The major part of the upgrade is now done, and now you will be able to search through all the history we've built, see the threads organized into categories and make posts more easily. The forum now behaves like most every other forum, so should be a natural change.
I strongly encourage everyone to register as a user from the link in the top right. Currently you can still post anonymously, but that will go sooner or later. When you register, you can set yourself up to get a weekly digest email if you don't have the time to visit regularly but want to keep up to date. Also, when you start or add to a thread, you can be notified when someone adds to it. To see what has changed since you last visited, you can click "Recent Posts" and that will create a list for you.
AND you can add photos into threads without having to make links etc. I've shown an example below
As for the categories, constructive feedback and advice on what makes sense and what doesn't is welcome. I'm going through all the historical posts and moving them to the right category, but bear with me - there are a lot of them to move. I may even make mistakes (gasp!)
dave
Here's to easier pics!
-- Edited by DaveC on Thursday 25th of October 2012 02:39:25 PM
Finally, I've cleared out all the old spam postings that were clogging up the forum. They weren't visible to most folks, but they certainly made administration more complex etc. So now to move forward a bit more....
So as promised, I'll soon be making one of the final changes to the Forum. This will remove the ability to post either anonymously or without logging in. Bottom line - everyone will need a user name.
For those 20 odd people that have already done so, I'm sure you'll agree that it's quick, painless and free. So for everyone else, please do it asap.
many thanks for the excellent work you've been doing on the forum - a great improvement. Thanks too for eliminating the spammer postings so rapidly upon their appearance - hope you've not omitted to eliminate the spammers' accounts!
I think I can see your reasons for wanting everyone to register (no more "Anonymous" posts). I've always rather liked that feature (though I'm delighted to have been able to register and not to have to remember every time to put in my name in place of the default "Anonymous"). My only slight concern is that if you compel people to register, it might be a hoop too far for an occasional visitor with information to share (for example someone who worked at the factory who happens upon the forum). I appreciate it's "quick [and] painless" for those of us who are familiar with computers...but that doesn't yet include everyone. Might it be possible to have one section where membership wasn't a requirement to post "just in case"?
Not sure whether my concerns are really valid - just throwing them out there in case they're relevant.
Thanks again for the great works you've undertaken with the forum!
I did think that myself the first time Dave said he was going to do it and I have turned away from some sites because I cant be arsed to fill it all in but hey seem to want everything including my inside leg measurement.
this is one of the easiest forums I've come across/member of. and a great improvement.