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24/05/2008, 11:43 tj Joined on 23/08/2004 Charente Maritime Posts 391 Re: Balanced Forum Archant, no doubt, host this site via their own servers and gateway, as an adjunct to their other commercial operations. but are using a free edition of this software, if I am not mistaken, which for the full version is 1500 GBP They then have to contract to a telco for sufficient bandwidth to carry all web apps and sites. they dont need much bandwidth for a forum, they have relatively small traffic from what I can work out, mostly email handling Furthermore, I doubt their tech support does it for love! True someone needs to look in on it now and again to make sure alls ok, and of course noone will do it for free and such sites carry ads which are hugely annoying. like the ones on here! Advanced forum software is far from free: I'm presently in process of publishing a group of forum sites which are all commercial. There's lots of forum software out there: most of it poorly coded and inflexible. The good stuff costs, believe me! no arguments there, www.renovatingfrance.com Life is what "you" make it, don't let "it" make you!    Report

24/05/2008, 14:48 Quillan Joined on 23/08/2004 Forum Moderator Posts 3,868 Re: Balanced Forum I don't know if this helps but Archant has a very large server farm for it's newspaper and magazine production. Part of this farm is also used to host several websites and forums which includes ours. The current forum software has been purchased by the Archant group and is used for all their forums. Some of their forums use features that are not available in others. So each forum is tailor 'made' to fit the subject. This forum was actually migrated from another product which in turn was migrated from another and indeed another. I think there have been 4 migrations since I have been a member. Over these migrations we have lost and gained differrent elliments of functionality over the years. If Archant wants to add adverts to the forum like you all see them (mods don't see the ads which is why we may not always know if you are talking about one in particular) then they can, they paid for the servers, bandwidth and software. This also explains why there is a particular need for moderators and why some of the moderators read every single post made. This is to ensure that posts stay within the Code of Conduct laid out by Archant (not the moderators hence we always say "got a problem with them then take it up with Archant") which are there to protect Archant from any form of litigation. You could say that this moderation is the price we pay for having a financially free forum. The membership rate does go up and down. There are people here who get fed up with repeating the same answers to the same old questions time after time and hence can be seen to be a bit brisk at times. I think people should use the search facility more than they do, especially new members. This in turn would stop these older members feeling obliged to reply in said brisk manner. I often also think that perhaps we would see more new members if some of the older members were better behaved. What I mean is that if you look in a lot of threads you get members making one line glib comments then running away or just simply taking the thread way off topic with totally stupid comments. If you tried to see the forum as others might i.e. from the eyes of a new person visiting for the first time perhaps you might understand the reluctance of people joining. http://www.chambresdhote.com    Report

24/05/2008, 17:22 Judith Joined on 01/02/2006 Posts 289 Re: Balanced Forum  Quillan wrote: I often also think that perhaps we would see more new members if some of the older members were better behaved. What I mean is that if you look in a lot of threads you get members making one line glib comments then running away or just simply taking the thread way off topic with totally stupid comments. If you tried to see the forum as others might i.e. from the eyes of a new person visiting for the first time perhaps you might understand the reluctance of people joining. Quillan,  well said.  I sometimes feel like saying "Children, children!" It would indeed be a shame to loose such a valuable source of free information for those of us who love France, simply because one or two members can't resist the temptation to show off! Judith ex W1 and now in the Aude    Report

24/05/2008, 19:26 Cathy Joined on 07/03/2006 Mostly near Bordeaux; Sometimes near Bristol Posts 1,955 Re: Balanced Forum  Quillan wrote: I think people should use the search facility more than they do, especially new members. Quillan - a suggestion.  The search button needs to be more prominent and with an explanation of what you can do.  This is the only Forum that I have used and so when I was new, I didn't know about searching.  My first question - the reason why I had come onto the Forum in the first place - was about registering my car in France.  I now realise that it gets asked about once a fortnight by someone,  Fortunately, Sunday Driver was very patient and pointed me in the right direction.  I am now an 'older' member, thanks to SD. If I had known about the search option, I would have used it.  SO make it more prominent and then it'll get used by new people. (Can I say, as a quirky aside, it's like tampon packets.  There's a leaflet in every single packet about how to use them, which us girls routinely throw away.  However, for that first package purchased, it was absolutely essential.) Cathy ----- Your children won't remember you ironing their pyjamas but they will remember you reading them a bedside story.    Report

24/05/2008, 19:39 Christine Animal Joined on 14/05/2005 Deux-Sèvres Posts 4,368 Re: Balanced Forum I'm going to do parsley sauce tonight.  Haven't done that for years.     animalaidsaintaubin.monsite.orange.fr/ Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful    Report

24/05/2008, 20:14 Gluestick Joined on 22/03/2006 UK and Nord Pas de Calais Posts 2,343 Re: Balanced Forum Lovely! Great over fish or home boiled smoked bacon, with new 'tatoes. Yummy. I'm just about to enjoy Mrs Gluey's own recipe for Thai style salmon curry. Green Thai sauce; coconut milk; water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, green and red peppers, toms, mushrooms, green and red chillis. garlic and root ginger plus the chilli sauce, of course. Served with noodles and some veggies not as yet known to me.   "Yes, but that apart, Mrs Lincoln, did you enjoy the play?" Gluestick    Report

14/06/2008, 19:18 wiskersnatch Joined on 13/06/2008 Posts 48 Re: Balanced Forum  Judith wrote:  Quillan wrote: I often also think that perhaps we would see more new members if some of the older members were better behaved. What I mean is that if you look in a lot of threads you get members making one line glib comments then running away or just simply taking the thread way off topic with totally stupid comments. If you tried to see the forum as others might i.e. from the eyes of a new person visiting for the first time perhaps you might understand the reluctance of people joining. Quillan,  well said.  I sometimes feel like saying "Children, children!" It would indeed be a shame to loose such a valuable source of free information for those of us who love France, simply because one or two members can't resist the temptation to show off!   I agree.  I am new to this site and forums generally.  I joined two others today, both for France and spending timeon them makes me realise just how bloomin good this site is.  The rules are simple enough and even if you don't read them it is only a matter of politeness.  If you are rude or nasty it is likely that you are breaking the rules.  I have looked at loads of topics on this forum which I have found interesting and wanted to make comments but by the time I have read down the list of posts it seems the original theme is gone. Let's all undertake to treat each other with couresy.  We all have something to offer and we all have much more to learn.  Instead of harrassing our moderators lets just take a minute to think how hard a job they have to do for OUR benefit.  It is a thankless task and all they seem to get is abuse from some silly people. Please don't now all correct my spelling or grammar.  There are other sites for that. CY     When one man suffers delusion it is called insanity, when a group of men suffer delusion it is called religeon.    Report

14/06/2008, 19:27 woolybanana'sbrother Joined on 18/01/2008 Posts 1,321 Re: Balanced Forum CY, I think that linear threads are a myth of any mods mind because they dont exist. Mostly there are angles to explore which lead in different directions or, and this is very common, the original subject is not susceptible to development beyond a certain point and begins to repeat itself, or subtle points get misunderstood and it gets lost. So, think of it as a spider's web blowing in the wind on a hot summer's day with the mods desperately trying to catch it whilst wearing baseball gloves. Do not try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.    Report

14/06/2008, 19:40 wiskersnatch Joined on 13/06/2008 Posts 48 Re: Balanced Forum Thanks woolybanana'sbrother Of course digression is necessary and often useful, I don't disagree but some of the threads start out as questions on say for example taxes or driving and end up with one or two (often the same one or two) exchanging abuse as to how one or the other writes or spells.  That surely is internicine and pointless.   I have read many of your psots and I consider your points to be made very well.  You seem to approach the limits and not break them, you are not rude or nasty but sometimes quite forthright... No problem with that but others, as soon as they seem to be maybe contradicted or something, get really difficult.  I know anyone reading this will see what I mean. Before joinng this iste I read posts on it and as a consequence was able to easily get my car registered here, able to sort out a few other issues too.  Some of the older member (longer memebers) have saved me a fortune in time and effort and I fear that if all this arguing and oneupmanship continues we will lose these poeple and this site and basically a free and useful fountain of experience and know how. Just my point of view! When one man suffers delusion it is called insanity, when a group of men suffer delusion it is called religeon.    Report

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