Why not just fix the site?
 

What does it cost to fix this forum?

My understanding is we're using an outdated, buggy version of the software that was created or is owned by the company who owns this site. We can't update it or make changes because it might break or cost too much. But no one can suggest content or people migrate somewhere else. So it feels like we're stuck. Infrastructure is broken. Can't fix it. Suggesting we go somewhere else is not okay (and for the record, I'm not suggesting that). But the site must still be profitable to some extent, otherwise why do any maintenance at all, right?

So my question is: how much does it cost to do the work to bring the site up to date? Little enough that it really could be done if it was made a higher priority? Middle enough that if we all paid $25 it would happen? High enough that it would take years of ad revenue to recoup it? What is the cost of doing nothing?

If the site is broken, it won't attract new people. No new people, no growth. No growth, no additional ad revenue. Content is king but if you can't get to the content...

If the site is broken, it won't thrill current people. Unhappy users, no evangelism, less participation, less content, less and less revenue.

What am I missing here? Why can't this site truly be fixed? Why would I invite someone to join me here if I'm not sure if the site will work or be sustainable in the long run?

What do you need from us to help? What will we do here? What's next?

If we can't add a subforum as an experiment because code stuff would go bananas, then with respect, something needs to change.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

Last I heard, the big issue was the size of the database going back so many years.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

Honestly, though, even if you upgrade the forum is that going to promote growth? The name itself is dated, so outside of us actively recruiting our friends or people (non spammers) randomly finding a thread in a search, I'm not sure what the growth potential is. I'm fairly sure the age of the forum is not preventing people from registering.

But yeah, moving all the old content has to be a pain. And the last thing you want to do is either make people re-register or lose all that history, because then you'll lose the old timers too. Plus upgrades make things better maybe 5% of the time (from the user perspective, not from the administrator's perspective), the rest is just full of people complaining and lobbying for the old site back.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

Doesn't help either that the site is unusable from Mobile due to the browser hijacks. IB rather play whack-a-mole with the individual ads than replace the ad network.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

Uh... what exactly do you think is broken? We have a fully functional site here as far as I know -- no reports of bugs or anything else...?

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

To be blunt, none of this is correct.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

Nice to know you consider the long standing browser hijacking issue part of a "fully functional site"

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

At least an IB guy responded in one of these threads. The OP is saying this site is outdated and broken as a whole (this includes the site name) - you have a fully functional outdated site with bugs. Just look at the mobile version as an example.

You know changes need to be made - he's asking if it 's feasible and even looking into how this forums members can support you.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

After finally adding the embedding feature, i don't have any major issues with the current forum. I use mobile occasionally too without too much issue, but the ad stuff is the biggest problem.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

Guys, what I am telling you is, I know of no bugs on this site. We do have some browser hijacking ads that we report to our ad-ops team when they are reported to us; that's all.

If you have bugs to report, I suggest strongly that you start a thread for them so we can address them. "This is a buggy site" is not something I can ask my tech guys to act on.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

Try to view my profile and then tell me that there's no bugs.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

If there are no bugs, why does the site auto-generate empty threads of reviews? I reported one just this week.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

You just gotta register :p

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

See, there you go! A specific!

This is a core VBulletin bug that all VB sites have. If you insert non-alphanumeric characters such as your hyphen, into a username, this can happen. It happens all the time.

You choices are to leave it that way and make it harder for people to see your profile, or change your username. I'm here for you if you choose the latter.

This bug has been discussed before on the tech forum.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

Example? Have you reported this in the Support forum?

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

I'm aware of the issue, it has been discussed before, but I also know that it used to work, and the same username works fine other VBulletin sites that I'm a member of. I'm just not sure that I understand the hows and whys that make happen or what makes it unfixable. Any bug should be fixable. Maybe I'm wrong, but the answers that I've been given on the subject thus far makes it seem like IB just thinks it isn't worth the effort.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

It's been discussed here on and off for years. Adam deletes the empty ones every time it happens. I forget the details, but the gist of it is that the forum software is too old to function correctly, and he does the best he can to keep the autogenerated updates working.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

I used the Report This Thread tool.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

When the cron was wiped out during the server move, they restored an older, buggier version of that script instead of the more up-to-date one. Blank threads are only created on days where no reviews were posted, which doesn't happen all that often.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

Do you have any plans to upgrade vbulletin and change the site name at all?

Any future plans for the site you're allowed to disclose to us?

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

Can I add a hyphen to my username, specifically so people can't see my profile? :D ;)

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

When I see your posts I'm usually, "Damn, it's Dan." So Da_n would be cool. ;)

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

No, this is not a core vBulletin bug. I have plenty of users on my vBulletin site with all kinds of syntax for which it is not a problem.

It's a problem for THIS site because of the vBSEO you're using. What you meant to say is "this is a Known Bug with vBulletin modifications made to this board that we're unwilling/unable to fix because we won't fix the code or remove the source (vBSEO) of the problem."

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

So there are no issues with deleting forums or adding new forums?

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

:sad:
I support this! :banana:

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

I don't think HDTalk.com has been taken except to reference DVDTalk.com, I believe it would also be a more accurate reflection of who we are now.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

Another forum I used to frequent had a similar problem with updating their site and managed to successfully update and retain all of the user data (boards, posts, user account info/post counts) in the process. Of course, they're Invision, not vBulletin, and they chose to invest in the future.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

That domain is taken.

Speaking of HD I think dvdtalk should switch forums around. Put HD Talk first and DVD Talk second.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

Taken by who? When I try to go to hdtalk.com or www.hdtalk.com, it goes nowhere, blank page.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

It looks like Internet Marketing Solutions of Nevada, Inc. registered it.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

...and never used it. -rolleyes-

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

They squatted, waiting for someone to want the name so they can get paid. Make it rain bitches!

https://media1.giphy.com/media/3oEjH...XhWE/giphy.gif

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

An example of something to fix is a video ad (disabled automatically by my Safari browser) that keeps sending the page I'm reading back to the top. It's been popping up and ruining my visit to this site all day today.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

Doing some further checking, DVDTalk.com is also registered to Internet Marketing Solutions of Nevada, Inc. I found some indications that HDTalk.com once redirected to DVDtalk.com.

Someone might have been thinking of future-proofing.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

Last I remember, HDTalk was a redirect to DVDTalk. Surprised now that it is not.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

Name change, not likely. Change a domain and all of a sudden nobody knows where to find you (including google). It's like making a new site. And having a site name that doesn't match the domain is not good either.

But yes, we will upgrade the software. We have some new photo uploading widgets to get on here. ETA is 2018.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

not that I know of

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

There is a support thread where you can ad this ad and it'll get sent to our ad ops people.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

Instead of removing these blank threads, can you alert us in this thread or send one of us a PM? It will help us to have a live example so we can take it to our tech team.

Re: Why not just fix the site?
 

I hear ya but a long standing announcement before making a name change would definitely remedy that for current users - keep a redirect up for the old domain obviously and have something advising the new site name on the home page (even a "Formally..." under the new site name logo).

I think a new site name is really needed, doesn't even have to have a similar name but I get why you would want to keep "Talk" as part of the name.