Why is changing avatars currently not possible?

Shogen

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Quote from: Brilliantrocket on August 15, 2014, 05:07:37 PM

Don't see why they need to commission brand new software. There's tons of options out there that can be had now.

If I understand it correctly, the goal is not to have a new software for bitcointalk only, but a new open source forum software for everyone in the world to use.

Quote from: theymos on February 10, 2014, 09:50:26 PM

Quote

Why do you think we needed to spend so much for software when there are free or much cheaper option available?

The most popular forum software is:
- Old.
- Written in PHP, which sucks.
- Written insecurely and messily.
- Difficult to modify, especially safely.
- Not much more featureful than SMF, if at all.

There are a handful of newer forum software packages which solve some of those problems, but all of them are very sparse in features.

The goal of this software project is to create new, open source forum software which will compete with SMF, phpBB, etc.

Quote

What special features will the forum have?

This isn't completely defined yet. It'll have almost all features that we have now. A main goal will be improving filtering and data presentation so that users can more easily manage the flood of posts both board-wide and within threads, while simultaneously reducing the need for centralized moderation.

Brilliantrocket

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Don't see why they need to commission brand new software. There's tons of options out there that can be had now.

jjc326

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Quote from: boumalo on August 15, 2014, 07:48:38 AM

Quote from: Coef on August 15, 2014, 06:38:48 AM

Quote from: semizias on August 14, 2014, 06:33:09 AM

So this forum is getting a makeover? Cool, I look forward to it.
I don't get why they didn't just fix the exploit, I'm a programmer and it can't be that hard to fix -.-

Yup.
No idea at all...

Quote from: bbxx on August 15, 2014, 03:56:31 AM

better leave avatars only for users registered long time ago...

What about making it works similarly to the sig space, ie. less restriction for higher rank?
Like, if you are newbie, you can't have avatar; if you are jr member, you can pick an avatar from a default list; if you are a member, you can upload your own avatar, etc.

Apparently there was a technical problem about avatars that could be exploited

At the moment some people buy old newbies accounts created to be able to have an avatars; when avatars will come back they will be worthless; maybe we'll be able to advertise through avatars to get an additional revenue from our posts Grin

I have seen this too, people paying outrageous sums to buy an account which has access to avatars. No offense but if it was due to an exploit, from years ago, it seems like laziness that it wasn't fixed yet, right?

boumalo

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Quote from: Coef on August 15, 2014, 06:38:48 AM

Quote from: semizias on August 14, 2014, 06:33:09 AM

So this forum is getting a makeover? Cool, I look forward to it.
I don't get why they didn't just fix the exploit, I'm a programmer and it can't be that hard to fix -.-

Yup.
No idea at all...

Quote from: bbxx on August 15, 2014, 03:56:31 AM

better leave avatars only for users registered long time ago...

What about making it works similarly to the sig space, ie. less restriction for higher rank?
Like, if you are newbie, you can't have avatar; if you are jr member, you can pick an avatar from a default list; if you are a member, you can upload your own avatar, etc.

Apparently there was a technical problem about avatars that could be exploited

At the moment some people buy old newbies accounts created to be able to have an avatars; when avatars will come back they will be worthless; maybe we'll be able to advertise through avatars to get an additional revenue from our posts Grin

Coef

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Exhausted

Quote from: semizias on August 14, 2014, 06:33:09 AM

So this forum is getting a makeover? Cool, I look forward to it.
I don't get why they didn't just fix the exploit, I'm a programmer and it can't be that hard to fix -.-

Yup.
No idea at all...

Quote from: bbxx on August 15, 2014, 03:56:31 AM

better leave avatars only for users registered long time ago...

What about making it works similarly to the sig space, ie. less restriction for higher rank?
Like, if you are newbie, you can't have avatar; if you are jr member, you can pick an avatar from a default list; if you are a member, you can upload your own avatar, etc.

bbxx

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cryptoshark

better leave avatars only for users registered long time ago...

semizias

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So this forum is getting a makeover? Cool, I look forward to it.
I don't get why they didn't just fix the exploit, I'm a programmer and it can't be that hard to fix -.-

C.Steven

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Quote from: ?? on ??

Before we can see Avatars it will be around 1 year or more than that because Avatars will not be back until the new forum software is released.

No no, the new forum should be ready in just 6 months or so, if everything go as planned.

Quote from: theymos on February 10, 2014, 09:50:26 PM

Quote

When will the software be finished?

About one year from now.

Dare

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Techwolf on #bitcoin and Reddit

To quote myself from the last time this question came up:

Quote from: Dare on July 29, 2014, 12:19:17 AM

To quote myself from the last time this question came up:

Quote from: Dare on July 23, 2014, 02:23:13 AM

To quote myself from the last time this question came up:

Quote from: Dare on March 30, 2014, 02:28:24 AM

Quote from: Sirrah on March 29, 2014, 09:42:47 PM

Quote from: OhShei8e on March 29, 2014, 09:33:28 PM

Any progress?

Please turn off this forum! The avatars are the only advantage over a mailing list. This is bitter but true. Give something better a chance. Give up!

I'm pretty sure that avatars will be disabled until at least the new forum is out and being used - as theymos has stated it was removed due to an exploit made possible by avatars and though I believe the exploit has been patched he is not keen on restoring the functionality.

From what I've heard, pretty much. The exploit involved uploading a php script instead of an image into an executable directory, then using it to put some (slightly) malicious Javascript into the forum's MOTD so that it ran on every page. I followed the troubleshooting and analysis through IRC while it was being fixed immediately after the hack, but it seems that avatars may be disabled for a while anyway.

Though the exploit used has been patched, it's been long enough that I suspect new avatars may remain disabled until the new forum software is put into place, but those who had them before the hack like me were able to keep them (though we can't change our avatars either).

Yes, that's two quotes at the top; I'd tell you to please use the search function next time ~~(if you actually want to know and aren't just trolling, anyway; spelling and grammar are important!)~~, but now I kind of want to see how far down the chain I can get before I have to start snipping them for readability. It's only been five days since the last one.

Three quotes, whee. The stricken through section was directed at the OP of that quote's thread, but is no longer relevant here. This or a similar note should probably be stickied somewhere (either here or possibly in the Beginners forum, though it is forum-related so Meta is a fitting place for it), since it gets asked so often.

johny08

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Quote from: ForgottenPassword on August 11, 2014, 04:15:24 PM

Quote from: e1ghtSpace on August 11, 2014, 04:04:54 PM

Well that's a shame. Back then could anyone have an avatar like newbies or was limited to full member and above or something?

Anyone.

Avatars won't come back until the new forum software is released. That'll be around a year or so.

a year from april on. so next year april is release time.

haploid23

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There was an exploit that was done through avatars, that's why you can't add or change if you do not currently have one before the exploit happened.

keithers

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This is the land of wolves now & you're not a wolf

Quote from: e1ghtSpace on August 11, 2014, 04:04:54 PM

Quote from: keithers on August 11, 2014, 04:01:10 PM

Quote from: e1ghtSpace on August 11, 2014, 03:59:17 PM

Is it to show who the very early adopters are or something?
I like the fact that you can't change it but the fact that you can't set it sucks.

I wish I could make an avatar.

There was a problem awhile back with the forum getting hacked through the avatars, I believe. There is a thread about this somewhere...I'm sure someone can link it.

Avatars may come back in the future... (I hope). It is easier to remember people by their avatar than their screen name

Well that's a shame. Back then could anyone have an avatar like newbies or was limited to full member and above or something?

To be honest, I don't recall. I think avatars may have been blocked before I even became a member here...

ForgottenPassword

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Quote from: e1ghtSpace on August 11, 2014, 04:04:54 PM

Well that's a shame. Back then could anyone have an avatar like newbies or was limited to full member and above or something?

Anyone.

Avatars won't come back until the new forum software is released. That'll be around a year or so.

e1ghtSpace

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Crypto since 2014

Quote from: keithers on August 11, 2014, 04:01:10 PM

Quote from: e1ghtSpace on August 11, 2014, 03:59:17 PM

Is it to show who the very early adopters are or something?
I like the fact that you can't change it but the fact that you can't set it sucks.

I wish I could make an avatar.

There was a problem awhile back with the forum getting hacked through the avatars, I believe. There is a thread about this somewhere...I'm sure someone can link it.

Avatars may come back in the future... (I hope). It is easier to remember people by their avatar than their screen name

Well that's a shame. Back then could anyone have an avatar like newbies or was limited to full member and above or something?

keithers

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Activity: 1456

Merit: 1001

This is the land of wolves now & you're not a wolf

Quote from: e1ghtSpace on August 11, 2014, 03:59:17 PM

Is it to show who the very early adopters are or something?
I like the fact that you can't change it but the fact that you can't set it sucks.

I wish I could make an avatar.

There was a problem awhile back with the forum getting hacked through the avatars, I believe. There is a thread about this somewhere...I'm sure someone can link it.

Avatars may come back in the future... (I hope). It is easier to remember people by their avatar than their screen name

e1ghtSpace

legendary

Activity: 1540

Merit: 1001

Crypto since 2014

Is it to show who the very early adopters are or something?
I like the fact that you can't change it but the fact that you can't set it sucks.

I wish I could make an avatar.

Topic: Why is changing avatars currently not possible? (Read 1836 times)