Overall Plan for Site

[P. Short]

Is there any overall plan for the site? Clearly I'm not in on the planning loop, but I'm wondering if it is going to be anything more than a bunch of non-integrated software packages thrown together on a server? My understanding from the previous discussions is that this was all intended to replace and fix the problems of the other forums (in particular), and possibly replace/supplement the cc site. However, the current forum doesn't seem to be set up in any scalable fashion (if phpbb can even be scaled up), and as well people are asking about bolting other packages onto the side of it.

So, if I may ask, what are the short- to mid-term plans for this site?

--

Phil

 

[Macrosill]

Phil,
To start I would like to personally and publicly invite you to assist in the future planning, near and distant, of this site. Now onto your specific questions.

"I'm wondering if it is going to be anything more than a bunch of non-integrated software packages thrown together on a server?"

Let me break one of my personal rules and answer your question with a question. What exactly do you mean by "integrated"? Are you referring to a sloution in a box that weould come from one specific vendor for eveything we are looking for? Or by Integrated do you mean some software packages that work together for a seemless solution?


"My understanding from the previous discussions is that this was all intended to replace and fix the problems of the other forums (in particular), and possibly replace/supplement the cc site."

This is what I am trying to accomplish. However, before we get into some large scale costly software we should start off small, like this, and see how it goes. As stated in some other posts if we do not get the cooperation of the community then we will not be successful. Even though we are starting off small we have already beaten the main drawbacks of the other forums. We retain all the data, have an upgrated search feature that is leaps ahead of the CC site. We have also photo hosting right here on this forum, similar to CC but better.


"However, the current forum doesn't seem to be set up in any scalable fashion (if phpbb can even be scaled up), "

What do you mean by "scalable"?



The solution I have integrated thus far, aside from the chat, are directly integrated into the phpbb code. I have edited all the necessary files to accomplish what you see. So it is all "integrated" and nothing has been "bolted" on. It has been woven into it. The phpbb code is completely upgradable and customizable for our needs.



The short term plans are to have a solution for our qualms about the other forums. The long term plans I invision are too add a portal so we can access evething here from a home page. I would also like to secure a domain name solely for this site. I would like to have this to become a self sufficient site in and of itself. That is my vision but this is not just about my vision, it is OUR vision. So currently I am trying to find out what we want and take it step by step.

I hope I have answered your questions. Please do not hesitate to ask again if I misunderstood or did not fully answer your questions to your satisfaction. I know it is hard to convey feelings and emotion in a text format. There is not sarcasm or rhetoric intended in this post.

 

[P. Short]

Phil,
To start I would like to personally and publicly invite you to assist in the future planning, near and distant, of this site. Now onto your specific questions.

"I'm wondering if it is going to be anything more than a bunch of non-integrated software packages thrown together on a server?"

Let me break one of my personal rules and answer your question with a question. What exactly do you mean by "integrated"? Are you referring to a sloution in a box that weould come from one specific vendor for eveything we are looking for? Or by Integrated do you mean some software packages that work together for a seemless solution?

The latter, to the extent that it is reasonably achievable (i.e. avoiding a lot of custom coding).

"My understanding from the previous discussions is that this was all intended to replace and fix the problems of the other forums (in particular), and possibly replace/supplement the cc site."

This is what I am trying to accomplish. However, before we get into some large scale costly software we should start off small, like this, and see how it goes. As stated in some other posts if we do not get the cooperation of the community then we will not be successful.

I don't think that was ever in question...

Even though we are starting off small we have already beaten the main drawbacks of the other forums. We retain all the data, have an upgrated search feature that is leaps ahead of the CC site. We have also photo hosting right here on this forum, similar to CC but better.

The search was one of the things that I was worried about, as I didn't notice that there was one here. Will that search also cover wikis, blog pages (if any), and all other features added to the site?

"However, the current forum doesn't seem to be set up in any scalable fashion (if phpbb can even be scaled up), "

What do you mean by "scalable"?

A site that will still be useable when the number of posts and topics has grown to the size of the cc/pc sites, or much bigger, with a much larger number of categories. I think that the flat nature of the site as it exists now is limiting. For example, both the Vixen and Renard sites are being reduced from a fairly large number of categories down to one each. This might be OK now, since each has only one or two posts on this forum, but might not be what people will need in the future. The main point is that the forum, as set up now, will be quite cumbersome to use if it has any of the success that people are hoping for.

The solution I have integrated thus far, aside from the chat, are directly integrated into the phpbb code. I have edited all the necessary files to accomplish what you see. So it is all "integrated" and nothing has been "bolted" on. It has been woven into it. The phpbb code is completely upgradable and customizable for our needs.

I was referring to the talk about the wiki. I'm not sure that the chat needs to be integrated any more than it is now. I don't really like the current flash-based chat, but that is a topic for another day.

The short term plans are to have a solution for our qualms about the other forums. The long term plans I invision are too add a portal so we can access evething here from a home page. I would also like to secure a domain name solely for this site. I would like to have this to become a self sufficient site in and of itself. That is my vision but this is not just about my vision, it is OUR vision. So currently I am trying to find out what we want and take it step by step.

I hope I have answered your questions. Please do not hesitate to ask again if I misunderstood or did not fully answer your questions to your satisfaction. I know it is hard to convey feelings and emotion in a text format. There is not sarcasm or rhetoric intended in this post.

I have to go now, so we can continue the discussion later on.

--

Phil

 

[Jeff Millard]

Just touching on one facet of this discussion. Phil stated that the Vixen and Renard sites have many sections and this site provides only a single section for each.

If Brian has the ability to add subsections, this could enhance each section. But the need for (ultimately) Brian to determine what each sub-section should be is not an easy task. There is quite a bit of information in the other Forumer sites that IMHO could have been placed elsewhere as a sticky.

I like Brian's approach at starting small and growing. It is a great idea to take ownership of the information. I have regularly read both of the previously mentioned sites, and both Phil and K.C. have been fantastic at utilizing those sites to guide and develop their craft. I use LOR to run my display. I shouldn't even be here. But it's addictive! As long as DIYC is able to handle the bandwidth, and we are all able to guide the growth (I think that is wholely Brian's intent) DIYC will evolve into just what we need.

OK so it was more than just one facet... sorry
jeff