PentaxForums.com - PentaxForums.com News http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/ Upcoming site events and forum feature additions will be posted here. en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:12:11 GMT vBulletin 30 http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/images/pentaxforums/misc/rss.jpg PentaxForums.com - PentaxForums.com News http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/ Modern Skin Improvements http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/80788-modern-skin-improvements.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:08:34 GMT Improvements to our Modern skins continue; here's the lineup of changes from the past 2 days:

Today:
-New, compact global announcement look
-Forum description is now hidden for veteran members
-Rendering issues of the forum homepage in IE8 have been resolved
-Blue homepage status icons removed in favor of dark green and dark red versions

Yesterday:

-New Green and Red field labels replaced the old square ones
-Editor smilie box no longer has a border
-Login area now has a solid border, and a rounded corner on browsers that support it (all except IE)
-Youtube embedding button added (all styles)

Enjoy and see the attached screenshots for details. Further suggestions are always welcome!
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]]> PentaxForums.com News Adam http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/80788-modern-skin-improvements.html Internal Search Improved http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/80688-internal-search-improved.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:35:42 GMT I am happy to announce that I've tweaked our internal forum search engine to support searching of 3-letter words.

Unfortunately, symbolic searches are not supported, so if you'd like to find threads about, say, the K-7, please use tag search instead: http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/tags/

For complicated strings containing 2-letter terms or stopwords, please use our Google search box found at the bottom of this page: http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/search.php

Thanks, and enjoy! ]]> PentaxForums.com News Adam http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/80688-internal-search-improved.html Downtime http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/80196-downtime.html Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:59:11 GMT Apologies for the 10 minutes or so of you having to stare at a blank page- blame it on the stray ' symbol that somehow snuk its way into a configuration file. ]]> PentaxForums.com News Adam http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/80196-downtime.html Ability to Ignore General Talk http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/79952-ability-ignore-general-talk.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:10:51 GMT New Feature: Ability to Ignore General Talk

I've finally been able to add a feature that will allow you to ignore the General Talk forum for those of you who find the heated political threads and rants within to be annoying.

This system will remove General Talk from your forum listings and prevent any threads from General Talk from being shown in "New Posts" and "Today's Posts" should you choose to use it. If you bookmark the forum section, you will still be able to access it, however. To enable this system, please visit the bottom of your User CP Options page: http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/p...do=editoptions

Other FAQ's:
Will you be adding a more comprehensive ignore system that allows ignoring of individual threads?
-No.

Will you allow us to ignore other forums?
-Probably not. And definitely not the terrific site news forum! :tongue:
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]]> PentaxForums.com News Adam http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/79952-ability-ignore-general-talk.html 2010 PF Community Calendar Coming Soon! http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/79906-2010-pf-community-calendar-coming-soon.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:33:58 GMT *2010 PentaxForums.com Community Calendar Announced* This long-discussed idea proposed by forum members has now become a reality! In early December, our 2010 PentaxForums.com Wall Calendar will be made... 2010 PentaxForums.com Community Calendar Announced

This long-discussed idea proposed by forum members has now become a reality! In early December, our 2010 PentaxForums.com Wall Calendar will be made available via CafePress.

What is the format of the calendar?

We will be offering our calendar in three different printed versions. The primary version is an 8.5x11 in spiral-bound wall calendar featuring a page for each month. (see attached image, prettier version coming soon)

We will also offer an oversized 17x11 calendar using the same layout, and a single-page calendar featuring one photo printed on a single sheet of 17x11 paper.

What will be included on each page?

Each page of the calendar will include the corresponding month's Photo Contest winner from the previous year. The cover will remain a surprise :)

Winning photos can be found here: http://www.pentaxforums.com/contests.php

Where and when will you be able to purchase the calendar?

The calendar will be sold and processed via our CafePress shop, which can be found here: PentaxForums.com Merchandise Shop. Payments can be made via credit or debit card.It will be made available by December 5th, 2009 at the latest, making for an excellent Christmas present!

What will the pricing be?

Standard 8.5x11 Spiral Wall Calendar: $20.00
Oversized 17x11 Spiral Wall Calendar: $24.00
Single-Page Calendar: $9.00

Shipping per order (standard): $5.25

There is no sales tax when shipping outside CA, KY, NV or WA.

Where will proceeds go?

All proceeds will go toward our camera and lens giveaway fund (details on that coming soon!) as well as toward site maintenance expenses.

--------------------------

That's all I can think of for now. Please vote in the poll if you would be interested in buying our calendar!
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]]> PentaxForums.com News Adam http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/79906-2010-pf-community-calendar-coming-soon.html Homepage Additions http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/79854-homepage-additions.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:12:01 GMT I've two new live feeds to our homepage, and replaced the recent site news block with recent forum discussions. See the screenshot for details!

In the near future I also plan to improve the Homepage pages for Lens Reviews, Camera Reviews, and the User Photo Gallery.
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]]> PentaxForums.com News Adam http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/79854-homepage-additions.html Marketplace Overhaul http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/79439-marketplace-overhaul.html Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:18:37 GMT PentaxForums.com Photographer's Marketplace Overhaul

Over the past several days both myself and the moderators have been hard at work on improving your PentaxForums.com Marketplace Experience. In addition, the changes made to the Marketplace today have been in the works for months, and I'm very happy to be bringing them to you!

As you may have known from my other announcement, something went terribly wrong with an early version of our thread expiration system, and over 4,500 archived Marketplace threads lost their titles. The moderators have been a great help in restoring these titles, and I'm glad to announce that the process is now complete! Anyway, back to business...

New Marketplace Hierarchy

Our Marketplace accounts for nearly 15% of all site traffic, and it's quickly expanding. Therefore, we decided to give the Marketplace its entirely-own category on the forum index. The 'http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/equipment-sale/\' and the 'http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/wanted-items/\' sections are now top-level forums, as are the archives.

Attachment 46849

New Marketplace Listing Design

The post-bit for items listed in both the 'http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/equipment-sale/\' and the 'http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/wanted-items/\' sections now has a new design, focused on content clarity and convenient use. Redundant yet clearly-visible contact links for buyers and thread administration links for sellers have been added. Additionally, more information about the seller is now visible in each listing.

(user view)
Attachment 46850

Attachment 46847

New Thread Controls *** Brand-New Features

Previously, we provided controls for users to mark For-Sale threads as "Sold", and Wanted threads as "Closed". We've expanded this system for both sections, and now, users can also "Withdraw" a listing.

Thus, the following controls are now available in 'For Sale' threads:
-Mark Item as Sold (Moves thread to 'Sold Items' section)
-Withdraw Listing (Archives thread to 'Expired Listings' section & locks it)

And these are avaiable for 'Wanted Threads':
-Mark Item as Acquired (Moves thread to 'Sold Items' section)
-Withdraw Listing (Archives thread to 'Expired Listings' section & locks it)

The new withdrawal system should only be used when you decide to no longer offer an item for sale, or if you are no longer looking for an item. You cannot leave feedback for withdrawn threads (only 'Sold' and 'Acquired' threads).

The option to "Close" a wanted thread has thus been rendered obsolete and removed.

These options are available through the 'Thread Tools' dropdown, and shoud also be visited in the post-bit.

(seller view)
Attachment 46851

Attachment 46848

Thread Expiration *** Brand-New Feature


All Marketplace threads with no activity (posts or bumps) for 120 days are automatically marked as 'Expired' and moved to the Archives. I'm happy to finally roll out this feature, as it's been long-requested by users that only current threads are visible in the main sections of the Marketplace. Following this change, we can also count how many items are available in the Marketplace (as you can see in the first screenshot, 337 items are being sold, and 594 are wanted.

Feedback System Improvements


It has never been easier to leave feedback! See this post for details: http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/p...rovements.html

Marketplace FAQ

0. Why the PentaxForums.com Marketplace?
This section of our site was included since day 1. We think it's important for us, now as the largest Pentax-dedicated online forum, to provide a place where users can offer gear for sale to fellow Pentaxians. The mission of this section is to be the ultimate source for used & rare Pentax gear. We place a heavy emphasis on safe online business, easy-of-use, and assistance from the site staff. (Personal note- over the past 2 years, I was able to acquire the rarest of Pentax FA* lenses through this very Marketplace!)

1. Who can sell items in the Marketplace?
-Anyone who has donated to PentaxForums.com in the past year (access is granted instantly & automatically)
-Anyone who has over 1,000 posts
-Anyone who has been a site member for at least 2 years and also made over 100 posts
-Note: ALL users can post in the "Wanted" section regardless of donation status

2. Are there any listing/final value/etc. fees?
No, never.

3. Is there a limit on the number of items I can list?
No. However, if you are using the Marketplace for commercial reasons (i.e. bulk sales, selling on behalf of a store, re-sales of items simply for profit), you must purchase Reseller Access, which costs $10/month. Details are here: http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/e...-policies.html; this access can be purchased in the User CP.

4. Why are there access restrictions and the Reseller Access requirement for commercial sellers?
PentaxForums.com runs no advertisements, and we need a way to pay for our server, software, and maintenance costs in addition to voluntary donations. Hundreds, if not thousands, of hours have been put into the site by myself and others to bring you the best online community experience possible. When it comes to resellers- if you're profiting off of our service, we feel you should be obliged to help cover site costs. Additionally, requiring a donation to access the Marketplace adds another layer of security to the section.

5. What is feedback and how do I leave it?
See this guide: http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/e...ack-guide.html

6. Does PentaxForums.com process payments for Marketplace items?
No. All deals are conducted on an individual basis between the two parties (users) involved. Although we do our best to prevent fraudulent listings, we cannot be held responsible for any losses that arise from use of the Marketplace. We are proud to state, however, that nobody has had their items or money stolen through use of the Marketplace to date.

7. What sort of item exposure can I expect on the Marketplace?
Comparable exposure to that on eBay, for most items. Our site is viewed daily by over 50,000 people and Pentax-specific items go fast. Over 10,000 items have been successfully sold through the Marketplace since 2006.

8. Is bidding allowed?
No. All items being sold must by coupled with an asking price, although negotiation and best offers are allowed.

9. How to buyers communicate with sellers?
Through the Private Messaging (PM) system. We ask that you refrain to include e-mail addresses with your listing, this will 1. not generate as much interest and 2. waive your privilege to have the site staff review or resolve any disputes.

10. How do most people make payments?
Through PayPal (some send paper checks as well). Site donations are also processed through either of these methods. We recommend PayPal as it adds a third layer of identity/address security.

11. I've sold an item. What should I do with my listing?
Mark it as sold using the controls provided in the "Thread Tools" dropdown. Also, make sure that you have left feedback for the buyer, and that he or she returns this feedback through the link provided in his or her notification PM.

12. What are the official Marketplace rules?
See this post: http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/e...-policies.html

-----------------------

That's that for now! :) Please enjoy these changes, and please consider making a donation for our hours of effort.


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]]> PentaxForums.com News Adam http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/79439-marketplace-overhaul.html <![CDATA[New: "My Threads in Forum"]]> http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/79142-new-my-threads-forum.html Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:48:32 GMT I've now added a handy link to the 'Forum Tools' dropdown that will quickly allow you to find all your threads in a particular forum. Enjoy!

Edit: This option has been moved to the adjacent 'search' dropdown instead.
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]]> PentaxForums.com News Adam http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/79142-new-my-threads-forum.html Marketplace Feedback Guide http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/78071-marketplace-feedback-guide.html Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:57:45 GMT Due to the recent improvements to our feedback system and changes in user profile pages, I've decided to put together a new guide to our Marketplace Feedback System.

The guide is now a sticky in the Marketplace, and can be found here: http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/p...ack-guide.html

I hope you find it useful! ]]> PentaxForums.com News Adam http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/78071-marketplace-feedback-guide.html Feedback Improvements http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/77984-feedback-improvements.html Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:36:58 GMT As per recent user suggestions, I've now implemented a few handy changes to both the Marketplace and the Feedback System to make things easier to use.

1. Reciprocal Feedback link now directly in PM
When you receive a feedback rating from any forum member, you've always been sent a PM notification with a link to the feedback details. Now, this PM also includes a direct link to return feedback.

As a reminder, feedback can always be returned by clicking the yellow icon on your feedback page, beside the respective comment. Your feedback page can be accessed from the quick-links dropdown, or from your forum profile, under mini-statistics.

2. Thread URL automatically filled in when leaving feedback from link in Marketplace thread
When you leave feedback directly from a link found in a Marketplace post, you will no longer have to manually copy-and-paste the thread URL. Also, you will be shown a prompt to confirm that you are leaving feedback for the right person prior to being taken to the feedback page.

3. Shipping Destinations field moved to top of Marketplace listing
I've moved this field toward the top of the Marketplace post so that users can see whether or not they can get an item just by hovering over the thread title, without actually having to open the thread. See the attached screenshot for details.

Any further suggestions are welcome, and keep in mind that a thread deletion and expiration system is already in the works.
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]]> PentaxForums.com News Adam http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/77984-feedback-improvements.html A Request for Forum Members http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/77678-request-forum-members.html Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:01:53 GMT Lately, the site moderators and I have been noticing an increased number of thread reports in several categories, and I'd therefore like to address some of these issues with the community as well as issue a reminder of the forum rules.

1. Marketplace: Price Commenting

We've noticed a large number of replies to Marketplace threads in which users comment on pricing (positively or negatively) of the item(s) being sold. Please note that this is not allowed as we do not want any sale to be unfairly swayed.

Exception: if an item is priced to the point where a sale may be considered a scam attempt, please do not hesitate to post in the thread immediately AND report the post.

We feel that the ability for users to ask questions about items publicly in the Marketplace is something unique to our site, and we don't want to take it away. Therefore, we would greatly appreciate your cooperation with the above rule. Thanks!

2. Marketplace: Trades in the "Wanted" section

Note that trades may not be posted in the "Wanted Items" section. If you have a lens you would like to trade for another, or for another + cash, please post a thread in the main section of the Marketplace.

3. Marketplace: Thread Titles

We ask that all users try to be as specific as possible in their Marketplace thread titles. Please clearly indicate the exact items being sold, as length permits (there is an 85-character title limit).

Examples of bad titles:

Garage Sale
Clearing out Inventory
Lots of Lenses
Many Camera Bodies for Sale
Big Lot for Sale

Examples of good titles:

Pentax K20D, K10D, K100D, K200D
Pentax 15mm, Sigma 20mm, Pentax 16-45mm

If selling a lens, please also make sure to include 'mm' following the focal lens. This makes titles much easier to search.

For example:

Use "For Sale: Pentax FA* 24mm F2.0" instead of "For Sale: Pentax FA* 24 F2.0"

4. Thread Reports

Please only use the thread reporting system to report threads or posts that violate the forum rules (i.e. are offensive, contain illegal contents or links, comment on marketplace prices, or are spam). Do not use it to contact the site staff about other matters.

----------

In the future, I plan to add several new innovations to the Marketplace, including categorization, automatic thread expiration after a certain number of weeks, and the ability to delete threads instead of simply being able to mark them as "Sold". Your cooperation with the above rules will help bring these improvements to you faster! Thanks in advance! ]]> PentaxForums.com News Adam http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/77678-request-forum-members.html Modern Skin Header Changes http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/77394-modern-skin-header-changes.html Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:06:38 GMT Modern Skin Header Changes

I'm happy announce one of the most exciting changes to our Modern Green/Red skins to date! I've redesigned the header entirely to reduce it's height by about 30 pixels accross all pages and greatly streamline navigation.

Basically, I've reduced the breadcrumb to a single line and moved the login box to the upper-right hand corner of the page. In addition, I've decreased the padding of the header logo by 10 pixels. Finally, The new login box / welcome area features a link to new/unread posts, instead of displaying when you last logged in.

See the attached screenshots for details, and enjoy! Note that these changes only affect Modern Green and Modern Red.
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]]> PentaxForums.com News Adam http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/77394-modern-skin-header-changes.html Profile Pages Improved http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/77082-profile-pages-improved.html Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:04:36 GMT I've recently improved our forum profile pages in several aspects, with the ultimate goal being easier browsing and faster access to information!

Among other things, I've moved the mini-block colum over to the left side, added a direct link to feedback score, and removed the seemingly-pointless green bar that used to be below your username.

Comments and further suggestions are welcome!
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]]> PentaxForums.com News Adam http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/77082-profile-pages-improved.html Pentax Lens Review Database Updates http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/76919-pentax-lens-review-database-updates.html Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:32:59 GMT Our Pentax Lens Review Database has recently been updated with technical lens information for all K, A, M, and DA lenses. Furthermore, we've added a page that describes and compares the different Pentax lens series. The link to this page should be found at the top of the database.

A dedicated category for 'DA L' lenses is also coming soon. ]]> PentaxForums.com News Adam http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/76919-pentax-lens-review-database-updates.html Improved Social Groups Interface http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/76881-improved-social-groups-interface.html Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:00:02 GMT Improved Social Groups

After reviewing comments about poor usability of our old Social Group system, I've now reworked everything a bit to hopefully improve usability and usefulness of this system. Note that the chatbox and calendar are also part of this system; please follow this link for more info:

PentaxForums.com - Social Groups

The changes I made include:

1. Redesigned social groups homepage; it is now more tidy and easy to follow
2. Redesigned invididual social group pages; they are now easier to use
3. Redesigned all social group discussion threads
4. Added quote functionality to social group discussion threads
5. Added social group statistics to the bottom of the forum homepage
6. Added link to social groups below the "General Talk" forum

Note that a link to the social groups page is also found in the quick links menu.

Further suggestions are welcome, and I hope you put this system to good use!

----------

Coming soon: dedicated forum for our lens clubs here on the site, or alternatively a dedicated social group for each.
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]]> PentaxForums.com News Adam http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/76881-improved-social-groups-interface.html Site Maintenance Complete! http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/76727-site-maintenance-complete.html Sat, 17 Oct 2009 18:22:36 GMT *Site Maintenance Complete* I am now happy to announce that our recent site maintenance is complete, and was a great success! PentaxForums.com has been moved to a faster webserver featuring imporved... Site Maintenance Complete

I am now happy to announce that our recent site maintenance is complete, and was a great success!

PentaxForums.com has been moved to a faster webserver featuring imporved hardware in almost all aspects. Below are the new technical specifications:

-Dual Quad-Core Intel 'Nehalem' processors @ 2.93 Ghz w/HT
-12Gb DDR3 RAM @ 1333Mhz (host offered a special to double the standard 6Gb)
-RAID controller
-Primary drive: Seagate Cheetah 300Gb @ 15,000 RPM

As our site grows, this hardware should allow server-intensive processes, such as backups, to run with minimal effect on site performance, even during peak traffic. You should also notice an increase in file transfer speed.

Our old IP address will be pointed to the new server within 72 hours.

These changes have bumped our server bill up by a little over $100/month. I would to thank all Site Supporters for helping keeping the site online and ad-free, and would like to ask all other members to consider doing so as well! Any amount helps and is greatly appreciated. We wouldn't be here without you!

Donate via PayPal now!

Note that in some geographical regions, our www.pentaxforums.com domain may still be poiting to the old server. If this is the case, please use PentaxForums.com - Pentax Photography Forum to access the site temporarily. Thanks for your patience during this whole process, and I apologize again for the downtime involved.

As a reminder, the SyncSnap gallery is now online; you may upload event photos here: User Photo Gallery - Pentax World SyncSnap. You can also continue uploading World Pentax Day photos for another week here (note that they must have still been taken on October 10th):
User Photo Gallery - October 10, 2009.

Thanks for reading! ]]> PentaxForums.com News Adam http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/76727-site-maintenance-complete.html Server Maintenance Window / Site Downtime http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/75919-server-maintenance-window-site-downtime.html Fri, 09 Oct 2009 05:42:25 GMT From 1am until 4am CDT tomorrow, Saturday, October 10th, maintenance will be performed on our server that should increase processing and transfer capacities. During this time, PentaxForums.com will not be... From 1am until 4am CDT tomorrow, Saturday, October 10th, maintenance will be performed on our server that should increase processing and transfer capacities. During this time, PentaxForums.com will not be accessible.

We apologize in advance for the inconvenience, but look forward to the improved hardware following the maintenance!

Edit: Maintenance will also be carried out on Sunday, October 11th, from 1am to 4am CDT. ]]> PentaxForums.com News Adam http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentaxforums-com-news/75919-server-maintenance-window-site-downtime.html