# Current Status of SDMB Upgrade **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 9, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854 "2008-09-09T21:50:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/21 "2008-09-10T05:36:25Z")
Politics forum. POLITICS. FORUM. Please. You can even shove it over in the side conversations if you want to but, for the love of everything pure and beautiful in this world, please create a forum specifically for the incessant political sniping. GD and the Pit both are overrun by it and it’s getting ridiculous. Honestly. I mean, since you’re in there tinkering with things anyway… ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/22 "2008-09-10T05:45:29Z")
I’ve mentioned this a few times, but I will do it again because I don’t know how many users know (or care?) that now their email addresses may be visible in their “profile” under User CP. These addresses are visible if you had the “receive emails from members” (or such) option checked before the upgrade and anyone can access the info. Can the “receive email from members” check box be an opt in, rather than an opt out, so that people do not accidentally reveal their email addresses to everyone? ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/23 "2008-09-10T12:08:08Z")
We do frown on junior modding on this board and ask people not to indulge themselves. Junior-ITing is also really not useful and is not appreciated. elmwood, please knock it off. If Jerry needs your help I’m sure he will let you know. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/24 "2008-09-10T12:13:14Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > Oh heavens! Dare I complain at the doors of Administration? Ed has been blowing smoke up my ass for a while. I’ve been promised a lot, and provided little. If you can’t handle some customer bitching, then hide in the IT room, and let the other insolent folks dispense their usual tripe. You can agree to disagree on this board but when you do – especially in ATMB – we ask that you be civil about it. You are not in the Pit. We have been patient with you and your complaints; even as we work to improve this board you continue. Enough already. You may consider this a formal Warning. Abuse of the staff will not be tolerated. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/25 "2008-09-10T12:48:53Z")
> [@Silver\_Fire](#): > > Politics forum. POLITICS. FORUM. How is this a technical issue? ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/26 "2008-09-10T13:08:12Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Politics forum. POLITICS. FORUM. > > How is this a technical issue? Folks, the purpose of this thread is: [QUOTE=OP] [1] to keep track of the current status of fixes/improvements to the SDMB and [2] place to report any problems you are having. [/QUOTE] There’s another thread already going about requests for new forums. And there are a few others started with suggestions and requests for other things. Let’s keep this one limited to technical issues with the board please. **Gfactor** Moderator ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/27 "2008-09-10T13:25:17Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > You can agree to disagree on this board but when you do – especially in ATMB – we ask that you be civil about it. **cats** ’ original question was perfectly civil; it was **Jerry** who brought the rude. Maybe you should be talking to the staff about incivility. Of course, judging by your “knock it off” to someone trying to help as opposed to “thanks but we have it under control”, it’s no surprise that the first reaction of most of the staff is incivility. You couldn’t be more condescending if you tried. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/28 "2008-09-10T13:29:09Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > **cats** ’ original question was perfectly civil; it was **Jerry** who brought the rude. Maybe you should be talking to the staff about incivility. > > Of course, judging by your “knock it off” to someone trying to help as opposed to “thanks but we have it under control”, it’s no surprise that the first reaction of most of the staff is incivility. You couldn’t be more condescending if you tried. That may be. But my request: “Let’s keep this one limited to technical issues with the board please,” appears perfectly civil. Is there some part of that one that you need help with? ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_Zotti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/fbc32d/32.png) [@Ed\_Zotti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ed_Zotti)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/29 "2008-09-10T14:01:10Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > **cats** ’ original question was perfectly civil; it was **Jerry** who brought the rude. Maybe you should be talking to the staff about incivility. > > Of course, judging by your “knock it off” to someone trying to help as opposed to “thanks but we have it under control”, it’s no surprise that the first reaction of most of the staff is incivility. You couldn’t be more condescending if you tried. I’ve had enough of this. Consider this a general warning. From this point forward, anyone who whines about the administration of the SDMB other than in the Pit (and eventually maybe not even there) will be banned without further notice. ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/30 "2008-09-10T15:00:56Z")
> [@jdavis](#): > > I’ll look at your subscription tomorrow, **Flander**. Some out of the ordinary event must have happened in the past if your Charter Membership is expiring in September. Don’t worry, we’ll get things resolved so hold off on resubscribing until I get back to you. Thank you, **jdavis**. I don’t recall any out of the ordinary even. Simply that I’ve been posting as a charter member and I got a renewal email from the SDMB just before the server move. Again, thanks for all the work you’re doing for the dope! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/31 "2008-09-10T15:27:01Z")
Thanks, **Jerry**. I heart the new Board (except for the missing quick reply box). ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/32 "2008-09-10T18:00:30Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > There used to be an option to be on the Board invisibly; it was set on your User CP. When you were on, the little status dot by your name was always gray, rather than green, at least to other posters - it was red to yourself. > I don’t see that option now. Will it be turned on or added? It’s still there. Things just move around a bit: 1. Go to the User Control Panel 2. Select “Edit Options” from the left-hand column 3. Check the top box on the page that appears (“Use Invisible Mode”) A couple of side notes: **DancesWithCats** , I will not presume to speak for anyone else on the staff, but speaking for myself alone I’d say that the way you’re being treated in this thread is a natural consequence of all of the cumulative whining and denigrating of the staff that you’ve been doing up until now. A little civility goes a long way, and when you dish out as much obnoxious as you’ve been dishing out, you’ve got to expect to get it back in your face eventually. **Elmwood** , please understand that not all vBulletin installations are alike. Jerry’s dealing with a board here that has over a million posts, with thousands of new ones coming in every day. It’s just gone through a series of upgrades all at once, and still has leftover database issues from days long ago. He’s gone to a cluster server arrangement while doing all of that. Like you, I’m a techie (albeit a somewhat obsolete techie) and I’ve run a number of Web-based boards and standalone BBSs, too, but speaking for myself only, I’d rather Jerry was focused on getting things fixed than trying to take the time to explain each individual problem to people like us who have probably never dealt with it on the same scale as he is. (That has got to be the most convoluted sentence I’ve ever written, but I hope it makes sense) ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/33 "2008-09-11T00:54:38Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > It’s still there. Things just move around a bit: > > 1. Go to the User Control Panel > 2. Select “Edit Options” from the left-hand column > 3. Check the top box on the page that appears (“Use Invisible Mode”) Must be the painkillers I got at work today after I broke my finger, but I’m not seeing it. The only option at the top concerning log-in and privacy is the one allowing vCard downloads. 'Splain it like I’m five. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/34 "2008-09-11T00:59:44Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > Must be the painkillers I got at work today after I broke my finger, but I’m not seeing it. The only option at the top concerning log-in and privacy is the one allowing vCard downloads. > 'Splain it like I’m five. Thanks. Nah, not the painkillers. Members, Charter Members and Guests currently do not have the option to use the Invisible mode. I’m not sure if that’s on purpose or not, but we’ll find out and get back with you. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/35 "2008-09-11T01:32:34Z")
Per Jerry’s stated invitation in the OP to discuss **“Next Steps”** , I’d like to gice him my fdeedback on this one: [ul][li]Review whether to rebuild the internal vBulletin search engine index so that the 1.3 million restored posts will be keyword searchable. This may be skipped if it seems server intensive. Installation of a new third party search engine will eventually resolve this issue.[/ul][/li] I was one of the people advocating restoring those posts. That said, I’d _suggest_ waiting on the third party search engine to make them keyword searchable. There are enough oldtimers on the board who will remember “That was discussed back in the spring of 2000 with an OP by **DancesWithGerbils** ” to enable the occasional reference link to a current thread. And my impression is that reindexing for the present search engine would be time-intensive to no permanent value. That’s an opinion, for what value it may be to you, Jerry – not an attempt to tell you how to do your job, which I’m impressed with, but reaction from a longtime user, offered in a hope to provide some user-oriented viewpoint as you make time/needs decisions. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/36 "2008-09-11T01:53:32Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > Must be the painkillers I got at work today after I broke my finger, but I’m not seeing it. The only option at the top concerning log-in and privacy is the one allowing vCard downloads. > 'Splain it like I’m five. Thanks. Sorry, **BiblioCat**. I didn’t realize that it had been shut off in the upgrade. As **Skip** said, we’ll let you know what’s up shortly… ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/37 "2008-09-11T02:43:08Z")
> [@jdavis](#): > > [li]1.3 million posts and 74 thousand threads deleted during 2005 and 2006 restored[/li] This may be a question more for old-time members than Jerry, but does that include the famous Groundhog Thread? And if so, could someone who bookmarked it link it for me, at least until Jerry has the search function back? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/38 "2008-09-11T03:02:24Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > This may be a question more for old-time members than Jerry, but does that include the famous Groundhog Thread? And if so, could someone who bookmarked it link it for me, at least until Jerry has the search function back? Thanks! Here you go: [How to kill evil Nazi Groundhogs](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=15906) You might want to[look through this thread for some other gems](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=6518126&postcount=2). This one was great: [I stood next to the Emperor of the World at McDonald’s!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=152737) ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/39 "2008-09-11T03:04:54Z")
Old thread party time! Thanks, Jim, for the link, and extra thanks to Jerry for bringing it back! ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2008, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854/40 "2008-09-11T03:16:01Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > Must be the painkillers I got at work today after I broke my finger, but I’m not seeing it. The only option at the top concerning log-in and privacy is the one allowing vCard downloads. > 'Splain it like I’m five. Thanks. Okay, go ahead and try it again. It’s been turned back on for Members and Charter Members. It’s still off for right now for guests, but that can wait and be addressed later after Jerry gets people settled into the right groups. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-status-of-sdmb-upgrade/462854.md?page=3)