From Max: Upgrade Coming

Subject: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Max
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 12:17 AM

OK boys and girls it's here. After much toil and trouble it's-a-comin'. Be prepared this week. If you don't catch the official thread, and the Mudcat goes down for half a day, just realize that it's the upgrade-a-comin'. Pene, you hear this? (Our program guru and master extraordinaire has been ready for a while). Here we go all. Get ready. It might be a little confusing for a few days, but we'll get right. Let this be the thread that lets us adjust. And, as you would expect, I will edit this thread to serve us best. And Pene Azul... you are the man with the most, and thank you. Without you, this upgrade would have never have happened, and without you I'd have one less friend.

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Banjer
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 05:31 AM

As many of us knew it would, the community of Mudcat triumphs over those who would have it turn to dust and blow away. Thank you Max!

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 05:50 AM

I have no doubt we can anticipate a fair number of posts in the next few weeks and months saying how the improvements aren't, and how it's not like the good old days...

Still, should we get home-sick for the old-style Mudcat, I imagine it'll still be there retrospectively, at The WayBack Machine - that time-warp site.

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: GUEST,anonymous beta tester
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 06:06 AM

Among the features in the new version are

automatic line breaks (switchable)
posting preview
blue clicky maker
paged view for long threads
printer-friendly view of threads
sort descending (for each thread)
"Filter out" option on forum main page
Permathreads appear in a dropdown list so take up less screen area
display of number of PMs on most (if not all) pages
delete or archive multiple PMs in one Go
list all PMs from a certain sender
list all PMs you sent to a certain recipient
search in your PMs


This list does not claim to be complete...

---

I'll verify that this list is correct. My favorite new feature is the nifty cross-indexing that Jeff added recently.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 06:12 AM

The only problem with a list of features from an "anonymous beta tester" (Guest) is that we don't know whether this is a realistic list, or a wish list being posted so another guest can claim later that the list hasn't been fulfilled.
I don't like appearing negative about 'Guest' postings, as many are genuine, but the false ones are the ones we remember.

Nigel

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: GUEST,anonymous beta tester
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 06:25 AM

When Jeff (Pene Azul) gave me access to the beta test stuff, he asked me not to reveal the fact that I am a beta tester. And therefore I will not reveal my normal Mudcat name and posted the list as "anonymous beta tester".

Believe in the list above or not, I know that these features are in the new version. Because I used and tested most of them.

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 06:31 AM

My apologies if I appeared to doubt

Nigel

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 06:34 AM

Thanks Max,

Quite why it's taken quite so long, and involved quite so many false promises is beyond me, but thank you anyway.

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Trevor
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 06:44 AM

Why is there always somebody with a 'yes but..'?

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 06:47 AM

The nature of humanity?

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 07:33 AM

Whilst not wanting to curb the delicious abberations of 9ome posters, is there a spell-check facility?

Looking forward to the new wee beastie.

---

Sorry, no spellchecker. If you want spellchcking, I'd suggest you type in a word processor, and then copy-paste into Mudcat.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 07:39 AM

If you want a great little free spellchecker, try HOT LINGO 2.0, available from www.hotlingo.com. Its only significant drawback is that it only works on Internet Explorer.

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: kendall
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 07:56 AM

To the naysayers, Never follow an apology with an excuse. Max, you da man.

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 08:18 AM

Kendall,

I wouldn't define 'being human' as exactly an excuse

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 08:34 AM

Being human is not an excuse.

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: kendall
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 08:37 AM

Typical example: "I'm sorry I called you a fuckwit, but YOU pissed ME off." Why bother to apologize at all if you are going to invalidate it?

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 08:53 AM

Good news, indeed! As much as I love the MC, it has been a bit of a nuicance to have to remember all of the HTML stuff in order to have a decently formatted post - especially for a mind which seems to want to spend most of it's time in the 19th Century.

So glad am I to be rid of this limitation, I'm not even going to bother with all of those little "codies" in this post! Bwaahahahahaha!!!

Having been known to skulk about other message boards, since music is my greatest, but not only passion, we have been getting spoiled rotten by all of the nifty features now commonly available on many of them. These include the ability to preview posts, cut-and-paste URL links directly from my "Bookmarks" (Netscape) and the biggie, to include attached files. One of my favorite boards for technical bells and whistles is called "Gunboards":

http://www.gunboards.com/forums/UltraBoard.cgi

where you may find several of my postings under the same nickname... if you happen to be into this sort of thing, as I understand not a lot of "Folkies" are. One feature I could live without are "Emoticons", or those silly little "smiley-faces", some of which are firing teenie little machine-guns; Oh, spare us!! Of course for Kendall we might have to have one playing a weeeeenie little banjo... Here I am able to scan and post a target I just shot full of holes at the rifle range and share with fellow enthusiasts how a particular hand-load is performing, or a pic of a shell jammed up in my piece so that some "expert" can advise as to how to keep that from happening during a match. It's really handy!

Ironically, just about the same time this thread got started, I was grumbling in another thread (".30-06 On The Wall") how nice it would be if we could echange files via this forum, to include MIDI (without having to mess with that text conversion program, which is better than nothing but a bit awkward to use, I find), *.WAV, and graphics. I would love to share scannings of some of my 19th Century Americana collection, or compositions I'm working on, or pictures of instruments, etc..

Pene has been great about accepting E-mail attachments to put up on the "Family Album" pages, but this must get a little time-consuming, and technology is obviously available to automate that function and save time at both ends.

So much for my $0.02 worth - you must be getting tired of reading without a paragraph break if you're still aboard, here! {8^{D~ So like the man sez; "Put more water in the jug; There's Better Times A-Comin'!!!" Muchos Gracias, Amigos!

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 09:26 AM

What I am looking forward to is how creatively the ugrade features will look and operate-- I doubt it will look much like other boards people have visited. I've visited them too, and the features are nice, but I'm eager to see an evolution of Mudcat as Mudcat, more than I hope it will be like a clone of other boards.

So I imagine that when you first encounter the upgrade, it will be a good idea to keep your eyes open and spot things it can do-- to explore it for what it is and use it effectively in the spirit in which it's been designed and provided.

~Susan

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Mr Red
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 09:33 AM

Didn't feel a thing
was it good for you?
I'm bracing though, I'ma bracing.

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 09:35 AM

yeah upgrade & cheers for the testers. Last week I made my first blue clicky, looks like the next one will not be so exciting. Line breaks will be great, & when I finally get the missing verses of a song I put up recently it will be a breeze!

good onya Mudcat & Mudcatters

sandra

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 12:40 PM

So now I don't have to type angle bracket and "br" any more? How nice!

Thanks for all your work.

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: MMario
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 12:58 PM

not yet "now" - but "soon", leeneia

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Mudlark
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 01:01 PM

Line breaks! YAY! Not that typing in the br stuff is such a big deal, but in a forum where multi-versed songs are posted a lot it is a huge help. Thanks to all involved.

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Night Owl
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 01:16 PM

YEE-HA!

GREAT to "see" you still standing tall, and walking forward, Max!

Pene.....Thanks from here for standing solid beside him, as well as the other stuff you do around here.

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 01:17 PM

awww....you mean I will not be able to act 'superior' anymore because I can do clickies?..*deep, sad sigh*... ;>}

question is, can one do HTML that does NOT involve clickies?. as in this sort of thing.

and there IS a spellchecker which will work here in the typing box, if anyone wants me to post it again.

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 01:26 PM

If I follow you around enough I can, Bill:

this sort of thing.



**BG**

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 01:32 PM

yeah, yeah...but that was just a cut-'n-paste from "view source". m'lassie..*grin*...can you change it quickly?

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 01:50 PM

fascinating...I forgot I had that set to 'symbol'....here is what I intended to show....

(what you saw may depend on YOUR browser settings!

this sort of thing.

I was using Mozilla when I posted, and it showed Georgia font....whereas Opera showed Symbol.....I guess my Opera settings are on default...oh, never mind

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 01:52 PM

(hi Bill)

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: CarolC
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 02:06 PM

Alreet! Sounds good to me!

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 02:47 PM

Guest - Thanks for the website on old rifles - enjoying it a lot!!

Steve

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 04:23 PM

(hi Susan....I owe you a CD of those gospel groups)

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 04:52 PM

(I know! Give to Mmario at FSGW!)

~*G*~

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From:
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 05:19 PM

Thanks, Max. Can't wait.

Thanks Pene, appreciate all the hard work!

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Áine
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 05:36 PM

Thank you, Pene and Max, for all your hard work on this update. I know that there are a lot of new bells and whistles that you have come up with that will only improve things here on the 'Cat.

Congratulations (in advance) for a job well done!! ;-)

All the best, Áine

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 05:37 PM

If the Mudcat upgrade is anything like the 2002 DT - I want it now! Thanks, Max and elves!

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 05:47 PM

Christmas comes early this year it seems.

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: GUEST,Rolfyboy6
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 06:21 PM

Good. I'm looking forward to it, specially not having to do the verse breaks.

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: catspaw49
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 08:21 PM

Y'all gonna' love it......Trust me.

Spaw (non-anonymous tester)

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Amos
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 08:27 PM

Let's roll this puppy, Mister Blue!! :>)

A

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: GUEST,Uncle Jaque
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 08:56 PM

It appears that we lost our MC "cookie" when installing Netscape V-7, and didn't realize it 'till our last post came through as "Guest". Sorry 'bout that!

Glad you enjoy the forum, Norton 1; feel free to register there and jump right in! I get the impression that there are not many of us who enjoy both of these interests at the same time.

We continue to look forward to our brandy-new and improved Mudcat; bring it on!

UJ in ME

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 09:12 PM

Wrong, Jaque!

~S~

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 11:19 PM

Thanks Jaque - And Thanks for whatever is coming here!

Steve

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 29 Sep 02 - 09:04 PM

Still got my fingers crossed.

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Amos
Date: 29 Sep 02 - 09:20 PM

What's the news, Jeff & Max?

A

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Mr Red
Date: 29 Sep 02 - 09:50 PM

er call me thicko but did I miss something? Where is all the blickie and breaks zapper buttons
manual break
OK OK, I go and find the FAQ's

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 29 Sep 02 - 11:21 PM

Has it happened yet?

Gosh; I can't tell by lookin' at it!

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 30 Sep 02 - 05:14 AM

My Mudcat has been much slower and less responsive in the past few days (after the site was offline for a spell) and sometimes it stalls completely so I have to exit, re-enter, and then wait a zillion years for anything to happen. That mean anything? (Or is somebody trying to tell me something??)

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: Amos
Date: 30 Sep 02 - 12:24 PM

Bonnie:

As far as I have been able to see there is nothing about the upgrades per se that should slow down the server returns on ordinary use. More likely it is a bottleneck at your ISP, or Mudcat servers, but not (probably) due to the upgrade itself.

A

Subject: RE: From Max: Upgrade Coming
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 30 Sep 02 - 01:02 PM

It hasn't happened yet, surely. Unless the advance notices of what is involved were way off beam.