Webmaster

I've tested IE over my internet connection and over my phone's connection and not found anything untoward. If anyone is running IE and still having problems would you be able to run through this tutorial (my steps for the same below): http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ie/gg130952%28v=vs.85%29.aspx Steps; - Open a tab and go to http://forum.pigeonbasics.com/ - Press F12 key on keyboard (developer tools will open) - Navigate to the Network tab - Click the "Start capturing" button - Back on the browser refresh the page (can be done by pressing F5) - Back in the developer tools window the page will be populated with all the details of loading the page, I'm interested in the time taken from start to finish (hover over the "Timings" column for a tooltip with timings), and also any coloured bar in the column that is more than a few seconds. Once done, be sure to click "Stop capturing" and close the developer tools window.

Just posted on the other topic, http://forum.pigeonbasics.com/topic/68770-is-the-site-having-problems/page__view__findpost__p__858944 Reset the site clock. And looking for more information if you're still having issues with the site.

What browser are you using? Which ISP are you with? Just trying to identify if there's anything in common. Not seeing any issues on my connection (TalkTalk using Firefox) but I'll fire up some other browsers and try my phone connection. Re: Clock running fast, should be all reset now

...and we're back.

I will be putting the forum in maintenance mode at 9:30 this morning to complete a couple of tasks on the server. It will be back as soon as they are finished, I estimate 15-20 mins.

A quick note to let you guys know what's been going on. Until last week we were getting a packet loss problem on the network running to our server, this was happening on almost on a weekly basis. Network and packet loss is something that we dont have any control over, and each time Archie or I contacted support they'd have a reason, they'd assure us it was a faulty router that had been replaced, or a switch that was being replaced, etc. In the end they agreed to move us onto a different machine on a different part of the network to sort the problem once and for all. This happened at the weekend just gone. Three nights ago we began to suffer a new network problem which seems to have greatest impact between 5pm and 11pm GMT for each of the last three days. This problem is different to the problem we were having before, and it seems as if a percentage of traffic is simply lost on the network, while another percentage gets through without issue. We are doing everything we can to get this problem sorted, often despite the efforts of our host's support team! Thanks to everyone for bearing with us at this time, we know how frustrating you must be feeling because we're just the same We are working on it honest

Unfortunately a multitude of unrelated problems. We're back at the moment, but experiencing high load on the server, so page loads may be slow. We're working on it.

There is a little (haven't got the exact details to hand) left in the fund that is being transferred in full to the new setup. There are a couple of applications that are currently being processed.

The other day I announced that there would be some changes to Pigeonbasics and I'd like to go into some more detail here. Mini-Sites is moving. The Pigeonbasics clubs, results, news, and photos will become PigeonSportLive. Mini-Sites has been a resounding success in the last 4 years and it has outgrown its sub-section on Pigeonbasics. PigeonSportLive will be an updated, re-polished, and generally allround improved mini-sites, and there are some pretty big ideas in the pipeline, so watch out for those The Pigeonbasics Shop is closing. We're having a 7 day sale and then I will be closing the metophorical doors on the Shop. While it has been incredibly sucessful, and rewarding to offer discounted books, DVDs and products, it is tangental to the rest of the website, and we wish to concentrate on other sections such as the forum. The Fund. The Fund will become entirely independent from Pigeonbasics, but will continue the good work of the last two years. That's all for now, those are the major changes, but if there are any more we will post up details here.

Thanks for the kind comments

I am happy to announce that as of December 1st Pigeonbasics is in new hands. Long-time moderators, Archie (the_fifer) and Chris (vallance lofts) will be jointly taking the reins, in both ownership and control of the website and forum. The site has come a long way in the last 8 years, and I am confident that it will continue and go from strength to strength under the watchful eye of Archie and Chris. Much has changed since I originally setup the site, never more so than in the last couple of years. Entering the real world of work and husbandry it is a far cry from my student days, which has pegged back the amount of time and effort I am now able to put into Pigeonbasics. Despite this, through the fantastic work that Archie, Chris and the rest of the moderating team have done the site has continued to grow and grow. I am more than happy to pass on control to two people that I know will take Pigeonbasics to the next level. I'm not going to be running off into the sunset (I wish ), I will be sticking around to offer my two-penneth, and lend a hand with some technical aspects, but the "Webmaster" account will be closed down, and I shall be visiting under my (personal) "mealybar" alter ego. Of course there will be some changes, but we have worked tirelessly to ensure that there's no big upheval - the web address is staying the same, and your member account and login will stay exactly the same. We will post up details of the changes that are happening in due course. This is by no means a farewell, but I would like to thank everyone - litterally every member - that has joined, posted, or just visitied Pigeonbasics in the last 8 years. It has been an incredible experience, connecting, chatting, meeting and (sometimes ) arguing with so many amazing people, and enabling so many to do the same. Now I know there will be many questions and comments, which I will endeavour to answer in the replies.

Ah, um, I think its all good, but you'd better check with the Mrs Apart from a couple of stools, a garden table, tv on an upturned box - for a living room, and a badly leaking shower, I think we've got this one cracked ;D Now better get back to the painting..... ??)

The PMs have been fixed from earlier. And we have reduced the amount of PMs that can be stored on the system in order to reduce the load on the server, which hopefully will reduce the frequency of the PM problem occurring. The amount of space has been cut from 350kb to 300kb and if you have got the "over your pm quota" message please click on "Members Center" and then access your PMs via the menu on the left-hand side - and delete some of the older messages in your inbox, and probably your sent items. Another cut in PM quota may be required in the future, and we'll try and give everyone ample notice if that's the case

Here's the link http://forum.pigeonbasics.com/v-memberpanel/a-pm/s-start/f-1/

I have slightly reduced the amount of space the system sets aside each member for PMs, that's why you're getting that message. 300kb should still be enough and it may reduce some of the load on the servers

Whiteknight, looking into your problem. Could you confirm your username before something went wrong, was it whiteknight or whitenight?

What's all this then ;D

The 10 fanciers are/were; M. Jones, R. Collin, K. Kemp, G. Williams, A. Wight, Mr & Mrs Meredith, C. Davis, D. Amison, S. Cartwright, Thompson Bros.

I had word from a few people that members were asking for a Fund update so here it is, The Fund was conseived at the end of 2006, begining of 2007, and we had our first sale February/March. We had a second sale at around the same time in 2008. ----------- 2007 ----------- Money IN ----------- Auction: £ 3,095.00 Donations: £ 28.19 Breeder/Buyer: £ 200.00 TOTAL: £ 3,323.19 ----------- Money OUT ----------- Recipients of help from the fund: £1,500.00 Advert: £ 120.00 Breeder/Buyer: £200.00 TOTAL: £ 1,820.00 We decided that it wasn't productive to hold onto a large sum of money through to the next year - it would be far better to make a donation and put some money to good use. Therefore a donation of £ 1,003.19 was made to British Pigeon Fanciers Medical Research £ 500.00 was carried forward into 2008. TOTAL OUT: £ 2,823.19 and £ 500.00 carried forward. ----------- 2008 and to present ----------- Money IN ----------- Carried forward: £ 500.00 Auction: £ 3,385.00 Donations towards paypal costs: £ 23.00 Donations: £ 196.46 Donation from the Hartlepool Federation: £ 200.00 TOTAL: £ 4,304.46 ----------- Money OUT ----------- Recipients of help from the fund: £ 3,500.00 Paypal costs: £ 17.45 TOTAL: £ 3,517.45 Which leaves a balance of £ 787.01 in the fund today. There is an advert that is being disputed (£ 250.95), it will be sorted in the coming days - the fault for this being outstanding so long is entirely mine. There is currently one application awaiting a decision. To date the fund has helped in 10 cases, and also as you can see donated over £ 1,000 to Pigeon Lung Research, none of which could have been possible without the support of the members of this forum. Big thanks again to everyone. I hope that clears up some of the questions. I am still struggling with my internet connection, but received the router and setup pack yesterday, just awaiting Talktalk to flick the switch or whatever they do at the phone exchange. So if there are any questions it may be a few days before you receive an answer

I've created a page that will enable those having problems logging in to reset their passwords. You need to get your mini-site username, that is the last part of the web address for your mini-site. For example the Ayrshire Federation at: http://www.pigeonbasics.com/clubs/ayrshirefederation/ the username is ayrshirefederation. Enter the username into the box on this page: http://www.pigeonbasics.com/clubs/admin/pwr.php You will be sent an email with a link that will enable you to reset your password. The email address it uses is the one held on file for the administrator of the mini-site, if your email address has changed and you cannot access the one used I'm afraid I will have to verify and reset your login manually (*see below). If your mini-site hasn't been activated yet - i.e. its not listed here: http://www.pigeonbasics.com/clubs/alllist.php - it will be processed/activated and you will get an email will all the login details within a few days (*see below). *This is below* New mini-sites and change of email addresses are manual processes that I have to complete. I am going through the backlog of email at clubs@pigeonbasics.com but at the moment I only have a T-Mobile internet dongle thingeme, and the reception around here is aweful, which renders the internet to a snails pace. As such I'm only managing to get a few done each night. My Talktalk internet should be up and running soon (its been literally weeks!), so I'll be able to wizz through them when that happens

Should be ok again now

The PM that I sent to Blaz was in private and should not have been posted to this topic. However because it has I will comment and close this topic. It was brought to my attention that a couple of members seemed to be posting reciprocal posts to draw extra attention to their birds for sale. I spent some time last night going through the topics in question and the timings there of. While I admit (as you can see in the PM that has been posted) all of the topics in question may have been individually coincidental, but I felt that due to the timing and number of which something was not quite right. In the interest of the potential buyers and other sellers I contacted Blaz pointing out that this isn't acceptable, as you have seen. This PM is a notification or warning (of sorts) to cease doing this, or if it wasn't intended, be aware that this is the way that it could be read and to be more careful in the future. The permission to sell on this site is a privileged and not a right, and in the interest of potential buyers and all of the sellers I look into these cases and act accordingly.

It is not right or fair to discuss banned members as they have no control or means to reply to posts. The banning of any member is between the administrator(s) and that member, it is neither helpful or needed for any other member to pass public comment or opinion. If there are any queries about this or any other matter they should be addressed to an administrator via PM or email and not posted to the public forum in any circumstance.

I dont think its a good idea to try and speculate what has happened or who did it. Please leave it out It's regrettable what has happened, I'm sure they'll get the site back up and running as soon as possible. Online security as a webmaster and as a web user is something to strive for, knowing that no matter what you do you will never achieve complete security. While I'm on the subject, check your anti-virus and firewall are completely up to date, and you've got all the Windows Updates

I understand this was posted with good intentions, but inkeeping with my reply on the other topic I feel I must lock it.