Please don't change the forum

[Boyd Ostroff]

Originally Posted by Ron Evans

There is a difference for totally new activity and a new post on a thread that I am following.

That is what alerts are for, they show up at the top of the page for any threads you are following. There are a variety of options to configure these as well as the buttons at the top of the page.

As much as I love DVinfo, I'm sad to see how the quantity and quality of posts has declined over the years. Back when I started, this was a really active place with insightful technical discussions in all areas. For sure, some of these still exist, but so many less. There are only a few new posts each day, recently there have been days with no new posts.

And (sorry) the bulk of the threads in the past year were created by one individual who was encouraged by a handful of other members pandering to that person's "issues". Happily, it looks like he has not been very active recently. But those long threads do no service to the site IMO, wouldn't be surprised if they drove people away. I know that I was reluctant to even check in here while those threads were so active.

Anyway, the reason DVinfo is such a great site is because of Chris. Haven't heard much from him recently, I'm sure he is busy with other things. But maybe - just MAYBE - a refresh of the site design would help draw new, younger members? Without them, sites tend to wither and die, just like the old f*rts who inhabit them (myself included, I'm 72). I'm also a moderator at gpsreview.net and that site is all but dead, mainly because average people just use their phones today and don't buy dedicated GPS devices. The other major GPS forum (gpspassion.com) suddenly disappeared without warning a few months ago - they didn't even give the moderators a heads-up. These sites with predominately old male membership are starting to look very dated in today's world.

I think there could be some parallels here, people are using phones instead of buying consumer video cameras today. But there's still a need for forums like this and it would warm my heart to see more new members and more interesting threads here at DVinfo.

JMHO of course, but it's something that's been on my mind for awhile.

[Patrick Tracy]

Originally Posted by Boyd Ostroff

Haha, DVinfo - last refuge of the grumpy old men! Honestly guys, I don't understand what you're talking about. I'm a mod on two forums that switched to Xenforo and think it's great. I also like the dark themes, nice in a darkened room (like where I edit video). But there's an option to choose either light or dark.

I'm okay with XenForo, but one went to that briefly then switched to a Drupal CMS system. It's awful.

[John Nantz]

Originally Posted by Boyd Ostroff

Coming back to my earlier point, look at all the space that is being used in this thread by people simply saying they agree with the OP. That's just a waste IMO, a "like" button would accomplish the same thing without taking up so much space with "+1" type comments.

-1

Boyd - I don't get it. Where is all that wasted space?

After looking over the posts with the numerical integer in lieu of the like button, pretty much everyone wrote something of value; such as their view, their opinion, or even contributed something else. The added prose that may be taking up space helps with the discussion so others can get an increased idea of where they are coming from.

So, if the only thing that was left was a "un like" button (the same as a like button), who would know what was liked? or unliked? Or why. Guess I don't understand "the wasted space" thing.

By the way, I often go to the Apple Communities web site(s) even though I don't like their forum presentation. Talk about wasted space! Font, I like this font better than theirs. On the other hand, they do have some very helpful moderators and I pretty much always get my questions answered by someone.

Wasted space???

[Boyd Ostroff]

My point was that a "like" button allows people to show their agreement/support without actually creating a post that has separate lines for:

thread name
date
user name
group
join date
location
number of posts
status

On my 32" screen at 92dpi, that takes up about 1.75 inches of vertical space at a minimum. Everyone who "likes" a post is displayed on a single line at the bottom of the original post. "Joe Video likes this" seems pretty equivalent to Joe Video creating a post such as "Yes, I agree completely - nice job!"

Sorry, I don't understand this part:

Originally Posted by John Nantz

So, if the only thing that was left was a "un like" button (the same as a like button), who would know what was liked? or unliked?

Anyway, seems like you guys just don't "like" my point, so I've said my piece. As I posted earlier, Chris was never in favor of "likes" or "smilies" in the past. But they are features that are standard on most forums today, and I would use them here if available.

[John Nantz]

Originally Posted by Boyd Ostroff

My point was that a "like" button allows people to show their agreement/support without actually creating a post that has separate lines for:

thread name
date
user name
group
join date
location
number of posts
status

Okay, I *think* I got it now.

Originally Posted by Boyd Ostroff

Sorry, I don't understand this part:

On a re-read, guess it should have been written better.

Originally Posted by Boyd Ostroff

Anyway, seems like you guys just don't "like" my point, so I've said my piece. As I posted earlier, Chris was never in favor of "likes" or "smilies" in the past. But they are features that are standard on most forums today, and I would use them here if available.

Boyd - You're correct about other sites that have lots of traffic having these cute symbols, and, Yes, it does take up less space, and, Yes, it is fast. On the sailboat site I go to I've used the symbols but infrequently. Some people use them a lot. In fact, one time I was actually ostrasized, so to speak, for not tagging a post with a "like" even though I wrote a post that supported him. Some members seem to "collect likes" and he was one. Guess I'm not of fan of going to that extreme.

Apple has expanded their repertoire of symbols because its in vogue, I guess. On the iPhone its faster and easier to click on the symbol than to write a message. The female sex who seem to always be on their phone, even while in a crosswalk on a busy street, seem to use them a lot. At least the ones in my circle, they pepper my Messages with 'em.

grew up with a 120 box camera, Argus 35, Standard 8 (still have them all), Fortran IV, punched cards, but you're more into this than I am so maybe a small change would modernize the look here. I personally don't need them but I'm sure they would get used. Otherwise, I like this layout better than the Sailboat. com site and especially better than the Apple Communities site. The Mac forum is okay, been to it but only for information, never joined due to all the tracking cookies.

There are a few problems that have been compounding the lack of traffic. One is the virus that limited opportunities for actually doing video by some, the wedding group to be sure. Another is the transition from tape and SD > digital HDD and 1080 > digital SSD > and 4K in a short space of time, at least compared to 8mm and Super 8. These changes resulted in an upgrade frenzy (well, for some) and numerous trade shows for gear.

Maybe that has started to level off, or even decline. Sales of video cams has certainly declined and now everybody has a cam on their smart phone. A site like this is probably "over the heads" of many smart phone cam users; if they can't even hold it properly that is a good sign [they don't know what they're doing].

Having said that, there have been some good videos using a smart phone and one I was very impressed with was a Argentine guy who rode his bike/bicycle from the Arctic Sea down to near the Canadian border with the US. No stabilization but the content and presentation was super. He would have been a good candidate here for improving his video. Its a balancing act between kit and the situation; one wouldn't use the smart phone as the main cam for a wedding or use a high-end cam on a surfboard.

Your thought and post was good because the discussion is needed. I'm sure we would like to see more postings, but not necessarily becoming Grand Central for smart phone users. So ...

[Boyd Ostroff]

:) Boyd likes this

Regarding smartphone video, I did a 4-hour 3-camera shoot with 8-track audio of a "family concert" last weekend and am just starting to edit. Two of the "cameras" were phones and the other was my old XDCAM-EX1. Was using a "PivoPod" motorized mount with app on the phone for AI tracking.

We're a "theatre family": grand daughter is already in an intensive professional dance training program, my daughter has a BFA in Music Theatre, Son in Law is an actor/musician, my ex is a costume designer and I'm a set/lighting desigher/techie. Lots of fun - but exhausting! Anyway, I have some thoughts on this and will start a thread about it in the appropriate forum here soon. I'd like to see more discussion of this kind of setup here, but will say that I actually learned about Filmic Pro from a couple posts here at DVinfo, and it's great, even on my old iPhone.

[Brian Drysdale]

A number of forums have changed software recently, as long as the "corporate" colours remain similar, the change usually doesn't that much impact. I suspect they're usually updates of their current forum software.

I know one cinematography that updated their software in the last year and there appears to be little impact other than a few comments at the time; There's still a steady flow of new members. The overall graphic appearance stayed similar, but with a few layout changes.

A NLE's forum is going through a change to another make of forum software. I gather this will have major changes, but it's a big operation moving everything over, so that the old forum contents can continue to be accessed.

I don't know what the impact will be on the regular users, I suspect there'll be complaints from some and a few hiccups when it goes online.

[Ron Evans]

Most important for me in forums is the ability to press one button and get all the new posts since the last time I was on the forum. Then either automatically mark all as read or have a button to select " all read"

DVXuser and Grass Valley EDIUS forums updated software and neither have effectively retained these features. Very annoying. Still go but it is becoming tedious. Surely it cannot be that hard to include something that was there before.

[Chris Hurd]

I know it's been awhile but I've been following this thread and thinking pretty hard about it.

The harsh fact of the matter is that the forum software is indeed long overdue for a badly-needed upgrade. However...

Originally Posted by Ron Evans

Most important for me in forums is the ability to press one button and get all the new posts since the last time I was on the forum. Then either automatically mark all as read or have a button to select " all read"

...this feature and many others will most definitely be retained.

The general look and feel of the current version is going to be carried forward as much as the migration to a new platform will allow. I can promise you that.

There's no timeline I can state right now for any of this, but it certainly is pending.

Hope this helps,

[Bob Hart]

Originally Posted by Boyd Ostroff

Haha, DVinfo - last refuge of the grumpy old men!

You are not after cashcowing me into buying a new computer I hope. This forum has worked just fin over the years for me. I don't want to be dragged kicking and screaming into some new tech that is going to be a cost-burden.

Then again, I am the self-confessed luddite.

[Andrew Smith]

This forum ain't broke.

Andrew

[Allan Black]

But it looks like they’re going to fix it Andrew :)

Btw has the idea of a ‘speech recognition’ feature come up, or is that in the 2 hard basket. I don’t believe any other video site has it. You might say ‘but speech recognition is for vision impaired people, on a video site?’

But that’s just the point, a new feature for a new audience not available anywhere else.

Cheers.

[Chris Hurd]

Originally Posted by Andrew Smith

This forum ain't broke.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but the forum software is indeed antiquated, and my host is constantly urging me to update it. Google urges me to update it. It ain't broke in that it's still functioning (for now), but it can't even run the current version of PHP and that's gotta be rectified.

Originally Posted by Allan Black

But it looks like they’re going to fix it Andrew.

Ain't no "they."

I'm the only one here.

It's gonna get a new engine and transmission, but the overall look and feel will be kept as familiar as possible.

I'm entertaining all sorts of suggestions, so keep 'em coming please. Hope this helps,

[Paul R Johnson]

The forum I moderate is switching to a new version with it being hosted as part of the new upgrade. Seems very expensive but the mods and admins who understand these things think it worth it. I use about 6 forums regularly. Not one is nicer to use after the upgrading because it’s full of features I hate in visual formats I hate and my old preferences for using forums get lost in the quest for modernity! I guess this is what kills more forums than the technical reasons.

[Donald McPherson]

As long as we can still search past posts, I'm OK with a change. As you say, it will look similar to this one.
I'm in another forum for my car, and it's a palaver just to start a new post.