we are fast approaching nearly a year of stogification of fibsboard, as although actual migration didn't begin until feb 1 this year, i ran test sites from november last year. (2008)

 i trust you have all enjoyed the mudpies, growls and giggles, and that eric's sterling work has been continued with attempted good faith and fortitude.

i quite like the look and balance of the forum, as it is now, but as said before, we will have to upgrade the forum software - probably next year now (the official release is not yet ready) - which will inevitably lead to a change in layout and design as the new forum software seems to have some good strengths but is not an easy container for all the modifications that are on this version, many of which are included by default in the new version, but may well have slightly different workings and layouts.

i should like also to put my sites on dedicated servers too, but this  entails more  time and money, in sparse availability at present, so i am delaying such for the time being.

my thanks to all the moderators and to you all for your help, humour and support and constructive criticisms throughout this time........

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the new forum software is nearly at public release with RC2 released this past week to their charter members - their next release should be public gold release which will give me time to test, while they iron out more. example here

the major modification/portal used on this forum (doesn't as yet work with the new forum software smf2) and is only just progressed to alpha, although i expect their developers to be able to fine tune once the forum software is 'public' released; so  they will be able to release - i guess towards year end......new year.......

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a dedicated server option for fibsboard would be in the region of £18-20 a month that is approaching £250 a year which is only really justified for commercial sites, i could however at a future date share fibsboard with my other business sites as 'shared hosting' but on our own dedicated server; which would mean that only soul-trade.com (and its siblings) and fibsboard would be on that server......

again time/money.....hence the limited return to ads ...there have been no additional donations these past few ad-free months

....i will have to be spelling out to fibsboarders once again that we need 10-15% core group* donations annually to  stay in the black -- more and i can investigate further the dedicated server options......

* i estimate the core group of visiting fibsboarders to be now >200. (we have had 16 donations/contributions so far)
also we now have visitors recorded from 121 countries

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the next year though will mainly be taken up with testing/design and introduction of the new forum software ...........

    i have been looking into facebook/fibsboard integration

there is a paid modification which would allow the following..................

* Allows fibsboarders to be registered using there facebook accounts
    * fibsboarders could link their existing fibsboard accounts with their facebook accounts;

    * fibsboarders could log-in using their facebook accounts
    * fibsboarders could get notifications from the fibsboard forum in their facebook accounts
    * fibsboarders could sync their buddy list with there facebook account, which will add all the members from their buddy list, also a part of the forum, to his/her buddy list

this obviously could further slow up this fibsboard and increase traffic, which brings us back to my previous post concerning server speed and cost..

are enough of you interested enough in this, and are you willing to subscribe a small donation to allow its development i wonder?

im not a fbook user so im not really in a position 2 say, only that -- as above really - the log ins are synchronised and you can still control who goes where  in the normal way i think --- there would be a f'book button next to your name here as there is at present with IM, and your facebook would show recent posts from your mates here on fibsboard..


i can't see it being that important myself but i thought i would ask.........

I belonged to facebook once and left.  I think there is too much tying to it already.  I don't like this idea.

socksey



Are we gods mistake or is god our mistake.. Nietsche

i agree that there seems to be no real reason for this, except that facebook fibsboarders would be able to see latest posts on their facebook, and be able to log in/off on either.

from what i understand you could still decide who you respond to, or choose to be your friends..however.....

i am happy not to have to set this up, especially as it costs! but i thought i would tell you of its availability.

fibsboarders can be pm-ed from within fibsboard, and within fibs itself which seems enough!

PS
I am glad you like what has been done so far  this year!

i should like also to put my sites on dedicated servers too, but this  entails more  time and money, in sparse availability at present, so i am delaying such for the time being.

Another site I frequent switched hosts recently to a provider that  gives you your own Virtual Private Server. e.g. you have root access.  It's not dedicated hardware, but it's the next best thing.  It's over on our side of the pond (well, the company is, no idea where the actual physical servers are...) but it's not all that expensive at $13 USD/month (about 8 pounds). Might be worth looking into.



See http://theforvm.org/diary/hankp/time-pick-new-host for the planning process, and the admin's blog http://theforvm.org/diary/hankp-0 for how it went.

1st december 2009
latest forum software security upgrade completed (at least 4 completed this year)

november 2009
photo gallery and campaign board introduced
new database server introduced,,,,,,
http://www.fibsboard.com/announcements/61109-we-are-using-a-new-database-server-t2735.0.html

the forum is now much swifter  and there is no longer a need for a dedicated server option

forum stats here

the fibsboard forum match 2 was very well attended - thx all

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i have temporarily enabled page view times (see bottom of page)

snapshot = 5/12/2009 13.30 pm
Page created in 0.341 seconds with 30 queries.

this is much faster than earlier in the year.....

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If you appreciate Fibsboard and would like to contribute to its ongoing running costs click here

We need small donations from about 20% of the core group of fibsboarders (> 150 of you) each year,  to break even and for us to consider continuing the board further than the 2 years we have allocated for.....

13 have donated so far this year.. many thx

i write to inform fibsboarders of a trend that will affect the future running costs of Fibsboard..

many of the modifications we use with the open source forum software, are going to become 'paid' modifications with the release of the new forum software - many of the mod developers already have 'lite' free versions with the full version being charged for..

i draw your attention to this as i budget for the next few years - it means that our fixed cost base will rise - hopefully by not too much at first, but the trend is there for all to see.

this is understandable as providing, maintaining and supporting these softwares is time consuming.....

some of these mods are not 'vital' --an example being the latest gallery mod - which we use - it is a 'lite' free version, but the full version for the upcoming new forum s'ware release, is a paid mod which includes slide shows etc - instead of individual pics

but there are a few more vital mods that i am concerned will become paid for, and for which we may need the full version - will keep you all informed........

i have already made quite a few custom hacks here on the fibsboard to provide better flexibility or use of the software, and its mods (or to bypass the need for a mod ) but - it is time consuming --

and so i shall continue to bombard the membership with requests for donations

i trust you understand

with thx to you all for your support and participation, i wish you all a wonderful christmas and new year when it comes

best wishes

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If you appreciate Fibsboard and would like to contribute to its ongoing running costs click here

Each year we need small donations from about 20% of the core group of fibsboarders (there are > 150 of you),  to break even, and for us to consider continuing the board further than the 2 years we have allocated for.....

13 have donated so far this year.. many thx

The ink was barely dry on this post, when I went to another site which had a 'share with facebook' option...I immediately thought that is what this might mean...It was quite useful, you can put a link on facebook to go directly to a specific place - which might be useful here too....

and by way of celebration after 3 late nights fixing the missing links problem, i have added the ability for members to easily share/ add or bookmark any topic thread, to your browser (choose Favourites) or to up to 200 social bookmarking sites -including Facebook & Myspace...... top right of all topics..................

hi, just doing some final tidying up afore the new decade...(wishing u all a goodun' when it comes btw)

i have amended the "About Fibsboard" our evolving 'manifesto' linked to the Front page Menu, with the following...

"It provides an area where citizens of the various nations who use FIBS, can contribute a more considered and more permanent,  re-readable view, than is possible in the live flow of public chat on FIBS itself.


(FibsBoard has nearly 5000 members and visitors from over 126 countries; this is a fluxing membership in four figures, with a core following of >200 returning activated members on a 40 day cycle, and approaching 40 new members a week with, on average again, 40 folk online everyday, and most recent monthly pageview stats of >211000 - over 7000 pageviews a day, with visitors remaining onsite, an average >6mins each ) jan25 2010


FibsBoard  is a Free Forum where activated registration is required, We accept donations, and while VIP Donor members do get enhanced custom profiles, which can only be seen by their buddies, and access to special VIP Articles, the major part of the Forum & Boards is open to all..."

see the full evolving version herehttp://www.fibsboard.com/page/9/

approaching 2nd year end..............

quite a few upgrades to the forum software completed this year (one very recently), together with some new boards and areas, allowing for more diverse member participation, better profiling and chess, and own galleries for VIP's, and the Fibsboard Forum matches seem well attended -- thx to all who contribute...

stats wise we are now approaching 5000 members from over 140 countries, and averaging nearly 6000 page views a day, with just under 10 posts a day on average.

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we have had 13 VIP Donors this year about £86-- thx --we are very grateful (now 14 cheers edit 6-12-2010)

 if you have meant to donate, but haven't got around to it so far -- now would be a good time as all our costs have risen, and i need to save for some new equipment - my computers were second hand when i got em >6 years ago! they are now pretty full up -- we do local backups as well as online here..

i have been able to respond to various problems throughout the year fairly quickly, and i trust you find the forum adequately fast, given the amount of info that has to load. Also quick response and timely upgrades has meant our downtime has been much reduced this year so far!

to donate click here ( even a pint is helpful and much appreciated and allows us not to to have to rely on too much advertising - cheers)

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ok just completed a full weekend of design tweaks and maintenance - little things like a deeper shoutbox, and a deeper backgammon article block, on the front page RHS, which together with additions/and changes made throughout the year, mean that our Frontpage works better as a portal, and better reflects Recent Member Activity; Posts, Topics and Articles, including Top Topics - a visual 'cloud' etc

Check out our Frontpage --> ensure the Fibsboard Frontpage is your access bookmark - see Recent posts at a glance, click the random photo to go directly  to the Forum, scroll down and see who has posted recently and to which topics etc.. enjoy

I have tried this past year to ensure/update the Forum software and  associated mods, including our block architecture, so that it is now completely up to date for this version, and better placed for the forthcoming major upgrade expected next year, although as I have posted about before, we may lose many of our hard worked mods and designs for a while, as we 'evolve' and adjust to a new look..........i was not looking forward to doing this (it took many sessions as our previous 'block software' was historically very different from our new version, now installed - but which is now more future compatible,  and while we do have ongoing errors - most are now unnoticeable, and the Forum i think is now, hopefully, the smoothest it has been..

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VIPs now enjoy faster loading, as they do not have 'every page' welcome area, between post or bottom ad/info display; they also enjoy more articles, links, chess matches and custom profiles which can be available to just those on their Buddie lists -- they have a larger message facility, and of course, a very special badge! (there is also a facility for Anonymouse VIPs thx guys

All for the Price of a Pint!  **Keep us Going**   "Donate or Advertise"

Become a Fibsboard VIP

If you appreciate Fibsboard and would like to contribute to its ongoing running costs, please click here and choose how much you would like to give. We appreciate any size of donation, and depending on amounts provided, we could then lessen our dependance on corporate advertisements, thx again.