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Original poster

Request for Tech.

111 replies

meanmum · 08/05/2003 21:27

Is it just me or do others wish they didn't have to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the thread to add a comment. I don't know if having broadband makes it easier but on the PC I use it can take ages for the thread to open up and for me to be able to scroll down to the comments box. It works the same for when I want to add a new conversation into a topic as if it is in the Other topics it takes ages before I can get down to the create a new conversation.

I thought I would see if anyone else thought the same thing before I asked Tech if they could maybe change it. If it's just me then I'll let it be but if it's not I'll ask tech to see if they can do something about it.

OP posts:
SamboM · 09/05/2003 14:49

Yes, hurrah for Tech!

Tech, are you coming to the party today?

Marina · 09/05/2003 14:55

katierocket, it stands for Ultimate Bulletin Board. It is a popular discussion board package used on the internet but only displays a few messages at a time, and never a whole thread, or all of the active threads. I'm no expert, but it seems mainly geared to me to providing plenty of screen space for ads at the same time as a very small space for actual discussion. Have a look at Babyworld's discussion forums (good enough site, not criticising it generally) for an example of UBB being slow to load and difficult to follow.
Agree utterly about Tech and the team being receptive to discussion and keen to reply. I actually complained to Babyworld about the unwieldiness of UBB, quite politely, and never got a reply.

SoupDragon · 09/05/2003 15:17

Erm... wouldn't simply putting the "add a message" box at the top of the page solve this problem?

Rhubarb · 09/05/2003 15:17

Does anyone else wonder who Tech is and what they look like?

eefs · 09/05/2003 15:24

hmmm, i have romantic images............

Original poster
meanmum · 09/05/2003 15:26

Soupy - you are right I was just to dense to realise it before I posted the message. Thick is an understatement I think.

I would like to have those romantic images but can't get past the thought that they are women which I just can't romanticise.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 09/05/2003 15:28

Ahhh... I know what Tech looks like

You should have come to the book launch!

SoupDragon · 09/05/2003 15:29

(he'd be well advised to keep clear of the Yurt )

slug · 09/05/2003 15:29

Tech is actually a bloke and not at all bad looking. We saw him at the book launch, there was an auidable gasp when he was identified. Then the poor bloke hid behind his video camera.

KeepingMum · 09/05/2003 15:33

Does everyone else assume Tech is a bloke - I would love to be proved wrong, though I think of 'him' as male, and I have a degree in engineering so shouldn't be so sexist.

KeepingMum · 09/05/2003 15:34

Slug, you've answered my question and he is a bloke, I'll have to press 'Post Message' more quickly next time

Original poster
meanmum · 09/05/2003 15:35

I always assumed he was a she. If it is a he as the others have indicated I like his sensitive and caring side. I hope he's blushing now.

OP posts:
Tinker · 09/05/2003 15:36

Another vote for NO to UBB (didn't realise that was what it was called until read this). Don't like it at all.

Tech put his picture on here once. Seem to recall he was in a swimming pool!

Original poster
meanmum · 09/05/2003 15:36

Oooooweeeeeee. My imagination is running wild. Post it again tech, pllllllleeeeeeeeeeeease.

OP posts:
SamboM · 09/05/2003 16:02

I always think of Tech as Max Headroom!

Original poster
meanmum · 09/05/2003 16:04

Stop it you. You're ruining the fantasies I'm trying to build. He's blonde, buff, young and available. Actually, sounds a bit like Max Headroom doesn't he.

Oh yeah, he likes overweight, opinionated Australian women.

OP posts:
SamboM · 09/05/2003 16:04

Well he'll like me then

SoupDragon · 09/05/2003 16:05

Nope, not blond.

That's all I'm saying anyway.

SamboM · 09/05/2003 16:11

So do you think this non-blond bombshell would come to the party if we all asked nicely - maybe we should have a new Party Invite for Tech thread...

Original poster
meanmum · 09/05/2003 16:13

Yeah. Can he strip with the firmen?

OP posts:
pie · 09/05/2003 17:11

Hiya, I'm Pie's hubby and she's asked me to help clear some things up....

I saw some people saying that it has ads and you can't see active topics. Nothing could be further from the truth. To see active topics or any thread for that matter is just a matter of your personal preferences. You can choose to have all the threads listed since the 'birth' of UBB on Mumsnet or you can choose for it only to display topics that have been active that day and a number of options in between. As to the ads, from what I've seen, it looks as though the places where you've seen this were either remote hosted UBB sites (some places allow you to have a UBB install on their servers but force ads on the page to make up for the cost) or you are confusion UBB with EZboard which is HORRIBLE. Ads and pop-ups a plenty... Let me assure you that UBB is very customisable and very 'tidy'.

[the rest of this is more 'techy' stuff for Mumsnet admin if they are considering a move]

UBB is Infopop's forum software and stands for Ultimate Bulletin Board (www.infopop.com). It's VERY customisible and there are loads of 'hacks' for it and they are supported by the developers of UBB. These 'hacks/mods' make it possible for things like custom titles (under you user name, you can have a little 'tag', advanced IP logging, better admin functions... It's also very easy to set up as long as you have a working cgi-bin. It costs US$199 per license (if you only use it on mumsnet, it'll only cost US$199). The major downside to UBB is that it's perl based and very very bandwidth hungry. If Mumsnet has bandwidth limitations, it really wouldn't be a good idea to have it.

There is another one called VBb (Virtual Bulletin Board)... It's basically the exact same thing as UBB, but it works with php and sql. If you have access to sql databases, VBb is very good. You benefit from all the good things about UBB and because it's php, you save about 40-50% on bandwidth usage. This is also US$199 from Jelsoft (www.vbulletin.com/).

There are two other options called phpBB (www.phpbb.com) and Invision Board (www.invisionboard.com/) which are both free and have many of the benefits of UBB and a very good developer community for 'hacks/mods' and what not, they are php boards and as such benefit from lower bandwidth usage.

pie · 09/05/2003 17:21

Ok its me again, I just wanted my DH to clear some of the stuff up that I had read. But of course if the overwhelming majority and the tech team don't want to make such a move then so be it!

The mumsnet board is the most restrictive board I have ever used, though I come back bacause of the people!

To say that UBB tend not to have a sense of community is very strange too. Scummymummy will know which board I'm refering to, but my DH have been posting to the same board for 3 years now, there are regular meetings, numerous romances and several strong friendships where people have gone on holiday together. A sense of community will always depend on the people.

Anyway I will drop this now as most people don't want UBB, but like I said I say a few things about UBB posted that weren't really true and some boards referred to weren't even UBB!!!!

pie · 09/05/2003 17:38

Ok, I've hijacked the computer from the wife again... This will be my last post and let this be a mum's domain again!

Just for some examples of the boards I've talked about before, here are some...

For an example of VBb, go to: forums.handbag.com/ (the ads and popups are handbag's decision, they do not have to be there)

For an example of UBB, go to:
www.themoononline.com/cgi-bin/Forum/ultimatebb.cgi

For an example of phpBB, go to:
www.phpbb.com/phpBB/

For an example of Invision, go to:
forums.invisionpower.com/

The colour schemes and graphics are easily adapted to your liking and with an addition to some 'themes', the boards could look pretty much like anything you want.

I've installed and implemented UBB on about 20 different sites, VBb on 4, phpBB on 5, but I've never installed Invision but I'd assume it's similar to phpBB.

Installation is VERY easy and as I said, the customability is very high...

Now, I'll leave your hallowed grounds, but if anyone wants to know anything else, let pie know and I'll be happy to answer any questions.

pie · 09/05/2003 17:41

Ok, I've hijacked the computer from the wife again... This will be my last post and let this be a mum's domain again!

Just for some examples of the boards I've talked about before, here are some...

For an example of VBb, go to: forums.handbag.com/ (the ads and popups are handbag's decision, they do not have to be there)

For an example of UBB, go to:
www.themoononline.com/cgi-bin/Forum/ultimatebb.cgi

For an example of phpBB, go to:
www.phpbb.com/phpBB/

For an example of Invision, go to:
forums.invisionpower.com/

The colour schemes and graphics are easily adapted to your liking and with an addition to some 'themes', the boards could look pretty much like anything you want.

I've installed and implemented UBB on about 20 different sites, VBb on 4, phpBB on 5, but I've never installed Invision but I'd assume it's similar to phpBB.

Installation is VERY easy and as I said, the customability is very high...

Now, I'll leave your hallowed grounds, but if anyone wants to know anything else, let pie know and I'll be happy to answer any questions.

ScummyMummy · 09/05/2003 18:27

Pie- BM says to tell Sabian to f* off back to TMO
(er, sorry about that uncouth and indecorous language, everyone, but some things demand a verbatim report)

Agree community is possible in UBB and that it doesn't have to be over the toply fancy with silly fonts and moving avavars. I do like the simplicity of the mumsnet format, though.

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