New forums

[Computer Hope Admin]

Computer Hope plans on attempting to migrate its forums to a new forum system after the continued errors that we've been encountering with the current forum system. I plan on attempting the conversion process late Friday (3/22/2007) @ 9:00PM (MST), which should be moving all users and messages to the new forums. Because I want this to go as smoothly as possible the forums will go into maintenance mode (wont be able to login or post) while being converted.

All discussions up to now about this change have been made on the below post.

http://www.computerhope.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1174545858

As mentioned on the above post a very basic example of the forums at their current state can be found on the below URL. In addition if successful the new forums will be at this address. Because I do not know if the conversion will work or not I have not spent any time modifying the look and feel to resemble what everyone has gotten used to.

http://www.computerhope.com/forum

This forum will not be deleted in anyway and will likely remain indefinitely. However, it's likely next week if the conversion goes smoothly that these forums could be locked preventing new accounts and messages from being created to help test the new system. If that test goes smoothly then it will remain otherwise we'll revert back to how it is and try a different system.

Feel free to post comments, concerns or anything else. This doesn't have to happen tomorrow but I figure since the installation and setup process has gone smoothly so far no point in delaying this update that should of been done long ago any further.

<<Edited>> Added time this will occur.

[Raptor]

I'd delete the messages and save a lot of storage space. Everything noteworthy should have been in the Q&A forum thread if you ask me.. Help keep the Internet organized!

[Dilbert]

Nathan, you could, when the time comes, disable new topics here. Then, after most or all of the current problems get fixed, move the FAQ threads over and remove the rest, saving precious bandwidth. Once the FAQ threads are moved, this FAQ section can go, too.

[Computer Hope Admin]

I'd delete the messages and save a lot of storage space.

It would definitely save on the space but I don't think I'll be deleting anything as of yet. I've found a lot of users may don't always come in through the way you'd like them through ie: the Q&A section. So having those extra few thousand entry points can help get them the answers if not answered in the original post they came in from. With Google the Internet is organized.

But thanks for your suggestion and I'll keep it in mind should issues with the conversion arise.

Nathan, you could, when the time comes, disable new topics here.

Depending on how the conversion goes I'll probably just end up doing that (disabling new topics/replies on YaBB). I won't be deleting anything on YaBB for a long time if ever, even the Q&A's just as a safety measure and to make sure everyone who may still be coming in through YaBB are aware of what's going on with notices being on every post.

[CBMatt]

This doesn't have to happen tomorrow but I figure since the installation and setup process has gone smoothly so far no point in delaying this update that should of been done long ago any further.

I think the best way for us to do this is to just plunge right in.  And for us old-fashioned cranks who hate change, we'll have to accept it if we're suddenly forced into it.  We might as well get the shock over with as quickly as possible.  Heh.

[Fed]

I couldn't log in to the new forum

[Computer Hope Admin]

I couldn't log in to the new forum

Yeah it's just a demo to give users an idea of what it looks like all log in abilities have been disabled until the conversion tonight at which point you should be able to log in with your log in that you use on YaBB. Didn't want people to create new accounts before the conversion.

[Peccavi]

I'd delete the messages and save a lot of storage space. Everything noteworthy should have been in the Q&A forum thread if you ask me.. Help keep the Internet organized!

No Raptor, there've been a lot of useful and valuable discussions till the certain solution. As Edison did, we have learned thousand of ways NOT taking to the solution.

[Fed]

I thought it was me, it's 5.20 am here and I'm not a morning person

[Zylstra]

(changed my mind there)

How long will this change take?

[Computer Hope Admin]

All depends on the conversion, because it's taking place on the server it has to run at a slow speed to not overload the server. Apparently from the few things I've read it can take around a few hours, so I'd guesstimate that if no errors are encountered during the conversion 4-6 hours.

[Zylstra]

All depends on the conversion, because it's taking place on the server it has to run at a slow speed to not overload the server. Apparently from the few things I've read it can take around a few hours, so I'd guesstimate that if no errors are encountered during the conversion 4-6 hours.

Awe man! I wanted to see it asap when it was up. Guess I will have to wait until tomorrow.
Too bad there isnt a pruning tool for old users (like ones that havent been here for a few years with a post coult below 20)
(you should send an email to all the members after the change, so that they will click the link to the new forums and say "Hey, I remember ComputerHope! I will have to remember that. ")

[Computer Hope Admin]

Yeah it's not a bad idea. However, would probably be best to get the new forums up and going before I do something like that. Sending a mail to 28,000+ e-mails could cause havoc and cause the forums even more grief. Plus if the conversion doesn't work or the forums are experiencing issues would just discourage users.

Also, not sure if I want to get on any more spam hit lists, the newsletter with its 9,000 or so e-mails causes all sorts of grief with ISP's thinking it's Spam (mostly AOL). Sending out 28,000+ would likely cause a lot more issues.  :-/

[Rob Pomeroy]

Ah.  Do you get AOL TOS SCOMP notifications?  What a nuisance they are.

[Computer Hope Admin]

Ah.  Do you get AOL TOS SCOMP notifications?  What a nuisance they are.

Indeed. But it's even got more out of control now. My ISP is now manually sending me addresses of AOL users who wish to be removed from the list that AOL has sent them. Even when each newsletter clearly states how to get removed from the list; a simple reply with "remove".  :-/