Arnie Rimmer contacted a couple of us about a BB board hes created that can be used as a back-up Forum discussion location. Hes asking that the TBY2K Moderators test it out and see how it works. (I'm including Ed in this communication).

Contact Arnie at Blue Sky if you have additional questions.

Diane

This is a synopsis of instructions he sent in several e-mails...

Arnie here.

I've been working on a possible contingency plan in the event that Greenspun's TB2K forum become inaccessible.

Using some 'off the shelf' forum software, I have created an online discussion forum.

Please take a look. It functions a bit differently than TB2K and is not quite as 'open'. The up side is that it comes complete with a search/indexing utility. I can also assign manager privs to any set of users - which you can use to manage posts and add new conferences.

The only requirement for 'joining' is to provide a valid email address.

Here's the steps to initially access the board:

PLEASE TO NOT PUBLISH THIS INFO YET - I'M NOT READY TO 'GO- LIVE'

1. Point your browser to http://tbaux.arnierimmer.com:8080/~tbaux

2. You should receive a username/password dialog box. Click on CANCEL.

3. The error message you then receive will allow you to register as a first time user. You must enter login name, first name, last name, email address. (First & Last name need not be real) All other fields are optional.

4. After you complete the registration, you will be emailed a password. IMPORTANT: You must log into the system within 24 hours of receiving your password.

5. Return to http://tbaux.arnierimmer.com:8080/~tbaux and log in

[snip]

Your thoughts and comments would be appreciated. Thanks!

Arnie

-- Anonymous, November 09, 1999

Answers

And...

Dianne:

Yes, you may share this with TB2K Moderators

Here's info the conferencing software package I'm using:

http://webboard.oreilly.com/

One of the advantages of this software is that it is not as prone to abuse as is TB2K - i.e. you must sign up with a valid email and individual conferences can even be moderated if you choose.

It is not immediately 'open to the public'.

It is highly configurable.

Thus, for specific conferences, posts would not even 'go live' until approved by a moderator. Other conferences within the discussion area could be posted immediately.

Having 14 moderators would not pose a technical problem. This is easily accomplished.

Individual conferences can also be restricted to specified users (not available to 'general' audience).

The disadvantage is that you'll have yet another username and password to remember.

But it gives much greater control to configure and administer.

Also, The search feature is great.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 1999

And... E-Mail Options

Q: Will my real e-mail address be available to anyone but you and whoever manages?

A: For those who wish to avoid putting their email address into the system, those folks could get a hotmail, or usa.net mail account under a ficticious name and use that to sign up.

We can also configure the 'sign up' so that it is not automatic - i.e. a moderator would have to approve 'new' members.

Having people give a functional email address (but possible under a psuedonym) reduces the exposure to the uglier sides of TB2K.

It is a trade off, but one that I think would be useful.

I've been giving some thought to the email address privacy issue and might have a solution. I would be able to create Internet email (POP3) accounts under "arnierimer.com".

For example, if I were to set up an internet email account "anon265@arnierimmer.com" for [snip], then [snip] could send and receive email via this account without [snip] 'normal' email address being exposed.

These accounts could be set up to forward to your real addresses but I don't recommend it since if the server was ever to be hacked, your real addresses would be compromised. If the mail was kept on the server until you picked it up, there'd be less risk.

I wouldn't want to set up more than 20 of these accounts so I think I'd want to limit it just to the moderators.

Let me know if you are interested and I can set this up for you. Then you could use the 'anonymous' address to register at the web board.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 1999

And...

I think we may have two separate issues here. First with respect to forum moderation, I have created two conferences:

"Suggestion Box" - visible to all registered users

"Admins / Sysops" - visible ONLY to designated forum moderators.

Thus, the general population uses "Suggestion Box" to make requests of the moderators and the moderators use "Admins/Sysops" to exchange information among themselves.

Messages posted in "Admins/Sysops" are not readable by the general forum population.

(When you get your password and initially log in, you will not see the "Admins/Sysop" - conference. It is a private conference available only to designated registrants.)

The second issue is the email accounts. I suggest that we not have several people assigned to a single POP3 account since that would require that each person know the password to a single account and they would be able to retrieve mail (Retrieving mail deletes the message from the server and thus, no one would know which moderater actually ended up with a message sent to the box.) It would be a bit confusing. I belive that the "private conference" feature may provide most of the functionality you are looking for with respect to forum moderation.

I think this will be clearer once you actually log in and take a look at what is there.

[snip]

Could you forward the information to some of the other forum moderaters? I'd like to get some feedback and work out any serious impediments that might exist in order for this to be a viable 'backup site'. Thanks.

So far, I've only notified you, [snip] and [snip]

I'm not too terribly worried about disruptors/trolls since I have control of the board. If it becomes a real problem, we even have the ability to moderate the 'new users' - i.e. they don't get a logon account until 'someone' 'approves' their request.

I think having several 'contingency sites' is a good thing. I expect a large increase in troll posts immediately before and after the rollover. There are enough of us seriously interested to form a network that can fairly quickly identify bogus posts (e.g. "Martial Law NOW in Dallas!!!!") or confirm real problems.

Arnie
Blue Sky < bluesky@arnierimmer.com >

-- Anonymous, November 09, 1999