Stryder Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 Thanks Mike, you beat me to it and I could not have said it better.Some boards do allow hosting of images, and it is free. But they are usually boards that have graphics and customizations as one of their main reasons for existence. But this board is not even two weeks old yet. It is unrealistic to expect it to be up and running like a board that has been around for 6 months, a year, or even longer. We are not making excuses, we are learning on the fly. Trying to be patient in our decisions and make sure we do it right. I hope everyone understands that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 To repeat what Mike and Stryder said: No one is making excuses.One of the key points that I posted is the option for you to establish your own site in which you can host files/images. Then it’s your responsibility to pay for space and bandwidth.Also Mike is right in the fact that, any reliable web host that charges for it's services will give it's customers ample time to move if they are closing shop.Currently this BB software does not have options to LIMIT attachments to IMAGES only.Scot and the entire Moderation crew are working on finding methods of allowing users to post images (either free or requiring subscription fees to cover for space and bandwidth). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scot Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 What Mike, Stryder, and Arena said!Without having caught up on this thread since I posted to it last, I spent some time today working on this problem in the Admin CP. From my tests, there were problems uploading any type of avatars. I made some changes, and I'm now able to upload any type of avatars but PNGs. (I tried several different PNG files.) I don't know what this problem is. PNGs are *clearly* specified in two places in the Admin CP. They are specified correctly. It appears to me to be a bug of some sort. I will keep working on it, and if I can't figure it out, the IPB folks will.Now, about post attachments ... we've made our decision for now. We are not going to allow attachments unless we can ensure that someone could not maliciously crash this board or upload something offensive, or upload something I'd be liable for. That's the way it is.I am very sensitive, though, to the notion that pictures are cool and definitely belong here. So I am thinking about a way to make that work. It is not the storage space that's the issue. My website has plenty. It's making it so the process is convenient for both the poster and for me and/or moderators. In other words, what gets posted needs to either be limited to images or needs to be approved by someone (or both). So, if you would, pardon us while we figure out a better way. And please feel free to make any constructive suggestions about workarounds!-- Scot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havnblast Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 I have to agree with not allowing attachments - as a Forum provider it is a lot to ask for people to store files on the server. There is just too much involved. If people have something to share they can provide a link to the file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 I agree as well. BTW: havnblast ... cute joke's in your sig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted April 2, 2003 Author Share Posted April 2, 2003 I just noticed that if I don't look at all the message boards and I logout and log bakc in they all sho up as not having new messages... ("greyed out")Strange... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibe98765 Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 What happens when/if the service goes bust? You lose the files and probably the ability to understand the post. Then it has not value.It is possible to allow only image files and to restrict their size. Other's do it and therefore , it can be done here. IMO, it's an essential component of any modern web forum. So let's figure how to do it and what works for this forum instead of making excuses...What happens if any service/system goes bust... no difference... Usually when a company is going to shutdown they have ample time to let you know that they are... and will notify their clients about the situation so that they can get an alternative up and running...Others do it??? Who? I would bet they charge a fee for it... although I've not come across any boards that offer it... **** even pc mag is now charging for dl's of their FREE utilities to pay for the bandwidth... costs will always come back to bite you in the @ss...No one is making excuses... It may not be what Scot want's or needs to do... We're looking into this... Also it may not be possible to simply limit the type of file... this is also being looked into...Look this boa is just starting up and it's growing faster than most people could have hoped for... There will be some growing pains and a learning curve for everything... Relax and enjoy the board...-- One of the problems with the net is it's so easy for anyone to post anything at all with absolutely no research or backing. If you can type, you can post. IMO, it's rude and disrespectful of others to shoot from the hip with no research. 1. There are plenty of forums that allow posting of images, though they often limit the size that can be posted. I've never come across one where you had to pay and no, they aren't graphics related. Is this the first web forum you've come across? Here are two forums that allow FREE attachment posting (I could probably find some more with a bit more searching through my links):PC911Woody's lounge2. Y'all have blinders on and are not thinking clearly in your rush to defend your original position regarding external links.Hosting companies shut down or change their TOS all the time. What was free might no longer be in the future, for example. If you host graphics separate from the main board, then who maintains those external links for the rest of time? If the external service shuts down, you're making an assumption that the user will be able to maintain the same domain name and structure. What happens when (not if), service xyz shuts down permanently and let's say the user has a number of posts here linked to graphics THERE. Say http://www.xyz.com/user/graphic_nn. But XYZ.COM is no longer in business. The user then moves to another service. Any links to XYZ the user posted here are now DEAD! Same thing could happen if they change the user's storage structure.What do you think the probability is that the user will say, "Gee, I better go to Scot's forums and fix all those links so anyone searching and coming across my posts understands what was going on" would be. How about slim to none?So you'll wind up with garbage posts with dead links. And what do people do when links don't work? They post more messages (wasting storage and bandwidth) saying the link(s) don't work 3. Yes, PC Mag is now trying to charge for downloading their free utilities. That's because the magazine is hanging by a thread financially. There was talk that they would declare bankruptcy late last year but managed to get a loan to continue operations. It is unlikely that they will survive 2003. AND they are not writing any new utilities (at least as of about 8 weeks ago when I saw a post to that effect on their boards from an editor). Furthermore, why would you pay for their utilities when support is almost non-existent and new releases are often years apart? There are plenty of other equivalent free utilities on the web.I submit that we have beaten this horse to a pulp. How about calling it a wrap? You can ask that people restrict their posting of attachments, you can limit the size to say 100k or so, you can ask for donations or whatever. But IMO, the forum will not achieve critical mass without allowing attachments where necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benhenry Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 ... But IMO, the forum will not achieve critical mass without allowing attachments where necessary.Critical mass is achieved when there is enough enriched uranium or other radioactive material present to sustain a chain reaction in the fissionable atoms of the isotope.Is this a desirable trait for a forum? I admit that I don't have extensive experience with forums, but over the last few months I have found that some of them offer valuable resources. The criterion I personally use to judge the value of a forum is not mass (mass = quantity of posts?) but quality.One of the problems with the net is it's so easy for anyone to post anything at all with absolutely no research or backing. If you can type, you can post. IMO, it's rude and disrespectful of others to shoot from the hip with no research.I agree.Yes, PC Mag is now trying to charge for downloading their free utilities. That's because the magazine is hanging by a thread financially. There was talk that they would declare bankruptcy late last year but managed to get a loan to continue operations. It is unlikely that they will survive 2003.Hanging by a thread? Declare bankruptcy? That is simply untrue.Third Quarter ZiffDavis Financial Statement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 I can see where this topic is going…The issue of hosting/posting/attaching images has been addressed by Scot and the Moderation Crew.Please except and respect those responses.And to close this topic, I think it is fitting to post an off-site image…LOL, I couldn’t help it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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