[Ian]

I've upgraded the forum software today, so we're now using the latest vBulletin 3.8 version

I've had a look around and can't see any bugs or problems that this has introduced on the site, but if you do notice anything that behaves strangely then please do let me know .

[Ian]

I've just been reading the vBulletin support forum to look for any potential problems, and some people are reporting that they get logged out each time they visit a website that has been upgraded to the new patch level. If you have this problem, just clear your cookies and it should be ok

[Kalario]

So that what was happening to me...Thanks Ian, great job !!!

[Veedaz]

All seams very smooth Ian, nice to know Window 7 Forums is on the latest software and thanks Ian

[davehc]

No problems here, Ian. Well done. Couldn't comment on the "bug" as I log out and clear my cookies automatically on exit..

[Ian]

Glad there are no side effects

[davehc]

Rather than start another thread on this, I would like to congratulate Ian on his quiet background operations.
There is an ongoing thread on another forum I use, which is almost getting to be a giggle. It has , so far, taken about 6 months for the Admin to change the format and servers.
Ian has done it (I think) in two discrete and virtually unseen 12 hour operations.
I know little about in depth programming.
I have a 6 page website, which I wrote myself. (It is entirely unrelated to Windows) I have to change some of the detail and format, on a six month basis, due to its nature, This is prepared on my hard disk (about a half hours work) and the upload takes about 10 minutes. A recent change of providers took about 15 minutes. This time scale would be for any simple site owner, and requires very little programming knowledge.
I do realise that it is a more complicate issue with sites such as this, with members and othert Dbases running. But Ian seems to do it in a remarkably good time.

The forum I refer to has, with "improvements" become a jungle of lables and sub headings.
I prefer simplicity. I am on forums such as this, partly because of the "cyber" friendship it creates, but also because I feel, (Not Always!!) that I can pass on information to help others.
I do hope that we never, for example, start a (imo) dreaded merit system. On the forum mentioned, for example, one can give a credit point, without expanation, to any subscriber, but, by the same mouse click, a demerit point requires an explanation before it will be progressed. You don't need much imagination to see how that can be misused! Most forums I now visit, have dropped the practise, none of them allow a "demerit" option. Apart from other flaws, it does, of course, develop a love or hate relationship between members.
Another problem with the site is the careless use og the open thread forum. This goes by various names on sites, but is a section used to discuss anything which is not appropriate to the site generally (Window 7, for example) On the other site, this is almost totally dedicated to links to a music site, which, of course, members could link to without going through a third party Windows 7 forum. In connection with this, news items are posted as new posts.
If the site is accessed after a half day cooling period say, a likely staistic is to find more than a hundred "New posts". only a quarter of these, at best, would actually relate to Windows 7.
Coming to this site today, not on for about 20 hours, I find 20 posts, but they are all directly related to Windows7.

What is the point of this rambling, you are now saying? Call it a shot across the bows. I hope this site stays in its present, straightforward, format and remains dedicated to good solid discussion on Windows issues.
Keep up the good work, Ian.

[clifford_cooley]

to davehc

Perhaps Ian could share with those of us that do not know how the sites are upgraded. Is it all automated or is there manual editing that needs to be done before making everything live?

[davehc]

Might be of interest. I think, without deep knowledge, that the problem may be how to update a site, when there is ongoing activity, and even new members joining. I don't have exactly the same problem on my site. I edit totally and then upload. I do wonder how Ian manages to accomplish it without, apparently, too much disruption.

[danperteet]

Originally Posted by clifford_cooley

to davehc

Perhaps Ian could share with those of us that do not know how the sites are upgraded. Is it all automated or is there manual editing that needs to be done before making everything live?

I don't use VB, but with most forum software's I have used, you upload the upgrade files to the server, and execute a php file, which upgrades the forum files, and database tables.