19. CFC Discussion Boards Upgrade – Update – Chris Mallon

[Lyle Craver]

Discussion board administrative discussion here

[Christopher Mallon]

I'm not sure there's anything that really needs updating here. Nothing has changed since the last meeting.

They are no longer going to be updating vBulletin 3.x, so if we want to upgrade the forums again in the future we will have to pay a little more to get vBulletin 4. For now this meets our needs and we do have a lifetime license.

[Valer Eugen Demian]

I'm not sure there's anything that really needs updating here. Nothing has changed since the last meeting.

They are no longer going to be updating vBulletin 3.x, so if we want to upgrade the forums again in the future we will have to pay a little more to get vBulletin 4. For now this meets our needs and we do have a lifetime license.

Keeping up with the updates is a sensible approach and we should continue doing so.

[Lyle Craver]

Which is why Bob has already given Chris full approval to go ahead and do so. The cost was not seen as high enough that it required Governor discussion.

[Christopher Mallon]

I think we're talking about different things Lyle.

We are up to date on vBulletin 3. vBulletin 4 is newer with many new features. We do not have a license for that, and we would have to purchase one - much like upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7. The cost is around $300. I don't currently see any need to do so.

[Valer Eugen Demian]

I think we're talking about different things Lyle.

We are up to date on vBulletin 3. vBulletin 4 is newer with many new features. We do not have a license for that, and we would have to purchase one - much like upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7. The cost is around $300. I don't currently see any need to do so.

"... vBulletin 4 has many new features." as you said. This means we need to have a look and decide if those new features are worth the extra $300 before we brush things away with one brief message!

[Christopher Mallon]

Well, I can make a report for the AGM detailing any advantages/disadvantages of an upgrade to vB 4. Sound good?

Of course, saying "new features" around here is sometimes a bad thing :p Remember the Chesstalk switch to vB!

[Lyle Craver]

2 things Chris - (1) if your question is whether Governors feel the vBulletin 4.0 features are useful then that's a reasonable question which few Governors except those who regularly check out a wide variety other forums are really properly equipped to evaluate. I'd be surprised if more than a dozen Governors have that kind of experience. (I'm well aware that most of us have interests beyond chess!)

(2) if your question is whether the Executive is competent to decide on spending $300 to upgrade a product we are already committed to then if that is seriously in question then every one of us should resign. To me that suggests a degree of micro-management that is not helpful to the needs of the organization as a whole.

In the USCF a decision to make an expenditure of that size would certainly not come before the Policy Board (equivalent to the Executive) much less the Voting Members (equivalent to the Governors) - it would be handled strictly by their paid staff.

[Christopher Mallon]

No, as I have previously stated I do not feel that the CFC needs vB 4.0. At least one Governor feels it SHOULD be looked at. I don't really care who receives or reads my report, if anyone :p And if anyone, exec or governors, decides as a group to approve the upgrade... well that's fine too.

[Valer Eugen Demian]

No, as I have previously stated I do not feel that the CFC needs vB 4.0. At least one Governor feels it SHOULD be looked at. I don't really care who receives or reads my report, if anyone :p And if anyone, exec or governors, decides as a group to approve the upgrade... well that's fine too.

Engineering design software (in general) is being upgraded on a yearly basis for the simple reason it is better and offers more features. Any serious business (including engineering) acts proactive and keeps pace with the development around it. This includes such an important part of running a business like software...

Christopher Mallon said:
"They are no longer going to be updating vBulletin 3.x..."
If this is not a gentle reminder to upgrade, I do not know what else is. Should we wait again until this board gets broken and nobody is able to fix it?...