TechExams is getting a facelift — we want your input!

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0 ■■□□□□□□□□
Hey TechExams Members!

I’m Megan, Client Community Manager at InfoSec Institute. Thanks to contributions from dedicated members like you, TechExams has long been one of the best certification preparation resources on the web.

You may have noticed the InfoSec Institute ads around the forum — that’s because we acquired the community from Johan Hiemstra (Webmaster) in 2016. We’ve been pretty quiet hosts these past few years. The existing admins, mods and senior members have done a fantastic job managing the forum during this time — we cannot thank them enough!

Today, I’m excited to share TechExams is getting a facelift in the coming months. We are migrating the platform from VBulletin to Vanilla Forums. Vanilla powers many well-known communities, including:
All of your threads, profiles and posting history will be moved to the new platform. We’ll also receive an SSL certificate and new (tech-related) categories to help us grow and build the community.


The migration will complete at the end of August/beginning of September. In the meantime, we’d love your feedback on a few key topics:
If you have other questions about the migration, please drop them here or directly message me (admin) on the forum.


Looking forward to getting to know you!

-Megan

Comments

  • NavyMooseCCNANavyMooseCCNA Member Posts: 544 ■■■■□□□□□□
    How are things going with the migration?

    'My dear you are ugly, but tomorrow I shall be sober and you will still be ugly' Winston Churchil

  • shochanshochan Member Posts: 1,004 ■■■■■■■■□□
    inquiring minds want to know!
    CompTIA A+, Network+, i-Net+, MCP 70-210, CNA v5, Server+, Security+, Cloud+, CySA+, ISC² CC, ISC² SSCP
  • PC509PC509 Member Posts: 804 ■■■■■■□□□□
    The migration will complete at the end of August/beginning of September.

    Yup. This is definitely an IT project! :)

    How are things progressing? Did you get the info you needed for moving things over, new forum categories, etc..?
  • cyberguyprcyberguypr Mod Posts: 6,928 Mod
    Well, I see no year listed up there, so technically we are still good icon_smile.gif
  • TechGromitTechGromit Member Posts: 2,156 ■■■■■■■■■□
    I have no idea who ran the site before, but looking up Johan Hiemstra's LinkedIn profile, he still lists himself as the owner of the site.
    Still searching for the corner in a round room.
  • UsualSuspect7UsualSuspect7 Member Posts: 97 ■■■□□□□□□□
    I would like to see a more define forum for certification exams:
    - Comptia boards needs be cleaned up to dedicate it's board for CYSA+, PENTEST+, ETC ..
    - Cisco boards also needs to be cleaned up:
    - I would also like to add a board for application delivery technology such as F5, which I don't see.

    Thanks.
    CISSP, CCENT, CCNA R/S, CCNA Cyber OPs, Security+, CySA+, PenTest+, Network+, Microsoft AZ-900, InsightVM CA
  • MeggoMeggo Registered Users Posts: 197 Admin
    Hey everyone! So sorry I missed these posts! As you can see...the migration is complete! 

    We'll continue to work on refining forum categories in the coming weeks. We are also in the process of hiring a full-time community manager, which will be a big help in getting these changes done quickly. 

    Thanks for all your patience!
    Director of Product Marketing at Infosec
    Who we are | What we do 
  • chrisonechrisone Member Posts: 2,278 ■■■■■■■■■□
    Looking good so far! great work! 

    I just have a couple ideas about signatures. Under our "signature settings" there doesn't seem to be a signature preview. I also noticed the options to select font color is not around but you can use bbcode as stated beneath the input box. Its not a big deal but just throwing it out there just in case it was a simple check box in your web editor thing-a-ma-bob.  Awesome job on the new interface!
    Certs: CISSP, EnCE, OSCP, CRTP, eCTHPv2, eCPPT, eCIR, LFCS, CEH, SPLK-1002, SC-200, SC-300, AZ-900, AZ-500, VHL:Advanced+
    2023 Cert Goals: SC-100, eCPTX
  • mikey88mikey88 Member Posts: 495 ■■■■■■□□□□
    Good work, and welcome to the 21st century everyone. So, are signatures the new way to brag about what certs you have?
    Certs: CISSP, CySA+, Security+, Network+ and others | 2019 Goals: Cloud Sec/Scripting/Linux

  • tstrip007tstrip007 Member Posts: 308 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Dang. Going to miss the old look, been coming here for years.
  • MeggoMeggo Registered Users Posts: 197 Admin
    I'll check out signature options tomorrow and get back to you. 
    Director of Product Marketing at Infosec
    Who we are | What we do 
  • infosec_darreninfosec_darren Registered Users Posts: 20 Admin
    @mikey88 We'll take bragging however you want. Signatures are default for now though. Other ideas?

    @tstrip007 yea...it was comfy like an old shoe. Hopefully this will grow on you. Hopefully there's something for everyone besides just the interface. Many things are easier, https, sso, emotes :p etc. 

    Please do bring all ideas, this isn't going to be a one-and-done kind of improvement. Just getting to this point was more monumental than we thought, but now we can build on it, so let her rip! 
  • chrisonechrisone Member Posts: 2,278 ■■■■■■■■■□
    edited November 2018
    mikey88 said:
    Good work, and welcome to the 21st century everyone. So, are signatures the new way to brag about what certs you have?
    No, that was located by your avatar in the old version. Signatures was to show people what certs/goals you were working on, your progress, or to place a famous quote. 

    -edit: ah I see you were asking due to the certs not showing by the avatar. I guess we just have to visit peoples profiles to see certs.
    Certs: CISSP, EnCE, OSCP, CRTP, eCTHPv2, eCPPT, eCIR, LFCS, CEH, SPLK-1002, SC-200, SC-300, AZ-900, AZ-500, VHL:Advanced+
    2023 Cert Goals: SC-100, eCPTX
  • DatabaseHeadDatabaseHead Member Posts: 2,753 ■■■■■■■■■■


    Typo up top......
  • MeggoMeggo Registered Users Posts: 197 Admin
    Fixed! (Thank you!)
    Director of Product Marketing at Infosec
    Who we are | What we do 
  • DZA_DZA_ Member Posts: 467 ■■■■■■■□□□
    Out of curiosity, will there be any further refinement to theme or will it be as is? Will there be an option to select a dark theme? 

    Cheers, 
  • LeBrokeLeBroke Member Posts: 490 ■■■■□□□□□□
    edited November 2018
    Is there a way to make the UI more dense like it used to be?

    As it stands, this feels much like the new Reddit, where random UI rectangles take up much of screen real estate for no reason, while posts are restricted to a tiny box taking up maybe 40% of available area.

    Makes it much less user-friendly.  Case in point:  This is an entire page in my browser.

    So much wasted space and so much more scrolling to do.




  • infosec_darreninfosec_darren Registered Users Posts: 20 Admin
    @LeBroke I'll check with our devs and see how flexible it is right now and if we can not fix it at that width.  
  • LevithanLevithan Member Posts: 72 ■■□□□□□□□□
    New UI is absolutely Terrible IMO, the old interface was much better and more useful! As the old IT adage goes, If it aint broke don't fix it! :#
  • Swift6Swift6 Member Posts: 268 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I would like to see a more define forum for certification exams:
    - Comptia boards needs be cleaned up to dedicate it's board for CYSA+, PENTEST+, ETC ..
    - Cisco boards also needs to be cleaned up:
    - I would also like to add a board for application delivery technology such as F5, which I don't see.

    Thanks.
    @Meggo @infosec_darren
    Do we know when new categories for exams will be added?


  • TheFORCETheFORCE Member Posts: 2,297 ■■■■■■■■□□

    I can't believe people are having trouble navigating this new site.

    It's like a bunch of old geezers are complaining that taco Tuesday has been moved to Friday.



    For those of us who have been here for 15 years I can see why getting used to will be hard. 

    We just need more options on the themes available,  this seriously is hurting my eyes, the lighy theme is not very good
  • ally_ukally_uk Member Posts: 1,145 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I have just logged on after a period. What the hell has happened to tech exams? This new look is ghastly....
    Microsoft's strategy to conquer the I.T industry

    " Embrace, evolve, extinguish "
  • JDMurrayJDMurray Admin Posts: 13,023 Admin
    Oh, this revelation will be going on for years...
  • IndyLovelessIndyLoveless Member Posts: 42 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Man this new design is awful
  • MeggoMeggo Registered Users Posts: 197 Admin
    The best place to post suggestions for improvement is in the TechExams Support category here: https://community.infosecinstitute.com/categories/tech-exams-support

    (Closing this thread to consolidate support-related threads and ensure we don't miss feedback.)
    Director of Product Marketing at Infosec
    Who we are | What we do 
This discussion has been closed.