Why is this forum so Amiga unfriendly

[scuzzb494]

Hi

I have often wanted to ask this question but never had the guts... Why is it when I am in the workshop on my 4000D on dial up can I not use this forum. The pages just take forever to load up even with bags of memory and a PicassoIV. And when they do load I have to go through the stupid process of refresh after refresh which can take several minutes. And then to top it off... as just, I compose a post just to get dumped out for no reason. I just got a message saying could not post... What a waste of time.

This is not a purposeful moan, but you will appreciate that it takes a certain amount of skill and difficult to obtain hardware to get an Amiga on broadband. Using a modem is a simple option... But when you need help from here you just have to forget it. Just not possible. Just wonder sometimes just who the forum is for... Certainly not for Amiga users with basic kit. Sad that. Or is there another way I have missed.

A4000D 040 PicassoIV IBrowse and Miami

scuzz
http://www.commodore-amiga-retro.com

[Golem!dk]

Never had problems using amiga.org with my amigas. If you must use dialup you could try turning off image loading in ibrowse, or alternatively find some ethernet solution for your amiga.

[countzero]

sorry dude but when have you asked for help for browsing the forum ? also, having a picasso IV doesn't really mean much cause it's the processor who parse the html and run TCP/IP. also please  consider that you're using a horribly outdated browser and a.org is one of the sites which try to keep it as compatible as possible with the older browsers.

surfing the net with an amiga is a pain. bear with it.

[scuzzb494]

Hi

I don`t agree.. There is nothing magical about HTML it is the creators of the pages that make it complex. I'm not intending entering into an argument over page content, thats totally the business of the forum, but the truth is when you need help with a slow machine this site creates real problems. You can discuss till the cows come home about the relative aspects of computer hardware, but trust me having a simple page for base Amiga folk wouldn`t be that bad a thing to have... A simple bulletin board answer and question page. Sadly the chat is what most are interested here, and I guess a load of those posting don`t even use Amigas... Us classic guys just got left behind a long time ago.

In essence, what it means is I can`t use this forum with my A4000D on dial up... For one thing I can`t post anyway I just get dumped out.

No matter... I have a work around. You have to when you actually use an Amiga.

PS I can`t ask for help on the Amiga cus it takes for ever to load pages and I can`t post from the 4000D cus even after being logged in I get rejected. Been like that forever.

Apologies for having a horribly outdated browser... I guess as ever we miss the point.

scuzz

[scuzzb494]

Hi

This is an Amiga workshop issue... When I am fixing machines and maintaining them. I have base machines set up to communicate in a crude way with the internet and that means dial-up. I have ethernet on the 4000T and A1200. The A1200 is on broadband... But sometimes I just need to log a simple question and I just find this forum unusable.. Sorry.

Its no real matter, cus it means just coming up here and logging onto the old PC and getting the answers I need. Just wish there was a very simple Amiga Classic friendly page in simple text for question and answers.

No worries, seriously, I never expect the modern bloat on pages to work classic side anyway. Have long given up on that.

scuzz

[Flashlab]

Next to my PC I use my 4000 to post here and it works like a charm. I'm on broadband though and I would never want to go back to dial up. The excuse that you find broadband too difficult or expensive for your Amiga is for me quite frankly nonsense. You can buy ethernet cards for your machine new or used and configuring TCP/IP was easy enough.

[Golem!dk]

It's quite possible as long as you realize the limitations of the hardware you're using, if you can't do that... well then.. too bad.

[itix]

I don`t agree.. There is nothing magical about HTML it is the creators of the pages that make it complex. I'm not intending entering into an argument over page content, thats totally the business of the forum, but the truth is when you need help with a slow machine this site creates real problems. You can discuss till the cows come home about the relative aspects of computer hardware, but trust me having a simple page for base Amiga folk wouldn`t be that bad a thing to have...

When I had Amiga 1200 and 040 few years ago (now using Pegasos) using this forum was not problem at all.

Your problem probably is that you are using dialup which is bound to be very slow. IBrowse on old Amigas can display a.org very well even on low end machines. Get rid of dialup and get some broadband instead. They are so cheap these days.

Apologies for having a horribly outdated browser... I guess as ever we miss the point.

I was using this forum from IBrowse 1.22 until I updated to 2.4 in the last year but even such old browser was perfectly ok here.

[scuzzb494]

OK

Perhaps I wan`t making myself clear .. Sorry

First: I have broadband
Second: I have Amigas on ethernet, PCMCIA, Samba etc etc etc. I have no problem configuring the Amiga to use broadband... sigh

However... When I am working on Amigas in the workshop I have but very very base Amigas to use. Saying that these are A4000ds with PicassoIVs and 040 processor, A1200s with Blizzards but no graphics cards...

With me so far... ?

Now... I could ethernet connect them and set up Samba etc to use my broadband, but really ... My point... You would have thought that anyone with the crudest of Amigas should, could access some online help facility. A simple bulletin board would suffice or newsgroup style answer page. Its not rocket science. The Amiga Org page suffers worse than most forums I frequent. Absolutley loaded with bloat and unecessary graphics that when your up against it you could do without.

This isn`t about hardware, broadband and browsers, its about helping those that need it the most.

As ever though, we drift off into the magical world of modern alternatives... When all I wish is that my humble Amiga could find help... No mind. Seriously. I have a work around... As ever.

scuzz

[nOw2]

I find this forum one of the most Amiga-browser compatible websites left on the web.

The images cache without problem; the only place of issue is the message icons list on the message post screen. If images are a problem, they can be switched off.

In terms of 'retro experience', remember that the early web was never something a basic machine was suitable for and the term 'world wide wait' was invented for the modem age. Perhaps you can argue that a retro web experience should involve lots of waiting, horrible browser incompatibilities and pages of anim GIFs.

The main way to reduce bloat is to switch to CSS layouts. But there is no Amiga browser with CSS support.

[tokyoracer]

This is miles better then another certain forum, wont name names. I have found this place an endless rescorce for help. You can ask these guys anything (even for crappy WinPC's) and i'd gaurentee some sort of reply.

[scuzzb494]

Hi

Sorry... Again. I don't agree. The wait was to do with dialup generally and over ambition with web content. Newsgroups are great for messenging. It doesn`t have to be complicated or graphics intensive. Most of the stuff on the pages is just not necessary... like all those stupid symbols under each post and the avatars, or what ever you call them. Just add up the bytes of info for each graphic. Even worse is when folk put all their animated crap on the posts. Honestly. Words are so easy... Specially when your up against it and trying to solve a problem. The forum has become a chat venue ... What I need at times is a helping-hand.

PS I may enjoy my retro experience and its not cus I like living in the past. Its cus it truly is more fun. Modern computing is what generates this interactive chat world online which isn`t really what I muck around with computers for.
Anyway, I seriously have to get back to my Amigas... Too much chat. Bye.

scuzz

[countzero]

scuzzb494 wrote:

 A simple bulletin board would suffice or newsgroup style answer page. Its not rocket science.
scuzz

and who do you think will read your post on that bulletinboard and help you ? other amiga users surfing the web with their a500s ?

wake up man.

[Golem!dk]

Maybe you should learn to use your software? Turn off image loading in ibrowse if the images bother you that much. I'm sure someone suggested this earlier.

[B00tDisk]

scuzzb494 wrote:
Hi

Sorry... Again. I don't agree. The wait was to do with dialup generally and over ambition with web content. Newsgroups are great for messenging. It doesn`t have to be complicated or graphics intensive. Most of the stuff on the pages is just not necessary... like all those stupid symbols under each post and the avatars, or what ever you call them. Just add up the bytes of info for each graphic. Even worse is when folk put all their animated crap on the posts. Honestly. Words are so easy... Specially when your up against it and trying to solve a problem. The forum has become a chat venue ... What I need at times is a helping-hand.

PS I may enjoy my retro experience and its not cus I like living in the past. Its cus it truly is more fun. Modern computing is what generates this interactive chat world online which isn`t really what I muck around with computers for.
Anyway, I seriously have to get back to my Amigas... Too much chat. Bye.

scuzz

Sorry Jack but if you can't cope with the fact that online communication is more than 2400,8,n,1 it isn't anyone's fault but your own.  Grow up.

 :-o  :lol:  :crazy:  :roll:  :boohoo:  :griping:  :roflmao:  :argue:  :bigcry:  :laughing:  :laughing:  :laughing: