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Dear Community Members,

Over the past year or two, there have been updates to the environment that have introduced challenges in usability and performance. Efforts to improve the technology, user interface, and site performance has revealed weaknesses in the platform and outdated software this site uses. This has made it increasingly difficult and frustrating to support and upgrade to more modern reliable standards that users deserve. Our advertising experience and certain ad partners have further degraded the functionality of the site. This is not the experience we want for the members of this community.

Members want a fast site that performs well across all devices, to be able to find relevant and interesting content, and easily share through text, images, video and messaging on a secure platform. Our goal is to provide this ultimate user experience to all members.

We will be implementing a new platform to better meet the needs of this community and allow us to provide support more efficiently. Our focus is to create a sustainable platform that performs well, and loads faster on all devices, while offering seamless ways to search and connect. Technology is constantly innovating - by creating an environment that we control we can maintain the site with more frequent improvements and maintenance updates.

Although change can be difficult, we are here to support you through the process. We make every effort to review existing settings and make the changes needed so the migration goes smoothly. If you notice something doesn't seem correct once the site goes live, don't panic! We'll have a dedicated person monitoring as the site goes live to answer any questions and provide support through this change.

What's next?

I bet you're thinking, "What does this mean for me and the community?" It does mean change, but it will help solve a large majority of the issues that this site may have been experiencing. We have reviewed reported issues, site statistics, traffic data, and user feedback to help us prioritize the changes and improvements. Uploading an image or video will be easier and streamlined. Ad formatting will change with a new site layout. The site will be more responsive - there is no need to use a mobile skin or special app! Security and user privacy will continue to be a top priority.

When will this be happening? Soon! We recognize the user experience is slow and there are bugs from the outdated software. The sooner we can change that the better we can make the experience for you. You'll start to see activity related to cleanup in preparation for migration very shortly. We will post an announcement to the community prior to starting the actual data migration. Once the migration begins, the site will go into maintenance mode and will be read-only while data is being migrated.

We appreciate each member's contribution to this community and look forward to an improved experience for you all.

- Community Support
 

· Distinguished SOTW Member/Forum Contributor 2012
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This sounds like a fine idea, as long as all the archived messages of the forum are retained in the database and remain instantly accessible. Sometimes software upgrades come at the cost of institutional memory; I'm hoping that won't be the case here.
 

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+1 LostConn: no upgrade should degrade the integrity of this community's history, which I see as an important (and likely unprecedented) archive of saxophonic knowledge.

On the bright side, I expect that Pete Thomas will be happy, as he's been calling for a platform upgrade for some time.
 

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Grafton + TH & C alto || Naked Lady 10M || TT soprano || Martin Comm III
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On the bright side, I expect that Pete Thomas will be happy, as he's been calling for a platform upgrade for some time.
Not necessarily.
I won't be happy with a change unless it is for the better, and I mean better for everyone here.

Well, you can't please everyone, but hopefully the majority.

Change or updating just for the sake of it is not a good thing, which is why if I suggest any changes then I think a poll of members is the way to go.
 

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I won't be happy with a change unless it is for the better, and I mean better for everyone here.

Well, you can't please everyone, but hopefully the majority.

Change or updating just for the sake of it is not a good thing, which is why if I suggest any changes then I think a poll of members is the way to go.
We did a pole about this in the past and if I remember well most members didn't want another (new) site / software package.

A new pole would be a good idea, but I don't think it would change much. VS seems to have made the decision already without being concerned about what the members and/or moderators think. That's bad in my opinion. They manage the site technically, but we are making the content with which they (try to) make the money.

I'm very often here and have never seen much of the issues VS mentions in the opening post. With the exception when they messed up the site themselves due to bad IT practices. But I'm a laptop user, I guess the issues are mainly linked to using this site with phones. Besides that I think the main reason for VS wanting new software is related to get better commercial possibilities (advertisement and others). Sorry if I sound a bit negative, but I'm an experienced ICT specialist myself.

I don't like the site layouts Pete shared, but I guess you can get used to everything in the end if it covers the basic needs of members. But I might review my usage and current role if I don't like the new site.
 

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We did a pole about this in the past and if I remember well most members didn't want another (new) site / software package.

A new pole would be a good idea, but I don't think it would change much.
Correct, I believe it is basically not up for debate. But also you have to bear in mind vBulletin 4 is really end of life. vBulletin 5 is supposedly a huge distaster. xenForo itself is excellent, but sadly VS will use their own customised version which seems to not be as good IMO. (I use the EV forum I gave as an example). In an ideal world we (admins mods and members) would have a say in the design and functionality beyond putting forward images for consideration as the site header.

I'm very often here and have never seen much of the issues VS mentions in the opening post. With the exception when they messed up the site themselves due to bad IT practices. But I'm a laptop user, I guess the issues are mainly linked to using this site with phones. Besides that I think the main reason for VS wanting new software is related to get better commercial possibilities (advertisement and others). Sorry if I sound a bit negative, but I'm an experienced ICT specialist myself.
It is certainly down to mobile useage, but of course advertising is a big part of it.

I don't like the site layouts Pete shared, but I guess you can get used to everything in the end if it covers the basic needs of members. But I might review my usage and current role if I don't like the new site.
I think it will be case of people voting by either staying or going as I mentioned above. I have complained about the intrusive ads we already have but I don't think they will remove them.

Like this:

View attachment 249880 (Click twice (o 3x) to enlarge and see the problem)
 

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· Distinguished SOTW Member/Forum Contributor 2012
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So we replace an obsolete application with a customized (= soon obsolete) one, right ? Ask those who know...
 

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Heya all,

Need quick feedback on the banner, do you guys prefer the Left or Right proof?

Jeff M
The right side. Also, the Ford Focus RS is a funny thing to show up, as I drive one of those! ?
 
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