System upgrade..

[Vashta]

Due to the recent site slowness, we have upgraded the forum system to a new version. The developers eventually got back to me explaining that the problems we were experiencing had been resolved in the new stable edition. I did some homework on the security of the new version and opted to install it.

You've probably already noticed the new look

Some issues we were having which are fixed in this edition:
Posts with no subject: The new system has field validation, which checks if the subject line is set before allowing you to submit a post
Reputedly runs faster
Generally looks and feels better.

Unfortunately, it's not without issues. The most prominent is that in this upgrade, links to user profiles are broken. Clicking on a user profile link other than your own will result in an error page. It actually works, but the search-engine-friendly URL system is rewriting the link to turn it into one that doesn't work. I'm burrowing through code and discussing the issue with the developers, but switching the SEF system off is no longer an option, as we get a fairly high number of visitors to the site from referrals through SEF URLs.

I'm working on it We'll correct this issue one way or another, and I'll keep you updated to progress.

Thank you

[Vashta]

The profile links are mostly fixed now, but I have broken the google maps in the process :F

I'm still working on it, however, and will update once some progress has been made.

Edit: Actually, it's working now ^_^

[Jastiv]

Some issues we were having which are fixed in this edition:
Posts with no subject: The new system has field validation, which checks if the subject line is set before allowing you to submit a post

I know you wish it was fixed, but it isn't actually fixed, check my post in the troll forum for starters.

[Vashta]

(insert dramatic sigh)
It's supposed to have form validation LOL. I'll check through the options again and see if there's a setting for it, failing that I'll ask the developers.

Will keep you updated

[Vashta]

OK,

I've modified the forum code so it uses basic javascript form validation. You should now get an error message if you try to post without a subject (or if you try to make the subject entirely whitespace, hopefully lol). This doesn't solve the problem universally, as people can still submit topics with no subject if they don't have javascript support, but since javascript is supported by basically all browsers, we should at least see a significant downturn in the number of posts without a subject, and I don't mind amending subjects for those that slip by.

I'll leave a message on the forum software dev forum encouraging them to implement server-side validation, but no promises there

[Mist]

I'm still getting used to the new forum look, how do I know when there is a new post and what do the colors mean!? o.o

[Vashta]

I had thought this may cause some trouble.. I set the system so that when you log in, it shows you the latest posts (new within the last 2 days or so), however, the colours are:

Green = New post
Grey = No new posts
Red = no new posts for over a week or so

If it has a yellow ring around it, then it's sticky
And if the image in the center is a cross, then the topic is locked (but as far as I know, we don't have any locked topics).

So, if you're browsing through, the green ones are ones with new posts.

[Mist]

Thanks was really confusing at first sight.

[Venefica]

I like the new look, perhaps a bit to colorful for my taste, look a bit like someone went crazy with a box of crayons. But it is nice and crisp and clear.