Before you guys rant about my suggestions, just want you to know I'm open to help you guys out!

Anyways, here they are:
--Search themes *yeah, been said, but hasn't been done...its just a search, it doesn't have to be a perfect one. I mean even a simple filtered secure SQL search would be great!
--Theme names, I mean c'mon...it makes it that much nicer when looking through themes, better yet if you are looking for a specific one.
--Better cookie handling, yeah it's tough, but I hate having to login after reading though some long posts. Even a nice "Remember Me" would be awesome, I love those!
--Whats with the wiki website separate? Is it owned by somone else? Even so, see if you can combine this site with the wiki, those can be way more powerfull than forums when it comes to a modular app like this!
--No biggie, but how about a screenshots section? If storage space is a prob, make the uploads auto-delete if no comments are posted after like 5 days or something of that sort to filter them out.


Anyways, tell me what you think?
Not too big of a deal to add, is it?

1) Its in the rewrite plans
2) Change to Description view or mouse over a theme image to see the name.
3) Cookie handling is just fine. The site is designed to automatically log you out of LSnet after 15 minutes.
4) The wiki is run by LScom and is not affiliated with this site. And before you mention it, the docs section will be replaced during the rewrite.
5) We have a screenshots section, click on Profiles.

As for helping with coding. Send an email to webmaster with some example code and we will consider the assistance if we think you can keep up with the existing code.

ok, I'm not sure all understand the purpose of suggestions...
No offense, but here's a response in similar style to your about yours!
1)Ok
2)That's not the point, when I make a suggestion, it often revovles around ease of use and user-friendliness....how does that help with scrolling down long lists
3)I never said it wasn't fine, I suggested a way to make it better. I like auto-login, it gets annoying when I loose an entire long post due to some auto-logout....get my drift?
4)Cool
5)Once again, it would be nice to see a page of them, not everyone wants to check out everyones profile's

As for example code, I was thinking server-side...now unless I send you a whole site example, there's not much that you can do with scripts. I would need to know the sql format table layout used to construct code for the site. Layout design is different, but I think you guys have that ok atm. but yeah...I think I'll contact him, who is the webmaster btw, lol?

I personally don't see anything wrong with 2. Description view works just fine for me while searching lists.

For 5, you don't have to check out everyone's profile. What's wrong with the Browse Screenshots link?

Re: 3)

Just log in again, then hit your back button. Your post will still be there. I know, I found out the hard way...

3) It is required by our host. There is no change that can be made to that. I think 15 minutes is actually somewhat generous amount of time to allow you to sit and idle on a page.

As for the example. Just send us a chunk of code to look at. The chunk needs to have an SQL statement in it but other than that we don't want a whole lot, just enough to tell us you know what you are doing. And I handle the webmaster duties along with tuxpow3r.

Sentertainment, all your suggestions are great, and all the stuff you have mentioned are really easy to implement, but guess what, there is something called real life situations, and guess what, I have one. It turns out that as I'm the only developer currently working on this site, the same exact situation is true for me at work, I'm the only developer, and I'm kinda stucked with that until someone else comes on board.

As far as helping out, there have been several people in the past that have said they are willing to help out, only to back out at the last moment. I've decided that I'm going to start ignoring all "I'm willing to help out" offers, based on past experiences, so you can understand why we're asking for a chunk of code. Doesn't have to be anything fancy or complicated, just to get an idea that you know what you're doing or at least talking about, thanks.

re 3) if it's a limitation of your host, then get a new frikkin host. That login thing is sooooo annoying. And why do you need to log in at all if you're just here to browse? What is there that you don't want annonymous users to see?

You're turning people off LS, because most people who are just wanting to have a look aren't going to go to the bother of subscribing. I'm on plenty of forums and I've never encountered one where the login was such a PITA. Geez Louise. Maybe that's why there's so many ill thought, off the cuff noise on these lists, because people are trying to meet the 15 minute deadline.

and an edit option would be good for those of us who sometimes need to revise their spelling. There are plenty of free forum softwares out there, I suggest you avail yourself of one.

Um... there is an edit option. Look to the left, just below your name and the post datestamp.

As for the login thing, I don't see the problem. If it's too much trouble clicking the login button again if you happen to hit the timeout, then I really don't think LS is for you.

I'm on plenty of forums ...

And yet you don't know one of the most basic rules of forum use: don't bump old threads.

stib: You happen to know a free host that will allow about a million hits a month and allow us around 50G of free space? I sure don't.

I'm talking free forum software, not free web hosting. Like PHPForum or whatever it's called. Half the forums on the 'net use it.

Anyway, why so cheap? With all those clicks can't you raise enough dough to get with a decent host? It might be evil, but adwords pay for plenty of sites (mine included, admittedly I only get about 3000 hits a month , but then I get enough from adsense that I still get to write my favourite charity a giant novelty cheque for around AUD$1000 at the end of the year. And the host includes free forum software (I tried it but there was so little traffic I couldn't be 4rsed leaving it going)).

Still don't understand why you need to login just to browse.

And yet you don't know one of the most basic rules of forum use: don't bump old threads.
true, but I balance that with the other basic rule: do a search of the threads before posting something that's already been discussed. 6 of one 110 of the other.

Oh yeah.. [edit]. Me no read very good. Me drinky drinky, play with 'puter. Ta for that.

Still don't understand why you need to login just to browse.

Because that is what our host requires. And our host has been good to us so we aren't leaving.

I think we all understand that Dev :)

Maybe telling us why your host requires that will settle alot of this "anti-login" rabble? Just a suggestion.
Dont shoot me :)

They required it so if we had any troubles with any user we could easily remove them from the site instead of blocking them at a router. It also helps us with controlling download counts, now you only get credit for downloading something once. :) So in my mind, if we are going to require you to login to download or post it isn't that far of a stretch to read. Also, can someone explain to me the problem with logging in?

This site needs porn banners.

"Right on top of that Rose!"

Huh? so I can only download something once?

"So in my mind, if we are going to require you to login to download or post it isn't that far of a stretch to read."
IMO, its a huge step. Reading is passive.

Its like putting a sponge and a tap in the same category, even though they are opposite...

"Also, can someone explain to me the problem with logging in?"
Apart from the annoyance factor (which you are aware of allready), ls.net is the only ls site that cant remember me :'( even custo remembers me... custo!!!

I dont know exactly how many people dont bother getting into LS because there is a login here, but there must be a few.
What if one of those few was meant to be the greatest LS themer ever?
What if one of those few was another Andymon!?

I know what your gonna say: "If s/he has trouble with a login, LS isnt for them"
and I totally disagree. I am sorry, but thats what customizing is all about:
Thinking something is shit, and modding it better.

But when the shitness is totally out of your influence, its enraging, and then you just leave it be. You live with it, the best you can, and for some (like the other Andymon that might have existed) that might not be good enough.

So off to some other shell site for her/him!!!

And even if they can live with it, they might learn to leave things that are too hard to mod, which just kills creativity and custo mind states.


But I am not saying you are bad for not changing it Dev (or any other admin reading), I mean, who gets a free host so good? Rarely ever, so you should bow to their whim whenever they demand it ;)

I am just glad their whim isnt to have porn banners!!!

Huh? so I can only download something once?

You can download it as often as you want but the site is supposed to track you and only give credit for the first download.

I know what your gonna say: "If s/he has trouble with a login, LS isnt for them" and I totally disagree. I am sorry, but thats what customizing is all about: Thinking something is ***, and modding it better.

I don't think LS isn't for them...I think LSnet isn't for them. I think that someone should create a newer better site. Minus personall differences I have supported every LS site that has come along.

A lot of people seem to think that we are just lazy and don't feel like making changes to the site. Right now we have one admin that knows the site. Immortal offered to help but when we sent him some code to work on he went and built his own site. This is the second time we have had this happen to us. And yes it is annoying and frustrating, but until we get some help for this site nothing will change. I know tux has a couple pages worth of changes that I have asked him to make that he just can't get to.

So again...if you are willing to bitch and moan about the site...be willing to help fix it.

Yeah, I would help, if I had the skills, but I dont really.
Maybe if you gave me the forum code, and the search code, I could maybe patch it together so that that works.

But you wanted examples of my skills before you gave me the code, so...

Is that really what happened with NBI-Studio? lol! did Immortal steal your code for his site? or was he making his own anyway and figured he could help? hehehe


Maybe you could send me the broken search relevant pages and I will have a poke around and try and maybe fix something by c&p whats allready there around :D I cant offer much more than that, sorry.

ls-themes.org is a newer better site IMHO, its just waiting for activity.

But ls.net has a huge history within LS, so I think it should be made better. It really is the core of the theming scene :)

I am not saying that Immortal stole our code. He just decided to work on that instead of helping us out.

Maybe if you gave me the forum code, and the search code, I could maybe patch it together so that that works.

But you wanted examples of my skills before you gave me the code, so...

If you have no skills how do you expect you going to start to try and understand our stuff?

Maybe you could send me the broken search relevant pages and I will have a poke around and try and maybe fix something by c&p whats allready there around :D I cant offer much more than that, sorry.

Yeah...that isn't going to help our problem any. Currently the issue is that you send the query to MySQL and it spends 5 minutes searching every word in every field of a forum post and times out. If we extend the timeout period it just hangs up the server, you remember when that was happening? Right now I think we will just stick with those that have half a clue as to whats going on. Thanks. :)

ls-themes.org is a newer better site IMHO, its just waiting for activity.

btw...this was the other site that had us take on a dev that was willing to help out but then went on and created their own thing. And yes...I understand it already changed owners since.

And one last thing...just to clarify. Knowing LS or using LS is not a requirement for the job. tux was introduced to LS via this site development. We just need someone that knows PHP well that has a lot of free time to spend on the site.

Oh, I see... well maybe in the mean time you should remove the search link that gives everyone errors. That might make alotta sense.

Maybe there is some reason why people go their own way after trying ls.net?

and I think your talking about Vill, right? he was the old creator of lsthemes.org, not ls-themes.org... so dont carry your hate round their unless its justified ;)

Anyway, I have allready been through this "trying to be more involved in ls.net" stuff, and it panned out the same way.
maybe if you gave me the code way back then I might've fixed your buggy search functions by now?

who knows!?

atleast we can say we tried, oh wait, we cant :P

Well I am glad to catch this thread...

Dev I would have been interested if I was not put to a classroom test
to help you guys out over here.
I was offering my help not asking for a quiz.
As I stated to you and tux, I am knowledgable in web development.

I wanted to do a complete rewrite of the codebase here.
It is very messy ATM and not something I wanted to rewrite just to get the same look and design over again.
I told tux thats what I wanted and I believe we were shot down before it got started.

you all should know NBI is an e107 site totally.
All I did was change a lot of code to fit a themes-screenshot style website.
Just ask and I will provide you with the codebase...

When I wrote that site I really wished it was ls.net I was working on and not some spin off follower site.
But it is what it is!
I am still interested if ls.net rewrites the whole layout not just the opp intergration.

Yeah...sorry about the quiz thing. We have had a couple people say they would help, we give them the access, and then they ask what an object is or how to write a MySQL query. Not gonna risk that all over again. This is also why fractal got asked for code examples.

I have been so out of touch with PHP for so long I couldn't tell you if it were clean or ugly code. Tres`ni, Tux and jugg seem to have found their way around well enough though. At this time I don't see the need for the complete site rewrite in order to fix things like forum search and the replacement of the Docs tab. We have things that are working, there is no need to touch them.

What is wrong with the layout to require a rewrite?

Well I have not looked at the code since tux sent that over and for some reason it clicked this time.
Strange how that works.

It is actually layed out in an organized manner.
Now if I could just get .Root_Site worked out on my testing server
maybe I can start coding some things for you guys...

What is wrong with the layout to require a rewrite?
The way I see it...
This site has not changed, not even the homepage in the last 5 years!
Thats just kinda boring IMO.
I dont know if you ever checked out e107, it kicks serious arse.
I have a good codebase going with NBI and maybe a side project involving porting all LS.net content to a newer system with more balls. A side project for Tux and I? A new site launch?

This site has done good for us all over the last years but maybe its time for a change?

These are just my opinions and not to offend anyone...

The site has not changed because nobody is available to code it. Little things change here and there when tux has time but that is few and far between.

My personal website is running e107 and while I trust jalist and everything he and his team have done for me, I can't trust it here however.

Lets pick this up over IRC, ICQ or something. Some of the information we are getting into I would rather not have posted all over the place.