THANKS--New Site Transition

[Ken Hill]

John,

Thanks for all the work you did to get the site over to new H/w and O/S. It appears to have gone very smooth. Hopefully, you didn't lose any sleep over the transition.

Ken

[John Dunkle]

Hi Ken,

First - thank you! I've been working on this in the background over the past month or so - and it's a well earned upgrade to all on the Forum - so my thanks!

As the code set is all different, I'm watching for any errors that might appear - especially in all the custom scripts (there are over 300?!?) - and the database - but, so far - fingers (and toes! ;) ) remain crossed...

Anyway - my thanks Ken!!

John

[CraigThompson]

Thanks for all the effort ! Was this a usual upgrade type thing or is it a new realm in forum technology ? Bear in mind nothing above a basic answer will most likely be understood by me atleast . :rotf:

[John Dunkle]

;) Craig.....

Seriously - my thanks!!

OK - in short we are now sitting on a new/faster system (dual core vs. quad-core processor and a system memory going from DDR2 to DDR4 and 3GB to 8GB) which uses a very different Operating System (Microsoft vs. Linux (Ubuntu LTS)) and a new WebServer underpinning (Microsoft IIS to Apache 2.4). Too - the database isn't MySQL - but rather now MariaDB, for performance reasons. And too - the versions of PHP and the actual Forum software are up several versions (for security)...

Anyway - if you don't read between the (parens) - it's a pretty massive upgrade.. If you read between the (parens) - you'll get a 100 foot view and a bit more technical..??

But my short answer is - simply - my thanks!!! ;)

John

[CraigThompson]

;) Craig.....

Seriously - my thanks!!

OK - in short we are now sitting on a new/faster system (dual core vs. quad-core processor and a system memory going from DDR2 to DDR4 and 3GB to 8GB) which uses a very different Operating System (Microsoft vs. Linux (Ubuntu LTS)). Too - the database isn't MySQL - but rather now MariaDB, for performance reasons. And too - the versions of PHP and the actual Forum software are up several versions (for security)...

Anyway - if you don't read between the (parens) - it's a pretty massive upgrade.. If you read between the (parens) - you'll get a 100 foot view and a bit more technical..??

But my short answer is - simply - my thanks!!! ;)

John

Thanks for the prompt reply ! And as I anticipated about the only part of that I remotely understand is 3GB to 8GB :whistle: Still your explanation is appreciated :bowdown:

[John Dunkle]

Well - if it makes you feel any better - I probably can't shoot my Parkers as well as you? But - I do know how to "shoot programming/operating systems and computers"..???

Please remember that if we ever shoot together, Craig - as I might need a few points in my favor?? ;) ;)

My thanks and best to you!

John

[allen newell]

Thanks John for all your hard work

[John Dunkle]

My thanks, Allen...!

(by the way - posting on this updated software is mighty fast? Geeeez - I hope it doesn't break??!!!! :eek:)

John

[Mills Morrison]

John D is the man! Thanks for your tireless work

[John Dunkle]

Thanks Mills..!

Seriously - I love when a "plan comes together" like this... I'm kind of watching the server to see if any errors arise in the next few hours - and then overnight when it pulls all the backups will be another milestone. After that? I think we should be "good to go"...

Anyway - my thanks my friend! ;)

John

[Daryl Corona]

I have no idea what you did John but thank you. This is the very best designed gun related web site I visit. We certainly don't pay you enough.:bowdown:

[Garry L Gordon]

Well - if it makes you feel any better - I probably can't shoot my Parkers as well as you? But - I do know how to "shoot programming/operating systems and computers"..???



John, I have only a small inkling of the difficult work you've done, and the dedication and expertise you've brought to that work...but thank you so much. (And, not only do I not understand the technical nature of what you've done, I'm also a poor shot to boot!)

[Brett Hoop]

I don't have the slightest clue! This place you've created reminds me of the local Gun Shop I would visit with my grandfather in the '60s. A place where I could sit on the bags of Purina Dog Chow and listen. Many Thanks

[John Dunkle]

My thanks Daryl, Garry and Brett..!

But, truth is - thank the old PGCA BOD back about 10 years ago who had the confidence that I could "just do what I do". And for that, this small slice of the Internet is to the credit of PGCA Members and Forum users who pull up a chair, gather round, and share their expertise, views, stories and advice each and every day...

For that - for all the folks who post, comment and share their advice? Yea, in my world, those are the folks who deserve the credit for "That Local Gun Shop" atmosphere - certainly not mine...

Rather - I just try to be certain the road is paved to that "Local Gun Shop", and those who might try to set up a "Detour" on that road, don't divert us all too much...

Just from my end of the telescope and again, with my sincerest thanks to each of you...!

John

[Dean Romig]

For the countless hours you dedicate to us, your friends, your compatriots in (Parker) arms - we owe you a level of gratitude that can never be repaid except with our most sincere "Thanks John!"... :cheers:






.

[John Dunkle]

Thanks Dean - but, really - I might say the same about you and a couple of others - like Mary, Chuck, Allan - and a few others who do this each and every day.... I know I'm leaving out a few - but, you get the idea....

Remind me to put in a "blushing" gremlin, by the way...

;)

My thanks right back to you and all that make the PGCA happen each day and every day...

John

[Eric Estes]

Wow, great job John. Moving from Windows/IIS/MySQL to Linux/Apache/MariaDB is a REAL big deal. Especially with MariaDB being a nosql db. I assume vBulletin has some data migration tools for that part. Months in the planning and prep indeed. Gives me a headache just to think of it, lol. If any of the custom code was touching the DB directly that would have been a boatload of work to update too.
Glad to see it off Windoze and IIS. Yes, I am a Linux snob.
I see you upgraded vBulletin from 3.7x to 3.8.4. Curious why not v4x or v5x? I have no experience with vBulletin myself so was just curious.
Thanks again for the wonderful service you provide to the PGCA. The amount of work involved in responsibility for this forum and the PGCA site is huge. This is one of the best run sites across the whole of the net IMO.

[Eric Eis]

Not really sure what you have done, but when I saw the notice that we were shut down for eight hours if all went well....:shock: (ie. two days) All I can say is thank you for all of your support to the PGCA and keeping this site running. And to think it all started with your Grandfather's gun and you asking a question.....! Just think how easy it would have been if you had not asked, but then again you would never been reacquainted with his gun. This is a special place ! Thanks again for all you do. Eric

[John Dunkle]

Hi Eric and Eric!

Wow - had I known you as much as you do, Eric - I would solicited you to assist!! I'm not kidding... Yes, I have several other web forums I maintain and host, and the majority are Linux. The reason I set this up on IIS way back when (over 10 years ago, now) was the FPE (frontpage extensions) and the way IIS handled FastCGI (back then)... In looking at Linux versions - I've also been partial to Ubuntu, so -- went in that direction on programming/transitioning this upgrade... You also asked some GREAT questions about migrating from MySQL - PHP - vB, and I'd like to say "yes" - but, no, in fact, MariaDB wasn't around in their canned upgrade scripts - so, much of it had to be imported by hand (table by table in some cases).

Another excellent question about vB and why not VB4/5? Honestly - first is the transition given the amount of custom programming in the PHP scripts-which was a tough drag into this version. Also - VB4/5 has almost "too many" features, and the look and feel" is very different - and it would probably be a bit daunting for some of the folks here. And finally - this version just feels like a pair of comfortable boots that still fit - if that makes sense? So - this version has all the patches installed - and decided to maintain it for now?

Anyway - some terrific questions! Thanks for those!

And Eric (Opening Day) - thanks buddy... It seems like a long time ago when I had the nerve to post on the PGCA site "why back when" as a newbie and certainly not a PGCA Member at that time- and yep - take a look at how far it's all come... If the forum back then were Member Only - I never would have been able to get involved with the PGCA nor meet some wonderful folks and have this story come "full circle" as it were?

My thanks again guys...

My Sunday Morning Rambles,

John

[Scot Cardillo]

For the benefit of feedback: It wasn't terrible before but, since your work, I'm noticing a significant increase in overall fluidity and speed across the website. We have gigabit service (FIOS). Thanks for the update!

Also, thanks to those who put in the work to keep this forum going..it's a wonderful resource.

*just noticed it's time for me to renew..

[John Dunkle]

Thanks Scot - and thanks for your continued support of the PGCA!

Too - I was wondering what the performance looked like to others across their networks - so too - thanks for those comments as well.!

John

[Dave Suponski]

John, Thank you for this and all you do 👍

[Daniel Carter]

Thank you John, in the way of feed back I notice that mine has gone from fast to instantaneous as I go between sections and posts.

[todd allen]

I am reminded of the duck analogy.
All we see is the duck gliding smoothly across the pond. We don't see the feet paddling like mad, underneath the water.

[Charles Waltman]

Thank you for your extreme effort and knowledge......Charles Waltman

[John Dunkle]

Dave, Daniel, Todd and Charles...

Thanks to each of you.. I mean that. I just dropped the final updated code a few minutes ago and have been monitoring the site/forum since putting it up yesterday. I think all of this will hold together - unless I find something that is broken?? :eek:

My thanks again to each of you.. It's why we do this thing..

And oh Todd.... I was LOL when I saw your analogy!!!! Hahaha! Right on!!! ;)

John

[Rich Anderson]

;) Craig.....

Seriously - my thanks!!

OK - in short we are now sitting on a new/faster system (dual core vs. quad-core processor and a system memory going from DDR2 to DDR4 and 3GB to 8GB) which uses a very different Operating System (Microsoft vs. Linux (Ubuntu LTS)) and a new WebServer underpinning (Microsoft IIS to Apache 2.4). Too - the database isn't MySQL - but rather now MariaDB, for performance reasons. And too - the versions of PHP and the actual Forum software are up several versions (for security)...

Anyway - if you don't read between the (parens) - it's a pretty massive upgrade.. If you read between the (parens) - you'll get a 100 foot view and a bit more technical..??

But my short answer is - simply - my thanks!!! ;)

John

I have no idea what all that means but thank goodness you do.:)

[Russell E. Cleary]

“…….Moving from Windows/IIS/MySQL to Linux/Apache/MariaDBIIS ……” Eric E.

“….the FPE (frontpage extensions) and the way IIS handled FastCGI (back then)... In looking at Linux versions - I've also been partial to Ubuntu, so -- went in that direction on programming/transitioning this upgrade... You also asked some GREAT questions about migrating from MySQL - PHP - vB, and I'd like to say "yes" - but, no, in fact, MariaDB wasn't around in their canned upgrade scripts - so, much of it had to be imported by hand (table by table in some cases)……”—John D.

Boy howdy! And I thought I was in awe when people were talking guns on here.

Sincere thanks John,

REC

[Bill Holcombe]

John,

Great work as always, you had indicated that you wanted feedback on any issues we encountered.

The search function may have changed and this may be intentional I have no idea, but prior to the update, if you put short string searches such as DHE or DH or some such which normally would be too short it would find them in parenthesis you could still search for them. Just tried doing a forum search for DHE or CHE in parenthesis and without parenthesis and no matches could be found, it worked fine when I searched for a word like parker. Not sure if intentional or not, but thought I would pass it on.

[Mark Ray]

photos seem to load much faster too!

[John Dunkle]

Hi Bill and Mark,

Bill - great catch and reminder! I still need to re-index the database for search words, which I'll try to do this evening...

And Mark - thank you! Yep, I'm pretty pleased with the upload and image rendering in this code, but great to know others are seeing it as well..

Anyway - my thanks to all..!

John

[John Dallas]

I don't think it's related to the new set-up ( which seems great) ,but I'm still trying to figure out how to block threads in which I'm not interested. Can it be done?

[John Dunkle]

Hey John,

If you mean "hide" threads you don't want to read from your forum display - no, it's never been a feature.. If you mean stop getting e-mail notices from threads you are subscribed to - you can do that either from the User Control Panel or at the bottom of each e-mail sent out (at the footer of the e-mail). Just click those links to unsubscribe from that thread or even all threads you are subscribed to...

Other than that - the only other way to "block threads" is simply don't click on them to read them??!! ;) ;)

Best to you John!

John

[John Dallas]

My mistake. I thought I had been able to "block" threads I wasn't interested in. Ignoring them is certainly an option, but I was hoping to not end up with a great big list of unread postings. No biggie. All is good. Thanks for your expertise and interest.

[John Dunkle]

Hmmm - do you mean "Mark Them All As Read"? Sure! Top right of of any page - look for "Quick Links" (just next to "Search"). Click that - and select "Mark Forums Read". That will take them out of your "New Posts" and mark all forum display threads as "Read" for you...

John

[John Dallas]

I don't think that will do it. For instance, I'm not interested in 10 gauge stuff. When I see a thread come in related to "10 Gauge", I'd like to be able to click in it somewhere, and not see anything related to that thread in the future

[John Dunkle]

Hmmm... Interesting idea, actually....

Let me think about it and see if it might be possible to code something like that in?

I'm working on the Search Index right now - so, let me play a bit... Are you thinking a "check-box" or something in a thread title that would "block" that specific thread - or rather, a "custom word file" you'd create in your profile to block threads with that/those words in your display of threads?

Interesting.....???

John

[John Dallas]

I was thinking about a specific thread, not generic