Software update

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Software update

Postby kolm » Dec 16th, '09, 14:00



According to the copyright date at the bottom of every page, the current version of phpBB talkmagic is using is 4 years old. In web terms, 4 years is dangerously old

- Internet Explorer 6 was the most popular browser
- Firefox was in its infancy, and was far from what it is today
- We still had Windows XP. Vista was nowhere near complete
- HTML5, CSS3, or the latest accessibility guidelines (WCAG2) weren't around, whereas these are the latest cutting edge ways of making websites
- The version of php in use was php4. Anyone using php4 are nowadays considered silly, with php5.3 being the current verison. php6 is in the works

phpbb2 is extremely insecure; with there being many known security problems which could result in any message board running this software wide open to being hacked. There is no fix, and the people behind phpbb stopped releasing security fixes 10 months ago

The new features behind phpbb3 aren't insignificant. Features directly related to this board is the ability to flag threads for moderation, more control for moderators including merging topics together, more control for admins including the ability to ban a user by email address and IP address, better internal search, and plug-ins which allow you to easily extend the functionality of the board

Let's face it, talkmagic is buggy, insecure and slow, it's in a massive need for an upgrade. Isn't it time you upgraded to the latest version?

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Postby Ant » Dec 16th, '09, 14:48

I second this.

The software is on open source licence too isn't it, so would be free to upgrade?

I guess it's the technical bod who oversee's the site finding the time to upgrade.

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Postby Lady of Mystery » Dec 16th, '09, 15:29

could we make it pink too? :wink: :D

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Postby IanKendall » Dec 16th, '09, 15:47

Upgrading would bring this site up to the same level as Magic Bunny, where the New Topics feature doesn't work with a vengence. And with all the other fora running on phpBB3

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Postby Mandrake » Dec 16th, '09, 16:37

The current version is quite old but it was heavily adapted at the time to remove some less desirable features and that work would have to be done all over with a new version. So, on the basis of 'If it ain't broke...' :wink:

Pink? Somehow I can't see that happening :twisted: !

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Postby kolm » Dec 16th, '09, 16:41

Mandrake wrote:The current version is quite old but it was heavily adapted at the time to remove some less desirable features and that work would have to be done all over with a new version.

What features? There's a good chance that there's an admin option to remove it, or a plugin has been created. Or a plugin can be made...

So, on the basis of 'If it ain't broke...' :wink:

But it is broken. Very, very broken

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Postby Replicant » Dec 16th, '09, 17:26

Lady of Mystery wrote:could we make it pink too? :wink: :D


That's not a bad idea. Perhaps it would act as a psychological sedative for those of us who need to take a chill pill. :D

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Postby Ant » Dec 16th, '09, 17:41

Perhaps a choice of colour with the default as it is and the option to have it pink might be more appropriate.

As for the reasons to upgrade, phpBB themselves give the following comparison table showing the additional facilities in phpBB 3. It may be that the additional parts that were adapted for phpBB2 are available "as is" with 3?

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Postby Mandrake » Dec 16th, '09, 17:44

kolm wrote:What features?
I don't have the exact details as the forum owner did all that ages ago. We've checked with him regularly since them and this is the version he's sticking with.

kolm wrote:But it is broken. Very, very broken
It actually works very well indeed so it's far from broken. There may be many desirable enhancements or add-ons but, at the moment, TM works well enough.

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Postby Matthius88 » Dec 16th, '09, 19:27

Don't make it pink, It will be hard to read! :(

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Postby Mandrake » Dec 16th, '09, 19:58

Try reading pink stuff with bloodshot hungover eyes - the pages are blank!

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Postby Matthius88 » Dec 16th, '09, 20:48

Mandrake wrote:Try reading pink stuff with bloodshot hungover eyes - the pages are blank!


Im a student, I constantly have bloodshot hungover eyes :evil:

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Postby kolm » Dec 16th, '09, 22:49

Mandrake wrote:It actually works very well indeed so it's far from broken. There may be many desirable enhancements or add-ons but, at the moment, TM works well enough.

It's not even a case of it having oft-requested/desirable additions as standard (which of course would be nice), it's a case of TM being buggy (the cookies problem comes around like clockwork, and it's reported by many people so we know it's a problem with the site and not the user) and security. I can't overstate security enough. I've sent you a PM with details on this

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A short reply from the aged one!

Postby Kryzal » Dec 17th, '09, 01:58

I really do not see the problem. I have been around magic fro very many decades and the internet since before it was called "THE INTERNET". Incidentally, I first was introduced to it by IBM as "package switchstream X25" (it didn't catch on!). The forum works fine and, as for a security problem, can somebody please explain to me what that means? I am simply a curious old wizard (in the oldest, truest sense) and wish to know. I will lock my doors just in case! Much love. Kryzal x

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Postby kolm » Dec 17th, '09, 12:21

SQL injection, XSS, remote code execution, DoS, making yourself admin, etc etc

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