Does Admin have any plans to upgrade the forum to something like vBulletin? There are a ton of features you can use with that service, such as adding pictures, polls, and smileys. Just to name a few. Of course the cost is probably a lot higher than what this one costs, and more moderators would probably be needed. Perhaps everyone could chip in on the purchase price and maybe even the yearly hosting price, if any.

So just wondering if that is an option for this forum? Thanks.

I can't answer for admin. But I can share my opinion.

This board has been bare-bones from the beginning. It's perfect, just the way it is. Black and white words on a page is sufficient. It's fast, easy, and uncluttered.
This is the brain-child of Eric who is probably is still amazed at it's amazing success and longevity. Of course, his volunteers are amazing also. Susan I/S and the others have keep this board up and running nearly 24/7 for ---- what? 20 years?

Big thanks to all of you for the board. It's an oasis in the wilderness. There is always someone here to talk to. Thousands of people come and go.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. :-)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/2018 01:38AM by SusieQ#1.

This software actually has features that have been deliberately disabled. One of the main reasons for using it is its ability to allow people to post without registering. A lot of packages don't do that, or don't do it well. Eric considers that feature essential to the mission of RFM. The current package has admin capabilities that are difficult to find.

There is also the problem of transporting archived threads to a new system. That is a non-trivial task. This package was not chosen by default because admins don't know what else is out there. It has features they really wanted, and it lacks features they really didn't want. It is bare bones on purpose.

I agree that posting with out registering give many a degree of comfort and security and allows them to post when they otherwise wouldn't.

I agree with those who've replied so far: please don't touch it. One of the best things about RfM (in addition to its members ;-) is its simplicity, without all the picture clutter and other stuff. Here, it's just the stark reality of what's written - and I like that.

Tom in Paris

I’ve asked this before. Everything about the way this forum appears including its lack of functionality with regard to image posting is deliberate, at least that’s my understanding.

Those kinds of things end up being distractions anyway. And it’s funny, I’ve admined and posted on vbulletin forums- it’s overrated.

I'm happy with the way things are.

My post was just a suggestion. I agree the forum is nice as is, but it would be nice to add pictures, use italics, click on member names, etc. Just a thought, that is all.

You can add picture links, just not pictures.
Go to imgur.com -- you can upload a picture without putting in a user name, and get a link you can post here so anybody can see it, and you can remain anonymous.

I'm with the majority above -- don't change it. The forums with in-line images, smileys, registered users, etc. look (to me) messy, hard to follow, cluttered, and full of a lot more OT content than this forum on its worst day. This is clean, simple, and puts the focus on the text of the posts -- and maintains anonymity wonderfully. Leave it be.

I knew others would be by to reply. I agree with them.

For one, this board works well on my older computer. It doesn't take forever to download all the extras like fb. I can't scroll on fb. I've always liked this board better than any of the others I've read because you can read so much without having to scroll and scroll and scroll. And I don't have to post a picture. I'm not big into pictures. Never have been. I had an old roommate see a picture of mine on fb and she said, 'Yep, that's how she likes her pictures taken." I've never liked my own pictures so it would freak me out to put one here.

I'm a bit of a newb when it comes to the inner workings of the magic inter-webs. But doesn't all of that mumbo jumbo require space which requires money? So you wouldn't just have the upfront cost of the upgrade you would also have a higher monthly maintenance cost.

My guess is that you could get your pictures, italics, and emojis in exchange for annoying advertisements and spam in your email folder.

Bingo!!!

A moment of silence, please, for the old "Exmo Social" (or whatever they called it).

Thankfully, I'm having a bit of senior moment remembering that one, but it definitely had its "drama moments."

Thoreau: "Simplify, Simplify, Simplify."

yeah but it was fun.... very very fun. All your old friends were

there too. When it started to fail, we ventured off into other

groups with each other.

That would be like colorizing Ansel Adams' photos.

The only technical problem I have with the forum is that the Message List page shows up full-width on a mobile device (phone, tablet), and shrinks the font size down correspondingly. As in super tiny.

It would be cool if there were just a stylesheet change or something similar so the layout of that page "worked" on mobile. As it stands today, I simply pinch-zoom in on the screen, which is OK, I guess, but a re-style or layout change would be nice.

The board is perfect. It loads nice and fast.

I enjoy this simple Nineties format. I get so fed up with the clutter on Reddit Ex-Mo. I don't need to see pictures in order to appreciate peoples' adventures leaving TSCC, and some people end up regretting that they posted themselves there.

Who said it had to be pictures of themselves? I meant pictures of whatever was related to the post, if needed. I wish Admin would chime in on this. Can we at least have italics and bold type?

What I suggest is this. Anyone who hates the format needs to go elsewhere. It isn't up to any one poster to determine what everyone else must live with.

Sadly, there's no convincing detractors even though they have no authority or understanding of the situation and want to waste time and space on RfM forcing their will on everyone else.

Cheryl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What I suggest is this. Anyone who hates the
> format needs to go elsewhere. It isn't up to any
> one poster to determine what everyone else must
> live with.
>
> Sadly, there's no convincing detractors even
> though they have no authority or understanding of
> the situation and want to waste time and space on
> RfM forcing their will on everyone else.


Cheryl, stop putting words in my mouth. You have been doing it with me and other posters and I do not appreciate it. Remember, this is an ex-lds website. You are acting like an active mormon. Thank you.

Perhaps you only mildly object? Sorry for putting words into your mouth.

The problem with italics and bold type is that is opens the board to emojis and other items. I wished we could just enable bold and italics.

Eric K Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The problem with italics and bold type is that is
> opens the board to emojis and other items. I
> wished we could just enable bold and italics.

OK, just thought I'd ask.

I think the forum, as is, suits the goal and aim of it's intended purpose.

Conversation.

It really doesn't need all the bells and whistles. (and yes I see pictures as bells and whistles. Clutter is a better word, IMO)

And I appreciate that Eric wants to keep this simple, costs down, as as little as a hassle as possible.

This board is too busy for it to be cluttered with distracting items. I'd probably give up trying to scroll through it all.

Links are allowed for pictures, articles, videos, etc. Many times, people are posting about a specific article and they just put in a link to that article.

If it's essential to the meaning of your post to really call attention to a specific word, you could always put that word in capital letters.

I like that the board is clean loading. I have had a slower internet speed, and this board will reliably load quickly and well. It will load before any other website.

The board is read all over the world. With the church entering third-world countries, IMO it's important to have an exmo website that is easy to access for all comers.

I would be happy just to have a feature that listed the forbidden word that prevented me from posting.

I don’t mind the clean text-only style.

One thing that DOES irritate me is when posters make their comment in a changed subject! The subject of the thread is the subject of thread. My brain is programmed to ignore the subject in subsequent posts.

I wish the capability to change the subject was turned off! If you want to change the subject, start a new topic.

And more often than not, the poster isn’t changing the subject. They’re just making their comment in the subject space.

Did I mention it’s irritating? It’s irritating. ;)

Thanks for letting us know. I had no idea that was irritating but I see your point.

I always thought if your response was short, you could just put it in the subject line or you could modify it to be a sub-subject. Since the responses indent, I don't see any issues with changing text in subject line. I can't make myself care either way.

You've probably missed some funny stuff if you skip the subject lines.

One good lesson we can learn from posting here is that it is futile to try and get everyone to do things your way.

in a response. I'll go see if I can find it.

Beth is correct (as so often happens). You are encouraged to change the subject line to reflect what you want to say about the opening post's subject line/topic. It makes the thread more interesting than if all the sub lines are the same one. Sometimes a topic forks off into other points (not totally different subjects) just like a conversation between a group of people.

:-*

It’s sad to see RfM degrade to the point where people are openly hostile to one another.

I am trying to get banned. This is all intentional.

Why don't you self-censor yourself and leave on your own accord?

Are you trying to win at the art of making enemies and how not to influence people?

Why don't you grow up and make a decision to stop this horseshit rather than trying to make someone else do something, you manipulative ass?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2018 01:20PM by Beth.

jett Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am trying to get banned. This is all
> intentional.

F#ck if you get banned then I want to be banned as well. You saw, they don't care in real life. They care just as much as cult leaders do probably in the end.

Jeez. This is enough. We have been doing this for over 20 years. We would not be doing this if we did not care. It is time for you to go. Another false accusation by you. It is time for you to begin being an adult. You have received wonderful advice by compassionate people here. You need more help than we can offer.

Eric K Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jeez. This is enough. We have been doing this for
> over 20 years. We would not be doing this if we
> did not care. It is time for you to go. Another
> false accusation by you. It is time for you to
> begin being an adult. You have received wonderful
> advice by compassionate people here. You need
> more help than we can offer.


Prove to us you are not working for LDS HQ.

Jett, prove to us you are not an orifice.

OMG. Time for you to go jett as well.

Good. Do it.

Still waiting to get banned.

jett Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Still waiting to get banned.

No don't leave me here to fend for myself jett haha. If you find a real cult recovery site let me know somehow.

What is your youtube again?

jett Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What is your youtube again?

Probably 'the badass' but I am no savior kid. Far from it. I would sooner destroy the world and start over than save it if I am honest. This board has made me turn to a guy I feel betrayed me as a kid for f#ck sakes, the one and only Jesus christ. Sad but true it has come to this.

Adam,

Go away. Be a man. Make the decision yourself.

Typical.

You too.

You keep saying you want to be banned. That seems a passive-aggressive attitude. Stop being a victim. Take control of your own fate.

Lot's Wife Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Adam,
>
> Go away. Be a man. Make the decision yourself.

Yep, yep, be a man heard it heard it. Guess I'll have to step over people like a man to get better.

I don't think you will get better.

You have been here a long time, benefited from a ton of empathy and support, and yet are still incapable of raising a topic other than yourself. I believe you were damaged as a kid; narcissism is often the outcome of such a childhood. But extreme egocentric preoccupation is still wrong.

Good luck with your journey.

You said that the people here don't care about you. That's not true. But the people here are tired of your continuous abuse -- like the abuse your father constantly subjected you to. We're not enjoying your abuse any more that you did his. It's not us. It's you.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2018 02:11PM by Lot's Wife.

Ban me Eric. I am waiting.

Please just go away. A decent human would do that. I am leaving for a jazz gig and dont have time for inconsiderate people like you.

You don't have the ability to ban me, do you? I was really trying to get banned today. :(

You are a moron. BYU Boner is a generous man, but he is doing that within the context of the site Eric set up and maintains. Boner's generosity to you is, as Boner would tell you, a function of Eric's generosity to you.

Don't delude yourself into thinking Boner is on your side in your conflict with the people who, through their kindness, created and maintain this site.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2018 02:29PM by Lot's Wife.