Mobile App: Photo Uploading Issue & Website Upgrades

[420]

I know..... Inside my head the startled voice went " a WHOLE DAY??" Then I thought "Oh....a day off!"

You guys are the best. There may be other sites, but we all know from experience there aren't better.

I've been working on desktop on both devices from the beginning, so it's the speed I'll appreciate. You guys know I appreciate everything you do to keep our playground safe and fun. I look forward to the learning curve.

I keep hearing that forums are fading out, but I don't see evidence of that here. What makes us so different?

Thank you Sue, that means a lot.

One thing that sets us apart from the rest, is how closely we enforce our guidelines, how serious we take our work, and the time, energy and care we put into discussing almost every situation that gets reported, as a team. We really do go the extra mile to turn nasty attitudes into positive members, by taking the extra time and energy to explain the fine tune details as to why we do and do not allow certain things here. In many cases, it's a simple issue of misunderstanding and assumption, mixed with a dash of pessimistic perspective.

Most of our Admins and Mods are professional adults on payroll operating a serious and successful company and mission, not volunteer kids running a hobby forum. Out of every 100 applicants that offer to join us, we accept one. We don't just take on anyone, screening everyone from every angle, to be sure they are the right energy to complete our dream team. The nightmares and horror stories we've endured from good seeds gone bad have shaved years off our lives and detracted from getting us to the next level. Anyone can fake their way through an interview, unfortunately it often ends up eating 3-6 months of our time and energy, to flush out their true colors. So in the end, it's much more efficient to be extremely picky, than to just let anyone in.

This is the main reason we've been so busy and short staffed, most people think the hardest part of their job will be rolling joints for the boss. Our staff works so hard every day; like Teddy & Richard working their butts off dealing with all of the drama in the back from reports and communicating with members to get issues resolved and everyone on the same page. Dwight, Chris, Curly & Dave combating spambots at all hours of the day and night, keeping your experience clean, fun and focused. Ron posting news, Amadeus cleaning and moving grow journals, Rich, Ian & Doc Bud writing fresh product reviews. Programmers working at all times on things that keep breaking from old software, upgrades causing broken things in other areas, security fixes, patches, additions, it's endless. There is a serious machine going on in the back, that most of you are completely unaware of. Then just when we think we've gotten caught up on everything, someone starts a fight, or gets edited and starts a revolution against us, or a troll comes along and eats up weeks of our lives again.

I personally have been working 12-18 hours a day here, 6-7 days a week, for the last 25 years, wearing a dozen hats to keep our ship afloat. Being our founder, CEO, webmaster and middle man between all of the programmers, artists and developers, sales manager working with sponsors to acquire contest prizes and ad revenue to keep the lights on, managing the team, recruiting, hiring and training staff, dealing with reports and legal issues, the list goes on. You don't see me anymore, because I'm always in the back working hard for you guys and gals. That and all those damned trolls over the years ruined the fun of socializing for me, so I don't bother anymore. It would be nice to actually have fun on my own website someday, without being attacked by trolls.

 

[The rooster]

Re: Mobile App: Photo Uploading Issue & Website Upgrades

Exactly! ty for explaining it so succinctly.

Any relation to growchygardensofgreen?

 

[Lady G2HM]

This is really great info and even more of a rare opportunity to chime in from a person with disabilities perspective. I was just thinking about this the other day, how do we let you guys know what really works without sending messages that would junk up your mail?

A thread would be nice where we get to always write out what works for us, positive comments, fantastic feedback, so it's open all the time instead of it being negative, I think it would be great because then it may shift us from always writing out what doesn't work for us.

The green overall colour is very soothing to someone with slight or major visual impairments. Your background pic now was a huge improvement in the context of hexidecimal colours used, in case you're wondering what's good for visual impairment.

I applaud your efforts to moderate and keep this forum the life-saving tool it has become for me. I am still learning how to categorize my pictures, so thank you for cleaning up after my confusion.

I have very much appreciated the casual posts of staff to alert us to new changes in popular threads, instead of just one post at the beginning of each month. I know you can't send stuff to our pm's, but this method has proved useful to me.

Nightmode is a blessing, if you guys can keep this for the phones, it is amazing for sore or red eyes.

The ability to thank people through a button, sets this forum apart because it allows gratitude to be an everyday occurance.

-------Recommendations--------

Is there anyway to limit the flash movements from ads? The Terpinator banner is amazing and how they use their flash, it's minimal but effective. However other sponsors banners flash like slot machines "Unbeatable" and really cause headaches more than anything. The more flashier the banner the harder it is to focus on the screen and the actual words they are highlighting.

Also, it would be nice if visually impaired growers could vote for contests. Grandpa is currently unable to participate because his reader is unable to interpret the interface. Just a little friendly mention on his behalf.

Kinda wish there was a preview button for my posts so I can see the entire layout before it goes lives. I make mistakes so much, so I rush to fix them as soon as I post. OR, if the post box could be bigger than 6 lines that would help tremendously.

Again, this is just a wishlist, what is important to convey you guys are completely on the right track for growers who need assistance and I commend you on your efforts to include EVERYONE in your conversion.

Thank you building us a better home to spend our precious time in.

 

[Pirate Prentice]

Re: Mobile App: Photo Uploading Issue & Website Upgrades

Any relation to growchygardensofgreen?

Nope never heard of him. Lol jk we are not "related" but have "relations," lol I can prove at least 4 of them.
Ps guys, a little OT but our wedding anniversary is 4/20 legit

 

[Pennywise]

I'm really looking forward to this new site, I've been to all the other big forums on the web and they left me with a sour taste in my mouth. When I came here and had a number of veteran growers greet me in the first few minutes I knew I had found a home. I'm here to grow with 420 Magazine for the long haul.

 

[TheMadDabber]

Agreed. When I was researching before I started growing it was clear that most forums weren't about helping new growers, but instead poking fun, putting down, and talking trash.

It quickly became clear to me that 420 was the only forum to consider. There are so many knowledgeable and helpful members and mods that have helped me and continue to help me strive to be the best grower I can.

Thanks everyone

Here is to 25 years of awesomeness

 

[Planter420]

Nope never heard of him. Lol jk we are not "related" but have "relations," lol I can prove at least 4 of them.
Ps guys, a little OT but our wedding anniversary is 4/20 legit

True story! Mrs G is a true greenthumb and I'm quite the lucky fella to have grabbed her up when I did .

I'm really looking forward to this new site, I've been to all the other big forums on the web and they left me with a sour taste in my mouth. When I came here and had a number of veteran growers greet me in the first few minutes I knew I had found a home. I'm here to grow with 420 Magazine for the long haul.

I imagine the lot of us will be sticking around for a long long time bud .

Agreed. When I was researching before I started growing it was clear that most forums weren't about helping new growers, but instead poking fun, putting down, and talking trash.

It quickly became clear to me that 420 was the only forum to consider. There are so many knowledgeable and helpful members and mods that have helped me and continue to help me strive to be the best grower I can.

Thanks everyone

Here is to 25 years of awesomeness

That's where banned 420 members end up lol. That's why they're so sour!

Keep it up 420, managed to get Mrs G registered up amidst all the confusion, so we're glad it will be getting better soon!

 

[TorturedSoul]

[LENGTHY POST AHEAD!]Re: Mobile App: Photo Uploading Issue & Website Upgrades

Lol I have no neighbors. And cable internet is nonexistent in my neck of the woods. Hughes net is only option it's expensive and has severe data limits. I use wireless data. It's my ONLY option

OH, okay. I apologize. I don't live in an inner-city situation (I'd be hanging from one of the ornamental protrusions of the many tall buildings in short order, methinks ), but there are about 26,000, maybe even 28,000 people within my little city's borders. I - well, my neighborhood - has access to broadband.

In addition to the data limits and PRICE, the satellite-beamed Internet access has latency issues. Definitely not a "best solution" if there's anything else better than dial-up.

Depends on who you are; you absolutely not. The other 420 million people who use Facebook and consume/grow legally without fear, yes.

Oh, to be one of them! Today, what?, one in five citizens in our country can do so on the state level, if the statistics I've read are at all accurate. At this point, I'd be happy (for want of a better word) if my state government would get off their duff and straighten out the medicinal-use stuff in time to maybe be of benefit for Mom before her decline is too great instead of procrastinating, arguing, putting off and pushing back... what we've already voted for.

But in this particular case, it wasn't my parano-- okay, wait, yes it was, lol. But I was thinking about the security aspect of people's accounts, not the bare fact that our subject matter isn't approved by every states' government or our federal one (to say nothing of those who live in countries where the term "draconian" wouldn't be inappropriate when talking about their leaders). I've read, and even seen on the local national news a couple times, about account hacking. While I suppose much of the purported insecurity with a thing like that (Facebook) is probably due to things like relatively simple passwords, people using the same password for multiple online accounts (don't do that, folks, lol), and the like... Facebook has had its issues in this regard. And, while I'm proud to be a member of this community and consider it to be a large one, Facebook must be a bigger target to those who either delight in data/identity theft or are being paid to do such things.

<SHRUGS> I can certainly see the appeal of... sheltering under a larger umbrella in the rain, as it were. No question. But some umbrellas might not be especially waterproof. (NOTE: I really, truly, hope that I am wrong, here. You know both my level of paranoia AND my enjoyment (need?) of being a member here. Sometimes they conflict each other, which can be... stressful.)

One thought that hadn't even occurred to me until now: Here I can call myself ~TS~ (or that other nickname, that I was thinking of pulling out of storage and dusting off...) - but don't people have to use their actual names with the Facebook website? Would that mean I'd have to sign in as Billy Joe Bobby Rae Rebeck, III (or whatever my name happens to be) to access this forum. Or, alternatively, that it would be easy to tell that ~TS~ was that person?

Seems like, even where cannabis is legal for medicinal use (only) people still sometimes get harassed by their employers, prospective employers, members of their homeowner's association (just because I don't like a thing doesn't mean I don't realize that many people live in one :rolleyes3 ), et cetera? That last one... Do they ever get bent out of shape upon discovering that one of their members has a lovely cannabis grow (journal), for example?

I like the concept. I started this whole Internet journey a number of years before even this forum was created, back when Internet access wasn't a given, wasn't even dial-up but, instead, meant you knew someone with a computer account on the local college's VAX/VMS mainframe. And, at the time, I didn't even think about trying to be anonymous online. I just didn't see the need. I believed in free speech, but understood that we should be responsible for our speech.

Then, over time, I began understanding that this can cause harm to a person even in this country. And, in other countries, that harm could be quick, brutal, and permanent.

Out of curiosity, I typed "are there countries where Facebook is not allowed" into a web-search engine. I immediately saw an article titled "10 countries where Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube has been banned." That's from 2016, so maybe things have changed in those countries (I don't know). Might be an issue, might not. Then again, some of those countries' governments probably don't consider the number one cannabis resource on the Internet to be on the "approved" list, either, so... IDK.

To be sure, I don't know how closely your forum will be associated with Facebook. I am not aware of the mechanics of the thing, whether it will ONLY allow one to sign in with their Facebook identity or if this will become (one giant) "Facebook page." I really do stay away from Fb, so my knowledge level is low. Every time I even consider becoming active on Facebook (admittedly, such times are few and far between, lol), I read something like "One good thing about having a lot of Facebook friends is that you simply act as a honey pot when your friends click on malicious things." (That was the first sentence in an article I read on Kaspersky Labs' SecureList malware awareness/defense website last Summer.) There might be a degree of FUD in articles of that nature, maybe...

...but I still routinely see auto-generated emails from people I know (offline) who use Facebook, containing links to malicious websites. Such as "You won't believe the picture I just saw of you online! Click this link to see it." Most people surely don't fall for such things, of course, but even the possibility...

BtW, boss, you've been too good to me for me to ever want to throw rocks at your house. And I've been trying to be more positive, not just here, but in general. Seems this project (ME, lol) still needs work <SIGH>. But I do have high, high hopes in regards to your upcoming change.

If/when I suggest someone join a cannabis forum, it is always this one.

It could also have to do with the old forum & gallery software, so let's see what happens first and then take it from there.

I hadn't thought of it at the time, but it could be that the forum ads have something to do with it, I suppose. I'm not knocking the concept. But things like that have been known to give mobile devices (and their web browsers) grief. Some browsers use HTML and not Flash, some use Flash but don't have any obvious method of protection, et cetera. Or the person's carrier might not be quickly forthcoming with security updates - which lowers the security of the whole device - and that can mean that people's devices get slower and slower in general as more and more things get their hooks into said device. It's like half the computers were still running Windows XP, lol, and half of the ones that have been upgraded to a newer OS only get security updates long after they should... kind of thing. So some people have "speed" issues because their devices are full of things that they didn't choose to install, some people have tried to be proactive by installing anti-malware apps (which add their own overhead)... and some people wonder why everyone else is complaining of slowdowns, lol. But for those affected, trying to access a website via their device's browser - or even, perhaps, a third-party one? - might not be as enjoyable as it could be.

Most of our Admins and Mods are professional adults on payroll

I commend you for that, sir! I do not automatically equate "volunteer" with "kids running a hobby forum," because I have seen real dedication from volunteers. But, with that being said, I have also seen volunteers... fade a bit over time, as life happened. I remember another forum, another area of interest, where there was a true emergency that was serious enough in nature to effect pretty much that entire forum's staff (and, potentially, their freedom) and maybe a large percentage of the membership - and no one could be found to deal with it(!). In a business, when there's a problem at the shop, you almost always have the ability to get someone - and usually several someones - out of bed, recall them from vacation, whatever, and send them down to meet the firemen. Because it's understood that it's their JOB.

Additionally, with your staff being actual employees, they can presumably not worry about the time away from the forum spent working to support them and their families - because they're employed by you, and working here at the forum. This is one reason I have stopped automatically taking steps to remove ads from my experience here, lol - I want to support those who pay your bills. I even try very hard to remember to highlight a sponsor when I mention it, so as to give the business a little extra impact in my posts. I might not be able to spend much money at those businesses, but maybe I can encourage those who can to do so.

Seems like a dream job, lol, getting paid to spend 40 hours per week (if not more) at their favorite home on the Internet. On the other hand... Us members are free to spend 100% of that time enjoying ourselves, reading and posting what WE want to. Whereas your staff spends the time going through post after post after post... looking for violations, cooling others' tempers, et cetera. I've been on Sue's journal getting my daily cannabis picture fix, help with learning how to be more positive, a shoulder to cry on vis-à-vis my cigarette cessation attempts, and general therapy, lol. Many have been the time when I read a post in that thread and just sat there - pondering what I had just read. Maybe I liked what I read, maybe I was made somewhat uncomfortable by it, maybe I found myself a bit "choked up." So, you know, time spent digesting content. If I had punched the ol' 420 Time Clock that morning, I'd would have, instead, had to simply read each post as I looked for guideline violations, then immediately move on to the next thread. Been there, done that, and... Yes, it would be difficult to do so here without getting paid for it, lol, because this isn't a "hobby" for us and it's not something that we could easily disregard in order to put in the massive amounts of time that are required from the staff.

In personal terms... I still have my crackups (periods where the depression stops being a thing to deal with and is suddenly every thing). So there are still a few cracks in the eggshell. Sue is sort of like a layer of tape that holds me together when those cracks threaten to widen. In the meantime, she seems to slowly be gluing those cracks... SHUT. All while we talk about cannabis . I know that she's been voted Member of the Month (multiple times) and Member of the Year (ditto!). But - to me, at least - SweetSue epitomizes what it means to be a good member here at 420 Magazine. I'd vote for her for Member of the... you name it, lol. I consider Sue to be every bit as much of a "feature" here as the medicinal-use sections, the grow journal areas, et cetera.

Anyway, best of luck with the upgrade. I hope it comes off without 420 bugs and issues popping up. I also hope that the literally thousands of threads that I have bookmarked in my web browser will still be valid. If not <SHUDDERS>... Hopefully at least the relative few (couple thousand) threads that I thought to subscribe to via my User CP will be. As for the several thousand that I only bookmarked, maybe I will be able to search by the respective thread titles if I think to manually paste their titles, one by one, into a web search engine (weeks' effort, I expect). But I am hopeful that this will not be required. I seem to have built myself a rather massive reference guide - and it is all contained within the forum, lol, which means I do not have to worry about hard drive crashes <KNOCKS WOOD> like I would, had I chosen to capture the information and store it locally.

BtW, THANK YOU for all that you do, and the same to your staff (present and past)! It is no exaggeration to state that I wouldn't be... above ground without you, and I wouldn't be as stable and happy as I am without the huge amount of work that both you and your staff put in. A pat on the back for the general membership, too.

Some debts can never be repaid....

 

[420]

It's going to take me a week to read yours TS, as usual.

 

[overlord]

There was a question in another thread about "Do we need to remember our passwords"

Will everything hopefully transition over?

 

[TorturedSoul]

It's going to take me a week to read yours TS, as usual.

Err... Sorry about that, chief. (In homage to the late Don Adams, aka Maxwell Smart, Agent 86.)

I wish I was better at being brief. Or had any talent whatsoever in that regard. Short version: I remain cautiously optimistic about the upgrade, but have some small concerns.

 

[420]

There was a question in another thread about "Do we need to remember our passwords"

Will everything hopefully transition over?

Passwords should remain the same

 

[Skullman420]

Re: Mobile App: Photo Uploading Issue & Website Upgrades

That is great news. That app has been a source of frustration for so long. Here the other day I wasted hours trying to upload photo's from my growroom. Then you had the notification system that kept getting stuck. I'll just delete the piece of crap then and stay on the PC until your new systems are up and running Cool!

That is correct, until we find a new app developer who can do as we wish, instead of changing major features without notice and causing such a riot. They stopped communicating with us on bug reports months ago and even banned us from their support forums, because we were constantly trying to get answers to the bug reports you all have made. The entire company is in China and they simply don't care about us, so that obviously doesn't work for us moving forward.

The website will not need an app anymore, as it will be 420% mobile friendly from a browser on your smartphone.

 

[Skullman420]

PS! 420 - you're still the best there is. No one out there are even close to pushing you off the throne. And we won't go anywhere. I owe everything I know about growing cannabis to this community. I was lurking around here for years until I finally got the courage to make myself an account

 

[SweetSue]

Kinda wish there was a preview button for my posts so I can see the entire layout before it goes lives. I make mistakes so much, so I rush to fix them as soon as I post. OR, if the post box could be bigger than 6 lines that would help tremendously.

That blue button at the upper left corner of the compose box that has A/A is your requested doorway. Hit that button. That's your preview option. It allows you to edit as you compose, viewing the post as it would be, for the most part. There are minor differences, but you'll get familiar with them. The Preview button in the lower right, below the compose box, will be the post as it'll be shown, but you won't be able to edit in that field. That little blue button is the magic one.

To be honest, I flub the edits all the time, so even with this help I still edit like mad after posting.

 

[SweetSue]

Boss, when are we going offline today?

 

[lazyfish]

Please don't blow my trichomes off...

 

[420]

Boss, when are we going offline today?

As soon as we're done with the first import test, which started at 4:20am PST

Wish there was a way to give a timeline, however I can say we should be done by tonight.

 

[TorturedSoul]

It's been my experience that giving a firm time when computer upgrades (software or hardware) are concerned can be as much wishful thinking as anything else, lol. The guy that used to write firmware for one of my electronic devices always answered, "When it's ready." He started doing that after about the third time he posted a time/date and missed it by a little bit. Of course, the audience here is much kinder than most, so I can't see pitchforks and torches happening, regardless.

The first linux OS I ever ran, though, they'd publish a firm "unveiling" time - and, by golly, they'd stick to it one way or another. I used to call it "Bug Day" .

I don't even worry about times/dates any more (as a consumer, I mean). I figure I'll know you've got the new forum software running when I see it.

Hope things are going well, though.

 

[Troy01]

That blue button at the upper left corner of the compose box that has A/A is your requested doorway. Hit that button. That's your preview option. It allows you to edit as you compose, viewing the post as it would be, for the most part. There are minor differences, but you'll get familiar with them. The Preview button in the lower right, below the compose box, will be the post as it'll be shown, but you won't be able to edit in that field. That little blue button is the magic one.

To be honest, I flub the edits all the time, so even with this help I still edit like mad after posting.

Your so bright Sweet Sue. I never knew that before.