We are going to be making some major changes today

[Elad]

We are going to be upgrading several of our core scripts that run the discussion forums today. For several weeks we've been working on new code to refurbish and clean up the main discussion forum scripts (Lobby, Latest, Greatest, forum display, and thread display), and we're going to be switching over to the new scripts today.

However, this is likely to cause some problems, as I'm sure we've overlooked some bugs and features despite our best efforts to mimick the existing scripts as much as possible. So we'll need your help finding and fixing any bugs/errors/oversights that come up.

How to report a problem with one of the new scripts

If you encounter a problem with one of the new scripts (i.e., a feature isn't working right, a link goes to the wrong place, you get a bug report id number, etc), please email me at [e-mail].

Please include as much detail as possible. Tell me exactly what you were doing (viewing a thread - view all mode or single post mode? what thread? - reading a forum - which forum? expanded or collapsed mode? - etc), what actually happened, and what should have happened.

I have no idea how many problems we're going to encounter, so if I don't get back to you personally I apologize but I will do my best.

Thanks, and we hope you all enjoy the new design!
Elad
DU Admin

[Up2Late]

1. Thanks for the notice, looks like at least 4 people have so far.

After this is all done, I would love to read what was involved in an undertaking of this size.

Also, did you and/or the other admins design this site from scratch? I think it should be come the standard form for discussion sites on the Web. And the Spell Checker is awesome, best I've found anywhere.

Thanks Elad

[frankly_fedup2]

4. Ditto. I never heard of DU until the coronation of 2001 when I saw a huge

banner on the corner where the protesters were. I immediately went on line and joined. I, however, did not become a contributing member until 2004. My profile says I have been a member since 2004 which is incorrect. How can I get that to change to my actual membership date in Jan, 2001???? Anybody????

I have, however, wanted to know what it takes (skills, experience, education, money, advertising, time, commitment, etc) to get something as great as DU up and running and how much of it was just pure luck to achieve this type of success. I look forward to anything new and always open for improvement.

[Skinner]

6. Honestly, I don't know for sure.

But for us, I think it was probably about 60% luck/timing and 40% skills.

[frankly_fedup2]

31. Ahhh, keeping those secrets to yourself huh? (lol). One more question .

how long have you all been on line. I know I only found you in 2001 due to that huge banner at Bush's coronation. How many years before 2001.

I would think your membership went way up after 2000 selection and, especially, after the World saw your banner. Would that be a true statement?

You probably have this posted somewhere on here don't you? If so, sorry, but I was just wondering.

No matter the hows and whens, DU has become the only place I can have an intelligent conversation with my peers without name calling. I tried to ask a question on FR and by that one question (which was not a mean, nasty question, but was wanting to understand how they think) got me blocked off forever. One post. I know we have lurkers too just as some of us lurk on FR; however, it kills me there is not a place the right and the left can get a question asked and reviewed by the other side.

I know, they can come to my blorg. I call it a blorg because it is my blog and bulletin board together; plus, since China is now regulating their citizen's blogs, I figure we won't be far behind (Patriot Act and all), so I call it a BLORG, which would make it almost impossible for them to find it.

It's free and no one has joined in a year since I first created it.

http://p079.ezboard.com/bitsdebatable

(smooth, huh skinner)O8) :toast:

[Skinner]

32. You found us on our first day.

When I say 60% luck/timing, I'm referring to the banner that was on TV during the inauguration in 2001. That was our first day in business, and we got really lucky. So, yes, our membership went way up after the world saw our banner.

[ClintonTyree]

12. My bio says 2004 as well....

and I've been here just about as long as you, I guess. I am the DUer formerly know as, "DumpGump". I don't know why our bios are off, but it really doesn't make that much difference to me. As long as DU is here everyday, I'm happy!

[Nothing Without Hope]

2. Thank you, Elad!

I noticed that the smilies weren't working, but I imagine that's just a temporary thing so I won't email about it.

I think it's impressive that you didn't just leave it at "good enough" and are working hard to make it better in this fundamental way.

Thank you!

[Triana]

3. DU just keeps getting better and better...

THANKS GUYS!

:yourock:

[OrlandoGator]

5. FR hasn't upgraded their scripts since 1996, it seems.

Keep up the good work, guys.

[Ivote]

9. Who needs the msm we have DU

Thanks Guys
:yourock:

[Cleita]

7. Will do, Elad. n/t

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

8. All of my posts today have been insipid and boring

Probably a problem with the scripts...

[Jersey Devil]

10. kudos! - especially since I know this script isn't really supported

anymore. David from DC Scripts seems to have taken a permanent vacation.

An interesting question: You have made so many changes in the original script (which I know well since I ran a board with it), at what point does it become your script?

[ClintonTyree]

11. That's what I love about DU....

:loveya: you guys are on top of everything and are always upgrading.
I can't believe the freeps don't complain about that seedy site of theirs. That has to be the crappiest format I've ever seen for a web site and discussion board. I guess the freeps like financing RimJob's new motor-home instead of him putting any money back into the site. Freeps, don't you EVER get sick of being ripped off by those who say they're "looking out for you"?
DU rules, freepers drool.
Thanks for the upgrade, guys!:toast:

[Ysolde]

13. Thanks!

I'm sure the new design will be great. As a programmer myself, I understand all the work you guys are doing and I commend you on a wonderful site. DU has become my pseudo home page and I really enjoy the format. Keep up the good work!

:woohoo:

:toast:

:applause:

[jeff30997]

14. Keep up the good work guys.

:thumbsup:

[kaitykaity]

15. Thanks for all of your hard work.

I'll get used to the yellow highlight of an added
post, but I don't like it.

I must be getting old. I just hate change.

[Rude Horner]

16. Thanks, DU

The format on DU is extremely easy to read and navigate. Thanks for putting the time and effort into it. We all appreciate it. On the rare occasion that I slum-it over in Freeperville, I'm astonished at how horrible the design is and difficult it is to navigate through it.

Although, maybe that's the stupidity that's the tough thing to sludge through. I imagine that's why they never update things over there. You know those Freepers - they don't like change too much.

:headbang:

[AwakeAtLast]

18. I totally agree with you!

I don't think I would have ever stuck around long enough on this site if was not so easy to move around - I sure didn't keep up with any other sites out there on the "internets". DU is it for me!

Thanks for all of your great work! :yourock:

[lonestarnot]

17. okeedokee...n thanks

[FizzFuzz]

19. Thank you, YOu guys impress the hell out of me

Now don't be too impressed, I don't even know what a script IS, but DU sure looks better and is easier to visually understand than any others I've looked at.

And thank you for the "printer friendly" option on individual posts. Many times I've wanted to print out a single post and didn't know how to do it.

Thanks again for a SUperior site

[immoderate]

20. This is the best board I've seen.

Thanks for your great efforts!:applause:

Oh yeah, could you get the spell checker to work on edits? Oh, it does! Thanks.

--IMM

[BrklynLiberal]

21. Thanks so much for all you guys do. As was said earlier, DU is my MSM.

I always learn breaking news and interesting information here way before I hear about it anywhere else.

Your efforts are constantly improving DU, and making it THE best place on the net.

Thanks again for all you do.

The only sure sign of life is growth.

:thumbsup:

[petronius]

22. Navigational page numbers at bottom of forum listings?

The page numbers are still at the top of each page, but seem to have disappeared from the bottom (where they are more useful)...

It's been said before, but this is a really awesomely put-together site! Thanks!

[Carla in Ca]

24. That is my concern as well

next page option should remain at the bottom.
Pressing 'go' to get to the top of the page shows error 473769.

Everything else is working great.

[althecat]

26. The typeface in the LHS forum nav (greatest) is way smaller than B4

.. but that might be intentional... I am using explorer 6.something...

And agreed on the above about what a great site this is....

[Skinner]

28. Yes, it's different.

But the font size is the same. The difference is that they are no longer in bold. And more importantly, we got rid of all the unnecessary space between each of the forum names. We were trying to get rid of some scrolling.

[Skinner]

27. We're going to put those back.

Sorry about the oversight.

[BurtWorm]

29. You've put your finger on a major flaw of the new design.

As major flaws go, it's not all that serious, but it would make navigation easier and more efficient to not have to go back to the top of the page to get to the next one.

[JohnLocke]

23. Spiffy, Elad.

:yourock: :yourock:

[ebayfool]

25. Awww, you guys just keep making it better & better!

DU has been my homepage since I first found you, even before I made it official & joined up. Read avidly, then Nov2 came & I couldn't get in - now that made me panic! That's when I realized what a large place in my day DU had become - you are my news source (hell, I didn't even find out that we were under a tsunami warning here in CA till I saw it in LBN).

I love the look, not sure what all the changes are - but I can read everything easier w/my old monitor & aging eyes. And I'm not that easy to please when it comes to web-change, I rained all over eBay when they did theirs last summer (like they givea! LOL). You guys do a wonderful job herding all us 'cats' - Thank You!

[Festivito]

30. Achived threads lose the table of contents??? Yikes.

My GD post now archived lost the content/index to posts. The Original post shows in full, then ONE LINE: Replies to this thread Then response ONE in full, response TWO... with NO intervening index.

Links from My Posts page:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3848103

Calling on an individual post, again NO index, Original shows in full, then only one summarized line shows.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3848103&mesg_id=3848621

On to email Elad.