www.clanlivingstone.info

Well, as you may guess these last few days have made me feel very strongly that we need new software. To summarise my understanding of the issues raised to date: We would ideally like to have DNA forum and this in the same place. At present DNA forum is "free" and "private" so DNA users would like to keep these facilities. Likewise this forum is "free" to "authorised" users although not private. I believe that both groups would like to be able to restrict or moderate postings from parties with a genuine interest. I think that there is considerable demand to be able to upload photos. So the big question is - Does anyone know of any reliable software that can do this? I came across this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison ... m_software which I thought useful. I have done a filter and come up with these as the all use MySql (most of my hosting servers provide this Database facility) and PHP apart from MegaBBS which uses ASP.

I will take an indepth look at the two (AEF and PHPBB3) and give my opinion shortly. Also to add one issue raised but solved as well is the need to bring the MacLeaLivingstone database over to the website and make it editable for all these great family trees people are sharing in forum. I say it is solved as it is a MySQL database and we can make the front-end with PHP so it is just when the website gets revamped we can bring that on board as well. ~David

David That would be excellent.

A flat forum is one where each message is added onto the end of the discussion, with no set relation to any prior messages (other than being on the same discussion topic

I think I will defer to David's opinion on this, because he knows quite a bit more about this than me.... I think both options look great. AEF had a working demo that looked nice. PhBB looks nice too. I am ambivalent, so I would defer. As far as threaded vs flat, I think I would prefer something which is as simple as possible.

I prefer threaded if threads get quite large, but quoting who you respond to usually means you can follow particular threads. Also having more subforums rather than one large one means you group by area by default.

Agreed that we should have more subfora, these will help with different kinds of discussions... Kyle=

Hi Kyle, I would like to discuss with Allan and others on how we could make this forum work for everyone. I am not sure however that subforums are the way to go, if I am understanding correctly. My main concern is that when we had the Aussie/NewZealand forum it was not used all that often. We need more people to come to "the forum" to my way of thinking before we consider any more subforums. I cant realistically see how subdividing it with improve the current situation. What we need is for greater input and participation with the existing forum. We need to draw more people to the web site and to the forum. Participation is the key.Improvements to the website in general may help to attract more people to the site. I have not done a survey but from observation it occurs to me that most people who come to the forum are interested in their Livingstone genealogy. Many of them are Americans with Livingstone kin that settled in Canada and the United States. There has been an effort to work with these folks and their genealogical interests. An Australian/NewZealand sub forum as you know was set up but it unfortunately generated little interest. It was mentioned that perhaps Scottish Livingstons are relatively small in number in their native land and not particularly interested in the clan to the extent of North Americans, Aussies and New Zealanders. That may be the case, but I hope that it is not. I am disappointed that more Scots have joined Jill and Hamish at the forum. I dont know that sub forums would have changed anything. Ultimately we just arent drawing enough Livingstons to the forum. I dont know how many are visiting the website. Look as in the movie "Field of Dreams" if you build it they will come. As I mentioned in an e-mail sometime back one of the problems is that many of us have different visions of what this clan is about. Different interests, different objectives, different agendas. We need to unite, focus and forge ahead. Above all we need to communicate. regards, Donald

Oh, I'm not at all suggesting different FORUMS, just "topics" if you will within the forum, all searchable, and all with the ability to notify you that there are new messages to be read within. If you look at the Heraldry Society of Scotland forum, you can get an idea what I was envisioning: http://heraldry-scotland.com/HSSforum/index.php You can different topic areas... "Scottish Heraldry" "Continental" etc. We could have "Messages from the Chief" (only he could post), "Dr. Livingstone" "Scottish Emigration" "NY Livingstons" "DNA Project Public Reports" etc as topics. Every time you logged in, you could search new posts in ALL topics or some topics of interest, or you could navigate to one topic in particular and look through, or you could just take a look around.

Hi Kyle, Ok I could see how that could work narrowing it to specific areas of interest. Doesnt help that some of my e-mail responses to the group dont go through. Does anyone else have this problem with their e-mails? regards, Donald