Gay Republic Daily
Office - I hate to kvetch, but...
berto - Sep 11, 2006 - 02:14 PM
Post subject: I hate to kvetch, but...
One thing I really like about en masse is that it allows the users to switch the way the forum is displayed from phpBB to phpBBlite (and FUFBUF has something similar).
The reason I like it is because when one is using phpBBlite, it prevents all the "extras" such as all the graphics etc. from loading -- it is predominantly a text-only version of phpBB. This makes a huge difference in the amount of time it takes a page to load, particularly if one is on dial-up, and/or if one has an older, slower machine. (Both are the case with me.)
I really hate to bellyache, because I *know* vanrozenheim has been a real gem about setting this place up (largely on my account), and I don't want to seem ungrateful I think, however, that such a feature might prove to be useful in the long run for more persons than just me. What do you think, vanrozenheim? Would it be a huge pain to add that feature?
vanrozenheim - Sep 11, 2006 - 09:37 PM
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Why, I would be happy to help if I knew the way... Unfortunately, the phpBBlite theme cannot be used for our forum software - because it only LOOKS like the usual phpBB, but in reality was extra designed to be a PostNuke module. The website of the makers is here: www.pnphpbb.com.
The forum takes most settings from the installed PostNuke themes, therefore there is only one possibility (to my knowledge) to make the appearence less kb-extensive:
1) Login and go to "My Account" on the upper-left menue;
2) Choose "Select theme";
3) Choose "ExtraLite" and press "save changes"
I have tested this theme but the forum didn't look much different - thus I do not know whether it will really help. Simply try out, maybe some of the themes will improve the performance a little bit.
Vicky
Feral - Sep 11, 2006 - 09:46 PM
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The Extralite theme DOES seem to make the pages load more quickly. The difference is most notable on the daily news page.
I will look around to see what else can be done.
Alas, we make do without the services of techno-gods like EnMasse's Steve. 
vanrozenheim - Sep 27, 2006 - 01:59 AM
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OK, I give up the the efforts to optimize the former "gayrepublic" theme, since it is not compatible with the forum. The ExtraLite theme is more relyable and less bandwide consumptious, additionally it allows the subscription to RSS feeds.
berto - Sep 28, 2006 - 04:54 AM
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Thanks guys... it seems to be working for me... but then, I'm at the office right now, not on my old 'puter at home. I'll try it again after I get home tonight. 
(But thanks for trying! *kisses* all 'round! )
berto - Oct 07, 2006 - 11:03 AM
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Yay!!! I got it working again! Me happy now! Thanks, Fer!
(We need a smoochy smiley! 
)
Feral - Oct 07, 2006 - 11:46 AM
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'berto wrote:
Yay!!! I got it working again! Me happy now! Thanks, Fer!
Happy? Then post away.
karnickel - Nov 02, 2006 - 09:27 AM
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Well, now I finally found our how fix the forum bug with PostNuke themes and how to install the ExtraLight Scheme...
The price for this greate achievement will probably be that I will re-install the "gayrepublic" Theme as the default theme for un-logged users.
The RSS feeds now are working as they should, after little php-editing.
vanrozenheim - Apr 19, 2007 - 04:31 AM
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Geduld, meine Herren - I am going to fix the things step by step... For a good beginning, here are some desired smileys, you can access them fom posting window, choosing from "view more Emoticons" or directly inserting the code:
Feral - Apr 19, 2007 - 07:10 AM
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I've always liked this one. It's so very jolly.
vanrozenheim - Apr 19, 2007 - 01:59 PM
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Do you think you will love this improvement?
Except for the last 2 or 3 posts, the entire data were transferred without problems, it seems...
What do you guys think, shall we replace the awfull PNphpBB with the much more pleasant phpBB standalone forum? There are lots of benefits: lots of styles, 'berto can send PM's to K.T. and and and! 
P.S. Argh, I was to quick with celebration - the search does not function! However, feel free to login with your current nicks and passwords and test the environment - feels similar to some other cozy place?
Feral - Apr 20, 2007 - 05:58 AM
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feels similar to some other cozy place?
Why YES! All the way down to a familiar user-group.
One caveat -- like that 'other cozy place,' the new digs cannot merge topics. This lack can be survived, but I hope we shall not have to.
vanrozenheim - Apr 20, 2007 - 11:25 AM
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The alternative to changing to phpBB would be to make a php-hack of the existing PNphpBB software, in order to create a "feels-like-FUFBUF" optic, while preserving the current forum structure and the additional functionalities.
One thing is clear: we already have 3 functioning forums, the new one would be thus Nr. 4 in the row -- all of them having some drawbacks, be it even that users with older machines can not post or get their browser windows crashed. This is clearly not the way it was intended.
Clearly, in first line, things must work.
SMF is probably the best solution, from the technical side - the merge/split functionality, the elaborated user groups administration, excellent spam protection and many other things would make it actually the software of choice. The drawback is the lack of a "light" scheme, or at least I haven't found one so far. The posting problems experienced by some users were (hopefully) only a bug which was meanwhile solved by the developers - the apostrophe in the nickname was apparently the culprit.
phpBB wins from the coziness side, since the Morpheus theme and the Light theme on phpBB are clearly favored by users. But unless we get the search funkctionality work with our old data, it is probably quite useless.
PNphpBB is positioned somewhere in between, and with some work I could make it look better. The question is of course, how much work it would really require. 
Alas, seems like we will need more testing and php-woodoo before.
Feral - Apr 20, 2007 - 07:58 PM
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But unless we get the search funkctionality work with our old data, it is probably quite useless.
What difficulties have their been with searching in the phpBB forum? It seems to be working well for me.
berto - Apr 21, 2007 - 09:54 AM
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Yay! The new forum seems to be working well for me, Viktor. Thanks! *smoochies*
Now I just gotta get this damn project done that I'm working on, and I can maybe actually spend some time here again...