Blog : Registering an interest in AROnline

Keith Adams

AROnline's chat function is now up and running
AROnline's chat function is now up and running

Regular users and those who like to interact with AROnline may have noticed a few changes around here after the long weekend. I’ve been busy tweaking and adding more bits and pieces to the site in order to try and improve the value for money you as our faithful readers are receiving. So as well as adding about 100 more pages to the Archive section (you can read all about the Ryder Report and nationalisation as it happened, now that 1975’s entries are complete), I tweaked the forum system, added a new Wiki, and set-up chat.

In the forum, you can now use all of those BBcode shortcuts you are used to on the old PHPBB systems out there now. So to embed images, just do the [img]http://www.myimage/image.jpg[/img] as you did in the old days. The same with links, shortcuts, quotes, and everything else. That should make life easier for those that want to participate on the boards. As for the new Wiki, it’s a case of taking the old ‘Rivals’ page that we used to have, and replacing it with something far more browsable. The idea is simple – we had a great big page, with a table of rivals on it, and now we have a searchable and configurable Wiki with individual entries for each car that was on the old page. As you can imagine, adding new cars is much, much easier, and I can see that section expanding rapidly in the coming weeks, months and years.

We're expanding our 'Rivals' section - keep an eye on the new Wiki.
We're expanding our 'Rivals' section - keep an eye on the new Wiki.

Just click on ‘A-Z of the rivals’ on the top menu above, and have a play. There’s 200 delicious items of tin from the 1970s and ’80s to get you going. Commenting is active – you just need to click on the discussion tab – and once there’s more stuff on there, I’ll make it editable for those who are logged-in to the site.

Then there’s the chat system. If you’re logged-in, you’ll already have seen it in the toolbar at the base of your browser window. It’s a chance to chat with other site regulars outside of the Facebook system, as well as leave messages for them to read in the ‘general chat’ area. Do join in – I’m on regularly, and always like to hear your views.

You’ll have noticed that term ‘logged-in’ a couple of times in the blog. That’s because to access all of these features, you’ll need to be logged-in and registered to AROnline. I’ve taken this step after one user did his best to vandalise the commenting system on Saturday night, leaving us with a massive and unpleasant tidying-up job overnight. It’s a shame, but I guess it’s a sign of the times. So in order to comment, participate on the forum, or chat, you will need to be logged-in. But registering is free, easy and no real hassle – once you’re on, you can have access to all the bits and pieces that make this place so good for interaction and feedback.

If you have any problems with it, please drop me an email at kadams@aronline.co.uk, and I’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.

And of course, all the content is still – and always will be – publicly viewable, whether you’re logged-in or not. So, you can still enjoy your guilty secret, no strings attached!

Commenting now means being logged-in
Commenting now means being logged-in
Keith Adams

22 Comments

  1. Well I can clearly comment here, but am not allowed to post on the forums when I’m logged in – ‘You cannot reply to this topic’.

  2. It’s no guilty secret, I’ve tried to convert many friends to AROnlineism, with some success.

    It’s a shame about the vandal, but as you say, as sign of the times.
    I like the improved and spruced up AROnline, and hope everyone joins in.

  3. I have finally been inspired to register, and the fact that I have changed my Peugeot 306 for a shiny Jaguar X Type estate 🙂

  4. BSD

    The bottom right of my screen shows the latest forum posts and the calendar.

    No chat bar…

  5. Good stuff Keith, great to see the site evolving nicely. I have noticed that this site gets referenced a few times in newspaper reports and even some academic work.. clearly this is a major resource when it comes to a look back at all that’s of ‘the firm’s’ DNA.

    I’d like to interview one of my old lecturers at some point and if you’re interested I’ll post a write up – he was a designer at Longbridge and he’ll have some interesting tales to tell..

  6. ive always thuoght it weird that one never had to log in so to speak, so well done Keith. I like the Cx above i nearly bought one once to replace my DS20 at the time. I quite like the steering wheel that used to flick back to the centre all on its own 🙂 alex

  7. Hi Keith,
    I’ve just got a test e-mail and can’t reply to it as the reply button does not show…but I’m here!

    I’ve been following the site since the begining,(it’s the best thing on the internet! but as I own a Rover P5b Coupe, Rover P6, Rover 75 Tourer and an MG ZT 190, I would say that, wouldn’t I?) I registered as a user a while ago to go to Gaydon, but have never left a comment before. I should have, but never seemed to get round to it.

    I just wanted to say although I don’t say much on line, I’m always reading, love the site and wanted to say how much I appreciate the work that you and all the other AR Nuts put in.

    All the very best to you all.

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