I noticed that this forum is modeled by "Invision Power Board v9.1.4 © 2013 IPS, Inc. "

After Googling, I noticed a much nicer version.
Click to view attachment

Can this old POS be upgraded to something easier on the eyes?

Hey Andy,
Sounds like someone just volunteered for unpaid, long-hour job.

What's the matter with the way It is?

You shouldn't have skipped those motivational classes ...


This old version was a one time expense (compared to the subscription monthly payments for the new version).
Also, and even more importantly, over the last 10 years we have accumulated many, many, many custom modifications to the board source code to improve the site.
All that custom code would be lost with an update.

And then there's the issue of migrating the old data to a newer system. Our old version is not upgradable so this would have to be a manual process.


So, at this point, unless someone here volunteers to do all that work, there's no way i will have the time and energy to tackle a project like that.

Also, new code means new exploits for hackers.

Have you tried alternate skins/colors in the bottom left menu?

Oh, and you should upgrade your POS 914 for a Boxster.

OLD code means MORE exploits for hackers. But believe me I know the stakes and don't mean to enter a dog into the fight.

Uber thankful for this board and our admins.

Don't Hackers give up on Old Code and go Trolling for the New Stuff?

I would agree if we were running an out-of-the-box version of IPB. We've taking steps to close exploits on our own, beyond the efforts of Invision. New features mean new openings.

Our code base is 10 years old an was the last version before they went to a completely new code base.
Meaning, by then most bugs and exploits had already been patched in our code base.

We have not had any hacks or exploits on this code base for at least 8 years. All the wannabe hacker kiddies have long moved on to greener pastures.

Not to enter in on any side of this, but at some point won't this code base become unsupportable?

A company I support has an Access 97 application that would no longer run on windows 7 and had to be completely rewritten from scratch at great time and expense becuase the 15 year old application had never been upgraded.

Supportable by whom?

The site is written in PHP which won't be going anywhere anytime soon. I don't see any reason why this code base would simply stop working some day.


And even if that did happen, i already have a backup plan that would allow us to keep all the existing posts and images.

IBTL




[EDIT] This place is awesome!

Thanks SirAndy, this site is excellent!

Does the new software have a PM reply-all button?

Hah, hardly. Well, some do, but thousands more exploit the exposed holes. Ask Microsloft. There's a reason for "patch Tuesday." If you run Windows and follow that logic, you are at a huge risk. Run your updates!

But glad to hear this board is in a bit of a different boat, because our admins are handling the patches in house.

V9.1.4 rules.

FWIW I am on several forums and this one is BY FAR the most user friendly when it comes to PM's, and especially posting pics. Some other sites pic posting setup just plain sucks


Thanks Andy

If it ain't broke don't fuch with it. .

Don't get me wrong, I'm extremely grateful for what Andy has done for all of us, especially during the DOS attack endeavor this past summer.
But, last week in the school's computer lab, a friend poked fun at this forum, stating that his commodore 64 has a better GUI than this site. I can handle the NARP statements, however it's a different story when someone yell's NARF (forum)

I agree totally about leaving stuff alone when its not broken. However, what exactly would it take to update this forum to the 21'st century? Are we talking a few hours and a couple hundred dollars? Or, are we talking months and a few thousands dollars? Perhaps we employ some illegal immigrant programmers, to carry out the tedious tasks

He's obviously too young to actually have worked with a C64 since the C64 did not have a GUI at all.


You're either looking at a complete, custom re-write of the forum software or a tedious migration to a off the shelf product.

Pick your poison. Both solutions will take a good amount of time which i don't have. The $ aspect is secondary if i don't count my time as $. The time aspect however is a deal killer for me since that is the one thing i do *not* have.

What in the world does a "good" forum look like?

I really can't fathom that...

Something along the lines of these templates:

http://www.websitetemplates.org/category/cars/page2.html

Don't change a thing. Some of us are simple minded and like simple things, especially the Canadian contingent. Don't ruin it for them.

Or more specific, Forums:

http://www.websitetemplates.org/category/forums/

Samba


Just because Yahoo mail seems to think they need to change their format every few months, doesn't mean World has to. Andy is doing a fine job with this one

+1on "The Samba"

Agreed. Don't change a thing. It's very easy to post pics here compared to some of the other sites I'm used to, requiring a link to photobucket, etc.

--Doug

I am a fellow computer geek but in a completely different niche from web-based stuff. I couldn't create a website right now if you asked me, but give me couple of days, and I could crank out something.

What I do know is that moving to a new release of software where there is no migration path and the code is highly modified is extraordinarily resource intensive. In the corporate world, upgrading this site to the new version would take hundreds of hours and certainly in the tens of thousands if not the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Andy operates this site more or less as a hobby, for our benefit, and I am damned thankful that he does. This is the most functional and enjoyable community that I have ever been a part of. I also find it extremely intuitive and easy to navigate, thanks to his modifications.

Andy, when it comes time that an upgrade is inevitable, please tell me what I need to learn, and I will be glad to help get it done.

I looked at ths when the site went down, and thought it was going to be down for quite some time.

Leave it the way it is, if Andy feels the need to make changes, great, but otherwise, keep it easy for Andy.

He does all of this for very little thanks.
So thanks again Andy.
-Mark

One thing that would be nice if we could have some kind of Buyer/seller feed back in our member info? Would be nice to know when buying off other members if we are going to be scammed or buy off one of the good ones.

Other then that very happy with the people and info on this site, top notch.

If you have a question on a deal or vendor, you can search or start a thread.
Low post count would be a red flag, but thant's the extent for now.

Oh...now I get it. Someone just learned something new in class and now knows more than someone that's been doing it in the real word for 20 years(just an estimate, Andy).

This site is awesome especially when compared to other forums that I am active on.

I like it the way it is. Plus, what kind of 914 guys would we be if we changed from version 9.1.4?

Negative ghostrider. Just because I had a class in some computer lab, doesn't equate to me majoring in some computer science degree. It was actually some boring ass statistic class. It's ironic you chimed in though, weren't you the guy that was solely responsible for bringing our site down for many weeks?

No I was not responsible for the site going down, wise ass. I asked a question about a website. Several people more savvy than me did some research that suggested the site was a scam. From there the hackers that ran the website I asked about continued to take this place out. I don't have the skills to do such a thing.

I didn't realize that this was a sensitive issue with you. It's water under the bridge at this point. Besides, I should be thanking you. With the site being down last year, my GPA slightly increased that semester!

No need for the thanks and not a sensitive issue at all. It was out of my hands. I feel badly that the hackers caused Andy a lot of headaches but that was certainly not within my control. And clearly you gained some knowledge that semester. You are now smart enough to know that this site is, and I quote your initial post, an "old POS".

Come on Mike .... take credit where credit is due. We all know that you are responsible, but you're so handsome we decided to overlook your faux pas.

Since 1978 ...

(and no, that's not a typo )

Damn. You Germans age really well.

They had computers in 1978?

They didn't have PCs...Andy must go back to the IBM mainframe days.

I worked with IBM 360s and Univac 1108s back in 1972

Elliot started out with an abacus and graduated to a slide rule

If Elliot is using a slide rule, you are screwed.

No !!! Either he was 10 when he started, or he as aged very gracefully!

But, Germans are apparently horrible photographers

First of all this is a great Forum and we should be thankful of any extra!
But why question what is good and I am suggesting an APP if somebody wants to spend time for some upgrades!

Maybe somebody that wants to help can do that...

So whats that about us germans?
Well I guess its a compliment that we age better

This place is just fine like it is. I will never understand the need to "upgrade" software every time you blink your eyes. Old shit doesn't smell as bad as new shit, remember that.

I forgot all aboot Mike bringing the site down!

Crap, I remember using card readers when I took Fortran in college.

Keep talking Erc. I'll do it again. I'll take PMB out too!