[Edit: EN World is gonna change! If you want your say, you're running out of time!]

[Scribble]

No wonder billions in worker productivity are wasted every year to internet use.

Before social networking and the internet EEs found ways to slack off. Water cooler chats, cigarette breaks, long lunch breaks. etc...

There are actually studies showing that a bit of slacking off actually increases productivity.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

double post.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

There are actually studies showing that a bit of slacking off actually increases productivity.

You know, I've heard that, too. But for some reason, I haven't had a single job offer since I started highlighting that on my resume.

 

[Scribble]

You know, I've heard that, too. But for some reason, I haven't had a single job offer since I started highlighting that on my resume.

Haha well yeah... No accounting for upper management not actually reading studies.

 

[LightPhoenix]

I think some people are seeing the word "change" and freaking out.

In essence, a better word for this would be "upgrade." The core of the changes are a switch from vB3 (the software that the boards currently use) to vB4. It's not going to change any of the core functionality of the boards, that I am aware of.

Before you ask, yes, I did try the new boards when Morrus posted this in Meta. Yes, as far as I could tell everything here now was there. Ah, the benefits of reading and posting in Meta!

Now, my understanding is that with vB4, there are two primary "changes" in addition to upgrading the architecture.

The first is an increased emphasis on social networking. Does this mean the boards are unusable if you don't partake? No. If you only read and post (like I mostly do) then you can keep on doing that without utilizing any of the social networking stuff. We pretty much do that now anyway; a lot of that functionality exists right now on the boards. However, those that do want to utilize the social networking aspects of the board can do so, and again based on my understanding those will be more robust and integrated.

The second is actually an increased stability. AFAIK, a lot of the board functionality that is currently hacked into the system will be more integrated. This should lead to less problems with those systems going down and requiring effort to fix Now, they're directly supported by vB.

 

[FireLance]

I think some people are seeing the word "change" and freaking out.

Aaah! Change!! Nooo!!! I have been through far too many changes recently, and I must have stability at all costs! I mean, I can't even sit down and watch the clouds any more because they just! Keep!! Changing!!!

In essence, a better word for this would be "upgrade." The core of the changes are a switch from vB3 (the software that the boards currently use) to vB4. It's not going to change any of the core functionality of the boards, that I am aware of.

Changing from a "3" to a "4" is not an "upgrade"! It is a different program that just happens to be named "VBulletin"!

Now, my understanding is that with vB4, there are two primary "changes" in addition to upgrading the architecture.

The first is an increased emphasis on social networking. Does this mean the boards are unusable if you don't partake? No. If you only read and post (like I mostly do) then you can keep on doing that without utilizing any of the social networking stuff. We pretty much do that now anyway; a lot of that functionality exists right now on the boards. However, those that do want to utilize the social networking aspects of the board can do so, and again based on my understanding those will be more robust and integrated.

Impossible! The new board's emphasis on social networking is going to kill reading and posting as we know it. At most, reading and posting will be relegated to short five-minute intermissions in between hours-long sessions of social networking. Anyway, how do you expect me to ignore social networking? It exists!

The second is actually an increased stability. AFAIK, a lot of the board functionality that is currently hacked into the system will be more integrated. This should lead to less problems with those systems going down and requiring effort to fix Now, they're directly supported by vB.

Bah! I don't need your newfangled boring "stability". It was a lot more exciting in the old days, and we liked it!

 

[Orius]

No one will want to be my friend. I'll feel all lonely and like that guy who shows up at a party where people know who he is but no one really wanted him to be there...

Or you could just do what I did and actively send out friend requests to people on the boards instead of passively waiting for someone to add you. That's how I built up my friend list, it sure wasn't from my rather charming personality.

Though seriously, I really need to learn how to do that IRL where it actually counts for something....

It'll still have the messageboard!



There'll be nothing less, but I'm afraid there will be some more stuff. Whether you choose to use the new stuff or not is entirely up to you.

So the boards will still be here with more features added on. Well, seeing that I barely use most of ENWorld's functions to begin with, I don't really see how it's going to make a difference for me.