Why phpBB2 and not phpBB3?

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Homesick
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Why phpBB2 and not phpBB3?

Post by Homesick »

As some of you may know, the designers of the phpBB forum system recently released a new version: phpBB3, AKA Olympus.

I would install that instead, but seeing as how we're migrating from a mailing list and some people expressed that they would like to able to keep it that way, we thought it best to use phpBB2 instead.

Unfortunately, this means that the coding is not as fresh as it should be, which causes some add-ons to conflict with each other. As far as I can tell, the inability to use signatures (and other profile fields such as Location and Interests) is due to one of these conflicts. I know nowhere near enough about the forum system to fix it manually, so I'm afraid that's something we'll have to accept.

I can't be sure, but I assume that phpBB3 works better in most respects. However, it lacks mailing list functionality. We still have to see how many choose to actually subscribe to the mailing lists that we've got set up now. If it turns out there's really not much of an interest, there's no problem upgrading the forum. If people want mailing list functionality, however, I'm afraid we'll have to accept some kinks in the forum system.

Edit: Also, we should keep an eye on mail2forum, the mailing list addon I use for this forum. It's in the works for phpBB3, but they don't have a release date set. If it's eventually launched, we'll upgrade for sure.

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Homesick
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Post by Homesick »

Well, it seems like a phpBB3-compatible version of mail2forum is nearing completion. When we've upgraded the site on February 1st, I'll take a look into this new version of m2f and see if we can't upgrade the forums as well. 8)
Jakob Kallin, webmaster of EnterTheSoulAsylum.com

g8trcarol
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Post by g8trcarol »

Although I'm sure my Dad knows what you're talking about (he's a retired computer support engineer...from the mainframe era, but good enough to have installed the computer systems on the lunar lander), it is all just gibberish to me! I have faith that whatever you do will work out just fine. I so appreciate your talents! It's all I can do to keep my students from destroying the computers in the reading lab that I run. Someday I aspire to doing more than using this technology as a giant typewriter, CD player, and Card Catalogue. Even more shameful, I know more than most of my co-workers! (Which is probably why I get the room full of computers)

Peace,
Carol

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Post by Homesick »

I don't know whether to laugh or cry at your story, Carol. ;) Either way, rest assured that me and Jim are taking care of the technical aspects of running this site.
Jakob Kallin, webmaster of EnterTheSoulAsylum.com

g8trcarol
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Post by g8trcarol »

Laugh!! I was a high school senior when the first IBM PC's were installed. We were supposed to learn BASIC. I remember next to nothing other than the simplest of commands. My Dad REFUSED to have a computer in the house. He didn't want to SEE a computer after being shipped all over the world fixing them. However, I seem to have inherited his knack for fixing things (like replacing harddrives, installing components and software, etc.) but for goodness sake, don't ask me to explain how they WORK! By the way, I never learned to type, either...this is just advanced "hunt and peck"...

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