Replying to Why change the forums?

Ever since I started talking about replacing the forums I'v had lots of feedback, both positive and negative. I figured I'd post some screenshots in Site Discussion so as to show those afraid of change that the new forums won't be all
that different. That idea backfired and I've had alot of requests to not change the forums. The most cited reason is that nobody want's standard forums you get everywhere else.

However, my forums are not the standard drop-in forums you get everywhere else, I've coded them from scratch to be as similar as possible to our current forums, while still add even the most basic of forum features. For those of you who don't want the forums to change, I'm sorry but they will. Before you go bashing read my reasons why:


1) Newschooler's Forums are the bussiest part of our site, hands down. The code of the current forums is very innefficient and it creates a real burden on the server. It would be way more work to fix than to just re-code from scratch so that's how I got started.

2) There are security problems with the current forums. Cult masters complain to me all the time that members who have been banned from cults can still modify cult threads. Also, cult masters would like to moderate their cult forums.

3) Moderators don't like the tools to remove posts. Removing a thread requires many clicks and pressing of the back button, trust me, it's fucking annoying. Also, we can not fully moderate the regional forums, nor can we move threads to and from the regional forums. They are completly isolated from the rest of the forums.

So right here.. if you aren't the admin, not a mod and not a cult master you wouldn't understand these reasons. I'll continue...

4) Members complain about the page numbers for threads get messed when posts are removed

5) Cult members would like to see their cult forums listed on the forum page

6) Many members asked me for a quoting feature to avoid the use of '^^^' for a thousand posts in a row... Keep in mind that quoted blocks are limited to 3 lines, just enough so you know what post is being referenced.

7) Members complained that their signatures don't show up the same in different forum views

8) Members have lost posts to the old spam buster, when they click back their post is gone

9) Mods wanted a way to make threads sticky. Some members complain cauz it seems too much like something from a drop-in forum. However what they don't know is that the sticky and bump features are already there and have been for years!! They just don't work properly!! I'm simply fixing it. This will be handy to avoid multiple threads
about the same big event.

10) The time zone is shown at the bottom of all forum pages to avoid confusion with when stuff was posted if you are not from EST.

11) A 'last reply by' feature was added since it's annoying not knowing who did the last update. This was mostly for me, but other members asked for it too.

12) Members wanted the Next and Previous page buttons at the top and bottom of thread displays

13) Members were sick of long strings like WWWWWWWWWWWWWWW... and images resizing NS, and I must agree it's fucking annoying.

... I can go on and on. So for everybody who is afraid of change, trust me, it's for the better. I've worked hard to ensure that the new forums resemble the current ones as much as possible.

The forums will be changing and I think most of you will be pleased. The only consistent complaint I've heard is 'but they will be different', but that's life. Just like our sport we must progress the site. We can't avoid change forever.

~Paul
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Pimp Juice