New forum problems

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

The new forum format calls them Forums, Rod

… whereas they would previously have been Topics

Which is perhaps illustrative of the muddle that we are in.

MichaelG.

[David-Clark 1Participant @david-clark1]

….Stop digging yourselves ever-deeper into this particular hole.

Yes, stop and think what you want to do

….re-visit your specification, in light of what has happened, and do a “lessons learned” before revising/ratifying it for future use.

just copy the old color styles

….Take this forum off-line until you understand the database as-was and as-is [see item 1]

Don’t take it down, it may never come back.

….Hopefully with access to both versions of the database … get someone [in-house or contracted] who really understands data migration to prescribe the appropriate structure.

 

…..Test it .. Test it … Test it

yes, on a development site before going live.

….Seriously consider deleting some of the enormous number of inactive accounts [… it must be nice for Mortons to think they have 48k members, but how many have visited the site in the last three years ?]

I was absent from the forum for at least 4 years because I have had several serious illnesses.

 

….When you have a rapidly-searchable, reasonably cleansed, database that demonstrablyworks … Then [and only then] select whatever platform best suits Mortons’ business model.

….Re-Launch

….The forum is quite clearly a business-led venture not an altruistic give-away … so it needs to be active and interesting … simply to kick-start the advertising revenue.

there is little advertising left in the magazine, advertising is very important to the forum.

a duplicate archived forum will take visitors away from the new site and would not make Mortons any money. Same result, website shut down.

It is relatively simple to change colours back to the old ones. They are easy to read and they work. I trawled archive.org and got a screenshot of the features and colour scheme in less than n 20 minutes.

[David-Clark 1]

On David-Clark 1 Said:

 

…..Test it .. Test it … Test it

 

yes, on a development site before going live.

…

All very well to say that but there were no real issues with speed on the test site. It was only after going live that problems manifested themselves and action had to be taken to deal with those and the speed suffered.

[David-Clark 1Participant @david-clark1]

If they did use a test site, why was the site taken offline for about 10 days?

[Ketan SwaliParticipant @ketanswali79440]

I don’t even see the need to waste money (that Mortons don’t have to spare) on extra plug-ins or writing something to do that. Other forums like Mech and HMEM simply have a sale/wants section as part of the forum. You can then write as long a description as you like and put as many images as required. Xenfor that HMEM uses handles the classifieds rather well.

It also solves the “while space” at the right of the page better by keeping the advert in view when you scroll down the page.

<p style=”text-align: left;”>Your suggestion per HMEM idea seems good.</p>
I only hope that the Morton team doesn’t get carried away with HMEM idea of advertising, because it is really bad.

As it stands, the advertising on this forum is less than balanced with poor execution. Pop-ups, poor choice of words by certain advertiser – borderline misleading in my opinion.

At the end of the day, it’s upto Mortons to decide, and do so quickly.

Ketan at ARC

 

[David-Clark 1]

On David-Clark 1 Said:

If they did use a test site, why was the site taken offline for about 10 days?

They needed to draw a line on postings on the old site and then transfer the data over, it was expected to take 4-5 days but ran into problems and then when it did briefly go live had to be taken down again due to the problems I mentioned in my previous posts and data transferred to another server.

If they had kept the old site up and running until the new site went live there would have been a loss of several days forum activity.

[Anonymous]

Thanks to Darren for the exposition on the thoughts and processes underlying the change to the new forum. It was an interesting read, not that I’m a software expert; I think I’ll stick to hardware. At least electrons follow the laws of physics.

From a practical perspective I now look in once or twice a day at most, instead of dozens of times a day. I am not rushing into a decision, but I suspect that longer term I will be leaving. To be fair that suspicion is not wholly due to the upgraded forum performance. For quite a while I have felt estranged from the forum as, in general, I do not have far Eastern machine tools. It is dispiriting to post a reply only to be told by the experts that it is not relevant due to my use of ex-industrial machines.

Andrew

[Andrew Johnston]

On Andrew Johnston Said:

[…]

 

It is dispiriting to post a reply only to be told by the experts that it is not relevant due to my use of ex-industrial machines.

Andrew

That’s a sad state of affairs, Andrew

Personally, I see your use of ex-industrial machines as very educational … even if only to show me what could be done more easily with the right kit.

The effort that people put into doing things which could be relatively simple [if only they knew] is astonishing.

MichaelG.

[David-Clark 1Participant @david-clark1]

Hi Andrew

Don’t give up yet.

I learnt engineering from reading Model Engineer in the school library from when I was 12. About 58 years ago.

The principles are the same no matter what the size of machine.

I am using my knowledge to help a budding model engineer to build a Stuart 10V, followed by a 10H. The next model was to be a Stuart Victoria but that has been put aside and he is building a Minnie in record time.

And he is making a very good job of it. To be honest, he has got me back into Model Engineering despite me being disabled. We talk through facebook messenger and on the phone and I explain what to do, how to do it and me importantly why we are doing it this way.

All of this is based on full size engineering practice, I don’t think about the size of the machine, I just tell him how I would do it. He is making rapid progress and is now thinking how to do his next component using me as a sounding board.

This progress is despite him being dyslexic.

 

 

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Andrew Johnston, I think it’s balderdash of those that think using industrial machines is not relevant to model engineering, a machine is a machine whatever it produces, or it’s environment it is aimed at. My Boxford lathe is of the type that was often used in schools, but it was purchased from an industrial firm, and I have no trouble using it at home. I have many tools that I used in industry, but have no problems using them at home either. Believe or not, I’ve also had to use tools in industry, which were aimed at the domestic market. In many cases, it doesn’t matter where a machine or tool is aimed for, the only thing that really matters, is that they can do the job at hand. It’s often been said on here, that you can do small things on a big machine, but you can’t do big things on a small machine, and there seems to be a number of people that have an ex-industrial lathe, and or milling machine who have posted here. I like to read about your work, and I dare say many others do too, and I think it would be sad to see you leave.

Regards Nick.

[Colin HeseltineParticipant @colinheseltine48622]

Andrew, I hope you don’t leave. I thoroughly enjoy reading your posts. I have machines ranging from watchmakers lathe, through Cowells lathe, Myford Super 7 and Colchester Triumph 2000. I have small mill Proxxon and Cowells through to Bridgeport sized machine. Your posts are relevant to all.   Yes the site is horrendous at the moment and I only look once or so a day compared to previously. Hopefully it will get sorted.
Colin

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Just to get it straight, I have said nothing to suggest that industrial machines don’t have a place in the home workshop or on the forum.

What I have said is that it does not always work when applying the sort of speeds, feeds and DOC that these machines can take to those using less powerful and less rigid hobby machines which can benefit from a different approach to the traditional found in textbooks and taught during an apprenticeship both in terms of getting a better finish and putting less strain on the machine.

Take the recent face mill thread. One participant in that thread suggested a spindle speed which caused the machine to stall when I tried it, Another speed and feed combination produced a poor finish and came very close to stalling the machine. However another said they get much better results with a very high spindle/cutting speed which is also what I advocate. So I’ll leave it to the members to decide which is the better advice: one that stalls, gives a poor finish and risk damage to the machine or one that puts less strain on the machine and gives a better finish.

[Andrew Johnston]

On Andrew Johnston Said:

It is dispiriting to post a reply only to be told by the experts that it is not relevant due to my use of ex-industrial machines.

Andrew

‘Experts’ is an over rated word. You share your knowledge on use of ex-industrial machines, whilst others share their knowledge of using hobby machines. Both have their place. I would politely suggest that this should be discussed as a separate topic.

Ketan at ARC

[VicParticipant @vic]

I was under the impression that Andrew is a professional machinist so is not using ex industrial machines as you suggest? Maybe that’s changed. Upset has been caused in the past by some folks intimating that others on here were wasting their time attempting some jobs on hobby machines. Professionals making disparaging remarks about the way hobbyists work and the equipment they use in not uncommon on some of the other forums I visit. Contrast this with the fantastic amount of help by folks like Bogstandard when he was with us.

[Vic]

On Vic Said:

I was under the impression that Andrew is a professional machinist so is not using ex industrial machines as you suggest?

In Andrew’s own words “my use of ex-industrial machines.”

As Ketan has said, if anyone else wants to continue the conversation of industrial/hobby machines then please start a new thread.

[vic neweyParticipant @vicnewey60017]

Why does clicking ” latest replies” take you to the very start of the entire thread which might be 10 pages back?

I’m sure on most forums you can select either but I can’t seem to find it in my settings.

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

Exactly Vic, as I have also mentioned before perhaps if we mention it often enough they may see it!

[File HandleParticipant @filehandle]

You can Vic I came to your post by clicking on the date above your name.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

As said above click the date/time and get taken to the last reply.

get to this list by clicking one of several “forums” dotted about the page and then either scroll down below the forum headings or click the blue rectangular box “latest replies” to jump to it.

The list on the right of the page where the old latest posts was is not a lot of good as it does do what you say and take you to the first page.

[JourneymanParticipant @journeyman]

Column titles are a bit of a giveaway – Topic or Last post

Click on the item under Topic and you go to the beginning of the Topic
Click on the item under Last Post and you go to the last post in that Topic.

Easy 🙂

John

[David-Clark 1Participant @david-clark1]

I can’t see how to start a new thread anymore. Any ideas?

[Vic]

On Vic Said:

I was under the impression that Andrew is a professional machinist…

No idea why you would think that; I am not a professional machinist. My only formal qualification is O-level metalwork; otherwise I am largely self-taught. I am a professional engineer, but my main area of expertise is electronics. I have made extensive use of my workshop over the years to make heatsinks and casework to support my design work in the area of power electronics and battery management systems. But that is not the same as being a full time machinist.

Personally I never rated bogstandard. He was gratuitously offensive to me on this forum when I was posting in a thread on testing the EMG endmill grinder sold by ArcEuroTrade. My impression was that he was unable, or unwilling, to consider anything other than his own view.

Andrew

NB: Getting this post done has been a bit of a marathon, plus one restart due to hitting the wrong button.

[David-Clark 1]

On David-Clark 1 Said:

I can’t see how to start a new thread anymore. Any ideas?

Click one of several “forums” on the page, select which forum heading best suits the subject and click that then at the top is a blue tab “create new topic”

[dhendleyKeymaster @dhendley]

Morning, we think we may have a solution to the speed issues. The site will go offline at 10.15 whilst we run an update. Fingers crossed, see you on the other side!

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Darren, well it does seem to be faster for me, but what it’s like later on remains to be seen.

Regards Nick.

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