AdeV

There is an SMF plug-in which makes it a bit easier to insert images inline, but in the meantime, Chris' method will work (and is, to my knowledge, the only way to host the images inside Mem AND show them inline).

I've been looking for a sensible alternative to Coppermine that we can use here, since Coppermine seems to be semi-abandoned these days (last update was 2024, and that was after a 6 year period with no updates...); but so far, I've yet to find anything which seems to be designed specifically to give the same sort of functionality that Flickr or Photobucket used to offer for free; and that plays well with forum software like SMF.

I did start to write my own, about a year ago... but time got away from me and now I've forgotten how to do it... but on the other hand, AI is way better now, so... don't hold your breath; but also, watch this space...

Quote from: Charles Lamont"... significant friction with users ..."

A quick look suggests SMF 2.1 is a considerable improvement, so when it happens it would behove 'us lot' to refrain from whingeing while we acclimatize.

hehe 

I'm ambivalent tbh. As I wrote elsewhere, I'm not exactly keen on SMF's interface at all: It does, however, have the distinct advantage of being free to use without restriction, quite modifiable, and reasonably robust.

Although I think email might be broken right now As soon as I've cleared my desk of urgent day job work, I'll need to take a closer look

Hi - sorry for the delay replying here.

Yeah, the listerengine.com domain (which I do not control) has gone dormant - the people who own it have failed to renew it (like they do every year), so now we're on the backup domain lister-engine.com (which I DO control).

This does mean that anyone who uses Coppermine will now have broken links.  Since that's a mega pain in the arse to fix, I'll do a DB script to do it for you, just as soon as I can find the time to do so.

Apologies!

Going forward, it would be better to use the lister-engine.com address, as that will ALWAYS point to the correct location. I'll check the Coppermine config to see if I need to change anything there.

As you may have read in the news recently, there's been a couple of nasty vulnerabilities discovered in the PHP programming language, which is used by millions of websites across the planet, including MEM (the forum software is implemented in PHP). Newer versions of PHP (8.5+) have already been fixed; but older versions will not be addressed.

The bad news is: We're running on an older version of PHP, one that won't be patched, and I can't upgrade to a newer one because SMF 2.0 doesn't support them. To do that, we'd also need to upgrade to SMF 2.1, which is a MAJOR job - and, I know from other forums that have made the switch, there are enough differences between 2.0 and 2.1 to cause significant friction with users (i.e. you lot  ).

The good(ish) news is: Because I recently moved us to a new server & a new containerised system (docker, for those who know what that is - if you don't, it's not vital to the news), so we're already partly protected. I've also just made some configuration changes that SHOULD make us pretty much secure. It's not 100% guaranteed... but fingers crossed: And even if they do get into the system, they're stuck in a container they can't get out of, which will significantly reduce any damage they could do.

With regards to the database - the DB is backed up nightly, with one backup retained for a week - so if anyone does notice anything funky, as long as it's reported quickly, we'll lose at most 1 day's worth of posts.

Unfortunately I'm severely time constrained right now, which means I don't know how much of a chance I'll get to do a trial migration to v2.1 + upgrade to latest PHP + patches; but I'll try to fit it in if I can. Then I'll need some volunteers to take a look at it/test it to make sure the new user interface isn't going to cause problems.  I'll post any news up here & in the chatterbox board.

So...

The bad news is: We're running on an older version of PHP, one that won't be patched, and I can't upgrade to a newer one because SMF 2.0 doesn't support them. To do that, we'd also need to upgrade to SMF 2.1, which is a MAJOR job - and, I know from other forums that have made the switch, there are enough differences between 2.0 and 2.1 to cause significant friction with users (i.e. you lot  ).

The better news is: Because I recently moved us to a new server & a new containerised system (docker, for those who know what that is - if you don't, it's not vital to the news), so we're already partly protected. I've also just made some configuration changes that SHOULD make us pretty much secure. It's not 100% guaranteed... but fingers crossed: And even if they do get into the system, they're stuck in a container they can't get out of, which will significantly reduce any damage they could do.

With regards to the database - the DB is backed up nightly, with one backup retained for a week - so if anyone does notice anything funky, as long as it's reported quickly, we'll lose at most 1 day's worth of posts.

Unfortunately I'm severely time constrained right now, which means I don't know how much of a chance I'll get to do a trial migration to v2.1 + upgrade to latest PHP + patches; but I'll try to fit it in if I can. Then I'll need some volunteers to take a look at it/test it to make sure the new user interface isn't going to cause problems.  I'll post any news up here & in the announcements page.

Some photos from today's display

I'd just like to take this opportunity to offer a huge thanks to Mike Cole - and his able assistant Tony - for their wonderful display of aero (+ a couple of stationary) engines. All of which generated a huge amount of interest and general desire to chat - we were absolutely mobbed on Thursday, a little quieter today, I think because the whole show was a little quieter today. Being That Bloke Who's Never Built An Engine, I did my best to keep everyone well fed and watered through the day, as well as passing on the few trinkets of knowledge that I managed to retain from listening to Mike talking about his engines.

Looking forward to tomorrow and Sunday with a whole new set of engines to look at and learn about. Can't wait!

IMHO - and this is at least partly informed by what I've witnessed in the last couple of days...

There's a lot of people who are less than comfortable using computers, who are avid model engineers. Partly, I believe that's an age thing - a lot of people are of my parents' generation, who might have only been using computers actively for the last dozen - or fewer - years. Trying to explain what a forum is can be an interesting challenge, just as they might find it challenging to explain some more esoteric machining manoeuvre to a relative greenhorn such as myself.  Even amongst my generation, and younger generations, there are still a number of people who find using computers to be something they really don't much like doing, and asking them to decipher some of the boards we have could well be something that puts them off.  I've spent 40 years designing and writing software, about 30 of those professionally, and a significant amount of time designing user interfaces, often for people just like I've described, who want things simple, straightforward and quite possibly in a large font!  Truth be told, I'm not much of a fan of the UI of this very forum (or any others that use SMF) - it was chosen largely because a) it's free, b) it's functional, and c) well supported. It even supports themes, which we've never really investigated here, but ultimately that's still just a shiny new skin over the same thing. Like wearing a spiderman costume - now you look a bit more like spiderman, but you still can't shoot webs out of your wrists...

Anyway - the point I am laboriously coming around to is this: We should always listen to people's feedback, even if it's just one person making that feedback, and try to gauge it as people who are not using the forum daily & have been for years; but as the considered opinion of someone who is sufficiently invested that they feel emboldened enough to make suggestions. I absolutely do NOT want this place to be seen as some kind of holy ground where the lofty owners live on untouchable pedestals, who know The Holy And Only Truth. I WANT to be challenged about what this place offers, how it offers it, and what people thing we can do to improve it. Anyone who has met me knows I'm no fount of wisdom.  I may know my software onions, and just about enough machining practice to be thoroughly dangerous to me and those around me... and yes, I've picked up a few UI skills along the way.

In this particular case - the ask is not that big: Just a "general help" board which is a bit more broad-brush than the more specific boards; but not quite so "free-wheeling" as Chatterbox - and, honestly, I wouldn't go to Chatterbox if I wanted help on something, I always saw that board as more of a "pub table", where almost any subject (religion and politics excluded) can be talked about between people sharing an interest outside machine tools and engines. So, to summarise, I don't think adding one more board is going to hurt the user interface any more than it already hurts; and we can look at it in 6 monnths to a year's time - and sure, if no-one's using it, we can take it away again.

The old saying "there ain't no such thing as a free lunch" doesn't apply here. It costs nothing to add a new board; and if it's only got tumbleweed in it after a period of time, there's no cost to archiving it off.

Anyway, all that said - I've got to head out shortly for a dinner with a nice gentleman who's flown all the way from Australia simply to see us at MMEX, and have a free lunch on MEM's dime  (kidding of course, it's more like happy happenchance that he's in the vicinity while we are).

Quote from: Minh Thanh  I intended to say more... but let’s just leave it here.
  The admin or a moderator can lock or delete this thread.

I do understand what you're looking for, I just haven't had time to set something up yet, apologies. Keep an eye on the help category over the next week or so, I'll add a new board or two.

The stand, with all of Mike's engines on it

Attention!

If you do come to see us at MMEX, and identify yourself with your forum username, I should have a very limited supply of MEM mugs, and a slightly less limited supply of MEM pens!

I expect to give the exhibitors a mug each as a useful workshop keepsake; which means I should have about 5 to give away to lucky members.

---

If anyone else is interested in a mug, please drop me a PM. If I get enough interest, I'll set up a poll... and if there's enough interest from THAT, then we'll do a batch (but they will cost I'm afraid - they're not cheap! Which is not to say they're not cheap - I genuinely don't know what the quality is like yet... but it's a reputable company supplying them, so hopefully they'll last the course).

Unfortunately, the price is likely to be between £10-£11 plus P&P (aka S&H), excluding any tariffs imposed by certain left-pondian countries. So please do bear that in mind. There's not much of a bulk discount, regrettably, unless I can wangle a promo code on the order.

In case anyone who hasn't already posted is planning to come and see us.... on Friday PM (after the show) a few of us (ahem, 3 so far) are planning to have a bit of a bite to eat & possibly a glass of something at a nearby hostelry. Or hotel, as it's more commonly known...

If anyone fancies joining us (even if it's only provisionally for now), please PM me - or post here if you don't mind it being on record - so I can get an idea of numbers. And if it's just 3, well, all the more for us 

Quote from: deltatangoI'll be in the UK for most of October, so I've booked a room nearby the Event Centre for Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights (although I may have to cancel the Saturday and move on).

I'll get into the exhibition on Friday and Saturday and try to catch up with as many MEM people as possible.

David

Hey David,

Where are you staying? Mike T & I are in the Holiday Inn in Leamington Spa - you'd be welcome to swing by for a bite to eat/glass to drink (have you ever drunk glass? Bloody sharp, I'll tell you) if you're nearby, or even in the same establishment...

Cheers,
Ade.

So... I will be at MMEX for all four days - although I've not got any engines of my own to exhibit, but I figured I'd take up some space anyway.... So if anyone has any particular gripes about the forum software/hosting, feel free to pop along for a moan & a cup of coffee! (or just a chat in general).

Quote from: Jo
The Austin Sevens would be safer/better sold through the club 

Or get in touch with Sam Battle (aka Look Mum No Computer/Look Mum No Engine on YouTube) of Eurovision 2026 fame (infamy?) - he's got a couple of Austin 7s, and I bet he'd take a couple more!

He runs "This Museum Is Not Obsolete" in Margate, Kent - amongst a zillion other hobbies - honestly I don't know how he keeps up with his own life, let alone document all the stuff he does.