Discussion Board Upgrade is Complete

[Administration]

If you're seeing this, the Discussion Board has been brought back online.

The software changeover has gone smoothly. In addition, I took some time to add some features that should be of interest to many of you, including the ability now to chat with one another in LiveChat. The Search feature is also much more useful in this software, and I am certain that everyone who used the previous software will immediately notice the improvement.

I will be making additional tweaks over the next few days, but there shouldn't be any further downtime.

If you experience any problems with the new software, please reply within this thread, or email me at webmaster@e-watchman.com and explain as fully as you can what the issue or problem is.

I am pretty certain that everyone will need to use the Lost Password feature, as passwords are encrypted and could not be ported over to the new software insofar as I can tell.

--Administration

[Administration]

To reset or recover your Password, look in the Main Menu box, located to the left for the link.

See you online!

--Administration

[SlaveForJah]

Welcome Back, Admin. Welcome Back, Watchman. Welcome Back, Brothers and Sisters.

The new site looks great. I think it might take awhile to grow accustomed to the new features. But thank you E-W and Admin both for all your hard work.


Agape

SlaveForJah

[FutureMan]

Well hello SlaveForJah and hello everyone, it certainly does look different.
I had a slight teething problem logging on, but once I reset the password, I could log on no problem, thanks very much Administration for all your work in modifying this site and forum.

From FutureMan

[billy2]

Thanks Brother King and all those who run this site :D

Nice color scheme

I like the large avatars

cheers sister billy

[FGM]

Love the new clock!
Thanks for the hard work on the upgrade
FGM

[TheMdC]

Live Chat is a separate login/registration?
My regular login and password isn't working for the chat feature.

[Administration]

Live Chat is a separate login/registration?
My regular login and password isn't working for the chat feature.

Should work now.

[Utuna]

Hi!

I had noticed it before being able to log in but... now that I've checked it too from within, so to speak; all my previous posts have disappeared!

Am I the only one? Some future readers may have a few problems to grasp the whole meaning of some threads if a certain number of posts have vanished.

-----------------------------------------
"Le sectarisme des jugements pauvres lui tenait quelquefois lieu de volonté" - Hervé Bazin
"J'ai pétri de la boue et j'en ai fait de l'or" - Charles Baudelaire
"S'il m'a été donné de voir un peu plus loin que les autres, c'est que je me tenais sur les épaules de géants" - Isaac Newton

[Administration]

Hi!

I had noticed it before being able to log in but... now that I've checked it too from within, so to speak; all my previous posts have disappeared!

Am I the only one? Some future readers may have a few problems to grasp the whole meaning of some threads if a certain number of posts have vanished.


I checked and all of your posts are still with us, so to speak. To verify this, click on your username. Then click on Statistics and you will see an option to Find All Posts by Utuna. Click on this and all of your posts are there.

Hope this helps.
Administration

[Utuna]

I did what you told me to, and I could find my posts in the threads I started but not my posts in threads started by other members. The only things displayed are the 3 sentences I use as a personal phylacter.

Whenever I get into a thread through the link provided, nothing more is displayed.

Maybe I'm not still used to that new interface. Thanks for your patience!

-----------------------------------------
"Le sectarisme des jugements pauvres lui tenait quelquefois lieu de volonté" - Hervé Bazin
"J'ai pétri de la boue et j'en ai fait de l'or" - Charles Baudelaire
"S'il m'a été donné de voir un peu plus loin que les autres, c'est que je me tenais sur les épaules de géants" - Isaac Newton

[Administration]

I did what you told me to, and I could find my posts in the threads I started but not my posts in threads started by other members. The only things displayed are the 3 sentences I use as a personal phylacter.

Whenever I get into a thread through the link provided, nothing more is displayed.

Maybe I'm not still used to that new interface. Thanks for your patience!



Once you click on your name in the Online Usersor anywhere your name appears in any given post, you should see the following:

http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/images/utuna_1.jpg

Click on Statistics...

http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/images/utuna_2.jpg

I've highlighted the two things we'll be looking at. They are links, so you can click on them.

To see all of your posts, click on Find all posts by Utuna:

http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/images/utuna_3.jpg

I have only snapshot the first one that came up, but as you can see from the graphic, there are 20 pages of posts that you have accredited to your account.

To see all of your threads that you started (formerly called Topics, I think), you would click on Find all threads started by Utuna:

http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/images/utuna_4.jpg

Here, you can see a brief overview of all of the Topics or Threads that you started on the Discussion Board.

Hope this helps.
Administration

[Steadfast]

Administrator,

The forum page is WAY too big for my computer screen. I have to scroll back and forth to read it.

Please advise.

Love,

Steadfast

[Administration]

Administrator,

The forum page is WAY too big for my computer screen. I have to scroll back and forth to read it.

Please advise.

Love,

Steadfast

The forum has been configured for monitors that are at least 1240 pixels wide, which constitutes the majority of the monitors owned by site visitors and members according to site statistics. I did make an adjustment that closes the right column of the portal software when the forum itself is being used. This will close the shoutbox, statistics box, and external links during the time that a person is using the forum itself. The right column will reappear if the person clicks on Home on the Discussion Board, however.

Hope this helps.
Administration

[Utuna]

I did what you told me to, and I could find my posts in the threads I started but not my posts in threads started by other members. The only things displayed are the 3 sentences I use as a personal phylacter.

Whenever I get into a thread through the link provided, nothing more is displayed.

Maybe I'm not still used to that new interface. Thanks for your patience!


I've just received a message from you that, I think, was only destined to Steadfast....

I had already done what you told me again to do. Here is a screenshot of what I get on my screen (if what I wanna do works...):

http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu294/Utuna/kezako2.gif

-----------------------------------------
"Le sectarisme des jugements pauvres lui tenait quelquefois lieu de volonté" - Hervé Bazin
"J'ai pétri de la boue et j'en ai fait de l'or" - Charles Baudelaire
"S'il m'a été donné de voir un peu plus loin que les autres, c'est que je me tenais sur les épaules de géants" - Isaac Newton

[Administration]

I've just received a message from you that, I think, was only destined to Steadfast....

I had already done what you told me again to do. Here is a screenshot of what I get on my screen (if what I wanna do works...):



I logged into your account so see if it duplicated this on my end, but everything was working fine.

From the screenshot you provided, I can see that it is not providing the titles, which would double as clickable links.

Is anyone else having this same problem?

Also, which web browser are you using?

Awaiting feedback,
Administration

[Administration]

I've just received a message from you that, I think, was only destined to Steadfast....

I had already done what you told me again to do. Here is a screenshot of what I get on my screen (if what I wanna do works...):



Also, can you try this--as I just added this to the software...

While viewing the Forum, click on Search:

http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/images/utuna_5.jpg

There are now two new options, as highlighted. Try those and see if you are still getting NO titles with clickability in the results, and let me know.

--Administration

[Utuna]

A few minutes ago, I croped and replaced the picture I had posted earlier so that no personal info might be shown because before then, it showed my whole screen. There was nothing really private on it but as the entire world will then be able to see that picture.... some kind of paranoia.... you know what I mean, lol

As a reply to your question, I use Firefox 3.5.2. Do you want me to have a go with IE? Here is the screenshot!

http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu294/Utuna/kzako3.gif

I've seen that you had sent posts to me while I was preparing the screenshot. I'll read them before going any further.

-----------------------------------------
"Le sectarisme des jugements pauvres lui tenait quelquefois lieu de volonté" - Hervé Bazin
"J'ai pétri de la boue et j'en ai fait de l'or" - Charles Baudelaire
"S'il m'a été donné de voir un peu plus loin que les autres, c'est que je me tenais sur les épaules de géants" - Isaac Newton

[Administration]

A few minutes ago, I croped and replaced the picture I had posted earlier so that no personal info might be shown because before then, it showed my whole screen. There was nothing really private on it but as the entire world will then be able to see that picture.... some kind of paranoia.... you know what I mean, lol

As a reply to your question, I use Firefox 3.5.2. Do you want me to have a go with IE? Here is the screenshot!

[picture removed in reply]

I've seen that you had sent posts to me while I was preparing the screenshot. I'll read them before going any further.



Hmm... I haven't used the new FF 3.5.x because it's still having significant issues since released, including security holes not present in FF 3.0.13. So, I can't verify how the site works when using it.

Yes, try IE to see if that makes a difference, and reply here, including whether you used IE6, IE7, or IE8.

Thanks!
Administration

[Utuna]

Hmm... I haven't used the new FF 3.5.x because it's still having significant issues since released, including security holes not present in FF 3.0.13. So, I can't verify how the site works when using it.

Yes, try IE to see if that makes a difference, and reply here, including whether you used IE6, IE7, or IE8.

Thanks!
Administration

The picture I sent you in the previous post was from the IE version 7.0.5730.13. I'm currently using my desktop computer (XP).

I used my laptop (Vista) with firefox 3.0.13 and IE 8.0.6001, it's all the same!

Here are the screenshots of what I get when I follow your directives (with my desktop PC):

http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu294/Utuna/kzako4.gif

http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu294/Utuna/kzako5.gif

-----------------------------------------
"Le sectarisme des jugements pauvres lui tenait quelquefois lieu de volonté" - Hervé Bazin
"J'ai pétri de la boue et j'en ai fait de l'or" - Charles Baudelaire
"S'il m'a été donné de voir un peu plus loin que les autres, c'est que je me tenais sur les épaules de géants" - Isaac Newton

[Administration]

The picture I sent you in the previous post was from the IE version 7.0.5730.13. I'm currently using my desktop computer (XP).

I used my laptop (Vista) with firefox 3.0.13 and IE 8.0.6001, it's all the same!

Here are the screenshots of what I get when I follow your directives (with my desktop PC):

http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu294/Utuna/kzako4.gif


The linked titles are present here, as you can see already.

But in the picture below, they are absent:



http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu294/Utuna/kzako5.gif


I'm at a loss as to why, tho. Is anyone else having this same issue?

--Administration

[Utuna]

I think that you must have noticed it all, but I'll make an additional comment for other members about the pictures I posted, just in case...

The first picture I posted is step #1 that you told me to do. It shows the full list of all my posts. The "excerpts" are only linked to the very text I wrote from the time of the upgrade onwards, not before then. After the upgrade date, the links are located on the text of the post, before last Monday, the link is located on "Le sectarisme..."

Then, I clicked (step #2) on the first link provided after the upgrade and I got the page I posted to you (picture #2).

The unique difference between your PC and mine is the language (FF & IE both display the same as shown above), unless other English members might have the same issues as me. The software must have a bug related to its compatibility with OS in other languages than English. Hypothesis only! In reality, my statement is just guesswork!

Sorry if my post took a lot of time to be written... here, it is LUNCH time!!! Soooo sacred! :p

-----------------------------------------
"Le sectarisme des jugements pauvres lui tenait quelquefois lieu de volonté" - Hervé Bazin
"J'ai pétri de la boue et j'en ai fait de l'or" - Charles Baudelaire
"S'il m'a été donné de voir un peu plus loin que les autres, c'est que je me tenais sur les épaules de géants" - Isaac Newton

[Administration]

I think that you must have noticed it all, but I'll make an additional comment for other members about the pictures I posted, just in case...

The first picture I posted is step #1 that you told me to do. It shows the full list of all my posts. The "excerpts" are only linked to the very text I wrote from the time of the upgrade onwards, not before then. After the upgrade date, the links are located on the text of the post, before last Monday, the link is located on "Le sectarisme..."

Then, I clicked (step #2) on the first link provided after the upgrade and I got the page I posted to you (picture #2).

The unique difference between your PC and mine is the language (FF & IE both display the same as shown above), unless other English members might have the same issues as me. The software must have a bug related to its compatibility with OS in other languages than English. Hypothesis only! In reality, my statement is just guesswork!

Sorry if my post took a lot of time to be written... here, it is LUNCH time!!! Soooo sacred! :p

-----------------------------------------
"Le sectarisme des jugements pauvres lui tenait quelquefois lieu de volonté" - Hervé Bazin
"J'ai pétri de la boue et j'en ai fait de l'or" - Charles Baudelaire
"S'il m'a été donné de voir un peu plus loin que les autres, c'est que je me tenais sur les épaules de géants" - Isaac Newton

I added French to the DB language and set your account to it. See if that makes a difference on your end.

--Administration

[Utuna]

I added French to the DB language and set your account to it. See if that makes a difference on your end.

--Administration

Yep,

I noticed the change at once.

I didn't find what I was looking for just after you did it because the words where not the ones I expected... lol OOpss! it's in French... Brain switch required..... :wacko: lol

I'll keep posting screenshots because they spare me a lot of blablabla....

Here are the screenshots of the French version: Sorry..... it doesn't work!


http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu294/Utuna/French1.gif


http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu294/Utuna/French2.gif

-----------------------------------------
"Le sectarisme des jugements pauvres lui tenait quelquefois lieu de volonté" - Hervé Bazin
"J'ai pétri de la boue et j'en ai fait de l'or" - Charles Baudelaire
"S'il m'a été donné de voir un peu plus loin que les autres, c'est que je me tenais sur les épaules de géants" - Isaac Newton

[Administration]

Yep,

I noticed the change at once.

I didn't find what I was looking for just after you did it because the words where not the ones I expected... lol OOpss! it's in French... Brain switch required..... :wacko: lol

I'll keep posting screenshots because they spare me a lot of blablabla....

Here are the screenshots of the French version: Sorry..... it doesn't work!



[Images removed in quoted post]

-----------------------------------------
"Le sectarisme des jugements pauvres lui tenait quelquefois lieu de volonté" - Hervé Bazin
"J'ai pétri de la boue et j'en ai fait de l'or" - Charles Baudelaire
"S'il m'a été donné de voir un peu plus loin que les autres, c'est que je me tenais sur les épaules de géants" - Isaac Newton

Well, it was worth the try. Just need to wait and see if anyone else is having that particular problem. I hope not, because I don't know what the solution is; I only know that all past posts are not missing. But I'll worry and fret about that once more feedback comes in.

Worst-case scenario, there's always the old board. :o

By the way, if you would prefer the English interface, let me know and I'll switch you back.

--Administration

[Utuna]

Well, it was worth the try. Just need to wait and see if anyone else is having that particular problem. I hope not, because I don't know what the solution is; I only know that all past posts are not missing. But I'll worry and fret about that once more feedback comes in.

Worst-case scenario, there's always the old board. :o

By the way, if you would prefer the English interface, let me know and I'll switch you back.

--Administration

I don't know if I'll be able to remember everything that I wrote on the forum since last summer.... and to write it down again at will.... lol

I tried to look for old posts through the "search" feature and I found everything I was looking for; (tried just twice so far)... I don't know if the bug can be got round that way. I don't mind if I can't see my posts as long as other members can read them and have a good understanding of the reasonings developed by other members or by myself in the threads in which I posted.

Please, I prefer when everything is written in English. Thus, I won't have to endlessly switch from one language to another nor have to look for the English translation of specific words related to this DB or else.

Thanks for your help anyway!

-----------------------------------------
"Le sectarisme des jugements pauvres lui tenait quelquefois lieu de volonté" - Hervé Bazin
"J'ai pétri de la boue et j'en ai fait de l'or" - Charles Baudelaire
"S'il m'a été donné de voir un peu plus loin que les autres, c'est que je me tenais sur les épaules de géants" - Isaac Newton

[Utuna]

Dear Timothy,

I just post this message to tell you that I tried to send a message in the chatroom but I had problems with my keyboard (laptop). As you know it already, French keyboards are AZERTY and English ones are QWERTY. I couldn't have some signs or fonts in the chatroom whereas I never had any problems on the forum so far about that issue.

I just wanted to let you know about it!



---------------------------------------------
"Le sectarisme des jugements pauvres lui tenait quelquefois lieu de volonté" - Hervé Bazin
"J'ai pétri de la boue et j'en ai fait de l'or" - Charles Baudelaire
"S'il m'a été donné de voir un peu plus loin que les autres, c'est que je me tenais sur les épaules de géants" - Isaac Newton

[James]

Hello Admin,

My RSS feed no longer works since the upgrade. Will you be restoring that feature?
e-Jehovah's Witnesses (http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/forum/index.php) 'Live Bookmark feed failed to load'. (about:livemark-failed)

agape,
James

[Anthony]

Am I going to get a email evertime some one post something new to a post where I commited? And is the left side “latest forum post” going to keep show every single new post by a member but for the same thread?

What is that old saying, “If it’s not broke, don’t try to fix it!”

This site was better before the upgrade, just like the e-watchmen classic site is better then the upgraded one.

I guess some think "cooler and hip" are better than "simple and easy".

[Administration]

Hello Admin,

My RSS feed no longer works since the upgrade. Will you be restoring that feature?
e-Jehovah's Witnesses (http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/forum/index.php) 'Live Bookmark feed failed to load'. (http://about%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:livemark-failed)

agape,
James

Feature added in the Main Menu box, located to the left.

--Administrator

[truthseeker]

Personally I like the upgrades it seems more user friendly and on a more personal level.
But as with people nothing is perfect (sorry for the extra Email in your box:p)
Actually you can avoid the email by not clicking the quote tab and click the post reply tab instead.
Truthseeker

[Administration]

Am I going to get a email evertime some one post something new to a post where I commited? And is the left side “latest forum post” going to keep show every single new post by a member but for the same thread?

What is that old saying, “If it’s not broke, don’t try to fix it!”

This site was better before the upgrade, just like the e-watchmen classic site is better then the upgraded one.

I guess some think "cooler and hip" are better than "simple and easy".



Our reason for the change in board software was definitely not for the bells-and-whistles aspect; rather, there were some inherent problems in the older software, and things were not getting better with time. In fact, as time went on, the software was developing new and frustrating issues.

That's not to imply that the new software is perfect. But it IS superior to the previous software. Anyone using the Search feature will immediately appreciate the improvement over the previous boards. And that is just one example.

At the same time, liberty was taken to add on bits and pieces that would make the site more fun and informative. Things like LiveChat, inline Bible quotation, and search-engine-friendly tags and page naming are just a few. These are intended to enhance the Discussion Board's underlying stability.

Still, there is the learning curve involved in adjusting to the new software, and I can appreciate that. That's why I have made a determined effort to respond swiftly to any problems and questions that arise, until everyone is back on an even keel. I will also take extra time to put together a series of posts that will help everyone to get the most out of the new software.

Does that mean that everyone will be happy with the change? Of course not. The old adage that "you can't please everyone" definitely applies as much (if not more) to Discussion Boards as anything else. But we're doing the best job we can do to be accommodating to everyone.

As to receiving emails when replies are received: everyone has the ability to turn that feature off by visiting their Personal CP, which can be clicked in the box labelled Personal Menu, to the left. Once you are in your Personal Control Panel, locate List Subscriptions in the left-hand column of the Personal CP. You will see any Subscribed Threads, and can make the necessary adjustments according to your own preference.

Next, you will click on Edit Options, listed under Settings and Options. Scroll down until you get to the section labelled Messaging and Notification. Make any adjustments you would like. To disable Automatic Thread Notifications, simply turn it off in that section.

When you have finished making the changes you prefer, scroll to the very bottom and click on Save Changes and that's it, you're all set.

Hope this helps,
Administrator

[truthseeker]

Actually you can avoid the email by not clicking the quote tab and click the post reply tab instead.
Truthseeker

Or NOT! Anthony has a more thorough correction!
Truthseeker

[Anthony]

our reason for the change in board software was definitely not for the bells-and-whistles aspect; rather, there were some inherent problems in the older software, and things were not getting better with time. In fact, as time went on, the software was developing new and frustrating issues.

That's not to imply that the new software is perfect. But it is superior to the previous software. Anyone using the search feature will immediately appreciate the improvement over the previous boards. And that is just one example.

At the same time, liberty was taken to add on bits and pieces that would make the site more fun and informative. Things like livechat, inline bible quotation, and search-engine-friendly tags and page naming are just a few. These are intended to enhance the discussion board's underlying stability.

Still, there is the learning curve involved in adjusting to the new software, and i can appreciate that. That's why i have made a determined effort to respond swiftly to any problems and questions that arise, until everyone is back on an even keel. I will also take extra time to put together a series of posts that will help everyone to get the most out of the new software.

Does that mean that everyone will be happy with the change? Of course not. The old adage that "you can't please everyone" definitely applies as much (if not more) to discussion boards as anything else. But we're doing the best job we can do to be accommodating to everyone.

As to receiving emails when replies are received: Everyone has the ability to turn that feature off by visiting their personal cp, which can be clicked in the box labelled personal menu, to the left. Once you are in your personal control panel, locate list subscriptions in the left-hand column of the personal cp. You will see any subscribed threads, and can make the necessary adjustments according to your own preference.

Next, you will click on edit options, listed under settings and options. Scroll down until you get to the section labelled messaging and notification. Make any adjustments you would like. To disable automatic thread notifications, simply turn it off in that section.

When you have finished making the changes you prefer, scroll to the very bottom and click on save changes and that's it, you're all set.

Hope this helps,
administrator

thank you, will do.

[Anthony]

Or NOT! Anthony has a more thorough correction!
Truthseeker

Please elaborate.

[truthseeker]

Please elaborate.

Hi Anthony
In post 31 of this thread I thought I had a solution to the Email issues. But Admin has a much better one.
Truthseeker

[James]

Wow! Love the extra storage for PM's. 350 messages-sweet.:188::cool:

agape,
James

[SlaveForJah]

Wow! Love the extra storage for PM's. 350 messages-sweet.:188::cool:

agape,
James

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I'm a bit of a pack rat, so now I can actually do "spring cleaning" closer to once a year.


Agape

SlaveForJah

[shikinah]

Hi everyone,
i have to say i have had great difficulty getting onto the forum, im having even grater difficulty knowing how to just post a new thread, i feel like im in a maze:huh: give about a year and i might get the hang of it by then lol.
I want to thank all of you for your kind words and prayers, yes i have been quite ill, my suspected swine flu from over three weeks ago turned to bronchitis then pneumonia, which is proving hard to shift. But Jehovah is helping get through it one day at a time.
Missed you all, and glad to be back.

Love

Shikinah

[shikinah]

My message box flashes saying i have new messages when i dont, can some one explain to me how i post a new thread, is it just me or is this complicated :rolleyes:

[James]

Question does anyones page go out of focus every half minute or so, just goes of and enlarges get smaller? strange.

YES!

I noticed it since the upgrade, and it is totally distracting in trying to read a post, especially a long one.

Admin?

[Administration]

YES!

I noticed it since the upgrade, and it is totally distracting in trying to read a post, especially a long one.

Admin?

I made an adjustment. Let me know if it's still doing it.