Great news Will! Can you add me to the disti for the preview release? I most definitely have a test environment and am chomping at the bit to start poking at this new release. BTW, I know you guys probably can't force people to convert to sql 2005 but you can get drastic performance improvements for your remaining UDF's by developing them in .net under the CLR. I am sure one of the reasons you guys decreased your UDF's is because of the major performance hit they caused in 2000 and even 2005 when they aren't compiled code. Anyhow, you can find major gains by writing UDF's in 2005 under the CLR, I have seen 10x performance improvements in some areas.


Thanks,

Chris

Thanks Chris. I will definitely keep you updated.

Actually, right now our build is optimized for SQL Server 2005. We have changed the way we handle record paging and it's a method not supported for SQL Server 2000. Forcing customers to SQL Server 2005 isn't really an option, but we can try and make it more appealing.

The new stored procedures are much better than what is in 3.7, but even the new procs will be further optimized over the next few updates.

Will, I would be happy to do some testing for you on the 3.8 release as well as the upgrade process.

Thats good Will.
I am ready to test it as i have a test environment.
Also, I can install it on my site also, as I have not yet launched the forum with version 3.7 (I have postponed the launch as I don't want to confuse the visitors with a changed layout so soon.Therefore decided to wait for 3.8) if you think thats perfect.

-K.S.Nagarajan,
New Horizon Media

I also have a test environment and I'm willy to test.

Will, great improvements, can't wait to see the rest. Please put me down for testing 3.8 release too. I just installed a new server with 2k5 sql just for this.

Me too Will.

Hi Will,

I will be able to test the upgrade process to version 3.8 in my testenvironment together with Active Profile & Active Message installed.

Regards,
Marc

I have a dev/test environment and would be willing to help you test the upgrade path..

Sign me up too, Will.

Just like "mrnags" I've been delaying the lauch of my new site until the release of 3.8 and I have a test-environemt ready.

Very nice..... seems like it should be a 4.0 product. :-)

Add me to the testers list as well... I do have a test environment.

Will,
How do you plan to communicate with those of us willing to test 3.8 upgrades?  This post?

Thanks for all the replies. I will be emailing all of those interested in testing later today.

Thanks,
Will

Nice, put me down as well for testing, I have a few test environments to install on.

Since this is on testing stage .... When can I buy it ???

I would also like to have a test version. I have from different forums test environments.

I never got an email Will. Should we assume you're still working on this?

Thanks for all the replies.  Some good and bad news.  The bad news, which you already know is that 3.8 hasn't released yet.  As you may have noticed from my other posts, this release incorporates numerous changes and improvements.   Our original plan was to gradually incorporate the largest changes over three releases: 3.8, 4.0 and 4.5.  Releases 3.8 and 4.0 would be the biggest changes architecture wise.  However, the upgrade process was proving to be extremely difficult.  We did not want to chance jeopardizing anyone's existing install.  The decision was made to make this next release a completely new install with a migration path from 3.7.  This will allow you to run both versions side-by-side, configure the new version the way you like then import all of your existing data from 3.7.  If you think about it, we have had code and files in the NTForums directory that we couldn't remove, but hasn't been used since the 1.0 release.  This strategy will allow us to start with a clean slate for Active Forums 4.0 and provide you with the most stable and efficient version of Active Forums we have had to date.  I wouldn't say that's entirely bad news, but probably not what a lot of you wanted to hear.  Now for the good news.

Many months of development have gone into this release and we have been working non-stop for the past four weeks preparing to finalize this release.  Active Forums 4.0 is a complete re-write.  A completely revised and optimized data structure that will allow us to support our vision for the most powerful collaboration and social networking solution for DotNetNuke and ASP.NET websites.  We have completed features and enhancements that were not planned for completion until late September.  We have been working with standards, css, seo and design experts to help improve all aspects of the application.  We have reviewed nearly every feature request that we have received over the past two years and incorporated those requests that added benefit to all.  Not to mention the fact we are still working on a seamless integration with Active Profile and Active Messaging.  Active Forums 4.0 is a fantastic product, but it's really just a key piece to the total solution we are working towards for Open Force 08 in November.

Moderation is the last piece we need to finish up for this release.  I do expect that we will have a demo site online and beta package ready no later June 24th.  Our new target release date is now July 9th.

I have created a new topic in the Active Forums General Discussion forum for answering questions or addressing any concerns that customers may have.

Thanks,
Will

That sounds great to me! Like many others, I've been delaying adding the forum to my page as I've been waiting for 3.8 (or now I guess 4.0 would be more appropriate?) - I've had 3.7 on another page and was very happy, and now I'm all excited about getting the new version on the new site.

The thing I'll be most interested in for a start is customizing the appearance, as I want to fully integrate ActiveForums into my site "design-wise"...

I'd also have a few testing environments, and the new Website is for a game which is not even in beta, yet, so one might consider that a "testing environment", too ;-) Let me know if I could install a beta of ActiveForums 3.8/4.0 to that site (I'm planning to go "productive" in August).

Sunny regards,
Jashan

All of this sounds really exciting Will, I'm for one looking forward to your next release.
A few questions araises tho:
First of all, the price of this "key piece" (AF4.0 with groups + AP/AM*)?
Second, will your migration path include AP/AM for us with users on the old versions?
Finally, what is the "total solution" you mention? Sounds like you're about to buy Google
Thx,
/Jesper
*Active Profile/Active Messaging

Very good questions.


We are not exactly sure just yet of a price for all 3 products bundled together. The price for AF 4.0 is going up, but will offer a discount when you buy all 3 together.

Active Profile and Active Messaging will not be affected with this migration. We will probably release an update about the same time, but those will just be regular upgrades.

I don't think we will be buying Google anytime soon

Basically, Active Forums, Active Profile, Active Messaging plus a few other key social networking pieces.

Hi Will,

When you are talking about "a few other key social networking pieces" do you mean that you will develop additional modules or will it be more likely to expect interfacing with other modules?

All of our products moving forward will support various points of integration where it makes the most sense. However, the key pieces that I'm referring to are either currently not available for DotNetNuke, or are implemented in away that we feel can be improved. If there is a capability that Module X can provide, supports integration and doesn't cause a negative impact on the functionality of our modules then we will gladly support and promote that product as an option. Private Messages from Ventrian is a perfect example. We didn't acquire MyMessages because we wanted to replace Private Messages. MyMessages was part of the package and it also has a few capabilities that are not in Private Messages. You will see in AF 4.0 that we have made it very easy for you to use either module.

I hope that makes sense.

If there is a particular module that has a capability you would like us to support, please email me directly. willm ~ at ~ activemodules.com

Hi Will,

I know that you have big plans for this module, as you have stated in your interview with Seablick Consulting. It was nice to hear that exciting things are going to happen with this module (and others).

Have you received any requests yet about supporting specific modules for AP?

Personally, I would be interested in the integration of video modules like Ultra Video Gallery for some of my websites. Meanwhile I found out that there are customers of yours who actually are using the combination of ActiveProfile and Ultra Video Gallery. Some very cool examples are www.thisoldrv.com and www.mymagiczone.com and both of them are also using AF.

It would be really great to have an option for showing a list of videos of a users on his profile page and be able to play them from UVG.

I hope you will be able to unrafle a bit more about the direction we're heading with the social networking capabilities from your modules.