Paul Schwartz

Ah, you're using AOL... that's the problem. I'll enable a setting that should help you. Paul

Try deleting the Concertina.net cookies to make sure they're not corrupted. I stay logged in fine, but if you're trying to stay logged in from two different IP addresses (one computer at work, one at home), that could be the problem... new security settings try to prevent this to avoid certain potential account hijacking situations. Paul I am not familiar with AOL's version 10 browser for Mac but I suppose your log in trouble might be caused by cookie setting. If your browser set not to accept cookies from concertina.net and/or to reset cookies after each session, you have to log in each time even if the remember me box was checked. And if you have reset cache and cookies, same thing will happen. Sorry if it doesn't help... -- Taka

Here's what Invision said: "Firefox has this real bad habit of caching javascript.. I think what has happened is that they have the old 2.1.x javascript cached.. Have them clear their browser cache and try again, because they are working properly for me as well." Give it a try... Paul Windoze XP Pro. -- Rich

Hmmm... same as me. And same FF version too. Very bizarre. I wonder if you have some security option turned off that I have turned on? These must be something... I'll submit a support ticket to Invision to see if they can pinpoint it... Paul Windoze XP Pro. -- Rich

There appears to have been a number of changes to how photos are stored and organized, and also to the whole user profile system; again, to make it better suited to the suite of offerings which now go beyond a straight forums system, and also to keep it up to date with other community systems out there (the movement towards "friends" and not just contact lists). So do go into the various profile options and try things out... Paul Hey Fidjit Funny mine was the opposite showed GMT and not US EDT . Oh well and easy fix. My Controls, then the left side bar at the bottom Board Settings. The first option is Your Base Timezone. Thanks Leo Aha ! DIY I see. Done that. Thanks Leo Chas

Hi Rich, Are you on Mac or Win? Paul Drop down menus still don't work for me (FF 2.0.0.6). I checked my tools/options and can find no unusual settings. Is anyone else with FF having this problem? -- Rich --

Thanks for the all the feedback folks. A few observations: Advanced features such as all the interactive real-time menus (lots of features now don't require reloading or clicking now... lots of AJAX instant stuff going on), the WYSIWYG editing features, drop-downs, fly-outs, AND a lot of the security stuff going on in the background (helping me keep the boards free of the scammers and spammers) means that they test and code for recent versions of the major browsers, so we're talking IE and FireFox. Please try these... they work fine for me. I'm a web developer (12 years now), so I do know about the issues with trying to support "non-standard" browsers, especially with the more cutting edge features that users and administrators have come to rely on. Icons? Well, whatever... "better" or not, they're not that hard to get used to, and anyway, the buttons do have quick-showing hints, so just hover over the buttons for a second. By the way, using the old boards, I was spending up to an hour a day weeding out all the spammer and scammer registrations (ever wonder why there hasn't been any spam these past few months? I now personally check each registration trying to figure out if it's legit or not before I approve it). This new system has lots of new admin tools and automated features to make this a LOT easier, so trust me, it's a very good thing. Also, I've been looking at adding in some new features/tools the same company is coming out with or has released (blogging and photo album add-ons for example) and these require that the board system stays up to date (they all dovetail together), so there's no choice but to move ahead (and the security and anti-spam features also make it absolutely necessary). You don't have to use the "advanced" features for the most part, but they're there for people to help them use the forums in an efficient manner, in a variety of fashions, with as much room as possible for personal preference and frequency of forums visiting/interaction. Different strokes for different folks... Thanks as always, Paul

Hey Jim, Sorry, no way to get old icons back. Progress is progress! They're not blurry to me... maybe you need to get an eyeglasses upgrade?? The drops downs all work fine for me, in both IE and FF. Paul I'm all for bug fixes and new features, but is there any way to get back some of the old icons in the editor? Many of the new ones (e.g., "Insert Link" and "Insert Image") I'm seeing as pretty pastel blurs. I'm sure that eventually I can learn to tell them apart, but more by location (as on the concertina) than seeing a pictorial represesntation. To me they look very un-iconic. Does anyone else feel that way about them, or is it just me? OOPS! And the drop-down menus on the edit controls (e.g., "Text Color" and "Emoticons") don't seem to be working.

The forums have now been updated to a brand-new version of the forums software. Lots of new features and bug fixes have been put in place. Enjoy! Paul

Hi Rick, Yes, donations are welcome! You can use paypal and send something to paul@concertina.net, or else contact me by email if you'd rather send a check or gold bullion or dubloons or triploons or something. Thanks, Paul

Send me $10 and I'll be glad to offer you the opportunity to be refused entry into Concertina.net For $20 I'll ban you outright... or worse... I'm flexible. Paul

The Midi conversion engine has also now been updated to the latest version. It should be more consistent and full-featured now. Paul

Yes, I finally got around to taking Jon Freeman's advice and I swapped the ABC converting engine behind the ABC converter from abc2ps to the most recent version (5.4.2 specifically) of abcm2ps. Everything still seems to work okay, but it did take some tweaking, so let me know if anything is now broken, and also do let me know if it works better now and solves any conversion problems you were having before (it's MUCH more recent, so hopefully the output will indeed now be improved and more functional). Next on deck is an upgrade of the midi conversion engine, as suggested by Colin Hume. I'm working on it... Thanks, Paul

Yes, the site was down this morning due to a database glitch. I think it has now been all patched up though. Sorry for the inconvenience. Paul

NOEL HILL IS COMING TO WINNIPEG! As part of the Winnipeg Irish Springfest May 5 & 6, 2007 at Canadian Mennonite University, 500 Shaftesbury at Grant, Winnipeg, Manitoba CANADA * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 9am to 5pm Irish Market with FREE FAMILY DAYTIME ACTIVITIES including a special talk/demonstration by Noel Hill, plus music, dance, and culture displays and demonstrations. Also daytime instructional workshops in Irish fiddle, whistle, guitar, mandolin/tenor banjo, bodhran, piano accompaniment, storytelling, song, art and much more! * Saturday Unlimited Workshop Pass $25Cdn/$22US * Saturday night concert featuring Noel Hill: Tickets $20 Canadian $17 US * Sunday May 6, a full day of intensive Irish Concertina class instruction with Noel Hill: Tuition Fee: $150 Canadian $130 US FESTIVAL PACKAGE DEAL: $190 CDN $164 US Saturday Unlimited Workshop Pass Saturday Night Concert featuring Noel Hill Sunday 10am to 5pm Concertina Instructional Classes with Noel Hill University Accommodation is available if reserved at least 2 weeks in advance Cost in Canadian dollars: $37CDN/ $32 US per person (single occupancy) $30 CND/ $26US per person (double occupancy) We can arrange free transport to and from the airport if advance arrangements are made. Contact Susan Hammer for information & booking: susanhammer@shaw.ca or phone (204) 474-0306

Not a bad idea. I'll have to see if this can be done in the software used for the site... Paul

Thanks for the offer and suggestions Del, but unfortunately it's not so simple... the system is all programmed dynamically and fetches the data from a database in real-time, so doing any sort of sorting or changes is not a manual affair to the data itself, but would require changes in programming and web page coding/programming. There are a number of things that would help out the system, but it really took a long time to develop in the first place and so I just put it out there -- response has been okay, but it hasn't exactly taken the world by storm, so fixes/changes/upgrades are way, way back on the burner of life for now... Thanks, Paul

Yes, all new topics are now being moderated, to keep out the spam. More work, but it'll keep stuff from showing up so much... Thanks for your patience, Paul

Hi Everyone, No, I haven't dropped off the planet (yet). I'm still lurking around and killing spam and keeping things running. I've also been super busy these past few years running my ever-growing business (www.PaulsFinest.com) which is now my full-time (and then some) work. A new version of the forum software used here has been released, so I'll be installing that in the new year (I'll give it a bit of time for the usual bug-fix releases) and that should be nice. So what am I playing now? I didn't announce it anywhere, but I now have one of Wally Carroll's concertinas (number 14). It's a real beauty and plays like a dream. Originally I was thinking of keeping this one and selling my Jeffries, but now I just can't part with the Jeffries, nor the Carroll (they're very different beasts), so I'm keeping both for now. Sigh. Well, my new year's resolution is to hire someone who I can train to run my business while I'm away so I can get to the Noel Hill course again finally! So maybe I'll meet up with some of you folks again this summer. Anyway, that's all the news that's fit to print for now. My kids are getting older and more independent, and my business a bit more mature, so who knows what the future will bring. All the best to you and yours, and may the holiday season and new year bring you plenty of joy and properity and GOOD MUSIC! Paul Schwartz Mr. Concertina.net P.S. Any Concertina.netters near Cedar Key, Florida?

Thanks to Bob Tedrow of Homewood Musical Instruments (Tedrow Concertinas) for coming back on board as an advertiser for 2007. His support for the community is well known, and much appreciated! Paul

All my sites were moved to a new server today. Everything appears to have gone smoothly with no major glitches, but let me know if you notice anything broker or misbehaving. Thanks, Paul

Hi Randy, Thanks for checking in. Yes, please remove that quote if you don't mind. I would never say that about a Tanzbar. That's not really a concertina. At least not worth playing. It's a curiosity or a collector's item, or an "antique", not really a playable concertina anyway (and it doesn't sound like a concertina either to boot). More like a "player accordion". "Museum Quality" or not... Thanks, Paul

Wow! I'm SO honoured!! Hmmm... maybe I'm missing out on millions. Okay, I'm available do to celebrity endorsements for your concertina or other sales or promotions. Just contact my agent for a price list... Paul