Forum upgrade?

[Keaton]

Well guys, the main reason that we're having all these bot problems is because the forums are in dire need of upgrading-- and it's a total PITA for KamakaziPlumber because, honestly, the coding for these forums is, well, archaic to say the least.

KP doesn't have that much free time to devote to TDC anymore, simply because life intervened.  It's happened to all of us at one point or another.

So the question is this, should we keep this layout, deal with the onslaught of bots (botslaught?), and stick to TDC's roots?  OR, should we update the forums to something that probably won't look a hell of a lot like TDC, but get rid of annoying bots and lots of SQL errors?

It's also worth noting that although the new(ish) layout is delightful, it looks rather... dated.  Keep in mind, this is potentially one of the reasons we aren't getting more members at the rate this awesome site deserves.

The main reason that we've stuck to this layout was for Jack.  Jack, the progenitor of TDC, has not been on in a long, long time.  It's a dire shame, but it could be an indication that it's time for change.

And so, the choice is yours.

[Darth Wyndisis]

I'm all for it, so long as nothing really bad is likely to happen.

[Twilight Wolf]

If we can upgrade the forum software without losing everything, then I'm in favor of upgrading. Being more-or-less rid of the bot problem would be great -- I mean, a few are gonna find their way in no matter what, but if we can keep most of them out, that'd be excellent. Any other benefits we receive from doing so are gravy as far as I'm concerned.

Also, as attached as I am to the forum's current look and layout... well, it's been, for the most part, the same as when I first registered here in 2007. A freshening of the forums' appearance could definitely be helpful -- it might not bring it back to 2007-2008 levels on its own, but if someone who comes across the forums for the first time sees a modern-looking board where people actually post, it could definitely give things a boost.

Regarding Jack... I've never met him, never talked to him, and quite frankly, all I know about him is what I've heard from others. As such, I don't know how he'd feel about us changing things up. But... I honestly can't imagine he'd take too much issue with us (who obviously care for the site enough to continue to stick with it even in spite of the slump it's been going through) doing what's needed to ensure the forums stay alive and well, even if that does mean taking more drastic measures like changing the layout.

[kamakaziplumber]

This summer, I'll almost certainly be working on TDC. Updating the forums is something I could definitely look in to. Frankly, I've already tried to do it before - it's possible to update the software without losing the layout.

But that's also why all the Link smilies are gone for now...

There's some buggy stuff going on with our servers, it's happened both of the times I've tried to upgrade the software. However, I'm not sure I could get it to upgrade correctly without completely reinstalling, which would delete all accounts and posts unless there's an easy way to back it up.

EITHER WAY, I'd have to talk to Jack first and get back some access I lost a while ago. So I'll shoot him an email once summer starts and move from there.

[MagmarFire]

I'm up for an upgrade as long as we back up the database this time. XD

Regarding layout, I do have a thought that I've entertained a bit but didn't consider feasible due to time constraints. But I'm just gonna say it anyway: Maybe it's high time we rebuilt the entire site on a different framework? We could still keep all the data, but the framework we switch to would potentially lead to better maintainability. Something powerful, easy to use, and with plenty of security options.

I'm talking about Drupal, of course. I've worked with it a lot over the past year (PHP, CSS, HTML, database, the works), and it really is a marvel. There's a bunch of documentation on it, and it's completely customizable (just don't hack core, haha). With time, we could definitely replicate what we already have. Plus, we'd have jQuery. <3

Just a thought, of course, and I'm not really expecting anyone to pay this any mind.

[Keaton]

As there has been no more input for a while, I'm moving this into the General Discussion section for open discussion among the general populace.

[Pale Dim]

Me? I don't really care that much, as long as the place is still functional and I have my five stars I'm good to go.

[The Glamour Nazi]

I don't really understand what a forum upgrade could be... Maybe streamlineing PMs? Add like... A chat box thing so you can IM another person real quick? I'm all up for an upgrade of any kind, I need some change.

[Keaton]

The upgrade would really not change the functionality of the forums too much-- although it's possible that, if we switch to the right software, we'll be able to institute addons that everyone can agree upon.  The main things that a forum upgrade would do is increase the speed of the forums' loading (hopefully), reduce the number of bot registrations (hopefully), and make the place a little easier to maintain for KP (definitely).

[The Glamour Nazi]

I mean, I think it's cause of the code on the site, but it does jump around a lot when it loads, and it's all buggy when I access it from my phone, so I'm totally fine with an upgrade.

[Pale Dim]

Yeah, when I'm on my Wii, it freezes my console every time I press the back button. Maybe that could be something you could look into? Also the smilies. I miss the old Link Smilies.

[Hi no Seijin]

So, yeah, if you can upgrade without losing anything, then yes, especially if you can cut down on the bots.  As for the Link smilies...should you bring them back, can you not include the second crying Link?  Department of Redundancy Department and all that.

[Deku]

Add like... A chat box thing so you can IM another person real quick?

I think we did that once and it killed the forums. Everyone was like, "why should I post when I can just talk to these people?"

That's pretty much how it went. :P

I'm fine with it though, it never really bothered me. I don't see why the forums need an upgrade aside from the fact that we've had multiple bots sign up in the past couple of weeks/months. I don't have any problems with the loading time of the site either. As far as I'm concerned, TDC is absolutely spectacular like it is. I am however, open to change. If whatever is causing problems became enough of a problem to suggest an upgrade, I'm in no way opposed.

[Keaton]

I've actually had to ban/delete close to 50 bots in the past three days, and I'm sure the mods have deleted many more than that.

[The Glamour Nazi]

I've actually had to ban/delete close to 50 bots in the past three days, and I'm sure the mods have deleted many more than that.

I wouldn't doubt this, looking at the amount of members that have "joined" recently, compared to well... The amount of them that post.