Registered at the Cove Forums in 1970?

[Marc]

XXXXXXX wrote on 3rd December 2001 08:56 AM:
Marc, I noticed it says that I registered with the Forum, like, in 1970. That might be stretching it a little.

This is from the 'members' import from UBB 5.43c on 30 (?) August 2001. You have been posting in the forums since at least August 1998 (not as ominous as it sounds - I did a Search for all posts by you and your first post was 28 August 1998). But I have no way to know when you first started coming here or when you first registered.

The reason? UBB (UltimateBB) software did not track member registration dates until sometime in 1999. So - since the UBB software version did not record 'member' registration dates when you actually registered, the import function had no way to know when you actually 'joined'. Why the vBulletin folks used 1970 as a default for those who registered prior to UBB changing its software - well, I haven't a clue.

Anywhere you see someone who is a member since 1970, you know they joined before early 1999 when the early UBB forums software was running.

Just an off the wall thought, but it might have had something to do with their database structure and the Y2K problem.

[Marc]

UltimateBB software, like all software, evolves. Some time in 1999 the UltimateBB folks (now InfoPop - which has absorbed WWWThreads, which I almost changed to last year) changed their software to record the date someone registered - which it didn't previously. It wasn't, as I remember, in reaction to Y2K, but rather the 'feature' was added because of user (customer) demand.

UltimateBB did not use a database structure at all until they absorbed WWWThreads. It was all perl scripts which 'distilled' posts into threads which were streight HTML. This software (vBulletin) is the first forums software I have which uses a real database - not to mention php (which is somewhat like XML).

As for the vBulletin folks who wrote several importers (obviously to get UBB and other web bulletin board customers to change over 'easily'), I never did actually look at the code to see what the import script was doing. All I really know is where it could not find a 'joined' date for a member it inserted a 1970 date. But I don't see it as related to Y2K or database structure.

That said, if you really want to know who has been coming here the longest, you have to look at http://16949.com/level2/old_forum_archive.html

Unfortunately, the vBulletin people have not seen fit to write an importer for threads from WWWBoard (or whatever it was that I was using back in late 1996 through June 1998). I would really have liked that 'cause there are a lot of good old 'historical' threads there.

Some folks have been visiting the Cove Forums since mid-1996! Most - probably 99% - come, get what they need and move on never to return, however. In fact, I would bet most people who register now are doing so because they can see an attachment they want but can't download it unless they join. So it goes...

Originally posted by Marc

Some folks have been visiting the Cove Forums since mid-1996! Most - probably 99% - come, get what they need and move on never to return, however. In fact, I would bet most people who register now are doing so because they can see an attachment they want but can't download it unless they join. So it goes...

NOOOOOOO!! You think!

Most - probably 99% - come, get what they need and move on never to return Sounds like my old Navy Days!

Like I said, just an off the wall shot, have a wonderful day!

[Marc]

Originally posted by energy
NOOOOOOO!! You think!

Sounds like my old Navy Days!

Which brings us to the question of why YOU're still coming to the forums!

I'm here because I can sit here poised to pounce on the first free download that becomes available. I'm always in need of new dart board practice. And, it gives me something to do when I should be working! Are there any other questions, Mr. Cheech?

[Marc]

Yup - I do. But, they can wait!