Merry Christmas - We're Moving To Xenforo!


 

Chris Allingham

Administrator
Staff member
Hi everyone,

Here's an early Christmas present for you. Sometime in February, the forum will be moving to new software called Xenforo. The software we've been using since 2012, vBulletin 4, is at end-of-life and the new version vBulletin 5 gets mixed reviews. Moving to Xenforo seems to be the recommended path.

As part of this move, you will get these long-requested features:

1) Upload photos when postings. You can upload photos from your smartphone, tablet, or desktop/laptop. There will be size limits, both in terms of filesize and dimensions, but in most cases Xenforo will auto-resize your image down to 1024 pixels wide. You'll be able to include 10 photos per post. If you prefer to continue using Imgur or other hosting service and link photos into your posts, you can do that.

2) Create photo albums. You will be able to create photo albums which other members can view and discuss with you and that you can share on social media.

3) Upload attachments when posting. You can upload attachments that will accompany your posts.

4) "Like" posts. Similar to Facebook, you will be able to "like", "love", "haha", "wow", "sad", and "angry" posts without having to post a reply.

5) Responsive page design. Whether viewing the forum on a smartphone, tablet, or laptop/desktop browser, the forum pages will resize automatically to accommodate your preferred viewing platform.

Three items that are important to me that will be addressed as part of this change:

1) No need to reset your password. You will be able to log in using your current credentials.

2) No broken links to other forum pages. In 2012, when we moved from Infopop Eve to vBulletin 4, all of the old Eve links broke. There's nothing to be done about that now. But for this move, I will work very hard to avoid this. We'll have a script that translates old vBulletin links to new Xenforo links when clicked, so there should be no broken links.

3) No longer on dead-end software. We'll be on software that is actively maintained and updated by its maker.

I will start working on this transition in the middle of January. As always, there will be some bumps here and there, and no doubt there will be some moans and groans from members along the way because change is always difficult, but I think the benefits outweigh all of that and I'm looking forward to providing you with a better forum experience.

There will be some costs associated with this move, and in January I will re-open the "Buy Me A Beer Fund" so that anyone that wants to make a small donation to the cause can do so.

Best regards,
Chris
 
Thanks for your tireless work keeping this the best-ever forum! I hope it goes smoothly for you.
 
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Sounds like a great upgrade, Chris. Thank you for all the work you do to keep this the best forum on the internet.
Hopefully photo hosting will silence the whiners. :)
 
I also have this nagging feeling about what happens if Imgur goes the same direction as Photobucket. At least this way, we control our own destiny re: photos linked into posts.
 
I also have this nagging feeling about what happens if Imgur goes the same direction as Photobucket. At least this way, we control our own destiny re: photos linked into posts.

I'm getting the same way about Flickr, it's a pain for me to try to post a photo, haven't in a long time.

Tim
 
So, how is,the project going Boss?

It is not going yet at all. I've got a couple of other things going on, including trying to arrange delivery of Christmas prize drawing prizes to winners and transitioning to a new laptop. Will turn my attention to the move in mid-January.
 
Chris thank you very much for being so proactive and for listening to member concerns .
 
I also have this nagging feeling about what happens if Imgur goes the same direction as Photobucket. At least this way, we control our own destiny re: photos linked into posts.

Really looking forward to the photos being easier, photobucket still haunts me.
 
Yes sir, do as much “less miserable” stuff before digging in on the headache that will be the transition! “Take your time” as an old watch,a,er used to tell me when I would get frustrated with one of the little projects that happen in jewelry stores with a watchmaker on site. Problems happen when you rush!
 
Don't know how I missed this tread...well I really do, something to do with brain farts which at my age are becoming more frequent.
It all sounds like the right way to go, especially the photos. I use Flickr and I have about 50 more pictures I can post before I have to start paying. I would rather give you a contribution than pay a third party to post pictures.
 

 

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