An honest question. Response and discussion requested.

[Wayne]

Hi guys,

Here's the deal. If I survive tax season this year, I will need to start investing in the business for next year's taxes. To that end, I'm still considering purchasing Social Engine or other site software.

My question is, if (and it's all theoretical at this point) if I moved Whyzzat to different software like that, would you follow, or would that be the final straw?

The intent -- taxes aside -- really is to move to a more user-centric software that's a lot more inviting than "old" forum software like this tends to be.

Opinions? Ideas? Suggestions? Comments? Bitches? Gripes? Grumbles?

 

[cecilia]

will the new software be able to keep the data we have been accumulating all these years or will will start everything empty and new?

 

[Wayne]

Cecelia,

Honestly, that's a question I can't yet answer because this is all theoretical. Optimally there will be some sort of import ability, but considering we're not talking about strict forum software per se, I'm not quite sure whether doing so would be relevant at all.

Part of the thing I've always wanted to solve is that there are now what, 3 or 4 people here, where I'd love to see great communication between 300 to 3000? I understand the biggest issue here is one of targeting and marketing (why is whyzzat here, that sort of thing) but I'm just not sure what I'd like to actually do.

Taxes, as you can imagine, have been on my mind as of late (as they are every 1st quarter of every year), and I've done a shit job of planning the last few years with all the location and job changes, so I want to try to get a jump on it this year with planning expenditures and investments in software and hardware.

So far, in the last month, I can count a Mac Mini, 3 27" monitors, a few hard drives and the like for a mini graphics / casting station from the office. Now comes software.

Wayne

 

[Robert]

I imagine I'll continue to follow this dwindling band of ageing nutters until I'm just arguing with myself so, yes, I will probably follow.

 

[ilwrath]

Well, it's difficult to say why I do or don't browse to any particular site. It usually has to do with me having a few free minutes at work and such...

That said, I don't think I'd stop browsing just because of a forum software change. Especially if it stirs some more activity. It would be nice if it could keep the old data, though.

 

[cecilia]

Well, it's difficult to say why I do or don't browse to any particular site. It usually has to do with me having a few free minutes at work and such...

That said, I don't think I'd stop browsing just because of a forum software change. Especially if it stirs some more activity. It would be nice if it could keep the old data, though.

that sums up my feeling - including Roberts comment about "ageing nutters"

 

[the_leander]

Tbh having seen the potential of the software that was in the trial I'd be very curious to see where this place went.

Reddit for me has long since lost it's shine and tbh something new might well be just the thing.

Then again I say this as I've just started watching John Le Carre's "Smiley's People", the sequel to "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" which is my all time favourite spy series.

Either way, I'll stick around.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

I have no idea if I'd follow. Probably, out of habit and social proclivity. I know people here. However, I don't know the new software and when I did take a look at it I didn't grock it. The trial period has expired on it now so I can't even go back and see.

Migrating the data is something that I think is very important to me (and it gives a new site an instant past, else you got nothing but a blank slate which, if you don't have high traffic to flesh it out quickly, looks very moribund.

Actually, losing the database is one of the things that irked me in the past. I've put so many words in here sometimes it's almost like a diary - what did I think of such and such a year ago - two years - three. I'd love to see a database export (obviously have to take out the user tables).

 

[Wayne]

What about if I were to;

1. Archive the current site to something like archive.whyzzat.com (but read only) for reference
2. Build the new site on the current URL.

That would -- seemingly -- provide both a new site and a way to access / cut/paste the old data into new topics or places as need be without it getting "in the way".

Granted, it wouldn't solve the "moribund blank state" issue, but I'm hoping that I have enough taxes left over to;

1. Build a 4ghz hackintosh / game box / hobby machine to hook up to the TV.
   
2. Redesign/refocus Whyzzat or build another site.

#2 is less about establishing income than it is about trying to alleviate boredom and build another Amiga.org STYLE (not Amiga-related) experience with lots and lots of users and fun... I just can't seem to think of another niche idea these days that no one has covered yet.

Maybe a site about tech wearables which would allow me to buy them and expense them on my taxes... Nope, wait... Damn... covered.

Wayne

 

[ilwrath]

What about if I were to;

1. Archive the current site to something like archive.whyzzat.com (but read only) for reference
2. Build the new site on the current URL.

That would -- seemingly -- provide both a new site and a way to access / cut/paste the old data into new topics or places as need be without it getting "in the way".

Speaking just as myself, at least... That would seem to be the solution that would make the most sense. Lock the current site, and it just becomes reference that we can search and link back to as relevant from the new threads in the new system.

 

[metalman]

I have stopped posting here

according to faethor, you're all too delicate of snowflakes for my posts

metalman,

Your message (Funny Pics '15) contains inappropriate content. Please do not discuss content of this nature on our site. This does not follow our rules

Jazz hands

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

I have stopped posting here

according to faethor, you're all too delicate of snowflakes for my posts

Was that another one of those posts of leather clad chaps with their willies out?

 

[JoBBo]

Speaking just as myself, at least... That would seem to be the solution that would make the most sense. Lock the current site, and it just becomes reference that we can search and link back to as relevant from the new threads in the new system.

The issue I see is that keeping the old site around in a "locked state" still requires exactly the same amount of maintenance as would be required for keeping it fully operational. However, if nobody is allowed to post anymore, chances are that site maintenance will essentially stop sooner or later which might result in digital vandalism, data theft, etc. In fact, if both the new and old site run on the same server, leaving an unmaintained copy on the server may compromise the security of the new site.

 

[Wayne]

The issue I see is that keeping the old site around in a "locked state" still requires exactly the same amount of maintenance as would be required for keeping it fully operational. However, if nobody is allowed to post anymore, chances are that site maintenance will essentially stop sooner or later which might result in digital vandalism, data theft, etc. In fact, if both the new and old site run on the same server, leaving an unmaintained copy on the server may compromise the security of the new site.

That's true sir.

I'm just not enjoying running "the same old" forum software any more. 20+ years is enough for me, so I'm trying to move to something more appealing (to me anyway) while trying to preserve the historical (like 15 years) worth of data and posts and stuff. Not sure there's a way to do both, and I'm fairly sure that eventually the archive would simply disappear, but new signups are already disabled (on this site) because of spammers and bots. Not sure how much worse it would be, but I'm hoping the new software does a better job of bot control.

Wayne

 

[JoBBo]

I'm just not enjoying running "the same old" forum software any more. 20+ years is enough for me, so I'm trying to move to something more appealing (to me anyway) while trying to preserve the historical (like 15 years) worth of data and posts and stuff. Not sure there's a way to do both, and I'm fairly sure that eventually the archive would simply disappear

If you do not enjoy the old Whyzzat as much as you used to and have little motivation to continue to maintain it, you do not have to more or less destroy it. Have you even considered to ask if somebody else would be interested to take over and preserve the content?

but new signups are already disabled (on this site) because of spammers and bots. Not sure how much worse it would be, but I'm hoping the new software does a better job of bot control.

I remember when you moved Whyzzat from the spam-plagued PHPBB3 to XenForo. How come the website still has a spam problem at all? Also, please do not take this the wrong way but how likely is it that your new social network will suffer the exact same fate as the previous incarnations of Whyzzat because you lack the motivation to customize the registration process a little bit in order to throw off bots?

 

[Wayne]

If you do not enjoy the old Whyzzat as much as you used to and have little motivation to continue to maintain it, you do not have to more or less destroy it. Have you even considered to ask if somebody else would be interested to take over and preserve the content?

It's not a lack of motivation or interest in the site or concept itself, it's a lack of motivation towards forums in general.

I remember when you moved Whyzzat from the spam-plagued PHPBB3 to XenForo. How come the website still has a spam problem at all?

Because spammers adapt more quickly than the code, and because I just haven't had time to constantly update the site's software because each update breaks everything that has to be fixed over and over again.

If Xenforo had been like Wordpress in one single respect (automatic software updates), I would still be interested. The fact that I can't turn on the option to create new accounts means that the forum can't grow. If it can't grow (even a member at a time) it sits and dwindles with the same 8 people having the same conversation forever.

As I understand it, later versions of Xenforo built in better anti-spam protection which "mutates" the form every time, but even when it was enabled, no one real was ever signing up and I have no idea -- with as entrenched as this installation was with you guys dug into your respective positions -- how I could have ever changed that without a complete kick to the head...

Also, please do not take this the wrong way but how likely is it that your new social network will suffer the exact same fate as the previous incarnations of Whyzzat because you lack the motivation to customize the registration process a little bit in order to throw off bots?

I don't know whether it will, or it won't suffer the same fate, but I've long-since forgotten (quite literally) everything I've ever known about PHP and MySQL over the last 15 years, and learning PHP again to try and figure it out just isn't appealing to me at all.

Wayne

 

[Wayne]

For the record, it seems that -- while there's been a little growing pain -- everyone's actually using it...

Wayne

 

[JoBBo]

FYI... Your homepage uses copyrighted photos of various actors such as D.B. Woodside, who was on Suits last season, and Portia de Rossi of Arrested Development fame.

Example: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1583847680/nm0940851?ref_=nmmi_mi_all_pbl_26

You may want to replace all of these photos (or switch themes)...

 

[Wayne]

What homepage?

 

[Wayne]

Ah, ok. Nevermind. The landing page of the new site.

I'm not particularly concerned but will gladly pass along the message to the authors of the theme who created the image (which is displayed across probably tens of thousands of sites)..

What does strike me as interesting -- if not weird -- is your concern over small details for a site you don't care enough to actually join or participate in.

Wayne