What's happening with rabble over the next few days
Mon, 2008-11-03 17:14
#1
What's happening with rabble over the next few days
Mon, 2008-11-03 17:14
#2
Hey everyone, as you know, we are in the middle of the beta phase of our newly designed site. I just want to give you an update on the transition from old to new babble.
Because there are millions and millions of posts, it has been impossible to transfer all threads to the new forum. We crashed the site a couple of times trying to do it.
Now, DON'T PANIC, we're not deleting anything. [img]smile.gif" border="0[/img] Here's what we're doing:
We're going to transfer all threads from 2007 and 2008 to the new site. All older threads will stay in this format, and we will be able to still see them all.
However, they will not be able to be edited, by babblers or by the moderators. The reason for this is because they will be stored simply as "flat" web pages, read only.
The date that the switchover is going to happen is not definite, but it will be this week, sometime after Wednesday.
So to be clear: this means that no threads from 2006 or before will be able to be altered once this change goes through. They will simply be "viewable" but from what I understand, there will be no "back end" functionality to allow you or us to add anything new or change it.
If you have any problems with your account on the new board, please e-mail me at michelle AT rabble DOT ca with the following information (please include ALL of this information or else I won't be able to help you):
Your current e-mail
The e-mail you used to sign up on babble
Your old babble screen name
Your old babble login name
The issue you're having
So far, the only person I have on my list of users who are having a difficult time re: their old babble login name showing up as their screen name on the new babble is Left Turn.
So if you're not Left Turn, and you're having trouble, please e-mail me with the above information, and I will keep those e-mails and forward them to our tech people once they are ready to deal with those account issues (or once they've showed me how to deal with it).
All questions and comments welcome! I'll do my best to answer them. I will also do my best to offer technical support to anyone who has trouble using the new format. [img]smile.gif" border="0[/img]
[ 03 November 2008: Message edited by: Michelle ]
Mon, 2008-11-03 17:46
#3
Okay so does this mean I don't have to *do* anything, eventually my same name and password will just switch over to the new Rabble?
And just email you if it doesn't?
Mon, 2008-11-03 17:55
#4
M. Spector
quote:
Originally posted by Michelle:
[b]We're going to transfer all threads from 2007 and 2008 to the new site.[/b]
Does this mean all threads [b]started[/b] in 2007 and 2008 or does it include threads started in earlier years that have posts made in 2007 and 2008?
Mon, 2008-11-03 18:16
#5
"You asked me once," said O'Brien, "what was in Room 101. I told you that you knew the answer already. Everyone knows it. The thing that is in Room 101 is the worst thing in the world."
Mon, 2008-11-03 18:39
#6
quote:
Originally posted by M. Spector:
[b]Does this mean all threads [b]started[/b] in 2007 and 2008 or does it include threads started in earlier years that have posts made in 2007 and 2008?[/b]
That's a good question! I'm assuming it means threads that have been posted in during 2007 and 2008. But I'll double-check!
Mon, 2008-11-03 19:02
#7
Scott Piatkowski
I guess that also means that anyone who might want to expunge any potentially embarrassing old posts before any future political run better do it now. [img]wink.gif" border="0[/img]
Mon, 2008-11-03 19:07
#8
quote:
Originally posted by Scott Piatkowski:
[b]I guess that also means that anyone who might want to expunge any potentially embarrassing old posts before any future political run better do it now. [img]wink.gif" border="0[/img] [/b]
Does it also mean that anyone who wants to keep a thread alive from before 2007 should bump it, quick?
Tue, 2008-11-04 00:08
#9
Answer to the question about thread dates - the answer is, all threads that have been commented on during 2007 or 2008 will be transfered over.
Tue, 2008-11-04 00:09
#10
quote:
Originally posted by Scott Piatkowski:
[b]I guess that also means that anyone who might want to expunge any potentially embarrassing old posts before any future political run better do it now. [img]wink.gif" border="0[/img] [/b]
Exactly. Please don't ask me to do it later; I won't be able to. You'd be surprised how many people contact me about this!
Tue, 2008-11-04 02:16
#11
I would be reassured to see the answer to this question as well:
quote:
posted 03 November 2008 05:46 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Okay so does this mean I don't have to *do* anything, eventually my same name and password will just switch over to the new Rabble?
And just email you if it doesn't?
In trepidation,
George Victorzx
Tue, 2008-11-04 04:55
#12
Yep, that's what happens. Except that on the new site, you just make sure to use your screen name instead of your login name from the old babble to sign in, because the new babble only has one username and the same one is used to sign in as for the screen name.
Tue, 2008-11-04 04:57
#13
I'm just asking, but are the old threads worth that much effort? I'd be surprised to learn 1 in 20 would be really worth preserving. How many threads of I know you are but what am I do we really need for posterity?
[ 04 November 2008: Message edited by: Bookish Agrarian ]
Tue, 2008-11-04 05:20
#14
Yes, I think so. There really isn't that much effort involved in the old threads - it's not like they're going to be manually saved one by one. I'm sure it's just some sort of algorhythm that converts them all.
Brian, one of our tech folks, wanted me to let everyone know this also:
quote:
We intend to keep working on the performance issues with the forum, and if we can find a way we will bring older postings over. But there is no guarantee this will happen, at least within the next year or so.
It's amazing how many times I've gone hunting in long past threads, either for some event that happened then that comes to mind now, or even for something like an old comment someone made that comes to mind on an issue that was particularly sharp.
Tue, 2008-11-04 09:04
#15
Where will we be able to see these flat web pages?
quote:
However, they will not be able to be edited, by babblers or by the moderators. The reason for this is because they will be stored simply as "flat" web pages, read only.
Tue, 2008-11-04 11:26
#16
M. Spector
quote:
Originally posted by Michelle:
[b]Answer to the question about thread dates - the answer is, all threads that have been commented on during 2007 or 2008 will be transfered over.[/b]
Thanks, Michelle.
Let the bumping begin!
Another related question: Will the existing babble search function still remain "functional" (for want of a better word) so that we can find all those old threads that are [b]NOT[/b] being migrated to the new site; and if not, will we still be able to browse through a list of those old thread titles in each sub-forum?
Another related question: will our PM's be migrated to the new site?
Tue, 2008-11-04 11:35
#17
Okay, I probably shouldn't have to mention this, but please DON'T "let the bumping begin" unless you actually have something to say in the thread.
The reason we're doing this is because we can't handle the transfer of so many threads, and we thought this would be the best way to deal with it without disrupting too many current conversations. If a thread hasn't been bumped since before 2007, then there's no reason to bump it now unless you're genuinely interested in adding something of substance to it.
Just bumping threads for the sake of bumping them at this point will sabotage our efforts to make this transition as painless as possible, and then we'll have to try to come up with some other criteria for culling back the number of threads to transfer over instead.
Please remember that all threads will be completely accessible and readable. They just won't be able to be changed. So if, after the switchover, you want to reference an old thread, it's quite easy to simply post a link to it in the new thread.
M. Spector, another good question! I'll ask and get back to you.
[ 04 November 2008: Message edited by: Michelle ]
Tue, 2008-11-04 11:39
#18
M. Spector
quote:
Originally posted by Michelle:
[b]...and then we'll have to try to come up with some other criteria for culling back the number of threads to transfer over instead.[/b]
Oooh! Oooh! I'll volunteer for [b]that[/b] job!
[img]wink.gif" border="0[/img]
Tue, 2008-11-04 11:46
#19
Ha!
Tue, 2008-11-04 11:48
#20
bump [img]smile.gif" border="0[/img]
Tue, 2008-11-04 12:02
#21
Caissa: [img]tongue.gif" border="0[/img]
An answer to the questions above:
Your private messages will not be migrated over, you'll be starting from scratch! So be sure to save them somewhere on your hard drive while you can if there are any you'd like to keep for posterity.
The existing search function will not be available, but I'm told that there will be a new, efficient, much better search function for old items.
At which point, the sky opened and I heard a chorus of angels singing Hallelujah while blinding rays of sunlight broke through...
[ 04 November 2008: Message edited by: Michelle ]
Tue, 2008-11-04 12:11
#22
M. Spector
quote:
Originally posted by Michelle:
[b]The existing search function will not be available, but I'm told that there will be a new, efficient, much better search function for old items will happen.[/b]
It would not surprise me in the least if the new site has a tons better search engine.
What would surprise me a great deal is if that search engine would allow us to search for [b]pre-2007 threads that have not been migrated to the new site, but archived on the old site.[/b]
And what would surprise me even more is if a new and improved search engine were grafted onto the old site for that purpose (because I would then be left to wonder why in the name of the FSM that wasn't done a long time ago).
So, a supplementary question, Madam Speaker, if I may: Did they really mean to say that the "new, efficient" search engine will allow us to search the [b]old site[/b] as well as the new one?
Tue, 2008-11-04 12:12
#23
quote:
At which point, the sky opened and I heard a chorus of angels singing Hallelujah while blinding rays of sunlight broke through...
Oops sorry, that was just me practicing for the election coverage tonight.
Tue, 2008-11-04 12:19
#24
Left Turn
Michelle, is it possible that some last minute posts won't be transferred over to the new sofware? When another forum I post on moved software, we were told that any posts made on the old software after the start of the data transfer (but before the new software replaced the old), wouldn't be transferred over. Is anything similar going to happen on rabble?
Tue, 2008-11-04 15:35
#25
I think the site will be shut down when the post transfers are made. So no, I don't think that will be a problem. At least, I hope it won't be!
Tue, 2008-11-04 15:36
#26
quote:
Originally posted by M. Spector:
[b]So, a supplementary question, Madam Speaker, if I may: Did they really mean to say that the "new, efficient" search engine will allow us to search the [b]old site[/b] as well as the new one?[/b]
Yes, apparently that's what they mean. The new search engine will be more efficient than our current one for looking up old threads.
Tue, 2008-11-04 16:30
#27
M. Spector
Wow! That's great.
But it raises another question: Any threads opened or updated in 2007 or 2008 [b]and then closed by the moderators for length or any other reason[/b] are by definition "read-only" threads.
Is there any point in migrating those closed threads to the new site, if they can be easily searched for and accessed in the archives of the old site?
Tue, 2008-11-04 22:31
#28
Hmm. No! I guess not! Maybe they weren't planning to move over any closed threads.
I'll mention that to them as a suggestion.
Tue, 2008-11-04 22:43
#29
M. Spector
I got a million of 'em!
Will [b]existing links[/b] to pre-2007 archived threads (contained in other threads, either archived or migrated, or elsewhere on the interweb) still work, or will their URL addresses change?
Thu, 2008-11-06 08:19
#30
quote:
Originally posted by Bookish Agrarian:
[b]I'm just asking, but are the old threads worth that much effort?[/b]
Of all the noive. [img]wink.gif" border="0[/img]
I'm not trolling, just feeling sentimental. You guys -- the classics!
Michelle, I think I'm like Left Turn and some others -- I don't grasp the difference among user name, login name, and screen name, plus skdadl is the only name I remember. (Well, ok: there were a coupla sock puppets too.) At one point I was making the beta site work, but that seems to have gone away, and I may have mucked things up by getting a new password. Gah.
Thu, 2008-11-06 09:00
#31
Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of, if I ask for a new password to try to get my login recognized over there; it isn't now, or at least, it wasn't the last time I tried.
I'm going to wait til things settle down then try again and if necessary, ask for a p/w reset.
Plus, in changing passwords there is a chance I may end up in the same situation as before and have to lurk for a couple years if I can't remember my new password.
Sad but true.
Sat, 2008-11-08 03:38
#32
UPDATE!
Here's what I've been told:
quote:
The transition to the new rabble will happen over this week-end, sometime between Friday night and Sunday night. Be prepared for a period where rabble is down as we transition to the new rabble.ca.For babble, the transition will be a bit complicated - nothing entered on babble on Saturday will be saved. The site will be down on Sunday. So, babble is getting a week-end off.
***** as of 12pm sunday morning ***** rabble.ca/babble will closed, and not accessible for the day. When it comes back it will be the new babble.
So, I don't know whether this means that babble is going to be closed on Saturday and Sunday, or whether that means that babble will be open on Saturday but that nothing we write on Saturday will be saved.
Anyhow, the important information is that the complete switchover will happen on Sunday, and that the site will be down all day on Sunday.
In answer to M. Spector's earlier question - an unintended consequence (which we all agree is sad and not ideal) is that yes, the thread URLs will all change for the "old babble" pages that will be archived instead of brought over. Which means that using google to search will be difficult, URLs from other sites linking to our threads will no longer work, and internal URLs within our threads linking to other threads will no longer work.
That really sucks, but there isn't much we can do about it. I guess this really WILL be a new start! But you will still be able to search for old threads with what will apparently be a new and improved search function through this site.
Sat, 2008-11-08 05:29
#33
Will we get avatars!? Avatars are way coool, and enhance the credibility of a message board!
And, can they be Avatars based on Frank Miller characters?!!!! That'd be so, so kewl.
I have dibs on "Gail"! Sorry, Al- Qa'bong.
Sat, 2008-11-08 06:25
#34
quote:
Originally posted by skdadl:
Of all the noive. [img]wink.gif" border="0[/img]I'm not trolling, just feeling sentimental. You guys -- the classics!
I understand completely, skdadl - and I feel exactly the same way! The old threads are very important to me too, having been around since just after you joined. [img]smile.gif" border="0[/img]
quote:
Michelle, I think I'm like Left Turn and some others -- I don't grasp the difference among user name, login name, and screen name, plus skdadl is the only name I remember. (Well, ok: there were a coupla sock puppets too.) At one point I was making the beta site work, but that seems to have gone away, and I may have mucked things up by getting a new password. Gah.
Well, on this old software, people could use a different login name than their babble screen name.
As for the beta site, yes, it probably did muck up for some reason, but don't forget that the beta site is just for testing. It's the real live site that you need to worry about being able to log into. If you have any problem, e-mail me at michelle AT rabble DOT ca for help.
[ 08 November 2008: Message edited by: Michelle ]
Sat, 2008-11-08 06:37
#35
Boom Boom
quote:
Originally posted by Tommy_Paine:
Avatars are way coool, [b]and enhance the credibility of a message board![/b]
How so? To me, they're just more mindless clutter.
Sat, 2008-11-08 06:40
#36
Frustrated Mess
Then they will be perfect. Can I get a shiny one?
Sat, 2008-11-08 06:45
#37
Boom Boom
I'll take this guy, if available: [img]http://img68.photobucket.com/albums/v207/jahuti/hippie.gif[/img]
![http://img68.photobucket.com/albums/v207/jahuti/hippie.gif[/img]](http://img68.photobucket.com/albums/v207/jahuti/hippie.gif[/img]){kind=link}
Sat, 2008-11-08 06:55
#38
Boom Boom. The only time I use exclamations points when I'm serious is the rare time I might do this: (!?) Which is chess notation for blunder. And, typing "coool" or "kewl" is a form I'd never use seriously.
I thought my sarcasm was pretty rich, but I guess, in the end, I have to award myself a (!?).
[img]biggrin.gif" border="0[/img]
[ 08 November 2008: Message edited by: Tommy_Paine ]
Sat, 2008-11-08 09:08
#39
Boom Boom
Sarcasm doesn't always translate well on the Internet, I've found, which is probably why emoticons are so popular. [img]smile.gif" border="0[/img]
By the way, I hope babble converts to the new software well, because I'm going out of town for a few days Monday, and likely won't be back here until Thursday (I'm sending this now because there's a post somewhere that said babble might not be up on Sunday...).
Mon, 2008-11-10 08:27
#40
Catchfire
Is this for real?
Mon, 2008-11-10 08:32
#41
I believe so. You'll notice there's no beta subdomain in the URL.
Mon, 2008-11-10 08:33
#42
Maysie
Hi everyone. So this is the other side......
Mon, 2008-11-10 08:42
#43
Maysie
Is this for real?
Trying out the new quote function.
And the new emoticons. Cool.
Mon, 2008-11-10 08:42
#44
Catchfire
I also notice that all opening posts have been purged. Is this a warning shot from the bowdlerizing, tyrannical new rabble?
Mon, 2008-11-10 08:46
#45
Well, this is certainly a refreshing look. I don't see any options for emoticon use, which is just as well. Personally, I didn't much care for them, especially the 'roll eyes' that accompanied responses to my posts all too frequently.
Congrats to all who put in the hard work to get this done.
Mon, 2008-11-10 08:49
#46
This is it? Well I which I could say, wow great.....Alas I find it annoying as I have to change the resolution so I can see everything.
Same colours, which is okay.....
Anyhow I'm old and am not wild about change!
Mon, 2008-11-10 08:57
#47
Maysie
Hey, my emoticons didn't come through! :grr: or :mad:
Slumberjack, after the last post there's a box with a whole host of emoticons, an image function, and an html function and other things I have no idea what they are.
Michelle, I'm thinking a babbler tutorial is in order. Maybe babblers can post a whole bunch of questions and one of the techs can come by and answer them?
Mon, 2008-11-10 09:08
#48
Drat, now I see the emoticons. 
A few points. The "remember me" option at the login screen doesn't appear to work. I logged out, then came back a few minutes later to look at the board without logging in, and it said I was still "logged in' under my name next to the post. The look and feel, although quite different than before, is just fine, although at present, it does appear a little more sluggish.
Mon, 2008-11-10 09:16
#49
I also notice that all opening posts have been purged. Is this a warning shot from the bowdlerizing, tyrannical new rabble?
No. What appears to be an empty opening post, isn't. Although it does have the info for the person who started the topic beside it as if it's a post. Immediately under that, the same poster's info is repeated. That's the opening post. It's marked #1.
Mon, 2008-11-10 09:17
#50
Boom Boom
The webpage for babble is wider than my computer screen, so I have to scroll back and forth to see the whole page. Can this be fixed by the technicians, or is it something I have to fix at my end?
Mon, 2008-11-10 10:15
#51
It is great to see the new look babble. Wow factor is high. What are we going to do if the quality of the discussions improves as well? Or is that possible?