FYI......OBT is sortof up....
 

The original brain talk forum is sort of up. very limited structure and no real rooms to speak of...just a basic frame work to reregister...my old pass word did not work.
Just thought I would mention it.
bizi

sorry it is down again at 11pm louisiana time.
I did post a hello there!

When it is up again will you ask if all the old posts are lost?
Or the status of them?

Was just there and it is up again. I'm betting it will be up and down until JL gets the bugs worked out.

Laura

Wouldnt take my password either..and when I try to have them send it to me it says it doesnt recognize me e-mail address

Whatever..:rolleyes:

Nope, my password either.......

Edited to add:
Now I see why:
John Lester
Administrator

Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 3

Oh, and yes, you'll need to reregister! Sorry about that, but I want to make sure the user database is reliable. Best way to do that is start from scratch!

Edited again to add:
I tried to register and it asked for the string of 6 letters/numbers from the box on the right..... hmmmm there are none..... oh well...

me too
 

I also tried to reregister on the original braintalk. I got the registration page, but when I was supposed to identify the letters in image to right, there was no image at all. I tried refreshing, nothing. This has been a very long journey, hasn't it. Hope to talk to everyone again soon.

ditto.....

it just let me register, but it is tricky.

he has taken out the box feature because it wasn't working. there are people there actively watching registrations and trying to solve problems as they occur.

i found that i had to wait for the e mail they sent me and click on the link in it before it would allow me to sign in or post. the link brings up a new browser window, and i was able to continue from this window.

there may be problems with old cookies, john has a link up to clean out the old braintalk cookies if that is a problem. wasn't for me because i bought this computer while OBT was down.

just closed that browser window, opened a new one, went to OBT, and they welcomed me. so i at least am in.

I registered with NO problem. Took my old username and password. No box of letters (he fixed that). I even posted with no problem. All forums up to L? I believe, are up. The rest should be up soon. As for asking questions, lets give him time to get it up and running first. I know there is a lot of hurt, anger and pain.........Hang in there, I'm sure everyone will have plenty of time to voice their feelings.

Doc John......you have been a savior to many and I expect you will continue to be. I'm not leaving here but I will also use OBT. I'm on the forums for the people, not the administrator (generally speaking). You have my greatest respect for what you have done here!

With my sincerest gratitude to Doc John and all the posters that have made this forum what it has become, in such a short time.

shotspine

I had trouble reregistering...
 

It wouldn't take my old name.

So I did a slight variant of it.
Then when I went back... it cookied to my old name and wouldn't let
me type in my new one...

ick ick... I finally got back in with my new name. I am very worried that
we have lost all that data. I had huge threads there, with thousands of
visitors/views...it would be a huge task to put it all back.

I think the world is big enough for two forums such as these! It is only a matter of personal commitment and time.

By making everyone reregister...sounds like "amnesty" to me. That was just a thought I had. Perhaps some of the old wounds can heal now?

Quote:

Hi Everyone,

As you can see, I've got the basic server up and running again, finally. I'm sorry it has taken so long to get this far.

I basically rebuilt the server from the ground up. Did a low-level wiping of the drives, installed the latest version of the OS, and the latest version of vBulletin.

I'm going to create the forum categories tonight and add some of the same templates. I need to let the system run for a day after that to make sure things are stable. I'll be adding the same chat system right after that. As for all the old posts, I'm going to see what I can salvage from the database backups. But right now, I want to make sure the system is up and available. Don't worry, whatever you post now will NOT be removed later.

Thanks so much for hanging in there.


-John

...Unquote. Taken from BT1

also Quote:

Oh, and yes, you'll need to reregister! Sorry about that, but I want to make sure the user database is reliable. Best way to do that is start from scratch!

Unquote.

and Quote:
OK, the "identify letters in a box" was a broken. :P It's a troublesome feature especially for folks with vision problems, so I've removed it.
unquote

OK I'll post this fact again...
 

shotspine, I sincerely commend you for that expression of thanks to DocJohn who has been so very gracious to us all.

I really hope the wealth of info at OBT can be salvaged...it was such a blow when we lost it from the old mgh servers, and everyone had done a stellar job of re-posting so much valuable info on hastypastry.

As has been said before, some will return to OBT and say goodbye here, some will only want to be here, and others will be happy to enjoy the best of both..........whatever the choices, our bonds as a community that care about each other remain unbroken :)

I am inclined to stay here but will also go there --if that makes any sense.
Speaking of that--I re-registered at OBT and all went fine and my user name is there but I have not recieved that e-mail that finishes the process and allows me to post???

Anyone else? Yes--I have disabled spam.
Thanks
Debbie

FYI - David H is listed as an admin. and a moderator.

Quote "I'm sorry it has taken so long to get this far."

That's all we get? No explanation, no acknowledgement that 50,000, or 40,000 or however many people were left for almost THREE months without what for some is their only connection to the wider world, and for others gravely ill or facing surgery or treatment a desperately needed source of information, research and support.
No mention of the worry and anxiety caused by the loss of contact with friends facing medical, finacial, or marital crises. :confused:

Gggrrr!! I have refrained from writing anything in anger. I have waited to see what would happen when OBT returned, and gave JL the benefit of the doubt. But to return and take up business as usual, with only this apology and NO explanation, is a slap in the face. It says he owes us nothing, and respects us not at all.

I guess I'm not really surprised, but I hoped for better from him.

beth

ha. I got the "your IP address has been banned by the administration message". So...leads me to think some things were selectivley lost, while others not? Hows that work again?:confused: How does a server crash...and things get lost, but the banned members remain "banned" hum. cute.

So much for the amnesty theory..;)

I certainly don't know anything for a fact but I expect that John's first priority is just getting the forums up and running and working out the bugs. Which would you prefer... an explanation first or working forums?

I never cease to be amazed at the complete lack of patience from so many. It's a shame really.:( It seems everyone has had more than enough chance to rant on and on and on and on.......how about 'moving forward' now?

I truly hope that John doesn't get completely overwhelmed with all the negative input to him before he has a chance to regroup.

Deep Breathing helps!;)

I think people should give him a chance.

I think it's a darned shame that he decided not to import members, as that means the community is starting from scratch all over again. I hope he is more successful with the messages themselves, although I see some serious vB problems if he tries to do an import once new members have established their accounts.

I also wouldn't hold my breath for any more in-depth explanation other than what you already know -- the system went down, he couldn't restore it, he got busy with work, and it took 3 months instead of 3 hours to put things sort of back the way they were. He'll spend some time there gettings things back in order, but I don't see any reason he'd change the way the community is run.

John

Buries head in hands.....:(

while I agree, I think more people would be willing to do so...if he would be willing to give people who WERENT given chances...a chance. Im not one to hold a grudge, and I had moved on...but to not have a platform to have explained myself and my POV was really a rotten thing~ then to go to register today and find I was still banned..when I was under the impression everything was lost in the mighty crash...How is it IP addresses werent lost, but you still had to re register? how is that possible? Isnt that sort of crazy? Like weird crazy? Personally, I find this place to be more hospitable to my liking anyhow...I like to freedom to speak...I dont like constraints( of course, within certain boundries) but yeesh... ifind it weird.

braintalk is really back now
 

lost my first attempt. i hope the next few potentially bumpy weeks ahead can be transitioned without having to read everything John says and analyze it endlessly.. turning it into Dueling Forums...lol

I would love to see them combined - just split them - yeah i know more work but would it be even remotely possible.

Could you two [John and John] work together - thinking of the patients first? Rather than drive us crazy picking at each other it's really your business to solve.

These are patients who are literally relying on each other here...John Lester , in case he is reading , we need to hear the true story - I still remember you from PD retreats and walks and banquets and symposiums. You've got quite a load to carry now and you need more and better help. or we will have to choose 2. Can't we all just g et a long? John Grohol really met a need John Lester......what happened and how can we work this out? Geez the same name to boot! haha

where is dorry?

combine them, be creative

VOICE OF A PATIENT

too damm bad I cant get anything but the administrator has banned your IP address...here, look!http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/...t=51:rolleyes:

Paula, you are right. We do not need to have dueling forums. And honestly, we will not.

We are not associated with OBT, however we do know that we would not be here without OBT. However, once things settle down in a few weeks, I am 90% sure that we are going to be changing the name of the site.

OBT and this site do not need to have a rivalry. Infact, the internet is a big enough place for us all to get along. The only difference is that we are just run a little bit different. That is neither bad or good. It is just a difference in style. Variety is a good thing. It is also a good thing for people to have multiple places to go just in case something happens to one of the sites. No one should have to rely on just one place for support with the number of websites out there.

As for the venting and speculation. This has been discussed amongst the moderators, trust me on that. We are basically giving people the chance to vent. Once the transition period is over and everyone has had the chance to get out their feelings and move on, we won't let this place be a "Bash OBT" forum. We are just allowing people the freedom to speak what is on their mind and get their feelings off their chance.

A lot of people have felt abandoned and angry over what happened these past few months. There are people who are angry with OBT for other reasons. We are allowing them to vent their frustrations in a healthy manner. And eventually, all will calm down. This place will be running well. OBT will be running well. And we will all be happy. There will be people who will stay here. There will be people who will leave here. There will be new people who find us. There will be people who will visit both forums plus other forums. It is all good. As I said before, the internet is a big enough place for us all to get along happily.

OK.....sounds hopeful, and I hope you are right. See, the thing is, the forums were so much about building....and so many things have come out of it....I cant even begin to imagine how many things...

This doesn't feel as much about building as it does competing. And I don't blame anyone....I'm talking about what the patients are being asked to do. We are very comfortable here. John L owes us some kind of explanation and if/when we do get one, many may struggle over this.

Maybe it's just life and making choices.....is it still building?

paula

Building involves evolving and growing.

Give us time. We are still relatively young. After this transition, I am rather confident that we will be just as valuable as a resource to people as OBT is. And honestly, everyone benefits from having multiple resources.

I would not hold your breath on an explanation from John L. That does not seem to be his style. I think he has explanied the situation as much as he sees fit to do so. It is his forum. He has a right to do that.

Thank you
 

This may sound selfish but i would truly appreciate it if everyone wouldn't give their own opinion every time about everything. That's not why I posted....honestly.

I think we are in an atmosphere here that is challenging and engaging if it stays positive.

Paula

I definitely don't want to see the 2 forums combined. I don't see the point. This forum, so far, is run in a different manner.

There are lots of different support sites for everyone to choose from.

I rejoined this morning and it's been 8 hours, and no confirmation e-mail yet. How long does it take?

joe

You should be able to sign on without the confirmation e-mail.

That was a bad word and over simplifying it; i was actually thinking more of building from the other to accommodate even more needs. But i' m basically saying it's not good that we are in the position.

But I do see it as John Lester's responsibility and enjoy it here very much.

paula

I registered this AM (12 hours ago) and have yet to receive my confirmation e-mail. While I can log on and read messages, I cannot post until I get my confirmation message. Obviously they forgot to turn on the automatic e-mail function that this should have triggered. Either that, or as can be done with the software they are using, they need to turn off the requirement for a confirmation e-mail to complete an account/membership. Of course you can't post that there as a recommendation without a confirmation e-mail.....

(anyone heard of Catch 22?)

you will have to reregister--to add your name to the as-new database
 

you will have to reregister--to add your name to the as-new database, but they can use their same name and password to register.

some email accounts...
 

block OBT messages as spam. Yahoo does not. So it was a typical recommendation for people to open a free Yahoo acct and use that for
your OBT registration.

I had problems myself this morning...and it was a "cookie" issue. It seems to
be fixed now. I had to register twice.

If I recall, the CHATS..were open for most of the down, and they used all
of the IDs and blocked the banned ones. I too am confused, Alicia... as I don't understand internet/software stuff well...maybe Evie could come back and
help us like before? And maybe my new IP provider, since Sat pm, is what screwed me up? OBT didn't recognize me? I don't know.

I just got home from work, and haven't been there yet tonight. (that says something doesn't it?)... but as I said before, the internet and world are big enough for both places..for many reasons. I myself don't know what I will do next week or next month. If the data base is restored, I will stay on at both places.
That is just more people, who need help, as far as I am concerned. But if we have to start from scratch over there, with a total loss of data, I will seriously think long and hard, about staying there.

I am confused, but not angry as such about it all. I know how fugitive the net is..how fickle. Having 10 yrs is a long time I think, that some of us had.
All the of friends I have made and people who I have helped, certainly outweigh my personal feelings.

And I am very impressed with the system and admins here...they are working hard, communicate with us well, and are CONCERNED. DocJohn is interested in education..his forum on HealthNews headlines is really great. Since I am a resource person too, I feel at home here more and more. Much of what I do in my job, besides protecting people from medical errors, etc, involves EDUCATION and communication. So I am very grateful for this place for those reasons..as well as the humanitarian point of view, that has been in place
from the beginning.

I aint gonna work on Lesters farm no more

I re-registered, got my confirmation email instantly, and got in with no problems. I've posted on the MG forum, have had a lot of "views", but no postings to the thread. I think a lot of us are taking a wait and see attitude. Personally, I never had any problems with the administration at OBT. But I do feel very comfortable here. I probably will continue to post to both sites. The important thing is for everyone to find where they are comfortable, and get that feeling of SUPPORT going again, whether it's here, there, or both. I want to know what has happened to so many old friends during the "black out".

Well Braintalk must have started from nothing in the first place, and thats excactly and unbelievably happening again at Braintalk now, so i can't see any reason why this can't be done right here were most feel safe and comfortable.

I do really feel for those who had contributed so much of their time and effort to make BT what is was, then it only took a system crash [which can happen] fair enough, but all data was apperantly lost, which doesn't sound right to me, as a previuos poster said that they were still banned even though JL said he had started from scratch because he had done a low level format on the hardrive[s], after a low level format there shouldn't be anything left on it, it should have no data but only the MBR left on it.
As it stands now, its a split community that is just not going to work in the long run and most are jumping back and forth to either site, including me, simply because we don't really know what everyone else is going to do.

I personaly hope everyone comes here, it really shouldn't be a hard decision considering what has happened.

thats my 2 cents worth :)