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Xenforo Conversion Announcement

I'm.... unsure how to feel about this. On the one hand, I'm OCD and the current PM system fits me like a glove. On the other, I've converted most of my lengthy RPs into Word docs anyway and could easily convert any stragglers before the move, I think. Just two questions for point of clarification.

1. Post conversion, we will be able to have multiple "threads" with one user, correct?
2. Will there be an easy way to convert threads to say, a Word document? My biggest issue with other PM systems I've seen is that the formatting style makes straight copy and paste a pain in the ass more than the quote trees.

Thanks for being open about all this, Vek. I'll try to keep an open mind about the change as much as possible.
 
1: You will be able to have multiple conversations with one user, correct.

2: Easier than PMs are in MyBB/phpBB/vBulletin, for sure.
 
Maybe I don’t understand the situation, but why convert to a whole new, costly software when a solution can be found for free within the current system? I never quite understood why inbox’s for private messages didn’t have limit caps. Maximum messages before an auto-delete takes effect. Another role play site I used to use had a small server and its inbox cap was 500 messages. The burden is then on the user to back up any RPs or messages that surpass the 500 mark.

I think 500 is definitely too limited but why not 1,500 or 2,500?
I think users can live with that.
It will eliminate a MASSIVE amount of PM memory and lighten the sever immensely.
It also would give the least / most minimal effect of users. Little change, really.
 
DarkMinds said:
Maybe I don’t understand the situation, but why convert to a whole new, costly software when a solution can be found for free within the current system? I never quite understood why inbox’s for private messages didn’t have limit caps. Maximum messages before an auto-delete takes effect. Another role play site I used to use had a small server and its inbox cap was 500 messages. The burden is then on the user to back up any RPs or messages that surpass the 500 mark.

I think 500 is definitely too limited but why not 1,500 or 2,500?
I think users can live with that.
It will eliminate a MASSIVE amount of PM memory and lighten the sever immensely.
It also would give the least / most minimal effect of users. Little change, really.

Ehehhh...hhmm. Well, to put this politely, almost none of the above is correct. There -was- a time when PM-caps were in effect, years back, out of sheer complete necessity because the server hardware that Bluemoon was hosted on at the time didn't have enough capacity--I think the cap at the time was 1,000.

That period of time sucked, for just about everyone, and getting Bluemoon migrated to beefier hardware became the #1 priority of the admin staff.

The userbase on this website is very different from what you are familiar with. To put things in perspective, I am NOT an especially prolific RPer, averaging less than one post a day for all RPs I have going, and only half of those RPs are done through PMs...and I have well over 5,000 PMs, getting close to 6,000. I keep all of them because I actually do go back and reread them sometimes, I don't like getting rid of anything no matter how old it is. And as I said, I'm not even prolific. I know it's -common- for prolific RPers, especially people who are PM-only, to break 10,000 PMs here. It may sound crazy to you, but that's normal around here.

The bottom line is, even with good hardware, now the current forum -software- can no longer handle the demands of the userbase.

But Xenforo can. Easily.

This move has been in consideration for like...almost a year now, if I'm not mistaken. "We knew this day would come" as it were, heh.
 
DarkMinds said:
Maybe I don’t understand the situation, but why convert to a whole new, costly software when a solution can be found for free within the current system? I never quite understood why inbox’s for private messages didn’t have limit caps. Maximum messages before an auto-delete takes effect. Another role play site I used to use had a small server and its inbox cap was 500 messages. The burden is then on the user to back up any RPs or messages that surpass the 500 mark.

I think 500 is definitely too limited but why not 1,500 or 2,500?
I think users can live with that.
It will eliminate a MASSIVE amount of PM memory and lighten the sever immensely.
It also would give the least / most minimal effect of users. Little change, really.

That sort of cap would be just as inconvenient to those who are momentarily inactive during such a process as this conversion would be. While adding nothing new.

If the conversation was about making things easier for Vek, I'd agree. I feel guilty that I do nothing to help the site and can't financially support it either. But, unless I'm misreading something, it sounds like this process is ultimately a net positive for everyone involved.
 
Might I make a suggestion about your patreon page?

As someone who likes to support people on patreon I think you're not fully utilizing what it has to offer. Patreon can be a great resource to help fund you through difficult times like this. For example you hardly have anything posted on patreon and while we love hearing from you here, having an empty patreon page gives the impression of a deserted/abandon patreon. For example we don't even know if you're receiving the money we're putting in because there's nothing on patreon indicating that you are. So even if you have to put meaningless chat or stupid jokes, SOMETHING is better than nothing.

However I think your biggest mistake is not including a simple one click "1" and "5" dollar donation button. 1 and 5 dollar donations are going to be your BIGGEST group of donators and while it's true we can change the amount to be anything we want, the process is VERY unnatural feeling and not user friendly. We have to click on a reward amount (which instinctively triggers the fear of "oh my god, did I just subscribe for that amount") and then we have to edit the amount manually at the button which many people don't even realize they can do and it's just not a good system.

Trust me, even if you have to list a reward as a "thank you" I strongly believe you'll see more people donate to your patreon if you include a 1 and 5 dollar option. So if nothing else at least do that. I want BM to succeed and if I was rich I'd just pay for it myself but I can't, I give what I can but I know you can do so much more with just a little bit of tweaks.
 
Vekseid said:
1: You will be able to have multiple conversations with one user, correct.

2: Easier than PMs are in MyBB/phpBB/vBulletin, for sure.

Thanks boss. I'm cautiously optimistic, aside from the inevitable cringing at major change which I will be the first to admit I'm always, ALWAYS going to hate, haha.
 
PsionicCuttlefish said:
DarkMinds said:
Maybe I don’t understand the situation, but why convert to a whole new, costly software when a solution can be found for free within the current system? I never quite understood why inbox’s for private messages didn’t have limit caps. Maximum messages before an auto-delete takes effect. Another role play site I used to use had a small server and its inbox cap was 500 messages. The burden is then on the user to back up any RPs or messages that surpass the 500 mark.

I think 500 is definitely too limited but why not 1,500 or 2,500?
I think users can live with that.
It will eliminate a MASSIVE amount of PM memory and lighten the sever immensely.
It also would give the least / most minimal effect of users. Little change, really.

Ehehhh...hhmm. Well, to put this politely, almost none of the above is correct. There -was- a time when PM-caps were in effect, years back, out of sheer complete necessity because the server hardware that Bluemoon was hosted on at the time didn't have enough capacity--I think the cap at the time was 1,000.

That period of time sucked, for just about everyone, and getting Bluemoon migrated to beefier hardware became the #1 priority of the admin staff.

The userbase on this website is very different from what you are familiar with. To put things in perspective, I am NOT an especially prolific RPer, averaging less than one post a day for all RPs I have going, and only half of those RPs are done through PMs...and I have well over 5,000 PMs, getting close to 6,000. I keep all of them because I actually do go back and reread them sometimes, I don't like getting rid of anything no matter how old it is. And as I said, I'm not even prolific. I know it's -common- for prolific RPers, especially people who are PM-only, to break 10,000 PMs here. It may sound crazy to you, but that's normal around here.

The bottom line is, even with good hardware, now the current forum -software- can no longer handle the demands of the userbase.

But Xenforo can. Easily.

This move has been in consideration for like...almost a year now, if I'm not mistaken. "We knew this day would come" as it were, heh.

It’s not crazy. And I’m very, very, VERY well aware about what’s the normal around here.

I don’t know what you mean by “what you are familiar with”. I’ve been using BMR and other identical platforms for over 10 years now. I’m “familiar” with the user base.

I’m making this suggestion because it’s a program tweak that is effective without requiring upgrades. Yes, it will require users to be more mindful of their PM history, but it will lighten the load on the server immensely. This issue is actually incredibly common for forum RP websites. The PM system is among the biggest memory-gobbler and can easily wreak havoc on systems simply due to sheer volume. And as Veik said, 20 MILLION messages going through BMR.

What I fail to understand is how the conversion to Xenforo will NOT inconvenience users and their private messages. Because from what I understand, the three options given seem worse and more inconvenient than just implementing an inbox cap and auto delete function even if it is within conversion. And, again, it’s costly to upgrade.

So rather than providing a not-so-polite reply, it’d be more helpful for you to provide a proper explanation of why/how the conversion to Xenforo is more beneficial than my suggestion.

Thanks.
 
DarkMinds said:
It’s not crazy. And I’m very, very, VERY well aware about what’s the normal around here.

I don’t know what you mean by “what you are familiar with”. I’ve been using BMR and other identical platforms for over 10 years now. I’m “familiar” with the user base.

I’m making this suggestion because it’s a program tweak that is effective without requiring upgrades. Yes, it will require users to be more mindful of their PM history, but it will lighten the load on the server immensely. This issue is actually incredibly common for forum RP websites. The PM system is among the biggest memory-gobbler and can easily wreak havoc on systems simply due to sheer volume. And as Veik said, 20 MILLION messages going through BMR.

What I fail to understand is how the conversion to Xenforo will NOT inconvenience users and their private messages. Because from what I understand, the three options given seem worse and more inconvenient than just implementing an inbox cap and auto delete function even if it is within conversion. And, again, it’s costly to upgrade.

So rather than providing a not-so-polite reply, it’d be more helpful for you to provide a proper explanation of why/how the conversion to Xenforo is more beneficial than my suggestion.

Thanks.

(That -was- the polite reply...a not-polite reply would have been posting [benderlaugh: aahahahah--oh wait, you're serious? let me laugh even harder--AHAHAHA] and a few pithy lines, which I almost did because that happens sometimes on another forum I frequent, but I realized "That would be rude here and in no way constructive, I should not do that." so I didn't.)



But yes, to see if I can explain this in more detail, at least from what I know (I am not actually BMR staff, so I can't claim to be truly authoritative, but this is what I know -from- staff postings in the past)so to begin with...

Well, to clear up something first, I see that you only joined late 2017, so you aren't actually familiar with this site, or any identical forums (by definition, there can never be an "identical" forum), though I grant you're familiar with -similar- forums, but similar is not the same, so, just keep that in mind.

You were not here for the "PM-pocalypse" when PM caps actually -were- imposed. So, you'll just have to take my word for it when I say that yes, it really was that bad of a time, for this particular forum's particular userbase. As I said, when it happened, the #1 priority of the staff became arranging the situation so the PM-caps could be removed as soon as possible, by acquiring the funds to migrate to better hardware. But now, it's time to do the same for software. 20 million is a lot, but Xenforo can handle that, -and- I'm willing to bet somewhere between a third to half of those 20 million PMs are just duplicates in one person's outbox and another's inbox. Xenforo eliminates the duplication problem.



But, even the PM-issue aside, there's still the fact that the forums' current software is just old and outdated. It's not keeping up with modern improvements to internet architecture and browsers, new updates and patches are not being produced for the current software, at least not in any large scale. This stuff is just -old-. Not to mention, this forum -used- to have some other nice features--features that were disabled because the software couldn't keep up with the demands of the userbase. Even if PM caps were imposed, that's nothing more than a stopgap measure, kicking the can down the road further. This forum is -growing-, and that's something any forum owners -want- to see. But, a growing userbase imposes certain needs.

Let's compare a few things for perspective.
This forum:
-Current active users: 405
-total of 1,987,490 posts in 79,852 threads.
-currently has 29,924 members registered.
And as mentioned, we've already cannibalized a few nice things of this forum to keep up with the load.

Another forum I'm on, running Xenforo:
-Current active users: 3,669
-total of 30,257,369 posts in 446,965 threads.
-currently has 72,148 members registered.
And this forum's not even -close- to capacity, it's got plenty of room to continue to grow. (it had some troubles a while back, but like for BMR's earlier troubles, that was a hardware issue, not a software one)

By moving to Xenforo, BMR will then be working in software that is being actively developed, with modern programming efficiency techniques (important efficiencies that cannot be implemented on old software like this because it would be redesigning the core architecture from the ground up -anyway-), new features and quality-of-life improvements produced that make things easier for the userbase and the moderator/administration staff alike. I can't point to any one single specific thing--the point is, BMR -can't- exist on decaying old software forever, accumulating bugs and incompatibilities as the rest of the internet progresses. Upgrading to the new software is the best decision for the long-term health of the forum.



As I noted on the first page, the transition -is- going to cause an uproar, that's unavoidable. There will be some people with similar opinions as yours, wondering "why did this need to happen, I personally could do without it", but without your respectable civility. On top of all the people who just flat-out never read announcements ever and lose their heads when suddenly everything is different. For the inconvenience, some people are going to be slinging shit at the staff, chicken littles will be running amok. A few people are probably even going to leave. But, this forum will be that more attractive to potential future users, for having integrated modern conveniences and innovations, and for the majority of users--that is everyone not in the soon-to-come vocal angry minority--the benefits are going to outweigh the costs. It's the same in...well, literally any organization that fails to perform software updates and is stuck on older and older architecture until the situation becomes completely untenable, and upgrading at that point freaks everybody out because the upgrade is so extreme in magnitude. But at the same time, people often don't like incremental updates either because "This doesn't seen necessary, why do we have to be offline for a little while for such an unimportant thing?"

It's the struggle that IT staff the world over has to deal with, servicing their host organizations who collectively just don't understand how much work goes into maintaining computer systems. I am extremely appreciative to Vekseid and the BMR staff for being brave enough to take this important step for the good of the website. People are going to throw a lot of undeserved anger at them, and that's gonna suck. But, it will pass in time as everyone settles into the new home. And like I said, the staff has already been considering this decision for a very long time. They know the exact pros and cons, they know what they're getting into, far better than what I know, giving to you secondhand. Trust in them that if they are moving ahead with this despite the reservations some have, there is a whole list of good reasons and they know what they are doing.

Hopefully this has helped clarify a few things?
 
I have finished altering the MyBB importer for option #2. Doing a full test then will look at optimizing and how to incorporate an old subject hash or somesuch.

DarkMinds said:
Maybe I don’t understand the situation, but why convert to a whole new, costly software when a solution can be found for free within the current system? I never quite understood why inbox’s for private messages didn’t have limit caps. Maximum messages before an auto-delete takes effect. Another role play site I used to use had a small server and its inbox cap was 500 messages. The burden is then on the user to back up any RPs or messages that surpass the 500 mark.

I think 500 is definitely too limited but why not 1,500 or 2,500?
I think users can live with that.
It will eliminate a MASSIVE amount of PM memory and lighten the sever immensely.
It also would give the least / most minimal effect of users. Little change, really.

There is no solution to be found within MyBB except for ditching it entirely.

The PM schema for MyBB 1.6/1.8 is not normalized. Putting a cap on PMs is just a bandaid on a severed artery.

Another serious issue is that a lot of poor design decisions complicate other things, like e.g. the shoutbox bringing the server down.

Converting to Elkarte, like I plan for Elliquiy, is certainly possible but also an immense amount of work.

Whereas with Xenforo I can also make some money on the side by selling anything I make for BMR.

Chaos said:
Will there still be message tracking?

The software tracks read times but doesn't seem to display it. I could probably add it without much issue.

Alexandar said:
Might I make a suggestion about your patreon page?

As someone who likes to support people on patreon I think you're not fully utilizing what it has to offer. Patreon can be a great resource to help fund you through difficult times like this. For example you hardly have anything posted on patreon and while we love hearing from you here, having an empty patreon page gives the impression of a deserted/abandon patreon. For example we don't even know if you're receiving the money we're putting in because there's nothing on patreon indicating that you are. So even if you have to put meaningless chat or stupid jokes, SOMETHING is better than nothing.

However I think your biggest mistake is not including a simple one click "1" and "5" dollar donation button. 1 and 5 dollar donations are going to be your BIGGEST group of donators and while it's true we can change the amount to be anything we want, the process is VERY unnatural feeling and not user friendly. We have to click on a reward amount (which instinctively triggers the fear of "oh my god, did I just subscribe for that amount") and then we have to edit the amount manually at the button which many people don't even realize they can do and it's just not a good system.

Trust me, even if you have to list a reward as a "thank you" I strongly believe you'll see more people donate to your patreon if you include a 1 and 5 dollar option. So if nothing else at least do that. I want BM to succeed and if I was rich I'd just pay for it myself but I can't, I give what I can but I know you can do so much more with just a little bit of tweaks.

Dirty jokes is a good idea for the Patreon. E's, too >_>

That said I don't do lower donation amounts because I don't want people who are struggling to be donating. I'm pretty firm on that.
 
Tracking would be nice. I was kind of an impatient ass before I discovered it, and it would suck to loose it.

A lower donation amount could still be a good idea but I totally understand how you feel on that.
 
Hi so I'm not a particularly vocal member and I'm hella new but I love the sound of this new system, and I was reading over the thread but I didn't see a particular answer that seemed to suit my question. So to preface this, I know nothing about computers.

My actual question is, could you do Option Two and then later Option Three? Like start by converting everything over to a single PM thread, which is fine with me, to wait a day while the software converts over, and then later on in the background run something that could sort that thread into the separate trees it was originally in by message title? Or would that sort of thing be impossible once everything's converted over one way? Because from my understanding, once everything is converted with Option Two, you can still have separate conversations with users, so you can run multiple RPs with the same person if you so choose, and it'll be separate threads? As long as the option to continue RPs and OOC banter is separate for me, that'd be far more convenient, and honestly I don't particularly mind having to separately sort out the RPs that I do have in those single message threads for the convenience going forward BUT if there's an option for the software to do it, I feel that might be particularly helpful, especially for people who may have some RPs in the archives of their PMS.

The other question i have about Xenforo's platform is whether there a limit (I thought I saw something like two but I wasn't sure I was understanding that correctly) to how many active conversations you can have with a person?
 
Ooh, just reminded of another question I have.

Being marginally familiar as a Xenforo-forum user, I know Xenforo has a built-in "likes" system for posts.

In keeping with BMR's existent policy of preventing blatant popularity contests, is the likes-system going to be disabled for Xen-BMR-foro? From what I understand, Xenforo is exceptionally modular (as Vek said, he can even make money by coding his own Xenforo extensions, and then sell them to other Xenforo-running admins), and I'd expect that it should be possible to disable the likes-system?
 
LadyAres said:
Hi so I'm not a particularly vocal member and I'm hella new but I love the sound of this new system, and I was reading over the thread but I didn't see a particular answer that seemed to suit my question. So to preface this, I know nothing about computers.

My actual question is, could you do Option Two and then later Option Three? Like start by converting everything over to a single PM thread, which is fine with me, to wait a day while the software converts over, and then later on in the background run something that could sort that thread into the separate trees it was originally in by message title? Or would that sort of thing be impossible once everything's converted over one way? Because from my understanding, once everything is converted with Option Two, you can still have separate conversations with users, so you can run multiple RPs with the same person if you so choose, and it'll be separate threads? As long as the option to continue RPs and OOC banter is separate for me, that'd be far more convenient, and honestly I don't particularly mind having to separately sort out the RPs that I do have in those single message threads for the convenience going forward BUT if there's an option for the software to do it, I feel that might be particularly helpful, especially for people who may have some RPs in the archives of their PMS.

The other question i have about Xenforo's platform is whether there a limit (I thought I saw something like two but I wasn't sure I was understanding that correctly) to how many active conversations you can have with a person?

Certain things aren't so simple. MyBB doesn't even have tracking for a given conversation like say, SMF does.

Private conversations in Xenforo are basically threads where only a limited number of people can view them.

There's no limit to how many threads you can have with any given set of people.

PsionicCuttlefish said:
Ooh, just reminded of another question I have.

Being marginally familiar as a Xenforo-forum user, I know Xenforo has a built-in "likes" system for posts.

In keeping with BMR's existent policy of preventing blatant popularity contests, is the likes-system going to be disabled for Xen-BMR-foro? From what I understand, Xenforo is exceptionally modular (as Vek said, he can even make money by coding his own Xenforo extensions, and then sell them to other Xenforo-running admins), and I'd expect that it should be possible to disable the likes-system?

AFAIK we haven't disabled it here, it's just not apparent because the theme wasn't written very well.
 
Hello, I am GP transfer (we got recommended here or another until whatever was triggered site is fixed and rebooted) and was wondering a more exact timeline to a switch. Personally, I can say the Xenforo system is great and easy to use, with a bonus of the mobile and computer versions not being too different.
 
Probably later in May. Making sure the PM conversion works 'as expected' is becoming a major project.
 
I hope that I'll have enough time to save all my pm's before the conversation to Xenforo. Better safe than sorry. Could be hard though, I have over 20k pm's in my inbox alone...
 
Will BlueMoon still look the same and be the same? Or is everything going to change? I feel like this could be another myspace disaster. Where us Roleplayers were happy and comfy on Myspace until they decided in 2011 to force us all into 2.0 profiles that we couldn't edit and it was a mess. No one liked the new layout so everyone quit signing on, and we all lost friends, and such. I hope that won't happen again on here. :[
 
The biggest issue right now is it doesn't convert over linked avatars well (uploads are fine), and it really highlights the Photobucket mess everywhere.

The overall layout is fairly analogous, though. You will be able to do a lot more with your Xenforo profile, though, especially after we move to 2.0.
 
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