Web site issues

[The Robman]

There have been a lot of connection issues on the site today. I got the guys at GoDaddy to restart the database and it did improve things a bit, but I am still getting issues on some pages.

The problem is, I'm running on a very old version of PHP, which is long since been declared obsolete, but upgrading is risky because I'm also on a very old version of phpbb (the forum software) and upgrading that would be a massive undertaking as my copy is heavily customized, primarily for the file section.

The reason I'm letting you guys know this is, if and when the site finally collapses, I'm just going to let it be. I've been doing this for 25 years and most of the guys that I used to work with have long since moved on, and it's just not fun for me anymore. Plus, the remote control landscape has changed, people are cable-cutting and streaming stuff, so they don't need universal remotes as much, and there aren't as many JP1 remotes to choose from anymore, anyway.

I will keep it running for as long as I can, but when it's done, it's done. Just letting you know in advance because I won't be able to post something afterwards!

[ckeays]

Well Rob,

If the site goes down & I don't get a chance, I want to say thank you a million times for all of your hard work over the years. You are always willing to help others. There aren't may guys like you around these days.

I wish you all the best from Canada!
Chris

[The Robman]

Thanks Chris

[Barf]

Ok, nothing lives on forever. Lets try to make a planned migration to a future solution, instead of a remote-central type demise.

1. Software and its source code shoud be maintained on a platform like GitHub or SourceForge. Not as zip-files in a file section of a forum. (I once said that zip files in software development is like adhesive tape in wood works.) We have a working Sourceforge repository, and the active projects, mainly RMIR, are handled there. Also some effectively discontinues projecs, like DecodeIR, makehex, irscope,... have been checked in there. Remains some ancient versions in the file area, packed in zip files. It would be sensible to shove them over to Sourceforge, just in a directory called for example old_versions. I would volunteer to do that.

2. There is a large number of device upgrades, indexed by jp1-master (excellent work, btw). This must be migrated to ... something. I can think of some alternatives, but nothing seems immediate. GitHub, like Probono's IRDB?

3. Of course there needs to be some follow up forum for future discussions etc. Some say that a Facebook group or similar can fill that demand. Discord? Or a brand new forum of the traditional type? (I have capacity on my server...)

4. The wiki is presently quite a wild collections of documents of documents, not very consistent. It should not be that hard to find a new host and software.

5. Existing forum content: As soon a forum for continuation exists, I suggest just achieving the existing stuff read-only. Particularly valuable stuff should be transferred to a wiki of some sort.

6. The existing forum structure, user data base, PMs etc, can be disposed as soon as 1-5 have found solutions.

I assume that you have backups, Rob.

[HamburgerHelper1]

Thanks Rob for a wonderful ride

[zaphod7501]

I feel your pain. I went through the same PHP hell with our bike club website and forum (2018). Someone posted a hack that let me keep it going as read-only for 6 months until the club did a shift to a complete new setup. I had to learn some HTML programing because we lost the GUI editor. I had literally been the sole user for 2 years so it wasn't a big issue.

[The Robman]

The thing is, we can go several days now without any new posts, so I'm not sure it's worth the time and effort that it would take to modernize all the code. GoDaddy wants to try updating the PHP to the latest version, and if it doesn't work, they can rollback to an old version, but the oldest version they can roll back to is still 2 versions newer than the one that I'm using, so it might not even work after the rollback.

[Mark Pierson]

I've been here a long time. My user number is "4" if that says anything! Before hat it was the Yahoo Groups.

While I haven't contributed in forever, I still check in almost every day. It's my longest running forum membership and I get antsy if I don't log in.

The entire trip has been phenomenal. To see where we've come and where we came from its just truly unbelievable. The knowledge here is second to none as is the willingness to help. Best of all, there's no fluff... no arguments, no politics, just a bunch of remote nerds playing with the little electric wonders.

Thanks for all you hard work, Rob. And for keepin the sight afloat all these years. It'll be hard to see it go (if it truly does) but you're right... remoted just aren't as necessary in todays digital world.

And thanks to everyone else who has contributed over the years. While I still can't decode a protocol I love reading the discussions about it.

If it disappears tomorrow it will still have been one hell of a ride!

Just remember... when things get tough and your back's against the wall, just "shoot one into the pillow!"

[mathdon]

If the worst happens, I will continue to maintain RMIR on SourceForge. I do not currently look at Tickets on SourceForge but will start doing so in the absence of any other discussion forum. Although I seem to have been rather quiet recently on the JP1 forum, I am like a duck paddling along serenely while paddling furiously underneath! I am currently working hard on future enhancements

[pH7_jp1]

Visiting this forum is as much a part of my morning routine as brushing my teeth and eating breakfast. Even though I switched to a Harmony 650 6 years ago, I still follow developments here every day. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to my enjoyment over the years that started with my Cinema 7.

[vickyg2003]

I feel your PHP pain. I just went and checked, and I am now 3 versions behind again too. I hate change.

[andyross]

I know what it's like when an old site dies. Recently, DSLReports went down. It's semi-available for around 5 minutes at the top of the hour where you can try and copy data, but it's not usable as a forum. Luckily, some users created a new site, and trying to use the DSLR notification system to try and let others know where everyone has moved to.
https://broadbandbulletin.com/

[SysTech_Larry]

Rob, I know that I am a Johnny-Come-Lately, but thanks for all of the hard work you did to put all this together. My remote is working great right now and if this place is still running when I get new devices, I plan to add their upgrades here (if they are not here already).

[Ed]

I've been hanging around here for a long time myself. To echo the comments of others, I really enjoy looking in almost every day and will miss the site, and the people who come here, a lot if it goes away.

Thanks to Rob for keeping things going for all these years.

[jmezz13]

Just returned to the site after a bit, and noticed this thread after wondering about multiple 503 Service Unavailable messages. I certainly understand not wanting to continue something that has turned into a drag, especially if it takes a bunch of upgrading to keep it running. There sure has been some amazing things that have been created here. Thanks Rob for keeping this site going. Also, thanks to the major contributors that have created some great hardware and software solutions to make these things work.

Personally, if the site goes down without much notice, I'll check the RMIR Sourceforge site or IRScrutinizer on GitHub to see if there are any new ways to have these discussions.