Zappa.com

With the impending forum upgrade, I'd like to ask for people's opinion on whether we should start from scratch with a clean slate, or continue with the current forum and all its posts.

If we start from scratch, all usernames and post counts will be retained, so you won't have to re-register, but the forum will be a blank slate with existing (or new forum sub-sections).

There will be very light moderation to ensure there aren't multiple posts about the same topic in different sections - but this will be purely to keep the board neat and organized to a degree.

OR:

We can just continue with the forum and all its contents, but with the software upgrade.

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We won't start with a fresh forum unless there is overwhelming support for that idea.

We don't feel strongly one way or another, so we ask you, the users, to help determine how things will go.

Please feel free to ask questions or make suggestions in this thread as well as casting your vote.

Mikey
zappa.com

a fresh new forum would be nice.

from scratch, a clean slate, with current usernames intact, and with post counts back to zero.

I think this would make it less intimidating for newbies (and oldies) to join and participate. we really need some more regular posters than the 40 or so we have now.

lumpy

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"bit of nostalgia for the old folks."

Yes. Get rid of all the trashy harassment threads and spam and start fresh.

[size=0]Isaac[/size]

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I want dis little pussy
Baby wants some o' dis
And some o' dat
Don't treat me, baby, like your
Any old Alley Cat
Alley Cat, Alley Cat

Jimmie D Fan

I haven't voted yet because I still have a question or two.

One of the problems with the forum currently is the fact that threads before April 4th 2006, the last upgrade, are mostly broken by missing posts. If this new upgrade that's coming can avoid that problem, maybe keeping it all isn't such a bad idea. If not, is it possible to delete everything before that date and leave the rest?

Aside from this, of course, I am tempted by the idea of starting from scratch, then maybe we can can have a significant time during which no-one will complain about people not using the search function.

But, there are some interesting threads that it would be a shame to lose, like the ones with Flo and Art Tripp and the one that's following the Joe's Garage show just to name a few examples, not forgetting Fritz's stellar Zappa Concert Coffee Table Book.

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The way I see it Barry, this should be a very dynamite show.

I'd like to be able to change my username......

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"Why do people say "Grow some balls"? Balls are weak and sensitive! If you really wanna get tough, grow a vagina! Those things take a pounding"! -- Sheng Wang

I like coming across an old thread that was good and had useful information.
I say leave as is. I still refer back to some threads for information,too.
All of Slimes info, all jimmie d's info...too much good stuff to lose.

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GuacamoleQueenGuacamoleQueenGuacamoleQueen

I, too, have questions. What will happen to all of the old threads? Will they still exist in some sort of view only format for reference? If the answer is yes, then my vote is for the clean slate.

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. . . . . . . send a pm to mikey



a lot of history, good discussion & relevant info would be lost, keep it all; if you need volunteers to 'fix' old threads [reply count on the index page matches the actual number of replies in the thread] & strip out the old bbl coding, lemme know

suggestions [partial list]:

• enable search of thread topics without searching the message text
• allow viewing of 20 most recent posts [with or without logging-in]
• allow choice of fonts
• increase max. font size to 48
• allow bbl code tables
• enable youtube embedded videos directly into posts
• allow html coding in posts
• allow posting flash animations [swf files]
• increase pm inbox capacity
• allow uploading jpeg, gif, png, ico, bmp & pdf files directly into posts [up to 250kb, limit: 50-100 uploads per user]
• allow re-sizing images in a post
• make the 20-minute lp sides thread a sticky
• display members visited that day
• allow flag of country/location under avatar
• add time/date on every page
• selectively block pm's
• per diem post limit
  
• additional stand-alone boards:
  • zpz
  • zappa alumni
  • zappa in print
  • collectors board
  • musicians board
  • game threads/association board
  • flamer's board [login required to view]
  • boot board
  • board for requests & queries to:
    • zft
    • webmaster/admin
    • other forum members

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As much as I'd like to start over You always wish you could find that one post you saw a few years ago to prove a point or to re-post a picture that would make the punch line to your post a real zinger.

I would like to see a link to other sub forums on the top and bottom of a thread so you don't have to scroll up or down to jump to another sub forum.

of course when you have the ignore button on if someone else quotes Isaac er...uh I mean the person you are ignoring you can see what he...uh they wrote

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Yes, if the old forum was available read only as a resource, then I think I'm leaning towards the clean slate.

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The way I see it Barry, this should be a very dynamite show.

I, for one, wouldn't like to see my 7000+ post blown out to space... But [to quote the Central Scrutinizer], who gives a fuck anyway...

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Be nice to start over, but as already mentioned here, it'd be a shame to lose the wealth of info that people have posted over the time we've had this board. Ideally it'd be nice to keep it but bin the crappy tiresome argumental threads that are of no use to anyone. Don't know if that's possible or whether that'd just make the job harder to do.
Anyway, I voted for keep it as it is and just have the upgrade, purely so we can keep the valuable info.

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"Listen to that noise! It's like Barry White eating wasps."

The post count could be valuable,How about something like start fresh.And nobheads who can't mingel or talk shit for no reason or Bump/start threads all ready in action.stay with rest or get knocked back there with the rest of them.
That way all is fair just how people play the game make a diffrence too them.

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Arf you out of your fucking mind.

I'd say keep. A few older threads are great. And as long as we can ignore centain menbers, we have an improvement!

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"Everybody in this room is wearing a uniform, and don't kid yourself" - FZ

I voted to keep old posts as that's how I learned the ropes here. Also how I got a handle on the personalities (and in some cases the lack of) of the active posters who I was gonna mix with. I read a lot of interesting stories and a lot of entertaining flames and meltdowns. But that's just me. Whatever the admin decides is gonna have to be ok with me. I also figure that this course of action is probably the path of least resistance. Or less work anyway. As long as I can stick around and don't get ignored by too too many.

Viva la Evolutione!!!

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When the going gets weird the weird turn pro - HST

Miasma!

I'm kind of an old-fashioned guy, so I say leave the user names and post counts intact with some minor software upgrades. If the machine ain't broke don't fix it. (Some more Smileys would be nice though)

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"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."

I think that many of us are too wrapped up in the nostalgic aspect of keeping a bit of history. I do not think that there is a whole lot here worth keeping. What little is worth saving can be recreated. I've had instances in which I backed up files that later crashed, but when I looked over the back-ups, I later found little that was little worth saving. I've still got a few pieces of information I may wish to save off my other hard drive, but for the time being, I'm not complaining. It's more than likely that in what little there is I may or may not have "lost", I can recreate said information. Starting fresh may be good for us all.

[size=0]Isaac[/size]

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I want dis little pussy
Baby wants some o' dis
And some o' dat
Don't treat me, baby, like your
Any old Alley Cat
Alley Cat, Alley Cat

Jimmie D Fan

I voted with the majority. Having lost nearly 5,000 posts plus every single thread I created prior to April 2006, I don't want to lose my entire posting history, yet again.

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"If Frank Zappa cut a fart and mixed it to stereo, I'd buy it!" - jimmie d

Wipe it out.

Thanks for asking, Mikey.

I think it would be nice to start over with a new Forum, but to keep the old one accessible and active.

And I second slime's suggestions...

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I'm petulant, and I'm having a frenzy...

Yes new smiley emoticons! Thanks for the suggestion Galoot!

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It's all binary to me.

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Maybe not from you.

There are tons of links and dates of shows and who played in the band in what year and boot info...peoples outwork...too much to lose.

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GuacamoleQueenGuacamoleQueenGuacamoleQueen

I think its clear that the consensus is that we keep the current forum the way it is.

We can always add new sections later on, or condense some of the old threads into more clearly defined sections.

Thanks so much for the feedback.

Mikey
zappa.com

I'm not saying that we would be losing nothing. Just that there might be less to lose than we think.

[size=0]Isaac[/size]

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I want dis little pussy
Baby wants some o' dis
And some o' dat
Don't treat me, baby, like your
Any old Alley Cat
Alley Cat, Alley Cat

Jimmie D Fan