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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2001
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    Connecticut
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    7,379

    Default Forum Status and Future Direction

    I've been having emails conversations with the owner of this forum, Bill Sulouff. Many of you know Bill, he used to race VDubs in ITB. The topic of our conversations has been the future direction of this forum and how we were going to handle the ongoing invasion of spammers. We made a short-term change to the forum a few weeks ago by blocking new registrations, but obviously that's not a long-term growth strategy.

    I offered to buy the domain name and take over the expenses and management of the forum, but Bill did not want to sell. However, he has offered that if we were to have a money drive and come up with the funds for it, he would upgrade the forum to the latest version of the software and give to me full administrative access to it. From there I can perform and/all management of it as well as distributing the administrative load.

    An alternative offer was made to incorporate this forum as a sub-forum to "the brown board" (a.k.a., RRAX) but persons on both sides of the idea have some reservation (persons here did not like the brash nature of discussion there; persons there did not want to deal with the pedantics of the persons here). However, it is possible to create a discrete forum on that same physical location, but it would mean a complete break from the current forum and we would not have access to the host name of "improvedtouring.com".

    Of course, one option is to just remain a close community with no new registrations, or re-open the registrations and deal with the spam. However, if you choose that last point - no changes but open registrations - I'm personally not going to take time deleting posts and banning users, and this place will revert into a spammer wasteland.

    So I'd like to get some feedback from you, the participants of this forum, thoughts on where you'd like to see this place go. If you have other ideas, pass them along.

    - GA
    Last edited by Greg Amy; 01-07-2014 at 02:23 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
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    Northeast
    Posts
    7,031

    Default

    Will the current version support a 'request for membership'?
    Andy Bettencourt
    New England Region 188967

  3. #3
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    Connecticut
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    Default

    No idea. Never managed VBulletin as other than light admin use, same rights as you have.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    CT
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    Default

    It sure seems that most of the traffic is slowing down on this board as most have migrated to the brown board anyways. I see no reason to not have a sub-forum over "there".

    I would think it would be cheaper to join forces than to pay for new software, etc
    Jeremy Billiel

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Sunnyside, NY
    Posts
    1,197

    Default

    There's always FB but FB does not allow for easy searching.
    Demetrius Mossaidis aka 'Mickey' #12 ITA NESCCA
    '92 Honda Civic Si
    STFU and "Then write a letter. www.crbscca.com"
    2013 ITA NARRC Champion and I have not raced since.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Fredericksburg, VA
    Posts
    1,191

    Default

    I would prefer to keep this site separate from others. It has its own identity, and even though it doesn't see the traffic some other sites do, the discussions here tend to be more relevant, and in most cases, more helpful than those on other boards. More civil too...most of the time.

    I think Andy's question is a great one; if we could set it up so new registrations would require an admin's approval, that would be ideal. If not, I would be willing to chip in for the upgrade. How much $$$ would we need to raise?
    Earl R.
    240SX
    ITA/ST5

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    newington, ct
    Posts
    4,182

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    Not on the Sandbox. That purpose is to be more of a closed environment and not on search engines whereas I'd hope this to be open to the public.

    VB isn't that expensive. A new license is $249, an upgrade is $209.

    VB does offer different ways to reduce spam such as the registration process. I started to incorporate a VB forum on my site, but never moved forward it for whatever reason. Can't even recall why any more.
    Dave Gran
    Real Roads, Real Car Guys – Real World Road Tests
    Go Ahead - Take the Wheel's Free Guide to Racing

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    1,391

    Default

    stay here, do upgrade. get some paypal address and I'll send money. if 20 of us do that, we're golden. I think we can all list 20 people active here who could and should help.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Delaware, OH
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    185

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    Quote Originally Posted by Chip42 View Post
    stay here, do upgrade. get some paypal address and I'll send money. if 20 of us do that, we're golden. I think we can all list 20 people active here who could and should help.
    X2
    Dan
    2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013 Great Lakes Division ITB Champion

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Houston-ish
    Posts
    932

    Default

    What Chip said.
    Sooooo many forums have anti-spammer stuff built into the registration process that I think it's silly to NOT do that as a first step.


    Did a little bit of searching for a potential EasyButton online and came up with this:
    http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=248470

    Has this been considered?
    Houston Region
    STU Nissan 240SX
    EProd RX7

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Posts
    165

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by erlrich View Post
    I would prefer to keep this site separate from others. It has its own identity, and even though it doesn't see the traffic some other sites do, the discussions here tend to be more relevant, and in most cases, more helpful than those on other boards. More civil too...most of the time.

    I think Andy's question is a great one; if we could set it up so new registrations would require an admin's approval, that would be ideal. If not, I would be willing to chip in for the upgrade. How much $$$ would we need to raise?
    Ditto, amigo. I'd be happy to chip in to keep this forum alive. MR2OC has free access as well as voluntary paid annual and lifetime memberships, which might be something to consider. Don't know how that gets set up but I can put someone with authority in contact with the former forum owner for his input.
    ANYTHING BUT FACEPLANT, please!

    Art Jaso
    Former 1989 Toyota MR2 #55 ITB
    DC Region SCCA
    DC Region Board of Directors
    Coordinator of Racers Helping Racers Fund
    http://www.racershelpingracers.com/
    PDX/TT Committee Member
    PDX Co-Chief of Grid
    PDX Chief Technical Inspector
    SCCA Pit Marshall
    SCCA Pace Car
    SCCA F & C
    Producer of "Racing Summit Point" Video
    http://vimeo.com/67177646

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Enfield, CT, USA
    Posts
    488

    Default

    Count me in for keeping this board active and separate from the "other" site. Plus I can't wait to criticize Greg for any change, or lack of change, that he makes as the new HMFIC.
    ~Matt Rowe
    ITA Dodge Neon
    NEDiv

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    Trussville, Alabama, USA
    Posts
    1,087

    Default

    As long as it is :Improvedtouring.com" who cares where it is hosted?
    Chuck Baader
    White EP BMW M-Techniq
    I may grow older, but I refuse to grow up!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Orlando, FL
    Posts
    1,391

    Default

    money sent - I sent part of what I saved switching to street tires

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Raleigh NC
    Posts
    3,682

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    Cash sent!

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Posts
    165

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Chip42 View Post
    money sent - I sent part of what I saved switching to street tires
    Ditto. I have saved some money on brake pads, rotors and hubs!

    Art Jaso
    Former 1989 Toyota MR2 #55 ITB
    DC Region SCCA
    DC Region Board of Directors
    Coordinator of Racers Helping Racers Fund
    http://www.racershelpingracers.com/
    PDX/TT Committee Member
    PDX Co-Chief of Grid
    PDX Chief Technical Inspector
    SCCA Pit Marshall
    SCCA Pace Car
    SCCA F & C
    Producer of "Racing Summit Point" Video
    http://vimeo.com/67177646

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Enfield, CT, USA
    Posts
    488

    Default

    Donation sent and thanks to Bill, Greg and all involved.
    ~Matt Rowe
    ITA Dodge Neon
    NEDiv

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Wandering the USA
    Posts
    1,341

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    Donation sent.
    Marty Doane
    ITS RX-7 #13 (sold)
    2016 Winnebago Journey (home)

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    newington, ct
    Posts
    4,182

    Default

    Sent.
    Dave Gran
    Real Roads, Real Car Guys – Real World Road Tests
    Go Ahead - Take the Wheel's Free Guide to Racing

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