PF Upgrade: Fixing Annoying Bugs & Layout Errors

  • Thread starter Thread starter Greg Bernhardt
  • Start date Start date
AI Thread Summary
The forum upgrade is set to begin Monday or Tuesday, resulting in temporary downtime and a switch to the default skin to expedite the process. Users will not need to re-register, as all member information will be preserved during the upgrade. Some users have reported minor issues, such as cookie problems, but overall, feedback on the new layout has been positive, despite concerns about excessive brightness. Discussions also arose regarding the introduction of paid memberships, which would offer perks like custom avatars and signatures, leading to mixed reactions among users about the necessity and fairness of these changes. The upgrade aims to enhance user experience by fixing bugs and layout errors, while also addressing funding needs for the forum's sustainability.
Greg Bernhardt
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Well folks, it's here finally! The new version of our forum software is out and it's beautiful! This weekend I will start planning for the upgrade and I hope to start either Monday or Tuesday. During the upgrade the forums will be done and you'll find the site password protected. I'm not entirely sure how long the upgrade will take, however along with the upgrade we will be reinstalling the LaTeX hack and a few other hacks I am excited about. To make the upgrade time shorter we will use the forum default skin and work on that later. Just think, all the annoying bugs and terrible layout errors will be fixed!

So recap:
Forum upgrade
Downtime Monday or Tuesday for most of the day
Default skin
A few hacks will be added initially
 
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Do we need do anything like reapplying to PF (a la last year) to maintain our member status/information?
 
Originally posted by Loren Booda
Do we need do anything like reapplying to PF (a la last year) to maintain our member status/information?

Good question (considering our past). You won't need to reregister, everything will be preserved and carried along with the upgrade.
 
I hope to start this afternoon. If I do the forums might be down for a few hours.
 
Woohoo!
 
Very nice, Greg...easy on the eyes, too!
 
Zero said:
Very nice, Greg...easy on the eyes, too!

Thanks zero, lots left to do, but I have enough done to open it back up :smile:
 
It's all so...different. I like the change
 
So many buttons! I like this quick reply
 
  • #10
Very nice!
I missed the notice of the change over, was caught by surprise when the fourms suddenly disapeared! Looks like the upgrade went smooth. Congrats Greg!
 
  • #11
So many buttons! I like this quick reply

I love quick reply. I wish more forums would have that feature.
 
  • #12
Pretty! Where's the centerfold?
 
  • #13
Greg, I found a little problem. Something went wrong with the cookie system after I did an advanced reply. Got the following message:

Unable to add cookies, header already sent.
File: /htdocs/www/includes/functions_bbcodeparse.php
Line: 1467

I had to clear my cookies and sign back on.

Btw, very nice improvements to the site
 
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  • #14
the site looks great! the only thing i sort of wish we had is a shout box, similar to what philosophyforums has...it's a small chat box in real time, and it's kinda neat.
 
  • #15
It isn't going to look like this for long is it? The excessive amount of white makes it really hard on the eyes.
 
  • #16
I think the color scheme is very good. ShawnD, you should try to turn down the brightness and contrast on your monitor if the white bothers you.
 
  • #17
ShawnD said:
The excessive amount of white makes it really hard on the eyes.
I was thinking the same thing. I had to dim my screen. I really liked the soft blue.

I also noticed everyone except the mentor's avatars now say "registered user".
 
  • #18
It'd be great if the boards were password protected.

Like, you can't see inside the board without a membership. Once you click on General Physics, General Discussion, Software it'll say, "Membership required"

More private and less 1 post members.
 
  • #19
Kerrie said:
the site looks great! the only thing i sort of wish we had is a shout box, similar to what philosophyforums has...it's a small chat box in real time, and it's kinda neat.


A shoutbox can be added, maybe for contributing members? :wink:
 
  • #20
Dagenais said:
It'd be great if the boards were password protected.

Like, you can't see inside the board without a membership. Once you click on General Physics, General Discussion, Software it'll say, "Membership required"

That would suck. Whenever I see a forum like that, it tells me they are desperate for members. The last 3 or 4 forums like that I have joined only had like 20 members and had very little activity.
 
  • #21
That would suck. Whenever I see a forum like that, it tells me they are desperate for members. The last 3 or 4 forums like that I have joined only had like 20 members and had very little activity.

Why would keeping your forums safe(r) and private give you that impression?

There are close to no disadvantages to it.
 
  • #22
dduardo said:
Greg, I found a little problem. Something went wrong with the cookie system after I did an advanced reply. Got the following message:
Don't worry, I'm pretty sure you just happened to load a page right as I was modifying the bbcode parser for LaTeX. Shouldn't happen again.

- Warren
 
  • #23
(from "Cheap Sunglasses" by Z Z Top)

When you sign on Physics Forums and the light is hurt your head
The first thing you do when you get up out of bed
Is hit that streets a-runnin' and try to beat the masses
And go get yourself some cheap sunglasses
 
  • #24
Zero said:
Very nice, Greg...easy on the eyes, too!
You think so? I just woke up and I am scrabling to find some sunglasses! :S
 
  • #25
mm... really.. the page is so busy it hurts my eyes :( I liked the other layout better..
 
  • #26
Funny you should say that. I really am wearing sunglasses as I view the board.
 
  • #27
I changed the white background, that should help a little bit for now.
 
  • #28
I'm not invisible and I should be.

Now they all know where I am!
 
  • #29
Oh, that sure helps a lot! Thanks Greg :)
I hope the page is going to be compacted (like getting rid of the big blue bar between the posts), but that can be discussed later.
 
  • #30
Hmmm...
What was wrong with the old look?

Aside from being much more comfortable to view, it was easier to see at a glance the thread title, thread starter and last poster. It was also convenient to see who was at each forum, and to be able to jump directly from one forum to another.
 
  • #31
I really like the new color scheme and the general look better, but I agree some features were more practical before the upgrade.
Anyway, great job!
 
  • #32
Go greg! Go greg!

Much better, thanks!
 
  • #33
if there isnt, how about a user side custom theme colour settings?

i also had to readd my avatar. and omg wheres my sig message gone??

and i like the blue bar. it helps to know when one post ends and another starts.
 
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  • #34
!sdrawkcab tuo semoc epyt I gnihtyreve ,yeH

lrojN
 
  • #35
Gara said:
and i like the blue bar. it helps to know when one post ends and another starts.
You actually LIKE the blue bar? I think it is too much scrolling, too chaotic and too contrasting (not very easy on the eyes)..
 
  • #36
The option to be invisible is gone.

We can't customize avatars anymore either? I didn't see an option for it.
 
  • #37
Evo said:
The option to be invisible is gone.

We can't customize avatars anymore either? I didn't see an option for it.

As you already have seen I am setting up to offer paid memberships, which will include certain perks :smile:
 
  • #38
As you already have seen I am setting up to offer paid memberships, which will include certain perks

The perks are features you ripped away from under the "free" users' noses? :frown:
 
  • #39
Dagenais said:
The perks are features you ripped away from under the "free" users' noses? :frown:

Some yes, some no. Ripped away eh? Nice drama touch
 
  • #40
Greg Bernhardt said:
As you already have seen I am setting up to offer paid memberships, which will include certain perks :smile:
I had a sneaking suspiscion that was what you had in mind.

Very clever!
 
  • #41
wtf? avatars and sigs will have to be paid for? that's just wrong.

______________________________________
Theres something here from somewhere else.
It's all over and I'm standing pretty,
In this dust that was a city.
 
  • #42
Gara said:
wtf? avatars and sigs will have to be paid for? that's just wrong.

I'm sorry you feel this way. If you enjoy and appreciate PF you'll sign up for the paid memberships. Give back to your community, the fees will be about as much as a bag of chips per month.
 
  • #43
Can we at least keep the avatars? I recognize most people by looking at their avatar, that's how I remember who Doc Al, Monique, Chroot, Hurkyl, HallsofIvy, Zero, russ_watters, enigma, Phobos, and Chen are.
 
  • #44
It may seem dictatorial or unjust, but you have to consider the other side of the equation. PF does not exist in a vacuum; it needs funding to continue to exist, and the money pulled in from the banner ads does not cover it. The prices being discussed are not prohibitive in any sense. If you badly want an avatar and signature, you can pay a small, essentially negligible fee and in the process contribute to the continued existence of PF; if not, you can still disucss ideas, share information and the like without paying.

In an ideal world perhaps it would not be like this, but the fact of the matter is that there are financial requirements that need to be met in some way or another. The idea is to ensure that these requirements are met while not sacrificing the spirit of free discourse. For this reason I think it is entirely reasonable that peripheral features such as avatars and signatures, which are attractive and nice but which nonetheless are not essential to the basic workings of the site, require a small fee. It makes one more likely to offer badly needed financial support to PF while at the same time not making the cost of refusing to pay prohibitive.
 
  • #45
Yeah, uh how is this paying thing going to work cos i know a lot of you are in USA but what about your foreign visitors?. I feel so regular. A "registered user" with no Va Va Voom...dont take that away from me Greg! Oh yeah, colour scheme is brightish, quite pleasing to the eye, it will take some getting used to however. Congrats

edit...oh wait, I am still Chopnik. WOOT!

VA VA VOOM!
 
  • #46
jimmy p said:
edit...oh wait, I am still Chopnik. WOOT!

VA VA VOOM!
You'll ALWAYS be Chopnik! :wink:
I notice there are no signatures anymore, either. Will these be among the 'paid member only' items?
 
  • #47
Why does the Quick Reply give you the option to 'quote message in reply' but NOT LET YOU CLICK IT? And whose message would be quoted if we WERE allowed to click it? I realize it's kind of a moot point, but I was just curious.
 
  • #48
Tsunami said:
Why does the Quick Reply give you the option to 'quote message in reply' but NOT LET YOU CLICK IT? And whose message would be quoted if we WERE allowed to click it? I realize it's kind of a moot point, but I was just curious.

Yes. And see that icon next to the quote button for each thread? Click that and then proceed to the quick reply, the checkbox will be enabled.
 
  • #49
i know a place like this has to make money in some way.

it just makes Gara sad :(

______________________________________
Theres something here from somewhere else.
It's all over and I'm standing pretty,
In this dust that was a city.
 
  • #50
The payment structure that Greg is proposing here is one that I've seen work successfully on a number of other forums. It's the fairest way to deal with it, IMO. Not having a custom avatar does not make the site any less useful to you -- you're really paying the fee not to use pf, but to support it. The custom avatar and so on is just a perk.

- Warren
 

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