New Forum?

[TheBoardMB Admin]

This account cannot perform a database backup.

[Laser Jock]

We have actually been looking at paid forums, and are planning to move to one. I'll check out the one you suggested. I haven't seen that one yet.

Thanks for all your help!

Edit: forgive me, I'm dumb, but are you saying we don't need to transfer or it would be easier to transfer if we go for something paid? Or are we still stuck with leaving behind all of our content here? I am so easily confused...

There are basically two types of hosting you could consider. The first is something like here, where they take care of pretty much everything. This option includes both free and paid hosts. The second is something like nearlyfreespeech.net (henceforth NFSN), where they give you space on a server and you install phpBB (or whatever) yourself. This option will require money, albeit a small amount.*

Hosts like Informe are nice because you don't need to worry about installing or maintaining an installation of phpBB yourself; they take care of that. They're not so nice because you also have much less control, meaning that if there are problems (like Informe's stupid 502 error) you can't fix them. It also means that if the host says you can't get the database off, you just can't. End of story.

Hosts like NFSN, on the other hand, require someone who is willing to do some basic sysadmin stuff. The upside of that is that you have absolute control over your installation of phpBB: any changes you want to make, any data you want to pull from the database, it's all totally up to you. You could even find a way to fix the weird problems we have with phantom posts screwing up page counts on threads. Things like a 502 error are still not under your control, but as a paying customer you have a voice and they'll fix problems quickly. At least, if you go with a reputable host, which NFSN is.

It all boils down to what you want. If you want to be sure of being able to pull your data off and move it somewhere else, going with someone like NFSN is your best option. If you don't want the hassle or it's not that important that you be able to pack up and move, then another free site that specializes in hosting forums is your best option.

Me, I favor paying a host and having total control, but I'm sort of paranoid about data that way. If you want to be sure of being able to move, you gotta do it yourself. Fortunately, something like this forum really wouldn't take that much: whoever wears the sysadmin hat would need to be comfortable on the command line of a Unix-like OS (Linux, BSD, etc.), as well as know a few other basics of administrating a website. However, actual server configuration is still under the control of NFSN.

This account cannot perform a database backup.

Does that mean you don't even have access to the screen the moderators have tried, or just that you don't have any extra access?


* Technically there are other options, but I'm pretty sure they're beyond what we want to do. They include getting space on a machine where you actually have control over the entire operating system, or running the forum from someone's personal computer. The first is more expensive, and the second is less reliable.

[C is for]

This account cannot perform a database backup.

Does that mean you don't even have access to the screen the moderators have tried, or just that you don't have any extra access?

That account doesn't have any extra access, it also saw the 502 bad gateway (so it wasn't just my account), and ... yeah. If it's the be-all end-all of admin privileges, we are no better offf.

[C is for]

So, y'all know we're planning to move. We have the opportunity, as we do that, to actually register a domain name. How do you, the general membership, feel about that? Would you all be okay with something like "theboardmb.com" or should we grasp our chance by the horns and be really cool and specific? Or just not worry about a domain name.

I feel like there was something else I wanted to ask you too. Hmm.

[UnluckyStuntman]

So, y'all know we're planning to move. We have the opportunity, as we do that, to actually register a domain name. How do you, the general membership, feel about that? Would you all be okay with something like "theboardmb.com" or should we grasp our chance by the horns and be really cool and specific? Or just not worry about a domain name.

I feel like there was something else I wanted to ask you too. Hmm.

I think that is a great domain name. Its not too vague and it will be easy to remember.

[Marduk]

I've always been partial to "theboardboard" myself.

[Giovanni Schwartz]

I vote for iamprettydragonlady.com

[Dragon Lady]

I vote for iamprettydragonlady.com

[snort]

[Laser Jock]

It wouldn't hurt to keep in mind that it typically costs something like $7-10 per year to register a domain name. That's not much money, but someone would have to pay it.

On the plus side, you get to pick a name (which can be pretty fun), and it will always stay the same. Even if people want to move to a different host again in a couple of years, the actual site address can stay the same, which is nice. (We even could've done this with Informe, for that matter; the reason to think about it now is because we'll be moving to a new address anyway.)

[Giovanni Schwartz]

Ha. You could do a fundraiser. "We'll wash your car for $5!" and as soon as you get two cars washed, you're done. Once a year, and you've got no problem. Or you could charge admission to board parties. "You have to pay $2.00 to be allowed in."

[C is for]

Ha. You could do a fundraiser. "We'll wash your car for $5!" and as soon as you get two cars washed, you're done. Once a year, and you've got no problem. Or you could charge admission to board parties. "You have to pay $2.00 to be allowed in."

It shouldn't be a problem to cover costs. If everyone just contributed $1 we'd be set.

We could do something like theboardmessageboard or theboardmboard...

or unofficialboardmb, since, you know, we're not official.

[Giovanni Schwartz]

I still like iamprettydragonlady. That would be awesome.

Honestly, though, I just think we should stick with theboardmb

[Wisteria]

Gio, I am so glad that you took ahold of that and are running with it.

[Giovanni Schwartz]

Gio, I am so glad that you took ahold of that and are running with it.

Took ahold of what?

[Wisteria]

I am pretty Dragon Lady. What else?

[C is for]

Okay, guys, I don't know if this announcement is necessary (hence why it is not in the announcement forum) but as part of our prep to move we'll be uprading phpBB (and if it solves all our problems we may not move after all...) and may end up having the site down for a while as a result.

Don't panic.

[Giovanni Schwartz]

I'm going to panic. I promise.

[bobtheenchantedone]

I'm going to panic. I promise.

I'm pretty sure you'll find something to do. Like bug those of us you have friended on facebook.

[Giovanni Schwartz]

Umm... Ms. Enchantedone, YOU friended ME.

[bobtheenchantedone]

I wasn't talking about you friending people. I was talking about you being friends with several of us.