First, let me start by saying I LOVE THIS FORUM! I have made amazing friendships here, bought and sold parts here, joined in amazing conversations and learned a TON of stuff! This is why I am making this post, I want to see this forum remain active well into the future!
It's a well known fact that the forum has slowed down drastically in the past few years. There was a discussion on here about a year ago, where some said that it was Facebook and other social networks causing it. Some people agreed, and quite a few others disagreed.
Well, here is proof in numbers for the non-believers.
As many know, the Tyler Shipman Car Show was this weekend in Frazee, MN. The "Official thread: on the forum is located HERE. The Facebook page is located HERE.
During the entire 3 days of the show so far, (Thursday, Friday & Saturday) there has been one single post in the thread here on the forum, with 3 pictures. Those 3 pictures you have to click on to view, as even getting photos into the forum here from a mobile device is next to impossible when on the go.
To post those pictures, Jason, I assume, went through a lot of work to do it. Taking the photo, finding in the camera roll, and then uploading somewhere to the internet. Getting the URL address to where the photo is stored, and copying the address for it. Then PFF needed to be brought up on the phone, navigate to and then reply to the thread. Then type out the [img] paste the link to the photo, and then type the remaining [/img] and submit the post. Shew!
On the shows Facebook page however, there have been around 50 posts, and around 80 pictures uploaded in only the past 24 hours.
It is pretty simple why this is the case. To post the photo to Facebook for all to see, take the photo, click share, and choose Facebook. Done. No need to reduce the photos to less than 1024 pixels wide. No need to reduce the image file size to less than 300k. You are also not forced to exclusively use a Windows computer to upload the photo.
Facebook may not be the entire reason the forum has slowed down so much, but I can assure you it is the indisputable reason that more posts, especially ones with images, are not being done from mobile devices.
The time you want to post photo's the very most, is when you are at a car show, an event, a cruise, pizza night with the Fiero club ect.
[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 07-26-2015).]
I couldn't agree with you more... I never use my desktop or laptop anymore...I use my phone exclusively now days. I needed help with an issue that I'm having with one of my cars and needed to post some pics for everyone to see....so I finally fired up my desktop last night to download the PIP program....I noticed that it has been over a year since I've had that computer online....it took over an hour to do all of the updates that I've missed in that time. Not complaining about the forum at all....it's the next best thing since sliced bread....but smartphones are the "NOW" thing and I'm sure most members would appreciate the convenience of being able post with their mobile device. I actually need to post a few more pics at this time but will have to wait until I can get back to my computer to do so...... How about an update to the Forum???
What would it take for it to get on taptalk. Its an app that a lot of forums have linked to. Not sure how hard it is. I know on my phone i have taptalk and it lets me load notifications easily post pics to the forums and keep up to date. As others said i love this forum but its the only one i have to log into separately.
I must be doing something wrong. I only get a single image on that facebook page...but I'm not on facebook.
On PFF, I can see the same images as everyone else. I've not really been able to post images, however. My 2 ”successful” attempts had the bottom half blanked out. Very time-consuming, with disappointing results. I don't usually use Windows for personal use. My desktop apparently died since I used it last.
Stop using your dam phones to post on an idiotnet forum, I really don't want to know that you are on the can taking a crap while posting here.
Sorry just that some here are lost when they are not online 24/7,
And as far as texting on a phone goes, hey buy a dam computer or just post when you are on your computer. How hard is it for someone to post when they are online on a dam computer? If you have to be connected to the idiotnet 24/7 buy one of those new pads or something, but don't tell us you are sitting on the crapper when posting, TMI, just way TMI, I don't care what color your turds are and neither do most others on here.
Sorry just fed up with this BS I got to be able to be on the idiotnet 24/7 even if it is just on my phone with what a 4" screen, must be a great picture.
Steve
------------------ Technology is great when it works, and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.
[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 07-26-2015).]
I agree with many here ............. BUT you must remember one thing ................ . . . . . . This forum is FREE .................. Data storage costs alot !!
Steve, some people just don't have time to be in front of a desktop computer specifically to post on the forum. Phones are far more advanced then they used to be. I have all my images on my phone. That means I have to take the time to upload my pics to my desktop, then use pip for posting. To johns point. Would be much more convenient to go directly from phone to forum.
Originally posted by 84fiero123: buy one of those new pads or something....
If you are making reference to an iPad, or an Android tablet.... or for that matter, even a Mac or Linux DESKTOP COMPUTER, sorry, you are out of luck. You can not use PIP on anything but a Windows computer.
Do you have a cell phone? The argument could be made that you do not need to be connected all the time, and calling people while you are taking a crap. If you were out, you could just wait till you got home to make a phone call
This is NOT about being connected to the Internet at all times. It is about being able to share posts and pictures while at a Car show, club meeting, Cars & Coffee, or any event easily.
First, let me start by saying I LOVE THIS FORUM! I have made amazing friendships here, bought and sold parts here, joined in amazing conversations and learned a TON of stuff! This is why I am making this post, I want to see this forum remain active well into the future!
It's a well known fact that the forum has slowed down drastically in the past few years. There was a discussion on here about a year ago, where some said that it was Facebook and other social networks causing it. Some people agreed, and quite a few others disagreed.
Forums are SO early-2000s. Its over, get used to it.
Can you think of any large forums which are as busy as they were just a few years ago? Five years ago? Ten?
I am an Apple Developer .... if anyone has the Source Code of PIP I could try and recode for IOS and OSX
regards Danyel
PIP, at least at a basic level, appears to be just FTP. I was going to reverse engineer the finer details last year (after somebody complained I wasn't using it). I emailed Cliff for permission, just to be up front and clear that I wasn't up to anything nefarious. He didn't exactly say no, but didn't really say yes either, so I dropped it and just use imgur. He said he was working on something, but he's busy with other things too.
I'd be willing to create a basic cli uploader (and probably web, too). But I don't want to start hammering Cliff's server in ways he doesn't expect or appreciate.
I think this forum is not yesterday. Still a strong community. Just needs to adapt a little. That's all.
The same could be said about every forum I read. Unfortunately they're all slow nowadays. Some are shockingly slow after being super busy just 2-3 years ago.
I agree that it would be very helpful to be able to post pic's here from a tablet or smartphone. I almost exclusively use one or the other now days. there has been many times I wanted to post pic's to help another member but can't. I'm not knocking this forum at all, it is a great place, and many thanks to Cliff!
------------------ "Because in a split second, It's gone" Ayrton Senna
[This message has been edited by Ponnari (edited 07-26-2015).]
Why can't you upload the pic to some other image/file host and use it on a post in PFF from a phone/tablet? Just upload it somewhere else (G+, iCloud, Twitter, imgur, Facebook, whatever), copy the URL for it, and paste it into the posting entry box?
(Just ignore the fact that you're broadcasting your password in the clear over the air.)
Why can't you upload the pic to some other image/file host and use it on a post in PFF from a phone/tablet? Just upload it somewhere else (G+, iCloud, Twitter, imgur, Facebook, whatever), copy the URL for it, and paste it into the posting entry box?
(Just ignore the fact that you're broadcasting your password in the clear over the air.)
Simple : 1. The size on the image (L x W) of today's mobiles are WAY too large ... you need a filter 2. The image weight (Ko, Mo, Go) is a factor in website bandwith 3. Bandwith cost mucho dollars 4. Hosting FTP site for pics are NOT cheap 5. Many mobiles use same pic names like IMG_01.jpg etc etc (would replace the orignal download if same name) 6. Apps are hard to program 7. Users would need to be computer savy to post the correct path so their forum posted pic shows correctly or you would get the infamous X pic 8. Control for unwanted pics posted would be needed to avoid porno and pedo files. 9. Securing an FTP with username and password would be extremely exhaustive work.... ------------------ My Build Thread Tylers Toy
[This message has been edited by Danyel (edited 07-26-2015).]
Stop using your dam phones to post on an idiotnet forum, I really don't want to know that you are on the can taking a crap while posting here.
Sorry just that some here are lost when they are not online 24/7,
And as far as texting on a phone goes, hey buy a dam computer or just post when you are on your computer. How hard is it for someone to post when they are online on a dam computer? If you have to be connected to the idiotnet 24/7 buy one of those new pads or something, but don't tell us you are sitting on the crapper when posting, TMI, just way TMI, I don't care what color your turds are and neither do most others on here.
Sorry just fed up with this BS I got to be able to be on the idiotnet 24/7 even if it is just on my phone with what a 4" screen, must be a great picture.
Steve
Unfortunately Steve, that is a very antiquated attitude and shows that you don't understand the movement of technology. You see things from your point of view, but you are stuck in the past. Just because you fear progress doesn't mean the rest of the world should grind to a halt.
I use my phone a lot for data (i.e. accessing the internet). I spend about 35 minutes on the bus twice a day, to and from work. Why shouldn't I use that time more productively? That way when I'm home I can spend more time with my family rather than using the computer at all. Like most people, I use my phone for all the pictures that I take. Right now I have to spend valuable time uploading them just so I can continue posting to my build thread. Since the thread has value to me personally, I'd like to keep going with it. I'd be much happier having the mobile option.
PIP, at least at a basic level, appears to be just FTP. I was going to reverse engineer the finer details last year (after somebody complained I wasn't using it).
Yes, ALL that PIP does, is FTP the picture to a site, and give you the link to it, nothing more. It does not resize the image, you have to do that yourself.
I tried uploading a photo to the FTP server using the site and information in it's .ini file, but it did not work.
Trying to make it work with the forum, logging in and such is overkill, and would be like writing a full blown web browser. Just something to post the photo and give you the link with a couple clicks would be sufficient.
Basically, what needs to be created is an app that can:
- Take the photo - Resize it to PFF's limitations - upload it to a central site - copy the link to the file into your copy/pase buffer, to make it easy to insert into a post.
Originally posted by Danyel: Simple : 1. The size on the image (L x W) of today's mobiles are WAY too large ... you need a filter 2. The image weight (Ko, Mo, Go) is a factor in website bandwith 3. Bandwith cost mucho dollars 4. Hosting FTP site for pics are NOT cheap 5. Many mobiles use same pic names like IMG_01.jpg etc etc (would replace the orignal download if same name) 6. Apps are hard to program 7. Users would need to be computer savy to post the correct path so their forum posted pic shows correctly or you would get the infamous X pic 8. Control for unwanted pics posted would be needed to avoid porno and pedo files. 9. Securing an FTP with username and password would be extremely exhaustive work....
All of these things are really only problems if you use the PFF image hosting, or are trying to set up your own server. I don't see how anything you listed here is particularly relevant to anything I wrote.
1) Err, wrong. Images get resized for certain things, and various web services provide uploaded images in smaller sizes as well. 2) See 1). Images can be resized automatically in phone apps for certain things. File size is only a huge issue if you have a horrible data plan on your device, aren't on wifi, and are uploading lots of pictures to be displayed in the same page. One picture in a single post isn't going to be a problem. 3) Bandwidth is incredibly cheap. It's not 1999 any more. 4) What does FTP have to do with anything? 5) What does it matter what the filename on the phone/tablet is? 6) Not really. Apps are pretty trivial to make. Otherwise there wouldn't be so bloody many of them. 7) No. People don't need to be overly clever or smart here. That is a facile argument. 8) No. There's no special controls for this now, and this isn't a problem. 9) See 4). What does FTP have to do with anything? It's an outdated insecure protocol, and you really should not be using it in this day and age.
It is very easy to write a script that will allow browse, upload, resize, and post images. Virus scanning and format validation is also easy. It's hard to automatically check for **** /pedo content in an image. Results vary. I usually scan for form, color content, etc, but mainly for automatic image cropping.
Originally posted by JohnWPB: Yes, ALL that PIP does, is FTP the picture to a site, and give you the link to it, nothing more. It does not resize the image, you have to do that yourself. I tried uploading a photo to the FTP server using the site and information in it's .ini file, but it did not work............
I tried too but the access deposite a file is not allowed .... there seems to be a filter placed on the FTP portal.... I asked Cliff if he would release this information .... still no answer. I'm still doing some tests but most ftp apps always loop to username and password ... info that I do have from the ini file
Maybe we could do some brainstorming with others with Android and IOS people
Here are some of the knowns .... (PIP SCRIPTING)
# A valid PIP profile always starts with "PIP"
# Profile name: ProfileName = Pennock's Fiero Forum
SFTP is fine, but I wouldn't want to use it for this. Besides, these are public images. How secure does it need to be? The logon is the only thing I'd worry about.
All of these things are really only problems if you use the PFF image hosting, or are trying to set up your own server. I don't see how anything you listed here is particularly relevant to anything I wrote. ........ rest of your BLAH BLAH BLAH
Man you are one special cookie arent you .... a real walkin talkin wiki !!!
Now to more constructive posts anyone ever post using other than PIP on the forums FTP ??
[This message has been edited by Danyel (edited 07-26-2015).]
Originally posted by JohnWPB: Yes, ALL that PIP does, is FTP the picture to a site, and give you the link to it, nothing more. It does not resize the image, you have to do that yourself.
I tried uploading a photo to the FTP server using the site and information in it's .ini file, but it did not work.
JohnWPB we must be idiots .... Mr Dobey uploaded using a standard FTP client ............. using a PC or a mobile Android or IOS/OSX ??? dont think so !!
[This message has been edited by Danyel (edited 07-26-2015).]
Originally posted by seq: It would probably be easiest to use something like wireshark to document exactly what the PIP client is doing.
There is nothing special being done over the wire in PIP. It is a plain FTP client. All the weird forum profile and upload rules are all done on the client side.
JohnWPB we must be idiots .... Mr Dobey uploaded using a standard FTP client ............. using a PC or a mobile Android or IOS/OSX ??? dont think so !!
Originally posted by Danyel: NOW There is a good lead !!! EDITED ' using IOS OSX or Android .... NO PC solutions please !!!
Android nor iOS provide solutions for uploading content to FTP directly by default. Nor do they provide file manager apps by default.
However, there is absolutely nothing special about the PIP FTP server. If you have an app which allows you to upload directly to an FTP site from the camera, then you can upload to the PIP server. You would then need to construct the URL by hand when filling in the IMG content in a post on the forum. If you want something that uploads images and gives you back a history of uploads so you can delete them, or copy/paste the links into the forum, you'll basically need a clone of the PIP app functionality, in apps specific to each OS.
Android nor iOS provide solutions for uploading content to FTP directly by default. Nor do they provide file manager apps by default.
However, there is absolutely nothing special about the PIP FTP server. If you have an app which allows you to upload directly to an FTP site from the camera, then you can upload to the PIP server. You would then need to construct the URL by hand when filling in the IMG content in a post on the forum. If you want something that uploads images and gives you back a history of uploads so you can delete them, or copy/paste the links into the forum, you'll basically need a clone of the PIP app functionality, in apps specific to each OS.
Already known ...... and your solution to resolve the problem that we already know is .....
@Dobey: Your pattern of: Post first about some topic, then Google some info and then post that so you look like you know something, and then say something contradictory to yourself. Lastly, make some excuse, or edit your post and hope no one notices. I have seen this in at least 4 threads now. That is the reason your little ratings bar has so much of the red spectrum in it LOL
Latest Example:
quote
Originally posted by dobey: 4) What does FTP have to do with anything?
quote
Originally posted by dobey: It's just plain FTP, and the required auth details are published on the forum web site.
So Danyel, what does FTP have to do with anything? Can't you just wiggle your nose and the files will appear magically on the server? Hahahah!
[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 07-27-2015).]
So, this thread about needing a way to post images from a mobile device has turned into a thread about how stupid someone is?
I agree that we need a way to post images from a mobile device, but I strongly dislike the bashing that is going on in this thread. Especially from two people that I highly respect.
From the user standpoint, nothing about PIP is 21st century. You have to manually resize...Facebook does that automatically. You have to upload each file individually and then paste in that link manually to your thread. Facebook does that automatically too.
Not that Facebook is perfect but the reason that Zuckerberg is a billionaire is because the software is easy to use and people like it. A 21st century Forum app would essentially be a separate browser that would handle all the resizing and uploading and make it transparent to the user.
well at least there are emojis ... well kind of.
