• PATRONS: Did you know we've a chat function for you now? Look to the bottom of the screen, you can chat, set up rooms, talk to each other individually or in groups! Click 'Chat' at the right side of the chat window to open the chat up.
  • Love Gotmead and want to see it grow? Then consider supporting the site and becoming a Patron! If you're logged in, click on your username to the right of the menu to see how as little as $30/year can get you access to the patron areas and the patron Facebook group and to support Gotmead!
  • We now have a Patron-exclusive Facebook group! Patrons my join at The Gotmead Patron Group. You MUST answer the questions, providing your Patron membership, when you request to join so I can verify your Patron membership. If the questions aren't answered, the request will be turned down.

Can't access chat room

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Chimerix

NewBee
Registered Member
Nov 13, 2006
121
0
0
Aloha all!

As I drift back from oblivion, I thought I'd stick my nose in the chat room. It gives me a "You need to log in, this is for Patrons only" message, and also a registration form to join.

According to my account info, I'm still a Patron until 2009.

Filling out the registration form got me a "that username is already in use" error.

I tried logging out and back in, but still no good.

I figure I'm probably missing something, that some well-publicized change happened 6 months ago and I just missed it. Any suggestions?

Mahalo,
Tom G
 

Oskaar

Got Mead Partner
Administrator
Dec 26, 2004
7,874
8
0
34
The OC
Chat was disabled due to security and incomaptibility with some Joomla upgrades that had to happen for security reasons in order to deal with some hackers and other site incompatibility. We are in the process of changing hosts (yes again) this week, and will be changing forum software from SMF (and spotty technical support) to vBulletin (an off the shelf system) which has professional technical support, better features (including several good chat programs to choose from) better integration with Joomla and a bevy of very cool forum features that we'll be unleashing on our patrons and registered users.

Thanks for your patience and understanding,

Oskaar
 

UDV

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 20, 2008
275
0
0
50
NYC
Is there perhaps an unofficial room to chat in, or an IRC channel that we've claimed in the temporary interim?
 

Oskaar

Got Mead Partner
Administrator
Dec 26, 2004
7,874
8
0
34
The OC
If the chat room works for you then go ahead and use it.

As mentioned before we're moving then upgrading the forums so once we've made that move then the chat room will be up in a new version and look.

Oskaar
 

pain

GotMead Owner
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Apr 5, 1996
1,698
18
38
North Carolina
gotmead.com
Be patient guys. I know this is a pain, but I've got a fairly large list of things to work on in order to ensure an orderly transition to the new forum software, which is completely different from this one. So, creating a solid import to handle all the users, boards and posts, and making sure they all make it over unscathed is kind of scary (and way complicated). I'll jump on the chat thing as soon as I have this issue resolved, which will hopefully be soon.

Thanks for understanding...
 

skunkboy

NewBee
Registered Member
May 30, 2005
2,003
8
0
Between Jackson and Detroit
Good luck with the conversion! I know from experience that upgrading these kind of software packages is enough pain, without having to try and migrate the software to a whole new package.
 

pain

GotMead Owner
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Apr 5, 1996
1,698
18
38
North Carolina
gotmead.com
Actually the upgrades haven't been too bad (knock on wood). But moving to a new package, oy! Aside from the issues arising from moving 60,000+ records from one database to another, different DB, I have to create a layout for the new forum software. Of course, the one we have now will *totally* not work. And as it turns out, Vbulletin (our new form software) has one b**ch of a templating system. Its *way* more complicated than the one we have (and that was no walk in the park, LOL). There are at least a couple all-nighters in there for me while to tackle it.

::chuckle:: I think I'll pitch an 'upgrade' batch o' mead, so I can get gloriously drunk when the new forum is up and running....
 

UDV

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 20, 2008
275
0
0
50
NYC
Vicky - the Meadwench said:
Actually the upgrades haven't been too bad (knock on wood). But moving to a new package, oy! Aside from the issues arising from moving 60,000+ records from one database to another, different DB, I have to create a layout for the new forum software. Of course, the one we have now will *totally* not work. And as it turns out, Vbulletin (our new form software) has one b**ch of a templating system. Its *way* more complicated than the one we have (and that was no walk in the park, LOL). There are at least a couple all-nighters in there for me while to tackle it.

I have a friend who works for me in software dev, who has done templates before in Vbulletin, if there's a list of ongoing issues somewhere, I can ask him?
 

pain

GotMead Owner
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Apr 5, 1996
1,698
18
38
North Carolina
gotmead.com
There aren't any issues per se, just that I have to create a custom layout that will match the upcoming new layout for the main site.
 

JamesP

Senior Member
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Dec 3, 2003
654
1
18
Brisbane Australia
Vicky - the Meadwench said:
::chuckle:: I think I'll pitch an 'upgrade' batch o' mead, so I can get gloriously drunk when the new forum is up and running....

Vicky,

save a bottle for 5 yr, and 10 yr anniversary of the new format.
 

UDV

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 20, 2008
275
0
0
50
NYC
Sadly nothing I can help with then. :)

I'll have to wait for the new template!
 
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