Photo Albums and Social Groups

Dav

Hey there.

Our march towards a break away from VBulletin continues and Rónán and Danny are working on some updates to our own API and are basically filling the gap between what we have and what we need to have.

One of the snags we have is VBulletin's Photo Album system and the Social Groups which were add-ons that were deployed without a lot of further thought about how they'd be supported in the future and they're quite honestly causing us more of a headache than they're worth to us at this stage.

So, we're disabling any creation and new posts in Social Groups and we're disabling uploads to Photo Albums. I'll bet a vast majority of you didn't even know these features existed (I think 1400 users in total have used a photo album which is 0.23% of all registered accounts as it happens).

So first and foremost, we're not deleting any data. Deleting data without any legal grounds is, as far as I'm concerned, a violation of this sites principles and the members who've made it what it is and I am absolutely opposed to it. You can still view any of the existing stuff as it stands via the Networking section on the left of your Control Panel as always. There's a bigger project in creating an Archive of older features and content that's no longer supported - things like the Biki, these albums and groups and so on, but that probably won't happen this year if I'm honest. It is on the list though - we want to have an easy means of displaying this content, but that's outside the scope of the current work.

That's all for now - any questions you have, please feel free to ask.

P_1

Dav wrote: »

Hey there.

Our march towards a break away from VBulletin continues and Rónán and Danny are working on some updates to our own API and are basically filling the gap between what we have and what we need to have.

One of the snags we have is VBulletin's Photo Album system and the Social Groups which were add-ons that were deployed without a lot of further thought about how they'd be supported in the future and they're quite honestly causing us more of a headache than they're worth to us at this stage.

So, we're disabling any creation and new posts in Social Groups and we're disabling uploads to Photo Albums. I'll bet a vast majority of you didn't even know these features existed (I think 1400 users in total have used a photo album which is 0.23% of all registered accounts as it happens).

So first and foremost, we're not deleting any data. Deleting data without any legal grounds is, as far as I'm concerned, a violation of this sites principles and the members who've made it what it is and I am absolutely opposed to it. You can still view any of the existing stuff as it stands via the Networking section on the left of your Control Panel as always. There's a bigger project in creating an Archive of older features and content that's no longer supported - things like the Biki, these albums and groups and so on, but that probably won't happen this year if I'm honest. It is on the list though - we want to have an easy means of displaying this content, but that's outside the scope of the current work.

That's all for now - any questions you have, please feel free to ask.

Probably a headache inducer but what plans are (if any) are there to facilitate the current social groups that are active. Should there be an acceleration of the forum starting process or is the current reccomendation to keeps things to PM till something better is worked out?

C.K Dexter Haven

Dav wrote: »

Hey there.



So, we're disabling any creation and new posts in Social Groups
That's all for now - any questions you have, please feel free to ask.

When will this happen?
Will you be PMing the owners of the various social groups in advance so they can forewarn the rest of the users of that group?

Thanks.

Zaph

Judging by this Help Desk thread it has already happened.

namenotavailablE

I have the same query as above- a couple of 'activeish' social groups (Seedyville, Laughing Gnome) of which I'm a member are now in limbo. It would be a pity if the active groups are to be disabled but I can appreciate that the switch-over project is likely to involve plenty of bigger headaches and will certainly adapt to the new circumstances.

Perhaps a definitive statement stating that the decision to disable the facility to reply in these groups will apply indefinitely or alternatively will apply for approx XXX weeks/months might be posted here. I'm guessing from the initial post that the disabling is indefinite ("causing more of a headache than they're worth") but wasn't 100% sure.

Boards.ie: Danny

Just popping in here to confirm that creating new social groups, posting in existing ones and joining groups is disabled and has been since this afternoon. Similarly creating new photo albums and uploading photos to existing albums is disabled.

All data is available for viewing if you had the appropriate privileges before the disabling took place.

Danny

KeithM89

Boards.ie: Danny wrote: »

posting in existing ones and joining groups is disabled and has been since this afternoon.

There have been posts made there all evening and upto a few minutes ago

TommieBoy

This saddens me no end... The Laughing Gnome Home and Seedyville are very special places on boards... Is there no hope for re-establishment of these (vital imo) social groups in the future???

Boards.ie: Danny

Scylla wrote: »

There have been posts made there all evening and upto a few minutes ago

All posts made this evening have been made by the group maintainers, they and the admins are the only ones who can post.

Danny

TommieBoy

Is there a way to change the current social groups by giving them some sort of forumship, instead of discontinuing them?

........pllllllleeeeeeease?

Posy

TommieBoy wrote: »

Is there a way to change the current social groups by giving them some sort of forumship, instead of discontinuing them?

[COLOR="Silver"]........pllllllleeeeeeease?[/COLOR]

+1 to this.
Like Tommieboy has said, this must be a massive slap in the face for TLGH and other long established groups, can they not get a forum or some way to continue?

RoundyMooney

Whatever about the necessity of it, some notice would have been appreciated by the users of such groups, I'd imagine. Poor show, unless the hamsters made them do it.

Grid.

Will any of this impinge on private forums.....and could they not facilitate social groups this way??

TommieBoy

Dav wrote: »

the Social Groups ...and they're quite honestly causing us more of a headache than they're worth to us...

I assume you're speaking from a purely logistical standpoint, for the worth of these groups and the people that moderate and contribute are quite worthwhile...

For me, our social groups worth cannot be measured. They have been my respite in a stormy season. For others, social groups can be their only (in some instances) connection to boards. For those who have not availed themselves of participation in a group (regardless of membership size), they have lost out on one of the most valuable resources Boards has had to offer. Our social groups are what makes boards special to me and others as well.... I am sorry the groups have been a headache for the staff, for me they have been a lifeline. I thank you greatly for providing them.

I hope a better solution can be found (one person suggested hosted forums perhaps???) rather than simply dismissing these beneficial, worthwhile parts of Boards...

Lovely Bloke

Surely there is a case for creating private hosted forums from the bones of these social groups.

Bad form to just leave these people with *nowhere* to go at such short notice.

disclaimer - I am not an active member of any social group.

Dav

Good morning all.

In my haste yesterday, I forgot to add that any currently active social group creators should PM me to arrange for a private forum - a massive oversight on my part and very bad form to make it look like we're leaving you in the lurch. So I've had a few PMs already about it and will be making arrangements for these folks today.

Please accept my apologies for this, it wasn't out intention to simply close the door on your groups and leave you with no alternative. We looked into the numbers and there are only a small number of "active" groups, so the overheads (which mostly consists of my time ) of creating forums for these groups are pretty small.

Again, I'm really sorry for leaving that bit out - big mistake on my part. I will make sure I review these things properly before hitting "Post" in future

TL;DR: Current social group owners, please send me a PM to arrange a new home.

knucklehead6

Cheers Dav!

cyberwolf77

Seems the fairest thing to do for some of those groups

BlancheSparks

Dav wrote: »

Good morning all.

In my haste yesterday, I forgot to add that any currently active social group creators should PM me to arrange for a private forum - a massive oversight on my part and very bad form to make it look like we're leaving you in the lurch. So I've had a few PMs already about it and will be making arrangements for these folks today.

Please accept my apologies for this, it wasn't out intention to simply close the door on your groups and leave you with no alternative. We looked into the numbers and there are only a small number of "active" groups, so the overheads (which mostly consists of my time ) of creating forums for these groups are pretty small.

Again, I'm really sorry for leaving that bit out - big mistake on my part. I will make sure I review these things properly before hitting "Post" in future

TL;DR: Current social group owners, please send me a PM to arrange a new home.

Might have been a good idea to have just taken the trouble to have contacted all the owners of the groups BEFORE you did it...... just to show a bit of consideration for boards members..... some people wasted quite a lot of time trying to find out why they couldn't post replies. I suppose it shows what you think of us all, doesn't it!

knucklehead6

BlancheSparks wrote: »

Might have been a good idea to have just taken the trouble to have contacted all the owners of the groups BEFORE you did it...... just to show a bit of consideration for boards members..... some people wasted quite a lot of time trying to find out why they couldn't post replies. I suppose it shows what you think of us all, doesn't it!

Jesus. The man made a mistake, has admitted it and apologised for it. And yet people STILL take pot shots.

I dunno.

BlancheSparks

It wasnt a mistake.... it was bad manners not to show any consideration for social group members. I was merely trying to remind the man that this could all have been avaoided quite simply.
It is obvious from his apology that he STILL doesn't realise that a bit of notice might have been appreciated... and that is where they went wrong. Personally I would say it is clear that warning should have been given and that the reason it wasn't was because they didn't want to have to argue about it. Shows a certain lack of knowledge of human nature to think that no one would notice. That is only my opinion but.........

BBDBB

Thanks Dav

Seedyvilles owner hasn't been online in a few months but the place still ticks along

If you will allow , can we have a day or so to decide amongst ourselves whether we wish go proceed and who the new owner of it would be?

Thanks for the offer of a solution, it wouldn't be the same here without a touch of the seedy.

P_1

Fair play Dav. I think its a great measure of a persons character when they realise they made a mistake, hold their hands up and then rectify said mistake.

knucklehead6

BlancheSparks wrote: »

It wasnt a mistake.... it was bad manners not to show any consideration for social group members. I was merely trying to remind the man that this could all have been avaoided quite simply.
It is obvious from his apology that he STILL doesn't realise that a bit of notice might have been appreciated... and that is where they went wrong. Personally I would say it is clear that warning should have been given and that the reason it wasn't was because they didn't want to have to argue about it. Shows a certain lack of knowledge of human nature to think that no one would notice. That is only my opinion but.........

didn't want to have to argue about it?? Dav has said that he FORGOT TO ADD that any active social group is getting a forum. A forum that probably can have the quote function, the thanks function, the poll function, all things that were missing in the social group functionality. Anyone who was a member of an active group would be HAPPY with those enhancements!! What is there to argue about???

TommieBoy

We all can be passionate at times like this (I am guilty of making a foolish, hurtful mistake because of my own zealousness today).....One thing I most appreciate on boards is everyone's kind compassion through it all, during times of uncertainty and stress... We allow each other to vent, hear what each has to say and feel, understand each others well-meaning intentions, and work together for a solution... not in spite of the passion, but because of it Passion equals appreciation in most instances...

smallgarden

i dont think he said all active groups will get a forum but hopefully, he hinted at it but dont like to assume

C.K Dexter Haven

smallgarden wrote: »

i dont think he said all active groups will get a forum but hopefully, he hinted at it but dont like to assume

"Currently active" is the criteria I believe.:)

BBDBB

C.K Dexter Haven wrote: »

"Currently active" is the criteria I believe.:)

well Im not as young as I used to be, but I do me best:o

Steve

Strange, I just made a post in a well dormant SG..

/waits for the rabble there to find this thread..

Boards.ie: Danny

Steve wrote: »

Strange, I just made a post in a well dormant SG..

/waits for the rabble there to find this thread..

I knew I missed one or two non-standard usergroups, had made a note to double-check on Monday but I just did it on the back of your post. I'd wager you can't post in them anymore

Danny

knucklehead6

Boards.ie: Danny wrote: »

I just missed the Adverts Moderators usergroup, I'd wager you can't post in them anymore

Danny

This is gonna turn into one of those competition to post in an sg threads isn't it??

Boards.ie: Danny

Well if I've missed any other group permissions I would appreciate being let know

Danny

Steve

Boards.ie: Danny wrote: »

I'd wager you can't post in them anymore

Feckit, you're too good at your job so I'm not even gonna try... :P

You owe me a pint though.. tomorrow at the rugby?:cool:

Super-Rush

I was going to create a culchie social group today because i was told there were no more social private forums being created. So what do i do now?

Raphael

Is there a window for this, Dav? There's a Social Group attached to MLP (Bronies of Ireland), but a forum request for the show just passed the point of approval for consideration - Could we wait and see if the forum is created before asking you about a private one, or should we just ask you about it now and then migrate out of it later if the forum is created.

C.K Dexter Haven

BBDBB wrote: »

well Im not as young as I used to be, but I do me best:o

Bragger:(
:P

C.K Dexter Haven

I don't suppose my (very successful! :o:o:pac: ) request, for a "Gathering Ireland forum" could be lumped in with these hotch potch demands for forum rye-chuch-ness? Do yeah?

GRMA

Just copped this now when I went to post on the online dating group, is there a private forum for this now?

knucklehead6

GRMA wrote: »

Just copped this now when I went to post on the online dating group, is there a private forum for this now?

It hasn't been set up yet. Hopefully the lads will get round to it soon.

GRMA

knucklehead6 wrote: »

It hasn't been set up yet. Hopefully the lads will get round to it soon.

Hopefully, the thread was good as was the subsequent group