All

Since I first started on the ALF (relative latecomer) in 2012 or thereabouts, I’ve found this site to be a treasure trove of information and interest and a great community with some solid stalwarts who have kept things going over the years.

In the last year or two we have seen an increase in umpteen FB GROUPS which are great for chitter chatter but I’d like to keep this forum going.

A lot of the hard work was done by a select few here. Identifying prop pieces. Deliberating colony layouts. Talk about camouflage colours. You name it.

Keep the effort going on this site!

Thanks

Pete

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A02/TQ2.0.52141E1

"Errr... Roger that's a 2-1-6..."

Hopefully we can figure out how to upgrade the forum to a more secure, feature-rich platform. This current version is showing it's age. We may then see an uptick in activity here if there's more freedom and features to play with.

I think maintaining a forum is the best way to preserve information. Sure, Facebook groups are great for fast paced, bite-sized info, but with the algorithms cracking down on keywords, their preservation is very fragile.

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Lt. Melissa L. Klassen, ALG
AL Colonial Admin. - Executive Officer (XO) -- 2021-2022
RCCM | Royal Canadian Colonial Marines - Commanding Officer (CO) -- 2021-2022

Read the AL Charter Rules & Regulations: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i3gd9QUyIqI_6rfk8kpxspbKU-JT4MBAjLPxfCkvGJ8

How about using the Discourse platform? https://github.com/discourse/discourse

It has suitable features to keep this forum alive.

There is a current trend for folks returning to blogs / web pages for exactly the reasons you've indicated - content is a lot more permanent but still accessible.

Word. Hopefully we can upgrade sometime soon.

I love coming back to this forum and using the search bar. A lot of tasty info.

Sucks that majority of them have dead links.

I suggest nuking the charter and club election sections. They have never had any traction.

When those were implemented, it seems we lost some users.


Maybe forum skin themes (hive, sulaco, marine, etc)??


I'm loosing count of all the FB groups...

And I suggest no. Every club has a charter. Elections are for members to be involved. I do not know why that would cause people to leave. If you do not like something scroll. And as I said Facebook means nothing to me. It takes no effort to like something while you are on the stool or riding in a car. A like or a follow does not mean jack. Showing up at events and being involved in a group is how you base growth. I could care less about how many likes someone gets from a basement dweller.

Thanks!

Greg

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CPL A08/TQ0.0.12146E1
Newell, Greg A aka Gman
Illinois - USA
UKCM
Shoot first, think never.
Good? Bad? I'm the guy with the gun.
SMMFD
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he doesn't exist.

I'm pretty sure the charter / elections / *something* caused the Oz Marines to pull back ... they've never really shared any details other than "preferring to do their own thing" [/management-wise]

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Cpl Aron "septic" Williams
A10/TQ0.0.82146E1

I also believe covid has had a negative effect on the forum. The forum has always been a resource for people building their own costumes. We now have competition from Facebook. I've even seen the preference of people wanting to post on FB vs forums with the RPF. Unfortunately, drama outside the forum has had more to do with driving people away than anything else.

As far as the forum updates, I'm working on getting the PHP updated. It is just going to take some time as people who used to do the technical side don't come here as much.

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PFC Mike Rizzuto MVM
USS Blackhawk
3rd Batt 12th Regt

The Elections push was alienating honestly as it doesn't serve folks like me st all, and felt like a barrier to being involved. I pulled out for a year or so because of it.

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

The file size/number of images issue is also a huge drag. I love AL, but it can be tedious trying to work within the constraints.

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My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751

I am a mod on an older site (www.318ti.org) and we have a significant drop in traffic, since the socialist media took a big chunk of the newer members away. They thought that was a "better faster" way to get the answers they wanted; and sometimes it is.

But, they are learning that total loss of privacy, and impermanence of the information (and good luck finding something more than a week old!) is a real PITA, and they are coming back to forums. You can recognize them easily, as they have low post counts, and do not thank the established members when they get the information they want...

Then there's the old people who never embraced socialist media in the first place, wondering why the forums are shutting down.

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DON’T call me eighty-five.

Assistant Superintendent Leach,
Fiorina 161
"Serenity Through Confinement"

I’m not particularly bothered about politics and I don’t like to see them echo here… I’ve always used the forum as a mine of useful information and I’ve also managed to contribute in identifying and discussing detail. I’ve always been grateful for the shared knowledge here and I’ve not really used the RPF as much.

The FB groups are fine but as with Noble I’ve lost count of the amount of groups and duplicated information. Not only that but the amount of reinvention and perpetuity of (some) poor research and incorrect facts which contradict years of study and development here.

I agree this forum now looks and feels clunky and the limitations on sharing of images and sizes and so on are a bind as any relatively low tech pic tacken on a phone is too large to post… we all still seem to suffer from old and useful posts and libraries having lost images hosted elsewhere…

And I agree with the points raised by ID10T…

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A02/TQ2.0.52141E1

"Errr... Roger that's a 2-1-6..."

My usual haunt timebomb2000.com has dealt with many attempted overruns over the years. For some reason the bots and soulless try to run away the founders and well it does not work. And fr some reason the major events cause too many to get kicked as they go crazy.

All we need on this site is more storage and a lift on the size limit on photos. The ability to zoom in on the bigger photos with no quality loss is too important now a days...

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The impossible takes a while longer and goes over budget too...

This forum has always been my primary go-to place. I know there are FB groups but I much rather come here. Agree on overhauling the look. Also though the top of this site states that the forum is for the Alien series, it's not often I see any movies other than ALIENS. I can understand it, there are several dud movies, but ALIEN! Huge fan of that too.

I don't disagree with you, but it's important to remember that someone has to pay for these things...

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Cpl Aron "septic" Williams
A10/TQ0.0.82146E1

We are looking to update the forum. We'll keep that in mind, but it will be expensive.

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PFC Mike Rizzuto MVM
USS Blackhawk
3rd Batt 12th Regt

I'd agree, i think people couldn't bothered with all the formality or felt "alienated" . From what i know both the OZ and UK groups have withdrawn from it. The people that run this place are great all round so i can't see any point in reelecting them every year.

Unfortunately the site is showing it's age and unlike Facebook it costs a ton of cash to run an actual wed forum. Maybe like the RPF, charge a premium membership with benefits and allow ads for none members ?

Oz and UK still reply to the roll call, they just don't elect anyone to run their divisions.


Personally, I do not like the idea of having to charge members access to the forum. Nor do I like the idea of asking for donations. The idea of people handling money is an issue for me, I don't want the opportunity for someone to start stealing money from people.

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PFC Mike Rizzuto MVM
USS Blackhawk
3rd Batt 12th Regt

Well i'd rather not pay money too but if it would help out i would. I agree though individuals handling group funds is a whole can of worms.

This happens and I guarantee I will be gone. I do not agree with anything Art has done and feel he screwed things up. He inquired about this place years ago and several of us said the same thing.

Thanks!

Greg

_________________
CPL A08/TQ0.0.12146E1
Newell, Greg A aka Gman
Illinois - USA
UKCM
Shoot first, think never.
Good? Bad? I'm the guy with the gun.
SMMFD
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he doesn't exist.

I'd prefer the AL to remain independent, so we likely will not be merging with the RPF, or Art Andrews (I don't have any opinion on this individual, personally, but several of us in the Admin team hear you loud and clear)

I also don't want to see paid memberships or ads, I'd rather pay out of pocket myself to see us remain ad-free.

Stay tuned for a board announcement soon regarding the update

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Lt. Melissa L. Klassen, ALG
AL Colonial Admin. - Executive Officer (XO) -- 2021-2022
RCCM | Royal Canadian Colonial Marines - Commanding Officer (CO) -- 2021-2022

Read the AL Charter Rules & Regulations: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i3gd9QUyIqI_6rfk8kpxspbKU-JT4MBAjLPxfCkvGJ8

Yeah I’d rather us remain ad free to be honest…

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A02/TQ2.0.52141E1

"Errr... Roger that's a 2-1-6..."

I'd have to agree with the sentiments above.
In my own personal opinion... FB sucks.
Won't be participating in those groups or paying much attention.

Was also a member of the TDH and RPF, from day one.
(Anyone else remember the Grey X-Wing Wallpaper on the first version RPF) ... Talking way back.
But once Andrews was allowed to take charge of them, and after years of them acting as they were intended, distort them into a personal money making side business,
I dropped out the next day.
So, nice to hear such a thing won't be happening here.

If a pressure free, permanent link were placed for website improvement donations, and an open accounting of the use of that money was posted (IE: none of it ended up in someones pocket),
it is something I would likely donate to.

Well As far as the extra cost on storage. If we are looking at a yearly thousand dollar fee the other thing we then have to look at is how do we structure finances and ensure we do not run afoul of contribution and financing laws. Do a 505 filing? (basically a fraternity/sorority) vs. a 501(c)3? (more paperwork requirements.)

Then the question comes regardless of how it gets structured, how we split off the finances to be independent of any one individual? How do you ensure accountability at all levels?

Then we just have a donations link and no need to beg for funds once a year to pay the bills. No need for an official fund raiser.

Everything is delicate and has to be done very carefully. Input from all sides needs to be considered and weighed.

So in short not a simple or quick process.

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The impossible takes a while longer and goes over budget too...

while we could do governmental filings like tax breaks and such, i have a feeling that would bring un wanted attention to the forum from the Mouse, and i don't really want to deal with Disney.

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PFC Mike Rizzuto MVM
USS Blackhawk
3rd Batt 12th Regt