty is the default at the moment

Another thing I couldent get anywhere this morning, I had been signed out,had to think hard about my user name and password

[Irene]

Another point - From the Main Menu, I can't tell which items have new posts...

ALSO....

My avatar is too small. :(

[andsome]

I think frosty is the default at the moment

Another thing I couldent get anywhere this morning, I had been signed out,had to think hard about my user name and password

Bottom left, you can decide whether to us Frosty or the conventional board.

[catgate]

There are lots of security enhancements in the new forum software. Also, behind the scenes there are many enhancements that make it much easier to handle spammers.

I think this is very worthwhile, even if things are not as in the days or yore.

[andsome]

andsome

You have overlooked the fact - clearly stated in my original post - that I don't use the Frosty skin. I am not sure what skin visitors to the forum are presented with.

Just checked and you are indeed right. WF no longer exists.

[D4\/!d]

... I just did a change to check out the standard one. I don't like it, so I'll look forward to Craig's efforts to change it. ;)

It's like visiting a friend in a stranger's house where nothing works and you cannot find the teapot to make a cuppa.

WF has been loosing friends during this year.

Newcomers rarely stay around.

This horrid new setup does nothing to help.

In fact it is annoying many of the regulars - folk who typically embrace change.

So some more are bound to go elsewhere now.

I don't like it one little bit

[AlanHo]

I am not against change and will welcome any improvements made to the forum.

I first stumbled into the changes last evening and started this thread in order to get clarification.

In a separate thread Craig has kindly set out the background to what is happening and the reasons for it. If I had been aware of this in advance, then this thread would have been unecessary and members would have been expecting the changes and the attendant transitional difficulties.

I doubt that anyone will leave the forum as a result of the present situation.

A year or two ago - Chris (or was it Craig?) asked for suggestions about how the forum could be improved. A number of members made suggestions, including myself, which I believe were welcomed. However - nothing came of it and the ideas died on the vine.

It may be worth digging up the old thread and re-visiting the suggestions made. In my case I vaguely recall suggesting a change in the layout and titles of various forums in order that members could better target their posts.

It would be nice to think that the proposed changes to the forum are given a draft airing with members - before being actioned - in order to avoid another "fait accompli" situation.....