New forum script

September 10th, 2006 | No Comments | Posted in Technology

I experimented today with a new forum script called Vanilla.

My initial observations are that it’s easy to install, attractive and minimalist. The download was just 380kb. It’s not bloated or overloaded with unnecessary features. There’s an active support community and a wide range of add-ons. Word Press integration is feasible.

On the downside it’s fairly difficult to modify templates.

I don’t have a great practical need for it (like the wiki I set up) but it’s interesting to try these scripts for potential other uses.

These articles might be of interest:

Feathertop via Bungalow Spur

The population of Victoria is five million people, but I was the only one of them today on the summit of our second-highest peak, Mt Feathertop.
The mountain was awe inspiring, humbling, powerful and beautiful in a mesmerising package of contradictions.
Normally I have Friday spare to pursue private business, but I swapped it for today to [...]

Aral Sea disaster

I saw a disturbing report on SBS news last night about the Aral Sea disaster in Kazakhstan. The world’s fourth-largest inland sea has been decimated by commercial exploitation and mismanagement. Here are some of the facts:
Forty years ago the Aral Sea surface was 66,100 square kilometers with an average depth of 16.1 metres and a [...]

The twins hatch

Well it’s almost sunk in that I’m a Dad again. The twins were dragged reluctantly into the world at 10.26am and 10.27am on Tuesday, December 16, 2003 almost two weeks before Juliet would have been full term in her labor.
The vital details:
James Peter, weight 6lb 12oz
Margaret Johanna, weight 6lb
Mum and babies are doing well. Hopefully [...]

Breaker Morant

I wrote this article in February 2002 in response to a campaign by Senator Julian McGauran and Tim Fischer to obtain a pardon for English officer “Breaker” Morant, who ordered the killing of prisoners in the Anglo/South African War.
I was annoyed that McGauran took up this issue without any community consultation. It was the only [...]