Forum Announcement

Jakubk

If MSE do not bring over 100% of the content with identical URL's then this will be a major loss both for we the users but also for the search engines.

The idea that they will "keep the best" is concerning.

I do not find any problems with the platform, there is a problem with bullies, trolls, post score collectors and other users, which is why I come on here as little as possible.

I have seen some terrible forum transfers, I do not know what platform they are moving to but if they are like the ones I have seen, that will be the last straw for me.

Jakubk

badmemory wrote: »

I can deal with/ignore trolls, what I don't like are the ones who report long time & helpful posters & get them PPRed out of spite or because they don't like the truth!

I disagree, there is a clique on this site that protects people who are really sick, they bully people for having different opinions, have a plethora of accounts, each with thousands of posts. This is not in the areas you might think, like relationship but in areas requiring knowledge. There seem to be these sad people in each of the threads, they think they have authority and literally go after anyone that dares to propose anything different. I have even seen one in energy threads.

One thing they need to get rid of is the relationships threads, some really twisted individuals there who prey on the vulnerable.

Maybe some use helpful long time posts as a cover for their nasty posts that are right on the edge to you or I but that are devastating to the vulnerable.

It seems to me that the issue is it is all far too cleeky, moderators are also big contributors, that presents a conflict of interest.

The way I look at it is that these sad bas**** who "tell the truth" are not being helpful.

If you can't help don't post.

Why on earth do people feel the need to put their oar in when they have no value to add.

Give me a NO VALUE button for that!!

Jakubk

Just had a poke around

OMG if they are going to use Vanilla they better do a huge job on customisation, assumeing they use their own forum software it is AWFUL

https://open.vanillaforums.com/discussions

If Digital Spy site is another example then god help us, yet another side with massive wasted screen estate, this is so common when people think they need to design for mobile and ipad. Yet we have way way more Laptops and PC's accessing the web for long term use (people just do quick sessions on mobile and not much more on iPad (safari is awful).

The other mistake they make is they do not realise that the biggest screen form factor out there is a 15" laptop, but they give their dev's these huge screens so they do no see the awful waste of screen estate and how it make a site unusable.

As it is I use uBlock Origin, not to block ads but to get rid of crap that dev's put on sites.

I have 3 things blocked for this site!

To be honest I think that this sounds like one of those IT changes for IT sake rather than USERS.

It will be hell moving a site this big and for what, a few buttons and oooh a badge.

The saddos who think a badge is important need to get a life.

I think this change will represent an opportunity for competitors.

Jakubk

MSE_Marcus wrote: »

Dear MSE Forumites!

I’m Marcus and I’m the Editor-in-Chief at MoneySavingExpert.com.

I have some really important news to share with you and I hope you will all be as excited as we are here at MSE Towers.

MSE Forums began almost 17 years ago and has become one of the UK’s biggest communities. It’s a lively, active place to share everything from MoneySaving tips to the best slow-cooker recipes. We’re incredibly proud of what you, the Forumites, have built, and see it as an invaluable part of our wider mission to help consumers.

For our regulars though, you will have noticed over the past few years that the bit we do – the technology that supports our Forum - has been creaking at best, and completely broken at worst. We’ve reached the stage where our present platform is simply unsustainable – when it breaks, we’re not able to fix it.

We want your Forum to live for at least another 17 years.

So, we’ve made the big decision to significantly invest in a new platform which all of you will be moved across to. We aim to keep the best of the existing Forum, but tackle the frustrating bits that you tell us you don’t like.

To be clear, some things will change. But staying as we are is not an option, and the alternative would be closing the MSE Forums – which we have no intention of doing.

After many months of planning, research and an awful lot of meetings, we’ve found a new provider and work has started on the behind-the-scenes technology.

Your new platform will – hopefully – go live in early 2020. But in the meantime, we need your help! We’re looking for a top team of Forumites to help us with the finishing touches, especially the ‘look’ and ‘feel’ of our new Forum. If you’re interested in becoming a member (there may be a Badge!) of the Fab-Forumite Feature Testing Group, please let us know by registering your interest here

We realise some of you may feel apprehensive about all this. But closing the Forum simply wasn’t an option to Martin, myself or the rest of MSE. That means, despite the challenges, we’re hoping you will embrace the new Forum.

As always, we welcome your constructive feedback and keep your eyes peeled for regular updates from me and the Forum Team over the coming weeks.

Marcus Herbert
Editor-in-Chief, MoneySavingExpert.com

The more posts I read on this the more I think that this is a BIG mistake!

It seems that what is needed is a separate "skin" for mobiles, it is very easy to create such a skin and redirect users to it.

jamei305

Vanilla?!


Surely something like XenForo would make more sense.

Jakubk

Sea_Shell wrote: »

Please can we have an easy way to exclude parts of the forum (ie Comp Boards for those of us who don't comp)

I currently have a link that a kind forumite gave me, that does this, when I search for new posts. It'd be good to still be able to do this still. Otherwise you're forever scrolling through pages of them, especially in the mornings when they're all launched.

I do not know what a comp board is, I do not search for new posts because with a forum of this size you get way too much guff.

Instead I go to the areas of interest or poke around new areas if I have time.

I do use uBlock Origin which is designed to block ads but I use it to block stuff that is hogging screen estate or just nag object.

Jakubk

One-Eye wrote: »

SEARCH - Suggestions for improvement

1) Please can search NOT be restricted to 300 results.

2) Please can we have Search within Search Results
eg. Search for xxxxxx, then search these results for yyyyyy

3) Please can Search work properly for a multi-word string in quotes
eg. Search for "xxxx yyyy zzzz" returns only results that contain "xxxx yyyy zzzz" and excludes such as "xxxx was once yyyy and sometimes zzzz" ie. No implied OR or AND operator when quotes are used. On "Competitions Time" this would mean searching "E: 09/10" would actually work.


thanks

I think very few people would use that and you have the functionality now by using Google

Site:forums.moneysavingexpert.com

Jakubk

Vixxx666 wrote: »

Also, pleeeeaaase move the SPAM button away from the THANKS button!

Another thing you can do with ublock origin add on for your browser. you right click the spam button and block the element, then it no longer displays it, you can then put it back by toggling the ublock button off on the toolbar and refreshing page.

Jakubk

powerful_Rogue wrote: »

and uses very out dated technology such as php 5.3 (at a guess). The current version is 7.3 which this software will never support. Changing systems will mean a quicker, more secure and upgradeable experience going forward.

I've seen many forums go from Vbulletin 3.8 to other system and be styled to look exactly the same, but have all the benefits.

Sorry! Are you seriously trying to suggest that Vbulletin does not work, it is merely that MSE has not bothered to upgrade it, MSE does not have to upgrade to the latest version of vBulletin, it could move one or two levels.

vBulletin powers many of the largest social sites on the web! Over 100,000 sites are built on vBulletin, what we have here is a lack of investment by MSE over the years to keep it up to date.




If they stay with vBulleting they will be able to keep all the posts, the skins and add new skins.

Forget Vanilla, Chocolate or Strawberry, just stick with vBulletin, a much easier migration that would be supported by users.

This sounds like and IT dept or IT bod who wants to "have a go with something new" I seriously doubt that Vanilla scales as well, doubt it has adequate migration tools and I predict it will be a failure.

Both platforms run on LAMP I am not convinced that this forum has any structural problems and if there is an old PHP then is it easy to migrate in stages. Which is what would have been done if there was adequate investement.

Jakubk

suki1964 wrote: »

Please please please, keep the green format

For me the blue is a nightmare, makes me feel sick when using it, hate that the OP is at the top of each page and hate the vast spaces

Have an option to be able to chose what boards you want to see new posts on. I have absolutely no interest in the comps, and early mornings if you click on new posts, its page upon page of them. Also I have no interest in the gambling board and a few others

Get rid of the thanks and perhaps do the Helpful/ unhelpful thumbs instead. Too much store is put into the thanks a member has when they may never have posted anywhere other than the comps board or DT. I honestly think that some new posters see that a member has 1000's of thanks so is a respected member and is giving good advice, when the exact opposite could be true.

Stop allowing multiple AEs. Im a member of another forum and it is impossible to get banned one day and join again the next on an AE, even through a VPN ( I know, I've tried lol ) Indeed two member who were good friends had their accounts suspended because they were both logging in from the same address , they were asked for additional ID to get it sorted. A tad draconian perhaps but there are so many complaints about AE's on this forum

You demonstrate my point perfectly about screen estate. The problem occurs because they give their dev's 24 or 30 inch screens.

Even now as I write this, it is through a letterbox 6 lines deep while the rest of the screen is mostly wasted whitespace.

You will see the same thing on Digital Spy which is developed in Vanilla.

What they NEED to do is STAY WITH VBULLETIN, maybe pay for a bit of extended support to get the site migrated just one or two versions up of VB and then develop from there.

The upgrade as planned is a bit like McDonalds saying "we are moving to vegeburgers for all our burger lines, it is good for you and much nicer for the planet" of course they would lose the vast majority of their customers very quickly and 90% the remaining over the next few months.