I suddenly find a Radical Change in the overall "Persona" of our Forums.

Much of this is pretty Familiar and Common, -from elsewhere in the Net World. And at least much of our "Old" remains, -if repackaged in something of a Different Way.

As to our Old Way, -I like to get right onto a Forum, and be able to Right Away comb thru Topics and Threads, -anywhere from Current to Way Back! I've yet to see how Easy or Difficult it is to do so, -here in our New System and Setup!

By "Way Back", -I mean Way Back to the Very Beginning! Like we had back in our Old Setup. (of really not all that long ago). I've just read something in the FAQs about this now only going back to Two Years. Granted, Two Years is quite Generous. But for all the Pricelessly Valuable Information we've All Along and Ever built up, -It should Self Evidently Follow, -that this all should somehow be Available and Saved! Maybe the Load's built up to being "too Impractical" to Save by now, -things like that can be Duly Understandable, in their Way. But what I've said to the Contrary a bit ago, -still also Holds True! I'm Hoping that at the Very Least, -a Record of Suchall *Remains* somewhere!

I also Can't exactly find Posts or other Info *on and about* this New System and Setup! Here in the New. Though there well may have been such Heads Upping, -just recently in the Old.

I know that in many Areas of Life, the New *is* Better in many a Way. And that "Oldsters" like me, -can be just somewhat too caught up in, and "Preferable of", the Old. Perhaps some of this is now in Play, with me here. Much can of course be said for things like, -"If it Aint Broke, -Don't Fix it!".

But there could also be various Somethings *to*, -what I'm saying to the Contrary here!

Of course Set Out in New and Improved Directions! But Maintain and Preserve *also*, -the Better and Best of the Old!

Sadly, the old version suffered from bugs and security holes, and didn't like to play nicely with the newer server's web server software. Change is inevitable in cases like that.

You can get started closer to "the old way" by clicking on Forum List I believe once you first log in.

Well, there's a number of issues you have converging here.

!. Security threats. You really can't have any idea how hard it is to keep up with the attacks on the old software.

2. I did post a short summary of what you can do with the new Software, in this very section.

3. Like so much about software, things change in the interface conventions and the way things work. Yes, it's good to be familiar with something, however, technology, like so many things, is a river, and if you cling to the shore, you never learn where the river leads.

4. I really, strongly, strongly, strongly advise you to take a look at the "My Stuff" and "Portal Page" - there's a LOT you can mess with there to get the forums working in a way you like.

As an admin, this update has been VERY positive, and all in all, it seems like it's been working well for the majority of the users here.

Like learning how to operate a new tool, it's worth the effort.

I find the present format less intuitive than the old one. I appreciate the security considerations but navigation seems to be less "obvious". I guess that we will get used to it. Eventually.

Another bug I'm seeing now is the "past 24 hours" doesn't get all the new posts from the last 24 hours. I get page one of one and click on a thread on that page and see about 5 other replies on that thread which don't show up on the "past 24 hours" search.

Happy to report here, a few weeks later, -that I've wandered further out into the River, -and am Substantially more Comfortable and Familiar with it!