Why do we still have options for MSN, YIM etc?

[enzogla]

On the forum profile information page, there are still spaces to write down your contact details for sites like ICQ, AIM, MSN & YIM..
MSN was discontinued 8 years ago now.. Why is it still an option? Yahoo Instant Messenger also shut down 3 years ago now..

Why can't we replace it with something more useful and modern like Telegram, Discord or LinkedIn??

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[acroman08]

the slots aren't restricted(as far as I know). so you can put what contacts you want to put on those slots. although I agree that those should be updated, I guess the admin doesn't see it as a priority since you can still use it to put your contacts like telegram, Discord, LinkedIn, etc...

[The Sceptical Chymist]

Because Theymos likes to party like it's nineteen-ninety-two-thousand-nine (RIP, Prince).

Because Theymos is releasing the new forum software any day now, which should do away with all of those obsolete apps you mentioned.

Because, because, because.....because of all the wonderful things he does!

And if you don't understand any of that, I don't blame you.  There are a lot of things on this forum that don't make any sense, and still having spaces for AIM/ICQ/MSN account info is one of them.  I doubt you're going to get a better answer unless Theymos himself replies here, which would be like whispering an incantation with dripping candles in hand and hoping a spirit appears.  You've got a valid point, but don't expect anything to change anytime soon.

[jackg]

You could always populate those fields with: yim: telegram @my_telegram_handle. Or put a link to your telegram or something.

Most interactions normally don't need to be done externally from the forum imo and therell probably a lot of discussion on what should go there and what shouldn't. You also have a personal message space next to your name you could put your handle in for example too.

And if you don't understand any of that, I don't blame you.  There are a lot of things on this forum that don't make any sense, and still having spaces for AIM/ICQ/MSN account info is one of them.  I doubt you're going to get a better answer unless Theymos himself replies here, which would be like whispering an incantation with dripping candles in hand and hoping a spirit appears.  You've got a valid point, but don't expect anything to change anytime soon.

Perhaps not understanding how the current DB/php structure worked was the catalyst for making the new forum software.
Though we seem like a community who'd want custom labels and those would take a lot of space up, and how would you format them - limit to 8 characters, 16? Would people use them as an additional personal message: like a linktree.

[mk4]

It's one of those things whereas it'd be good if they were updated, but it's really not that much of a big deal. Like, the links and tags of these platforms are distinguishable from one another anyway.

Telegram: https://t.me/username
Discord: username#1234 | https://discord.com/invite/username
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/username

[hugeblack]

I made this topic ---> forum Profile (Social Media)
I don't remember the discussion now that it's since 2018, but I remember hearing a response from @theymos that even simple changes like MSN's edit in the forum require a lot of effort.
I don't remember the main reason, but nothing will happen in this forum.
In general, this proposal is old and has not been implemented.

[SFR10]

the slots aren't restricted(as far as I know).

They're somewhat restricted:

• The "AIM" field is limited to 16 characters only.
• Both "ICQ and MSN" fields would get rid of the invalid links after you click the "change profile" button.
  
  • Before clicking the "change profile" button:
    
    
  • After clicking the "change profile" button:
    
    

you can still use it to put your contacts like telegram, Discord, LinkedIn, etc...

It'll show up a different link when you hover the cursor over those fields:

• AIM result:
  
  
• YIM result:
  
  

[hilariousandco]

Nostalgia  .

I think theymos should probably change the ones that are defunct. Whatsapp and telegram would be good additions. I would imagine it shouldn't be too difficult to rename them but I'm not sure how much theymos wants to tinker with the current forum software.

[enzogla]

the slots aren't restricted(as far as I know). so you can put what contacts you want to put on those slots. although I agree that those should be updated, I guess the admin doesn't see it as a priority since you can still use it to put your contacts like telegram, Discord, LinkedIn, etc...

As a priority? I mean he's had 8 years now... lol

Cmon, these are tiny things and should take almost no time to update.. I understand he can be busy and all, but like cmon???
Anways I'm gonna stop whining about it, new forum software coming soon!! right guys?? 

[HeRetiK]

I guess not enough people are actually bothered by it? I know I personally would not use these fields because I don't want to make it spammers too easy.

I mean sure, it probably shouldn't be that much work to update the profile input fields but if the interest is rather limited it's unlikely going to happen. Or at least before Discord, Telegram and LinkedIn go out of style again

[Welsh]

I think theymos should probably change the ones that are defunct. Whatsapp and telegram would be good additions. I would imagine it shouldn't be too difficult to rename them but I'm not sure how much theymos wants to tinker with the current forum software.

If they were changed, it might be worth changing them to something that isn't specific, and just lessening the restrictions mentioned above. Since, some users might like to use Whatsapp or they might choose Signal over them. At least, if you reduce the restrictions, and primarily allow more characters to be input, the user themselves could determine the platform. Obviously, we have personal text, and signatures that could be used for this in the mean time, but since most users are involved one way or another in a signature campaign, it would probably be beneficial to allow less restrictive options on the profile fields.

[The Cryptovator]

Yea, theymos should change it those aren't usable at the moment. But I will encourage just removed all the social space instead of replacing it. Like LinkedIn, WhatsApp would concern with privacy. Although the user is aware of what they are going to do, as a Bitcoin user I encourage to remove it. On the other hand, Telegram has privacy but scam ratings will increase. So better just let users write their social media contact in a single place whatever they like. For example, we would write it on personal text. I don't think theymos is much interested to change anything in the current forum software although this change would take 30 minutes for theymos.

[enzogla]

I think theymos should probably change the ones that are defunct. Whatsapp and telegram would be good additions. I would imagine it shouldn't be too difficult to rename them but I'm not sure how much theymos wants to tinker with the current forum software.

If they were changed, it might be worth changing them to something that isn't specific, and just lessening the restrictions mentioned above. Since, some users might like to use Whatsapp or they might choose Signal over them. At least, if you reduce the restrictions, and primarily allow more characters to be input, the user themselves could determine the platform. Obviously, we have personal text, and signatures that could be used for this in the mean time, but since most users are involved one way or another in a signature campaign, it would probably be beneficial to allow less restrictive options on the profile fields.

**this

this is a much better idea than what I had.
There's so many platforms and just moving from restrictions to more restrictions is a stupid idea. What we need is a space to put our username for our favourite social media.

[DdmrDdmr]

On the forum profile information page, there are still spaces to write down your contact details for sites like ICQ, AIM, MSN & YIM..
MSN was discontinued 8 years ago now.. Why is it still an option? <...>

Well, we do have this reference to go by, in relation to those fields on the profile:

What similar things do people use now?

Those fields are actually built a bit deeply into SMF for some reason, so it's not completely trivial to change, but it can be done. Low on my to-do list, though, as hugeblack mentioned.

I’ve long thought there should be a spot for PGP fingerprint.

PGP fingerprints are SHA-1, which is insecure. The OpenPGP standard really needs a complete new revision...

So getting rid of those fields is from the profiles is not a trivial thing to do, albeit doable.

Probably adding fields to include currently widely used social media channels would be very welcome by many, specially the youngsters (who may – or may not -repent later ahead linking their Bitcointalk account to these channels).

[Welsh]

this is a much better idea than what I had.
There's so many platforms and just moving from restrictions to more restrictions is a stupid idea. What we need is a space to put our username for our favourite social media.

Yeah, I think if we were to change anything, it would probably be better to make it less restrictive since in the future Whatsapp might not be viable anymore or any other software. Plus, theymos' has previously stated its a fairly lengthy process to do, so in that case its probably better to do a complete rework of it, and make sure that if things need to change in the future, they can.

Probably adding fields to include currently widely used social media channels would be very welcome by many, specially the youngsters (who may – or may not -repent later ahead linking their Bitcointalk account to these channels).

Yeah, I think this is something that a lot of people assume would be just changing a few text's around, but from experience if you've ever worked on a large project or for a organization doing coding work or even reviewed code, then it can get messy very quickly, and can end up breaking a lot more than you realized. SMF being old, and not many people contributing to it, probably contributed to it being a little messy, and not designed well.

I'm not using that as a criticism necessarily, because even some very reputable, and bigger companies have an absolute mess of code. I've seen companies get contractors in, the contractors do the work needed, then the company finds out that the contractors changed x, which breaks y which results in the company either getting another contractor in to fix the previous contractors work or committing internal employees to it.

I feel like most companies these days to patch work code rather than thinking about the future, and designing their systems with scalability in mind.

[Lorence.xD]

the slots aren't restricted(as far as I know). so you can put what contacts you want to put on those slots. although I agree that those should be updated, I guess the admin doesn't see it as a priority since you can still use it to put your contacts like telegram, Discord, LinkedIn, etc...

I think that OP is bothered that it's not the icons that is used so OP probably wants to change it to make it look updated. I personally don't use any of them back then but I agree with you that we can just use it to put our Telegrams and stuff in replacement of the original purpose of those icons.