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Author Topic: Migration to new forum software  (Read 5746 times)

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Thrupenny Bit

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Re: Migration to new forum software
« Reply #20 on: March 15, 2021, 06:06:15 PM »

I agree to the 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' concept.
But... I would request an eye be kept on it verses other alternatives as in time things will inevitably become obsolete and susceptible to viruses and hacking.
At which point we will all have to get used to a new version regardless of opinion.
I suspect I'm teaching Theo and Clive to suck eggs though!
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Thrupenny Bit

I think I'm starting to get most of the notes in roughly the right order...... sometimes!

Theo

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Re: Migration to new forum software
« Reply #21 on: March 15, 2021, 06:07:50 PM »

SMF is still being updated for security. 
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Fred

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Re: Migration to new forum software
« Reply #22 on: March 15, 2021, 09:28:17 PM »

My recent inquiry wasn't about the forum software anymore but in response to what Eshed has posted. After my initial post 1,5 years ago, I now know very well that the majority of users on this forum are averse to a change of the forum software. I just stumbled upon this topic again while browsing the foum, wondered about a possible implementation of https and wanted to know if there are any thoughts or plans on this from our admins/webmasters.
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Theo

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Re: Migration to new forum software
« Reply #23 on: March 15, 2021, 10:57:07 PM »

That’s Clive’s decision, it’s not something in my competence.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Chris Ryall

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Re: Migration to new forum software
« Reply #24 on: March 16, 2021, 12:36:53 PM »

Wish list : It would be nice to have more tolerance in posting attachments, I have taken to emailing quite ordinary iPhone pics to myself before posting here, to reduce size to 60k or so. But some forums automate this …

Mistyped searches are a pain. You correct the typo, then get blocked. “You have alreafy done a search in the last 5 minutes” whatever. Sorry, but searches are a form of exploration. Might this be relaxed?

I use [ code ] for keyboard layouts - obviously! But the CSS is set to kerned font 🥴 Fixed width font please. So much easier

Not got many more boxes to sell, but would like to contribute to funding. Is there an easy way (don’t do paypal)?
« Last Edit: March 16, 2021, 12:41:45 PM by Chris Ryall »
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-Y-

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Re: Migration to new forum software
« Reply #25 on: March 16, 2021, 01:17:11 PM »

Nevertheless reading it on the small screen of a smartphone is not exactly pleasing. (I do think SMF has a module or something to help with this a bit, but I’m not sure.)

Some years back I asked if the admins could add a new forum theme that would be more convenient for mobile browsing, and I'm using the Startaza theme since. In addition to making mobile browsing easier, I think it did a more modern facelift of the interface. You can change it in your options here if you like: http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php?action=profile;area=theme

Chris Ryall

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Re: Migration to new forum software
« Reply #26 on: March 16, 2021, 02:25:21 PM »

Phone use is pretty clunky, but I eg set up and contributed to our vote on 4th position start layout from a Galaxy mobile, well up a mountain in the Drôme Vercors.  It’s doable, with reading glasses 😉
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-Y-

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Re: Migration to new forum software
« Reply #27 on: March 16, 2021, 02:34:26 PM »

Well, the Startaza theme is responsive and already installed (that is accessible within 3 mouseclicks), so easier still.
But, an impressive feat nonetheless with the standard layout!
« Last Edit: March 16, 2021, 02:37:39 PM by -Y- »
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Anahata

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Re: Migration to new forum software
« Reply #28 on: March 16, 2021, 03:10:55 PM »

I just stumbled upon this topic again while browsing the foum, wondered about a possible implementation of https and wanted to know if there are any thoughts or plans on this from our admins/webmasters.

For the avoidance of doubt: the use of https is quite independent of the forum software. SMF should work absolutely fine on an https: connection.
HTTPS capability is a function of the server hosting provider. Some have got their heads round Letsencrypt, others apparently haven't. Letsencrypt allows you to get security certificates (required for https) free of charge, but the downside is the certificate only lasts 3 months, which means you are expected to have an automated script that renews your certificates typically every two months to make sure you are always current.

Phone use is pretty clunky

Yes, that's the only reason I can think of why SMF isn't entirely ideal. It does have a very simplified text-only interface, and that's it's answer for small screens. The normal layout isn't responsive, though I use it sometimes on a 7" tablet in landscape mode where it's not too bad. I think on the whole SMF is not bad enough to merit the upheaval of migrating to something else.

“You have already done a search in the last 5 minutes” whatever. Sorry, but searches are a form of exploration. Might this be relaxed?
I guess the restriction is because many simultaneous searches on a big forum could gobble up a lot of CPU and database access time, making everything slow for other users. As such it's a target for a robot-driven denial of service attack. But I expect it's a parameter than could be cautiously adjusted.
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hickory-wind

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Re: Migration to new forum software
« Reply #29 on: March 16, 2021, 05:01:21 PM »

My biggest complaint about the platform is the photos. I feel the threads with accompanying photos tend to be richer in content- especially when discussing physical or mechanical aspects of button accordions. Even just doubling or quadrupling the maximum photo size would get rid of a lot of hassle. Resizing everything to be posted here is a waste of everyone's time. Is it at all possible to keep the same platform and increase that one aspect?

Scott
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too many boxes...please buy one, or two, or

Anahata

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Re: Migration to new forum software
« Reply #30 on: March 16, 2021, 07:15:13 PM »

If you allow and encourage posting of big photo files, the photos will quickly become the dominant consumer of file storage space.

It has been suggested, though, that all submitted photos should be resized automatically. This would have to be part of the SMF software,
but can't be hard to do automatically. I've done that for a folk club web site I built, where uploaded publicity pictures of forthcoming guests are silently and automatically scaled to a fixed size. We wouldn't want that, but we could shrink anything that exceeded a maximum size. The image crunching tools (imagemagick, most likely) can be made to apply sensible levels of JPEG compression too.

Maybe a word in the ear of the SMF developers, if the feature isn't already available?
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-Y-

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Re: Migration to new forum software
« Reply #31 on: March 16, 2021, 07:40:54 PM »

Looks like there are some plugins that could do that, e.g. https://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=4087

Stiamh

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Re: Migration to new forum software
« Reply #32 on: March 17, 2021, 12:35:33 AM »

... I'm using the Startaza theme since. In addition to making mobile browsing easier, I think it did a more modern facelift of the interface. You can change it in your options here if you like: http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php?action=profile;area=theme

Thanks Yannick! I am using it now too, and it makes a refreshing - nay, invigorating - change.  :|glug

Chris Ryall

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Re: Migration to new forum software
« Reply #33 on: March 17, 2021, 10:00:36 AM »

How about a link that takes you to a facility that does trim (please let’s all trim our images, big size saving!) and then resizes to Melnet requirements automatically.  Ideally then an easy link into posting, a temporary URL whatever.

Yes, devil would be in the detail, but with my phone 🙄 taking jpg’s 10-50x allowed size, we are in a rut. Present arrangements are truly clunky, and just don’t work efficiently. Compare eg Facebook. Image upload is trivial, and auto resizes.

Whatever works. I’m an amateur, but maybe professionals like Clive and Anahata can script something?m
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