1

Topic: New Volkswebbin forum coming soon

Hi all,

I've threatened that it was going to happen sooner or later, but I'll
be switching off the old forum and moving to new software (PHPBB)
Real Soon Now.

The plan is to try to keep the old archives as well (along with a
much improved search interface).

My question to all of you: Would you rather see a full featured
bulletin board system, like the one on VWVortex?
(http://forums.vwvortex.com).

Or something simple, along the lines of what's currently powering the
site, but with improvements such as better searching. As an
example, of simpler forum software, take a look at the Joel On
Software forum at http://discuss.fogcreek.com/joelonsoftware/.

Regardless of what forum software gets used, forum moderation (i.e.
deleting of bad posts) will be coming.

Let me know your thoughts,

Darren.

2

Re: New Volkswebbin forum coming soon

If we are going to modernise for certain, I think a full-featured
forum like VWVortex would be best. (Otherwise there's no point in
updating really.) I'd only request that it be kept light on graphics
and other useless colourful thingies so that it loads fast and
reliably like this old site usually does.
As long as the moderation doesn't get overly prudish or repressive
that's cool with me. We'll need level-headed moderators with a
suitable Volkwebbin' sense of humour... Glad to see that the old
posts will be saved - and that the site is finally going to be shut
down and restarted with no messing around. A clean break is an easy
break.

Sam F

Darren wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> I've threatened that it was going to happen sooner or later, but
I'll
> be switching off the old forum and moving to new software (PHPBB)
> Real Soon Now.
>
> The plan is to try to keep the old archives as well (along with a
> much improved search interface).
>
> My question to all of you: Would you rather see a full featured
> bulletin board system, like the one on VWVortex?
> (http://forums.vwvortex.com).
>
> Or something simple, along the lines of what's currently powering
the
> site, but with improvements such as better searching. As an
> example, of simpler forum software, take a look at the Joel On
> Software forum at http://discuss.fogcreek.com/joelonsoftware/.
>
> Regardless of what forum software gets used, forum moderation (i.e.
> deleting of bad posts) will be coming.
>
> Let me know your thoughts,
>
> Darren.
>

3

Re: New Volkswebbin forum coming soon

Darren,

Yes, it's time to change. While we like the simplicity of the current
board, I'd go with the full-featured version. It's similar to other
boards we use, and the extra features are nice as you get to know
them.

While the ability to post as an unregistered "guest" is handy for
drop-in questions, it also invites spam and other related porcine
products. I've come to appreciate registration-required forums.
(Bentley Publishers does an excellent job, and theirs is one of the
better focused and helpful sites as a result.) Perhaps you might
keep a General topic forum more wide open, but with registration for
the Tech forum?

I thought your trial version of the forum style was fine.

4

Re: New Volkswebbin forum coming soon

Darren wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> I've threatened that it was going to happen sooner or later, but
I'll
> be switching off the old forum and moving to new software (PHPBB)
> Real Soon Now.
>
> The plan is to try to keep the old archives as well (along with a
> much improved search interface).
>
> My question to all of you: Would you rather see a full featured
> bulletin board system, like the one on VWVortex?
> (http://forums.vwvortex.com).
>
> Or something simple, along the lines of what's currently powering
the
> site, but with improvements such as better searching. As an
> example, of simpler forum software, take a look at the Joel On
> Software forum at http://discuss.fogcreek.com/joelonsoftware/.
>
> Regardless of what forum software gets used, forum moderation (i.e.
> deleting of bad posts) will be coming.
>
> Let me know your thoughts,
>
> Darren.
>
Vortex is okay with me... I have a log on there.
-Anthony

5

Re: New Volkswebbin forum coming soon

As much as I've enjoyed the simplicity of this interface, a full
featured forum lends itself better to keeping active threads
visible. The one you had up last summer was fine, you just made the
mistake of not forcing us to move ;-)

If you're not tied to any particular forum software, another one to
check out is SMF at http://www.simplemachines.org It's a free
php/sql based forum, newly released and derived from YaBBSE.

In regards to moderation, some is obviously needed, but hopefully it
would be an inobtrusive style of moderation.



Darren wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> I've threatened that it was going to happen sooner or later, but
I'll
> be switching off the old forum and moving to new software (PHPBB)
> Real Soon Now.
>
> The plan is to try to keep the old archives as well (along with a
> much improved search interface).
>
> My question to all of you: Would you rather see a full featured
> bulletin board system, like the one on VWVortex?
> (http://forums.vwvortex.com).
>
> Or something simple, along the lines of what's currently powering
the
> site, but with improvements such as better searching. As an
> example, of simpler forum software, take a look at the Joel On
> Software forum at http://discuss.fogcreek.com/joelonsoftware/.
>
> Regardless of what forum software gets used, forum moderation (i.e.
> deleting of bad posts) will be coming.
>
> Let me know your thoughts,
>
> Darren.
>