There's two "softwares" in play here. The forum software, the front end, which is what we all see and interact with when we visit, runs on phpBB. I see no reason to change that.
The backend, however, is what is under consideration, and that's where Drupal's limitations are coming in to play, as far as I understand what's being considered.
I don't think Eberlym is suggesting moving away from phpBB. It would be a nightmare. Rather, he's suggesting a change to the back end Content Management System, which while no small amount of work, should not force us to inordinately change the interface we're all familiar with.
Mike McCrea wrote:
With Facebook as the 900lb gorilla in the room message board hosting may become less and less relevant.
Don't forget that Facebook can go the way of the dinosaur too. MyCCR and Ontario Canoe Routes before it has been around longer than Facebook, and may well outlast it.
I also don't think we're looking at moving to a different hosting provider (and Emberlym, do correct me if I'm wrong), but changing the CMS system that runs the site. The two are separate entities, as is the front end (phpBB) that we interact with.
I can help with database migrations, fixing broken links, integration issues, that kind of thing, I just wouldn't be of much use in the design of the look & feel (which I hope would be very close to what we have now).
cheryl wrote:
Quite frankly, I am still thrilled with this version.. the 3rd upgrade from Richard Munn'sOntario Canoe Routes. Anyone remember the long, looooooong threads that went right down off the bottom right of the page? At the time it was novel (1994)
This site is well organized and easily searchable, and the format is easy to read.
I DO remember that!
Mike McCrea wrote:
My concern with switching to different internet/message board software is much the same as elGuapo and Yarnellboat. With a different page appearance, different features, different ways of posting messages and photos and searching, maybe even needing to set new ID’s and passwords, I think some posters would drop out in frustration. I guarantee disgruntled yearnings for the CCR of old would be expressed; people generally don’t like it when the old familiar suddenly changes.
I know that some (most?) software providers require a licensing fee, and many need yearly, or even every six month, software updates. vBulletin software requires frequent updates, performed by a paid IT guy, and even then every update seems to screw something else up.
I'll second both Mike's and Cheryl's points (and elQuapo's and Yarnell's). The site works quite well as it is, at least from a user perspective. It may be lacking some more modern features, but it works quite well. I'd hate to change the interface much, as I agree, there would be significant misgivings, should we do that.
As for fees, both Drupal and phpBB are free software, and Drupal has several alternatives that are also free, so I don't think the licensing would be much of a burden, if at all. There's a lot more free software out there than you think - and lots of it extremely well supported and accepted at large.
If we need new ID's and passwords, I would consider the "upgrade" to be an abject failure. That's a showstopper, in my books.
And as for needing updates...
all software needs updates - and I mean
all of it. There is no escaping that, no matter which way you cut the cheese. What matters is how often those updates break things. As mentioned earlier, what usually ends up breaking things during upgrades and maintenance is the customizations. They have a funny way of biting you in the ass. So I'll reiterate my earlier point that, should we upgrade the site, overly custom work should be avoided.