News about the future of this site

[saint]

All good, I hope

The server we're on now is on its last legs. One drive is failed and the other is failing. I have purchased a new server and have been migrating things over. It's in "final-beta" stages now and I'm hoping by next weekend to have us all moved over from here to there. I do have nightly backups from here and have a several day old copy of them there now, and will do another "final" transfer of data before shutting this box down.

Right now on the new server:

• the forum is online, and upgraded to the latest version of SMF. The messages/etc from a few days ago are there and working. Still a few tweaks to plug ins to work out. Note - please don't try to find the new forum yet, it's going to be wiped and a fresh copy of the most recent database from here moved over there as the last step. It's not hard to find, but the new forum isn't quite ready for company yet.
  
  
• The files library is back online and updated. I've gotten most of the material online, though a handful of files are missing for now - I should be able to get those restored when I get back to it. You are welcome to take a sneak peek at it if you'd like. http://new.files.arcadecontrols.com/. Remember the logins from that system are not the same as your forum login. They did get moved from the old to the new so if you had an account on them before it should be working there now. Feel free to use this system if you want, I don't think we'll be doing any database wipes/reloads on it, I consider it "done."
  
  
• Various behind the scenes things that no one but me really saw and had to deal with are almost all rectified. Yay!
  
  
• Wiki is next on the list to sort out and bring back online.
  
  
• The old SMF arcade system doesn't appear to be supported anymore Not sure if that's something folks want or not?
  
  
• Tapatalk working
  
  
• More space, faster processor, more RAM, hardware RAID-1 instead of software, updates OS, etc.

Anything else I need to be thinking of that isn't working here?

Please keep any comments to the thread on the Forum Discussion post below.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=159712.new#new

[saint]

During the transition from old to new site, I'll put this one in Maintenance Mode and keep it online so if anyone for some reason still ends up here instead of the new site they'll have a pointer to the new one.

Should all happen automatically, but if you find yourself at the wrong site, the address information is:

- Old site: 74.208.213.158
- New site: 74.208.43.115

[leapinlew]

You’re awesome!

Any chance you would accept donations? I’d be happy to throw a few bucks your way.

[saint]

I appreciate the thought, but no This forum is my way of giving back to the Internet community at large - "paying it forward" so to speak. Be nice to someone or donate time/money to charity on this site's behalf if you're so inclined.

Cheers!

--- saint

[Howard_Casto]

We appreciate you man.  I know I don't say it enough, but you are a good guy. 

The only thing I can think of that you haven't mentioned is controls.dat.  I know it disappeared the last time the server broke down, but I can't remember what happened to it.  I've got the end product backed up (the inis/xml) but Sirpoogna managed all the database and backend.  So I don't even know if it's possible to restore,  it's been a dead project for quite a while now, but I do get the occasional question about it, so I thought I would ask. 

[Titchgamer]

Great job Saint thanks!

Also can we get that Lightgun subforum please?

[wp34]

Thanks Saint!

Any new features available with the upgrade?

[saint]

Nothing's been deleted by me, so assuming SP left it there it should be recoverable. Let me go looking.

We appreciate you man.  I know I don't say it enough, but you are a good guy. 

The only thing I can think of that you haven't mentioned is controls.dat.  I know it disappeared the last time the server broke down, but I can't remember what happened to it.  I've got the end product backed up (the inis/xml) but Sirpoogna managed all the database and backend.  So I don't even know if it's possible to restore,  it's been a dead project for quite a while now, but I do get the occasional question about it, so I thought I would ask.

[saint]

Not really that I'm aware of, mostly bug fixes and tweaks. Anything in particularly on the wish list? I can look to see what mods are available.

Thanks Saint!

Any new features available with the upgrade?

[saint]

Heh, sure - was there enough interest? Remind me please after we're live on the new site?

Great job Saint thanks!

Also can we get that Lightgun subforum please?

[Titchgamer]

Heh, sure - was there enough interest? Remind me please after we're live on the new site?

Great job Saint thanks!

Also can we get that Lightgun subforum please?

Yeah there was loads and seems to be growing by the week haha

[Howard_Casto]

Thanks Saint. 

Btw, I concur …. 2019 will be the year of the lightgun.  Lots of solutions from companies on the horizon and of course homebrew solutions as well. 

[saint]

controls.dat --> http://controls.arcadecontrols.com/ online.

Make sure you're seeing things from the new server. If you're getting a 404 or parts of the page aren't loading, broken graphics, etc, your DNS is probably still pointing at the old server. flush DNS, reload, etc., and if it's still not working let me know and I'll create a temporary new domain name for it.

What does it need Howard? Obviously this is old at this point. Is it dead or do you or someone else want to resume updating?

We appreciate you man.  I know I don't say it enough, but you are a good guy. 

The only thing I can think of that you haven't mentioned is controls.dat.  I know it disappeared the last time the server broke down, but I can't remember what happened to it.  I've got the end product backed up (the inis/xml) but Sirpoogna managed all the database and backend.  So I don't even know if it's possible to restore,  it's been a dead project for quite a while now, but I do get the occasional question about it, so I thought I would ask.

[saint]

OK Lightgun forum on the list

[leapinlew]

I remember the last time we did a server reload the filters would change the word "cock" to rocket, which is a problem when talking about rockettail cabinets.

[leapinlew]

I appreciate the thought, but no This forum is my way of giving back to the Internet community at large - "paying it forward" so to speak. Be nice to someone...

Uck. I'd rather just give you some money. 

[Le Chuck]

Yeah can we like posts yet? Kaithanksbai

[Howard_Casto]

controls.dat --> http://controls.arcadecontrols.com/ online.

Make sure you're seeing things from the new server. If you're getting a 404 or parts of the page aren't loading, broken graphics, etc, your DNS is probably still pointing at the old server. flush DNS, reload, etc., and if it's still not working let me know and I'll create a temporary new domain name for it.

What does it need Howard? Obviously this is old at this point. Is it dead or do you or someone else want to resume updating?

We appreciate you man.  I know I don't say it enough, but you are a good guy. 

The only thing I can think of that you haven't mentioned is controls.dat.  I know it disappeared the last time the server broke down, but I can't remember what happened to it.  I've got the end product backed up (the inis/xml) but Sirpoogna managed all the database and backend.  So I don't even know if it's possible to restore,  it's been a dead project for quite a while now, but I do get the occasional question about it, so I thought I would ask.

I flushed, but I'm still getting a 404.... it's no biggie, I can just wait for it to renew and fix itself. 

Honestly I'm not sure what it needs.  If I remember correctly, at the time we were thinking about allowing unverified (aka unofficial) entries into the database since we had exhausted most documentation sources at that point.  Mame changed the way several controls/control types were parsed in their xml around the time we were discussing how to proceed.  Sirp had expressed that he wanted to completely re-do the internal database as he felt it was structured poorly due to his inexperience when we started.  Of course all of this was prior to the Mame/Mess merger, so there are now thousands more games/machines/ect to contend with.  I know that Headkaze did some work afterwards as well.  Now I never touched the database, that was his baby, so I'm not even sure where to begin.  It was fairly complex and he had created a solution to pull data from the database and put in the xml/ini and I helped with entries and verification as well as the data structure for the files made available to the public. 

So if, and that's a big if, it were to be resurrected the database would need an overhaul as would the structures of the ini/xml files to make the database more compatible with current mame builds.  In addition, I'm sure the user submission system on the website would need to be updated to match.  Somebody else would probably have to manage the database... I just don't get that much free time these days beyond a few minutes here and there to chime in.  I'm not even sure I'm competent enough to work on it anyway.  I have no clue about the inner workings of the program he wrote to compensate for mame's constant rom renaming, for example.  I could explain the system to anyone that wanted to work on it and I could still probably do submissions and verifications.  I think that's kind of why it went dead... not enough time I guess. 

[opt2not]

Good stuff, Saint! Thanks for your continued support for this small community.

Looking forward to the new site and the new Lightgun forum! (I’ve been gearing up for a lightgun setup recently, so this is very relative to me right now)

[wp34]

Not really that I'm aware of, mostly bug fixes and tweaks. Anything in particularly on the wish list? I can look to see what mods are available.

Thanks Saint!

Any new features available with the upgrade?

As LeChuck asked it would be nice to "Like" posts.  Also the ability to ignore a thread would be great.

Thanks!

[Titchgamer]

OK Lightgun forum on the list

Thanks saint!!

[DaOld Man]

File repository is back! Great job Saint.
Hey man, looks like you spent some cash on that new server, do you need us to pitch in to help you out?

Edit, I just re-read the posts (I have a very bad habit of skipping over posts, need to fix that in myself).
I just saw where you were already offered financial help and you said no.
This is very generous of you, we appreciate it, but please let me know if you change your mind.

[pbj]

Anyone else have a heart palpitation when they saw the subject of this thread?

[Mike A]

I did.

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

Anyone else have a heart palpitation when they saw the subject of this thread?

Yep.

[opt2not]

Anyone else have a heart palpitation when they saw the subject of this thread?

Yeah, I about to post about how the A1Up arcade machines are killing this hobby... 

[lilshawn]

Not really that I'm aware of, mostly bug fixes and tweaks. Anything in particularly on the wish list? I can look to see what mods are available.

Thanks Saint!

Any new features available with the upgrade?

As LeChuck asked it would be nice to "Like" posts.  Also the ability to ignore a thread would be great.

Thanks!

yeah we tried that... it took all of 4 days for the system to be abused. ignoring a thread ive commented on 4 years ago would be great without having to go delete my comment and lose info in the thread would be great.

[pbj]

The Ignore Thread option isn't burning so brightly on my list now that the damn cheesecake thread is gone, but it would be nice.

[Ond]

Not really that I'm aware of, mostly bug fixes and tweaks. Anything in particularly on the wish list? I can look to see what mods are available.

Thanks Saint!

Any new features available with the upgrade?

As LeChuck asked it would be nice to "Like" posts.  Also the ability to ignore a thread would be great.

Thanks!

yeah we tried that... it took all of 4 days for the system to be abused. ignoring a thread ive commented on 4 years ago would be great without having to go delete my comment and lose info in the thread would be great.

Liking posts and member rep are two different things.

[saint]

My standing promise to the community is that as long as people find the site of value, I'll keep hosting it.

There are times when some of the drama makes that promise harder to keep than other times...   

If I ever get to the point where I can't keep the site online but there's still interest in it, I'll:

- Ask for donations if the reason is financial.
- Give plenty of warning if at all possible if the site is shutting down so people can backup whatever they want from it.
- Try very hard to find someone trustworthy to take over the site.

I even have "If I drop dead" instructions for what to do with the site/server.

Anyone else have a heart palpitation when they saw the subject of this thread?

[saint]

And just as I was trying to post this reply the forum threw up 500 errors   

It's only funny because the new site is almost ready.

Anyway, this site is going to hit 22 years old this year!

http://arcadecontrols.com/arcade_welcome2.html

[Howard_Casto]

I even have "If I drop dead" instructions for what to do with the site/server.

Let's not get morbid man.  I don't know about you, but I intend to live forever. 

That 22 year old comment makes me feel really old.  I was in high school when I found the forum before this one and now the "new" forum hits 22. 

[Le Chuck]

Not really that I'm aware of, mostly bug fixes and tweaks. Anything in particularly on the wish list? I can look to see what mods are available.

Thanks Saint!

Any new features available with the upgrade?

As LeChuck asked it would be nice to "Like" posts.  Also the ability to ignore a thread would be great.

Thanks!

yeah we tried that... it took all of 4 days for the system to be abused. ignoring a thread ive commented on 4 years ago would be great without having to go delete my comment and lose info in the thread would be great.

I’d just like to point out that Saint was the one who broke it

If we could like posts I’d like Ond’s. If we had rep, I’d rep you both. If we could do both that’d been keen. If we only can have one new toy, my vote is the like post option.

[saint]

I'm innocent! Innocent I tells ya! I... don't remember this in the slightest honestly...

How's this one look?

https://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=3708

or this one?

https://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=3474

I’d just like to point out that Saint was the one who broke it

If we could like posts I’d like Ond’s. If we had rep, I’d rep you both. If we could do both that’d been keen. If we only can have one new toy, my vote is the like post option.

[Howard_Casto]

My 2 cents.... I'm all for likes, but please, no dislikes in the system.  I can see that one spiraling out of control real quick. 

[wp34]

My 2 cents.... I'm all for likes, but please, no dislikes in the system.  I can see that one spiraling out of control real quick.

+1

[yotsuya]

If I want to like posts, I’ll go to Facebook.

I use Tapatalk 99.9% of the time when I’m on the site now anyway, so if it doesn’t work on here, I won’t notice it.

[Le Chuck]

The first one please. Likes. Not karma. Karma is the suxxors.

Don’t worry about forgetting Saint, I’ll keep reminding you until you cave

[opt2not]

I'm fine with likes and dislikes, as long as they're not anonymous.

I've been a avid member of the Arcade-projects forum since it's start, and we've had a like/dislike system there for a while now. It works really well. There is practically no drama on that site, people treat each other with respect, and there aren't any members that use their life situations and opinions over others in a malicious, condescending way.

Likes and dislikes are listed on the posts that receive them, and it's easy to see if someone is repeatably throwing a dislike onto someone just to troll them.

As long as the member's names are listed for likes/dislikes, it shouldn't get out of control.

[Howard_Casto]

and there aren't any members that use their life situations and opinions over others in a malicious, condescending way.

Gee I wonder who you could be referring to there?  See this is exactly what I'm talking about.  Some people just can't be trusted with that kind of capability.  Spend one day in my situation, just one day.  You'd be on your knees apologizing for even suggesting what you just did. 

You know, I thought if I just never responded to anything you posted ever again you'd quit, but you can't.  Seek help please and leave me alone. 

[opt2not]

Classic.

I am referring to multiple people who put themselves over the community. That stuff should be regulated. A like/dislike system could help relieve that.

We all have our problems, trying to compare your own problems with others is endless, subjective battle.

We're here about the hobby of creating arcade cabinets/controls.