GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
Genau! :)
...that would bring us back to the theory of PF being highly addictive! 😉
Genau! :)
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
0_0
Wow! The disparity between viewers and posters in online communities is usually significant, but in case of PF it's gargantuan! According to the so called "90-9-1" rule (90% lurkers, 9% occasional contributors, and 1% active creators), with such human traffic, PolishForums should have 14,000 (yes, fourteen thousand!) regular contributors monthly. Something doesn't add up here. *scratches head* There are online newspapers that have 10M visitors a month and a comment section below each article with 50-100 comments, so it's about right. There's a difference between a page view and a visitor, so it's important not to confuse a unique visitor with a page view.
Last month there were 1.44M human page views a month
0_0
Wow! The disparity between viewers and posters in online communities is usually significant, but in case of PF it's gargantuan! According to the so called "90-9-1" rule (90% lurkers, 9% occasional contributors, and 1% active creators), with such human traffic, PolishForums should have 14,000 (yes, fourteen thousand!) regular contributors monthly. Something doesn't add up here. *scratches head* There are online newspapers that have 10M visitors a month and a comment section below each article with 50-100 comments, so it's about right. There's a difference between a page view and a visitor, so it's important not to confuse a unique visitor with a page view.
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
That's good news. So perhaps the $1080 a year Xenforo package would be enough if it's the price for 1 million human page views a month? Last month there were 1.44M human page views a month, so it's unlikely to be enough.
Bot traffic doesn't really add to the hosting cost
That's good news. So perhaps the $1080 a year Xenforo package would be enough if it's the price for 1 million human page views a month? Last month there were 1.44M human page views a month, so it's unlikely to be enough.
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
... at ATP bots created about 80% of the traffic. It cost us nothing because we paid fixed rate for a medium quality shared hosting. It would indeed be ridiculous if a site owner had to pay more because crawlers generated 700,000 page views out of 1 million. Perhaps companies like Xenforo take it into account and only charge for real views? I don't know.
...does that mean the bots are raising that much costs?
... at ATP bots created about 80% of the traffic. It cost us nothing because we paid fixed rate for a medium quality shared hosting. It would indeed be ridiculous if a site owner had to pay more because crawlers generated 700,000 page views out of 1 million. Perhaps companies like Xenforo take it into account and only charge for real views? I don't know.
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
Bot traffic. Bots and web crawlers (like Bing's and Google's) produce the most page views on boards with few regular users. Those crawlers are pretty relentless, hitting pages to keep search results fresh. About 65% of web traffic on slightly sleepy boards like PF are bots. Still, 1 million page views a month means that there's enough real traffic and people visiting the forum but not joining (very likely for the reasons you mention but also because it feels outdated).
Definitely.
Not necessarily. There are phpBB and SMF boards, with hundreds of active members, running very smoothly.
That's a lot of page visits
Bot traffic. Bots and web crawlers (like Bing's and Google's) produce the most page views on boards with few regular users. Those crawlers are pretty relentless, hitting pages to keep search results fresh. About 65% of web traffic on slightly sleepy boards like PF are bots. Still, 1 million page views a month means that there's enough real traffic and people visiting the forum but not joining (very likely for the reasons you mention but also because it feels outdated).
To try = to spend time and resources.
Definitely.
I just know the site on phpBB or SMF would be slower
Not necessarily. There are phpBB and SMF boards, with hundreds of active members, running very smoothly.
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
It never happened to our SMF board, so I doubt it's the case with XenForo or vBulletin.
As I said, even the free phpBB and SMF with all the modability potential (very easy to operate - I could help with that) and modern features might potentially attract more members. I will repeat the question - why not try? If you stick with what you always had, you will get what you always had (again, sorry for stating the obvious). To try = to spend time and resources. I'd assume it would take at least a full week of study to learn the software from administrator's point of view and to migrate the site would take a professional service. I just know the site on phpBB or SMF would be slower, and if we add other features it would be considerably slower. So it would mean at least one week (40 hours) of study for me, and $35 an hour for a professional service to move everything and customize. The cost would eat all the donations we received so far.
Each main software upgrade can and often does break addons which need to be separately updated.
It never happened to our SMF board, so I doubt it's the case with XenForo or vBulletin.
As I said, even the free phpBB and SMF with all the modability potential (very easy to operate - I could help with that) and modern features might potentially attract more members. I will repeat the question - why not try? If you stick with what you always had, you will get what you always had (again, sorry for stating the obvious). To try = to spend time and resources. I'd assume it would take at least a full week of study to learn the software from administrator's point of view and to migrate the site would take a professional service. I just know the site on phpBB or SMF would be slower, and if we add other features it would be considerably slower. So it would mean at least one week (40 hours) of study for me, and $35 an hour for a professional service to move everything and customize. The cost would eat all the donations we received so far.
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
Or... if we really want to cut the cost, then let's try phpBB or SMF - it has all the bells and whistles too, huge modability and it's all free. Then we only have to worry about half-decent hosting (possible even with current members' contribution level).
Or... if we really want to cut the cost, then let's try phpBB or SMF - it has all the bells and whistles too, huge modability and it's all free. Then we only have to worry about half-decent hosting (possible even with current members' contribution level).
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
You can download free bug fixes and additional features from community forums, if needed (constant upgrades are not necessary anyway, if you have a stable version of the software). From what people say it's much easier to run than SMF (and it's very easy!). The thing basically runs itself. $195 a year for the license is not that much, and with the annual licence renewal you also get the latest version of the software.
... and 100,000 people observing it and deciding not to join the slug fest. ;)
So who would be doing upgrades, programming, etc.?
You can download free bug fixes and additional features from community forums, if needed (constant upgrades are not necessary anyway, if you have a stable version of the software). From what people say it's much easier to run than SMF (and it's very easy!). The thing basically runs itself. $195 a year for the license is not that much, and with the annual licence renewal you also get the latest version of the software.
with only a few old horses posting and bitching...
... and 100,000 people observing it and deciding not to join the slug fest. ;)
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
So, the second option - with purchasing the software licence for $195 and hosting the site on your own - seems much better. So who would be doing upgrades, programming, etc.? They want $50 an hour for that and the license needs to be renewed.
They would block the site after there are more page views than allowed in the package.
So, the second option - with purchasing the software licence for $195 and hosting the site on your own - seems much better. So who would be doing upgrades, programming, etc.? They want $50 an hour for that and the license needs to be renewed.
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
Standard package would do just fine for a start, and it's $1080 a year when paid annually or $100 on a monthly basis. They would block the site after there are more page views than allowed in the package.
Or even better - you can host the site on your own and then it's only a $195 one-off licence payment. So you buy the software for 200 bucks, find decent hosting for about a $100 a month and you have a site with modern forum software even with the current level of user contributions (which, mind you, will most likely be higher when there's more users... sorry for stating the obvious).
So it would require the Business package at $250 a month.
Standard package would do just fine for a start, and it's $1080 a year when paid annually or $100 on a monthly basis. They would block the site after there are more page views than allowed in the package.
Or even better - you can host the site on your own and then it's only a $195 one-off licence payment. So you buy the software for 200 bucks, find decent hosting for about a $100 a month and you have a site with modern forum software even with the current level of user contributions (which, mind you, will most likely be higher when there's more users... sorry for stating the obvious).
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
Sure. The guy is a mainstay. :)
didn't we! :)
Sure. The guy is a mainstay. :)
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
It had nothing to do with software, which wasn't all that modern anyway (a free SMF board).
New European regulations regarding internet boards hosted in the EU (RODO and stuff) which would require more time and hassle than either BB or I had (and could potentially expose us to legal action if we failed to comply). Plus, I was unnerved by an irresponsible member posting illegal stuff, which resulted in me having to reply to letters from regional prosecutor's office. In retrospect, I should have hosted the board with an American company - you enjoy much more freedom of speech and are under fewer laws and regulations. Oh, well... it's all a distant past anyway.
One way or another - if you don't try a better software, you'll never know whether it would attract more members or not. So why not try? You may refer to $40 vs $250 a month below.
Why did the ATP fail on a "modern" software?
It had nothing to do with software, which wasn't all that modern anyway (a free SMF board).
what was the problem?
New European regulations regarding internet boards hosted in the EU (RODO and stuff) which would require more time and hassle than either BB or I had (and could potentially expose us to legal action if we failed to comply). Plus, I was unnerved by an irresponsible member posting illegal stuff, which resulted in me having to reply to letters from regional prosecutor's office. In retrospect, I should have hosted the board with an American company - you enjoy much more freedom of speech and are under fewer laws and regulations. Oh, well... it's all a distant past anyway.
One way or another - if you don't try a better software, you'll never know whether it would attract more members or not. So why not try? You may refer to $40 vs $250 a month below.
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
Both would do that, as well as making the board more attractive to potential new members, enhancing the experience for everyone, and catapulting PF to 2020s.
Again, what's the worst that could happen?
Which of these softwares would help our poor Admin and lessen his stress and workload?
Both would do that, as well as making the board more attractive to potential new members, enhancing the experience for everyone, and catapulting PF to 2020s.
Again, what's the worst that could happen?
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
Never heard of any Xenforo or vBulletin user experiencing any problems like that, and I've never experienced them posting on the boards using the software either. Because they tend to implement features that are fully supported in all browsers.
The screen moves down a single row when typing each character.
Not only.....it's with Firefox and a Windows PC too!
Never heard of any Xenforo or vBulletin user experiencing any problems like that, and I've never experienced them posting on the boards using the software either. Because they tend to implement features that are fully supported in all browsers.
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
Xenforo does have avatars, user titles, reaction score, points and smileys on their website...
xenforo.com/community/threads/is-there-a-way-to-make-a-widget-that-shows-who-posted-in-the-last-24-hours.221729/
Xenforo does have avatars, user titles, reaction score, points and smileys on their website...
xenforo.com/community/threads/is-there-a-way-to-make-a-widget-that-shows-who-posted-in-the-last-24-hours.221729/
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
Xenforo, vBulletin or even SMF have avatars, signatures, user titles, badges, smileys, reactions to posts and many other features which enhance the user experience and make the board more attractive to members.
PF runs very smoothly, is never down, and rarely has any technical problems but it lacks the modern bells and whistles. It's very spartan, very puritan - so to speak - but it doesn't seem to be very attractive to new members or to the younger generation (we are almost all 40+ or even older - like the Russian army according to Cms, haha :)).
Come on, Admin, try vBulletin or XenForo - what's the worst that could happen?
Let's compare Xenforo's random page to PF's random page and see what Google says
Xenforo, vBulletin or even SMF have avatars, signatures, user titles, badges, smileys, reactions to posts and many other features which enhance the user experience and make the board more attractive to members.
PF runs very smoothly, is never down, and rarely has any technical problems but it lacks the modern bells and whistles. It's very spartan, very puritan - so to speak - but it doesn't seem to be very attractive to new members or to the younger generation (we are almost all 40+ or even older - like the Russian army according to Cms, haha :)).
Come on, Admin, try vBulletin or XenForo - what's the worst that could happen?
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Po polsku / Dyrdymałki o Niczem 2 [312]
Heretyk, odstępca.
Kto wie bez używania google co to znaczy słowo - kacerz?
Heretyk, odstępca.
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
News / Will PiS be happy if AfD wins elections in Germany? [1442]
It looks like almost the entire DDR voted for AfD...
... and most immigrants probably went to the richer lands in the West, so the extremist vote is - as it is often the case - caused more by economic circumstances than by anything else.
It looks like almost the entire DDR voted for AfD...
... and most immigrants probably went to the richer lands in the West, so the extremist vote is - as it is often the case - caused more by economic circumstances than by anything else.
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
History / Were Marx, Lenin and Luxemburg right about capitalism? [44]
Human dignity a leftist value? The Chinese Communist Party doesn't seem to think so. But, as you said, there is so much confusion these days as to what is or isn't leftist/rightist.
Human dignity a leftist value? The Chinese Communist Party doesn't seem to think so. But, as you said, there is so much confusion these days as to what is or isn't leftist/rightist.
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
History / Were Marx, Lenin and Luxemburg right about capitalism? [44]
I know about Catholic Social Teaching but it can hardly be called leftist (not to mention communist). Or did you mean that British Labour movement drew inspiration from papal encyclicals in their approach to economy? I really have to look deeper into this - thanks, Amiga.
Rerum novarum encyclical
I know about Catholic Social Teaching but it can hardly be called leftist (not to mention communist). Or did you mean that British Labour movement drew inspiration from papal encyclicals in their approach to economy? I really have to look deeper into this - thanks, Amiga.
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
History / Were Marx, Lenin and Luxemburg right about capitalism? [44]
Don't know about Germany but in Poland the left seems to be totally fixated on genital issues (abortion, LGBT, marriage/adoption rights for homosexuals, sexual education at schools etc.). If they could only somehow break this magical fixation on genitals and concentrate on traditional leftist aims - better wages and work conditions, fairer taxes on corporations, nature preservation, affordable housing and so on, they would gain much more support.
0_0 wow - that's interesting!
Will check out Strug, thanks.
One thing that harms the left in Poland, Germany etc
Don't know about Germany but in Poland the left seems to be totally fixated on genital issues (abortion, LGBT, marriage/adoption rights for homosexuals, sexual education at schools etc.). If they could only somehow break this magical fixation on genitals and concentrate on traditional leftist aims - better wages and work conditions, fairer taxes on corporations, nature preservation, affordable housing and so on, they would gain much more support.
British Labour movement which had its roots in different things, particularly religious values.
0_0 wow - that's interesting!
Will check out Strug, thanks.
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Po polsku / Dyrdymałki o Niczem 2 [312]
Muszę się zgodzić z kolegą Pawianem. Dyrdymałki są w sekcji "Po polsku", więc używajcie tutaj naszej pięknej polszczyzny, do kurwy nędzy!
Did you walk into the wall
When you are done with that ahole
Rysiek i Cesiek, wiemy że jesteście debilami do kwadratu ale może jednak się ogarniecie?
Muszę się zgodzić z kolegą Pawianem. Dyrdymałki są w sekcji "Po polsku", więc używajcie tutaj naszej pięknej polszczyzny, do kurwy nędzy!
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
Culture war, possibly, but not a very cultured war unfortunately. ;)
Jon has a good point here, Novi. We all know each other like bald horses, so we can hurl abuse at one another (and our mums) every now and then and still be able to discuss things later. However, for potential new members it might indeed be off-putting.
PF is just another battleground in the culture war.
Culture war, possibly, but not a very cultured war unfortunately. ;)
Imagine how that looks to someone who comes here for the first time.
Jon has a good point here, Novi. We all know each other like bald horses, so we can hurl abuse at one another (and our mums) every now and then and still be able to discuss things later. However, for potential new members it might indeed be off-putting.
GefreiterKania
25 Feb 2025
History / Were Marx, Lenin and Luxemburg right about capitalism? [44]
Well, you're an expert on leftist thought but didn't they (especially Luxemburg) oppose capitalism's ruthless logic of profit (the society being merely an addition to economy, and human life, work and nature subordinated to profit, profit uber alles and all that)? I am not defending communists, God forbid, merely saying that not everything they wrote seems like complete and utter nonsense.
May you never have to live on those "abundant social benefits". :)
Is it? I thought there was more or less a consensus among economists that since Covid-19 the middle class has been shrinking all over the West (including Poland), and that the post-pandemic inflation hit them the hardest. It seems to be true, at least in Poland where the lower classes were protected from the inflation by an unprecedented rise in minimum wage, the rich - as they are bound to - found ways to weather the storm (e.g. with inflation indexed state obligations, efficient tax evasion etc.) whilst the middle class took the major hit. It was/is reported by the press - various sources as different as Przegląd and Najwyższy Czas (but also less extreme Newsweek and Polityka). They can't all be wrong, can they?
Of course we don't want communism, but is there anything about the current version of capitalism that could possibly be improved? I mean, it's easy for us to be pro-capitalist, Pawian. We are both well established in our profession, diligent, have no mortgages (here I am guessing about you but I think it's a good guess) and don't have to worry about job stability. However, when I look at young people today, I don't envy them. Imagine being 25-30 today and having to buy an apartment in a city like Gdańsk at current prices and current wages. Even for people with university education and above average salaries the prospect seems somewhat daunting.
The other two? No. They were wrong.
Well, you're an expert on leftist thought but didn't they (especially Luxemburg) oppose capitalism's ruthless logic of profit (the society being merely an addition to economy, and human life, work and nature subordinated to profit, profit uber alles and all that)? I am not defending communists, God forbid, merely saying that not everything they wrote seems like complete and utter nonsense.
Only those abundant social benefits spoil the image of liberal capitalism.
May you never have to live on those "abundant social benefits". :)
Which is forecast by some "experts" for distant future but hasn`t taken place yet
Is it? I thought there was more or less a consensus among economists that since Covid-19 the middle class has been shrinking all over the West (including Poland), and that the post-pandemic inflation hit them the hardest. It seems to be true, at least in Poland where the lower classes were protected from the inflation by an unprecedented rise in minimum wage, the rich - as they are bound to - found ways to weather the storm (e.g. with inflation indexed state obligations, efficient tax evasion etc.) whilst the middle class took the major hit. It was/is reported by the press - various sources as different as Przegląd and Najwyższy Czas (but also less extreme Newsweek and Polityka). They can't all be wrong, can they?
It matters that we don`t want communism. If so, we have no choice but to stick to capitalism.
Of course we don't want communism, but is there anything about the current version of capitalism that could possibly be improved? I mean, it's easy for us to be pro-capitalist, Pawian. We are both well established in our profession, diligent, have no mortgages (here I am guessing about you but I think it's a good guess) and don't have to worry about job stability. However, when I look at young people today, I don't envy them. Imagine being 25-30 today and having to buy an apartment in a city like Gdańsk at current prices and current wages. Even for people with university education and above average salaries the prospect seems somewhat daunting.
GefreiterKania
24 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
True, but they might attract more users who would be willing to support such a modernised, more attractive board.
Oh, but life is all about drama, Iron! It would be unbearably boring without it. :)
The bells and whistles only add to more maintenance and bug fixing.
True, but they might attract more users who would be willing to support such a modernised, more attractive board.
without all that cheesy drama?
Oh, but life is all about drama, Iron! It would be unbearably boring without it. :)
GefreiterKania
24 Feb 2025
Feedback / Who deserves to inherit Polish Forums? [344]
So maybe PF could switch to a proper, modern forum software (XenForo, vBulletin) which already has all the bells and whistles? It would save a lot of time and effort and isn't all that expensive either. All software requires a human/moderator. The bells and whistles only add to more maintenance and bug fixing.
To implement that would require a lot of programming
So maybe PF could switch to a proper, modern forum software (XenForo, vBulletin) which already has all the bells and whistles? It would save a lot of time and effort and isn't all that expensive either. All software requires a human/moderator. The bells and whistles only add to more maintenance and bug fixing.
GefreiterKania
24 Feb 2025
History / Were Marx, Lenin and Luxemburg right about capitalism? [44]
I am all for Ordoliberalism. Prawica Rzeczypospolitej (Marek Jurek) were big advocates of Ordoliberalism in Poland, and for a short moment it looked like PiS were convinced to follow this way. We all know how it ended though. :-/
Good night, BB. :)
Ordoliberalism...why not? It works!
I am all for Ordoliberalism. Prawica Rzeczypospolitej (Marek Jurek) were big advocates of Ordoliberalism in Poland, and for a short moment it looked like PiS were convinced to follow this way. We all know how it ended though. :-/
Good night, BB. :)
GefreiterKania
24 Feb 2025
History / Were Marx, Lenin and Luxemburg right about capitalism? [44]
*sighs a huge sigh of relief*
... and it doesn't seem to work well for everybody either!
IMHO yes!
*sighs a huge sigh of relief*
"Turbo capitalism" is not to everybodies liking...
... and it doesn't seem to work well for everybody either!
GefreiterKania
24 Feb 2025
History / Were Marx, Lenin and Luxemburg right about capitalism? [44]
The question is: does the West still stand for individual freedom, fairness and equal chances for everyone?
On the other hand, what's the alternative - China?
If only we could all switch to good old German ordoliberalism and balance what's good in both left and right. Ehh...
the inborn wish to be free, to be in full control over ones own life!
The question is: does the West still stand for individual freedom, fairness and equal chances for everyone?
On the other hand, what's the alternative - China?
If only we could all switch to good old German ordoliberalism and balance what's good in both left and right. Ehh...
GefreiterKania
24 Feb 2025
History / Were Marx, Lenin and Luxemburg right about capitalism? [44]
... or at least partly right?
I recently read Terry Eagleton's Why Marx Was Right and it looks like the ominous giant of the Left predicted rather accurately the final results of liberal capitalism - the ever larger gap between the rich and the poor, the ever more ruthless competition over limited resources, the extinction of middle class, the power of corporations, the alienation of an individual, nihilism, thoughtless hedonism etc.
Does it mean that the West is in the final stage of capitalism, which has to end with a massive war/revolution, or can the prophecy still be avoided? Or is it all nonsense and I should stop reading books from the dark side of the force? ;)
... or at least partly right?
I recently read Terry Eagleton's Why Marx Was Right and it looks like the ominous giant of the Left predicted rather accurately the final results of liberal capitalism - the ever larger gap between the rich and the poor, the ever more ruthless competition over limited resources, the extinction of middle class, the power of corporations, the alienation of an individual, nihilism, thoughtless hedonism etc.
Does it mean that the West is in the final stage of capitalism, which has to end with a massive war/revolution, or can the prophecy still be avoided? Or is it all nonsense and I should stop reading books from the dark side of the force? ;)