Future of Flash-DB

[bpat1434]

However, we might have a certain problem if we're going to use Flash Player 7 to export our files too.  It doesn't state regarding the 7th version of the player here but just the player - http://www.macromedia.com/software/player_census/flashplayer/

Would you mind explaining this a little further?  What problem if we use FP 7?

~Brett

[Ronald Wernecke]

I think we got enough to do rearranging things and get them to run.
So we will not have any time left to write our own BB-Software.

Even though the thought is nice

I agree with Mohsin, that the front page should be in flash, and we might like to have some flash elements outside of the board, but matching to its style.

I would not spen money on vBulletin, just because it has a payment gateway and stuff.
The demand will not be that large, that we could not handle to insert a user into a usergroup, after we received paiment.
We do not promise them to be there in minutes even though automation is quite nice.

I would raise the price a little to 6 $ a year, which is not much at all, but gives us more flexibility.

Online support, training, and classes in the voice room need more anyway, and has be  charged extra.

I do not expect much more than about 1% registrants.

[bpat1434]

Well, I am glad that voices are getting heard in this thread.

My only question left is this:

When might some or all of this be takin place?  At the very least the forum should be updated to a new version either SMF or phpBB soon.  Yes it is good, but there are things that you can't find for YaBBSE that you can find for other boards (like AS BB Code tags!! or PHP!!).

So when might some of these changes take place?  If y'all need help, I could mod SMF to have the same header (potentially).

~Brett

[Ronald Wernecke]

Hi Brett,
I like how you get into it, but we are a large community. So we will not do any fast shooting.

But we definately can use some operational help.

First of all, we are going to publish a vote booth with some options, to find out, how our thoughts are recepted by the community.

If you look into this thread, you will just find a few names. Its mainly admins, and some mods.
There is NO voice from board user.

Maybe we think our heads hot for something nobody cares about?

[bpat1434]

well i'm glad that we have a good topic, but sad that not all users will participate.  But the only reason I press upgrading, is security.  YaBBSE has been un supported for a while and the security vulnerabilities are endless.  I'm not saying that we have them, but the potential is there.

But like I said, if you need help, I'll help.

~Brett

[Mohsin Sumar]

Regarding the Flash Player statistics - I meant to say that if we use Flash MX 2004 and use the latest components and all those - we'll have to export the swf for flash player 7 which requires the users to download flash player 7 and they will not see what we've really made in the previous versions due to missing components.

Regarding the Voting Booth - it should be available soon

The top most priority at the moment is the board - we need an upgrade as soon as possible.

I agree with Ronald regarding the voice rooms and other being charged extra. I'd say $6 for the best possible help on the board with the top most priority.

[3stripe]

If you look into this thread, you will just find a few names. Its mainly admins, and some mods.
There is NO voice from board user.
Maybe we think our heads hot for something nobody cares about?

Ok here's my 2 cents worth on this. The content on Flash-DB is GREAT, some of the best anywhere on the net. I would be willing to pay a small subscription charge, IF the site was relauched/redesigned....

But the presentation is poor, especially on the homepage which looks very very dated now in my opinion. Given how much Flash design has changed in the past few years it would be cool to see some of the recent developments reflected in the homepage, where appropriate. So, clever use of CSS styling, maybe a wee bit of Flash video, etc etc.

The message board as it stands is fine and works ok, but it would definitely be worth investing some time in developing a slick and unifying identity for flash-db which would boost it's profile and make it seem a bit more professional. So, a nice logo, colour scheme, that was consistent throughtout the whole site.

I'd be willing to help out with the graphic design side of things if any assistance was needed, (still learning the flash stuff though hehe)

[JasonC]

Hi guys. I haven't been on this board in ages.
Big congrats on the growth on this site. You guys really do a great job here.

As for the payment, I would totally pay you guys. I have gained so much knowledge from here in the past, and it would be wrong not to contribute to your growth. I come here once in a while to see whats new. 

Instead of labeling the payed customers, "payed members" why not market so that people who are paying are considered "donating" or "contributing member" while giving them privileges of above discussion? people will be more willing to pay when they are not subject to forced payment. So in other words, flash-db will have same level of service but for "none-donators" have certain features disabled. Such as search, VIP forum, and a period of time they have to wait until the release of the new tutorials after the donating members get the first peek. This will entice others to donate for new development ideas and such. my 2cents.

Anyways, I just dropped by to brush up on my old skills. Good luck in this new idea and I hope flash-db stays true to the initial intentions when it was created.

I will swing back by to pay when it's up and running.

[404Assassin]

I love Flash-DB, by far the best resource site on the web. Usually just the right hint to get you going, the moderaters and community are always up to date on their advice and the best tutorials on the web for any kind of BE integration.

I've got a couple ideas for the site;

• A Flash front end for the message boards. Since the boards are such an important part of the site it would be nice to show case what your all about.
• Develop an open source Conetent Management System with a Flash front end or maybe partner with a PHP, mySQL, CMS, open source community like Typo3 to develop a Flash interface for their CMS.
• I get confused navigating the site sometimes, maybe the navigation could be streamlined, often I have to use the search to find what I'm looking for. Maybe its just me.
• Sometimes there are grammar errors in the Tutorials, although never in the code.
• If you change the skin of the site you should have a contest for the site design

For me the most important part of the site is the content which has always been excellent.

[Tushar Roy]

Ideally, the flash homepage may be changed to pure HTML as well... The content is enough to showcase the talents.

[kehbop]

Hey, I'm  a new user. Nice site you got here. Hope to see it get better!

[flashhero]

Hi everybody

I am flashhero and a few years ago I was here very often, but now it is not so often anymore because..

1. There are too many areas without focus
2. There are too many newbees with same questions as seen 100 times before. It is getting a  little triviel to hear about problems about reading a picture into flash!!!!!

I would really like to have a messageboard for beginners where they can ask questions and then a place for professionals where we can discuss subjects and exchange code. The point is not about money, but about giving and not only taking. So you could invite some serious people to attend the professional part and only people who gave something to the board would be invited. Maybe create appl. for others to show code, maybe tuts, etc. Then you have focus.

Another point could be to introduce .net. Now you can have dotnetnuke as freeware cms and it is backed up by MS. What is going on!!!! Are the board not missing something??

Another point could also be to introduce mobile technology.

Again maybe two areas.

Regarding the money. Why... I thought that everything was about helping other people for fun and open source and.... If this will change we will just start to find new websites for free.

flashhero

[Jorge Solis]

Of course answering newbie question is very boring (specially because they don't use the search) Anyway it's difficult to break appart an advanced level. I have tried in other Boards, result: newbies POST on advanced Boards because nobody answers in the others, or perhaps just to have more chance to be readed. At end, separate levels in open Boards don't work and things messed.
We can add any area, nothing again, just a problem: someone who knows the matter should moderate the Board. So if you are familiar with some of the areas you suggest and want to moderate the Board (I'm not familiar with .Net or mobile) just contact me and we can discuss the matter.

Jorge

[yeos]

It would be nice if flash-db has like an area where users can upload their works and show them to others, like an exhibition; sort of like newgrounds you know...

[coderunner]

I'm consideriing Flash for the development of a major ASP project (that is asp as in 'application service provider). I've spent a lot of time surfing around trying to find solid code examples of things you can do to extend the UI components; however, most of them are buggy, including the ones on this site. I appreciate the fact that Flash-DB is totally volunteer based and i'll continue to visit. It would be great though if more time could be focused on posting quality code examples. My experience has been that the time I invest in debugging a complex piece of code is generally equal to the time it would have taken to write the thing from scratch given the ease provied by the latest ides.   Its the knowledge of how to deal with those bugs that woud add significant value to this site.

Thanks for the board.

coderunner