Looking Forward to 2020 (and beyond) on MalibuRacing.com!

GP403

Administrator
Aug 14, 2019
44
11
8
Rolla, MO
MalibuRacing.com
Hey everyone, thanks for (still!) being a part of this. If you're reading this then you at least check in once and a while and its appreciated. This thread is about where the site goes from here in 2020. I'll outline the plans I have, and then let you guys comment on it. If there's too much disagreement or whatever I will reconsider said plans. Its that simple. This site has been around a long time, and has had a sort of rocky recent past, so I want to try to correct that and bring people back HERE (vs. some un-related facebook page with the same name cough)

First:

The plan is to ditch phpBB and move the forum to XenForo. This is the same platform I use on GBodyForum et al. There's nothing really wrong with phpBB per se, its just when a community reaches a certain size, and you need to be able to work with it better.... phpBB just doesn't cut it anymore. It's stuck in some outdated aspects really, and XF will let me add some stuff on, and take things forward. I know this might cause a bit of consternation (it did on GBF) but once every one realizes that yeah its basically the same thing, it all works out. Nobody will lose any information, I intend to keep the look distinctly MR (unlike my other forums) and hopefully its all good.

Second:

As for the rest of the site, this is where things really need updating. Philip you did a great job of maintaining this, but its got to move forward for things to flourish. So, I will be moving the "static" pages of the site into (probably) wordpress so that they're more easily edited, searched, monitored and maintained, and so everything is consistent. No broken links should exist. The other option would be to use the "resource manager" addon for XF and try to redirect all the existing URLs into that, but I'm not sure which is better to be honest. Still have some navel-gazing to do there.

Third:

I've never really been active here, but as I understand it (and please please correct me if I'm way wrong) the site took a huge hit when a bunch of the members decided to take the forums to facebook, with the same name, and basically in an "unofficial" capacity. I don't really want to get on Facebook and be the "hey turn your group over to me" guy, but I fear I'll have to at least ask them to change the name of the group. Since it is 100% unofficial from the site. (is it? if it is supposed to be connected to the site I have some messages to send!!) Maybe those with more experience and insight into this situation can comment below.

Fourth:

Ads. Yeah, let me have it, go ahead. Here's what I envision for this: Logged in users will see a minimum of ads (if any at all), at least on the forum until I figure out a way to bridge the static and forum sections. Guest users will get ads. I don't think this is unreasonable. But I don't want it to be a big issue, bc if it is I can just leave it off. The site isn't really costing me anything to run apart from the annual domain name registration so I'm not really worried about it. But it is what I do for a living at the moment.

Fifth: MERCH. Anyone interested in stickers, shirts etc. with that way kewl MR logo on them? I'm thinking I need stickers at the least...

Basically the plan is to get the site back to its former glory. I'm all ears as far as other ways to do it, or whatever. Please post your opinions. Thanks!
 

78elk

Dragway Regular
Mar 6, 2014
1,294
81
48
Mountain Home Id
Thanks. Looking forward to seeing the changes. I don't like Facebook at all. This place has helped me a lot, hope this works out for all.
 

melloelky

Top Fueler
Jul 1, 2009
3,654
31
48
mass
you're rite,this did take a big hit from FB,I,like a lot of folks got their start here (some way back from malibu thunder)and learned a TON and couldn't be more grateful for that fact/that helped me.i can only speak for myself but i left because attendance had dried up.I'm sure whatever changes you make will only help things.
 

GP403

Administrator
Thread starter
Aug 14, 2019
44
11
8
Rolla, MO
MalibuRacing.com
realized I'd been updated the "MR lives" thread instead of this one. 1, 2, and 4 done. Still have to figure out what to do about 3. Like I said if anyone's got the skinny on why the site forked like it did in the first place, and how we can bring it back here, I'm all ears. Facebook groups are dumb.
 

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