Would this make a great Forum even better?

[barrel]

Just an idea and one which I would value other members opinions on. Other forums allow you to upload images direct from your computer to the forum without using a hosting site (not just in the sales section as on the BBS). My question is would this make you more inclined to add pictures to your posts and do you think this would enhance the threads on the BBS,

It would be great to read your opinions and especially to hear from the Moderators as to what the rationale is being this not being able to be done at the moment.

Personally I think if you could more easily post pictures without going through a third party hosting site such a Photobucket it would make a great forum even better adding both more colour and variety of information.

Kindest regards

Barrel

[MartynB]

Just an idea and one which I would value other members opinions on. Other forums allow you to upload images direct from your computer to the forum without using a hosting site (not just in the sales section as on the BBS). My question is would this make you more inclined to add pictures to your posts and do you think this would enhance the threads on the BBS,

It would be great to read your opinions and especially to hear from the Moderators as to what the rationale is being this not being able to be done at the moment.

Personally I think if you could more easily post pictures without going through a third party hosting site such a Photobucket it would make a great forum even better adding both more colour and variety of information.

Kindest regards

Barrel

I may be wrong but I think it isn't allowed due to the performance hit the web server takes plus extra bandwidth required to download the images

Yes, I do think it's a good idea otherwise but also understand the concerns

[T 20]

I may be wrong but I think it isn't allowed due to the performance hit the web server takes plus extra bandwidth required to download the images

Is the correct answer.

[barrel]

Is the correct answer.

So what additional costs would be incurred out of interest?. I now other sites have the facility to easily make a voluntary donation by Paypal, with a visible tally of donations made each month. Has this been considered if additional funds are required?. Maybe if such a scheme was implemented members that contributed on a voluntary basis could be allocated a higher number of stored private messages or something similar?.

Kindest regards

Barrel

[T 20]

So what additional costs would be incurred out of interest?

I'm afraid I've got no idea, barrel.

As someone who's computer illiterate I am just relaying the information given to me a while back when the gentlemen of the Collectors section posed the same question.

I know other sites have the facility to easily make a voluntary donation by Paypal, with a visible tally of donations made each month. Has this been considered if additional funds are required?. Maybe if such a scheme was implemented members that contributed on a voluntary basis could be allocated a higher number of stored private messages or something similar?.

Kindest regards

Barrel

Personally I wouldn't be in favour of that for various reasons unless it became completely necessary to do so for the wellbeing of the forum.

And at the end of the day that decision is down to Mr Ramsbottom the site owner and no one else really.




All the best Mick

[air-tech]

Just my tuppence, if there are serious cost concerns in this day and age, perhaps the hosting service providers need to be replaced. Today storage space costs a pittance, and bandwidth usage likewise, so these issues are hardly relevant, but I am sure there may be local service providers offering "old skool" rip off rates to those who tend to not shop around. I use Dathorn, $13.50 per month and enough of everything to host possibly 20 of these very busy sites, images and all, let alone just one.

And very reliable have been with them for years, don't remember the last outage, or need to open a ticket.

[lensman57]

It may have something to do with the concern over the nature of photographs uploaded on a shooting forum? The bandwidth issue does not seem like a logical argument in these day and age.

A.G

[Rich]

Photobucket has become virtually unusable in my opinion, in the last year or so, and I just don't bother with any threads that point to such photo links. So, yes I do believe the forum loses out to its competitors by not having the facility.

Even FB allows the user to upload images and there are millions and millions of FB users - what about their bandwidth, they seem to cope.

[Murphy]

What about just allowing showing the photos from hosting sites rather than click linking to them?

Would this have no issues on storage/speed for the site?

IMG/IMG brackets?

[Rabbit Sniper]

I believe the problem would be the added data storage cost and the policy here is to have moderators validate the photos before making them visible would mean more work for them.

That said, I agree about "adding both more colour and variety of information". You do that by allowing individuals to embed images in posts, so that you don't have to click on a link to see them. Makes for a much richer experience. When I asked some time ago about this it wasn't understood that there would be no bandwidth implications because the images would be hosted on an external website.

This is where this forum is being left behind and must be a reason why other people are defecting to other forums.

Definitely not a gripe at the mods or the owner - just being constructive - even willing to offer my services free as a software engineer to consult and make this happen. Although I think it's just some setting in the forum software to turn on...

[Dodger21]

Just an idea and one which I would value other members opinions on. Other forums allow you to upload images direct from your computer to the forum without using a hosting site (not just in the sales section as on the BBS). My question is would this make you more inclined to add pictures to your posts and do you think this would enhance the threads on the BBS,

It would be great to read your opinions and especially to hear from the Moderators as to what the rationale is being this not being able to be done at the moment.

Personally I think if you could more easily post pictures without going through a third party hosting site such a Photobucket it would make a great forum even better adding both more colour and variety of information.

Kindest regards

Barrel

Try using this site, it's free and links can just be copied and pasted into the thread.
https://www.picturetrail.com/

[snock]

Speaking (or writing!) as an ex-admin and now member, I can see both sides of this issue.
First you have a genuine request to be able to add photos (something I agree with 100%) instead of dicking around with Photobucket etc. Then you have the extra risk this adds to idiots posting porn or some other outlawed content directly into their posts without any kind of moderation.

I'd prefer to see attachments allowed in all sections, but with the possibility of needing modding first.

Nowadays there's little genuine justification for restraints on bandwidth, what with much improved server performance being common.

[mrgeoff]

I do like this forum, and would hate to see it go the way of others in history that have not kept up with the times.
I have not bothered posting so many threads here due to the picture upload restrictions, shame.
And threads etc that goto photobucket.... have you seriously tried looking at a picture on a mobile! zoom, ad, cancel, ad, zoom, ad cancel, ad, ad ,ad, crash...

There are other forums, and I know it works both ways, but if traffic there does overtake here, you have 2 choices.... please keep with the times :-)

[J S Ramsbottom]

This is something we are happy to look into, as it seems to be a popular request.

Obviously, this is something that unfortunately can cause multiple problems that have been mentioned.

[Airsporter1st]

I think it would certainly add to the forum.

Concerns over people posting inappropriate material are unfounded in my view. There are already rules in place and the mods are quick (far too quick on occasions) to enforce them. No reason why anyone should break rules on visual content any more than any of the other rules.