2013 Support of the site!

[guglielmo6160]

All I can say is LOL


just let me know when I can contribute, either way,

[Away On Busine$$]

Commisionpoint! to bad you can't make your remarks pointed and direct to the subject. But, must be derogatory and directed away from the subjet. Which is we don't need it. Support what we have!

[prowlersfish]

Please guys lets just agree to not agree and move on . This is not what the site is about . Its about trojan boaters helping other trojan boaters .

[Commissionpoint]

I really don't know anything about writing "code" and even less about setting up a forum like this but this venue seems to work. My other concern is members getting lost in the transition. The members make this forum what it is and that commodity needs to be protected. All that being said, I think it would be nice if we had a photo gallery section that was a little more front line and easy to access by model and or size.

Ok, well thats part of my point Doug. I just never intended this to turn into a pissing match. I just thought I could help, but it evidently hasn't been well received. Maybe I shouldn't have offered.

I would like to have some of that functionality you mention also, and I think others here wouldn't mind having it either. Photos, private messaging, user profiles, the way topics and subsections are listed, the administrator functions are all greatly improved in vBulletin versus the current software we are using. The security of vBulletin is also much, much better which protects our archives and our member information from attack in a much more secure way than the current system. We are using 11 year old software in a world where the half life on technology is 6 months. That means we are 22 generations behind the latest stable release and lord knows how many behind the latest beta version.

A time will come when we will be forced out of this platform. Support will no longer exist for this version. Its my belief that we should be proactive and seek a modern solution and all work together toward making that transition before we have no choice. I am willing to help get us there in any way I can if the majority are also willing.

[Away On Busine$$]

Commissionpoint! Less than a year, Longer than a lifetime, knowledge gained from years and years. Pack a different lunch pale!

[captainmaniac]

Please guys lets just agree to not agree and move on . This is not what the site is about . Its about trojan boaters helping other trojan boaters .

Agreed. Many of us know where and why the 'forum support' concept originally came from, and are much more happy with things being run this way. Some newer members may not know the history - and that could explain why they are apprehensive about contributing financially.

For those who don't know : The time and effort of managing, administering, and supporting the site, AND paying for hosting fees including data backups, is what the money actually goes to. The cost of the software is irrelevant. For a time we had to deal with banner adds all over the site, as Beacon had to raise money from somewhere to cover costs. Most of us felt that the some of the adds popping up were not appropriate for a family focused site, so we offered to cover costs ourselves, as we see great benefit out of this community.

Contributing financially to keep the site running is still optional, but - with all due respect - is there anyone out there who can really raise their hand and say they haven't gotten at least 20-30 bucks worth of value out of something they have found or found out on the forum?

[Away On Busine$$]

Why Don't we ask our host for a response!

[Big D]

....A time will come when we will be forced out of this platform....

Really need not say more! Though I whole hartedly support this forum, there are a few things expressed in the past that should be considered. Among other things, perhaps the most important is security; our personal information for one and all the invaluable information posted here to date. To think that either one of those is at risk has bothered me for some time. I for one would also post more pics if I didn't have to go through a third party.

Having said all that, I will still contribute $$ but would welcome change. Change is OK, sometimes necessary, and always inevitable! Discussing change is OK too. Whether you agree with it or not, there is no need for harsh words. In the end, we all want the same thing; for this forum to carry on.

[alexander38]

WOW ! things I miss,

1, I'll kick in Carver-bucks any time it's needed.

2, C.P. I take your offer as you intended to improve the site. And see a need for it as Big 'D' pointed out.

3, there is NO reason the the attacks on C.P. for his offer, If our Host would like to upgrade the site I'll kick in half of the lic. fee's or the first renewal.

4, Software does make a difference, go to the Carver Club site it's a for profit P.O.S.....that use's out of date software...

5, Let us knock off the attacks period we just went thru a yr of that crap, and if you can't accept someone's opinion then argue the your point without attacks or take it to PONT.....

[RWS]

Rather than give the standard donation, I would like to purchase and donate a copy of v-Bulletin version 5. If the powers that be would like to make that transition, I would be more than happy to purchase and donate the software license. I think thats about the equivelant in dollars to 10 standard yearly membership donations.

http://www.vbulletin.com/

===============================================

Thank you for being a stand up guy.

Some folks don't realize that the one thing that is constant is change.

As far as technology is concerned, anyone here still using LORAN-C ?

anyone?

Anyone???

Bueller???????

RWS

[Commissionpoint]

Loran C??? Carver-Bucks???

LMAO

Hey thanks guys. For a hot minute there I thought I had really said something wrong. I really just would like to get us into a more secure and comfortable environment. If I can donate a license or help by setting up and migrating the archives, whatever, I'm willing to do it. Money is one thing, but my time is available now, once April gets here I will be busy again and won't have the time available to help the site until next winter. Maybe is a two winter process based on resources available. I really don't know. What I do know is that my offer is genuine, and to accept it I only need to receive a note from our host(s) at Beacon and I will get the ball rolling.

Anyone check out the demo screens and features on the promo video for VBulletin version 5? Heres the link again, the video can be watched by pressing the little 'video' button in the middle right of the VB homepage. Its short, but it shows the features of the software well. Check it out!


http://www.vbulletin.com/

Edit: FWIW a couple friends run a very successful hiking forum that uses vBulletin. Thats how I came to know it. If we need to get info about ongoing costs, system upkeep, etc I know they would be more than happy to share thier experience with us. I will see the IT guy for that site on Saturday when I hike again, so if anyone has questions I should be asking him please let me know before Saturday.

[Moderator]

Don't see any reason you can't do it now . ( give suport )

I will be talking to Bob and will forward the info posted .


Thanks everyone.

[alexander38]

Carver-bucks---Support Trojan out of guilt if you know what I mean... But I think what you want to do is stand up..

[Commissionpoint]

Of course I do Tony. You are a good guy and it doesn't matter if you have a Carver now, or a Trojan before, or a whatever later. I was just teasing you a little. Unfortunately for both of us I'm not going to be able to stop giving you a good natured ribbing from time to time until you get a Trojan, or at the very least rebadge that darned thing as a Trojan. Want me to get you some of those acrylic emblems someone posted about awhile back while I am still in the giving mood? LoL.

[georgepet]

This is not what the site is about . Its about trojan boaters helping other trojan boaters

and

Among other things, perhaps the most important is security; our personal information for one and all the invaluable information posted here to date. To think that either one of those is at risk has bothered me for some time. I for one would also post more pics if I didn't have to go through a third party.

I agree with both posts. There are times (rarely ) in this forum when vitriol and knowledge cudgels raise their ugly heads. In my very first post I noted that some of you have forgotten more about Trojans than I'll ever know. How will folks ever wish to join, ask questions or contribute when faced with a potential brow beat? The value of this forum in the two years I followed the forum were immeasureable to me in making a somewhat informed purchase. And so, it would be worth reminding ourselves as Prowlerfish said - that is the point here.

On the question of change - change for its own sake isn't always necessary - there is a saying that goes "if it ain't broke - don't fix it". But in the military we also have a saying that is "show me an organization that says we've always done it this way - and I'll show you an organization on the way to irrelevance".

I think the forum works as is, but there is room for improvement if the folks that actually run this site can do so without undue cost. Supplying a new piece of software as the forum user interface is the simplest part, we should also enquire what the maint/management requirement is - we aren't the ones running it on our servers - we're the users, not the operators.

That said, (as Big D pointed out) I would like to see an easier way of posting photo's as I do not like going through third party sites, (you all I'm sure followed the dust up with Instagram) and potential privacy issues that entails.

A better search engine would be nice (the present one works but could be improved), the chat function is an added function that would be helpful and I noticed that with v.bulletin there is a mobile interface module which would expand useability for when folks are on boats and not at desktops.

Whichever way a "vote" goes and if Beacon Marine has the wherewithal to do an upgrade, I'll kick in as this forum has been of value to me. For CP, you can count me in financially if this goes ahead. If not and we keep to this UI, I'll still kick in to support it as I appreciate it just the same

cheers

G