I am in the process of migrating all my websites to a new host to lower costs. As a result there will likely be some down time, probably this weekend. as I move things over.
However, before I do that, I'd like to throw out the option of handing over the site to someone else. As is obvious, I haven't been a presence on the site for the last couple of years. Mustang has had my blessing to do anything and everything to manage the site, while I kept the server and database running. I don't mind continuing the status quo, but thought that its probably getting to a point where its worth considering the other options:
1) Letting someone else (or a group of someone else) take over complete ownership and control of the site. That means keeping the name registered and updated ($15-$30/yr), running a hosting site with apache, php, and MySQL ($50-$100/yr), plus the technical and maintenance side. I could hand over the existing account to simplify the technical side of the change over, but it would require someone that is familiar with how this stuff works.
2) Working with another tiger board that has more users of the newer bikes (800/1200/1050) to import the archives from here so the collected wisdom isn't lost. The good side to this is it seems a waste to have a 955 and earlier board, a 1050 board, an 800 board and a 1200 board. Its spreading things thin, and long term survival would be helped by consolidation. On the negative side, an import is probably a complicated technical process, and I have no contact with the other boards to know if they would even be interested, and it they are a good fit.
3) Status quo. In this case, I'd proceed with the migration, and continue to keep the site running, though I'd be an absentee landlord.
4) Shut down. Definitely not a preferred solution, but at some point if traffic falls enough, its no longer worth the time of the various people that have to keep things running. It would also be a shame to lose 15 years of wisdom.
I'm open to suggestions and discussion. The current hosting environment will be shutting down in two weeks, so giving me time to move the data, the final choice needs to be made soon.
Geof
This IS the Tiger site
An absetee land lord isn't necessarily a bad land lord, you've been very good to us for a long while, Mustang has been exceptional at keeping the peace and getting us to play nicely together.
Favorite would be options 1 or 3 for me, I do take the point about spreading thin, just seems that as has been said this IS the Tiger site.
:iagree
Regular users are happy to chip in to cover running costs. I'm happy to help out with site maintenance etc if it will help :icon_study:
Geoff, thank you for all your work to date the site has always been, and always is, a source of enjoyment. Quite a few good friends made too.
If you decide to leave us I'd vote for a group takeover based on your first suggestion and I'm quite willing to do my bit, whatever that turns out to be, to keep things rolling.
I'm sure that between us we can keep things moving in the right direction.
To be clear, I have no objection to continuing to be the site host, but _if_ there is someone that wants to take it over and can give it the attention it deserves, it is probably better than being in the hands of someone that only checks in once in a rare while.
The collective knowledge on this site is second to non...I even chip in now and again :icon_redface: I`m not bothered who runs it but it seems to have been ticking over quite nicely for a few years now....and yes I should have and will make a contribution to upkeep of this iccle bit of cyber space :wheel
Quote from: Bixxer Bob on September 30, 2014, 11:45:28 PM
:iagree
Regular users are happy to chip in to cover running costs. I'm happy to help out with site maintenance etc if it will help :icon_study:
+1. As a relative newcomer to this site, but having been a member of many forums before, I think that what is available here is second to none.
I cannot help with the nuts-and-bolts of running the site, being computer illiterate, but would be happy to buck-up a donation.
I'm thinking of doing the site move Thursday evening after work. I did a test migration yesterday, and after an initial false start it was relatively easy. The process will look something like this:
7:00pm MDT: the site will go offline in maintenance mode, so that posts/changes can't be made. At this point I'll make copies of the files and the database and move them to the new host. On the new host, everything will be installed/modified for its new home. This process will take 2-3 hours. When complete the new copy of the site will be taken out of maintenance mode.
10:00pm MDT: DNS records will be changed to point to the new location. This can sometimes take time to propagate through cached DNS records. As much as 24 hours. That means that after about 10:00pm, if you still see the maintenance mode screen, your DNS cache hasn't updated, and check back later.
Afterwards there may still be some hiccups that I'll need to sort out. If after Thursday, you encounter any problems--pages not rendering correctly, emails not being sent, just let me know via PM.
Geof
:thumbsup
Good luck.
I'd love to say I could assist with running but I'm not the right temperament even if my circumstances allowed it but I'm always happy to contribute a few quid. I certainly get a lot more out than I've contributed.
I'd not be so keen to merge with another/s forum, I haven't come across any that have a compatible ethos or feel but I fully understand the logic.
Good luck with the migration and thanks as always for your unseen efforts.
we're good for a long time !
Things look like they are working. Let me know if I'm wrong.
Seems to be working just fine. Thanks a lot.
Looks OK, no problem logging in and even had one PM :thumbsup :notworthy
:eusa_clap
I'm now getting email notification of some new posts to a thread, but the new posts are not there.... :icon_scratch:
:icon_redface:
Might have been mine
I was trying to post while the site was in the middle of relocating
Quote from: Mustang on October 04, 2014, 03:22:09 PM
:icon_redface:
Might have been mine
I was trying to post while the site was in the middle of relocating
Was indeed. That would explain it. Thanks for the heads up.
I'm not able to login from an Android (Samsung) web browser, gives me the Admin Login front end only whatever I do.
Just logged in from an android samsung. No problems.
Logged in no probs on my HTC :thumbsup
Quote from: Sin_Tiger on October 04, 2014, 05:37:47 PM
I'm not able to login from an Android (Samsung) web browser, gives me the Admin Login front end only whatever I do.
Sorted, it was my shortcut :icon_redface:
looks like everything is working, so I'm going to unsticky this thread. Please PM me or Mustang if any further issues come up.
Geof
Everything is working fine! also login on my Alcatel Android :thumbsup :eusa_clap
Man, I'm always late to the party. Geoff - this site kicks ass. I couldn't buy the knowledge that exists here. I think you have done an awesome job and would be honored if you would stay on as our land lord, I.E. status quo. And as always, I'm in for a donation if needed. And also a thanks goes out to Mustang - good job. But, Geoff, you got to do what's best for you, and what ever you decide I will completely respect it. Eric
So, where can we send a donation to??
Well I'm late too the party on purpose bikes and modding them I'm up the front websites and running them I'm already out the back door and gone I'm way too much like Mustang!!! :icon_biggrin:,although I would like to ebay links in threads rather than just forsale.
Oddly enough had a PM conversation about who the hell pays for this site the other day.
In theory getting involved with others is good in reality over the years Tiger owners!!!! awkward doesn't come close!!! their were 3 Yahoo Tigers sites for errr various reason and then the RAT one then this one was set up and the originator went and bought a GS :augie but fell on his sword and here we are.
I'm not normally against progress because you can't stop it but unless someone can come up with a great plan I see no way out of the Status Quo,on another website there's a link for paying it entitles you to nothing apart from paying to running it and that works for me,I'm happy to do that and let Mustang run the show with landlord in the background.
No need to pay me at this point. This all came up because the current host (has hosted the site) just jacked my prices. In the grand scheme of things, it isn't super expensive, but its still a 50% increase. So I found a new host--it still remains to be seen their quality, but I like their cost and the control they give me. The reality is it costs me ~$130 a year to keep the site running, plus a little time, which is not much at all. The primary reason I floated some of possible changes in ownership was less about cutting and running, and more about the thought that a fully invested landlord might be more into trying to do exciting new stuff with the site that I just don't have the time to do.
I thank you for the years of dedication to this brilliant site :bowdown :notworthy
long may it continue :thumbsup
KK
just read the whole thread (Doh :icon_redface:) to me this is a unique site :bowdown or I was till I joined and brought the standard crashing down, it's my first source of info on the bike even though I tend not to understand a lot of the more technical stuff. Suffice to say I would be more than happy to chip in a grout or two the keep the place going
cheers Spud :thumbsup
We'll let ya know when we need donations ...........................
Abruzzi is good for now ...............................
This place has become what it is because of the membership here :bowdown
Next question that crops up how much? from my experiences on other boards around £10 per year so for the Colonials!! $16,the important part it entitles you to nothing,with 4 different bikes blimey I see a cross section of the motorcycle community that's for sure.
Just to give an insight to another world I use a site that's more than happy to slate Akarapovic :icon_scratch: but say anything about the exhaust company they take money off who sell junk and there's hell to pay the joys of taking the 'Kings Shilling'
The other thing I forgot you get some rather strange folk who for their money want site sponsor by their name and all that crap something else I'm happy to be left out of paying is good enough for me.
:iagree
the reality is .................
most forum owners discover there is money to be made with ads and site sponsors and they get greedy .
as Geoff said it only costs a little bit of per year to keep a site running .
and with no sponsored ads we stay :spam4 free
:iagree rather a few quid goes to this than some other means of maintaining a safe blood pressure.
How much do I have to pay to get 'site supporter' next to Chris's name? :pottytrain2
What's with the oriental-looking text pop-ups/ads/whatever that have started to appear as headers?
Quote from: nickjtc on October 19, 2014, 09:41:44 PM
What's with the oriental-looking text pop-ups/ads/whatever that have started to appear as headers?
has to be your computer .............................
there is nothing on this end doing it .
Nickjtc time to run the anti-virus software...
Quote from: nickcalne on October 19, 2014, 11:13:50 PM
Nickjtc time to run the anti-virus software...
Hmm. All av stuff up-to-date and the anti-spyware/anti-malware doing its thing. Hmmmmm.
Nick
Quote from: Mustang on October 16, 2014, 05:02:01 PM
the reality is .................
most forum owners discover there is money to be made with ads and site sponsors and they get greedy .
as Geoff said it only costs a little bit of per year to keep a site running .
and with no sponsored ads we stay :spam4 free
Wait, I like Spam - it's delicious :augie
Quote from: aeronca on October 22, 2014, 09:03:55 AM
Wait, I like Spam - it's delicious :augie
Aaah, Spam."Well, there's spam, egg, sausage and spam. That's not got MUCH spam in it." (Ref: http://www.epicure.me.uk/spamsketch.html )
http://youtu.be/anwy2MPT5RE
:ImaPoser