actorlife Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 looking great! lovin' it! slow load up at times though :ohmy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daijoubu Posted March 11, 2004 Report Share Posted March 11, 2004 I don't quite get why do your guys make a new forum for every month of news? Just put them all togheter... I can make a little script to pull the news off the forum if you wish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted March 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2004 We may eventually digress from the current News formatting, but for now it works. With the subforum feature it's catagorized quite nicely and isn't too terribly obtrusive, eh? I think if this place ever takes off then I'll look into something different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daijoubu Posted March 11, 2004 Report Share Posted March 11, 2004 I don't know, never seen such setup in my whole 18 years of existence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted March 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2004 Oh, it's not that bad for phpbb. Did you see the place before I came here? I think I've done quite a good job, thank you very much. :rasp: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daijoubu Posted March 12, 2004 Report Share Posted March 12, 2004 Oh, it's not that bad for phpbb. Did you see the place before I came here? I think I've done quite a good job, thank you very much. :rasp:Nop, where's this? :laugh: Not MD-T, I hope :rasp: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted March 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2004 Apparently when I installed the custom ranks MOD it didn't process all the way through. That has finally been corrected and is 100% functional now. There was a similar issue with the online/offline MOD as well [specifically in topic viewing] that was also fixed. p.s. Fixed a good bit of phpbb vulnerabilities so the baddies don't blow this place to smithereens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted March 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2004 Whatever error that was with the login has been fixed. Phpbb is a real pain in the arse sometimes..[spare me the IPB advertisement, D. :rasp:]. Also, I would offically like to welcome BJ to the moderator team. This is definitely the last person I am hiring for the forums, unless some of the old moderators come back and are interested in rejoining the team. Hopefully Roland [MDX400] will be active soon and help you guys out with the difficult technical topics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulBennett Posted March 14, 2004 Report Share Posted March 14, 2004 Decreased the font size for the main index by oneWhen the board is barely readable now you make changes to elliminate forum readers with older eyes. Some forums go out of their way to use software which follows the MSWindows mandate of enabling View>TextSize>Larger because they know not everyone has youthful 20/20 vision. Not an insignificant number of us must use a magnifying glass, 19" monitors and 600x800 resolution and squint. My world changed after losing my good retina leaving a damaged one. I've been on (arpa) internet since 1978 when there was only one font...yet only in the last two years a crop of youngsters suddenly insist on doing the 'Bible on a pinhead' thing for each webpage. Since the ink is free and the tools are bountiful, why not focus on enhancing communication rather than adding barriers. Thank God (big G for the big Guy) that the trend of black backgrounds has reversed. Try reading dark blue font on black regardless of size. Just hope that war stays won. If you've read this far, the is rant over...turn the music back up. Traveling to Japan regularly, I used to get my Sony product info at the Sony building on the Ginza in Tokyo where a dedicated group would gather with their favorite vinyls on the 3rd floor where Sony's latest was on working display. Anyone else BTDT? Incidently, there was an area of Tokyo called Sonyville with combined living/work buildings where Americans/Aussies worked at less than minimum wage (foreigners were exempted from Japan's min wage) doing translations for Sony's instruction manuals because Sony wanted manuals which were correct technically and grammatically. Now American companies contract foreigners to write instruction manuals in broken English. Duh Does anything ever improve? You think I'm done? Well my doctor does...to be continued later in next life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted March 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2004 Okay, so what would you like me to do? On my browser, I "increased text size" and it worked quite well. Please follow suit and you should be fine. If this does not work on Microsoft Internet Explorer, then I suggest you download the latest version of Mozilla FireFox, which seems to correct this issue. Mozilla Firefox is a much more advanced browser and carries features that will compliment your internet usage, espesically for someone who has used it as long as you, and it's free. http://www.mozilla.org Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted March 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2004 Decreased the signature size to 25 until I fix the formatting. Also added a little animation to the private message icon. I don't think I ever mentioned this, but a while back I implemented a more advanced new reply/topic system; "View posts since last visit" will cache all posts you haven't read that are new until you read them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jadeclaw Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 When the board is barely readable now you make changes to elliminate forum readers with older eyes. Not to step on your toes, but how about using a different Browser? Try Opera and you will be amazed, how you can adjust the display to fit your eyes. Including magnification up to 1000%. And that includes graphics and Flash-thingies as well. Just wibble over here: http://www.opera.com/ Available for : Windows, Linux, Mac, OS/2, Solaris, FreeBSD, QNX and Smartphone/PDA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulBennett Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 I tried using Mozilla for almost a year but it presented lots of problems where web designers have used advanced features and optimized pages to IE. I soon started switching back and forth but keeping the 'favorites' updated was a real hassle as well as the damn fight between them as to which is the primary browser. Then I went to using 2 pc's (I already have 2 monitors) with a keyboard/video/mouse switch. There just is not one best way. Thanks for the suggestion though. The real solution lies in the (forum) software writers awareness. By using the H1 H2 etc, rather than specifying a font size, things work great. Many forums and web pages do this but strangely Microsoft Front Page does not follow Microsoft guidelines in this regard. Such is life. But do this, measure the screen area, then measure the area set aside for communicating the message, and calculate the pctg. As I sit here, I have 260 sq inches of display area and 25 sq inches of text box to work/read. That's why I love dos and I used qemm for multitasking and multiple program display. I'm a nut about enhancing communication, not glitz. And this is all fleeting anyway. Ten years from now half of us won't have pc's. Internet communication will all be built into your satelite cell phone which is part of your wrist watch with a probe into the nerves of your wrist. Seems other half or us will be living in caves as leaders are taking to doing, or perhaps avoiding the advancing glaciers and the greys from Pluto or just to avoid the taxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceeedtea Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 I tried using Mozilla for almost a year but it presented lots of problems where web designers have used advanced features and optimized pages to IE.'Optimized for IE' == breaking W3C compliance == bad. Luckily, more web developers have started to realize this, to the relief to us who contribute to OSS. [shameless pimpage] Mozilla FireFox 0.8. Faster than the Mozilla suite, since it's a standalone browser. Conforms to W3C standards. Renders pages quickly. Light and zippy. Best of all, free and no security holes. And there are ways to get around 'this page cannot be viewed because you don't use the crappiest browser ever, Internet Explorer'. Like this, which fakes the useragent string. [/shameless pimage] Web designers who break compliance should be stabbed. Repeatedly. Until they bleed out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jadeclaw Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 The real solution lies in the (forum) software writers awareness. By using the H1 H2 etc, rather than specifying a font size, things work great. You DO know, that these tags are deprecated and that the W3C discourages their use? And the future is XHTML and CSS, that includes fixed fontsizes, etc. By separating text and styling, the webpage becomes screenreader and braille-compatible as well. And that's the area, where the Internet Explorer has the biggest deficiences. Second, the Internet Explorer is broken. By design, I have to add. Think vendor lock-in. And it's old. A big gaping security hole as well... Third, Frontpage always delivers broken HTML. You can't use that as a reference. If you run a Frontpage-generated page through a validator, you're getting atleast a screen full of errors, no matter how simple the webpage is... I don't know, what Sites you visit, but 99% work well in Opera AND Mozilla(Firefox). A few more work by switching the Browser ID, just press F12 in Opera and click the one you want. My experience is that those pages, which don't work in Opera are usually not worth visiting. But that's a personal opinion... So I suggest instead of going against the forum admin, you'd use better tools, tools that fit your needs. But finally, it is your decision, I cannot prescribe what you do, I can only give advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted March 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 Here are some crappy ranks and the images associated with them: 0 posts - Beginner 25 posts - Novice 50 posts - Amateur 75 posts - Competent 100 posts - Experienced 150 posts - Versed 200 posts - Well-Versed 250 posts - Specialist 400 posts - Adept 500 posts - Professional 600 posts - Virtuoso 750 posts - True Minidisc Connoisseur 900 posts - Swami 1000 posts - Maharishi Better than nothing, and I know they're not that great. I'll probably replace them later on in the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jadeclaw Posted March 17, 2004 Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 Here are some crappy ranks and the images associated with them: [schnipp!] Better than nothing, and I know they're not that great. I'll probably replace them later on in the year.I think, I have an idea... What is the maximum width allowed for these images? 150 pixels, like the Avatar-Icons or less? And state the maximum height as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted March 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2004 The width of the current images I'm employing for ranks is probably the most appropriate. I don't want big ranks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
11210 Posted March 18, 2004 Report Share Posted March 18, 2004 Hi All, I just wanted to drop you guys a note telling you how much I enjoy this site. I'm sure you don't get enough thanks for what you do here. I'm new to the Minidisc world. I bought my first one about a month ago and a second one yesterday. I use them primarily for recording speaking sessions at various tradeshows and conferences. I've gotten great, accurate, and worthwhile advice here. Keep up the good work! :grin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted March 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2004 Thank you, it really means alot. I'm glad you enjoy the new MDCF. :happy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted March 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2004 Created a new forum for FAQ's and such, entitled "New to the format(s)?". Slowly a database of information for those who are new shall reside within, and hopefully make this a better learning experience for those who desire such. The visitors of the last 12 hours is now below the users who are currently online at the bottom of the main index. I also changed the little logo next to that, you may have to press "refresh". p.s. Also fixed a little bug that was was associated with the forum you're in; a mod had screwed up Moderators: + Users browsing this forum:, but that has now been corrected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted March 26, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2004 Simpler and much nicer ranks, this time split into groups: 0 posts - Beginner 25 posts - Novice 50 posts - Amateur 75 posts - Competent 100 posts - Experienced 150 posts - Versed 200 posts - Well-Versed 250 posts - Specialist 400 posts - Adept 500 posts - Professional 600 posts - Virtuoso 750 posts - True Minidisc Connoisseur 900 posts - Swami 1000 posts - Maharishi ------------ Like I said before, I will add more as it becomes necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actorlife Posted March 27, 2004 Report Share Posted March 27, 2004 Great improvement everday...Kurisu! Will there be a review section as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted March 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 Thanks for the suggestion.. http://forums.minidisc.org/viewforum.php?f=68 Is this okay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actorlife Posted March 29, 2004 Report Share Posted March 29, 2004 Fantastic! Boy was that quick! Thanks! Cool review on the Sharp DS8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted April 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2004 We are now on phpbb version 2.0.8a, up from 2.0.6. Board is much more secure, and seems a bit faster. Please PM me with any bugs that you may come across. Consolidated the archived news a bit, as well. Removed all "last edited messages". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mAjEsTiC Posted April 3, 2004 Report Share Posted April 3, 2004 nice job on the update...plus the addition of various other sub forums are good... :rasp: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted April 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2004 I changed the forum font to Arial, sans-serif. I hope that this change is okay with everyone. I did make a few other modifications, but a good number of these are for the moderating team and will not effect the users. I added a security feature as well, which protects user accounts; i.e. if you login incorrectly three times you will not be able to log in again for another 15 minutes. I will probably change this to half a hour or sixty minutes if I notice infractions are persistant. Honestly, I don't think we'll ever really run into any security issues here.. I also added a stop all-caps posting script, which will give you a warning if you compose a message with exessive caps. I am still tweaking this to make sure it doesn't become more of a nuisance than an actual benefit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted April 8, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2004 Changed the forum font back. Sorry for the identity crisis, but it really seems like this is the best font for phpbb. In the future, when we're on IPB or vBulletin, the font will be less plain. For now we're with this. I did lighten the shade of the overall "black", however. Changed the mod buttons with newer and most likely more-confusing ones. Only a few will notice this, of course. :rasp: I did however change all of the other icons like profile, pm, email etc etc in the topic view. Press refresh if you're still on the old ones. It's not a huge improvement, but I like 'em better. Behold, statistics. Also, here's the new banner for the front page of minidisc.org, and should be up sometime soon [i hope]. I like that little color scheme there. Maybe I'll make another template [for choice] with such.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted April 8, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2004 Okay, so we now have Minidisco, Minidisc Access, and Minidisc Australia with Inquiries/Support Forums. Hopefully people will use this nice resource as direct communication with the related e-tailers. General non-NetMD Recording is now General non-NetMD Recording/Pre-NetMD Unit Discussion, and The Past folder is now The Past + Storage Bin. I've also locked and moved Non-Sony MD/Hi-MD Equipment Discussion there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Hopping Posted April 12, 2004 Report Share Posted April 12, 2004 Are there some forum missing? Wasn't there a forum on non-MD equipment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted April 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2004 http://forums.minidisc.org/viewtopic.php?p=19938 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted April 26, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2004 Okay, finally fixed the damned formatting error that existed with the forum index > forum > subforum > thread in topics. You may or may not notice this, but I did and it bothered the heck out of me. As you've noticed, we now have an affiliate banner to audiocubes.com on the top of the forums. If you click this link and purchase something at audiocubes, it will give us a small sum [comission] and that money will go towards supporting the forums. I will be adding additional sites as I figure out rotating banners and such. I'll try to make it as unobtrusive as possible. I removed the links section. Just wasn't doing anything for me. Removed the link to minidisc.org + the "Minidisc Community" listing above it. We all know this is the forums of minidisc.org, and we all know the address for it. No need to re-emphasize it. :happy: There have been some speed issues as of late, and I'm making sure that the architecture of the forums is not at fault [it is, in a sense]. Hopefully we can get a hardware upgrade soon, as Hi-MD's upcoming arrival will surely equal a population explosion for the Minidisc community as a whole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted April 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 The board experienced slight errors whilst I uninstalled the "Keep unread" mod. Sorry about that, but hopefully it'll speed up the board a bit. EDIT: Crap. The forum is having issues pulling new posts. I am working on it and it should be resolved ASAP. Final note: Done. I really hate *.php. Board is FLYING now. :happy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted May 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 As you may or may not have noticed, I removed Minidisc Australia's and Minidisc Access' forum. It just wasn't seeing any use. Monthly news forums have been consolidated into six month blocks. Banner rotation is in, and it seems to be working well. I believe that other than optimizing issues, there really isn't too much more I need to address. I am going to build a new template for the forums soon [as an alternative], and it will be of a blue/white theme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted May 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 Cleaned up some old modifications that I had deleted long ago, but bits and bobs were still around. Forum seems a bit faster now.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted May 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2004 Forum speed is quite tolerable with my recent clean-up, I've noticed. In light of such, I've added a Quick Reply at the end of topics for easier/faster posting ability. :happy: p.s. Inverted the forum colors and overall font layout. Please tell me what you think.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted May 16, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2004 I have removed the old logo and replaced it with a new one. I also moved the general user config under the new banner, and made the right side emphasis on ads. I also added a google adsense ad. I believe that this is about it for me and this template, time to work on the next..[blue]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted May 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 The forums now has two caching systems working in unison together; how seriene, eh? Regardless, it has decreased the overall number of queries and the forum seems to be running at a decent rate. I will be working on enabling gzip [which will effectively compress a page like the index, which is 49.3kb, to about 10kb. Delicious. Did I mention we're now #1 for these two google searches: minidisc forumminidisc forumsThis is due to some manipulations I made in the formatting. I can definitely tell that we're #1, too..our hit counts have been 2x since this occured a few days ago. I'm glad the board isn't as slow as it was.. :happy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted June 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 We had a hit increase of 1.2 million from last month for a total of 2.7 in May. That's excellent. I will be hiring a moderator or two, and I've already done so. Welcome skytherx to the moderating team. :happy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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