Oolite Bulletins

I've been on other boards where lots of new features have been added.

Here's an example: YouTube videos embedded on the page. All the user had to do was use the [youtube] tag and include anything in the URl after the first 'equals' mark.

URL = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlCC_jnSwWM

Tag = [youtube]UlCC_jnSwWM[/youtube]

Result = embedded video goodness!

So a post would look like this.



The update even allows you to scroll through the past posts under your new post as you're composing it, so you don't need to open a new tab to see the original. And if someone posts something new before you hit Submit, it tells you about it so you can make sure two answers aren't crossing like ships in the night.

Please update / upgrade the php!!

@Thargoid - I second that comment!

I hate the search engine - you search for a word and get the thread - which, if that thread happens to be something like YAH - that's 59 pages to go through - or am I just using the search function incorrectly!?

DaddyHoggy wrote:

@Thargoid - I second that comment!

I hate the search engine - you search for a word and get the thread - which, if that thread happens to be something like YAH - that's 59 pages to go through - or am I just using the search function incorrectly!?

That's another good reason to updgrade. In the new version, you jump directly to the post in the thread when doing a search. All instances of the word(s) are highlighted. And you can search just those results further to narrow your search.

Here's an example with the other forum...



I searched for any instances of the word 'iPod'. I got 237 matches. The thread shown in the image above, about posting YouTube videos, is now on its 30th page with 439 posts. If I clicked on photographer45's message about the band Supreme Beings Of Leisure, it takes me directly to page 27 of 30 and anchors that post so it's the post I see.

If I remember the topic was actually about an iPod clone, I can just search for the word 'clone' to narrow the search.

In point of fact, I believe most of the features mentioned so far have nothing to do with versions and are in fact mods. Unfortunately, phpBB’s modding system is so bad, it’s bordering on criminally insane.

What I’d like is for Giles to upgrade to phpBB 3. :-)

Pangloss wrote:

The update even allows you to scroll through the past posts under your new post as you're composing it, so you don't need to open a new tab to see the original.

Just to second Ahruman here, this one is a standard feature in our board as long as I can think. I've never opened a new tab to see the thread above my new post. It's all just below my typing window (where it says 'Topic review').

Pangloss wrote:

And if someone posts something new before you hit Submit, it tells you about it so you can make sure two answers aren't crossing like ships in the night.

This one, however, I haven't seen. So it is most likely not implemented for our favourite little board.

As far as YouTube is concerned, I frankly don't care. Our internet provider blocks it anyway.

I third Ahruman - phpBB3 is very nice, a little faster and easier to manage.

However, I like the forum being as simple as possible. I usually read it at work, and if things like YouTube are embedded into the forum then it will be blocked by the proxy.

I may not post much any more, but I read lots...