Sorry...!!!

[John D.]

As many of you know, this Forum just came back 0n-line - and this was DEFINATELY an unplanned outage & software/hardware upgrade. In short, Sunday evening, the main Forum server started going over the sunset.... So, I tried to band-aid it - but it didn't work...

Soooo - I bought a new server Monday AM, built it up, installed the OS - and then tried to bring the code over into late last night through the early morning hours...

Of course - the "old" code didn't run - so I had to use the code from my development system that included many of the features you see here...

Anyway - I just stuffed the new server full of RAM - so it will be up for most of the day (I hope - it depends on how it is acting)... Still on my to-do list.....

Rebuild the Search archives/engine;
Port over the Avatars
Fix a few bugs I'm seeing pop up;
and then -

get some sleep

Best to all - and I apologize for the outages yesterday and Sunday night....!!

Also - some of the new features (there are about 30 or so...)...

Quick Reply;
Spelling Checker;
Preview Posts;
Jump to new posts;
"Printer Friendly" views (so you can print out/mail an entire thread);
Report a Post;
User Avatars - and link to custom ones;
User can select their own password on Registration;
Ability to automatically "Thumbnail" photos in your threads/posts;

Blah - blah - blah..... And a bunch more....

John D.

[John Sabato]

Thanks for the update John D.

I figured since you didn't respond to my initial email that you had your hands full with an upgrade...after I saw the change in the administrators control panel. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

I just didn't know it was unplanned.

The new features that I have discovered and tested are great...

Please let us know when you have finished all the mods so we can start bugging you with the stuff that doesn't work <img border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" title="" src="graemlins/cussing.gif" />

If there is anything I can do to assist, drop me an email or PM.

[Greg]

Nothing but extreme gratitude for all you do and provide. Thanks John <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />

[Pete Ebbink]

Love that Spell Check feature !!!

Thanks so much for your continued hard work, John D...!!!

[Edward Tinker]

Holy Smokes I hate that!

In very small potatoes (John S prefers this spelling), my Antivirus acted up, band-aiding it made my MS Word quit saving... So, it was a headache, and nothing like the server going smoke in the air!!

Thanks for the hard work John D!!

<img border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" title="" src="graemlins/drink.gif" />

[Dwight Gruber]

John D,

I noticed a key phrase there, "...bought a new server..." Words fail to express the thanks you are due for the lengths you are willing to go in support of this Forum. While it was down I discovered I missed it greatly, my appreciation for your efforts is without bounds.

--Dwight

[G.W. Gill]

Thank you!. I wish you and yours, and everyone on the luger forum a very good 2003.

[Marvin]

John,

The new features are fantastic! Thank you for all the hard work you put into this Forum, it is appreciated by all.

Best regards
Marvin

[Russ]

John
Your hard work and dedication is appreciated. I like the new features.

Russ

[John D.]

Hi Folks..!!!

THanks! Actually - I just installed a code "fix" (I re-wrote some code) for the problem we were experiencing previously... For that - you should see improved Forum speed and time to post.. While I'm rebuilding the cache - you should see performance increase significantly..!!!

Thanks again to all - and for all the encourgement and support!!!

[Edward Tinker]

I can just see you the other night.

Gosh, I wish the server would crash so I could swear at the air and have my wife wonder why I took up computers...



<img border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" title="" src="graemlins/drink.gif" />

[John D.]

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by Edward Tinker:
<strong>I can just see you the other night.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Yea - it was pretty - umm - pretty frantic ... This computer stuff is pretty fun, usually... Someday - maybe I'll actually do all this for my real job..!!!!

Best to you Ed..!!!!

[larry]

John,

A heartfelt thanks to you and your support staff for all the money and hard work you guys put into keeping this Forum operating smoothly. I really look forward to checking this site everyday so I can tap the vast knowledge base we have in the folks here.

Best regards
larry

[John D.]

Hi Larry..!

My thanks! Actually - as a few know, my "support staff" is "me" and "myself" - along with a bottle of asprin (and a case of beer - depending on the problem )...

Seriously - my real job is running a small market research firm. So I actually have a "real" job, which helps pay for all this. Along with that, I also run several other large "hobbiest" websites - the largest does have Sponsors and Members - and that site helps defray the connection costs, systems, servers, software, etc. (all 13 servers sit in my office ). This site kind of rides "free", due to those other sites - but since I collect Lugers, it was the natural thing to do.... As well - in all honesty - I could never do all of this without the incredible support from John S. and all the Forum Moderators - along with all the Forum visitors, like yourself...

I do know that it has been alluded to that this Forum is "subsidized" by some major firearms dealers, which usually leaves me LOL (sometimes not ) - but that just isn't the truth. The truth is - I just enjoy this Forum and the participants..!!!

Best to you!!!!

[phoenix]

Keep up the good work John! We all appreciate what you put into the Forum.

Steve <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />

[Lugerdoc]

John, Since your recent site changes, I find that I have to login with code each time that I visit. Is this normal? In the past, I'd just access the discussion area directly, and was ready to go. Thanks, Tom Heller

[John D.]

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by Lugerdoc:
<strong>John, Since your recent site changes, I find that I have to login with code each time that I visit.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Hi Tom..!

No - you shouldn't have to do that..?? You may have had to log in the first time after the change, but it should remember you on subsequent visits?? If you go to my profile at the top of the page, and reset your "cookies" - can you tell me if that fixes it for you???

Best Always!

[larry]

John D
I am glad you are a computer guru who loves Lugers and willing to provide us a place to learn about them. If you ever get to a point of needing some reimbursement for your expenses, I hope you will not hesitate to ask us to help.
Thanks again for all that you do for us.
larry

[Pete Ebbink]

Hello John,

Not a big deal, but it looks like some of us folks might have lost our avatars that were attached to our user profiles, maybe during your last system upgrades (which are great !!!)

I have chosen a new one and am sending this message as a test, we well...

Edit : Hey, it worked !

Regards,

Pete...

[Edward Tinker]

I was playing with this also today. It wouldn't accept a homepage avatar, but edvidently the software ones.

Edited: Thor, it did the 2nd time of my own, but not the Batman guy I had from the choices?