68kmla MIA

[Kai Robinson]

IIRC there was a discussion about this, making the site accessible to vintage machines - as we separate the web front end from the database, a 'reader' application could be developed, perhaps using HyperCard, to pull the live database data.

I think @eric did a feasability test a few years ago using exported data, but I may be mistaken.

Essentially, the data is what's important, rather than the UI layout - theoretically, any custom app could pull from the database.

 

[eric]

I don't have access to that other site so I don't know how they are doing it, if they shared some technical details we run the same xen foro software. I had thought of doing a read only with the RSS feed but xen's rss is a bit odd.

There are a few other accessible from vintage machines - system7today, macintosh garden, cqbbs, etc.

 

[cc333]

LOL. I’ve been lurking silently in the background, reading the recent posts over the last 24 hours, just wondering when one of you was going to mention that. And I see you did! Honestly, it’s a good idea.

Ha! I guess I'm the first! I agree that it's a good idea. It's practical and useful, which is not only fun, but it also allows for more opportunities to actually use our old Macs for somewhat modern things, which is increasingly hard to do because they're so thoroughly outmoded, especially where the Internet is concerned.

It’s only about seven more hours before we enter 2026 here in Japan, so I’d like to wish all of you a very happy new year!

And it's now a little under 10 hours away over here on the US West Coast. Happy New Year!

c

p.s. Thank you, TinkerDifferent mods and admins, for having such a lenient post editing policy! It makes it easier to fix all my typos!

 

[JDW]

p.s. Thank you, TinkerDifferent mods and admins, for having such a lenient post editing policy! It makes it easier to fix all my typos!

Exactly! You are just like me. I post something and then some hours later I find something I wrote that needs to be amended, and it’s usually a spelling error or maybe grammar. So I fix it.

That topic is the other thing I was waiting silently to see if anyone would mention in this thread. I’m so happy you did. Because when you talk about improvements made to that other forum, that’s still one area they have yet to address. And I doubt they ever will in light of what happened to me for having publicly requested it three times over the course of one year way back in 2020, before Tinker Different existed.

Suffice it to say, when you create a post here, you have the right to edit it. It’s your content after all. And despite what many people have said in other forums, we are living proof that no chaos results from allowing people to edit their own posts for an unlimited amount of time. It’s called freedom. And freedom is great.

I wish you the best in 2026!

 

[NJRoadfan]

Did it break again?

EDIT: Looks like an issue at the host.

 

[AlpineRaven]

Did it break again?

EDIT: Looks like an issue at the host.

yep its down...

 

[mac27]

Been down for me today as well. I was in the middle of negotiating a transaction with someone there too, of course.

 

[JDW]

I was in the middle of negotiating a transaction with someone there too, of course.

While I'd love to see folks use our vastly more reliable forum instead, I do understand why people like the other forum while also liking ours.

It might be good to tell your friends and associates to become member of TinkerDifferent so that when the inevitable happens to that other forum, you can continue your transaction conversation seamlessly here.

We created TinkerDifferent to ensure we are still around decades from now. Our board is elected from the community at large. That means that no one person can spell the demise of TinkerDifferent (through death or apathy or lack of free time). Some have said our board is overly complex and unnecessary for what we do, but its existence actually helps to ensure this forum will be around long after the founders are gone. I don't say this to bash the other forum or anyone who loves it. These are just facts to help people make prudent choices. This forum was created by the community, for the community, AND we listen. Speaking of which...

We have 3 seats on the Board up for a vote and only 2 names in the pot currently. Been active here (and in good standing) for the last 6 months and want to help guide this forum? Nominate yourself here:

https://tinkerdifferent.com/threads/calling-all-members-would-you-like-to-join-the-tinker-different-board.5145/

Full disclosure: I'm biased. I played a small role in making this forum happen, alongside a band of some insanely great people. I cannot help but feel this forum is pretty awesome. Members have the freedom to Like posts with cute little Mac icons, enjoy the incredible uptime, enjoy light or dark mode, have fun on Discord, and the list goes on.

Best wishes.

 

[mac27]

While I'd love to see folks use our vastly more reliable forum instead, I do understand why people like the other forum while also liking ours.

Yeah, believe me - I actually posted the same exact item and listing on both forums to reach as wide an audience as possible. I happened to get an interested party there, maybe it will also strike the interest of someone over here in the meantime

I think y'all do an awesome job running the place and want to use it as much as possible for this sort of thing.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Yeah, believe me - I actually posted the same exact item and listing on both forums to reach as wide an audience as possible. I happened to get an interested party there, maybe it will also strike the interest of someone over here in the meantime

I think y'all do an awesome job running the place and want to use it as much as possible for this sort of thing.

I am new to vintage mac forums and joined both, and post similar things in both places.

from a noob’s perspective the other place seems a bit more active but I also love this place and its vibe.

AND actually I was in the middle of two deals. Will have to see if I can find the folks over here.

 

[JDW]

...the other place seems a bit more active ...

It's been around since 2002 while Tinker Different was founded in the summer of 2021.

A lot of forum veterans (whatever that forum may be) tend to remain on their preferred forum regardless of new forums popping up. So that would go a long way to explain more traffic over there (despite the downtime). I've also had people tell me privately (sometimes because I would ask) why they preferred the other place over this place, and they seemed to say there were more lengthy posts of a highly technical nature over there. But honestly, anyone could do the same here. It's just a matter of will, actually.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Ok, makes sense

 

[jmacz]

I have to use both. There are people I talk to that only stay there. There are people I talk to that only stay here. Then there are those of us that use both and like both.

But I have a preference there because of more content and activity (due to its longer history) and all of my contributed content is there also. But I still visit here every day thanks to @JDW and contribute when I can.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I should head that I like the logo here, and also like that I can figure out how to use the Dark Mode and like the look of the Dark Mode here. I really dislike the look (and effect on my eyes) of primary white background forums.

Been down for me today as well. I was in the middle of negotiating a transaction with someone there too, of course.

Same. On a couple things. I was able to connect with one of three persons here so far.

 

[Paralel]

Some have said our board is overly complex and unnecessary for what we do

Someone on 68kMLA made an allusion to that just recently, then the site went down. Kind of ironic.

the other place seems a bit more active

Yeah, but honestly, not all that activity is productive. A decent amount of it is the same annoying people crapping on as many people as they can manage with their "Holier than thou" attitudes, which drives me insane.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Someone on 68kMLA made an allusion to that just recently, then the site went down. Kind of ironic.



Yeah, but honestly, not all that activity is productive. A decent amount of it is the same annoying people crapping on as many people as they can manage with their "Holier than thou" attitudes, which drives me insane.

On that second point, I hear you. I tend to find that on all my vintage related or enthusiast related forums or forum-like experiences. Audio (Audiokarma, anyone? I have experienced that there), photography, music (as opposed to gear), skiing, waterskiing (WATERSKIING!!!! talk about some attitudes that drive people away from enjoyable activities, even when that activity is dying). Back in high school, I figured out if I didn't worry about what the "Cool Kids" thought, and just tried to be myself, and tried to be kind and open to people, I was happier and had more fun. Still trying to do that, imperfectly.

Anyway, I like both forums, post on both forums, and wherever I get the most help as a noob, without attitude, as you say, is my favorite in that moment. This one is up now and the other one isn't so...

 

[Trash80toG4]

A lot of forum veterans (whatever that forum may be) tend to remain on their preferred forum regardless of new forums popping up. So that would go a long way to explain more traffic over there (despite the downtime). I've also had people tell me privately (sometimes because I would ask) why they preferred the other place over this place, and they seemed to say there were more lengthy posts of a highly technical nature over there. But honestly, anyone could do the same here. It's just a matter of will, actually.

As one of the first flight of added moderators over there in the far distant past, I've seen several forums pop up due to limitations there and then die on the vine. For whatever its shortcomings, it has been around for 24 some years and likely pops up first in searches when new folks are looking for help/community.

Full disclosure: I'm biased. I played a small role in making this forum happen, alongside a band of some insanely great people. I cannot help but feel this forum is pretty awesome. Members have the freedom to Like posts with cute little Mac icons . . .

Therin lies the rub, those cute little Mac icons are exceedingly frustrating comment/discussion killers. Lack of activity on the forums here would likely be why most development work happens over there. A "like" pales in comparison to posts by folks interested in and wanting to make contributions to a development or hacks topic.

Swinging back to my first comment, lack of such activity here is a major limitation in terms of folks finding us. Having been active there on many fronts for so very long, I receive a lot of requests for help in PM and have done so, encouraging them to open up a topic to get help from the gang. Since winding up here, I've recommended this place several times in PM over there and been told folks lurk, but have no interest in joining up.

Reaction "posts" just suck in comparison to a few words of encouragement or interest in even short post here. If editing were flexible there, I'd likely not post projects here where I can correct grammar, fix mistakes or flag as edits further clarification or to substitute the perfect word remembered after the edit window lapsed and an almost, but not really good enough word is recalled.*****

IMO of course

***** that'd be my Disnomia/Anomia limitation at work.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

As one of the first flight of added moderators over there in the far distant past, I've seen several forums pop up due to limitations there and then die on the vine. For whatever its shortcomings, it has been around for 24 some years and likely pops up first when new folks are looking for help/community.


Therin lies the rub, those cute little Mac icons are exceedingly frustrating comment/discussion killers. Lack of activity on the forums here would likely be why most development work happens over there. A "like" pales in comparison to posts of folks interested in and wanting to make contributions to a serious development or hacks topic.

Swinging back to my first comment, lack of such activity here is a major limitation in terms of folks finding us. Having been active there on many fronts, I receive a lot of requests for help in and have done so, encouraging them to open up a topic to get help from the gang. Since winding up here, I've recommended this place to several times in PM over there and been told folks lurk, but have no interest in joining up.

Reaction "posts" just suck in contrast to a few words of encouragement or interest in even short post here.

IMO of course

Hmm. I would disagree. I don't want to clog up a thread where someone is trying to scroll though and find something with a "Cool!" if I have nothing else really to add that propels the conversation. I like the fun little compact Mac smileys here. I would guess the difference in traffic is simply people used to the older one (kinda like Harmony Central being the big guy on the block, with all the aforementioned unfriendly snark, before it finally died) and tend to follow old habits. I WILL try to make sure and double post things (when and IF the other one comes back up) and not fail to post the same question or thread here. If this one took off, I would be just as happy to reside primarily here. But I don't think it is the smileys preventing it. In fact, I find the lack on the other one annoying, and just don't post anything if all I have to say is something like "cool" or whatever. And I have been on MANY forums over many years, beginning in about 2006 or 2007, related to various interests over the years, a symptom of my ADHD that hyper focuses on whichever of my various ideas I am pursuing at any given time, so have had a long time and lots of experience upon which to base my opinion. IMO only of course.

 

[Trash80toG4]

Hmm. I would disagree. I don't want to clog up a thread where someone is trying to scroll though and find something with a "Cool!" if I have nothing else really to add that propels the conversation.

Many such posts over there amount to " I have nothing to add, but following with great interest" which isn't all that difficult to scroll thru. IMO such encouragement is a necessary (not so) evil.

Appending a "like" to a development post may be nice, but any post at all brings a serious development thread back to the top page for more discussion.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Ok, understand your opinion. I still like fun smiley like options! Cheers!