• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

 

Site Update News

steelsoldiers

Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
5,239
3,880
113
Location
Charleston, WV
Hello everyone,

I understand that a lot of you have questions about this site's lack of direction and apparent lack of leadership. I want to address those issues and I would like to start off by apologizing for my absence from the site and the obvious lack of progress around here. I haven't been around much for quite some time. SS slipped down a few pegs on my priority list thanks to a series of moves, new jobs/positions, and other family stuff. I also started working on a new business in the fall of 2010 and we just opened the doors on February 21st. We're also expecting another son, who is due to arrive on Sept 30th. All of you with kids know what it's like when your wife is in the nesting phase and you have to repaint rooms, put together nursery stuff, repaint rooms again, clean out basements, etc, etc....

So, enough of my excuses. We all get busy and I understand that. The bottom line is that you guys and gals are my MV family and I want to make you and this site more of a priority.

I have come to depend on Mike Maynard aka Mangus for all software and hardware applications over the last 6 or 7 years. Mike has great technical knowledge and was instrumental in bringing this site to to the forefront of online communities years ago. Unfortunately, like me, Mike has gotten busier and busier with work and helping to raise a houseful of kids. I'm sure he would agree with me that SS has slipped down his priority list as well.

Without a doubt, the site has suffered some setbacks due to our absence. As a matter of fact, if it weren't for the dedication of our moderator team, this site would have slipped into anarchy a long time ago. I would like to THANK the mods from the bottom of my heart for keeping this place going in my absence. You guys have an often thankless job and are frequently on the receiving end of hate-mail because of the work you do. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your persistence, patience, and belief in the idea behind the SS site.

Now, as to the site upgrades that you have all been clambering for over the last few years. They will be coming and hopefully we can get started very soon. Mike and I have been shopping for a developer to help in this endeavor because the scale of it is too big for us to try to do on our own. Unfortunately, the quotes we have been getting so far are in the $30k range. We have been squirreling away advertising dollars over the last year or so in preparation for such a need, but our savings doesn't have anywhere near $30k in it. I am going to talk to another firm this afternoon in hopes that they will be more reasonable. We have decided to walk away from the vBulletin system because it has proven unable to handle to wide variety of utilities that we require and is to buggy/vulnerable in some respects (i.e. the google redirects). We will go with a Drupal based system instead, which will allow us to incorporate an unreal amount of utilities into the site.

I have really high hopes for the future of Steel Soldiers and it is my sincere desire that we can once again rule the net as the foremost MV information and online community site. I thank you all for your patience and understanding over the last couple of years. There have been a lot of unfulfilled promises and you have every right to be mad or skeptical. I am willing to assume full responsibility for the lack of progress and direction as it is ultimately my fault. I would like to ask for your forgiveness and support as I attempt to move this thing forward.

Feel free to comment or offer constructive criticism in this thread. I will report back here as things progress.

Best regards,
Chris
 

73m819

Rock = older than dirt , GA. MAFIA , Dirty
Steel Soldiers Supporter
In Memorial
12,196
314
0
Location
gainesville, ga.
I'll start,
something done about the classifieds
1--0 post for a want to buy,
2--50 good post at least for sale adds, no POST HOES
3--separate WTB and WTS categories
4--As many CATEGORIES as needed (trailers, trucks, gen., ect., ect, to make it easier to find stuff and use less time)
5--WTT would depend on if WTT/WTS or WTT/WTB, which post count was called for.
6--NO, repeat NO run on adds, once the the time is up, GONE, MUST repost each time, and have a higher post count then was present when the PREVIOUS add was posted, UNTIL A certian count cap is reached, this will keep people from getting the mim. post count then just keep posting adds.. This way things are for contributing members.
7--ALL WTS adds have a price, no price no add
8--NO companies like "HIKING" with run on adds, if a company with a PAID, continuious add, it is noted as a PAID company add.
--- Even if SSer owned, though instead of PAID, a higher post count 500/1000 might work. and-noted as a SSer owned company
----ALL company adds will ONLY run for a set time (ie 2, 4, 6 months, ect.) before being renewed, the longer the run time of the add, the higher the price.
9--Allow comments for all adds
10-Require all adds both WTS/WTB be taken down once the deal is done. no more DEAD adds., LEAVE them up, loose add posting privileges for a time.
11-ALL adds must be PM contactable, with Email and phone as second and third OPTIONS if the poster wants.
12-Have a classifieds MOD.
 
Last edited:

frodobaggins

Active member
2,861
16
38
Location
Ruston, La
Please Please Please make sure we have a complete backup of all current running stuff and databases when we migrate. There will always be something important that gets lost. Always good to have a way to go back and retrieve it :)

Thanks for the update Chris, we all appreciate it.
 

paradeduty

New member
727
28
0
Location
Chelsea, Michigan, U.S.A.
Hi Chris,

Absolutely no appologies necessary. Bottom Line - No Question.

This site is an exceptional assett for anyone interested in the hobby. Please note that I referred to this as a HOBBY - although there are a few folks who have been able to blend this into a money making venture, most of us are just in it for the fun and occasional odd looks! In no way would I assume to expect someone to place managing this site over responsibilities such as raising a family. Your priorities are right on - good for you (and congratulations - but on a sad note for junior, is the green fever hereditary? poor guy/gal!).

Like most everything else touched by human hands, it can always be made a little better. I know that everything that I ever do always comes out perfect the first time (HA - Ya Right!). But everything happens in its due time. I just feel good having the opportunity to interact with such a great bunch as on here.

Thanks for all you do to promote the spread of this addiction. And please extend a thank you to your family for allowing your MV family to "borrow" you more than we probably should.

Take Care, Dave and Mary.
 

mhassett

Member
588
11
18
Location
Bush, LA
No problem, and no appologies required. Time is a premium for all of us, and I appreciate the SS site being avaiable for those of us truly interested in MV's.
Thanks.
MHassett
Bush, LA
 

Bill W

Well-known member
1,985
42
48
Location
Brooks,Ga
Chris
Its good to hear from you and to know things are going well for you and family.This site is a hobby not a business so no apologies nessasary if folks don't like it here then there are other ( lesser ) mil veh websites they can go visit ( and stay there )
 

onegmjack

New member
1,080
8
0
Location
Kingsport TN
Thanks Chris and Thanks Mike. Chris family should always be first.This site may have a few things some don't like,but over all it is the best when it come to MV's.Thanks again Dwight
 

USAFSS-ColdWarrior

Chaplain
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
18,469
5,476
113
Location
San Angelo, Tom Green County, Texas USA
Chris,
Thank you for the SITREP and the website news.

Congrats on the growing and expanding family.

Yes, we are ALL family here - Thank you for acknowledging that and for facilitating our connecting with each other. You have had a real GLOBAL impact upon so many lives. May your blessings be manifold and abundant.

I particularly want to thank you for allowing me to "minister" to the troops through the Chaplains Corner even though I am not the "official" SteelSoldiers Chaplain. I never imagined that my interest in MV's was HIS way of opening the doors to a very special "congregation" here. When we christened our first MV - a Deuce called "The ARK" - and dedicated her to "Acts of Random Kindness", little did we know the off-the-beaten-path mission trek we were about to embark upon. Thank you for guiding our ministry "OFF-ROAD" by the light of this website.

I have been pondering some constructive thoughts and some website "suggestions". I will gather and submit them here ASAP.

May God bless you, and the entire SS Community, in all ways... always,
John (& Dianna)
San Angelo, TX

:jumpin:[thumbzup]:driver:
 

Tlauden

Member
840
3
18
Location
Halifax Pennsylvania
Hello, ive never personally met you sir but truly appreciate this online community you have provided us with

congrats on the addition to the family

Personally I have no real issues with this site the way it is. I know there are some flaws with the software and the search, well its not the greatest. but it gets the job done. Im looking forward to the updates though, Keep up the awesome work sir!!!!

Tyler
 

mckeeranger

Member
779
3
18
Location
Eastern Kentucky
Maybe time for a Mod to stepup and become mangus's equal and have a new mod ?
What a Mod does, and what Mangus does, are not the same thing.

Moderators can edit, delete, and otherwise manipulate posts and threads. Mangus actually manipulates the website. Everything you see, and everything you can do, is because he has loaded and enabled the vBulletin and probably other third party software. It's not like loading Word or game software, the website must interact with the database precisely, or the whole website become instant garbled garbage. And the problem may not be easy to find and fix.

I don't know what experience the SS Moderators have in website design and management, some of them may have the needed knowledge, but it's a pretty specific skill set and very time consuming. I would be willing to bet that at least some of them can't "step up and become Mangus's equal." It's not really a hierarchy of time spent, it's about technical skill and knowledge.

My thanks to Chris, Mike, and all the mods, for the hard work they've put into this. Be it last year, or last decade, it was time well spent, and we benefit from it to this day.
 

ARYankee

Well-known member
1,972
25
48
Location
Benton, AR
:ditto: on most of the comments above.

One suggestion would be to get most of the members if they can to donate $5 towards this upgrade.

Also if there is a need for more moderators, I offer my service in any way.
 

lavarok

Well-known member
1,119
33
48
Location
Fellsmere, FL
While a mod moving to an "admin" may not be the right move, I think the suggestion of an alternate admin or admins is a good idea. There are many savy SS users that could handle such a task, myself being one of them. Not that I want the job, but if called upon I would provide whatever assistance I could.
 
Last edited:

papabear

GA Mafia Imperial 1SG
13,508
2,383
113
Location
Columbus, Georgia
OK folks. The "Boss" has broken the silence and basically fallen on his sword...for us, and promised to fix stuff.
To me, that means alot.

I love this site...it gives me hours of relief daily and helps me maintain some sort of sanity. (OK...the sanity part is a lie!)

I'll admit right up front to being "severely challenged" when it comes to computers and internet stuff.
On the other hand, I can biotch with the best of you when something does not suit my fancy on this site.

SS said the programs etc he looked at cost around 30K. If you look at the member count on the front page it shows 30,842 members as of 20:28hrs 7/27/11.

I know that many of you have contributed to the site and it would seem that if we all sent in a dollar, we would have a few bucks left over from the 30K number that SS wants to get a better deal on.

In my life I have found that even free stuff cost me money, even if it is just to make the "free stuff" better and to my liking.

SS did not ask for money. This is not a paid site, but I'll throw a couple hundred bucks in the kitty to help Chris and Mike make it better for us all.

Anybody wanna help some good troops make a good site better?
 

Attachments

onegmjack

New member
1,080
8
0
Location
Kingsport TN
I forgot to Thank the MOD's for their hard work,with out them we may have fell by the way side,Thanks again to all that makes Steel Soldier so great.Dwight
 

Atomic

Member
410
10
18
Location
Albany, GA
:ditto:

Big Dito PB. I would be up for a one time "user fee" of $10. Logon and the it dirrects you to a page that says a one time fee of blah...blah...blah.

I love this site and like PB it makes work go by. Thanks Chris!!!
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks