Changes announcement

[Reinardina]

Originally Posted by donoreo

They will join the old DCM site galleries on a back up tape somewhere At the time we were told the old DCM galleries could not be migrated. Myself being an IT professional know that is an inaccurate statement. They could have been, it just depends on how much work you want to put into it.

Thanks for that Don. Fingers crossed it will be possible! Or rather that it will be done, and my precious memories will be saved!

[sanderton]

Originally Posted by Reinardina

Is there no way the photos can be 'transplanted' into the new system? I'm not too bothered about the photographs themselves, but the comments have, in some cases, huge (sentimental) value.

And what about the photos that are also in the POTY competition? Where will they go?

For the rest I'll just wait and see; it'll take some getting used to, but if life gets easier it can't be bad.

Sorry, we've looked at converting the galleries and their comments and it's a huge technical task which would costs many thousands of pounds and we can't justify it.

The POTY entries will stay live until the POTY 2011 competition is finished.

There is software which will take a local copy of web pages if there are particular thread you want to save for your records.

[sanderton]

Originally Posted by donoreo

Myself being an IT professional know that is an inaccurate statement. They could have been, it just depends on how much work you want to put into it.

Anything's possible with software, as you say. But everything with software has a cost. "Can't be done" should almost always be read as shorthand for "can't be done with the resources, time and money we have available".

[donoreo]

Originally Posted by sanderton

Anything's possible with software, as you say. But everything with software has a cost. "Can't be done" should almost always be read as shorthand for "can't be done with the resources, time and money we have available".

That is very true. You have restored some faith with the above two answers. One of the big complaints was the fact that the old DCM galleries were not moved, many, many people left at that point.

[deena]

So does that mean that any post/thread which contains an image that was taken from the gallery will now have a blank space?? I'm thinking specifically of the w/e comp threads.

[Lurkalot]

Originally Posted by deena

So does that mean that any post/thread which contains an image that was taken from the gallery will now have a blank space?? I'm thinking specifically of the w/e comp threads.

Depends, but I'm guessing yes.

In simple terms, If the turn the galleries of, but leave access to the images folder then they'll still show, if they dump the gallery completely, then they'll be gone for ever.

[greenwing]

Originally Posted by deena

So does that mean that any post/thread which contains an image that was taken from the gallery will now have a blank space?? I'm thinking specifically of the w/e comp threads.

I expect that it would be too costly to carry the forum posts over to the new system, too.

[Lurkalot]

Originally Posted by greenwing

I expect that it would be too costly to carry the forum posts over to the new system, too.

Shouldn't do tbh, post are all stored in the database.

TBH, I'll have to read back, because I didn't see they were dumping the forum as well, they are just re-branding it as far as I know.

Stuart wouldl have to clarify this.

[wavemachine]

Originally Posted by sanderton

Anything's possible with software, as you say. But everything with software has a cost. "Can't be done" should almost always be read as shorthand for "can't be done with the resources, time and money we have available".

I can understand the costs of galleries and fair comment, however does this mean there will be no POTD I quite like that, also what happends about existing users details do they get transeferred over along with messages????

I remember your sister magazine PC Format had a new forum and it was a total disaster, peoples details were lost including my own, never had a response from admins regarding issues in my account and what was a vibrant and buzzing forum nose dived so much so I stopped using it.

This is a great community and most people will accept certain changes but with all due respect the people that make the changes "for the better" don't use it on a regular basis, I am not afraid of change in fact I embrace it but please please make sure it is for the benefit of the community as the users make or break a website or forum.

Oh and if you are looking at changes for the better then please look at the voting poll system i.e. make it more obvious and easy to set up and try to remove or increase the poll limit. Also can we have a few more mods to sort out issues I will be happy to be one of them after all I have been a member for a while and visit the site regularly multiple time a day.

And finally a bit more coverage and support from the admins of the site or indeed employees of the camera magazines would be great.

And finally finally good luck and hope it goes smoothly.

[greenwing]

Originally Posted by wavemachine

I remember your sister magazine PC Format had a new forum and it was a total disaster, peoples details were lost including my own, never had a response from admins regarding issues in my account and what was a vibrant and buzzing forum nose dived so much so I stopped using it.

Would that have been a couple of years ago when the DCMag site was replaced by this one, with similar user experience?