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Update on the old forum archive

Lisa Miles
Hi all


I have some news regarding the archive of the old posts in the previous forum (powered by Fusetalk)


The Fusetalk software will finally go offline permanently by the end of January 2020 meaning that it will no longer be available or searchable. As we’ve said previously the software is no longer supported and now poses a serious cybersecurity concern.


There will be a short length of time where discussions within the old forum will not be available while an archive is being prepared.  We suggest if there are any discussions you wish to keep for reference, that you save a copy of it before the end of January.


It has also been requested that we only archive the conversations posted on the old forum since the release of the 18th Edition Wiring regs (i.e. from July/August 2018) so that out-of-date regs information is not made available. So again, if there are any past conversations that you wish to keep a copy of then we’d recommend that you do so before the end of January.


Any questions please ask or email us at community-online@theiet.org

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    Lisa


    There are some conversations that I would like to keep copies of.  Is there a means of copying entries, or are we left to our own devices?


    David
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    For what it's worth, I also agree with much of what has been said. Particularly the fact that much of the discussion about basic principles is still relevant and also many people have to work on older installations - this is often the most useful aspect of the forum, being able to call on the experience of others.
  • 0
    I agree with many of the comments above.  I am surprised and disappointed that the IET, an institution whose major aim is to educate and of which I have been a Member for over 50 years, would consider throwing away such a valuable learning archive.  As others have said, those who made the decision clearly do not understand the broader knowledge that exists here, well beyond that of the narrow Regulations.


    TIME TO RECONSIDER.


    David
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    Not much point in getting grumpy about it!


    At the very least, I would suggest that the material be saved so that it may be made available in the future even if it is not convenient to do so now.


    My first (IBM-style) PC had a 40 MB hard drive. It filled up. I had a succession of bigger and bigger drives as the machine was replaced. My last one had a few 32 GB drives. They filled up. My current machine has 1 TB drives and I really think that they will not be filled in my lifetime.


    The point is that lack of space is no longer an excuse for not saving data.


    Whatever the decision, I am only too grateful to be able to participate in the forum and at no cost. ?
  • 0
    If it's the software supporting the text entries in the old forum that's the problem, is it not possible for some computer Wizard to export the text/posts in the old forum and incorporate it into this forum, as though they were new posts?
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    I strongly support calls to make the contents accessible and searchable long-term and be transferred to a system you feel is secure. Amongst the obvious dross common to all forums, it contains a huge number of invaluable discussions and important observation not available elsewhere. It's simply not possible for users to select and personally archive these. A searchable archive would continue to be valuable well into the future. Physics doesn't change, even though our regs get updated.

    I am an IET member and I value the fact that my subs go towards supporting these sort of engineering resources. Please don't cut it off.
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    Farmboy:

    If it's the software supporting the text entries in the old forum that's the problem, is it not possible for some computer Wizard to export the text/posts in the old forum and incorporate it into this forum, as though they were new posts?




    Going page by page, it really shouldn't be difficult to extract the old messages and save each thread as one page of HTML, .pdf, or whatever. Inserting it into this software might not be so easy.

  • 0
    Hi All


    Thank you for all your feedback. I'm passing it on to the decision makers for their consideration. ?


    Lisa
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    Chris Pearson:

    Not much point in getting grumpy about it!


    Oi! Do you mind!!




     

  • 0

    Lisa Miles:

    Hi All


    Thank you for all your feedback. I'm passing it on to the decision makers for their consideration. ?


    Lisa




    I do hope they take on board our opinions.  As has been said, the aim of the institution is to encourage education, surely.  A disclaimer on any page clicked through to is a very simple thing to do, whether in HTML or even as a PDF.


    I'd go so far as to say that the idea of deleting information provided at no charge by what are effectively volunteers is positively insulting.


    I do understand the 'not wanting out of date information' out there, but ...just wow at the shortsighteness

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