Future of the Forum - Poll

[SysAd]

I found out what is wrong with the database. It's size has exceeded the allowable limit on our hosting plan. This leaves two choices, either upgrade the plan at an additional $350 a year or delete older posts or some forums to get it back under a gigabyte in size. If you opt for donating enough to cover the additional cost (I would do it myself if I could, but my SS check doesn't go that far) or ongoing deletion of posts whenever the database exceeds the allowable size. Since this is your forum, I leave the choice to you. If either way, we have till December 5 to either raise the money or delete the data.

Pat

[Tuna]

Pat, If you were to keep all of the threads for 2017 and delete the rest, that should be a gain of quite a bit of space. Lets face it there is a lot of junk that is piled up and could be removed and that is just in gun talk. We do the same to the rest of the forums too. Maybe any forum that doesn't have at least two or three posts each month for the past year could be deleted. Only thoughts on my part here.

[gunny]

FWIW...

I think "Tuna" has a good idea !

Gunny

[Allen]

Ditto. I for one like information in the older post but I can not navigate and find these items any more so all of this past info is not doing me any good. I don't know if others have the same problem as I do.

[k arga]

I'm with Tuna, I only read the current postings never go back to look for stuff.

[barretcreek]

Gun Talk and 2A may contain stuff which becomes outdated quickly, but others pertaining to specific weapons and data may be worth maintaining.

Can the selection be made forum by forum or does everything before X go or stay?

[dryheat]

I would delete old "arguments" and trim some of the subjects. There are 30 different catagories.

[bruce]

Just saw this ... "There are currently 121 users online. 17 members and 104 guests." Current time is 8:52 PM (EST). If we want to build this site back up to what it was a few years ago, we must have a variety of forums, etc. If a forum is only being frequented a time or two a month, it's utility would be questionable. Posts from more than a year ago are probably not worthy of being saved unless truly remarkable.

CSP and now CSP2 have meant a great deal to me. This was the first place I came when I first got a M-1 Garand from the CMP. I am willing to put my money where my interests are. Let me know how much to send, where, etc. Can do Paypal, etc. I am certain there are many others who would also want to support this forum. Sincerely. bruce.

[PWC]

I agree with Tuna and Dry heat.

Pat, I know you replied in another post that "I paid the amount necessary to upgrade our hosting plan till we decide on what to do"....
I don't know how much time that gains, if it is still 12/5/17 or you paid a full year, but you could give the users until ??/??/?? to copy and save the posts/information they want before deleting the old data. I know I do that now. There was a scare, for me, long time ago about Lanes Tips, that we had lost the Major's and Gus Fisher's reference data, so when I did re-find them I began copying, and I copy from this board. We would lose valuable history, but hopefully a query to the board would result in the usual helpful answers from the other users and their saved data.

Also, you asked about Forums to be "laid off": I would hate to see them go, but "On the Firing Line", "Stolen Firearms", "Service Life" "Militaria", and "Books and Videos" all seem to be slow but they do make this a well rounded "premier" shooting website; but if this is a business decision and something needs to be laid off....... I know I will probably be flamed, but you did ask for opinions.

[Tuna]

PWC, I doubt anyone will flame you for stating your ideas. That is what Pat is asking for, your ideas. And your right. Some of the forums only have 10 or less postings in two years. I don't mind donating to the cause but it only is good for a year and it comes around again so more money shelled out. Time to clean house. If in the future it picks up again then she can always add another forum to the site.

[SysAd]

To answer a few questions:

We are paid until 12/9 so I chose 12/5 to either have to the money in hand to pay the upgraded service for the coming year or have the excess posts deleted and the service downgraded.

Since there are thousands of posts, it is not possible to review and delete or preserve individual posts. I can delete by forum and date until the goal of about a 20% reduction is achieved. Further deletion will occur whenever we approach the gigabyte limit. Obviously, the political forum and gun talk would be the first for post deletion as their information becomes less relevent first. I could run a poll on which forums to save as much as possible.

However you want to do this is fine with me. The poll will show us the decision.

[PWC]

You go girl!

[free1954]

you could get ride of the SECOND AMENDMENT AND POLITICS FORUM. most of the threads started on there are rable rousing designed to stir up trouble.

[oscars]

Kill all posts and threads older than 30 days. Imagine the public health implications of the old men having to make face to face contacts instead of rummaging through antiquate posts, looking fro something to do (comment on).

[RED]

If you could keep the political posts for only 30 days, that would clear up quite a bit of space.