# Changes coming!



## Chase (Apr 1, 2005)

Hey all,

I wanted to let you all know about some changes that are on their way and explain in some detail what to expect. First off, let me just say that I will do my best to make sure things remain smooth during this process, so please bear with us as we move forward.

For a little while now, as some of you already know, I have been researching ways of expanding the site, adding features, and generally growing membership. As I hope most of you are aware, I have been more interested in the site being a great photography resource for both friendship and information than a money making venture for me, but there are also costs involved. I've tried to offset those costs by asking for donations and running banner ads, and thankfully that has all helped. The issue comes when looking at options such as upgrading the server we're on, adding new features (gallery, etc), and generally dealing with growth. The more I looked into those options, the more I realized that running the site would start turning into more of a job than a hobby, and unfortunately I don't believe I have the free time required to do such work here.

Thankfully, I've been speaking with other people that do similar work and I believe the best solution has been found. A person I now consider a great friend has a competing photography forum that already has some of the features I have been interested in implementing. He has also taken more of a business approach to his site than I have here, which means he is already seeing a decent revenue stream. Through our talks, we have decided to merge the two sites and membership into one larger, stronger site, which he will run. He has essentially offered to purchase my interest in TPF and combine the resources of our sites to really make an amazing photography portal. 

We haven't worked out all of the details yet, and I'm sure you all realize what a lengthy process this will be, but I wanted to give you all an early heads-up about the changes. I'll continue to be a big part of the site going forward, but it will be on more of a general member basis than me having to worry about the details of operating the site. I hope you all share my excitement about this project!

Chase


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## ferny (Apr 1, 2005)

Good luck. :thumbup:

*sits back and wonders if the date has anything to do with the thread*


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## mentos_007 (Apr 1, 2005)

hmm I think it may be a good idea becaus enobody wants TPF to became bankrupt. But have you alredy discussed all the technical details? I mean copying the database and so on?


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## mygrain (Apr 1, 2005)

April Fools?


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## Chase (Apr 1, 2005)

Thankfully, the other site is going to migrate to vbulletin as well. The merging of two vbulletin sites is a fairly painless process and one that the other person feels very comfortable with. Technically, it shouldn't be too bad at all.


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## mentos_007 (Apr 1, 2005)

ooooh damn


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## mentos_007 (Apr 1, 2005)

if those were April Fools so you got me Chase


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## Chase (Apr 1, 2005)

Actually, I wasn't thinking about that until I hit the submit button....and then thought, "I really should have waited until tomorrow to bring this up..."


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## ferny (Apr 1, 2005)

And there was me going to say "How comes he's migrating to vb after you've spent out all this money? Surely it's *fool*ish not to take over your licence?" 
:mrgreen:


You'll always the be the TPF daddy, Chase.


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## Chase (Apr 1, 2005)

The licensing issue comes with running two different sites with two different databases. He wouldn't be able to use my license to migrate, it would flag it as being run under a different domain.


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## ferny (Apr 1, 2005)

There must be some form of sytem for this. I expect it isn't uncommon. Have either of you sent an e-mail to VB?


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## Chase (Apr 1, 2005)

They would suggest to migrate in this direction and have him merge into our site, but we're more likely to go the other direction. Also, we agreed that we'd rather have a clean vb database on his end before we attempted to merge. The cost isn't huge for a second license and it would be worth it for the peace of mind.


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## ferny (Apr 1, 2005)

I guess going to his site makes sense, seeing as it's already built. One database being moved (simple) instead of a lot of pages and other stuff connected to it (long, boring, prone to problems). 

Oh Chase, shouldn't this be sticky? In case people miss it and then ask "how comes this site looks different?" later on.


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## Nytmair (Apr 1, 2005)

what is the other site that we'd be merging with?


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## havoc (Apr 1, 2005)

Nytmair, has the only question i have. LOL This sounds like a great opportunity for this forum to inject some new blood into it. Plus it lets us say what we really want to about the Dodgy one LOL


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## mygrain (Apr 1, 2005)

Wait... this isn't a joke!?! You mean we will have to interact with other people... :meh:  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Artemis (Apr 1, 2005)

I...uh....feel uncomfortable about it...cause we have a hierarchy here...dont wanna share our tpf with someone elses...tpf....but...if...you think its the best idea chase.


I wont be a *fool* and say no


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## mygrain (Apr 1, 2005)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ...burp...OOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOoooooOOOOooo!!!!


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## Artemis (Apr 1, 2005)

mygrain said:
			
		

> NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ...burp...OOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOoooooOOOOooo!!!!



Are you quite done?


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## mygrain (Apr 1, 2005)

Wait this means Chase has cut off his wings...he is becoming mortal again...i can smell him already!!!


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## mygrain (Apr 1, 2005)

quite... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hang on....OOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooOOOOOOoooooooooooooOooooooo!!! okay i think it's past now.


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## ferny (Apr 1, 2005)

mygrain said:
			
		

> Wait this means Chase has cut off his wings...he is becoming mortal again...i can smell him already!!!


We need to buy him some soap.

Or some helmets for you and Dan.


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## Andrea K (Apr 1, 2005)

:scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch:            :meh: :meh: :meh: :meh: :meh:       :crazy: :crazy: :?: :???: :???: :???: :no smile: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: layball: 

hmm...


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## mygrain (Apr 1, 2005)

andreag5 said:
			
		

> :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch:            :meh: :meh: :meh: :meh: :meh:       :crazy: :crazy: :?: :???: :???: :???: :no smile: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: layball:
> 
> hmm...



exactly! I agree completely!!


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## Artemis (Apr 1, 2005)

andreag5 said:
			
		

> :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch: :scratch:            :meh: :meh: :meh: :meh: :meh:       :crazy: :crazy: :?: :???: :???: :???: :no smile: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: layball:
> 
> hmm...



I never thought of it that way...you truly do posses a knowledge that us mere mortals lack


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## Chase (Apr 1, 2005)

Alright, I'll keep the site as long as Arty shrinks down his signature image!!!


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## Nagala (Apr 1, 2005)

What is the other site?


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## Artemis (Apr 1, 2005)

Chase said:
			
		

> Alright, I'll keep the site as long as Arty shrinks down his signature image!!!



No dice


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## Chase (Apr 1, 2005)

Alright, I'll keep the site and just ban Arty instead :twisted:


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## Artemis (Apr 1, 2005)

Chase said:
			
		

> Alright, I'll keep the site and just ban Arty instead :twisted:



This...aint...over


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## Andrea K (Apr 1, 2005)

Chase said:
			
		

> Alright, I'll keep the site and just ban Arty instead :twisted:


 
:lmao: 
 finally...
 jkjk :mrgreen:


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## Corry (Apr 1, 2005)

Hey Arty...SHRINK THE SIG!!!


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## Andrea K (Apr 1, 2005)

core_17 said:
			
		

> Hey Arty...SHRINK THE SIG!!!


 
your sig takes up half of my monitor...




:mrgreen:


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## Artemis (Apr 1, 2005)

I say one thing to your totall lack of respect for my sig...

MAKE ME!


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## Corry (Apr 1, 2005)

Seriously Arty...it's too big.  Very distracting.  Mine's even distracting...getting changed soon...like tonight.


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## MDowdey (Apr 1, 2005)

arty would you please make it way smaller?


matt


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## havoc (Apr 1, 2005)

I am smelling a big joke here. but either way it works for me.


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## Artemis (Apr 1, 2005)

It dont for me...I gotto spend ages on my siggy again


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## Artemis (Apr 1, 2005)

Hope your happy *sob* its...gone...*cry* hold me


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## tempra (Apr 2, 2005)

I see the avatar is still the same then


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## Artemis (Apr 2, 2005)

tempra said:
			
		

> I see the avatar is still the same then



You...want me to change my avatar? you...cruel...cruel people!


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## Scurra (Apr 2, 2005)

Hmm, I'm with the undecideds on this one I think... I like it the way it is  If we move over to another site are we going to wind up with a load of people flaming and trolling on the forums? TPF is surprisingly short of that kind of crap and it's all the better for it I say!


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## Corry (Apr 2, 2005)

Read back, Scurra...Chase came out and said "I won't sell the site if arty makes his sig smaller"...

It was an April Fools Joke.


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## Artemis (Apr 2, 2005)

Im glad it was...but I feel it wasnt such a joke to me...I lost my siggy...AGAIN!


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## Corry (Apr 2, 2005)

Arty, it was way too big...needs to be more like the size of MD's.


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## Chase (Apr 2, 2005)

the main thing is keeping the height of the images down. Try to keep it down to no more than 60-80 pixels tall.


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## Chase (Apr 2, 2005)

I used to run the site from my home like that, back when we were a little smaller. It worked well, but for some reason, the DSL connection I had to the house was extremely unstable and would go down on a regular basis. I have cable now, but they don't allow hosting.

Let's see, if everyone chipped in a dollar or so a month, I could install a T1 line to my house....and then...


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## mygrain (Apr 2, 2005)

Chase said:
			
		

> I used to run the site from my home like that, back when we were a little smaller. It worked well, but for some reason, the DSL connection I had to the house was extremely unstable and would go down on a regular basis. I have cable now, but they don't allow hosting.
> 
> Let's see, if everyone chipped in a dollar or so a month, I could install a T1 line to my house....and then...



....that big giant plasma screen you've been drooling over can go int he corner next to the mercedes!!!!


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## Corry (Apr 2, 2005)

Seriously though people...for what a great site this is, and how much we all LOVE IT...it would be great for us to hit that little paypal donate button at the bottom of the page a little more regularly!!!


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## mygrain (Apr 2, 2005)

Cory just wants to sit in the mercedes while watching cubs game on the ole plasma at chase's...admit it.


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## Corry (Apr 2, 2005)

mygrain said:
			
		

> Cory just wants to sit in the mercedes while watching cubs game on the ole plasma at chase's...admit it.



HUSH! DON'T FOIL MY PLAN!


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## craig (Apr 2, 2005)

AWWWW!!!! you guys are cute. I know my thoughts mean little, but...

I put trust in you Chase and the mods. The capabilities and knowledge of the World Wide Web are seemingly limitless. Forward may be the only direction. I embrace that. Sort of...

I mean; will the dialogue of the above posts still exist. If Arty and MDowdey and Terri and JonMikal and Hertz and Oriecat AND all the cool kids are not that cool anymore I am going to be seriously bummed out.

Let me know if that makes no sense. I am once again on the fence about this.


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## havoc (Apr 2, 2005)

It makes no sense. LOL


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## craig (Apr 2, 2005)

I mean to say that...  A strong community is growing for me. I am super proud to be a small part of it. I may get all confused if x amount of users that I do not know are added. Added features are not that important to me.


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## havoc (Apr 2, 2005)

LOL I was joking man, i am sure we all feel that way about our little space of the Photo Forum


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## craig (Apr 2, 2005)

I knew you were joking... but you get my point. What is a compound without the elements?


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## Artemis (Apr 3, 2005)

craig said:
			
		

> AWWWW!!!! you guys are cute. I know my thoughts mean little, but...
> 
> I put trust in you Chase and the mods. The capabilities and knowledge of the World Wide Web are seemingly limitless. Forward may be the only direction. I embrace that. Sort of...
> 
> ...



Craig, for using those two words in the same post you have made a new friend 

I feel the same as you bud...cause we have the right...system..to have someone else who is normally their MD start joining dunno what ill do...


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## Chase (Apr 12, 2005)

Ok, although this thread was pretty long dead....I did want to just make sure everyone is aware that this was just april fools nonsense.

No major changes are planned for this site and we are not selling or merging with any other forums.

...now, back to your regularly scheduled programming...


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## Hertz van Rental (Apr 12, 2005)

Chase said:
			
		

> Ok, although this thread was pretty long dead....I did want to just make sure everyone is aware that this was just april fools nonsense.
> 
> No major changes are planned for this site and we are not selling or merging with any other forums.
> 
> ...now, back to your regularly scheduled programming...



If the rest of life is anything to go by then Chase should sell TPF to AOL in about two days after saying that


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## Chase (Apr 12, 2005)

Shhhhh....


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## ferny (Apr 12, 2005)

Looking back I'm not sure what to be more scared of. That this may not have been a joke or that Chase is posting a fair amount!


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