Contributions towards relocating DHL section

[Deleted]

What an interesting day yesterday was on the forum ! ......now that I'm a member only, I can sit back and enjoy the bunfights ;D ;D !!

As I said in a post yesterday morning before it was deleted, vintagecaravans.com is not for sale........everything else is ;D .....but not vc.com

Magnetic.com were however correct in saying that the website (not the forum) is dead , and needs revamping & some enthusiasm to again bring it alive .
For many months I've planned to do this, and did make a start by setting up the "members profile" section on the website homepage,...... however Geoff and Jude are very lonely there .......
www.vintagecaravans.com/member-profiles.htm
Part the reason for nothing happening to date is my going through seperation with Jenni (Ditzy), moving house, working through a financial settlement etc etc ...........
also I've done 4 vintage caravan runs in 3 different rigs in the past 6 months, which has been alot of fun ..................

Anyway, all that aside, it's proposed to move the section of our forum "Down History Lane" (DHL) to the main website, primarily because with photobucket accounts dropping off after 90 days (if inactive), we risk (and possibly already have) losing valuable historical information that a few of our dedicated members have painstakingly put together.

This is a costly excercise , because of the amount of content in the DHL section, web page builders have to shift every post and pic to the website, a process that'll take many hours (they charge by the hour), ....but it has to be done .

One of the threads yesterday mentioned subscriptions towards the cost of running the website. The reality is the website doesn't cost much, and the annual fee is paid out of the nominal profit made from sticker & calender sales.
But ............. what the members can do, is contribute towards the cost of shifting the DHL section, but by donation only.
vintagecaravans.com and the forum have always been free for its members, and advertising on vintagecaravans.com is also free ..... I wish to keep it that way.

I'm talking to a web designer today about shifting the DHL section, and also negotiating the best fee for adding member profiles to the website (for those that wish to have a profile added, & fund it themselves).
www.vintagecaravans.com/member-profiles.htm

So, do members wish to contribute towards shifting DHL to the website?, .... or will I too be told to F O......... ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Mark

[jodel1050]

Hi Mark,

Interesting day indeed & I'm glad that vc.com is not going to be sold off.

I for one would contribute towards shifting DHL to the website in which ever way is deemed the most effective & cost effective.

The suggestion of contributing towards and also negotiating the best fee for adding member profiles to the website (for those that wish to have a profile added, & fund it themselves) is an interesting idea.

So please count on my support for what it is worth. I'm sure that you are going to be overwhelmed with support.

Cheers Jodel

[cobber]

G'day Mark,

Funny thing about DHL......... some people love it and think it is the most worthwhile part of the whole forum..... some people think it's useful, some people think it's useless and some people don't know what we are talking about.

You have my support for the idea.... how much support will depend on the quote you get from the designer and how many people come to the party.

DHL is a valuable resource and we should do all we can to protect it.

Cobber.

[JBJ]

Hi Mark,

I think a few will contribute to the relocation, as most of us realise that it needs to be permanently stored.

I also have no problems with paying a fee to get the members profile on the web page.

Let us know what it will cost when it gets worked out

JBJ

[sportsman 1]

I am all for saving DHL for the future.

I will be happy to help, lets see what we are up for.

Cheers, leigh.

[Geoff & Jude]

we're in.

geoff

[philouise]

G'day Mark. (or anyone who can answer my ??)

My question (not about cost) is: how do all the old posts with photos on photobucket get to have those photos displayed on the website (in case of photobucket accounts dropping off).

And what does it mean "adding member profiles to the website".

Thanks.

Phil

P.S. and to members who are also on classic, does anything have to be done to keep info from "dropping off" on the classic museum??

[winterwood]

Hi Mark,

I'm not 100% certain of what it all means technically, however DHL is a great resource that we cannot lose ... I'm in!

Max

[Franklin1]

Personally, I find the DHL section pretty boring.

Nowhere near as much fun as the General section. My poor ol' computer had a meltdown last night after a hectic day yesterday!


But, back to the DHL topic. I do have a collection of old 1 and 2 cent pieces that I'm prepared to throw in the tin if it helps. Along with a couple of Ten Shillings and One Pound notes. What better way to fund the History section than with old currency, eh? ;D ;D

Count me in.
cheers,
Al.

[Deleted]

haha .....thanks Al, .....I'll ask the computer guru I just had an appointment with if he takes 10 shilling & pound notes ;D ;D ;D

.......my computer man has requested a photo count from the DHL section ......he's going to quote via the No of photos in each thread, and the No of posts.

Would one of our retired members like to take on this task, and I'll give him / her a big kiss next time I see 'em ;D ;D

There's 13 pages, and hundreds of photos, so it'll be a good job........

Phil ......the pics are copied off the forum (save as), then pasted onto the website, they are then permanently copied, and no longer at the mercy of photobucket .
As for the member profiles, I put some links in my original post for you.

Max, the website referred to is this one:
www.vintagecaravans.com/
It has a section for member profiles that will be a permanent record of our members caravans:
www.vintagecaravans.com/member-profiles.htm
The DHL section from here, will be added to the website.
Hope it makes sense now

Mark

[Cruz]

Hi Mark,
DHL should be saved. Happy to kick the tin (If it's not to much).
Cruz

[sharpie]

HI all. Geez what did i missout on yesterday? anyway probably best not to know. Being only a new member to the site i am not aware of some of the issues that may have occured in the past, but i find the DHL section full of information which has been of great interest to me and i would be glad to make a contribution to save it if this is what it takes. This is a great site so lets keep it that way! Cheers Sharpie

[DC3Td]

I`m in too. Rather ironic that we`re out here saving vin vans but the poor old site needs renos too,ha. But it`s all worthwhile. cheers gordon

[cobber]

G'day Mark,

You obviously labour under the misapprehension that retired folk have spare time on their hands..... I for instance am flat strap doing the things I want to do.

I did consider putting my hand up to count all the posts and photos in each thread in DHL until I re-read your post and realised what the reward was....... so now I have to consult with Yvonne and see if it will be OK .

OK...... does it have to be considered what size (DPI) individual photos are or will they be re-sized before transfer ?

There are not a lot, but there are some posts (comments) that could be regarded as chaff amongst the wheat on most threads in DHL.... will they be removed before or after transfer, or left there ?

DHL is still evolving... and always will.
How does new stuff get transferred across to the threads once they are on the vintagecaravans.com web site ?

I'll do the count....if it gets too time consuming I know another retired bloke who will be keen to help....... I think

Cobber.

[Deleted]

G'day Cobber .......size doesn't matter ....its just a photo count.

As for a clean up, yes it does need a clean up, but its probably not going to happen .....so lets just do it ......

The DHL section can remain on the forum, and every 3 months we'll transfer new posts to the website ....sounds like a plan anyway

Mark

[humpyboy]

Sounds like a plan Mark, I personally like to have a browse now and again at DHL (for my next project as if I need one) lets see what it's gunna take and I'll see how many Drachma I can scrape together for the cause.

[griffin]

History and information is surely the reason most people visit the site in the first place so DHL is vital and I'd certainly contribute to save the info, within reason of course.

I don't know anything about websites but can't there be an upgrade to this site to allow direct posting of photos (as on OTP) and so bypass photobucket. If the present system prevails then surely there is an ongoing cost to transfer information periodically?

Keep up the good work.

If you need a hand counting Cobber then let me know, I'm not far away, but I am a busy fellow retiree!

George

[Jennison]

happy to contribute,
without the DHL I wouldn't have been able to research and learn and compile all the fabulous stuff that I have found out about my own family history! ;D
Always look there first when I log on hoping that one of you lot has come up with another gem ;D ;D
just let us know how and when!
jennison

[Don Ricardo]

Jun 23, 2010 19:36:58 GMT 10 @marktaylor said:

As for a clean up, yes it does need a clean up, but its probably not going to happen

Hi Mark,

The clean up is underway, but it's a reasonably large project, and other forum projects seem to keep coming up, not to mention that stuff keeps getting added to the threads I've already done!

At this point I'm around 1/3 the way through. Just so that you know where it's up to.

Don Ricardo

[boblor]

Hi Mark
As stated in reply 17 where would we be without DHL, I continually use it in research. Happy to contribe to keep it going.
Cheers boblor

[Surf Tragic]

Am always referring to the DHL section, would be glad to contribute or help in some way
ST

[philouise]

Mark, thanks for reply 9.

I havent used internet search for vintage vans for a while now, just my shortcuts.

Last time i searched (long ago) i only found "our touring past".

I didn't even realise you had that website so thanks for the shortcut - i will put it in my favourites.

I really liked the fact that on members profile i get to see the inside shots as well as outside. I have often searched through old posts trying to look inside but havent had a lot of success.

so thanks again.

Phil.

[firefighter]

G,Day Mark

happy to help ....as long as I don't have to send the chev over as payment ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Austin 125 ......will also help out
f/f ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Deleted]

Yes I would like to contribute too,I get a lot of pleasure looking at the old photos and adds.
hughdeani

[Deleted]

G'day Geoff,
I ran your proposal past my computer guru, and yes, he will accept your Chev as part payment thanks, even though he's not a car nut ;D ;D ;D ;D (as most computer gurus aren't )
Do you want Ceva's No ? ;D ;D ;D ;D

Richard, my apologies, what I meant by saying "its not going to happen" is.......... "its nots going to happen by next week" ......this idea has been discussed over several months, .......so I'm keen to make it happen.
What one web designer did suggest today is that he can can do the process in three stages:

1: Download the entire section onto a disc
2: Give us the disc so that we can edit the text
3. We return the edited disc for uploading to the vc.com website.
Sounds good to me

He has also emailed me a quote, which I will scan & post on this thread asap.
I have two web designers quoting ......Cobber has completed the photo count and will email me tomorrow .....

So, we're making good progress ........

Mark