Discuss: phpBB 3.0.5 released

[Eelke]

Great post. I think a central problem to the phpBB community is that many people don't fully realize what a MOD actually is; a MODificiation to the code. No matter how easy you make things, it can always go wrong (and the easier the "normal" process is, the bigger the shock is when the "normal" process no longer works).

[Thunderer]

That is very true and while many consider the option of a MODification for their forum, many people just jump right on in and get stuck in without knowing what in the heck they are doing. Sure, finding automod is the easy bit, uploading the MOD's to the store folder is easy and using auto mod to install them is easy. BUT, what about those of us who took/take a different route to adding MODS ? I know I started out out hand coding the mods into the originating files. It took me a while to get used to it, but it taught me well and now I understand the complexities that some MODS can install and a couple of the "Tricks of the trade" to work around any problems that may arise when updating a board to the latest version.

Yet, when it comes to actually updating and a person with little or no phpBB experience, or a person that has used the "1 click installation" service on their paid webspace control panel and then installed some MODs into the mix has problems and has not a clue about what to do, they either do one of two things:

1) Give up (usually the most common act)
2) moan and bleat about it to everyone just because they have a handful of MOD's that are causing problems and try to put people off using the system because they themselves cannot understand it and believe not many other people can unless they are "computer geeks".

There are, also other types:

1) those who take the initiative to ask the right questions in the right place
2) those who choose to try and go it alone and solve the problems themselves
3) Those who use a combination of the above listed
4) Those who use common sense, patience and seek the necessary advice to solve the issue (which I suppose is all of the above really.

With all that said, and please don't misunderstand what I am saying here for goodness sake, I too was new to this once upon a time and I too had to learn. yet, looking back, I feel I took the best route for me, that of installing the board myself, hand coding the mods into the forum I run BEFORE using autoMOD ( I did not know what autoMOD was at the time, let alone knew such a thing existed) and at least TRYING to learn and understand at least a small amount of phpBB coding.

Nowadays, I have written my own mod and made a "few" tweaks to the style I use (text colour mainly with a few image replacements) mainly having had to go to and edit the theme code by hand in the theme editing section of the ACP.

If I was asked if I would do it again from scratch knowing what lay ahead, would I do it again ? simple answer YES !.

Hell, I still feel like a n00b and I still have to ask certain questions when I feel I need help to solve a specific problem. If, when I find the answer I find that the solution was staring me smack in the face, i feel like a complete idiot for 30 seconds, put it down to experience, absorb that piece of knowledge and move on until the next "problem" occurs.

Therein is the problem with some people who choose to do such things as install a phpBB forum, add mods the easy way and then moan and bleat when things do not work properly. For goodness sake, why is it that some people do not understand the term "learn about what you are doing either before you do it, or gain and absorb knowledge WHILE you are doing it" ??


This is seriously off topic however, so I will shut my pie hole and get back to finishing off some editing to my forum.

[forumer00]

I started to use phpBB 3.0.3 just two months ago and many users already compain that they can't login properly so I decided to upgrade my board to a more stable version.

Can I update phpBB 3.0.3 to 3.0.5 or do I need to update phpBB 3.0.3 to 3.0.4 first? I apologise for my ignorance.

Thanks

[AdamR]

Can I update phpBB 3.0.3 to 3.0.5 or do I need to update phpBB 3.0.3 to 3.0.4 first? I apologise for my ignorance.

Yes, you can. Go ahead and start a new topic in the 3.0.x Support Forum with the Support Request Template, and someone can provide some easy steps to accomplish this.

- Adam

[forumer00]

Thank you a lot for the prompt reply.

Can I use this offered Automatic Update Package (3.0.4 to 3.0.5) for my phpBB 3.0.3?

[AdamR]

Thank you a lot for the prompt reply.

Can I use this offered auto update package (3.0.4 to 3.0.5) for my phpBB 3.0.3?

Go ahead and start a new topic in the 3.0.x Support Forum with the Support Request Template, and someone can provide some easy steps to accomplish this.

- Adam

[asinshesq]

I started to use phpBB 3.0.3 just two months ago and many users already compain that they can't login properly so I decided to upgrade my board to a more stable version.

Can I update phpBB 3.0.3 to 3.0.5 or do I need to update phpBB 3.0.3 to 3.0.4 first? I apologise for my ignorance.

Thanks

It is a good idea to upgrade - always best to stay current. But note that upgrading will not fix whatever login problem your users are having. You may want to start a topic in the support area asking about that, but first things first - it will be easier for the people in support to help if you have the most recent version so go ahead and do what Adam suggested and ask in the support area about how to upgrade (and don't worry, it's usually easy).