Change is on the horizon...

**Vicious88** · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 8:41 am Post subject: Change is on the horizon...

phpBB 3... For those of you who don't know what that is, its a forum board. A very nice, rather advanced forum board.

What we hear at Infohub have been using is phpbb 2... Well, tomorrow, July the 7th Freeforums.org (our host) will be updating all the servers to phpBB Version 3.

What does this mean, exactly?

Well, for most of you, it will mean a better organized forum index, due to the birth of Sub-forums and Sub-Categories. For others, it will mean a customized PM Inbox and the ability to more greatly customize your Profile. But please be aware there is also the chance, all be it slim, that this change will cause us to loose posts, avatars, signatures, or even members. If that is the unfortunate case, then I, along with the you, will do what can be done in order to recover and enjoy the new system.

Please be aware also that some of the newer features may not be instantly available for you upon this change. Freeforums.org has announced that once the key change has been made, the other features will be implemented one by one.

My hopes:
Honestly, part of me hopes that we will not be included in this update, as I have put a whole lot of work into the look and layout of Infohub, which will most likely not be compatible with phpBB Version 3. But since luck tends not to be on my side, my hope is that I will be able to adapt to these changes quickly and make them work for the enjoyment and benefit of all our members.

My Concerns:
Every shred of graphical goodness you see here on Infohub took time. And a considerable deal of, actually, lol. So I have concerns that I'll have to re-implement things like the theme, the Forum Icons, and possibly even things like avatars. But my primary concern is posts. I look at our posts, even inactive ones, as an archive.

I praise our Poetry and Recipie sections. As well as Art and Comedy. I'm not exactly sure what I'd do if these posts were lost.

I wish, beyond all wishing, that there was something I could do to back up the database here, but tragically, there is not. That is the one feature which Freeforums.org has denied its users. Which is perhapes for the best, because if the database IS incompatible, then it'd do me no good to have backed it up.

There is rumour, however, that upon install of phpBB Version 3, I'll be able to take back-ups at will. This means, of course, that I'll have mirrored the forums over to an archive on my local server machine.
_________________

Ah, Signature Changes...

**JackS** · Moderator Joined: 29 Sep 2007 Posts: 28 Location: Uk

phpBB2 and phpBB3 should be fully interchangeable, but the portal may need updating to work as it should.

You shouldn't lose posts at all.

Be warned permissions are an absolute bugger to set properly in phpBB3. Overall though, it's a better forum software.

If you need a hand with anything, I know my way round phpBB3 well enough, so drop me an e-mail.

Jack
_________________
Jack - InfoHub Moderator

**RobC1907** · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 10:09 am Post subject:

Jack is right about the permissions, you'll have to set permissions individually on each forum for every usergroup.

Regarding the backups - most free hosting services don't allow you access to the ACP module required to make backups. I've never used freeforums.org myself so I'm not sure whether they will offer this feature or not.

I still think your best bet would be to download the latest version of phpBB3 from the phpBB website and FTP it to a hosting account - I have one if you'd like me to do it.

We've discussed this before, and I know you don't want to do it, so I won't keep going on.

I'll save it for an "I told you so" later.

**JackS** · Moderator Joined: 29 Sep 2007 Posts: 28 Location: Uk

Yeah James, to be honest, you'd be better off switching to a free host and running phpbb3 yourself.

Seems you have two helpers on hand if need be.

I've used ad-free hosting on x10hosting.com and found them to be pretty good.
_________________
Jack - InfoHub Moderator

**Vicious88** · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 11:41 am Post subject:

I can't unpark my domain so untill that expires, I'm unwilling to move. Also most free hosts use CPanel now-a-days. As a retired hacker, I can easily exploit CPanel, so I'm not prone to making myself vunerable.

I've got a local server here with good bandwidth via my ISP and acceptable upload. If I could unpark my domain, I'd just set up vBulletin and park my domain locally via no-ip or some other DNS DUC.
_________________

Ah, Signature Changes...

**JackS** · Moderator Joined: 29 Sep 2007 Posts: 28 Location: Uk

Why can't you un-park your domain? >.<
_________________
Jack - InfoHub Moderator

Smashboy · Member Joined: 14 May 2008 Posts: 54

**Vicious88** · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 11:13 pm Post subject:

Because the funds were "anonymously donated" via the community chest option, ergo, "I" never purchased the domain, freeforums.org did (by technicality). So, without paying for a deal of their technical support, I can't unpark it.
_________________

Ah, Signature Changes...

**sweetie79** · VIP Joined: 29 Sep 2007 Posts: 386 Location: Home

is there any way around that at all?
_________________
Never fear what others think, because the people who mind don't matter and the people who matter don't mind. True friends stick with you no matter what.

**Vicious88** · Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:32 pm Post subject:

Tragically, the only way around it is to have them unpark my domain manually, which could vary in price (from the way I understand their pricing system). But even on the cheap end, it's consideribly more than I have to my name right now (which, for the record is $0.19).
_________________

Ah, Signature Changes...

**Vicious88** · Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 7:10 pm Post subject:

Yay!!!

Freeforums.org forewent their goal of updating ever individual server to phpBB3, and instead have simple presented users with the option to upgrade individually.

I'm re-learned the phpBB3 platform on my local server, and, once I'm more familiar with it, I'll put it up to community vote as to whether or not we update the forums.
_________________

Ah, Signature Changes...

**RobC1907** · Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 4:10 am Post subject:

AHA!

Leaving this until later is just an excuse, a cover-up operation for you wanting InfoHub to remain oldschool for as long as possible Wink

**Vicious88** · Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 11:04 am Post subject:

There's no cover-up. I very publicly would rather stay old school. But once I know and am comfortable with phpBB3, I'll put a transfer up to community vote.
_________________

Ah, Signature Changes...