Author Topic: New Server And Message Board Software (Read 9870 times)

Coop301 · « **Reply #15 on:** Aug 28, 2009, 11:16:20 am »

I think the best way to go is easy and simple to maintain. That would be the deciding factor for me. It doesn't really matter what the board looks like on another site. It is fully customizable for the most part. So, we can do any color scheme, layouts, etc you want to do.

Steve. I think maintainablity would be key. Simple and easy. I think it was simplemachines that has an emoticon contest going on.

That is the kind of stuff that creates better interfaces and since smf is open source, I think that is the way to go.

I just looked at the script and it fairly straight forward. I am surprised. I just don't know mysql and how it interfaces with bb software well enough to make any judgement. Looks kinda fun though.

Again, You are the one that has to maintain the system. It should be your decision and the flock will follow.

yella81celica · « **Reply #16 on:** Aug 29, 2009, 02:49:56 am »

i guess ill pipe in.........if you decide to go for another board that cost money ill pay up but if you go for one thats free, then thats awesome

shonuff · « **Reply #17 on:** Aug 31, 2009, 02:27:52 pm »

i spent a good deal of time researching the different forum software out there. after looking at all the options, communtiy support and what not i settled with SMF. i think its one of the more complex to setup but it does have a crap load of features and new ones pop up every day from the community.

right now im still in a VERY early stage, but im able to import things like smilys n graphics n such pretty easily. my only complaint is there isnt a fancy GUI to make it nice n easy, im new to code so its taking me twice as long to get the look i want.

heres my forum im working on www.blacksheepauto.com/forum2

like i said im still testing and stuff, trying to get the look right. but im a newb at this so its taking forever.

ps: phpbb isnt free, or not the full version. free forum software always has some kinda catch.

Coop301 · « **Reply #18 on:** Aug 31, 2009, 04:14:00 pm »

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heres my forum im working on www.blacksheepauto.com/forum2

looks good so far...It all takes time...

dead91silvia · « **Reply #19 on:** Aug 31, 2009, 05:02:44 pm »

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Can we get an example of another forum that uses each one?
Of course!
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/

I think I like this one he best so far.... It's the easiest one to figure out and simple. Also looks nice and clean....

Just though I would toss this in...
This is another Forum I'm on and I think this is the type I like the best. Only took a few minutes for me to figure out everything... Just an idea...

http://forums.fighting118th.com/index.php

Steven Benner · « **Reply #20 on:** Sep 01, 2009, 04:42:48 pm »

I'm doing some testing with a copy of the database. I'll see how well the SMF conversion script works on a test system. This testing is happening on my personal system right now. So I wont have anything available for you guys to test for a while.

Once I've confirmed that I'm happy with the results and the forum seems stable I'll do a test install on the new server and I'll let you guys check it out. Consider it a beta, when everyone seems happy and there are no bugs reported I will wipe the forums off of the new server and do the actual move with the latest data from this server.

I'll give you more details as things progress.

a2ndopinion · « **Reply #21 on:** Sep 02, 2009, 01:37:28 am »

Coop301 · « **Reply #22 on:** Sep 02, 2009, 10:56:42 am »

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I'm doing some testing with a copy of the database. I'll see how well the SMF conversion script works on a test system. This testing is happening on my personal system right now. So I wont have anything available for you guys to test for a while.

Once I've confirmed that I'm happy with the results and the forum seems stable I'll do a test install on the new server and I'll let you guys check it out. Consider it a beta, when everyone seems happy and there are no bugs reported I will wipe the forums off of the new server and do the actual move with the latest data from this server.

I'll give you more details as things progress.

So, you are doing SMF? If so, good choice.

85GTS · « **Reply #23 on:** Sep 02, 2009, 12:07:02 pm »

Steven Benner · « **Reply #24 on:** Sep 02, 2009, 07:59:30 pm »

Yep, I'm testing with SMF.

Ran into several issues during the conversion, but I've got a working install of SMF running our boards data. The global statistics, like "Most users online", as well as the custom smileys have been lost. User settings have been lost.

But all of the data, image attachments, profiles, avatars, etc is still there. Incredibly the passwords system is still working. The passwords in the database are one-way encrypted, so SMF must use the same encryption scheme as our old IBF.

I have a lot more testing to do.

Now is the time to ask questions about what is and isn't in the new forum install.

Coop301 · « **Reply #25 on:** Sep 03, 2009, 10:48:01 am »

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Yep, I'm testing with SMF.

Ran into several issues during the conversion, but I've got a working install of SMF running our boards data. The global statistics, like "Most users online", as well as the custom smileys have been lost. User settings have been lost.

But all of the data, image attachments, profiles, avatars, etc is still there. Incredibly the passwords system is still working. The passwords in the database are one-way encrypted, so SMF must use the same encryption scheme as our old IBF.

I have a lot more testing to do.

Now is the time to ask questions about what is and isn't in the new forum install.

we will have to find a way to fix the custom smileys. Users can reset their settings. Some folks have not been in there in so long, good time for an update. Is there a way to put the most users online in the sql table manually? Just for historical sake? Although, that is such a little piece of data, that unless you want to be really anal, not really that important.

Steven Benner · « **Reply #26 on:** Sep 03, 2009, 05:52:42 pm »

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we will have to find a way to fix the custom smileys. Users can reset their settings. Some folks have not been in there in so long, good time for an update. Is there a way to put the most users online in the sql table manually? Just for historical sake? Although, that is such a little piece of data, that unless you want to be really anal, not really that important.

I'll just have to manually add in the smilies and codes. I might just build a set based on the one from the current board to save confusion.

I should be able to manually add the "Most users online" info. Our current record is "Most users ever online was 114 on Dec 14 2006, 03:22 PM". Two and a half years ago, how did we get that many online at once anyway

It appears that all of the calendar data was lost as well. I don't think it will be worth the time/additional-downtime to try to recover that data.

Overall I'm really liking SMF, it's fast and reasonably powerful with a good community backing it up.

Coop301 · « **Reply #27 on:** Sep 03, 2009, 06:00:44 pm »

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we will have to find a way to fix the custom smileys. Users can reset their settings. Some folks have not been in there in so long, good time for an update. Is there a way to put the most users online in the sql table manually? Just for historical sake? Although, that is such a little piece of data, that unless you want to be really anal, not really that important.
I'll just have to manually add in the smilies and codes. I might just build a set based on the one from the current board to save confusion.

I should be able to manually add the "Most users online" info. Our current record is "Most users ever online was 114 on Dec 14 2006, 03:22 PM". Two and a half years ago, how did we get that many online at once anyway

It appears that all of the calendar data was lost as well. I don't think it will be worth the time/additional-downtime to try to recover that data.

Overall I'm really liking SMF, it's fast and reasonably powerful with a good community backing it up.

maybe the community can help with some of these issues to make the transition easier.

Steven Benner · « **Reply #28 on:** Sep 03, 2009, 06:49:37 pm »

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maybe the community can help with some of these issues to make the transition easier.

Sure, anyone know how to make a smiley set for SMF 1.1?

It would help if someone could create a pre-packaged smiley set will all of our current icons and codes.

Something else worth noting is that all of the forum url's will be different, all bookmarks will be broken. It will take google a while to go through our 18,000 threads and countless thousands of pages.

Coop301 · « **Reply #29 on:** Sep 04, 2009, 11:52:50 am »

It's all good. I will try to get time to go out to the forums for smf and see if I can find some custom smileys. no sense in re-inventing the wheel, so to speak. I don't know anything about making them from scratch.