luchog
Neo-Post-Retro-Revivalist
I'm learning a lot more about kittens.
Future of the Forum
- Thread starter idoubtit
- Start date
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- Tags
- future of forum isf new forum
I'm learning a lot more about kittens.
arthwollipot
Observer of Phenomena, Pronouns: he/him
You know why kittening was stopped. It was stopped for a good reason.
I fourth this notion. The forum should essentially be copied and pasted in full (in terms of post content), in my view.
Blue Mountain
Resident Skeptical Hobbit
If I recall correctly, the reason was it was uncivil behaviour, in that it was (usually) not attempting to address the thread topic. When it happened, it was often taken as a sign that the thread had run its course.
Here's a poll on that topic from 2011, with 144 responders (excluding the 'Planet X' option). Curiously, although 67% of those responders thought it was uncivi, 60% thought the mods shouldn't address it.
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I would be sad if the post count is reset. I use it to see who I am dealing with, because I treat rookies differently from old hands, especially concerning knowledge of skepticism. A question about test protocols is not the same if it is asked by someone with 50 posts, or someone with 5,000 posts.
AdMan
Penultimate Amazing
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2010
- Messages
- 10,293
I would also prefer it if they are able to keep the post count, but if that's not possible, it would be good if they can at least keep the original join date. That would at least show who has been here for a while, and may be more relevant.
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Oh, really?
I look at the signing up date to see who I'm dealing with. Some of the woo nutters on these forums have a pretty high post count.
I concur.
A little tidbit on the whole joining date that may be of interest...
When the forums were first formed, the registrations were taken and if I remember correctly there was some kind of glitch after a few days, which meant that everyone had to re-register from scratch. I was away for a few days at the time of the glitch and remember being miffed that I had originally been one of the first 10 people to register (I think I was just lucky in that I had followed Randi's original form of blogging and was sitting at my computer when the forums first registrations became active) and on re-registration my registering position had moved to 60-odd.
Anyone else who has a registration date of Aug 2001 will probably have gone through the same procedure.
When the forums were first formed, the registrations were taken and if I remember correctly there was some kind of glitch after a few days, which meant that everyone had to re-register from scratch. I was away for a few days at the time of the glitch and remember being miffed that I had originally been one of the first 10 people to register (I think I was just lucky in that I had followed Randi's original form of blogging and was sitting at my computer when the forums first registrations became active) and on re-registration my registering position had moved to 60-odd.
Anyone else who has a registration date of Aug 2001 will probably have gone through the same procedure.
I've trashed my reputation here by being a willing contrarian, taking up the unwelcomed roles of Creationist, Christian Apologist, and even wearing the robes of NeoModernism. My post count is all I have left. If that goes away, I'll have to go back to being sane.
Yes. The voices confirm this.
Aepervius
Non credunt, semper verificare
Danger of anaphylactic shock of allergic poster due to cute kitten hair (photo of) ?
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Octavo
Illuminator
That's a great metaphor - conjures up wonderful imagery for me. I'm going to use it everywhere I can from now on
Donn
Philosopher
The_Fire
Unimpressed Female
Depending on the database layout of the new software, it may be possible to migrate the joindate at the very least. It will probably take some finangling, but possible. It may also take runing it past a php script depending on wether or not the formats of the date is the same in both databases. EG. I use unix datestamp in my coding while some may use the more standard yyyy-mm-dd-hh-min-sec format.
The post count....Well, it should be possible. Here it depends on wether or not the new software supports it. THat being said, I haven't run into a forum software that doesn't support this feature.
I am talking as someone who HAVEN'T had a look at the potential new software though.
The post count....Well, it should be possible. Here it depends on wether or not the new software supports it. THat being said, I haven't run into a forum software that doesn't support this feature.
I am talking as someone who HAVEN'T had a look at the potential new software though.
Foolmewunz
Grammar Resistance Leader, TLA Dictator
I think everyone with a join date of 2001 deserves to be a Prime (as in Transformer 2 when the old geezer says something along the lines of "Look, it's a Prime" when he first re-encounters Optimus).
Oh, and you're #114, by the way.
SatansMaleVoiceChoir
Illuminator
Did anyone suggest 'the Jolly Ruffians Education Forum' as a new name?
SatansMaleVoiceChoir
Illuminator
Did you suggest that?!
Orphia Nay
Penguilicious Spodmaster., Tagger
icerat has said several times that the forum data will not be lost. The forum will firstly move to a new server (to free it from randi.org).
When the server side is running smoothly, the forum software will be changed to XenForo. XenForo allows importing of VBulletin data, so we will not lose any posts/forums/postcounts.
(As I understand it. Hope this helps, icerat.)
When the server side is running smoothly, the forum software will be changed to XenForo. XenForo allows importing of VBulletin data, so we will not lose any posts/forums/postcounts.
(As I understand it. Hope this helps, icerat.)
Joey McGee
Banned
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2011
- Messages
- 10,307
I usually just read the words people are saying in order to understand if they know what they are talking about. Maybe I have a special talent for this that makes post counts irrelevant?
So I'm lost a bit... the address of the forum will change and we'll garbage our extremely well-earned search engine ranking? Cause that seems tragic and unnecessary.
So I'm lost a bit... the address of the forum will change and we'll garbage our extremely well-earned search engine ranking? Cause that seems tragic and unnecessary.
Donn
Philosopher
Has to be done; the dock doesn't want this ship berthed there any longer. Gotta head out to different waters.
Hopefully not as these days there are standard ways of ameliorating a change of address.
Blue Mountain
Resident Skeptical Hobbit
If the JREF co-operates, it's entirely possible to forward complete URLs from the old forum to the new one. For example, going to http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=281170&page=46 will result in a redirect to http://newforumname.org/showthread.php?t=281170&page=46. I've written Sharon already to let her know this can be done, and have proof of concept code running on my own little web server.
With the secret hope that the ship will eventually sink, perhaps?
If you don't like the idea of this forum disassociating or separating itself from the Randi Foundation (JREF), I suggest that many of you write to J. Randi to express your concerns (his e-mail address used to be randi@randi.org, not sure whether this address is still valid, though), with a copy to Sharon Hill (sharon@randi.org), and report the result on this forum (it seems that Randi doesn't read this forum much; so, even if you present marvelous arguments here, explaining why the forum should definitely stay with JREF, your ideas may turn out to be completely ignored if you don't forward them to the JREF leadership). He also (apparently) has a phone number at the Foundation (see this page).
?
But, this forum is still at forums.randi.org. And icerat could still help on technical issues (and, probably, already has).
The only options the JREF appears to view as viable are closing the forum down or allowing it to be transferred. We are lucky that they are agreeing to the latter. Making waves at this point is only likely to make them reconsider in favour of the former option.
anduin
Critical Thinker
As one of the forum's longest-serving lurkers, I'm enjoying this thread.
RecoveringYuppy
Penultimate Amazing
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2006
- Messages
- 14,185
I'd be pretty sure they don't want more argument. Annoying Randi is the last thing this forum needs right now.
There is no need to annoy, that's not at all what I mean, I think Randi could actually feel flattered and honored if there is massive attention devoted to the future of his forum. Some people here seem to like this forum, as part of the JREF, but are they ready to do what is necessary to protect it, and ensure its long-term survival, or is it just hypocrisy? That's a question I am asking myself.
LSSBB
Devilish Dictionarian
Headline: Online forum kicked off the lawn by cranky old man.
Slowvehicle
Membership Drive , Co-Ordinator,, Russell's Antin
Has there been any news? A week is a fairly long "few days..."
(I'm having separation anxiety issues)
(I'm having separation anxiety issues)
LSSBB
Devilish Dictionarian
Yes, some kind of target date would help ease uncertainty.
Slowvehicle
Membership Drive , Co-Ordinator,, Russell's Antin
I appreciate the sentiment, I truly do.
OTH, I don't want to find out, one evening, that I had a 15-minute window to transfer to the new forum during my third period forensics class; and that, since I waited to log in until I got home after quad duty, I am no longer welcome...
Don't mind me.
RecoveringYuppy
Penultimate Amazing
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2006
- Messages
- 14,185
Perhaps you could tell him what he should prefer for breakfast?
It seems pretty clear from what he has said and the amount of he spends on (mostly off) the forum that he doesn't want to spend more time on forum related stuff.
Unless something goes drastically wrong the process of being able to transfer over to the new forum is very likely to be in place for months.