Edge Engine Overview

Neworder.box.sk and edge.box.sk, together with many other official BoxNetwork projects host the very popular and much sort after Edge Engine. The message board and other engine feature revolve around a very complex set of recursive SQL functions developed by cube. To date, there are many new improvements in the engine from the days of old, and here are a few explanations to them and how you can get the most out of the message board.

Registration:

A new introduction to the message board system was the inclusion of registered users. This has for a long time been a thorn in the back of anonymity, but, considering the increased number of lame antics faced by the moderators due to 24 hr Internet users, this thorn is now more of a godsend.

Registration is used to monitor and publish your activity so that you are available to the rest of the community via the Logged Users column. Such an innovation makes finding your friends and answers to your questions prompt and manageable by allowing you to post at the correct times, and also contact the logged in users via the memo service. Registration also prevents and actively discourages most of the lame antics we previously faced.

Your email address, username and password are collected at registration time. The BoxNetwork recognise privacy within the masses and will do all we can to protect your information. We shall not divulge your private data without your consent - with that said, your data is available via the profile page discussed below.

Profile:

When you register a new user, you are asked a few questions about yourself, such as what makes you hot, what you don't like and any other comments. These are designed to make a better community by letting your share some of your pastimes, likes and dislikes with others. It is commonly accepted that friends rise from communities, and what better way than allowing you to express your individuality via your profile.

User Levels:

The Edge Engine introduces User Levels to the community. These are merely administrate levels allowing a set level of interaction with the posts, newsletter and user base. Your level cannot be changed manually, but is given to you by a moderator with level 10 access - currently cube. If you wish become a moderator yourself, removing profane and illegal posts, then you should demonstrate a commitment to the board and its goals for some period of time - eventually you shall be asked if you wish to uptake a commitment. Begging for status is often acted against.

Logged Users:

As mentioned, there is a logged users column to help people communicate with others by telling when they are online and providing a quick link to the send memo feature, discussed later. Every time you login or visit the main page to the site, your made available to the community via your cookie. If you do not want to be made available every time you access the engine, logout.

Memos:

Innovative isn't a powerful enough word. When boards were once littered with personal requests and flames, people cried out. Now, people praise the use of the memo feature that allows requests and feuds to stay between others and not the entire community. A memo is simply a note, a piece of text, sent to an individual and no one else. It is considered private and is not read by anyone but the intended recipient.

Memos - send:

To send a memo, you simply need to know the name of the person you wish to send to. If you use the “Logged Users” bar’s link, then the username is automatically filled in. Whereas, if you use the direct link on the top navigational bar, you are required to enter the username of whom you wish to memo. After filling in your text and the user you wish to send to, all you are required to do is hit sent. Nothing else. The memo arrives at the other end instantaneously; ready for the next time they refresh or view an engine page.

Memos - read:

Reading a memo is a trivial task. Simply select the 'Read Memo' link at the top on the administrate bar. The number in brackets is the number of memos you currently have saved. This rises as you receive more memos - so keep an eye out. On the reading page, you are presented with the ability to reply or delete your memos. If you delete a memo, you are asked to confirm. Completely deleting a memo will mean it is gone for good and unrecoverable, do not delete anything you may wish to refer to later. The date next to each memo is the date the memo was sent, pay particular attention to that if you are away from long periods of time as that might help you refer between the boards content and that of your memo. The 'msg id' next to each memo is a reference to the memo that the board engine uses. Should there be a problem with a specific memo, corruption or sudden deletion, reporting that ID will help find the cause of the problem.

Edit Profile:

This page allows you to edit your own profile in the same way you signed up. It should be familiar. Users who wish to change their details - hobbies, likes and dislikes - do this from here. You can also enter a valid email address for use with the newsletter as well as deny or decline receiving it.

Moderation:

The erase feature next to each post allows a moderator (indicated by level 5 or above, and the moderation word next to their name on the Logged Users list) to remove a post due to content - validity, harassment or illegality - or for reason known only to them. Although mistakes are made in the deletion of posts, moderators are given their responsibility and their judgement is respected and not questioned. If you believe your post was unfairly removed contact a moderator who will ask around. Do _not_ fill the board up with questions relating to why your post was removed.

News:

Particular users have a level high enough to submit security and network news for use on the main page. At this moment in this the ability is still to be a featured part of the community, but it is likely entrusted users will someday be able to contribute to the much sort after Neworder news.

Links:

As with the news, select users can add or remove links from the site database. Neworder is the forefront of Internet security and with it is the comprehensive and unique links database that has grown over the years - entrusted users with access to it can moderate the bad links and correct the mistakes.

Projects:

All users can view the status of BoxNetwork projects as well as some being able to add information to hosted projects - be that another’s or maybe their own. As the community grows more projects will be contributed and available to view. If you wish to contribute an official BoxNetwork/Neworder project yourself, contact cube@boxnetwork.net

Users:

Only a site owner can access the users page on the administrative bar. It is private and confidential. Your password is never revealed to an admin, although, if requested it can be changed. From this page administrative privileges are given to other people.

Polls:

The polls are accessible only to users with level 9 or higher. The polls can be edited or submitted from here.

Newsletter:

The newsletter is accessible only to higher-level users. This is where the newsletter is sent. A back catalogue of newsletter may be available here at a later date.

Anon.