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Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15453
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 17 10:54 am Post subject: Merging forums

Speaking hypothetically, if there was another forum with broad similarities and compatibilities, and the relevant parties wanted to, would it be possible to import their database of users and posts, and absorb their forum into ours?

NB: hypothetical, for illustration of the possible. I don't imagine it would be desirable for us, but I have in mind two other fora where it would almost certainly be the best thing.

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28251
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 17 1:30 pm Post subject:
Very hard to do.

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15453
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 17 1:58 pm Post subject:

jema wrote:

Very hard to do.

While I don't doubt you in the slightest, I must say that I am a little surprised: it doesn't look like something that ought to be difficult.

Would it be easier if you'd planned for it in the first place? Two groups that, on inception recognise that they may one day want to merge.

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28251
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 17 2:22 pm Post subject:
It's a matter of software, to merge two forums means renumbering all id numbers in the databases to avoid clashes. Not impossible of course, but if no one has written it, it means a lot of hours of programming and testing to develop.

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15453
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 17 2:36 pm Post subject:

jema wrote:

It's a matter of software, to merge two forums means renumbering all id numbers in the databases to avoid clashes...

Is that not a similar problem to Hilbert's hotel?

Sorry, this is clearly one of those things that looks very simple to someone who doesn't know what is involved...

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28251
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 17 4:26 pm Post subject:
No, its just software. Not even especially hard, but its a lot of work.

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15453
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 17 4:58 pm Post subject:

jema wrote:

No, its just software. Not even especially hard, but its a lot of work.

Quite possibly work that someone has already done, but probably as much work again to find it?

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