possible new zug forum Options

[ScottYelich]

I would enjoy the software that rembers your last read post by post -- not by date.
I'm for the move.

Scott

[rbourne3]

I like it.It makes it easy to read new posts, and I might find the assistant useful.

[jerrybme]

My vote goes to moving too. Glad to hear you'll change the skin so the color is different.
Cheers,
Jerry

[edl867]

I like it.

[slocaus]

IPB alloiws you to choose a skin based on your choices, if setup by the Admin. Look at My Controls, then Options, Skins and Lnguages at the lower left. I use a Mandrake IIPB board that is setup with 6 differnet skins. You can change colors to suit your preferences, and have a "light" version if you wish. I like it, as long as we do not look like the old DevNet board. :twisted:

Plus the Assistant feature that lets you view "Today's Active Posts is really nice; it avoids the missed posts when you get distracted by something like "Real Work", and come back later. 8)


To see a slick custom skin, look at this IPB forum:
http://forums-riovolution.com/

The real item:
http://www.digitalnetworksna.com/shop/_tem...odel=220&cat=53

So we can make it look like a Zaurus!!! weeeee!

[Hotrodder]

I don't like it. err.... let me restate that.

I REALLY DON'T LIKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.invisionboard.com/?license
One of the best things about the Zaurus is it's open source nature. It just seems wrong for the major zaurus site to support and use non-free software.

[offroadgeek]

I don't like it. err.... let me restate that.

I REALLY DON'T LIKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.invisionboard.com/?license
One of the best things about the Zaurus is it's open source nature. It just seems wrong for the major zaurus site to support and use non-free software.

If you read a bit more, then you'd also find that they have a free version of the IPB, not that I'm saying I wouldn't pay for the license.

Just because a company sells software, that doesn't mean it's not open source. AFAIK IPB is all based on open standards, none of the code is closed source (someone please correct me if I'm wrong!).

The only difference between the licensed IPB vs. the free version is that the licensed one has a couple more features, and you get support from the company.

By the way, the original ZaurusZone and the current devnet uses IPB. It's just a really good forum.

[gretchen]

I say go for the switch.....the new posts not showing up really bugged me sometimes.

[zenyatta]

I am intrigued by the feature of highlighting the threads where I've posted. Seems like a very nice touch, especially if it can be configured to only remind me of recent (n weeks) posts.

offroadgeek: I'm a bit confused by your matter-of-course willingness to purchase the license. $200 certainly means different things to different people yet I would expect extensive nagging for donations when discussing a matter of such obvious "public benefit". Perhaps it's just my kuro5hin experience speaking :-) . And perhaps $200 gets lost in your regular hosting costs?

Shame my country is still off limits to PayPal...

z.

[Hotrodder]

I don't like it. err.... let me restate that.

I REALLY DON'T LIKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.invisionboard.com/?license
One of the best things about the Zaurus is it's open source nature. It just seems wrong for the major zaurus site to support and use non-free software.

If you read a bit more, then you'd also find that they have a free version of the IPB, not that I'm saying I wouldn't pay for the license.

Just because a company sells software, that doesn't mean it's not open source. AFAIK IPB is all based on open standards, none of the code is closed source (someone please correct me if I'm wrong!).

The only difference between the licensed IPB vs. the free version is that the licensed one has a couple more features, and you get support from the company.

By the way, the original ZaurusZone and the current devnet uses IPB. It's just a really good forum.

It seems to me you don't quite understand open source. It's not about cost... It's not being able to see the source. it's about freedom!

from http://www.invisionboard.com/?license

You may not:  
permit other individuals to use the Software except under the terms listed above  

reverse engineer, disassemble, or create derivative works based on the Software for distribution or usage outside your web site excluding those applications described above  

use the Software in such as way as to condone or encourage terrorism, promote or provide pirated Software, or any other form of illegal or damaging activity  

modify and/or remove any copyright notices or labels on the Software on each page (unless full license is purchase) and in the header of each script source file  

distribute the Software  

distribute individual copies of files, libraries, or other programming material in the Software package  

distribute or modify proprietary graphics, HTML, or CSS packaged with the Software for use in Software applications other than Invision Power Board or web sites without written permission from IPS

Just look at all the options we have for what os to run on our zaurus's that would not be possible under a license like invision uses.

[offroadgeek]

hotrodder - then maybe you can enlighten me. What is open source???

it seems that you conveniently left out an important section in their license:

CODE

SCOPE OF GRANT

You may:



customize the Software's design and operation to suit the internal needs of your web site

produce and distribute modification instructions, Skin packs, or Language packs provided that they contain notification that the Skin and Language packs were exported from and originally created by Invision Power Board and/or IPS. The modifications instructions you personally create are not owned by IPS so long as they contain no proprietary coding from Invision Power Board.

create applications which interface with the operation of the Software provided said application is an original work

Now, as I understand the first line, we can modify the forum software to do whatever we want, as long as it is the same forum software that I purchased for the ZUG site.

So please, tell me what "freedoms" we are missing by this license...

[offroadgeek]

offroadgeek: I'm a bit confused by your matter-of-course willingness to purchase the license. $200 certainly means different things to different people yet I would expect extensive nagging for donations when discussing a matter of such obvious "public benefit". Perhaps it's just my kuro5hin experience speaking :-) . And perhaps $200 gets lost in your regular hosting costs?

Shame my country is still off limits to PayPal...

z.

You're right... $200 is a good chunk of money to spend on this, but I do really feel that it's worth it to get the many benefits the new forum would provide to our community.

Regarding the donations, I don't ever want to nag the community for donations. I figure that people will donate when they are able to.

Also, the google ads are providing to be somewhat helpful. In the three weeks since I first added the ads to the current forum, it's generated about $84. Now that's not nearly enough to cover the costs of hosting, but it's a step in the right direction.

I would rather see people support the zug by clicking on a few ads regularly (clicking thru two or so links is helpful) than donating their own $$.

I'm also planning on providing regular monthly reports on the ZUG showing the hosting costs, and the advertising revenue. The goal is to obviously get the hosting costs completely covered, and any extra $$ made would go back into the community in the form of development efforts (donations to developers for specific tasks) and/or providing needed hardware to development efforts.

[lardman]

I'm also planning on providing regular monthly reports on the ZUG showing the hosting costs, and the advertising revenue. The goal is to obviously get the hosting costs completely covered, and any extra $$ made would go back into the community in the form of development efforts (donations to developers for specific tasks) and/or providing needed hardware to development efforts.

I'd be interested to see this. I was never sure how much money people get from advertising.

I'll start clicking ;-)


Si

P.S. Assuming, as I do, that you have decided to move over (yay!), when do you think it'll happen?

[offroadgeek]

P.S. Assuming, as I do, that you have decided to move over (yay!), when do you think it'll happen?

I'm actually planning on moving the site to the new server (at home on my new SDSL connection) tonight... I'll post an announcement with the details of the downtime very soon... if that is a smooth cut over, I may just decide to cut over to the new forum tonight as well (while we have down time).

The site is already built on the new server and the new forums are built as well... I just need to do a database refresh to make sure it's all in sync with the latest posts.. etc.

[padishah_emperor]

I've got to say I absolutely hate this new forum, it's not as easy to use, I can't even find my postings, oh well, it was good while it lasted, but this new forum is frustrating to use.