NEW Test Site in place, with Invision Power Board (IPS) Options

[Cleo_Serapis]

Hi all.

Peter and I have created two new test sites for MM with other forum boards for a couple of reasons:
[*]Ikonboard is no longer a supported database.
[*]There are features we'd like to improve upon and without the support team it would be very difficult and time-consuming to manage.
[*]We want to provide the best forum features (ease of use) benefits and functionality for our members.
[*]This does not mean a change will happen right away - just being proactive at the moment.
[*]You should be able to log into both with your existing username and password.


Please visit and play around in our test forums here:

This new one is with Invision Power Board created today :

http://invisiontest.mosaicmusings.net/index.php

NOTE: We've decided to go with Invision Power Board for our conversion. Please disregard the link below.

This one was created a few days ago with Infinite Core Technologies below:

http://testsite.mosaicmusings.net/index.php

We've created a copy of the MM databases to both servers.

PLEASE test test test on these and post your feedback here.

As we mentioned a while back, this is only a test and is NOT part of the LIVE forum, so your posts will not appear on the REAL forum.


Look for features new and missing compared to MM's Ikonboard if you would be so kind to help us.

Pleae note: I have NOT loaded ANY avatars, images or emoticons that you see in our Ikonboard so keep that in mind - you'll see broken links/images instead.

all!
Cleo   and Imhotep  

[Cleo_Serapis]

I've added a variety of skins on both test sites for you perusing pleasure.

In the Invision Power Board site (IPS), you must be logged in to see the options. You'll see a pull down bar, much like our forum jump bar here, at the bottom of the index page (and follows on the other pages too).

On the ICT site (Infinite Core Technologies), you must be logged in to see the options from within your User CP. Under Options, click Skin/Language and seelct from the pull down there.

Cheers!  :hsdance:  :cheer:  :wave:  :dance:
~Cleo  :wizard2:

[AMETHYST]

Lori

This new site is absolutely marvelous. The features for moderating are so easily accessable. The PM features are very updated from any forum site I've experienced--Everything is right infront of you. I haven't received a reply to see what it looks like when you get replies and are looking to reply to a PM. Which I often get annoyed at all the PM systems of most boards as you quote, but often I don't like the way it appears. Often it is difficult to read what I am replying to if I quote it and if I don't quote, I often forget what specifics I was replying to (oldage settling in) ...

Another feature I like is the tags are soooooo very easy to use! And everything is easy on the eyes.

Well, I am going to mess around some more on it and see if it has the other features I liked on the first board, such as Warnings and point ratings and easy to access the notification of certain member postings and forums.

I loved the merge topic and like Lori mentioned on the site posting, the pruning is great. I know on Ezboard, the pruning stinks, you can't pick and choose certain things and I find I don't prune in fear of losing or moving important postings that aren't ready to be pruned.

Well. I will be back to update.

Hugs, Liz

[Cleo_Serapis]

Hi Liz.

Thanks so much!

I have posted a few new topics today at the IPS site (I assume that is the one you are referring to? ) of some great features for mods and some for members as well.

As I find new and/or improved features on both boards, I will try and create new topics so you all can read them and comment too.

Yes, the warning system is very cool there and the loading of new skins is a breeze (at both sites).

Cheers!
Lori

[AMETHYST]

Yes IPS was what I was talking about. I adore it. I like that assistant drop down window... On my way to read your posts. I haven't gotten any notifications from replied posts, so I am going to do a few things to see what's up with that!


Hugs, Liz

[Cleo_Serapis]

Hi Liz.

Did you use the "Options" pull down at the right top of each post to track your topics? I subscribed to the forum instead (using the same options pull down).  At the top of the forums themselves is also a "Forums Options" menu where you can subscribe to the forum too. :)

In your CP - you can se what you are subcribed to there too as a double check...

Let me know if you'd like me to post something and in which tile there and then we can test the subscription for you.

Cheers!
~Cleo

[Cleo_Serapis]

There's yet another pull down feature in your CP for subscriptions. If you have any - you'll see a pull donw that allows you to change the communication method:

You can:
Unsubscribe
change to: No email notification
change to: immediate notification
change to: delayed email notification
change to: daily email digest
change to: weekly email digest

[Cleo_Serapis]

Hoping our members will come over to the IPB test site and break it in - let us know what you like, dislike, what's missing etc...

We will plan a conversion to this new board in the future.....


~Cleo :pharoah2

[Cleo_Serapis]

Hi all.

Since the IPB forum is truly a TEST site, I have gone into the mod options for most of our forums and PRUNED (deleted) the topics that have had NO replies in more than 30, 60 or 90 days (depending on the forum itself).

This is just so the test database isn't as massive as the live Ikonboard forum we use today.  

Cheers!
Cleo  

[Cleo_Serapis]

Hi all.

Please keep in mind as you view replies, topics and posts, I have NOT uploaded the icons and images that we use in our Ikonboard forum.

You WILL see broken image links (those nasty x's). This is something I'll need to keep in mind when we convert....

Cheers
Lori  :dragon:

[Cleo_Serapis]

Hi all.

With Invision Power Board, we have a very neat feature I'd like to share with you. It is called the "Custom Profile Field".  Custom Profile fields can be used to add optional or required fields to be completed when registering or editing a profile. This is useful if we wish to record data from our members that is not already present in the forum board.

On the test site, I've added TWO custom fields today, as optional fields.

They are:
[*]Referred By
[*]Writer Of

In the "Writer Of" field, you choose from a drop down: Poetry, Prose, Poetry & Prose OR Newbie to Writing.

We can gather some great information here if we'd like to add more custom profile fields in one of three ways: drop down selections, text lines or text boxes.

I find this feature a very useful benefit!              

Cheers!  
~Cleo  

[Cleo_Serapis]

[b]I've loaded all our avatars and emoticons to the IPB test site. You might have to go into your control panel though and re-select your avatar because the URL's are different between the two forums.

I've also added the "spell check" hack (but only on the DEFAULT skin there for the moment.  There are also 14 skins to play with there too - you can switch them around on ANY page you are in (just go to the bottom of the page and you'll see the selections) and you can also set your skin default in your CP as well.

Cheers
Lori  :pharoah:

[Cleo_Serapis]

Since I haven't yet heard back just yet regarding my question to add emoticons to our titles, I've created a work-around feature today on the test site.  :bunny:

The Post Icons you'll see underneath the post box (they show up in the column just to the left of your topic title) have been updated. I replaced the first ten of the smilies on all skins except for Listed and Hendrix because those two don't use the Post Icon code.

Perhaps we can uilize these in the crit forums?

Cheers
Lori    :viking: