Forum Software Upgrade - 8/25, 1:00 GMT (8/24, 9 PM EDT)

[Hoops McCann]

The AMIT staff will be upgrading the installation of SMF, the software that makes this forum work, in the coming week. The newer version of the software will fix some security flaws and hopefully provide a faster and smoother user experience. SMF plans to stop releasing updates for version 1.1.x of this software at some point so it's important that we carry out this upgrade sooner rather than later.

This is the largest upgrade to the forum that we've installed and it will require some site down time, however, if everything goes according to plan it won't take more than one hour to install. I will carry this out late in the late evening EDT, since statistically this is a low use period for the site. Since most users are in various European time zones, I suspect most won't notice the down time, or at least that's the thought behind it.

You will notice changes in the way the site looks once the upgrade is complete. However, nothing about the content or your personal profile will change. You can still use the same username and password and use the site in the same way that you do now.

I will post back to this thread with an exact date and time soon. Thanks.

UPDATE: As of 8/23, we're on track to perform the upgrade this Friday evening, 8/24, beginning at 9 PM EDT. That translates to 1:00 GMT on 8/25.

[Pottel]

thnx dan. as always.

[Jules]

Efficient!

 

[dmg]

Thoughtful.

 

[dustyvalentino]

Thanks for all your hard work Dan. 

[ingridswing]

As always a huge thank you to our technical director 

[JeroenvG]

  Great work!

[surferboy]

Thank youuu.

[superval99]

Many thanks, Dan!   

[IrisRose]

You are greatly appreciated.    This software cannot be free.    What do the editors owe?   

[ingridswing]

That's right AND Irisrose what do we owe you? Still have seen no bill for this year from you either!

[JeroenvG]

Maybe an idea to make a paypal account so we can all send some money for this forum?

[ingridswing]

Maybe an idea to make a paypal account so we can all send some money for this forum?

Really nice of you, we thought of that when starting it, but because the costs (till now)are pretty low, we shared it with the editors. Maybe one day we need you all for a little gift, we'll see

[ingridswing]

The AMIT staff will be upgrading the installation of SMF, the software that makes this forum work, in the coming week. The newer version of the software will fix some security flaws and hopefully provide a faster and smoother user experience. SMF plans to stop releasing updates for version 1.1.x of this software at some point so it's important that we carry out this upgrade sooner rather than later.

This is the largest upgrade to the forum that we've installed and it will require some site down time, however, if everything goes according to plan it won't take more than one hour to install. I will carry this out late in the late evening EDT, since statistically this is a low use period for the site. Since most users are in various European time zones, I suspect most won't notice the down time, or at least that's the thought behind it.

You will notice changes in the way the site looks once the upgrade is complete. However, nothing about the content or your personal profile will change. You can still use the same username and password and use the site in the same way that you do now.

I will post back to this thread with an exact date and time soon. Thanks.

UPDATE: As of 8/23, we're on track to perform the upgrade this Friday evening, 8/24, beginning at 9 PM EDT. That translates to 1:00 GMT on 8/25.

Thanks Dan, I hope all goes well so you will have your sleep as well. Good luck dear technical director 

[Hoops McCann]

Thanks guys. I will admit I am feeling just a little bit nervous about this one. I have a fairly detailed change plan and back out plan in place, but then there's Murphy's Law and all of that...  

The forum software is Simple Machines Forum, and yes, it's free.

Simple Machines Form (SMF) is an open source, free forum software package that webmasters can download and install on their own websites. If you see a copyright as above, it probably means that the webmaster of the site is using our software. This means that no, the site isn't ours - they simply use our product. At this time, Simple Machines only owns and operates http://www.simplemachines.org and http://www.yabbse.org, including various sub-domains. A website running on any other URL is not under our control. (This includes some websites which may use smf in their name, such as smfforfree and smfservices, none of which are official Simple Machines sites.).

http://www.simplemachines.org/about/smf/copyright.php