Download issue and does the forum need to change?

DCurrent

DCurrent

Site Owner, OpenBOR Project Leader
Staff member
CRxTRDude said:
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Posts and messages are kept in database tables, so just about any forum can be migrated with the right intermediary script. Downloads might present a bigger challenge, but worst case scenario we just put them back piecemeal. They suck so much at this point no one bothers with them anyway, so long run we'd be better off.

DC
 
Okay, so I have to transfer the conversation over here whereas to avoid more trouble towards the forums

Here's the lowdown:

CRxTRDude said:
That's the problem, I go to the downloads section and OpenBOR's empty. There's no tools, no engine binaries, none. This is a problem I've been struggling ever since I was promoted to developer, I think it has something to do with my privileges in my account, it blocked my access somewhat of the downloads page. Trying to ask both DC and Plombo about it, but they still can't figure out why.
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You can read the rest of the convo starting here.

Now for my response to DC's post:

How about having an archive of the downloads there or something, put it in a separate site utilizing a differnet technology than TinyPortal, maybe a ftp or some other thing. I don't know if it could be done in the current state the forum is in, but I'm sure it's possible to do so (with the expense of time and money of course)
 
DC, I think you saw that I just posted a new topic over at Forum Issues. I think it's best for this off-topic to be diverted.

*Edit by DC:* Agreed. I've split the off topic posts and moved them to this new thread.
 
Actually, we do have FTP access. Problem is no one ever does or ever will use it. Too many extra steps. As for third parties or separate locations - no, just no. I've already lined out the reasons why I won't support them. The forum should be one stop shopping. As a matter of fact, Tiny Portal IS a separate technology and that's half the problem. It doesn't really integrate properly and requires separate permissions, management, and so on.

A complete forum solution needs to have its download system as part of the core functionality.

DC
 
Yeah, forgot about the third party thing.

I like what you said about one stop shopping. I've been searching on the current internet forum software out there, but I sense that what you want is a forum solution where everything is all laid out.

But as I also realize now, most of them have file management as either plugins or mods, except for the proprietary ones of course.

(and thanks for the moving and stuff)
 
The Macho Man has been having problems downloading from this site, but I had just figured that it was due to being stuck using dial up. I was even looking for somewhere to ask if this site's download server was just really strict on timing out the session while the Macho Man's crappy internet connection is taking it's sweet time downloading, but it sounds like you guys who have high speed connections are having problems too, yeah.

Normally I use a firefox extension called "downthemall" to download four parts of a file at once, and it's usually more stable, but trying to download from here, it won't download multiple parts, and more often than not, any download over 10 mb takes forever to move along, and ultimately fails.

I'm also seeing a lot of errors in page loading, where a topic will start loading normally, but then it all gets squished into the right side of the screen, and just kinda trails off, yeah, and keeps doing it, no matter how many times I refresh the page. Is this happening to anyone else, or is it just the result of macho madness, dial up, and bad luck?

Do you have any advice on what the Macho Man should do to best be able to download Openbor paks and resources?
 
Lately the forums have been running really slow for me.  It's taking to long to load threads, it's taking hours to check replies etc.
 
I sent a msg. to Bluehost and they replied they are looking into it.

DC
 
Macho Man said:
I'm also seeing a lot of errors in page loading, where a topic will start loading normally, but then it all gets squished into the right side of the screen, and just kinda trails off, yeah, and keeps doing it, no matter how many times I refresh the page. Is this happening to anyone else, or is it just the result of macho madness, dial up, and bad luck?
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I get this all the time at work, where the internet connection is very poor. The only way I can read the posts sometimes is by clicking the quote button to see what was posted.
 
the only issue I've been having is not being able to read members like zvitor's post in threads or being able to click they're name but only on my pc from my phone everything works normally
 
there's this really weird but messed up glitch where the posts appear squashed together in a quoting pyramid format. It's keeping me from reading a lot of threads.
 
That's what i was saying in my post and O' brought it up in another thread so Dc's aware of it i think theyre waiting to switch sites or something
 
I've been milling over several solutions, but as yet haven't been able to come up with a full proof catch all that does everything we need.

May just have to bite the bullet and buy a professional theme or entire forum software, but that's hard to justify at the moment. We get a good amount of traffic, but not quite that much yet.

DC
 
Why is all forum software so terrible?  Look at this.

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Almost all of it is from the age of PHP.  The only real exception is Discourse, which from a glance doesn't seem to fit our needs.  Why hasn't anyone else in the last few years tried to create some decent, modern forum software? >:(
 
Plombo said:
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This.

While there is nothing wrong with a PHP codebase (I make my living on PHP), there's a big difference between PHP and PHP done right. Someone needs to buckle down with PHP 5+ and craft an object oriented forum software with these basic features:

  • GUI based installation and upgrade management. This has nothing to do with know how and everything to with administration efficiency. If I had time to hassle with source code and inline editing then I'd have already built the forum from scratch myself!
  • File management. Seriously, why hasn't this been done yet? Most software doesn't have it at all, and the ones that do (like ours here) require ridiculous hoop jumping and installation of bloatware packages that bug up the forum.
  • Responsive design. A pain to code sure, but it's just not an option these days.
  • Straight forward code base and design. I've seen some interesting forums, but their design was too much of a novelty (every post is a static page, wtf?) that just won't hold up in the real world.

None of those things are rocket science, and could probably be brought from idea stage to production in less than year if someone sat down to do it.

DC
 
Problem now is who would sit down and work on it? Unless that person gets compensation or is just that passionate, then it would be years before someone would do so.

I like the fact that you also included responsive as one criteria, especially with the wider spread use of mobile browsers now. As well as the GUI installation.
 
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