1 - John West
- Administrator
Offline - Registered: 6/25/2015
- Posts: 1,254
Should we update to new forum software?
I thought I should pass the question through a popular vote before going ahead. (We've been thinking of it for a while now.) Since boardhost doesn't let us see who votes what and this makes it quite easy to stuff the ballot box, I ask that if you vote you post.
- Calhoun
- Member
Offline
- Registered: 3/09/2017
- Posts: 176
Re: Should we update to new forum software?
Where will be find the new link?
- John West
- Administrator
Offline
- Registered: 6/25/2015
- Posts: 1,254
Re: Should we update to new forum software?
We'll announce it here and the link on Ed's blog will be updated. (Probably not right away, in the latter case.)
- •
Thread Starter- Johannes
- Member
Offline
- Registered: 7/11/2015
- Posts: 240
Re: Should we update to new forum software?
I find current software fine for the purpose of this forum, but if the Administrator finds the allure of upgrading irresistible, let him go for it!
- John West
- Administrator
Offline
- Registered: 6/25/2015
- Posts: 1,254
Re: Should we update to new forum software?
You make me (and Jeremy and Dan) sound like the Terminator with the capital A like that. 
Boardhost has removed a lot of really helpful moderator features in the last year. It would be nice to get some of those back. It would also be nice to be able to split threads.
I also think it would just look nicer. (I know. I know: "It's a forum. Not the Louvre. Get over yourself, John." But I try to think like someone coming to the forum for the very first time and deciding whether to sign up, and seeing our rather late '90s-looking layout.) The dictum that “if it works, it's enough” has led to too many cities being paved with those ghastly cement blocks people now call buildings.
- •
Thread Starter- Calhoun
- Member
Offline
- Registered: 3/09/2017
- Posts: 176
Re: Should we update to new forum software?
Yes, all this looks very basic, would really like better looks. What about all the data here, will we be able to access it?
- John West
- Administrator
Offline
- Registered: 6/25/2015
- Posts: 1,254
Re: Should we update to new forum software?
We'll be keeping this forum alive (but inactive) so that we have a fallback point if something happens to the new one. I would like to copy all the old threads over to the new forum, but I don't think boardhost will let me.
- •
Thread Starter- John West
- Administrator
Offline
- Registered: 6/25/2015
- Posts: 1,254
Re: Should we update to new forum software?
Alright. Well, the change won't be for a month or two, but unless there is suddenly a dramatic shift in the votes, we'll go ahead.
- •
Thread Starter- seigneur
- Member
Offline
- Registered: 6/26/2015
- Posts: 469
Re: Should we update to new forum software?
The current software is good enough for me. I have more of a quibble with the structure of the subforums. I think it's too overdifferentiated. Having just three subforums would be enough:
- On-topic (labelled the same as the title, which is in itself a narrow enough topic with a narrow gang of participants so that art, philosophy, literature, history, practices etc. can all be safely included without differentiation; if you want to have an orchestrated group reading/discussion it can be a pinned thread)
- Off-topic, including pinned Greetings and Welcomes
- Test/Admin (perhaps hidden from unregistered public)
From past experience I'd say Simple Machines and ElkArte are good softwares and WordPress is bad. But hey, whatever works for you admins...
Last edited by seigneur (10/05/2018 4:04 am)
- John West
- Administrator
Offline
- Registered: 6/25/2015
- Posts: 1,254
Re: Should we update to new forum software?
Thanks for the suggestions. We're planning (with the earlier mentioned caveats) to use vBulletin software. It's pricey, but we think worth it. (We're open to something else, though, if anyone knows of anything superior to vBulletin.)
- •
Thread Starter