XenForo Licence Donations

Discussion in 'Site News' started by OrdosAlpha, Nov 8, 2015.

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  1. OrdosAlpha

    OrdosAlpha RIGHT! Naebody move! Root Admin

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    As you're all probably aware IPB4 is a fucking disaster. A disaster I now regret walking into. Now, instead of trying to fix Invision's mess, which we shouldn't have to, Soti (Spanner to eveyone else - yeah, I've got a habit of knowing members by their old names instead of their newer ones - not my fault I've been in this community for over 1 and half decades) and I chewed the fat about a week or so ago. The result of that discussion was moving from the clusterfuck that IPB4 is to something far more stable, and the destination chosen was XenForo.

    Now, at the moment I don't have the cash available to pay for a XenForo licence, and I won't have it until sometime in late March or early April. But, I've heard along the grape vine that some of you would be willing to donate cash towards getting a XenForo licence sooner, rather than later. Who could you blame you? I seriously couldn't. I've had enough of IPB4 myself, and have done since way before upgrading to 4.0.13.1. Ask Soti, I told him I was ready to throw in the towel and fuck off a few weeks back, and all because of the nightmare that IPB has become. IPB3 had it's problems, but it was a damn sight easier to work with.

    Anyway, I've set up a new PayPal account for those who wish to make a donation towards a XenForo licence - which costs US$140 (~US$170 when VAT and PayPal fees are factored in - see next paragraph for explanation). The e-mail address to send your donation to via PayPal is:- ordosalpha@sonicresearch.org. This isn't my own personal PayPal account, and the account will be used solely for paying XenForo. Any excess cash will then be either refunded (with refunds being proportionate to the amount donated), or kept for SHC prize purposes. Which ever donators prefer. I will be kicking in the 50 bucks that would be going to Invision for the licence renewal fee that's due in a matter of weeks, a fee they will no longer be getting.

    I should stress that the PayPal account is a UK account, as PayPal now require a credit/debit card and billing address upfront. I haven't created a PayPal account in about 10 years, so I wasn't aware of this requirement, and so I had to create a UK account, seeing as I'm UK resident afterall. I was hoping to create a US account to avoid paying the 20% VAT (sales tax) that XenForo has to charge all EU residents, and to also avoid PayPal's self-imposed exchange rates that benefit them, which in turn is a hidden PayPal fee.

    So, if you wish to donate to the XenForo licence fund, then feel free to do so. And, please include your forum account name in the optional message box when sending your donation. Cheers.
     
  2. amphobius

    amphobius spreader of the pink text Member

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    Give me a week or two and I'll get a twenty in like I said. Hopefully other kind souls can also help
     
  3. LazloPsylus

    LazloPsylus The Railgun Member

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    Well, you bastards did it. We have XenForo in hand. Working on a migration plan and will move things over in the coming days. Well done, everyone.
     
  4. Crimson Neo

    Crimson Neo I changed a lot. Member

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    Well, that's excellent news! Also gotta migration fast, huh?
     
  5. OrdosAlpha

    OrdosAlpha RIGHT! Naebody move! Root Admin

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    A kind soul who can't be named for reasons - *cough*MarkeyJester*cough* - just donated enough for me to cover the licence and the bloody VAT and PayPal's exchange rate fee. That kind soul can also have a refund of 10 pounds and some change if they want it.
     
  6. MarkeyJester

    MarkeyJester ♡ ! Member

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    Just get that fucking rep system removed, and I'll be grateful.
     
  7. OrdosAlpha

    OrdosAlpha RIGHT! Naebody move! Root Admin

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    Would a like system instead suffice? As that's all XenForo offers, so I've heard anyway.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 8, 2015
  8. Selbi

    Selbi The Euphonic Mess Member

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    I think a normal like system can't harm.

    Also, uh, do we have any stretch goals, so to say? Now that the costs are already covered, I mean.
     
  9. OrdosAlpha

    OrdosAlpha RIGHT! Naebody move! Root Admin

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    Not really. If people want to continue making donations, then the money would be used to pay for the annual licence renewal fee for XenForo, or for new skins & mods for the forums, or as cash prizes in the hacking contest.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 9, 2015
  10. MarkeyJester

    MarkeyJester ♡ ! Member

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    Speaking up the XenForo.  Will our current posts/threads/statistics be ported over, or will a "refresh" be incurred?
     
  11. LazloPsylus

    LazloPsylus The Railgun Member

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    The plan is to bring over all the old data. It's going to be a mess and a half, but it should be doable.
     
  12. OrdosAlpha

    OrdosAlpha RIGHT! Naebody move! Root Admin

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    Yeah, the database as it currently stands will be migrated to XenForo via MyBB (XenForo doesn't support database importation from IPB4). We hope everything will convert over, but there's a chance some data will be lost due to redundancy or incompatibility. Posts & topics should carry over reasonably unscathed, but may lose formatting and/or emoticons. Forum stats may carry over as well, but I'm not too sure. Member profiles & accounts may lose some non-critical data, though.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 9, 2015
  13. redhotsonic

    redhotsonic Also known as RHS Member

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    There's a like system on here too, I would have change the rep system to that instead, but wasn't my call.  Works exactly like Facebook.  No point changing that now if we're off to Xen.

    I said I would but literally only got round to seeing this topic.  Will send a fiver your way (would've sent more but no need to now)/
     
  14. Crimson Neo

    Crimson Neo I changed a lot. Member

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    Any chance to Repository get restored? (Also, may new categories for forum).
     
  15. Spanner

    Spanner The Tool Member

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    As the Repository has not been used properly for quite a long time, it will be getting killed off.

    XenForo does have a similar system but that means more money to pay. And there's no point getting it if nobody uses it.
     
  16. Selbi

    Selbi The Euphonic Mess Member

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    So, from what I understand, once we move over to XenForo we're literally just a forum? Cool, I think that's a good idea! The repository was fine in the concept, but without anyone using it, well, it's just a pointless waste of space.
     
  17. Chaotix

    Chaotix Bad at Team Fortress 2 Member

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    Hooray!

    I help manage a Minecraft XenForo Forum and it works absolutely perfect. Can't wait for the migration!
     
  18. Spanner

    Spanner The Tool Member

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    Pretty much. No point keeping features that nobody uses.
     
  19. DwhitetheGamer

    DwhitetheGamer You got a serious fight in your hands. Member

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    Are the Trialist, Prospect, Limbo, and Pro User groups going to be in the new forums?  I don't mind either way.
     
  20. redhotsonic

    redhotsonic Also known as RHS Member

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    More than likely.  The trialist system works pretty well.  Which does remind me, in the XenForo forum, are there any ways to remind staff/admins once someone automatically moves into prospect?  That way, we can promote/demote members to member/limbo faster.
     
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