The new look and features

[Tom]

Ernie, no need for any aggravation ...

If you the appropriate alert set up in your profile, you'll see a number adjacent to the 'bell' alerts icon to the right of your name above. Click the bell, and it shows the replies to you.

Click on a forum to see a list of threads. Alongside each thread is the number of replies.

 

[Jeff in Ferndale Wa]

I can't seem to find the edit button on some posts but can on others.

 

[Tom]

I can't seem to find the edit button on some posts but can on others.

Jeff, as in the old forum software, there's a time limit on being able to edit your own posts. It's currently only 60 minutes, but let me look/ask around if this was just a default in the new software.

 

[Tom]

I can't seem to find the edit button on some posts but can on others.

Jeff,
Just an FYI, I increased the time limit on edits to 24 hours, compatible with the old forum. However, for folks who haven't made 5 public posts, I left it at 60 minutes. Either way, you'll continue to see what you originally reported.

 

[garyb1st]

It's been a week since my post and I haven't received one email notification of the 28 responses to this thread. In fact I assumed no one was interested in my concern. Obviously that was not true.

Over the past 2 weeks I received 2 notifications on earlier threads I responded to. By comparison, I have received 26 responses to posts from IRV2. That is the other Forum I referred to in my earlier post. By comparison, my RVForum post count is probably 10 times greater than my IRV2 post count and prior to the change over, my mail box usually contained 2 or 3 or more responses to my RVForum posts. With my Swiss cheese memory, these notifications are the only way I keep abreast of what's happening.

Aside from the email notifications, member information has changed from an easily understood format to one that I can't even find. Previously I could see member post count from first to last. With the new format, the top 20 are listed. What's the point of showing only the top 20? Then the new category, Most Media Items. If this is an important category, maybe all members should be included. This looks more like an award category.

Also on member posts, previously I could go back to day one. When I search my previous posts, and I suspect on others, it's limited to the last 1000 posts. So if I was trying to find something I did back in the day, and my memory wasn't up to the task, I'm SOL.

These changes occurred during the 4 weeks we were traveling. Much of the time we were without wifi so I may have missed or accidently deleted the email notification of the format change. If there ever was an opportunity for input on the changes I missed that as well. Now I know the folks that own/control the forum do what they deem best but, from what I've seen and suspect, what they do best is maximize profit to their organization. A business approach that sadly follows the lead of Corporate America. Value added has largely become a one way street.

 

[Tom]

It's been a week since my post and I haven't received one email notification of the 28 responses to this thread. In fact I assumed no one was interested in my concern. Obviously that was not true.

Over the past 2 weeks I received 2 notifications on earlier threads I responded to.

A couple of things to check:

1. Go to your profile (click on your name above), select Preferences and carefully check all the options for notifications (scroll all the way down the page to see all options).

2. Check your email trash/spam folders to be sure the emails aren't being erroneously flagged as spam.

 

[Tom]

These changes occurred during the 4 weeks we were traveling. Much of the time we were without wifi so I may have missed or accidently deleted the email notification of the format change. If there ever was an opportunity for input on the changes I missed that as well. Now I know the folks that own/control the forum do what they deem best but, from what I've seen and suspect, what they do best is maximize profit to their organization. A business approach that sadly follows the lead of Corporate America. Value added has largely become a one way street.

I personally posted 3 advance notices: Here here and here.

We migrated from a forum software package with a standard set of features (defined by the 3rd party developers) to a different software package with a standard set of features (defined by different 3rd party developers). In both cases, we didn't have the option to request features in advance, although forum staff did have an opportunity to preview the new software.

Tech support and forum management are waiting for things to settle down before installing additional/changed features.

We all currently access the forum for free, and there are currently no paid ads here. So I'm at a loss to understand your assertion:

from what I've seen and suspect, what they do best is maximize profit to their organization.

 

[Tom]

Also on member posts, previously I could go back to day one. When I search my previous posts, and I suspect on others, it's limited to the last 1000 posts. So if I was trying to find something I did back in the day, and my memory wasn't up to the task, I'm SOL.

When you click Your Content in your profile, you see 40 pages each containing 25 of your prior posts. On page 40 you can click View older results and see another 1,000 posts; You can repeat, viewing 1,000 each time. This may not be the most convenient method, but you should be able to see all your prior posts.

Separately, I ran a search on a subject I vaguely recall posting back when, and found my posts in that topic posted in 2005.

 

[garyb1st]

A couple of things to check:

1. Go to your profile (click on your name above), select Preferences and carefully check all the options for notifications (scroll all the way down the page to see all options).

Several categories were not checked. Checked them all. Hopefully it's as simple as that.

 

[garyb1st]

I personally posted 3 advance notices: Here here and here.

Never saw the posts. Could be because my preferences. Not sure why that would have changed when the new software was introduced.

 

[Tom]

Never saw the posts. Could be because my preferences. Not sure why that would have changed when the new software was introduced.

Notification settings in the old forum software and the current one are quite different, and they may not be have been compatible during the migration. I'm not sure if there's a default, but we all need to set our own preferences in the current software. I know I had to change some of mine.

 

[Ex-Calif]

I don't know about others but another "great" feature of the new software is the ability to hover over a topic and get a preview window of the post. I can often tell in that short blurb whether I am interested or not.

 

[Tom]

I don't know about others but another "great" feature of the new software is the ability to hover over a topic and get a preview window of the post. I can often tell in that short blurb whether I am interested or not.

Agreed. That's one feature I failed to mention, and one I wish we had in the old software. Sometimes called a 'tooltip' or 'infotip'. The current one in this forum contains far more text/info than the original tooltips.

 

[garyb1st]

We all currently access the forum for free, and there are currently no paid ads here. So I'm at a loss to understand your assertion:

Tom, I'm not a betting man but if I were I'd put money on the likelihood that accessing the Forum for free is not going to last for long. Think Wall Street Journal, New York Times, or any other news organization that you could access for free as many times as you liked. Consider the many news clips you viewed with more commercials than news.

I don't know you well Tom but, from what I've seen over the years, aside from banjos, boating and fishing, RVing is one of your loves. When you started the RVForum, I suspect it was not as a business venture but a perceived need and a vehicle for RVing people to connect and share information. I also suspect the RVForum grew more due to the depth of your pockets than the contributions of the members. Not sure what perceived added value Social Knowledge is bringing to the table, but with more than 50 Forums spanning RVing, Boating and a third category that's hard to define, and a total membership exceeding 1,600,000 I suspect it has something to do with $$$. The math is pretty simple. Multiply any membership fee by 1,600,000 and you end up needing more accountants than RVing/Boating/Whatever experts to manage the operations.

Don't get me wrong. I fully appreciate the need for profit. But when profit becomes the sole motivation, things have a tendency to go sideways and sometimes south.

 

[Tom]

When you started the RVForum, I suspect it was not as a business venture but a perceived need and a vehicle for RVing people to connect and share information.

For clarification, Ed Juge started the forum in 1993 when he realized there was no online place for RVers to chat. When Ed was having serious medical issues, he asked me to take it over in 2003. I committed to run the forum for the benefit of our members. That commitment hasn't changed.

Not sure what perceived added value Social Knowledge is bringing to the table...

FWIW after 25 years here, in 2018 Andy, the owner of Social Knowledge, approached me (as he had done for 10 years). The need to secure the long-term future of the forum was my motivation to allow SK (Social Knowledge) to acquire us.

After more than two years, I can say that the new Forum management and Tech Support have worked tirelessly to support me personally, and to ensure the future of the forum. The migration to a more advanced forum software package is one example of what's being done behind the scenes. I have no idea how long the old forum software will continue to be supported, but I've wanted to migrate to this Xenforo software for several years.

 

[Ex-Calif]

I am on two other forums that I value as much as this one. I pay an annual fee for each of them and have no ads. Both have ads in the free version and there is no pressure to join or subscribe. Software costs money, maintenance costs money, server space costs money. And even "free" forums the expectation of features is super high as well as customer support and responsiveness.

I would gladly become a subscribing member here if that happened. I honestly can't believe it is free and it is ad free. For reference the one I use the most I pay $50 a year for "gold" membership - Basically a bigger inbox in the message area - LOL...

Not a suggestion, just an observation - LOL...

PS - Tom, thanks for the background on the history. I did not know that as a newbie and puts a lot in context. Thanks for being such a capable and dedicated caretaker of this place.

 

[Tom]

I am on two other forums that I value as much as this one. I pay an annual fee for each of them and have no ads. Both have ads in the free version and there is no pressure to join or subscribe. Software costs money, maintenance costs money, server space costs money. And even "free" forums the expectation of features is super high as well as customer support and responsiveness.

I would gladly become a subscribing member here if that happened. I honestly can't believe it is free and it is ad free. For reference the one I use the most I pay $50 a year for "gold" membership - Basically a bigger inbox in the message area - LOL...

Not a suggestion, just an observation - LOL...

PS - Tom, thanks for the background on the history. I did not know that as a newbie and puts a lot in context. Thanks for being such a capable and dedicated caretaker of this place.

You're welcome Marvin, and thanks for sharing your experience on other forums.

 

[Tom]

My recollections of the early days of The RV Forum on Compuserve reminded me that, although access to the forum was free, we still had to pay Compuserve to access their system. A search revealed that, in the 80's, CompuServe charged $6 per hour for 300 baud or $12 per hour for 1200 baud access rates. At 300 baud, you could watch individual characters scroll across the screen

 

[Ex-Calif]

Ahhh... Compuserve... Sent my first interactive, green screen eMail into the blind to my brother who was at McGill at the time.

$6 an hour was still cheaper than a phone call from Asia... I could not believe that with just that convoluted (/IP address) I/P address (enter) and (/name) name (enter) ( type /message body - enter - /send - enter) a message would go through the telephone line and land in the right place. When he replied, I knew the death clock had started for the telephone call. Couldn't fathom or foresee broadband.

 

[Tom]

Ahhh... Compuserve... Sent my first interactive, green screen eMail into the blind to my brother who was at McGill at the time.

$6 an hour was still cheaper than a phone call from Asia... I could not believe that with just that convoluted (/IP address) I/P address (enter) and (/name) name (enter) ( type /message body - enter - /send - enter) a message would go through the telephone line and land in the right place. When he replied, I knew the death clock had started for the telephone call. Couldn't fathom or foresee broadband.

Aye, the good old "road warrior" days. Used to travel with a kit of tools, wires, alligator clips, pins/needles that wouldn't get through today's airport security.

My first use of the Compuserve Information Service was before the days of forums; I needed to do research in the medical databases on a very rare condition my wife had.