New Discussion Board Format

[Todd H 26112]

Woo Hoo!

John, I didn't realize you had control over this - sorry 'bout that - for some reason I thought this was dictated by NCRS policy somewhere or other - don't know where I got that but thanks.

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2 good items to look for in BBS software that I'm not readily seeing in this system is automatic resizing of referenced images so as to avoid folks posting images much too big. Some BBS software will attempt to automatically reduce (not crop) any oversized image references to something more prudent than the massive hi res pictures some may attempt to post. It can be a little bit tricky to do and some BBS software doesn't even attempt this - some browsers may also take up the slack on this issue but it depends on how frames are set on the part of the system and BBS.

Another one is a more complete user ID system w/ user control that allows user's to login (or be remembered) and to have access to their account settings and such and be able to change whatever like say their password, email or privacy preferences or something. This also includes password retreival via a hint or whatever and can be emailed. An admin should be spending next to no time diddling w/ others accounts in such a manner. I'm sure you can relate to that.

NCRS policy of not allowing 'handles' and requiring either last name or ID# may be a security issue for some. While email addy is hidden (not sure just how secure that is) spambots, other automated tools or people in the general public can come in and click thru the board or archives w/o a password since it's open and unprotected. This is a very 'open' approach reminiscent of the good ol' 'early days' of the net before spying and privacy and such became such an issue. Many boards nowadays either don't allow external viewing (w/o a valid ID) and/or allow 'handles'. I personally don't have a problem w/ it but some of my consulting work does touch on online security issues and laws affecting them and thought I'd mention that. I would recommend NCRS provide a 'privacy policy' viewable online considering the public's wide open access to member names and member #s within this forum and it's archives.

Thanks again, much appreciated!

[John W.]

Discussion Board Settings

Todd,

Item #1, Picture size. This board has no provision for sizing the photos that people post. I could look at a possible modification that would make that possible. I will try to write some instructions to be included in the [Help] file to instruct on how to post pictures and strongly suggest that they be of Web Image Proportions. I will describe what Web Image Proportions are.

Item #2, User ID. I think we cover all but one of these items. Since this forum is an open public forum, I don't want people to have to do anything to view the posts to their hearts content. The Profiles are a means of keeping track of who posts messages. Cookies do keep track of (remember) people with profiles. Cookie Killer, Internet Security, and other software is making that harder to keep up with though. People don't realize why when they load Norton Internet Security on their computer why our server suddenly doesn't remember their profile name and password any more. [Edit Profile] allows users to change their e-mail address, their password, any text in their profile that needs to be updated. The system does not have an automatic password retrieval system. That is on the Wish List.

[Set Preferences] lets users chose from several ways of viewing the Discussion Board. They can choose to view messages posted in the last XX days, or just messages posted since their last visit.

They can view messages in alphabetical sorting (as explained below), then the available options are "Alphabetically" and "Alphabetically, Reversed". Otherwise, the available options are "Chronologically", "Chronologically, Reversed", "By Threads", "By Threads, Reversed", "By Threads, Mixed", "By Threads, UBB", "Compressed", "Compressed, Reversed", "Compressed, Mixed", "Compressed, UBB", "Guestbook-Style", "Guestbook-Style, Reversed", "Guestbook-Style, Alphabetically", "Guestbook-Style, Alphabetically, Reversed", "Guestbook-Style, Compressed", "Guestbook-Style, Compressed, Reversed", "Guestbook-Style, Compressed, Mixed", "Guestbook-Style, Compressed, UBB", "Guestbook-Style, Threaded", "Guestbook-Style, Threaded, Reversed", "Guestbook-Style, Threaded, Mixed", and "Guestbook-Style, Threaded, UBB".

Next there are options for four different sort orders for messages. Oldest, Newest, Mixed (default) and UBB.

You can also choose here if you prefer to view the board with or without frames.

Your cookie will remember what you set all of these settings at, and from then on you should always get your chosen view.

You may want to try some of these to see all of the different views that you can get. Remember what you started with so you can go back to the beginning if you like.

Handles, or anonymous posting just opens the board to too much junk. When people have to own what they post, they are just a lot more aware of what they have written. Using first and last names, or first names and member numbers still provides a lot of privacy since there may be any thousands of people with the same name around the world. I would hope that people don't put any identifiable information in their profile message, but that is up to them.

The blind e-mail feature has been tested for security. There is no link to the e-mail address of anyone with a profile on this board, (except me ). In fact my e-mail address, and the addresses of the officers on this website are encrypted in a way that only a very sophisticated Web-Bot could decipher as an e-mail address.

The website does have a privacy policy posted on the On-line Store. It would be a good idea to expand that policy to include the other parts of the website as well. There is nothing in that privacy policy that does not apply to the rest of the site now. I will put that on my list of things to do.

[Todd H 26112]

Re: Discussion Board Settings

I wish you luck w/ #1 - if it's not built into the BBS in a straightforward fashion - it will be a little effort to check on size when referencing an external image and attempt to scale larger ones. Unless the BBS supports it already in a straightforward fashion - probably best one can hope for is to advise folks to keep image dimensions reasonable. I bet self-policing will be quite effective anyway. Members wanting to share images will quickly learn to share images that render quickly if they want meaningful feedback.

The only thing I can clarify w/ #2 is that I was referring to a (other?) BBS whereby each account is user managed and done so not thru a cookie but rather a user ID that relates to info in teh BBS user-management sub-system. Cookies may come and go, perhaps even disallowed and have practical limits to how many preferences they can offer but the user ID is perpetual and the information it relates to non-volatile unlike cookies. It also allows seamless use of multiple computers/locations by users and it does NOT necessitate re-logging in by users (unless they so choose or you set session ID limits). The end goal being less volatility, richer individual control over features by users from ANY PC w/o cookie dependencies and minimizing overhead for administration. THese designs hinge on the 'ID' not the 'cookie' is all.

There is a dizzying array of BBS packages out there - some are waaay overpriced and others are decent bargains - but in general within a given feature set fitting a given IT infrastructure and application requirement w/ this type of software I find that you get what you pay for especially when a price is put on the overhead and thus true cost of ownership considered. My personal favorites are those that work well w/ both large and small user bases/volume and concentrate on 'information', offer sophisticated searches and avoid (or allow the admin to turn off) the cutesy crip-crap features and chatty stuff. And obvioulsy ones that are designed from an administrative perspective. I personally do not care for ID systems that convey 'seniority' or 'post counts'.

I think that privacy policy is exclusively focused on information provided for online transactions via the NCRS store and does not apply to information provided for using this board. For example the information collected is different(then again would you complain if we all sent our CC#s ) The purpose is certainly different. Name and NCRS# ARE publicly available and thus shared and available to anyone via the web and such information is not encrypted by the forum. Obviously folks email is private along w/ password. I think that's the ONLY thing we can say is private as far as BBS registration information goes and any privacy statement covering the board should reflect this no? BTW Are the NCRS #s provided by registrants validated against the actual membership data?

Ssshhhh: Hey obviously I'm on the lamb - don't want my ex wife to know I'm tinkering on vettes again - she thinks she got all my toys in the settlement and her lawyer has an internet nose like a bloohound! hah ha Just kidding!

But seriously though all kidding aside - As always much appreciate your work and great insights into the BBS' inner workings and if there is anything I can do to assist do Not hesitate. Seriously.

thanks John - can't say that enough,

[Chuck R.]

Re: Ok Roy

Fess up, what's really in that coffee cup

[Roy B.]

Re: Ok Roy Da !Say What

Must not be coffe some times, because I see strang animals around.