Do we need to make this more attractive?

[ScaleCraft]

And I gave up years ago trying to get folks to understand that. Got a lot of "who do you think you are" comments and 3MB files.
Arrogant prXcks. No matter what, gonna need much more server space.
Good thing I'm done.

You guys might want to dial back the size of the files you're attaching; I would think a photo file around 300kb would be sufficient. Not doing so will likely blot up the site's allocated space for attachments rather quickly.

[sarge]

No, you don't actually, if you set the cache to some size, then have it automatically dump the oldest data as new is loaded once the capacity is reached, what Bill had to do manually more than once in the early history of MTJ as a matter of maintenance.

It is a forum after all, not a mutual permanent storage service. If you want permanent storage of images and files, sign up for a host or spring for a couple external memory blocks. I dump my images on a pair of 2 terabyte blocks; cost you the price of a tank of gas or less.

All storage is finite. You are right, though, in that more capacity would certainly be better, especially increased to be up to date with the phone culture. A larger capacity allows things to be retained longer and simplifies the loading of attachments. Another way other forums mitigate the effect is by having software that automatically resizes photos during upload, completely transparent to the poster. Very user-friendly.

What is also true is that the more focused and organised that finite capacity is, the longer its utility will last without purging. I see someone recommended adding sub-forums for HO and N. My opinion is that is the wrong direction; not fixing what's already here is the same problem OGR has (a different form of poison, but poison nonetheless) and adding more sub-forums hasn't fixed it for them. It won't here. If making MTJ look like other forums by adding matching sub-forums is the goal, I submit that you'd want MTJ to stand out (in a positive way) from other forums instead. Failure to adequately serve the current niche won't get solved by adding more niches such that you look like yet another clone of Kalmbach (or whatever the hell they call themselves now).

Better utilisation of the finite resource limits you have (in this case server capacity) does serve the current niche by supporting (in this case) dirt-simple uploading of photos without alteration or being able to add automatic resizing transparent to the poster, the improved security mentioned, easier navigation, and improved user-friendliness.

The combination of both added capacity and a more focussed use of that capacity, including a critical look at what is already deadwood not having any benefit for the core-purpose of the forum, is the most ideal.

It's long past time for me to step back and watch. The opportunity is there, but it isn't "my" opportunity. It's Lee's and whoever he has giving him council. My decision comes after seeing what the "new" MTJ becomes, if it indeed is "new" at all.

[up148]

I agree on file/photo size and self discipline will be needed to allow this forum function to remain. It was a real gut shot, when the resources were used up years ago and I'd rather not revisit that problem. I've learned a lot reading the last few posts (thank you Sarge) and waiting for a response from Lee. I'm hoping he will allow what is needed to take place......I've offered time, money and now can offer good ideas. The positive posts and attitudes are inspiring to say the least. This really could be the "best" O scale forum on the web.

[bob turner]

Never really occurred to me. I will continue to use Shutterfly, since I want my photos at full resolution for other reasons.

Now I know why, in the olden days, photos here showed up with greater sharpness than on OGR. Notice the fuzzy in Butch's otherwise great photos of his Crown Challenger.

I promise to not use the "Attachments" button again, until the forum re-sizes photos automatically.

[up148]

I was going to bring that up. Those photos aren't fuzzy on my computer and I thought be reducing the pixels (to save forum resources) it wouldn't affect the sharpness.

[healey36]

I see someone has added discussions groups for N-scale and HO-scale...what's up with that?

Edit :: Never mind...I see it was discussed earlier.

[E7]

And at 107,000 "non-modelling" posts archived versus only some 46,000 posts archived for all the other sub-forums combined, think how many more photos the current server could host if Clubcar was given the ol' heave-ho and MTJ was recast as a train forum with upgraded security software and a new sub-forum index.

That is the goal. Didn't give the Club car much thought, but booting it from the forum would be a win at many levels.

Works for me, hammer it!

Rich

[sarge]

It looks like Lee and those advising him have made a huge step in the presentation of the forum as a whole, shifting the Lounge to the bottom of the sub-forum index and giving the modelling topics top-billing.

I, for one, am going to support them by giving MTJ an honest try again.

[up148]

Ditto.

[ScaleCraft]

It looks like Lee and those advising him have made a huge step in the presentation of the forum as a whole, shifting the Lounge to the bottom of the sub-forum index and giving the modelling topics top-billing.

I, for one, am going to support them by giving MTJ an honest try again.

Interesting, too, that they removed the last two weeks of posts and locked that sub-forum.....and that the"new" H0 and N sub-forums still aren't fixed.

Oh, well.

"more attractive".

[up148]

Since I don't frequent the HO or N forums I didn't know they weren't working. Do we actually have to join those forums or are they included in the MTJ family of forums membership? I get the following message when I try to go there, which leads to my question.

"You do not have the required permissions to read topics within this forum."

[ScaleCraft]

Since I don't frequent the HO or N forums I didn't know they weren't working. Do we actually have to join those forums or are they included in the MTJ family of forums membership? I get the following message when I try to go there, which leads to my question.

"You do not have the required permissions to read topics within this forum."

They are new. Allegedly work, but don't. E-mails and PM's to moderator get no response. There are no user permissions.