Complete Planning migration and updating the old good boy Acorn - next week the tests start + more details

[Helmuts]

Next week, we will be testing a migration of Acorn to a new dedicated server, moving DNS over to Cloudflare, and upgrading the forum engine (Xenforo 1.5.12, released in January 2017) to the latest version.

If everything goes well, the forum will be migrated the same week.

Upon completion, we will connect a new dedicated SMTP server (already prepared) so that we can start sending out newsletters without worrying about a third-party SMTP solution banning us once we reach a 15-20% bounce rate. This has already happened twice with Postmarkapp, forcing us to abandon the process of informing all users of important news, including the Domain Summit.

Updating will cause some previous modifications to stop working, but this needs to be done for the sake of progress and maintaining good standards.

Soon, we will also have a new UK-based admin, @MattW, who is one of the most respected Xenforo server professionals globally. He has kindly agreed to help us regularly look after the server and updates. We have already successfully completed a similar process with DNForum.

We have a great professional with high standards looking after our needs here.

Have a great Friday evening and weekend, all!
Helmuts

p.s. Hiring people to look after various aspects of our community and all these changes are possible because of our Premium members!! Thank you @Andrey Insarov and @it.com, Sven of aucdom.com, @ukbackorder (Robert), @Monte & @auctionscott, and Lee (@honest) who decided not to show of his status. Thank you!!

 

[Helmuts]

Welcome @MattW

 

[MattW]

Thanks @Helmuts

 

[Jiblob]

forcing us to abandon the process of informing all users of important news, including the Domain Summit.

I take it that we can unsubscribe from all future mail shots before they are even sent? I have my preferences set to don't send emails on acorn unless I am interacting with a post

 

[Helmuts]

I take it that we can unsubscribe from all future mail shots before they are even sent? I have my preferences set to don't send emails on acorn unless I am interacting with a post

Good morning Jiblob,

Absolutely! Of course! We understand and respect your preference for email communication.

Here's how it will work:

Unsubscribe. The "Unsubscribe" option will always be present in our newsletters, allowing you to opt-out at any time of newsletters and promotional emails.

System Emails. Almost all websites, online communities and services occasionally send out small number of essential system emails, that are sent to all users. These are critical updates that affect the business or entire forum, such as:

• Planned Maintenance: These emails will notify you of scheduled maintenance windows where the forum may experience temporary downtime.
• Security Updates: Important updates related to forum security will be communicated via email to ensure everyone is aware and can take necessary precautions.
• Urgent System Outages: In rare cases of unexpected outages, we may send an email to keep everyone informed of the situation and estimated resolution time.
• Forum Migration (like the upcoming one!): Emails will be sent before, during, and after the migration process to provide clear communication on potential downtime and any important changes.

An important system message regarding the ownership change of AcornDomains.co.uk that took place last year. This migration is taking clear steps to ensure improved communication and moving forward as a major community for our industry. >> In short: a notification about the ownership change will be included in the upcoming emails about the completed forum migration.

This can be compared to school emails: there are newsletters, and then there are important reminders of school picture day (just copied out from one of my emails: "Don't forget, picture day is coming up on [Date]! Please ensure your child brings their order form and wears their picture-day attire."), reminders of spring breaks, recent test scores, invitation to visit the school and arrange a meetings with staff at by contacting school office and similar.

Of course, system emails will be kept to a minimum and focus on truly critical information.

This is a normal practice of all online businesses where emails are the only communication channel with a user who uses services or goods of an online business.

For anything else, you can rely on your current settings to only receive emails when you interact with a post.

Does this help? Any suggestions?

Best wishes,
Helmuts

 

[Jiblob]

Thanks for the detailed response. Can we unsub from system emails?

 

[Helmuts]

Thanks for the detailed response. Can we unsub from system emails?

Absolutely understandable!

In short: Unfortunately, unsubscribing from all emails isn't possible. System emails are crucial for critical updates and changes that affect the entire forum, like security notices, planned outages, and migration updates (like the upcoming one!).

If school anology wasn't good enough, let us say that that we are like a well-maintained racetrack for our users (that is also, you). Just like any racetrack, there are times when important announcements need to reach everyone, like upcoming maintenance (track resurfacing!), temporary closures (pit stop!), or crucial safety updates (new helmet regulations!).

Is this a potential problem? .. I just don't get it. This is an online business forum for grown-ups who are involved into activities (investing in domain names), and everybody understands that sending system emails is one of the core operation of any online business.

Best wishes, Helmuts

 

[wonder_lander]

Absolutely understandable!

In short: Unfortunately, unsubscribing from all emails isn't possible. System emails are crucial for critical updates and changes that affect the entire forum, like security notices, planned outages, and migration updates (like the upcoming one!).

Is this a business decision or technological restriction that we can't opt out? If there's no opt-out, will you be using a ringfenced email address that we could delete automatically from our email clients if we don't want these?

 

[Helmuts]

Is this a business decision or technological restriction that we can't opt out? If there's no opt-out, will you be using a ringfenced email address that we could delete automatically from our email clients if we don't want these?

Good evening,

You are right that there are limitations on how deeply we can modify the forum. However, informing users of important service changes is a common practice among all responsible online businesses. These updates help ensure a smooth user experience and keep you informed about improvements or potential disruptions.

Is this really a problem? If yes, why?

Best wishes,
Helmuts

 

[Helmuts]

.. apologies if I offend anybody .. feel a little on offensive side..

All the best wishes to all!!

We are getting Acorn back as a decently run forum and, also, the UK, as one of the central English speaking domainer paradises in the world.

Great evening all!!
Helmuts

 

[Admin]

Is this a business decision or technological restriction that we can't opt out? If there's no opt-out, will you be using a ringfenced email address that we could delete automatically from our email clients if we don't want these?

Please research before using technical terms like 'ringfenced email.' You might discover that the process is implemented on the receiver’s side, rather than the sender's.

 

[Admin]

Thanks for the detailed response. Can we unsub from system emails?

Nope. If there are updates to our Terms of Service or Privacy Policy, we'll make sure you're in the loop.

 

[Jiblob]

I suspect that a very low percentage of people would be interested in such emails as privacy policy changes, but if you feel it's valuable to Acorn then who am I to argue.

That being said, having full control over what emails to receive or not is useful and welcomed, because otherwise people will just have to block them and the exercise is pointless. These things are best done in a consensual manner on all sides, you have a legitimate interest to process emails, the ability to stop them is also legitimate.

I hope you don't find my asking obtuse, I was just asking whether it is possible to unsubscribe from them in anticipation of new types of emails being sent out cause you mentioned them.

Cheers

 

[Helmuts]

I suspect that a very low percentage of people would be interested in such emails as privacy policy changes, but if you feel it's valuable to Acorn then who am I to argue.

That being said, having full control over what emails to receive or not is useful and welcomed, because otherwise people will just have to block them and the exercise is pointless. These things are best done in a consensual manner on all sides, you have a legitimate interest to process emails, the ability to stop them is also legitimate.

I hope you don't find my asking obtuse, I was just asking whether it is possible to unsubscribe from them in anticipation of new types of emails being sent out cause you mentioned them.

Cheers

Its all good. Have a great evening!! H

 

[wonder_lander]

Please research before using technical terms like 'ringfenced email.' You might discover that the process is implemented on the receiver’s side, rather than the sender's.

By ringfenced, I mean - Will you use a specific email address that will only be used for sending out these types of comms so that I can safely decide for myself what I want to happen to them when they land in my inbox.

 

[Helmuts]

By ringfenced, I mean - Will you use a specific email address that will only be used for sending out these types of comms so that I can safely decide for myself what I want to happen to them when they land in my inbox.

Hi, the system emails are sent out using: no-reply (at) acorndomains***

Does this help?

Have a great Sunday,
Helmuts

 

[wonder_lander]

Good evening,

You are right that there are limitations on how deeply we can modify the forum. However, informing users of important service changes is a common practice among all responsible online businesses. These updates help ensure a smooth user experience and keep you informed about improvements or potential disruptions.

Is this really a problem? If yes, why?

Best wishes,
Helmuts

It's not a problem, it's a question about what level of control I as a user have about what emails I receive. If as you allude it's going to be very few and far between and it's isolated to the topics you've mentioned then I don't have a problem. If I get an email to say that. you've added a new section for AMA or vanity phone numbers then those are the kind of things I'm not interested in receiving and would like to be able to ensure I don't get those.

As a regular visitor who always browsers by "New Posts", - I'll pick up anything as I did with this thread from the announcements section of the forum.

 

[wonder_lander]

Hi, the system emails are sent out using: no-reply (at) acorndomains***

Does this help?

Have a great Sunday,
Helmuts

With the hyphen? Currently, thread notification emails which I've signed up for come from noreply@

 

[Helmuts]

Just checked it. You are correct: shoud be without hyphen: noreply(at)acorndomains.co.uk

 

[Helmuts]

It's not a problem, it's a question about what level of control I as a user have about what emails I receive. If as you allude it's going to be very few and far between and it's isolated to the topics you've mentioned then I don't have a problem. If I get an email to say that. you've added a new section for AMA or vanity phone numbers then those are the kind of things I'm not interested in receiving and would like to be able to ensure I don't get those.

As a regular visitor who always browsers by "New Posts", - I'll pick up anything as I did with this thread from the announcements section of the forum.

So far we have not sent a single email to all the users. Did try twice, but both times bounce-rate hit 20% and postmarkapp halted our messages, and all the remaining unsent were deleted.

It is a serious issue if a platform of our size are unable to inform all users of important changes.

Promotional messages/offers will be mostly delivered to your Acorn inbox.

In very few cases we will bypass the "unsubscribe" option > and, only, if we believe that it is in every member's best interest not to miss the message. For example, the 24-hour special Summit ticket promo I have created for our members only (will not be available to DNF or other communities). Few members have privatelly shared with me that the current price is too high for them > I believe that this message should be sent to all members.

Does this help?