Site Feedback & Suggestions

[Gale]

Give us your suggestions and feedback.

[k'sha]

Hi Gale,
I'm new,this is my second post.I was wondering if you could tell me what the 'never' means on the forum subjects.I laughed at first because I have never seen such a thing in a forum before but then got curious as to what it signifies.
Is it an in-joke?

[Gale]

Hi k'sha
The word 'never' is just part of the program when it is unpacked, and installed, showing no threads have been posted in that section.
It is rather :smilielol5:

[k'sha]

....so it's just a technical term.Too bad,I thought there might be quite the story to it.
It was funny.Thanks for filling me in...I had thought,'Ok,so I won't be posting on those threads.'

[Gale]

You could do the honours of banishing ‘never’. :rofl:

[Heretic]

is the avatar set up permanent, or will we be able to eventually use our own

if not then will other people be able to use the one I am currently using, or has my usage of it taken it off the list

not really complaining, just curious and have a slight preference towards uniqueness for ease of spotting post authors while scanning replies

thanks

[Heretic]

you know?

this baby avatar is starting to grow on me

[Gary]

I'm sure if you ask Norval, he will block it for you only, it is good!

[Norval]

In your CP control panel you can change your avatar to anything you like or upload you own custom one. Another option is to order up a custom one from Big John. He is not on line, so we will have to make a user name and any that want custom ones made can work it out with him. He is not a computer user at all, but we are working on him, , lol

Yes, we can delete that avatar from the user list so it is "YOURS", , grins

We just noticed that it was turned off for the members, it is now turned on for all to upload their custom avatars.

[Heretic]

YAY! Thank you so much.

hehe yeah I think I have fallen in love with this baby pic saying "sshhh" while representing the term "heretic"

it just.... fits

you guys rock

[Bobbi]

I agree Heretic - the name and picture are synonymous!

[Gale]

I just knew someone would like that avartar, Heretic.

[Terran]

I've been getting spotty results posting YouTube videos: I am simply doing a cut and paste of the video's url into my post, and vbulletin automatically centers it and turns it into an embeded YouTube screen. All that is fine.

However, so far videos thus embedded only seem to play back on Windows Explorer. Neither Firefox nor Chrome, which I use, are able to play the videos within Earthsbanner. I don't have access to a Mac, so I have no idea what Mac Safari users are experiencing.

I imagine it is either some kind of setting within vbulletin or a plugin may be needed that enables YouTube; Google video & Yahoo video playback across a wider range of browsers.

Anyhow it would be nice to have this feature enabled so we can all watch embeded videos without leaving the forum. Thanks a bunch!

[sokpuppet]

Is the 120 second delay between searches a deliberate policy or is it a case of admins not being aware of it yet due to their admin privileges being immune to this delay?

[Gale]

However, so far videos thus embedded only seem to play back on Windows Explorer. Neither Firefox nor Chrome, which I use, are able to play the videos within Earthsbanner. I don't have access to a Mac, so I have no idea what Mac Safari users are experiencing.

Anyhow it would be nice to have this feature enabled so we can all watch embeded videos without leaving the forum. Thanks a bunch!

Thanks Terran, I will look into it this morning.
:bananen_smilies091:

[Norval]

Is the 120 second delay between searches a deliberate policy or is it a case of admins not being aware of it yet due to their admin privileges being immune to this delay?

Reset to 60 second delay now.
Thanks for the heads up.

[Gale]

Terran, could it have something to do with individual browser settings?
You may have to reinstall your flash plugin.

[Swami Salami]

Nope, I've had the same thing coming up. Wait 120 sec. before it refreshes. And I got me a rather fast and big machine under my butt to play with.

[Norval]

Max images for each post is now set to five. :)

[Terran]

Terran, could it have something to do with individual browser settings?
You may have to reinstall your flash plugin.

Thanks for looking into this Gale. I just checked YouTube playback within another forum on the browser in question, and that works. That leads me to think it may be an Earth's Banner forum server-side setting.

[Gale]

The I guess it's still on my list Terran, thanks.

[Heretic]

Thanks for looking into this Gale. I just checked YouTube playback within another forum on the browser in question, and that works. That leads me to think it may be an Earth's Banner forum server-side setting.

I had some issue with Firefox on the Youtube videos but my experience is no sound and this only happens intermittently so I have assumed it is on my side. I also use IE-TAB (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1419) so when I have any issue with IE extensions and other webpage roadblocks I just click a button to load that page in an IE tab.This works for my almost all my web browsing woes as it allows me the toggle advantage of two web browsers in one.

When ever I try to close out of Alex jones it crashes by Firefox almost every time, even using IE tab. This irritates the hell out of me because it messes with all my forum updates with what is read or not. I am going to try to save sessions before entering Alex Jones now over it.

[Norval]

cant help yah with Alex Jones , but we are doing our best to keep this area open and free to those that want to post and ask questions, , :)

[Norval]

Gale is our acting web master at the moment, so most of these deeper questions she will be addressing about forum workings and such. I more or less try to manage the content and basic janitor work. Bobbi is our bookkeeper with Gale as a back-up concerning the costs to just keep all informed. Bobbi also does the proof reading of material and typo corrections for those that want it. And, you may have to remind us from time to time about any problems, Thanks. :)

[Gary]

Why don't we introduce a chat room?:bananen_smilies015::bananen_smilies015:

[Norval]

Maybe later on we can install a chat room, , good idea, but for now we just use yahoo messenger chat.

[Gale]

Thanks
There are a few fixes left to do, like the quote button under posts is distorted at least with my Foxfire browser it is. With the Foxfire and Netscape browsers the header graphic with the wording "400 Billion Galaxies of 400 Billion Stars Each; No, We Are Not Alone" on the top right is visible but not with IE.
As requested several times, image auto re-sizing has been installed. The re-sized images are clickable and open in another window to the full image size.
If you come across any other glitches please post them under feedback and suggestions.

[Gale]

New button graphics installed to replace the corrupted quote button.

[Norval]

Nope, can't see the galaxies pic in my IE, but it all seems to be working, well, for the most part. Somethings seem not to be able to be shown now, but that could be something else? some pics are not now showing up for me.

Thanks again for all the work you have put into getting the upgrade forum installed and working, "big hugs".

[Gale]

pics not showing up??

(IE was buggie for me)

[Norval]

It sure seems strange that the most commonly used browser, Internet Explorer, has the most difficulties?!?!?

[Norval]

Gale is now working on the final update to the latest forum software.

[Gale]

What does everyone think of the new software?
Comments and suggestions please

[Norval]

, , , uhmmmm , well it is up and running ~! ! ! !

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[sfth13]

Looks good from here.. everything seems to work... Great Job! :cheers2:

[Gale]

Still some errors on the home page but....it's getting there

[Gale]

Okay, I cannot take credit for creating all those articles and content on the front page. I just installed the software, I didn't write those articles!!

[sfth13]

I'd really like to read Man Steals Pigs on Motorcycle from the home page but i can barely read english, what language is that? :rofl:

[Gale]

:rolllaugh:
I was concentrating so much on the workings of the program I didn't catch that.
Gee you got me there.

[sfth13]

na jokes on me! i tired to change the language on the bottom of the page and the only one listed was english :scared: .... i still couldn't read it ... but all kidding aside the forum looks great.... :congrats:

[Norval]

My thanks to Gale for all her hard work in getting the new software up and running. There is still much to do and many tweaks to the way it works, but now at least I can help, , , :)

Some of the opening articles are in french or other languages, , we will get it all adjusted over the next few weeks, ,

[Gale]

Those articles came with the software.
I think that stealing pig article might be in Vietnamese.

[sfth13]

I still would like to know how a guy steals pigs on a motorcycle.... everytime I think about it i just crack up...does the pig hold on or just ride on the handlebars ? :rolllaugh:

[sfth13]

the only thing I see or don't see is on the Forum page... at the bottom it has the icon legend. But all i see is 3 boxes with the red x in them... maybe it's my browser... but everything else looks great

[Sherlock]

I see, Current Active Users, Site Statistics and Icon Legend but I use Firefox not IE.

[sfth13]

last time I tried to download and install Firefox my system went crazy and nothing seemed to work...

[unipax]

Looks great !

Thanks for all the work and time you put in Gale !

[sfth13]

I tried to log in from my work computer and what happens is this... I get the notice saying i'm logged on and if the page does not redirect me to click here... no problem but then it shows me as being logged on and on the currently active user list. but I cannot access the member areas or my profile, I also don't get the welcome bar on the top of the screen that has my screen name notifications, profile, setting and log Out links... at home everything works fine....maybe i need to quit my job :yes:... this is not a big deal for me I just thought i'd let you guys know...

[Gale]

I wonder if it has to do with logging out. If you don't log out just close the window, your name shows at the bottom as being logged in and your cookies would have been on the computer that you logged in with. Like unipax's username usually remains at the bottom for some time cause he doesn't log out all the time.

[sfth13]

cookies.... cookies and milk.. I deleted the cookies on my work computer and then tried and it seems to work fine now...strange... thanks for mentioning cookie Gale...

[unipax]

I dont think I have ever logged out.

Is logging out advised or preferred for some reason ?

I thought closing the window was the same as logging out.

[Norval]

If others have access to your computer then it is best to log out. This is because your computer will access the on line open forum every time the browser is opened from that computer. Depending on your computer's security settings this may not be possible. If you are set up so you don't have to log in each time you visit then anyone accessing your computer can do so.

I now have much greater security on anything I want to keep PRIVATE as some 14 years ago I had my computer taken by the authorities for 6 months.

[unipax]

Thanks Norval

.................................................. ....................

[unipax]

So far its just myself driving this rig... so until that changes I will retain the convenience of staying logged in. Thanks again.

[sfth13]

well the home page is starting to look like home...great job... Gale didn't you make a youtube Video also? Are you going to put that one up? :bananen_smilies046:

[Gale]

Hi sfth, thanks.
I was thinking the home page was looking rather blank and pitiful. Yes I did make a youtube video and actually I have another one done but I want a voice put to the video, narrating it. I will get it done now that my time is freed up.

[Norval]

Thanks for all the work on the forum Gale, looking good! The new colors are much better I think too. :)

[Norval]

Well, now I am really pissed off ! ! !

Our new forum software has a major problem in that it does not show user posts that have been made in the past. Do a search on your own posts and see how many it lists for you. And, we bought and paid for this crappy software, , gerrrrrrrrrr

[Gale]

Well.... it seems there is a step I missed. Checking the vBulletin forum (Questions, Problems and Troubleshooting) there is a rebuild I have to do. :(

[Gale]

The search function now works correctly, hip hip hurray:yeah:

[Norval]

Great work Gale, and thank you.

[Norval]

How quickly does our forum load for you?
Faster than others?
Slower than others?

[sfth13]

somedays it's just as fast and other days slower... it's hit or miss..

[Gale]

slower
I think it might have something to do with the server configuration. I will look into it in a couple of day. I had read something at the vbulletin boards about server configuration for people that ran their own servers.

[sfth13]

it's probably someone just spying on me :scared: .....:rolllaugh: it happens on a few other forums too... maybe it just all the :001_9898: i have on my computer...

[Gale]

There are certain words that if used in electronic communication (voice, forums, internet, emails etc) get red flagged and examined for reasons of homeland security.
Let's try a few words: bomb, suitcase, airplane, war, weapon, terrorist, threat, government, white house, ....
Let's try a few international words: bomb, suitcase, parliament, minister, weapon, war, terrorist, vial, mail,....no I better quit now.

[Norval]

One funny aspect is that Bobbi says it loads just fine for her most of the time. While on my computer it loads like molasses in the winter. Very slow most of the time. I'll have to fire up the notebook and see what it does with it.

[Gale]

It's like molasses for me all of the time.

[Norval]

, , , and now it requires me to click on the Remember Me box to keep logged in again, , sighs, , ,

[Gale]

That's odd, none of the settings have been changed....at least not by me.
Maybe the next update is ready.

[Gale]

It seems our service provider is just that, they only provide the service. The servers that EB resides on is owned by a different company so tweaking the server settings for optimizing the forum performance is most likely out of the question. The service provider said there were thousands of sites on the servers. sighs....

[Norval]

I guess we get what we paid for, , as far as the servers go. :(

[Norval]

I just tweeked the forum a bit, Now only shows 10 posts per page. Checking speed changes in loading now. :)

[sfth13]

WOW ! 100 times faster loading at least for me...:cheers2:

[Gale]

I agree, that does make a difference.

[Norval]

Yes, it seems to have made a difference. Cool.