NEW MEMBERS MUST READ: RULES, MODERATORS, AND FORUM FEATURES

[Alexander Kabbaz]

We have upgraded AskAndyAboutClothes.com to the fantastic new version of vBulletin. The most powerful concept of the new software is the complete Social Networking system. As time passes, you will see us implement more and more of the available new bells and whistles.

Here are a few of the few features available for your immediate use:

Thread Prefixes:

Question: Where can I get a three-piece suit made of kevlar?
Hot News: Andy wears one all the time!



User-Created Social Groups

To further social cohesion between users and to encourage people to make friends, vBulletin now includes a facility to allow users to create their own social/interest groups.





These groups are enhanced by having their own public messaging system, and the ability to add pictures to the group from user albums.




New Member Profile Page:

In order to accomodate all the new features in vBulletin 3.7, the member profile page has been completely redesigned from the ground up.

The new page presents information in a far cleaner and more logical manner, while dividing up information into manageable chunks using a tabbed interface.

Individual profile field categories can be displayed alone in blocks in the right column, in addition to appearing by default in the 'About Me' tab.



Reciprocal Friendships Between Users

As part of our new social networking system, users can now request that people on their buddy list confirm their friendship, after which time a person's list of confirmed friends will be viewable to other users.




Public Messaging

While private messages between users have been in vBulletin since version 2.0, vBulletin 3.7 introduces the public messaging system, allowing users to communicate publicly via their profile pages.




User Picture Galleries

vBulletin users can now create albums and upload pictures to their account.




The ability to view these albums and pictures can be limited by the user to just forum staff and people on their buddy list if they want privacy.


There's More ... and We're Still Learning to Drive It:

As you begin to use and become familiar with these new features, the AAAC Staff is also learning. This thread shall serve as a catchall place for you to post 'how-to' questions, hidden features you may uncover, bugs (yuck!) you will surely find, and your impressions of the whole thing.

As far as answering operational questions, assume that we have to do a bit of research for each one. Answers will come when they are learned.

[Alexander Kabbaz]

MODERATOR'S NOTE:

The new Social Networking component of this upgraded vBulletin is quite complex. Play with it all you like. Start your own social groups ... upload your photos and share them ... invite others to join ... etc.

Be aware that we are still working on setting permissions and, depending upon what you upload, that your underwear may be hanging out for all to see until we get it all straight. :-)

[Andy]

WOW!! This is great. I go off for a couple of days (actually over 35) and the place goes high tech!!

[Kav]

Pulls out a sheet of personal stationary and my fountain pen for a immediate reply. I am wary of to many gadgets on a website, like a SUV with onstar and a rear video camera so as not to back over one's progeny. Give me a Morgan, and a simple site.

[clothesboy]

Pulls out a sheet of personal stationary and my fountain pen for a immediate reply. I am wary of to many gadgets on a website, like a SUV with onstar and a rear video camera so as not to back over one's progeny. Give me a Morgan, and a simple site.

Hey! I could start a Morgan Group except I'm too time deficient. (read lazy)
I the ability to select a default font and size among the new capabilities?

[superbikepics]

I've been waiting for something like this... I need a shoe support group to help me with my addiction!

Ryan: "Hi, I'm Ryan. It's been 12 days, 5 hours and 18 minutes since my last shoe purchase."
Audience: "Hi, Ryan. Welcome."

Oh, the possibilities!

Thanks Alex!

[Alexander Kabbaz]

I've been waiting for something like this... I need a shoe support group to help me with my addiction!

Ryan: "Hi, I'm Ryan. It's been 12 days, 5 hours and 18 minutes since my last shoe purchase."
Audience: "Hi, Ryan. Welcome."

Oh, the possibilities!

Thanks Alex!

No ... thank John. But you'll have good opportunity for that as the two of you will certainly end up together in the AAAC Shoe AA.

[Alexander Kabbaz]

Pulls out a sheet of personal stationary and my fountain pen for a immediate reply. I am wary of to many gadgets on a website, like a SUV with onstar and a rear video camera so as not to back over one's progeny. Give me a Morgan, and a simple site.

The nice part is that not backing over one's firstborn is optional.

WOW!! This is great. I go off for a couple of days (actually over 35) and the place goes high tech!!

Do we know you? Are you a member of the right social group?

[playdohh22]

Thanks a lot, this is cool !

Now... who wants to be my friend and join my group ?

EDIT:

yay, finally a member !

[rnoldh]

MODERATOR'S NOTE:

your underwear may be hanging out for all to see until we get it all straight. :-)

This would be OK if the aforesaid underwear is Zimmerli, and clean of course

[Alexander Kabbaz]

DON'T BE SHY! FORM YOUR OWN SOCIAL GROUP.

In contrast to the clothing we all wear ... forming a group is free!

[playdohh22]

I've just created a group for fellow New Yorkers.

I really like this change.

[Don'tPanic]

Let's say I would like to search for other Coloradans to ask if they have a good tailor (which I would). I will keep looking for that search feature, but haven't found it yet.

[Rossini]

Well, you can do at least two things:

1) Create a social group for Colorado and/or surrounding states and people can join it over time as they see it - so you can get a focused set of people that can answer such questions
2) Do a search for "Colorado" + "Tailor", and variations on that theme. It may have been discussed before and/or you may find other people from Colorado that you can invite to a Colorado group (see 1).

[Steve Taylor]

You would get great benefit if you install the VB Blog feature and VBSeo for search engine optimisation as well.

[yoolykeme]

ummm, you all do understand that AAAC just got Myspace'd, right?

cool....

[Alexander Kabbaz]

For those of you who are new, Welcome. AskAndyAboutClothes has a few rules for the betterment of the community. I have highlighted a few of those which are frequently violated by new members and placed a few contextual notes. The complete rules appear below.

Blog Policy

1. Mentioning your blog is not allowed unless the blog is mentioned in a context that is relevant to the topic. Linking to blogs is not allowed.

2. The first breach of this rule will result in the removal of the post and a warning. Additional offenses will result in the post removal and an advertising charge of $25 for each violation. Members owing advertising invoices will be unable to post until suitable payment arrangements are in place.

Note Re: Blogs Rule #1: In other words, AskAndy is not the place to build your blog's readership. If you feel you have interesting things to say, say them here. Word-of-mouth, not links, will then build your readership as it did for Scott's "Sartorialist" and Will's "A Suitable Wardrobe", among others. The universally accepted goal of blogs is either to gain advertising revenue or public relations. That is fine, but those are things businesspersons pay to achieve. Please feel free to contact Andy at any time you wish to advertise and grow your blog in that manner.

Sales Rules

As is well known, several merchants and artisans participate here at Ask Andy. Their specific knowledge and willingness to answer questions have benefited members. Yet we all want to avoid the commercialization of the Forum. Therefore, merchants and non-merchant members alike must abide by the following rules.

1. Posts offering items for sale may be posted only in the Sales Forum. No selling or solicitation of any kind, by anyone, is allowed in the Fashion Forum. Those who have been members for fewer than 30 days or have fewer than 25 posts may NOT post items for sale on the Sales or Deals & Steals forums. A nominal contribution for the maintenance of the forum is required in order to post items for sale on the Sales Forum.

2. Members and merchants wishing to inform other members of any retail sales or other good deals may post details in the Deals and Steals or Sales Forums.

3. If members wish to inquire about purchases from participating merchants, they must either contact that merchant privately, or post in the Sales Forum. Keep it off the Fashion Forum.

4. Direct solicitation by merchants to members is not permitted. Merchants can, of course, respond to inquiries from members.

5. Advertising is allowed on other sections the Ask Andy site. For details of the various programs, please contact Andy.

Note Re: Sales Rule #4: Some of the most worthwhile information and depth-of-knowledge in responses to members' questions comes from those members who are in the trade. This is an invaluable resource for the membership. However, merchant members soliciting business on any but the Sales Forum is simply not tolerated.
On the other side of the same coin, it is perfectly acceptable for a member of the trade to use their merchandise and photographs to answer questions posed by members. This usually results in a more in-depth answer and one which is tied to specifics rather than generalities.

A final note about sales: If you are a new member and wish to write enthusiastically about a maker or other resource you have used, go right ahead. However, do not link to that resource. With new members, the moderators can only judge by appearance ... and linking to a maker in one of your first few posts tends to make you look like a shill. Avoid this.

The Rest of the Rules:

1. No flames. Keep all debates clean and civil. This is a gentleman's (and ladies) Forum. Everyone is expected to behave accordingly. What constitutes flaming and incivility should be clear to all: no name-calling, ad hominem attacks, slurs, swearing, or personal insults. Individual instances of flaming and/or incivility will be judged by the moderators.

2. No politics in the Fashion, Trad, or Women's Clothing Forums. That's what the Interchange Forum is for. Ask Andy is a politically and culturally ecumenical website, and we all benefit from the contributions of members from around the world. We want people from all nations and backgrounds and political persuasions to feel welcome to share their interest in clothing here. Critiquing world leaders' clothing is fine. When political discussions or insults against world leaders (not related to clothes) crop up in a clothing Forum, they will be moved or deleted at the discretion of the moderators.

3. Don't feed the trolls. When trolling occurs, do not respond; we will take appropriate action. Do not mention troublemakers by name and invite them to a fight or perpetuate ongoing fights. Do not encourage banned or suspended members to post. These rules are, admittedly, hard to apply. Most often, any necessary action will be taken at the discretion of the moderators. If we feel your posts are in violation of this rule, we will first send a warning and an explanation. Please take those messages SERIOUSLY and cease the behavior in question.

4. Don't bash other Forums or blogs. Ask Andy is not the place to vent whatever resentments you may harbor against other Forums or blogs. This is a place to talk about clothes. We believe that the presence of more than one men's clothing Forum on the web is a benefit to us all, and this site will not be used to denigrate others. Similarly, do not bash AskAndy on other Forums or blogs.

5. Don't gratuitously bump threads. Adding superfluous posts that in our judgment serve no other real purpose than to bump long-dead threads to the top of the Forum is not allowed. If there is any doubt in your mind whether the post you wish to make falls into this category, please contact a moderator.

6. If you disagree with a moderating decision taken by a moderator, DO NOT argue your case in public. Contact the moderators in private. This rule pertains solely to moderation and is not meant to preclude members and forum moderators from lively or even heated discussions on clothing or community forums subjects providing all forum rules are followed.

7. Members in good standing of the Ask Andy Forum MUST provide the moderators with a valid email address. You may choose to make your email address available to other members or not; that's up to you. But the moderators must be able to reach you. If you do not wish to receive email from Andy or the moderators, you may choose not to post on this Forum. At seasonally varying intervals, we publish the AskAndy Newsletter which is e-mailed at no charge to all members in good standing. The newsletter contains articles, information, and other items deemed to be of interest to afficionados of fine clothing.

8. Each member is allowed only one user name/account. No multiple accounts, no exceptions.

9. Members are not allowed to sign up and post under usernames that mirror the proper names of real, living people in the clothing business or world, unless they actually are that person. Example: we had an imposter sign up the username "G. Bruce Boyer," falsely claiming to be the style writer of that name. Especially since Mr. Boyer really does post on Forums, under his own name, this practice misleads other members and threatens Mr. Boyer's reputation. Ironic or clever joke names, or names based on long dead people (for example, "Beau Brummell") are fine. If you are in doubt about the propriety of a username you wish to use, please email Andy or a moderator for clarification.

10. By posting anything on this website, you agree that other members may FREELY and FULLY quote from it within AskAndyAboutClothes.com. Neither Andy nor his site are in any way responsible for any real or perceived copyright violations of material originally posted here. Posts may be edited by the posting member for a period of 24 hours. After 24 hours have passed posts become non-editable and non-removable by members. Due to the discussion nature of forum threads, all posts are considered to be a permanent, integral component of the forum as a whole at the expiration of the 24 hour period.

11. Andy and his moderators may disallow any member avatar if, in their opinion, the avatar is inappropriate or otherwise objectionable.

Failure to comply with the above rules will result in warnings from the moderators. Failure to comply with warnings will result in the locking of your account. Members are responsible for the content of their posts. While the Forum is moderated, it should be noted that the Forum, its owners, and employees are not responsible for the content posted by individual members. The rules of the AskAndy Forums may be changed at any time without notice.

Notes: If you do not understand any of the words used here, i.e.: flames, trolls, etc., go to wikipedia.org and you will find them defined.

Please be sure to keep your email address current in your UserCP (User Control Panel - link at the top of every page).

If you think a thread you are about to post might not be appropriate for the Fashion, Trad, or Women's Fora due to possibly incendiary content (i.e.: threads about politicians, current events, and the like which may spur inflamatory debate), post on The Interchange.

Rule #6 instructs you to contact the moderator privately. This means that you should use the PM (Private Messaging) system.

The forum has hundreds of thousands of posts. Moderators simply cannot read them all. If you witness something which violates a rule, is SPAM, or is distasteful, use the "Report Post" button. Moderators will be immediately alerted and respond. DO NOT use the report post button for other reasons.

[Alexander Kabbaz]

You would get great benefit if you install the VB Blog feature and VBSeo for search engine optimisation as well.

Steve - Are those vBulletin add-ons or third-party plugins? If the latter, do you know the source?

[Steve Taylor]

Steve - Are those vBulletin add-ons or third-party plugins? If the latter, do you know the source?

Replies by PM.

[Andy]

If you've registered but can't post there is probably a very good reason!!

You didn't give us your location information or didn't respond to the verification e-mail.

If you've registered and can't post - please contact me immediately!!

Andy

andy@askandyaboutclothes.com

[sjm]

Alexander et. al., you deserve kudos for all this cleverness and hard work. we are most grateful.

i will give this technology a try before i go to bed tonight. just before i turn off the computer, put out the pet badger, finish my glass of malmsey and turn in, i shall gaze deeply into the screen and in my most impressive voice intone: "double-breasted suit of 15 ounce Irish linen, a BB linen shirt, Irish poplin tie, and a pair of brown and green, leather and linen, Blucher spectators, 10.5 EE." Next morning I shall see if they are there. The new software is supposed to do that, isn't it?

Many thanks for hard work.

[Steve Taylor]

Can you alter the tags setting to allow more than two tags, these are quite restrictive.

[schatzman]

I would like to replace the I have. Mine has a removable merino wool liner

[Jovan]

Not the thread for this.

[Taken Aback]

I was unsure of where to post this, since there doesn't seem to be a specific forum for site related discussions here. I hope this is the best place.

I just submitted a search engine plugin to Mozilla (the makes of firefox) for this forum which is usable by anyone who has a compatible browser like Firefox (obviously) and Internet Explorer. It can be found here:

http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-eng...outclothes.com

You simply click on "Ask Andy About Clothes" (not the address) and a popup asks if you want to add it. Click ok, and it's now in the list of search engines you can use in the search bar.

I hope it helps users in searching the forum more quickly and cuts down on duplicate threads. I suppose it also promotes the forum too, but it just seemed nice to have the icon in my search bar.

Hope it helps,

TA