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Thread RIP NNTP.... You will be missed...
Wed, Feb 17 2016 4:33 PMPermanent Link

Adam H.

Hi Tim,

Just got your email about NNTP going down as of next Monday, and
newsgroups only being accessible via browsers.

I completely understand why you're doing it... (PCI compliance so you
can have additional functionality / more advanced HTML options with the
forums etc).

But it doesn't mean I have to like it.  Wink

I will miss the NNTP newsgroups.

Out of curiosity (or as a suggestion <vbg>) are you planning on
implementing an RSS feed for the newsgroups, or something similar so we
can draw a feed to see active content without having to actually open up
a web browser?

Browsers are like.... soo 2016, and I'm so like.... not.  Smile
Thu, Feb 18 2016 1:53 AMPermanent Link

Roy Lambert

NLH Associates

Team Elevate Team Elevate

Adam

>I completely understand why you're doing it... (PCI compliance so you
>can have additional functionality / more advanced HTML options with the
>forums etc).

Being an awkward sod - I don't understand it.

1. I do not understand why credit cards are involved with a support forum
2. I do not understand why "advanced HTML options" are required for a question & answer format

However, its Tim's company and he's free to do this.

I shall not be following the newsgroups to the web so goodbye all.

Roy Lambert
Thu, Feb 18 2016 9:58 AMPermanent Link

Raul

Team Elevate Team Elevate

On 2/18/2016 1:53 AM, Roy Lambert wrote:
> 1. I do not understand why credit cards are involved with a support forum

I assume that refers to the rest of the website where one can purchase
products themselves with credit cards. Theoretically one could i guess
completely separate forums from website (i.e. forums.elevatesoft.com)
and run on separate server (ideally even not on same lan) but then next
point comes in.

> 2. I do not understand why "advanced HTML options" are required for a question & answer format
> However, its Tim's company and he's free to do this.

I hope it's to create a better HTML5 type interface so the forums are
more useable.


> I shall not be following the newsgroups to the web so goodbye all.

Don't give up yet - let's see what's planned.

Raul
Thu, Feb 18 2016 10:23 AMPermanent Link

Roy Lambert

NLH Associates

Team Elevate Team Elevate

Raul

Roy Lambert

Raul <raul@removethis.raul.ca> wrote on Thu, 18 Feb 2016 09:58:42 -0500

>On 2/18/2016 1:53 AM, Roy Lambert wrote:
>> 1. I do not understand why credit cards are involved with a support forum
>
>I assume that refers to the rest of the website where one can purchase
>products themselves with credit cards. Theoretically one could i guess
>completely separate forums from website (i.e. forums.elevatesoft.com)
>and run on separate server (ideally even not on same lan) but then next
>point comes in.

errrmmm OK I'm being thick. The NNTP newsgroups may be on the same physical machine but how do they interface with the credit card stuff?


>> 2. I do not understand why "advanced HTML options" are required for a question & answer format
>> However, its Tim's company and he's free to do this.
>
>I hope it's to create a better HTML5 type interface so the forums are
>more useable.

You mean up to the level they already are?

>> I shall not be following the newsgroups to the web so goodbye all.
>
>Don't give up yet - let's see what's planned.

Nope - I just can't be arsed to go onto the web for it. At the moment I open my newsreader - it reads all the groups I subscribe to, I can jump to unread messages, post an answer if I feel capable (and get it massively wrong sometimes but there you go). Its fairly simple and easy for me.

Where is the benefit for ME in a move to the web. I don't need fluffy bunnies, I'm not interested in having an avatar picture. Questions and answers and that's it.

You may notice that I feel quite strongly about this.

Roy Lambert
Thu, Feb 18 2016 11:13 AMPermanent Link

Tim Young [Elevate Software]

Elevate Software, Inc.

Avatar

Email timyoung@elevatesoft.com

Roy,

<< 1. I do not understand why credit cards are involved with a support forum >>

They're not, but the data center box is shared by both, so we either need to:

a) get another completely different server box for handling the newsgroups and have it talk to the web server box

or

b) shut down the NNTP port

Option a is both expensive and time-consuming, so I opted to go with option b because NNTP is not widely supported in client environments anymore.  It's just not worth fighting the PCI compliance scan vendor over.

Tim Young
Elevate Software
www.elevatesoft.com
Thu, Feb 18 2016 6:34 PMPermanent Link

Adam H.

Hi Roy,

> You may notice that I feel quite strongly about this.

I think I understand where you're coming from...

I've used some online forums before - but personally I've found nothing
comes close to the efficiency of 20+ year old technology of NNTP...

I never understood how incremental forums became so popular.

Give me the trunk / branch structure of NNTP any day. Easier to follow
who's replying to what - and allows people to easily skip off topic
threads or avoid flame wars, etc and just stay on topic to what's relevant.

I guess I'm getting to the point where I have to face the fact that I'm
getting old - and I prefer things "the way they used to be" Smile

After all - I'm still one of the slow people who keep in contact and
prefer Emails over facebook PM's, etc...

I can't help but wonder if things would be better to keep a completely
separate NNTP forum for unofficial support to keep NNTP going.

People such as you give huge contributions to online forums. Keep the
web based portal for more 'official' support where Tim is involved,
where support tickets could be connected and deducted from people's
accounts, etc...

But I understand why Tim wouldn't want to go down this route as well.
There's no benefit to him in hosting an unofficial NNTP forum.

Cheers

Adam.
Thu, Feb 18 2016 6:36 PMPermanent Link

Adam H.

Hi Tim,

Is there any chance you might consider RSS feeds so we can see in one
hit all the newer topics / latest topics posted without having to log
into each section and view each subsection?

I know my preference is and remains NNTP, but I also know this isn't
going to happen, and I'm just trying to find a way to meet you half way. Smile

Best Regards

Adam.

Fri, Feb 19 2016 11:40 AMPermanent Link

Tim Young [Elevate Software]

Elevate Software, Inc.

Avatar

Email timyoung@elevatesoft.com

Adam,

<< Is there any chance you might consider RSS feeds so we can see in one hit all the newer topics / latest topics posted without having to log into each section and view each subsection? >>

I can do a lot of things, but again, this is a fast and unexpected pivot for us, so it will take some to get *any* new features into the web support forums.  I did not plan on having to deal with this right now.

Tim Young
Elevate Software
www.elevatesoft.com
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