Shall we update Talkchess' software?

[JuLieN]

What we really need is a poll about why it is someone can program a chess engine yet not be able to use Google to find alternative phorum software that encompasses all who want to look.

http://www.phorum.org/demo/read.php?2,7,9#msg-9

Perhaps they are all fud's.......?

http://fudforum.org/forum/index.php?t=threadt&frm_id=14&



Chris

(And no Terry, I'm not going to explain the word "fud" to them from my perspective)

This is an update, Chris. Nobody here (but you, maybe?) wants to lose the invaluable content of this forum, the richest one of our community. And sadly, it is not possible to import a PHPBB's databases in phorum, nor is it really possible to do it with fudforum. Although it is partially possible with fudforum. Also, the developer's community around phpbb is plethoric, so we have many plugins available. Like the long-awaited pgn-replayer. But please, go on and develop a pgn-replayer for phorum or fudforum, then create a poll "do you want to switch to a new forum? you'll lose our content but you'll get a pgn-replayer I coded?" But frankly, you'd better use your time to update the threadview plugin to phpbb3. This would be a good start.

@K I Hyams
We, just like all users on this forum, are really aware that people who use the threaded view will be the ones making an effort with the update. There is no denial of that. When people vote, they balance all the pros and the con, and they decide that the pros exceed the con.

The good news, again, is that we intend to support a very active internal development of plugins for Talkchess, as stated previously. Talkchess has been asleep for years, and we intend to give it a new life. So, updating the threadview plugin will of course be a part of it (if possible). Any person willing to help will be welcome! You, for instance?

[Don]

Have all voted?

We should update it. We should provide a small (inconspicuous shall we say) symbol of a gun next to the Post button. Upon pressing the gun button, I think that a list of the banal programmers that we hate should appear allowing us to excommunicate them from real life.

I have no idea if the "gun" idea is a goer......but one thing I can say is this.......that when they all come back from shooting practise that threaded view will be here whilst I am here.

Let's celebrate......the bullet. It is an "education".



Chris

Which banal programmers? The're so many. Be a massacre.
Something to celebrate? Who would be educated? Parabellum in the Cerebellum is a dubious education.

What we really need is a poll about why it is someone can program a chess engine yet not be able to use Google to find alternative phorum software that encompasses all who want to look.

I'm not opposed to exploring possibilities with the software, but since this is a chess forum it's a "must" for me that the software supports game widgets that can read PGN and that put long chess program log output into scroll-able boxes to get out of our way.

If the current software could be updated with these widget plugins it would satisfy me for the time being but it seems silly to not just upgrade the entire thing.

The phorum software is visually appealing but that doesn't mean much to me. It generally takes some time and experience with a forum to know how good it is. I would rather have something that works that something that looks good. Maybe it's as awesome as it looks? But does it have a chess widget or could one be added as a plugin?

http://www.phorum.org/demo/read.php?2,7,9#msg-9

Perhaps they are all fud's.......?

http://fudforum.org/forum/index.php?t=threadt&frm_id=14&



Chris

(And no Terry, I'm not going to explain the word "fud" to them from my perspective)

[Don]

The only draw back, for a few users, is that the thread view would be unavailable.

17% in this poll and a larger percentage in the last one.

But this could be brought back in the future

How about diverting some of your enthusiam to the task of bringing it back at the same time as the update is made?

and it's a minor draw-back considering all the improvements.

Well, those who do not use thread view, probably would see it as a minor drawback. However those who do use it might take a different view. Have you asked a representative sample of thread view users why they use it and whether they agree with your statement that it is only a minor inconvenience to lose it?

Also, no users would be annoyed by long threads, like they are with thread view.

If you are suggesting that the cure for users being annoyed by long threads is to remove the option to see them in thread view, then I would suggest that there is another, more obvious, way and that way is already at the disposal of the thread view user.

I think the majority here want the new forum for several reasons but probably the number one reason is the chess widget which is badly needed. But for whatever reasons the majority appear to want the new forum.

In this case it turns out that you happen to be in the minority. I'm sorry about that. I don't know how to put this delicately, but you imply that the majority are being selfish and that they should vote the way that would please you the most.

If I'm wrong, then tell me what it is that you are proposing. Is this just a general attack on our preference or for being "insensitive" to your preferences? I wold have to ask the follow up question, why are you being insensitive to our preferences?

What I would like to see happen is that we move to the new forum if the majority agree and then actively pursue getting thread view implemented.

[Don]

Same with aliases, I prefer people use their real name but I would never lose any sleep over this one. In OpenChess alias are allowed. No big deal. Different things have different importance to different people.

No big deal if elected moderators aren't important to you either.

-Sam-

What does one have to do with the other?

[Christopher Conkie]

What we really need is a poll about why it is someone can program a chess engine yet not be able to use Google to find alternative phorum software that encompasses all who want to look.

http://www.phorum.org/demo/read.php?2,7,9#msg-9

Perhaps they are all fud's.......?

http://fudforum.org/forum/index.php?t=threadt&frm_id=14&



Chris

(And no Terry, I'm not going to explain the word "fud" to them from my perspective)

This is an update, Chris. Nobody here (but you, maybe?) wants to lose the invaluable content of this forum, the richest one of our community. And sadly, it is not possible to import a PHPBB's databases in phorum, nor is it really possible to do it with fudforum. Although it is partially possible with fudforum. Also, the developer's community around phpbb is plethoric, so we have many plugins available. Like the long-awaited pgn-replayer. But please, go on and develop a pgn-replayer for phorum or fudforum, then create a poll "do you want to switch to a new forum? you'll lose our content but you'll get a pgn-replayer I coded?" But frankly, you'd better use your time to update the threadview plugin to phpbb3. This would be a good start.

@K I Hyams
We, just like all users on this forum, are really aware that people who use the threaded view will be the ones making an effort with the update. There is no denial of that. When people vote, they balance all the pros and the con, and they decide that the pros exceed the con.

The good news, again, is that we intend to support a very active internal development of plugins for Talkchess, as stated previously. Talkchess has been asleep for years, and we intend to give it a new life. So, updating the threadview plugin will of course be a part of it (if possible). Any person willing to help will be welcome! You, for instance?

Excuse me but IT IS possible to import a phpBB database into Phorum because I did it.

On November 2nd 2004 if you must know.....

Christopher Conkie

MCT MCSE MCDBA MCITP MCTS MCSA MCDST MCP+Internet MCP

[Don]

Same with aliases, I prefer people use their real name but I would never lose any sleep over this one. In OpenChess alias are allowed. No big deal. Different things have different importance to different people.

No big deal if elected moderators aren't important to you either.

-Sam-

Don't forget that OpenChess was originally set up to try and lure members away from here, by disaffected moderators here at the time. That was made patently clear.
http://www.talkchess.com/forum/viewtopi ... 40&start=0

Despite their forum rules being pretty much a copy of the Talkchess charter, members there were allowed to get away with rampant personal attacks and abuse directed at me, without moderation interfering.
So I made what proved to be some errors of judgement at the time that that happened (for which I apologised), but hopefully that's all water under the bridge by now.
I think I'd prefer to be part of a forum where the elected moderators do their best to be impartial and disallow open and targeted abuse against somebody.

Anyway, just thought I'd make some aware of the history behind all this.

I was not aware of that history. But for me it was only about the newer forum software and so far my experience has been extremely pleasant. I'll leave if it ceases to be so. Life is too short and all that ...

I did once try to create a presence on the Rybka forum and I was immediately attacked by the pro-Rybka pit bulls. I did not go there to make a political statement or to attack Vas or Rybka, but there is worthwhile content there on occasion and I like to contribute. It was suggested that I was not wanted and that I should leave - so I did. I don't believe most of those people are like that, but there is a small group of loyal worshipers who form a "cult" around Rybka. Who is going to stick around where they are not wanted?

And to set the record straight I dd not ask to have my membership revoked and I did not make the long dramatic "I'm outta here because you suck" rant. I cringe when I see those kind of tantrums.

[JuLieN]

Excuse me but IT IS possible to import a phpBB database into Phorum because I did it.

On November 2nd 2004 if you must know.....

Christopher Conkie

MCT MCSE MCDBA MCITP MCTS MCSA MCDST MCP+Internet MCP

Good, then go tell them the good news, because the guys at Phorum don't believe they can do it. But they are believing this in 2012.

[K I Hyams]

But for whatever reasons the majority appear to want the new forum.

Yes, and that would have been the case even if the original proposal had been phrased in a neutral way.

In this case it turns out that you happen to be in the minority.

Yes

I'm sorry about that.

No you are not.

I don't know how to put this delicately,

A pity that you didn't try.

but you imply that the majority are being selfish and that they should vote the way that would please you the most.

I neither implied nor said anything of the sort. I did, however, imply that the format of the original proposition was far from neutral.

If I'm wrong, then tell me what it is that you are proposing. Is this just a general attack on our preference or for being "insensitive" to your preferences? I wold have to ask the follow up question, why are you being insensitive to our preferences?

Another rant. Neither of your questions is worthy of an answer.

[JuLieN]

Excuse me but IT IS possible to import a phpBB database into Phorum because I did it.

On November 2nd 2004 if you must know.....

Christopher Conkie

MCT MCSE MCDBA MCITP MCTS MCSA MCDST MCP+Internet MCP

Good, then go tell them the good news, because the guys at Phorum don't believe they can do it. But they are believing this in 2012.

I will just add that, despite your uncivil way to promote your ideas (that would automatically get any audience oppose them), we are not opposed at all to them and are, at the contrary, very opened to any positive suggestion.

- If one of those other forum software is not a regression when compared to PHPBB3;
- if it doesn't destroy our database and, at the contrary, import it flawlessly;
- if it has the chess plugins that make us willing to update;
- if it has enough advantages over PHPBB3 to legitimate the move toward a totally different software;

So, although this is not into the scope of this more modest poll to discuss this for now, this is definitively something to consider anyway, and we are more than happy to encourage any discussion in the direction of anything that could improve Talkchess.

[Don]

Excuse me but IT IS possible to import a phpBB database into Phorum because I did it.

On November 2nd 2004 if you must know.....

Christopher Conkie

MCT MCSE MCDBA MCITP MCTS MCSA MCDST MCP+Internet MCP

Good, then go tell them the good news, because the guys at Phorum don't believe they can do it. But they are believing this in 2012.

I will just add that, despite your uncivil way to promote your ideas (that would automatically get any audience oppose them), we are not opposed at all to them and are, at the contrary, very opened to any positive suggestion.

- If one of those other forum software is not a regression when compared to PHPBB3;
- if it doesn't destroy our database and, at the contrary, import it flawlessly;
- if it has the chess plugins that make us willing to update;
- if it has enough advantages over PHPBB3 to legitimate the move toward a totally different software;

So, although this is not into the scope of this more modest poll to discuss this for now, this is definitively something to consider anyway, and we are more than happy to encourage any discussion in the direction of anything that could improve Talkchess.

Does any of these forums support thread view? That seems to be important to almost 20% of our users, a minority but a non-trivial minority.

So it's at least worth a look. I big issue is support of phones and tablet and only the PHPBB3 has good support of that, but I don't know how important that might be to our users.