TimPD
04-04-2002, 04:39 AM
http://openbb.com Looks as they quit offering it for awhile until they start off fresh.
Prolix Media Group, effective immediately, has directed a one week shutdown of the Open Bulletin Board community forums.
After reviewing the demographics of OpenBB’s existing userbase, as well as demographics, we have made the determination that drastic changes must be made in order to ensure the growth and success of our existing and future products. While we welcome beginning members, our methods of doing so in the past, we feel, we have discouraged the advanced (“veteran”) members from using our product, which are essential to the future of OpenBB and upcoming products.
In order to achieve these goals and ensure the long-lasting success of OpenBB, we must implement changes that will surely be unsettling for some, but are designed to attract an additional userbase and thus promote more advanced user involvement, which benefits the product as a whole. This will also allow a more efficient overall operation which leaves the staff more time to focus on supporting users, and improving OpenBB as a whole, while spending less time moving incorrectly posted posts, answering requests that lack the information required for assistance, and dealing with internal issues.
Some of the changes you can expect from Prolix and OpenBB in the near future include:
- A release of OpenBB 1.0.0 Final, with all major issues resolved, including theme compatibility, and an improved administration center.
- A no-nonsense approach to forum moderation. Admittedly, we have been very lax in the past with moderation and the acceptance of incorrect posts. When OpenBB returns from the shutdown, all posts will be met with the appropriate action. Examples include: If a user makes a post consisting of “I can’t login” – that post will be marked for deletion until which time the user follows the proper guidelines and provides a more detailed request. If, on the other hand, a user indicates: “When I click the usergroup manager, and try to add a new rank, I am receiving this xxx error message.” That post will be met with the same level of courtesy and professionalism that you have come to know and expect from OpenBB.
- Prolix recently obtained a US Copyright on Open Bulletin Board, and as such, the determination has been made to continue development of future releases of OpenBB under a private license, and not under the GPL. While we realize this may cause ethical concerns, the law in the U.S. favors our side, as we hold the copyright to the code used for OpenBB. This does not threaten, in any way, the development of OpenBB 1.0.0 Final, as the code belongs under GPL, however, there have been significant changes and rewrites for the upcoming 1.1.0 and those will not be released under GPL. This will also not affect the future availability of OpenBB, as it will remain a free product, where the major difference is a stricter license which prevents unauthorized distribution of the product, as well as discourages the less-than-honest would-be developers who prey upon GPL projects.
- As we progress towards a more organized, structured and professional organization, there will be significant changes in staffing to reflect our vision and ideas. Among these, Niels Van der Wildt and Charles Obrien have parted from the team. Niels, as many of you know is the original creator of Open Bulletin Board, and many of the unique ideas contained in OpenBB were created by him. Niels’ role in OpenBB 1 diminished shortly after the first Beta release, as he moved onto other internal projects, including the then OpenBB 2. Others, myself included, disagreed strongly with this decision and continued development of OpenBB 1, recognizing it for its full potential, a choice that I have no regrets with. We would like to wish Niels and Charles the best of luck with future endeavors.
We’d like to thank all of you who have supported us in the past, and for those who remain patient during this short shutdown period, giving us the opportunity to reorganize, and come back with a newfound vision and outlook which is sure to benefit everyone.
We look forward to seeing you all shortly, and you will be greeted with a release of OpenBB final, and a new promising start.
Prolix Media Group, effective immediately, has directed a one week shutdown of the Open Bulletin Board community forums.
After reviewing the demographics of OpenBB’s existing userbase, as well as demographics, we have made the determination that drastic changes must be made in order to ensure the growth and success of our existing and future products. While we welcome beginning members, our methods of doing so in the past, we feel, we have discouraged the advanced (“veteran”) members from using our product, which are essential to the future of OpenBB and upcoming products.
In order to achieve these goals and ensure the long-lasting success of OpenBB, we must implement changes that will surely be unsettling for some, but are designed to attract an additional userbase and thus promote more advanced user involvement, which benefits the product as a whole. This will also allow a more efficient overall operation which leaves the staff more time to focus on supporting users, and improving OpenBB as a whole, while spending less time moving incorrectly posted posts, answering requests that lack the information required for assistance, and dealing with internal issues.
Some of the changes you can expect from Prolix and OpenBB in the near future include:
- A release of OpenBB 1.0.0 Final, with all major issues resolved, including theme compatibility, and an improved administration center.
- A no-nonsense approach to forum moderation. Admittedly, we have been very lax in the past with moderation and the acceptance of incorrect posts. When OpenBB returns from the shutdown, all posts will be met with the appropriate action. Examples include: If a user makes a post consisting of “I can’t login” – that post will be marked for deletion until which time the user follows the proper guidelines and provides a more detailed request. If, on the other hand, a user indicates: “When I click the usergroup manager, and try to add a new rank, I am receiving this xxx error message.” That post will be met with the same level of courtesy and professionalism that you have come to know and expect from OpenBB.
- Prolix recently obtained a US Copyright on Open Bulletin Board, and as such, the determination has been made to continue development of future releases of OpenBB under a private license, and not under the GPL. While we realize this may cause ethical concerns, the law in the U.S. favors our side, as we hold the copyright to the code used for OpenBB. This does not threaten, in any way, the development of OpenBB 1.0.0 Final, as the code belongs under GPL, however, there have been significant changes and rewrites for the upcoming 1.1.0 and those will not be released under GPL. This will also not affect the future availability of OpenBB, as it will remain a free product, where the major difference is a stricter license which prevents unauthorized distribution of the product, as well as discourages the less-than-honest would-be developers who prey upon GPL projects.
- As we progress towards a more organized, structured and professional organization, there will be significant changes in staffing to reflect our vision and ideas. Among these, Niels Van der Wildt and Charles Obrien have parted from the team. Niels, as many of you know is the original creator of Open Bulletin Board, and many of the unique ideas contained in OpenBB were created by him. Niels’ role in OpenBB 1 diminished shortly after the first Beta release, as he moved onto other internal projects, including the then OpenBB 2. Others, myself included, disagreed strongly with this decision and continued development of OpenBB 1, recognizing it for its full potential, a choice that I have no regrets with. We would like to wish Niels and Charles the best of luck with future endeavors.
We’d like to thank all of you who have supported us in the past, and for those who remain patient during this short shutdown period, giving us the opportunity to reorganize, and come back with a newfound vision and outlook which is sure to benefit everyone.
We look forward to seeing you all shortly, and you will be greeted with a release of OpenBB final, and a new promising start.