Showcase Forum Issues and Requests

Hi Alan,I've provided you access to the [forum=-37] forum for purposes of participating in the A Prescribed Evolutionary Hypothesis thread, but as you're a new member let me make clear the ground rules. It's good for everyone if they're repeated once in a while.The ground rules appear in Message 4 of this thread. The most important point is that members are expected to follow the Forum Guidelines no matter what the behavior of the showcased members. There will be no moderation in this forum, except perhaps to keep things on topic, and so moderation will take place by who is permitted access. Access can be rescinded at any time without explanation.

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--	Percy
	EvC Forum Director

Thanks and understood. I have been lurking for a while.

The board software is written in Perl (superficially much like c, or like awk on steroids), the database is MySQL. The HTML pages generated by Perl also make use of Javascript.There are several interesting programming opportunities. The simplest is also one I've wanted to do for a while, make available a page where members can purchase EvC periphernalia (by using a service like CafePress), but this isn't really much of a programming task, though it would provide an avenue for gaining familiarity with the site's internals.We also want to move the static site pages into the board. This is a rather interesting programming assignment. At many sites that have bulletin boards there is a distinctly different look and feel to the bulletin board as contrasted to the rest of the site. But the non-bulletin board pages could be recorded in the database and displayed by the software with header/footers just like all the other bulletin board pages, and with appropriate navigation bars and so forth. Adding a new static page (once you've created the page content, which could be PHP instead of HTML) and getting it added to the navigation bar and site map and so forth would be as easy as going to the board's control panel and adding it to the database. This is straightforward conceptually but challenging in terms of design and implementation.Another area that needs work is the reference library, which was tossed together a few years ago and hasn't changed since because it is so damned difficult to add new items. This just has to be totally rethought from scratch. Members should be able to easily add reference items to the library and edit them later. While Google does a great job in general, it often casts its web too broadly, and so our goal is to provide a place where you can easily find links and information related to the debate, but more importantly, to add yet another board feature that makes it easy for sites to add their own reference libraries on any topic. Think of it as a concept that began with the idea, "Gee, it would be nice if members could add to a list of links," and then just branched off from there and went crazy.For a while I wanted to add a wiki, but before I could act EvoWiki and CreaWiki were created. These are both based upon MediaWiki, which has somewhat restrictive server and database requirements, and I couldn't find any other really good wiki's out there, but anyway, this isn't something I plan to tackle now, though the door should always be left ajar.Those are the largest single items. Beyond them are just a huge number of enhancements that we want to make, from things as trivial as allowing variable shading backgrounds to columns and rows to things as complex as dynamic Javascript menus configurable through the board's control panel.

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--	Percy
	EvC Forum Director

Herapton finally replied, and now I find that I've no posting priveleges in the showcase forum? When were they suspended? Or is it just an accident?

In message 82 Admin replied to you: I guess he forgot to actually do the permission set up.Now, you are set up to debate the topic with Herepton.AdminnemooseusEdited by Adminnemooseus, : Changed ID to admin mode.

Yeah, I know Admin gave me permission, and I made quite a few posts, but earlier today I had no privelges. It must have been a glitch somewhere (on my computer or maybe the server) because I now can, for the second time.

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All a man's knowledge comes from his experiences

Actually, I removed your privileges there. Keep in mind that the ground rules (see Message 4) say permissions there can be rescinded at any time without warning, and decisions will not be explained.It's fine that Moose restored your permissions, but could you please give rule 10 of the Forum Guidelines a quick read? The Forum Guidelines apply in the Showcase forum, too. Thanks!

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--	Percy
	EvC Forum Director

got ya'. Must keep in head--do not insult others. do not unsult others. do not insult others.On of these days it'll stick. I promise I'll behave better.

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All a man's knowledge comes from his experiences

For what it's worth, I would like Modulous posting privileges to the creationist theory thread to be revoked. Basically he's said all he's had to say in his first reply, it's entirely repetitious after that. To let him include even more repetition of his position would inevitability distract from the arguments that address his position.regards,
Mohammad Nur Syamsu

Consider it done.

No quibble with withdrawal of access to PEH thread, but can it just be pointed out so that John doesn't think I have lost interest?

Can I have permission to post in Syamsu's creationist thread?

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All a man's knowledge comes from his experiences

Sure, consider your post the notice.Thanks for giving it a try. Showcase is a unique attempt to allow those like John to control the presentation of their ideas. Naturally they bring the same eclectic approach to this as they do to much else.

Granted.

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--	Percy
	EvC Forum Director

More meaningless repetition of points previously raised.regards,
Mohammad Nur Syamsu