Board outage & update
- TABN Admin
- Site Admin
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2012 12:34 am
Board outage & update
As most regular TABN users surely noticed, and as announced on our Facebook page, our forum has been down for the last 24 hours or so. The outage was caused by our web host upgrading the forum's underlying database software to a newer version that is not compatible with the forum software we were running. They have performed similar upgrades in the past, and we always had the option to run in a compatibility mode so that nothing would break. This time, we no longer had that option. That's a miss on our part – call it overlooking the fine print.
The good news is we were able to get back up and running relatively quickly. This required us to undergo a massively accelerated upgrade process. On the plus side, this means we are now running the latest and greatest version of our forum software, which comes with some handy new features (e.g., emoji support ; smart quotes that link back to the original posts). The downside is we usually would've gone through a much more thorough vetting process in our testing environments to make sure everything works properly, but, we wanted to get the forums back up and running for everyone ASAP. So, if you notice any strange behavior, please let us know!
You will also notice the look of the forum has changed significantly from the old The Last Hero-style theme we had before. Another side effect of the upgrade was that our existing custom forum themes broke. So we very quickly put together this new theme as a temporary solution. If it looks like a generic forum theme with a couple Alter Bridge images slapped on top, well... that's exactly what it is. We'll continue working to make it more TABNey, but in the meantime, let's call this long-overdue theme upgrade another positive side effect of the outage.
As always, let us know if there are any questions. Cheers!
TL;DR: the board was down; now it's back up; let us know if anything isn't working.
The good news is we were able to get back up and running relatively quickly. This required us to undergo a massively accelerated upgrade process. On the plus side, this means we are now running the latest and greatest version of our forum software, which comes with some handy new features (e.g., emoji support ; smart quotes that link back to the original posts). The downside is we usually would've gone through a much more thorough vetting process in our testing environments to make sure everything works properly, but, we wanted to get the forums back up and running for everyone ASAP. So, if you notice any strange behavior, please let us know!
You will also notice the look of the forum has changed significantly from the old The Last Hero-style theme we had before. Another side effect of the upgrade was that our existing custom forum themes broke. So we very quickly put together this new theme as a temporary solution. If it looks like a generic forum theme with a couple Alter Bridge images slapped on top, well... that's exactly what it is. We'll continue working to make it more TABNey, but in the meantime, let's call this long-overdue theme upgrade another positive side effect of the outage.
As always, let us know if there are any questions. Cheers!
TL;DR: the board was down; now it's back up; let us know if anything isn't working.
Re: Board outage & update
Oh nice! Was worried something had properly broken and zaz didn't have the keys to fix it, but that was a quick turnaround and Shea even gets his theme update!
For all of the hope that it brings...
- zazthespaz
- Kumar
- Posts: 13799
- Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 5:12 am
Re: "dude, stop sending me dick pics!" Shut up, Alex.
I don't have the keys to fix it!
I do have Alex's phone number though!
anguyen92 wrote:Oh well. Deal with it.
gbruin wrote:Go reread what zaz says
TABN Discord: https://discord.gg/vEqVyaJ
- SHEAKENBAKEN
- BACON
- Posts: 9418
- Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2013 9:27 pm
- Location: TABN
Re: Board outage & update
Wooo!! New theme Thanks to the mods for the new update
Re: Board outage & update
I can't view certain sections of the forum when I'm logged in. But, if I'm viewing as guest I can view. This prevents me from commenting on posts.
- zazthespaz
- Kumar
- Posts: 13799
- Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 5:12 am
Re: Unless you're a spammer of course.
It's because you don't have 3 posts yet. There's restrictions on new members to prevent spammers from hitting the boards hard. We might need to change that. Sorry for the inconvenience, post one more time and it should clear up.
anguyen92 wrote:Oh well. Deal with it.
gbruin wrote:Go reread what zaz says
TABN Discord: https://discord.gg/vEqVyaJ
- TenaciousBe
- On The Rail
- Posts: 1782
- Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2012 5:04 pm
- Location: Iowa, USA
- Contact:
Re: Board outage & update
Thanks to all for your hard work in fixing this up! And digging the new theme - I really don't want to sound unappreciative or sound like a complainer, but the new theme is a little bright on the eyes - going to miss the black background for the text areas. But, very much appreciate you guys keeping the forum up and running and alive all these years! And bringing it back from the dead on this outage - I know forums don't get nearly the traffic they once did before social media took over the internet, but it's nice to have this place to come back to. Feels like home.
Re: Unless you're a spammer of course.
Ah, okay. Thanks!zazthespaz wrote: ↑Tue Jan 26, 2021 9:56 pmIt's because you don't have 3 posts yet. There's restrictions on new members to prevent spammers from hitting the boards hard. We might need to change that. Sorry for the inconvenience, post one more time and it should clear up.
-
Onlinemaximzub
- On The Rail
- Posts: 1388
- Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2021 11:57 am
- Location: Where women don't exist.
Re: Board outage & update
I actually contacted thealterbridgenation on Instagram. I thought it was just a bug on my side, but now I understand that it was a problem for everybody.
To be honest, I preferred the darker background, but I think white text boxes work better.
To be honest, I preferred the darker background, but I think white text boxes work better.
I'm in love with somebody...
Found someone who completes me...
I'm in love with somebody...
Oh yeah...
And it's Lzzy Hale!
My Long Alter Bridge Facts Post
Order Of Me Hearing Alter Bridge Songs
Order Of Me Hearing Tremonti Songs
Found someone who completes me...
I'm in love with somebody...
Oh yeah...
And it's Lzzy Hale!
Check out my coolest TABN posts!MaraCarr wrote: It is not like a crush or a lust thing.
My Long Alter Bridge Facts Post
Order Of Me Hearing Alter Bridge Songs
Order Of Me Hearing Tremonti Songs
-
- Hardcore TABN'er
- Posts: 557
- Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2016 1:05 am
- Location: Elk Grove, CA
- Contact:
Re: Board outage & update
I love the new look, or at least the current look. Thanks for the heads up! I thought new user Max somehow [unintentionally] broke the board!
- Timotheus
- Little Belgian Waffle
- Posts: 16842
- Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:52 am
- Location: Belgium シ
- Contact:
Re: Board outage & update
The new board looks great! Good jood!
anguyen92 wrote:Oh well. Deal with it.
Re: Board outage & update
Thanks everyone, and I hear you about missing the dark background. As mentioned above, we really just threw this together very quickly to get things back up and running as quickly as possible, so we'll continue working to improve the theme. Unfortunately there's no option for a toggle-able light/dark mode, but we'll most likely go with a dark theme for the next iteration. Thanks for your patience!
Re: Board outage & update
ahh everything is shining so bright. I'm not used to it but I kinda like it!
- zazthespaz
- Kumar
- Posts: 13799
- Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 5:12 am
Re: Covid-layoff PTSD?
Something about the coloring makes me keep seeing the Microsoft Outlook "new mail" pop up notification in the bottom right of the screen and even though I don't have Outlook, I keep looking down there thinking I'll see a notification.
anguyen92 wrote:Oh well. Deal with it.
gbruin wrote:Go reread what zaz says
TABN Discord: https://discord.gg/vEqVyaJ
Re: "dude, stop sending me dick pics!" Shut up, Alex.
"Sing it, Stijn!"— Myles Kennedy, during Rise Today
Heineken Music Hall, Amsterdam, 3 November 2013
- zazthespaz
- Kumar
- Posts: 13799
- Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 5:12 am
Re: Mythbusters: TABN Edition
Follow up to this since it blew up bigger than I could've imagined (/s) I just realized that if you're at the very bottom of the page, there is a transparent gray bar that runs across the screen. Thus, if you go to a new page and can see the bottom, the color may change slightly, thus giving a reason to look down there. You can thank me later for figuring this out, my work is far from over.zazthespaz wrote: ↑Wed Jan 27, 2021 2:46 pm Something about the coloring makes me keep seeing the Microsoft Outlook "new mail" pop up notification in the bottom right of the screen and even though I don't have Outlook, I keep looking down there thinking I'll see a notification.
anguyen92 wrote:Oh well. Deal with it.
gbruin wrote:Go reread what zaz says
TABN Discord: https://discord.gg/vEqVyaJ
- TenaciousBe
- On The Rail
- Posts: 1782
- Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2012 5:04 pm
- Location: Iowa, USA
- Contact:
Re: Mythbusters: TABN Edition
It took a little tilting of my screen to see it, but I see it! It's not so much a gray bar here though, just a bar where the background image looks a bit distorted, like a rippling water effect. Weird!zazthespaz wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 5:31 pmFollow up to this since it blew up bigger than I could've imagined (/s) I just realized that if you're at the very bottom of the page, there is a transparent gray bar that runs across the screen. Thus, if you go to a new page and can see the bottom, the color may change slightly, thus giving a reason to look down there. You can thank me later for figuring this out, my work is far from over.zazthespaz wrote: ↑Wed Jan 27, 2021 2:46 pm Something about the coloring makes me keep seeing the Microsoft Outlook "new mail" pop up notification in the bottom right of the screen and even though I don't have Outlook, I keep looking down there thinking I'll see a notification.
- WaywardOne
- Hardcore TABN'er
- Posts: 548
- Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2016 12:27 pm
- Location: Yorkorado
Re: Board outage & update
Well it's about time things switched from TLH to WTS! Better late than never lol.
Re: Board outage & update
Thanks for the update, Zaz. It all makes sense now. That grey bar is definitely there on purpose.
Fun fact: clicking the icon to the left of a topic will bring you to the first unread post in that topic.
Fun fact: clicking the icon to the left of a topic will bring you to the first unread post in that topic.
- Timotheus
- Little Belgian Waffle
- Posts: 16842
- Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:52 am
- Location: Belgium シ
- Contact:
Re: Board outage & update
That's always been like that but that indeed is a fun fact!
anguyen92 wrote:Oh well. Deal with it.