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Upcoming Server Upgrade 😳

RichN
RichN
in Announcements

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Posted

Hey everyone,

 

I’m excited to share that I’ll be upgrading our forum software to the latest version soon. This is a major update focused on backend improvements, enhanced security, and overall modernization. While I’m working hard to make the front end as close as possible to what we’re all accustomed to for this initial migration, you will notice some changes. Here’s what to expect:

Classic and Modern Themes

  • The current look and feel of the forum will be called “WPX Classic” and will remain the default for now.

  • After the migration settles, I’ll introduce a “WPX Modern” theme. You’ll have the option to switch between Classic and Modern based on your preference.

  • Even in the Classic theme, the forum will gain a more modern, functional experience.

Key Improvements

While there is an endless list of little things that are improved on the front & back end, here are a few of the key improvments.

 

  • Mobile: A significantly improved mobile browsing experience and App Setup. 

  • Dark Mode: A native dark mode option will be available from launch. 

  • My Streams Menu: A customizable view for sorting articles, posts, topics and even tags, moving beyond just showing “Unread All.”

  • Performance Improvements: Along with the software upgrade, I’m also moving the forum to a new server. This upgrade to both the software and hardware should provide noticeable performance improvements. While things have been running pretty well, now is the perfect time to make these enhancements.

  • Future Customization: This upgrade will enable us to introduce and customize future enhancements on both the back end and front end, giving us greater flexibility to adapt and improve over time.

Temporary Changes

  • Tags: Tags will be temporarily disabled at launch but will return soon as we digest how to use in the new system. The updated tagging system will be more useful, allowing features like creating streams based on tags and following your preferred tags.

  • The store will not be available initially after the migration. A new store will be launched soon. 

Downtime Information

This migration is a large and complex task. I estimate that the forum will be offline for up to 4 hours during the update. I’ll try to keep the site accessible in guest mode during this time, but you won’t be able to log in.

Migration Timeline

The update will take place between April 12th and 15th. Once I finalize the exact date and start time, I’ll post an update here. I’ve already done a few dry runs, and I’m confident it should go smoothly.

 

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to bring you these exciting updates. I’m confident this upgrade will not only enhance our community now but also set the stage for continued improvements and useful features in the future, providing a more secure and customizable platform for everyone.

 

I think thats it for now.. Stay tuned for more details.

 

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    Quote

    Dark Mode: A native dark mode option will be available from launch. 

     

    I really love you now 😆

    • Like 2
    • Haha 1
    23 minutes ago, RichN said:

    🤣

     

    image.gif

     

    This is some powerful dark magic, you be careful there ye mighty wizard.

    Edited by makar0n

    • Haha 1
    • Author

    If all goes as planned, I will begin the migration on Monday, April 14, 2025, at 12 PM EST (UTC-5). The migration is estimated to take approximately 4 hours.

     

    During this time, the site will enter maintenance mode and remain inaccessible until the migration is completed. Once everything is fully migrated and set up, the DNS will be updated to point to the new server.

    I will update the maintenance page if the migration takes longer than expected or if any issues arise. If there are any changes to the migration schedule, I will post updates here.

     

     

    Thanks

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    • Author

    took way longer, which you could say is expected but not expected 😁 Im sure there will be little things ill be changing over the next day or so as well as tuning the server. Please comment if you notice anything or have questions.

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    Hi, the dimensions of the text in the post are very tiny.... It is very difficult to read ... (at least for me).

    Is it possible to enlarge the dimensions of the characters ?

    The dark mode is fantastic for me...

    Thank you.

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    29 minutes ago, TimG said:

    If you click in the small icon that is your profile at the tope lot the page, you'll see it there.

    I've raised this with Rich but don't know if that is changeable at the moment.

    OK Thanks, for me it was better/faster before.. but functionnality is there :)

    38 minutes ago, scipionems said:

    Hi, the dimensions of the text in the post are very tiny.... It is very difficult to read ... (at least for me).

    Is it possible to enlarge the dimensions of the characters ?

    The dark mode is fantastic for me...

    Thank you.

    Noted and will explore - thanks.

    • Like 1
    • Author

    Yes, once the dust settles from the move and & see where the tax is on the server, I'll start tweaking it. from when we went live I actually increased font size. I do believe it is 1pt larger then the old site now.

    Im sure lots of little adjustments will be made over the coming days, weeks.....

    Opening the forum/opening threads/everything/this quick reply window loaded for 15sec/basically everything is like on a 2400 baud modem.

    Nevermind, started working after 5mins.

    Still trying to get used to the fonts.

    Edited by Sokrates

    Maybe I am missing something. I can't find the 'Latest Activity' link that used to appear (almost) top and to the right, where there was a list of all recent posts by age.

    Can anyone point me to where that is now?

    Some of the text is smaller and more difficult to read for me too. Where I find it most problematic is when I click the "All Activity" button to see a chronological list of all the recent posts. I believe the post titles are smaller, and it is more difficult to tell the difference between the read and unread posts since the difference in their size/boldness is more subtle. Plus the usernames and forum sections are also bold (unnecessarily, in my opinion), contributing to too many things competing for the attention of the eyes, when the only thing I'm usually interested in is the unread posts.

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    • Author

    gotcha.. ill look in to it..

    There is a site Text size, that adapts internally for certain things (ex. headers, menus etc). This default size is baked in for the entire site.

    We also have the option to increase user input size.. so you will notice the forums might be or feel slightly bigger then other parts of the site because I already have increased it.

    Also bumping the size up im starting to see some shifts in things. Saying all that, we could A) try another font B) I can look over the css and see what I can adjust in a custom template. or c) Both haha.

    Ill do some digging...

    3 hours ago, RichN said:

    I changed the font to Inter, seems to open up a little bit.. see what you all think about that.

    Hi RichN , the dimensions of the text in the internet site is good, the problem is inside the forum and specifically inside the post.

    For example in this thread , all the post are microscopic and very difficult to read...

    I don't know if this happens only to me.... I use an apple computer and Safari... I will try to use another browser...

    Thank you for your hard work...

    • Author
    11 minutes ago, scipionems said:

    Hi RichN , the dimensions of the text in the internet site is good, the problem is inside the forum and specifically inside the post.

    For example in this thread , all the post are microscopic and very difficult to read...

    I don't know if this happens only to me.... I use an apple computer and Safari... I will try to use another browser...

    Thank you for your hard work...

    hey send me a screen shot so I can see, I user a Mac and Safari and in the forum things are bigger then everywhere else. All user posted content will be slightly bigger then the default text everywhere else one the site. OR Should be... example is the best way for me to see... I'll attach a sample on how it looks here.

    image.png

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