Captain's Log

[Second Summer]

I've just upgraded the forum software to the latest version.

AVG directs to this:

OpenCandy | How To Remove OpenCandy

I think that was the threat.

Anyone else seen this? I think it might be just you, Blobbo ...

 

[Second Summer]

The rules have been updated to be more specific regarding spam.

 

[Second Summer]

There are a couple of add-ons I'm considering now.

One is for adding different kinds of "like" buttons: agree, informative, funny, appreciation ... maybe even a disagree button.

The other add-on is for allowing threads to have multiple pre-fixes, which probably sounds pretty boring, but which I'm hoping could make it easier for people to post threads they feel belong to more than one forum. Let's say I want to post about a study discussed in a news article that shows a certain vegan diet has health advantages. Should I post it in the Health & Body forum or in The Vegan Forum? Or in the UK, because this study applies to the UK? If I could pre-fix the thread with all those (Health, Vegan, UK) then maybe it wouldn't feel like it mattered so much where it was posted.

 

[Blobbenstein]

One is for adding different kinds of "like" buttons: agree, informative, funny, appreciation ... maybe even a disagree button.

what's wrong with someone actually going to the trouble of replying, if they disagree?

Or we can stick with the someone posts 'that's rubbish', and people can 'like' that?

 

[Second Summer]

what's wrong with someone actually going to the trouble of replying, if they disagree?

Or we can stick with the someone posts 'that's rubbish', and people can 'like' that?

Yes, I'm not completely sold on the disagree button. I assume it can be turned off in the configuration.

 

[Blobbenstein]

Yes, I'm not completely sold on the disagree button. I assume it can be turned off in the configuration.

well if you do install the extra like buttons, I hope you keep just plain 'like', as that covers all the reasons why one might like a post.

 

[Amy SF]

Well, the "like" button has completely disappeared - see my thread. As for the different kind of "likes", I don't see the point, but if you choose to install them anyway, I agree with Blobby that a generic "like" should be kept, because there can be different reasons why one would like a post. As for "disagree", I can see where it might be useful, so I wouldn't mind it.

Also, I like the idea of multiple prefixes. There certainly have been times when I wasn't sure which forum should get a new thread I've created, so this would be convenient.

 

[Second Summer]

Just installed a new add-on which gives a live display of recent activity! This is now in the top of the sidebar on the forum main page, and has replaced the Recent Posts list. (Edited to add: This is disabled on mobile devices, though.)

 

[Amy SF]

Just installed a new add-on which gives a live display of recent activity! This is now in the top of the sidebar on the forum main page, and has replaced the Recent Posts list. (Edited to add: This is disabled on mobile devices, though.)

I'm on my laptop, and I'm not seeing this new feature. I'm still seeing the Recent Posts button all over the site.

 

[Second Summer]

I'm on my laptop, and I'm not seeing this new feature. I'm still seeing the Recent Posts button all over the site.

It's in the right sidebar, near the top, on the main page. (I.e. the page where you see all the forums - forum.veggieviews.com.) It replaces a list of recent posts. The recent posts button is not affected.

Anyway, the cool aspect of it is that it's live, meaning that it will update itself once there are new "activities" such as new posts or ratings of posts.

 

[Second Summer]

I've removed the Ignore New Posts add-on because similar functionality is available in the Ignore Nodes feature. (This feature will also hide the forums you wish to ignore on the board main page and other places, I believe.)

 

[Second Summer]

The rules have been updated to be more specific regarding spam.

Last night the rules were updated again. I added one new rule:

"Don't argue or debate in The Vegan Forum or The Vegetarian Forum unless you identify with the respective lifestyles. These forums are lifestyle support areas."

This is similar to a rule we had back in the VB days, and it's really just an attempt at formalizing what was already current moderatorion practice here as well. These forums were always meant to be support areas and safe zones.

 

[Second Summer]

New add-on! It's called "Threadmarks".

Next to the pagination in the top and bottom of thread pages there can be a Threadmarks drop-down menu. This will show a list of "bookmarks" the will take you to specific posts within the thread. This kind of feature can be useful for some types of very long threads.

I've used it on this thread as an example. (Had to read through the whole thread, but I think it was useful ... maybe).

Only the thread starter (OP) can add (and I think edit) threadmarks in a thread. (Well, and moderators as well, of course.)

 

[Blobbenstein]

I wonder if you could have the feature to give everyone an alert like with the @username thing... maybe it could be like @+ and then everyone would get an alert to that post....would that feature be any use?

 

[Second Summer]

I wonder if you could have the feature to give everyone an alert like with the @username thing... maybe it could be like @+ and then everyone would get an alert to that post....would that feature be any use?

Yes, or based on user groups, perhaps. Mostly useful for myself and moderators to get everyone's attention when there are important news. Not sure if a feature like that exists.

 

[Second Summer]

Forum software has just been upgraded to latest version. We were offline for ~ 2 minutes.

 

[Second Summer]

There is a window this morning where I have the opportunity to install a new OS. So I think I will do that. I'm guessing VV will be offline starting at around 10am (in 50 minutes), and will likely be offline between 1 and 2 hours.

 

[Second Summer]

... we're back! Took only slightly longer than I had planned ... Sorry for the downtime.

The good news is that we're finally running a 64-bit OS, and it's also the most recent version, which means I can optimize some things I couldn't do before.

The email server isn't working yet. Please do tell if you notice anything else wrong.

 

[Blobbenstein]

Please do tell if you notice anything else wrong.

the three pictures at the top of the page aren't changing, and when you click it doesn't go to the post with the picture in.
Not a serious issue, I guess.

 

[Second Summer]

the three pictures at the top of the page aren't changing, and when you click it doesn't go to the post with the picture in.
Not a serious issue, I guess.

Serious enough. Should be fixed now.