New boards format (vBulletin) coming soon - add your suggestions

[davidt]

Although I prefer the simplicity of the current board format, it is time to move to a more powerful and supported system. Not everyone will be happy but this is a move that has been requested several times and one that has to be made. The current boards recently have had server load issues and spam attacks, and the long time problem with trolls / abuse of the freedom to post anonymously. I have chosen vBulletin (http://www.vbulletin.com/) as it is well-supported and has many powerful features.

Here are some of the changes coming, but they are not final. Please post any ideas or suggestions you may have on these topics for consideration:

1. User registration will be required in order to post.

2. New boards organization:

- General Discussion (Morrissey / The Smiths)
- Bootlegs / Downloads
- Marketplace
- Off-topic
- Site feedback / suggestions

3. Moderators will be assigned to the boards, let me know if you are interested in moderating a specific board or know who may be.

[pie.]

This is great news.
I hope that those who post off-topic in the Morrissey/Smiths forum more than 3 or so times will not be allowed to post any longer. I would suggest this general board be pretty regulated that way, but I would allow a lot of leeway in the off-topic forum.
I think that requiring registration should help make the board a much nicer place.

[Sparks fan]

Good idea but what are you going to do about members registering multiple e-mail addresses and so still posting with aliases which is what happened last time a short registration experiment was tried?

Or will the new "powerful" system stop or limit that in any way? Or will (inconsistent) moderation/deletion still be your only weapon?

[MSMOZZER]

This is great news - I would be happy to help you moderate this, I've sent you an e-mail with my thoughts, Martin.

[LoafingOaf]

> This is great news.
> I hope that those who post off-topic in the Morrissey/Smiths forum more
> than 3 or so times will not be allowed to post any longer. I would suggest
> this general board be pretty regulated that way, but I would allow a lot
> of leeway in the off-topic forum.
> I think that requiring registration should help make the board a much
> nicer place.

You gotta love this Pie guy. He's been using countless anonymizers and alternate IPs all year, but now he's jockeying for a moderator position. Reminds me of the thugs in A Clockwork Orange who became the cops under the new order.....

[pie.]

> You gotta love this Pie guy. He's been using countless anonymizers and
> alternate IPs all year, but now he's jockeying for a moderator position.
> Reminds me of the thugs in A Clockwork Orange who became the cops under
> the new order.....

I have no desire to be a moderator. You're just trying to misrepresent me again. Bad Frantic Chihuahua! Bad!

[Wally the Baboon]

No more pining for me to get proper to pack my pooper!

[anonnymouse]

No more links to :
www.properlicksdonkeyballs.com

[Mr Honesty]

This will be the end of Mr Honesty and anything to do with fun around here.

[Hey nonny nonny]

No more Proper puns!

[A lonely lad]

No more longing for the long lost Chill/Mindy

[L'Estrange]

> Although I prefer the simplicity of the current board format, it is time
> to move to a more powerful and supported system. Not everyone will be
> happy but this is a move that has been requested several times and one
> that has to be made. The current boards recently have had server load
> issues and spam attacks, and the long time problem with trolls / abuse of
> the freedom to post anonymously. I have chosen vBulletin
> (http://www.vbulletin.com/) as it is well-supported and has many powerful
> features.

> Here are some of the changes coming, but they are not final. Please post
> any ideas or suggestions you may have on these topics for consideration:

> 1. User registration will be required in order to post.

> 2. New boards organization:

> - General Discussion (Morrissey / The Smiths)
> - Bootlegs / Downloads
> - Marketplace
> - Off-topic
> - Site feedback / suggestions

> 3. Moderators will be assigned to the boards, let me know if you are
> interested in moderating a specific board or know who may be.
I think its a great idea - specific boards and user registration would cut down on trolls.

[Quentin Jon o' Car]

Excellent idea. This should eliminate some of tha aliases that the main person has hassled me with for ages now. I would be happy to moderate these types.

rgds
Qxxx

[Let's Go Devils]

> You gotta love this Pie guy. He's been using countless anonymizers and
> alternate IPs all year, but now he's jockeying for a moderator position.
> Reminds me of the thugs in A Clockwork Orange who became the cops under
> the new order.....
As long as I can post pictures in the off topic part I'm happy.
If history repeats itself though we are going to have to register our names as fast as possible.

[mauve21]

> Although I prefer the simplicity of the current board format, it is time
> to move to a more powerful and supported system. Not everyone will be
> happy but this is a move that has been requested several times and one
> that has to be made. The current boards recently have had server load
> issues and spam attacks, and the long time problem with trolls / abuse of
> the freedom to post anonymously. I have chosen vBulletin
> (http://www.vbulletin.com/) as it is well-supported and has many powerful
> features.

> Here are some of the changes coming, but they are not final. Please post
> any ideas or suggestions you may have on these topics for consideration:

> 1. User registration will be required in order to post.

> 2. New boards organization:

> - General Discussion (Morrissey / The Smiths)
> - Bootlegs / Downloads
> - Marketplace
> - Off-topic
> - Site feedback / suggestions

> 3. Moderators will be assigned to the boards, let me know if you are
> interested in moderating a specific board or know who may be.

Yay! Sounds good to me.

[suzanne]

> No more longing for the long lost Chill/Mindy

there is no law that says you can't register the name "wally the baboon"

[Mr. Improper WHIMP of the fuckin Nation & proud supporter of hisself]

> there is no law that says you can't register the name "wally the
> baboon"

well, there should be one!

[Let him carry on his good work]

[Ben Budd]

I'll throw my hat into the ring for moderatorship, however are you looking for long time members of this board to have this job or more people with common sense?

Actually, some people on here do have both like, but only I have the latter of the two mind.

[lutewhine]

In order to avoid a situation where someone registers about 40 other users' names as soon as the board goes live, how about for the first week or so of the board's life, registration has to be activated by a moderator? It's no guarantee that the odd rogue won't creep through, but it's another level of protection.

Also, how about keep the board in this format alive somewhere on the site while you switch over, so people that are waiting for their registration still have somewhere to chat?

That'll also give people somewhere to report any problems they're having with the registration (I'd certainly prepare yourself for teething problems).

Whatever you end up doing, this is certainly the right move. Any fondness I had for the old board has long been overshadowed by the ease with which trolls have been able to exploit its failings.