The Elsmar Cove Site and Forums 'Breakdown' & Options as of June 2017

[Marc]

NOTE: This thread is from many years ago. It has been updated to reflect changes to 3 January 2019.

I was able to import all the threads from the old UltimateBB 'system' into this new software, but not the oldest forums - The first forum software was WebBBS. The UltimateBB forums, although technically turned off - still exist. I did not delete them because there are so many outside links to threads in it. So - the old Ultimate BB Forum threads do still exist, but they are static pages..

This little bit of history is to help you understand how all this came about. And what is happening. The Cove is a site I set up almost 6 years ago (EDIT: Now, 2019, over 22 years ago {Not counting the 10 months offline...}) to help people and, until December 2003, almost everything was free and there was no advertising. I started selling Guide file sets in February 2001 and started the Members and Premium Access in September 2001 essentially because business was down that year and it costs me several thousand bucks a year to keep this site online. And that doesn't include the hours I have to put into maintaining the site every day of the year. Now, in 2017, all of this is free and available to all visitors without even registering in the forum.

NOTE: 3 January 2019 - During October 2018, the old vBulletin software was retired and content was migrated to Xenforo software.

As I'm sure you've noticed by now, this is not a "company" website. You might want to look at the Elsmar Cove as an alternative site. This is to say, there is a lot of independence here. And a lot of history, if you look for it. We've had some fights, political 'discussions' and - well, this isn't 'your father's forums'.

If you are new, Welcome! I hope your questions are answered and I hope you will participate - that you will help others when you 'know the answer' or have an opinion on something. In the end, we're all students.

I do hope this new Xenforo 'Forum' software, once you get used to it, will help you in your search for facts and knowledge. The Elsmar Cove has come a long way over the years. (EDIT: Now, in 2019, over 22 years online) - and the Elsmar Cove continues to evolve. With your participation and help, we'll be here 10 years from now if we all help each other! God willin' and the creek don't rise...

Welcome to the Elsmar Cove!!! Since January 1996, A Refuge from the Storm!

 

[Marc]

The Elsmar Cove Site and Forums Options - PLEASE READ!

Breakdown of the Elsmar Cove Web Site - J3 January 2019​

Site History:

This site was originally QS9000.com and it was originally called the "Cayman Cove". The "motto" was "Shelter from the Storm". QS9000.com went live on on the internet on 5 January 1996 and was renamed Elsmar.com in 2002 iirc (getting old... ). Quite a bit has changed over the years - Over 10 21 years have passed. The Forums are now the main focus of Elsmar. However, there is still a lot of information even in the the old site pages and the forum discussion pages. They provide a historical view of what has happened with respect to the standards and such over the years. This is not to mention, as many standards such as ISO 9001 change, when you look closely you will see the overall requirements haven't changed very much when you get right down to it.

The Elsmar Cove Discussion Forums

The first actual forums went online around May 1997 if I remember correctly. The original forums ran on Darryl Burgdorf's WebBBS - a set of perl scripts. The intent was to have a searchable database vs. options such as the old ListServs which depended upon email where information was hard to search for.

As much as I would like the forums to be entirely free of advertising, as they were in years past (1996 through 2004), as we all know much has changed on the internet over the years and where the economy is now. Back around March 2003 I changed the policy of free downloading of attachments to requiring Registration in the forum. The bandwidth was just too high. Many people would come and contribute nothing, not even a post to help someone with a question they could answer, grab what they could and not return. On 24 January 2004, restrictions on access to attachments in all forums except the "Contribution Access and Guide File Sets" forum were lifted. Since starting advertising with Google's AdSense in late December 2003, advertising revenue has been sufficient for me to lift the March 2003 restrictions on Post Attachments in all forums.

Edit April 2016: The "Contribution Access and Guide File Sets" forum is now free and accessible to everyone.

Elsmar is currently set up as follows:

Browsing Forums Without Registering - Free

• You may browse and search all the forums.
• If your intent is to simply scan/search for information, there is no advantage to registering.
• You must register for Personal Messaging ("Conversations" in Xenforo), Starting New Discussion Threads (to ask questions, for example) and Replying in existing Discussion Threads and several other forum functions.
• Free to Everyone - To download post attachments in the forums.

Forums Registration - Free - Forums Registration allows one to:

• a. Start New Threads in forums with New Questions, and to
  b. Reply to posts others make in threads.
  c. This also opens up Personal Messaging,
  d. Expanded Calendar functions,
  e. Activate 'Subscriptions' to threads and forums and other software controls and features such as E-Mail notification of New Posts to threads and/or New Posts / threads in specific forums which you choose.
• Registering does require a VALID e-mail address. However, your e-mail address remains hidden from other users, 'bots' and e-mail harvesting site scans unless you put your email address in your User Profile. We do not sell, give away or otherwise reveal anyone's e-mail address. Nor do we send unsolicited e-mails such as offers or advertisements.
• No time limit (accounts do not expire).

NOTE: Definition of Forum Member (Registered Visitor)

'Forum' scripts used to be relatively basic and the term 'Member' is a hangover from the past when if one 'Registered', one was typically defined as a 'Member'. The folks who wrote this set of php scripts use it liberally. The forum software is saturated with references to forum members. When a person Registers in the forum, technically one can say s/he is a Forum 'Member'.​

NOTE: Definition of Subscription

New Posts and New Threads - Monitoring (aka "Watching")​

You can set and change your Preferences in your User Control Panel. Please take a minute and review your User Control Panel settings.

April 2016 - FREE Files and Resources

Don't hesitate to E-Mail us if you have any questions.

EDITED: 3 January 2019

 

[sal881vw]

I've been registered for just one month now. Connecting to the site is the first thing I do every morning.This is an excellent site, informative, helpful experts and above all it is a meeting place for persons that are continiouslly wanting to improve themselves and their company's commitment to be the best. Well done Marc and to all at The Elsmar Cove.

 

[Claes Gefvenberg]

Well done Marc and to all at The Elsmar Cove.

You said it... I'm hardly new around here, but I'm still amazed by the sheer magnitude of the information exchange. To top that off I have also made lots of friends in the Cove. It's still second to none...



/Claes

 

[Greg B]

Hi ALL

As I have stated in numerous threads over the past year that I have been a contributor(?) this is the best service on the web. The professionalism ,friendliness and willingness of everyone to contribute always astounds me. No matter what country or background you come from you can always shelter from the storm - in the cove. I always feel welcome and the responses are constructive, honest and realtime (given that I live in Australia). To Marc and all thankyou

GregB

 

[Marc]

Thread updated - html removed and replaced with bbcode. I had forgotten I had turned html rendering off in all forums some time back.

BTW - If you come across a thread with html in it, please let me know and I'll strip it and correctly format the page.

 

[dmp06]

Re: The Elsmar Cove Site and Forums 'Breakdown' & Options - PLEASE READ!

Thanks Marc for clearing up alot of questions I had. Also, thanks for your time and patience with all who visit this forum.

DMP06

 

[km214]

Re: The Elsmar Cove Site and Forums 'Breakdown' & Options - PLEASE READ!

Hello Marc,
Funny I get on here after my big move....and find that I never noticed exactly where you were located. I am origianlly from Northeast Ohio...lake and geauga counties with some of my time in Cuyahoga....
I moved to Massachusetts about 20 years ago...mostly for work and given the technology there it made sense. I prospered and learned and experienced a great deal and really grew as a quality professional. I joined the EC back in 2003 or 4 I think and have found a fantasitc resource for any input I seek regarding quality here at EC.
I am as of Feb 28th 2008...and Ohioan again... back in the NE...Chesterland ...Found that although technology is plentiful in MA...it is ever changing in its direction...Not too many stable med device companies there....and many businesses once established get bought and moved or dissolved or simply fizzle out....
I found a great gig here in geauga county with a stable Med dev ...company...Machining but not beyond my scope...I have found that this company is a company with a heart....one very close to my own...and I am relishing in making a home for myself there where I can stay for as long as I choose... Great bunch of talent there and great opp for me to help them reach their ISO cert and grow to be a leader in the industry...I take pride in my work and possess integrity that is matched by several here in the company...I feel like I am really "HOME"...in so many ways...
Thanks for the reminder that Ohio is a source of great minds and talent...EC ROCKS!!
Thanks Marc!

 

[Watchwait]

Re: The Elsmar Cove Site and Forums 'Breakdown' & Options - PLEASE READ!


"Thanks" cannot express my thanks for this forum, Marc. It has become what I call "RA-in-a-Box". (RA=Regulatory Affairs). This is like having a collective access to generations of expertise in nearly any field of endeavor. If I had to pay for this same level of feedback our budget would be busted big-time! Thanks again for this fabulous contribution to the business world!!

 

[bertever - 2009]

Re: The Elsmar Cove Site and Forums 'Breakdown' & Options - PLEASE READ!

Well folks, I want to say thanks for all the support over the years. I have less than two weeks until retirement in the glorious "Redneck Riviera" of Northwest Florida. Looking forward to spending more time reading and contributing to theses forums. After 8 years as a quality manager, quality auditor and environmental auditor on a US Government contract in the Middle East, I am looking forward to a relatively quiet period in my life. However, reality will probably set in when my spouse - she who must be obeyed - decides it is time for me to "do something" So if any of you have any ideas of things I can do that will make Her Indoors think I'm busy, maybe start a new thread and invite me in.

Bert