Changes are on the Way!

[Magic Music]

Changes are on the Way!

All Forum Members:

Exciting changes are on the way for MagicMusic.net and The Disney Music Discussion Forum!

Trent Schwartz, MagicMusic.net's founder, has accepted my offer to assume responsibility for the website. Trent will remain as a Co-Administrator and Ken (makeminemusic) will continue to serve as a Global Moderator in the forum.

In a few short days, we will be simultaneously moving to a new host and installing more powerful forum software. All existing posts and attachments will be transferred to the new forum. Member records will be transferred, too, but everyone will need to reset their password upon their first visit to the new forum.

Once we have made it through the initial transition, you can expect to see many enhancements added to MagicMusic.net and to The Disney Music Discussion Forum in the weeks and months ahead.

A content management system will bring a new front end to the website that will, among other things, allow us to maintain a database of old and new Disney music releases. Area and background music "playlists" from the Disney Parks and Resorts will also have a new home.

Many new forums and sub forums will be added in order to make it easier to find topics of interest.

Member blogs and photo galleries will make an appearance.

A streaming radio station and/or podcasts may also be added in the future.

Remember that any forum, no matter how fancy it may appear to be, is only as good as its membership. Every one of YOU is what makes this place special. Let's all work together to make MagicMusic.net the best place on the Net for...

Celebrating the Music Behind the Magic!

Jay (aka Pigs on the Wing)

 

[WishesFan]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

This is fantastic to hear!! I'd like to say thank you to everyone who moderates and is in charge of this forum; it's always been a wonderful place for us Disney fans and it's great to see it moving forward!! Trent, thanks for starting one the best forums on the net!

Magic & Pixie Dust to all!
-Rick

 

[Horizons]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

This sounds promising. Just curious, when do you expect to have all of the enhancements activated (e.g., member blogs)?

 

[Magic Music]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

when do you expect to have all of the enhancements activated (e.g., member blogs)?

Patience, young Skywalker.

I expect to have member blogs added shortly after we make the move to the new software. Hopefully, within a week or two.

 

[X-S Tech]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

While I think some changes are necessary, I really hope the site doesn't become too sprawling. One thing I've always enjoyed about this site in particular was that it was basically one page. Rodentsections seemed like a great place to discuss music also, but with a dozen or so seperate discussion boards, it's difficult to keep up with what's being discussed, and usually I just don't bother. I like being able to come here and see what I've missed in the last couple of days. Just one mans opinion, but hopefully something you will consider.

 

[WishesFan]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

I TOTALLY agree with XS, I was going to say something similar in my post but forgot.

 

[Magic Music]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

with a dozen or so seperate discussion boards, it's difficult to keep up with what's being discussed

I hear you. I think we can use more than "General," but we don't need so many categories that it becomes too difficult to manage your way around.

Don't lose sight of the fact, though, that all you really need to do upon visiting the forum is click on the 'New Posts' link. It is not necessary to visit each category separately in order to see what's new.

Everyone, please feel free to contact me via PM or e-mail with any suggestions you might have. I'm all ears.

 

[eyore]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

Waiting in eager anticipation...............................

 

[mmmfan]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

I agree with XS and Rick,but I think a new board will be okay.Glad that all old posts will be saved.
Nice to see a post from Rick.Haven't heard from you.Working on anything for Disney?

 

[BLM07]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

It's good news that the forum will get a upgrade. What software are you looking at? I like the idea of having at least a couple of other sections, but I agree with the idea keeping it a small amount.

Maybe this could be THE new home for area music lists? Just keep it organized

 

[Magic Music]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

What software are you looking at?

vBulletin, recommended by four out of five dentists for their patients who visit discussion forums.

 

[almandot]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

Pretty much the only categories I can think of is one for Park Music and one for Non-Park Music and one for Non-Disney Music. I

I'd just hate to see it become one of what many other websites are... a big front page that tries to be important but isn't and a site with more features than it needs. vBulletin, while powerful, is so unnecessary for many sites. Truth be told I dislike almost every site's "main page" and skip over it in almost every case. It can serve a purpose but in most cases it doesn't really. The forum is the biggest part to this site still and I'd much rather get right into the forums and then have a nice way to jump into different sections of the site such as that database, etc..

 

[Magic Music]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

...and one for Non-Disney Music.

That would belong on The Non-Disney Music Discussion Forum, wouldn't it?

vBulletin, while powerful, is so unnecessary for many sites.

vBulletin is more important for what you don't see, the behind-the-scenes activity, than what you do see.

When you have watched one of your forums blow up due to unknown errors, and you are unable to make the correct repairs, and proper technical support is nowhere to be found, you start to realize that some things just aren't worth skimping on.

I have tried a zillion different pieces of bulletin board software over the years, going back to the 300-bit/s dial-up days, and I can think of nothing I trust more than vBulletin.

We could stay with the one forum category we have now, with no additional features, and I would sleep more comfortably at night knowing that the best of the best is working for us.

SMF, our current software, generated a 300-page error log yesterday alone. And that's in addition to the fact that we're getting hit with dozens of Spambot registrations every day. We're at the point, right now, where Spambots account for one out of every three member records. That's not good!

 

[Magic Music]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

A number of people have been having problems posting to the forum and/or sending PMs due to a bug in the SMF software that is telling them they have already posted from the same IP address within the last 300 seconds -- even when this is clearly not the case.

I have corrected this problem by setting the 'Time required between posts from the same IP' back to zero (ignore).

I believe Trent had recently set it to 300 seconds in an attempt to stop the Spambots.

makeminemusic and I will continue to monitor the forum for spam. Until we have the new forum software in place, which will rectify the problem, I would rather know that we're not preventing any of our legitimate members from posting actual content.

 

[Gurgitoy2]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

I'm noticing the edit feature has disappeard as well. I wanted to correct some of my spelling in a post, but was not able to edit...

I suppose it may be pointless anyway, since we're moving...

 

[Tannerman]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

Thumbs up on the choice of vBulletin! It doesn't get any better.

 

[Magic Music]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

I wanted to correct some of my spelling in a post, but was not able to edit...

Long-term editing/deleting of posts has been turned off in advance of the move. Short-term editing is available for up to five minutes after creating a new post.

Find those errors quick!

 

[daliseurat]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

It will be interesting to see the changes. I've had no problems with the site as is, but I just read and post occasionally. I do wish Jay would keep his old name, or rather his alias. It's one of my favorites. I know what to expect from that name. I hope Jay posts with the same gusto as Pigs on a Wing.

 

[Club 33]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

Sounds promising indeed. Glad to hear There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow...Just a Dream Away...

 

[JungleBumCT]

Re: Changes are on the Way!

I'm just happy that PM's work again.