new forum program -

Hey JP,

I don't know anything about BigTalker but I have been very happy with Discus. I have been running the free version for about a year and am considering upgrading to the Pro version(I would like some of the features but don't know if I can justify the cost. I am running a not for profit page)
Check them out at www.chem.hope.edu/~discus/

As far as it matters I really like the layout of the current board.

Sorry you have spent so much time working out the kinks on this board.

By the way, I'm tired of being a junior member. I'm almost 40. Can't I be a seasoned veteran?

[This message has been edited by Jim (edited May 05, 1999).]

Junior Jim,
You are 7 posts away from being a full members, but then again when I get the new forum it wont' matter any more.
Have a look at bigtalker and tell me what you think.
Yes, I know about discuss, a good board but not my favourite.
Thanks for your oppinion - more please
JP

------------------
The Webmaster Promotion and Resource Site
www.what-next.com
The NEXT step in Designing and Promoting your Website

Hi JP!

I looked at the demo, and I don't see anyhting better about it.

What are the features it has that this one don't?

HTH or else!

Curtis

------------------
Are you happy with your current web hosting
provider? We have the best web hosting service
in the industry.

Visit: http://www.1simple.com

well, for starters it is much much faster.
It is also easier to hack, and I intend to add some features to it - more graphics for one!
JP

The look and feel is pretty much the same. If it allows you more freedom and is faster, go for it. I wonder what images we have in store for us...

------------------
John Pollock
www.pageresource.com
www.javascriptcity.com

Hi JP,

Looked at some of the BigTalker forums and found that they are not as easy to navigate as the current board. For instance, in the context Home-Regions-Central-MSHA (taken from the debate board) If you get to the Central area and want to go back to Regions you have to use the back button. No navigational links are provided! In this boards case when I was looking at the HTML/Javascript forum and drilled to the next level, I would be unable to go back to HTML/Javascript to see someone elses question.

I don't know if this is understandable. Let me know if it's not and I will try again.

(p.s. are you interested in BigTalk for the revenue generating adds? If so I should let you know that I would NEVER leave TWF to follow a link to another site

[This message has been edited by Jim (edited May 06, 1999).]

Jim,
Thanks for your continued interest in this matter. I obviously do not want to make a mistake and buy the wrong forum.
I could not see what you meant can you give me a URL?
Thanks.
JP

------------------
The Webmaster Promotion and Resource Site
www.what-next.com
The NEXT step in Designing and Promoting your Website

Well JP I must have been really tired this morning when I looked at other sites. When I went back this evening to find a site I was able to navigate just fine. Should have had a cup of coffee before posting. Sorry.

------------------
My goal in life is found in Phillipians 4:8-9

[This message has been edited by Jim (edited May 06, 1999).]

JP!

I would go for it. It's only $59 dollars right?

Shake the marbles and hope for the best.

Curtis

------------------
Sincerely,
Curtis Stevens
Simple Solutions

Web Hosting Made Simple!
http://www.1simple.com/

No worries Jim.
I would just like to add a few more reasons for my decision to change forums:

Re-Open Discussion
Accessable on the front end, this feature allows the admin/moderator to re-open a closed discussion and allow posts to be made to the discussion again.
--> can't do this in UBB

Double Post Prevention
This feature prevents users from double posting when starting new discussions.
--> this will save me 1/2 hour a day fixing/deleting this type of thing!

New Posts Highlighted
Any new posts since the last visit are highlighted. At the bottom of the main page is a reset link that will allow your visitors to reset the highlighted posts.
--> Someone (Carlyn I think)pointed out that there were no lightbulbs and thus no way of knowing about new posts. There is.

Our new ICQ feature allows you to see if the poster is online or not. Directly connected to Mirabilis, an image is sent to your browser informing you of the poster's online status.
--> what about that then!

Not to mention that it much faster in all respects and is less of a drain on my Bandwidth!

I hope that answered some questions...
JP

------------------
The Webmaster Promotion and Resource Site
www.what-next.com
The NEXT step in Designing and Promoting your Website

Sounds like enough reasons to make the switch to me. That icq feature sounds great .

------------------
Carolyn Jones

quote:New Posts Highlighted Any new posts since the last visit are highlighted. At the bottom of the main page is a reset link that will allow your visitors to reset the highlighted posts. --> Someone (Carlyn I think)pointed out that there were no lightbulbs and thus no way of knowing about new posts. There is.

Yes, UBB shows the red folder when there are new posts.

quote:Our new ICQ feature allows you to see if the poster is online or not. Directly connected to Mirabilis, an image is sent to your browser informing you of the poster's online status.
--> what about that then!

I'm pretty sure you can add this feature to UBB, otherwise I would be glad to do it for you.

quote:Not to mention that it much faster in all respects and is less of a drain on my Bandwidth!

That's because your board has a lot more posts slowing down the scripts. Wait till their board gets filled with more posts and see if you still think BigTalker is better.

P.S: I do have BigTalker and let me tell you ..... IT S*CKS!

I hope this makes you take the right desicion (stay with UBB) By they way ... I have no affiliation with UBB or anything.

------------------
Cheers
Polpus
http://wdresources.cjb.net

Hi polpus. It seems to me from their web site that the program is pretty good, but I don't have any experience with it. Could you be more specific about what is bad about it? BTW, I don't think "sucks" is a bad work or anything, so there isn't a need to put :s*cks".

Brian

I dislike many aspects of it:

1. Tech support: If you have some problem with the program, go and ask Joseph (the owner of indexfinger.com) on the board, but prepare to be insulted and treated like shit.

2. Lack of features: BigTalke does not include the following features (that UBB does):
- Board switch on/off
- Forum prunning
- Real e-mail required (e-mail verification)
- Give admin privileges to another user
- No user levels (Junior, etc...)

3. Very messy installation instructions ... very hard to install if you don't know much about perl (that's not my case )

4. If you are installing on NT, you will have to do many modifications to EVERY SINGLE script that comes in the zip file (about 20)

5. The layout is much worse than UBB's

That's all for now

------------------
Cheers
Polpus
http://wdresources.cjb.net

The features we are adding next are better customizing, search, most active discussions, and better layout options. We welcome feature requests, since our customers are the people that use BT, not us. Of course, we do use it as our support forums.

The reason we developed BT (we did use UBB at one time) is because UBB was slow and didn't offer the features we were looking for. Each person has their own needs and we hope to fill the needs that the UBB doesn't.

polpus, I hope you can back up those claims about me.

Thanks Joseph,
For those that have been asking me about this subject, I have bought a license for BigTalker.
I am working with Joseph to achieve a seamless conversion from UBB to BT sometime early next week.
JP

------------------
The Webmaster Promotion and Resource Site
www.what-next.com
The NEXT step in Designing and Promoting your Website

Guys/girls,
Can we please stay in the spirit of this forum.
<I'm pretty sure you can add this feature to UBB, otherwise I would be glad to do it for you.>
Thanks for the offer and yes you can add it to the UBB.

<That's because your board has a lot more posts slowing down the scripts. Wait till their board gets filled with more posts and see if you still think BigTalker is better.>
I have seen popular BTs and was still very impressed with speed.

<Tech support: If you have some problem with the program, go and ask Joseph (the owner of indexfinger.com) on the board, but prepare to be insulted and treated like shit.>
I have dealt on many occcasions with Joseph and have found him to be very cooperative and helpful in most cases. He does have a business to run and can't be expected to go to much out of way to help his customers in non prosuct related ways. I recently recommened his products to several friends because of his tech support help.

<- Board switch on/off>
True and that is a usefull feature. I hope it will be added.
<- Forum prunning>
I know this will be soon added.

<- Real e-mail required (e-mail verification)>
I have never used/likes this feature.

<- No user levels (Junior, etc...)>
Though a good feature it does result in several details a day asking if I can make them a senior member/ how do I become one etc. I won't miss those emails...

<3. Very messy installation instructions ... very hard to install if you don't know much about perl (that's not my case )>
I had no problems whatsoever with the instructions

<I hope this makes you take the right desicion (stay with UBB) By they way ... I have no affiliation with UBB or anything..>
Thanks for your opinions, please let's not let this topic get out of hand.
Thanks a lot.
JP

------------------
The Webmaster Promotion and Resource Site
www.what-next.com
The NEXT step in Designing and Promoting your Website

As long as we are losing the Senior/Junior member user levels. From the time the new board comes online I would like to be known as a Grand Pupah of Opinions on everything and Master of nothing

Please remember my new user level as the BigTalker board will not remind you.