DemonGoddess

Thankee! I am in the process of moving some stuff around from some of the other subforums that actually belong in that new category and it's subforums.

Wow. That's a tough lot in life you've had to face. One of my biggest problems is being too terse and short worded for most (leads to almost instant misunderstanding), and some other stuff that I can't get into right now....as I'm on my way to work.

The forums will be taking over the functions of the Yahoo groups. That's all part of what's going to happen in the near future. Once that substructure to replace them is up (you'll see 'em when I finish that up) then yes, links to those subforums will be on the archive, instead of to only an email address, or formerly the Yahoo groups. Knorg, What you're saying about a tiny proportion of the site users overall using the forum is right. That's part of what we all want to change. This is the community for the whole, so we need to USE it that way. Whether for socializing, or reporting, or whatever. Anyway, provided my job doesn't get all squirrelly again, and I have yet another damn schedule change ; I should be able to do a little bit of that yet today (some of the forum restructuring), after I get home from work later this evening. As I've been saying all along, much of what I'll be doing immediately you guys won't even see until your next login, and won't impact the board at all, other than a visible difference in structure in some places. Snow, As to what the upcoming upgrade entails insofar as you being a bit leery of potential problems, the bulk of anything I do, I do offline first, then I test it to be sure it will work, and THEN I make the changes. At least that's how I do it for modifications. By doing things that way, I've found over the years that adding a mod to a board like this is actually not much of a hassle for the users. It's only when I've just gone ahead and done it, without testing my changes that I've run into problems before. During the actual upgrade process, the board itself will be offline for MAYBE a few hours. Depending on how long it takes to convert its older self to its new self. I won't get into the details, because unless yer a geek for this kind of thing, it'll bore you to tears.

foeofthelance--- (BTW, like the username ) I'm here because of what I know how to do with the forum software. That is truly the core of my function here. I've been working with Invisionboard for many years, and there is much that can be done to enhance and improve the board and how it works overall. That's all part of my upcoming tasks you know. I appreciate the fact that you are willing to wait and see just what is going to happen. Thank you for that, and understanding that some things just don't happen overnight, nor does a person necessarily have the time to MAKE some things happen overnight, due to real life obligations. As to this being a closed community, in my opinion that was an inefficient usage of this board. It should be a place where all the archive users can meet and greet, as well as other things that are already done on the board currently. I think it's fun to get to know authors whose work I've enjoyed over the years. This is the place to do it, too. No reason why not, right? Yes, many of you were here first (in the forum, that is) , and maybe somewhat set in your ways, but if you think about it, we can in fact all get used to each others quirks and personalities. In any case, what's the harm in looking at this as all part of whole, and not a separate entitiy? It's truly not it's own animal, but a part of AFF as well. Shirotaka-- Yes, the site's primary is the fiction archive, but this is also a part of the site. The discussion board of the site.

URRRRK Alrighty then. First of all I'm tired and cranky at the moment. So forgive me if I get a little short tempered here (I hope I don't, but I know me). I've been working a lot of hours the last few days, and having to come in and babysit this kind of bullshit when I SHOULD be sleeping is kinda frustrating. This sniping back and forth at each other is quite plainly overreacting, and has GOT to stop. Yes, the damn removed posts in question are linked to elsewhere in this thread. If there was a problem with reading them altogether, I would've removed the link a long time ago. So would anyone else who has the ability to edit another user's post. It wasn't necessary to edit the post, so it wasn't done. The paranoia being referenced to, I'm hoping was addressed when I posted in response to the user pm problems (and a few other things). Here's another thing. If a person is actually having a problem with the board working correctly, I have no way of going into the thing and FIXING their issue unless I have a specific error code to work with. If there's a problem with what a user can or cannot do, spell it out. Let me know EXACTLY what you were doing, and what the board did, when you experienced the problem. How else, exactly, am I supposed to know where a specific board function problem is if I'm not given detailed information? Fer crying out loud, I do not read minds. As to the member title thing, people play around with the magic marker from the IB store. It's all in how you take it. Either have a sense of humor about it or don't. THAT is up to the rest of ya, ain't it? Now, as to changes upcoming with the board, I already said when any changes were to be made, I'd let you all know well in advance. Not only that, that I would detail out exactly what was being done, and WHEN it was being done. Some things I expect I can do before the forum software itself is upgraded. Some of it has to wait until AFTER the forum is upgraded. One of the things that will happen upon upgrade of the software, is that pre-existing modifications will be overwritten. They will then have to be ported back in. No big deal, and that will be done. I've already found that some of the pre-existing mods are actually now written in features of the latest board version. Such as the "spoiler" mod. Some pre-existing modifications may not have been upgraded for later versions of Invisionboard. If so, they won't be upgraded with the board. I already know, and have downloaded, for example the IB Store mod that was written for the later versions in preparation. While I don't honestly have a use for that modification, apparently enough of you have fun with it that I made sure to have it downloaded so it can be added into the forum after upgrading it. These kinds of things are things you won't even see me doing, as they are done completely away from this forum and site. For that matter much of what can and will be done is seamless, and done while the board itself is active. Some is simple maintenance and not even seen, except where the maintenance fixes a database issue which affects a board function. As to banning, unless a user is doing something specifically to violate TOS, and has in fact been warned about it prior and still refuses to abide by that, well then sure, could be done. But if you mean in response to using a toy, no. No one gets banned for using a toy. That's plain silly. In any case, my day off was just killed. Got called in to work.

Not currently no.

madlodger, Are you still having trouble with the pm system? I can tell you for certain nothing was done to your account settings, as it would be me who would've done something like that. What, specifically is the behavior the board exhibits when you attempt to use the pm system? Are you able to access your in and sent boxes? Are you still able to email using the board, even tho unable to pm? If you are continuing to experience actual technical difficulties, please detail them for me so they can be fixed. ----------- In response to the being able to read pm's thing. NO, we cannot do that. That kind of function is actually not part of the Invisionboard the way it was written, in any version. Not even for admin users. I CAN obtain use data, but that's all. It doesn't list by specific anything other than day/week/month, and how many users used the pm system for the time frame selected. I can also obtain other statistical information such as posting data (how many over a given period of time), and things of that nature. Those are tools for generating statistical information only. I also cannot access an individual user's pm boxes (in and sent), nor delete any stored message files. Just like the rest of you, I can only get to my own. I also do not have access to external database maintenance programs, nor do I want it. It's not necessary for what I need to do with the forum software, or for the routine maintenance that I run via the admin panel for the forum database itself. Sure, a person can access data via phpmyadmin (external database maintenance program) provided they have the access to do so, but it's unnecessary and certainly unwarranted. Not to mention a HUGE waste of time. That goes for ANY php program which runs off a database, not just this forum, as far as being able to look up a table record. As to the resignation posts, those were moved, not deleted. Sorry, but 52 individual topics all over the place like that constitutes spam to me. ONCE per user would've been more than sufficient. Personally, I don't see the need to continue beating this particular dead horse, do the rest of you?

I ran a database repair/optimize on that specific table. Something that needs to be done now and again in any case, with the whole thing, but sometimes one particular table may need it sooner than scheduled.

The 10 message limit is for "Junior Members". Once you've posted 20 times, you're supposed to change to "Member" which gives you the ability to store 50 messages. I've changed that from 10 to 20, by the way, for junior members. Once your pm send and in boxes are at max capacity, you have to clean them out in order to receive more. Otherwise, any pm's sent to you will bounce.

Looking at that section's latest page, your updated story is on the next page, in the right date range for when you uploaded.

To clarify, what you're saying is that the page isn't refreshing the last edit date, as it should be, correct? I ask because this will help point her exactly where she needs to go to fix it. Although, I just checked in the Anime category, and it's working there. It shows the newest stories by date and time, plus the different subcategories they're in. Which category are you in specifically?

hehe mostly that the forum needs upgraded badly, and why.

I'm one of those "review only" type accounts. I can tell you for sure I'll never get bit by the writing bug, as I have absolutely no talent whatsoever with creative writing. I leave it to the wordsmiths.... As far as I knew, that was why in the author panel the author has the choice of allowing anon reviews or not. To avoid spamming and trolls that could potentially happen because of anon reviewing allowed.

Just checked on an account I was pretty sure allowed for anon reviews. It accepts 'em! FINALLY! So that must mean manta fixed that earlier on.

I just checked, and you still have to be logged in to leave a review. So, while the author may be able to choose to accept an anonymous review, the reader still has to log in.

Actually, a while back it was made so that the user was forced to be logged in, to leave a review. Dunno if that's still in place. I could try it not logged in and let you know.

You're right, that's something we could all actually do in our profiles for now. Simply state it's a reviewing account, if that's why we have a login. It's funny, for years I didn't have a login. Simply because I'd read, put up a user name (I knew what I'd go with for that, been my internet name for years), and then post my review. IF I reviewed, that is. So, when login to review became required, I created a user for the archive. I bet there are many others just like me, who read and are ALSO not writers. We know what we enjoy reading, but don't actually write ourselves. there's a good reason why I don't write, ya know. I couldn't write creatively if my life DEFPENDED on it. But...do like to be able to respond to stories in progress or whatever that I've enjoyed, and let the author know I've enjoyed what they wrote and appreciate their efforts and work. hehe sidetracked there for a minute.....I think as a temporary fix it would be a good suggestion then, to suggest to the archive admin that we (the users) can at least make that notification in profile that we have a reviewing account only; and that for long term, ask if there is a way to toggle that. I wouldn't know if there is, but I'm sure she would. Or if it's even a remote possibility for the future. I've edited my aff author profile to reflect this, exactly. That it's a reviewing account ONLY.

Well, I figure now is a good time to say hello, and introduce myself to everyone. I've been working with Invisionboard since version 1.1 (that's about 8 1/2 years), as well as many other different kinds of forum software. As part of what is going on now, things you can expect to see in the near future will be an upgrade/restructure of the entire forum. The upgrade is going to depend upon whether or not it's decided to stay with Invisionboard, or go to a different forum software. Regardless, it'll be a whole new forum setup either way. Invision is currently at version 2.32, which is VERY different from this. Much more robust, and more secure. The most important reason to upgrade/change the forum software itself is simple. About 18 months, maybe 2 years ago, malicious little individuals found ways to exploit the version of the php language that this board and earlier versions of other boards and php applications are written in. So, the language itself was rewritten to make it so those exploits no longer existed. In the process, php applications, such as this one were all either rewritten to accommodate the new form of the language, (hence versions 2.x of Invision), or patched, or in some cases abandoned (depending on the program). In any case, because of this, that is why this board will be either upgraded or replaced with something else entirely. Expect to see that change probably in a month or so. Once I have a definite time table of what is going to happen, and how you will all be affected, I'll post to let you know. The good thing about all this upgrade stuff is that the majority of it is done offline, and thus not an inconvience to members. Anyway....I suppose that's all I've got for now...

I understand about not thinking straight when tired. Perhaps we should suggest that a category be added in the archive software upgrade to show whether or not one is an author, or it's simply a reviewing account? It's a thought. Of course, we'd have to ask the tech if it's even a possibility for future. I hope your husband is feeling better, and that you are getting some rest!

I agree with you that deleting the non writers, such as me, from the archive would defeat the purpose of having one login to leave a review. You have to set up an author profile to login. And must login to review at this point in time. So, to my way of thinking such a deletion would defeat the purpose of logged in reviews. Out of curiosity, where is this thread that brings this up?