Now Confirmed! New ILX 3.0 coming. Testing on sandbox now.

Keith and stet have confirmed that they've been working on a new look for ILX (Zing too), and they're currently testing it on the Sandbox.

Older ILXors will probably remember the Sandbox as the old testing site, which was also used during outages.

I'm not sure when it'll be rolled out to the main site, as it's still being tested, starting today but my previous thread about it seems to have been a bit too subtle! So I've been asked to point everyone directly to:

https://sandbox.ilxor.com/

Please have a look around and sign up over there to try it.

I've already discovered quite a few nice new features, and I'm sure there are more to find. There are plenty of settings to explore, ranking polls alongside the traditional polls, and a number of other improvements and Keith has said he's been working on it for 18 months so him and stet have put a LOT of work into it.

Personally, I think it looks great. I found it intuitive to use and got comfortable with it very quickly and I love the new look polls.

Keith posted a few things on the other thread earlier What's going on? and a few folk have signed up on the sandbox and seem to like the look and feel.

Will it support user themes?

And big thanks to Keith and Stet for all they do for us.

xp No idea, only Keith or Stet can answer questions.

So maybe you should have let one of them start the thread?

Thank you XP. It's worth logging in to have a look as most of the stuff isn't available to logged out users.

Will it support user themes?

It doesn't right at the moment, but mainly because the stylesheet that makes the theme on this ILX is about 300 lines long, and the new one is 11,500 lines long, so it's not really practical. However, this should become the case in time, but it'd work as overriding the basic stylesheet, as I don't think rewriting 11,500 lines is really realistic.

So maybe you should have let one of them start the thread?

I am quite happy, thank you.

It does have a bunch of styles in there already though, though you'd need to log in to see them in the settings page->Typography.

So maybe you should have let one of them start the thread?

― bruich, a stór (gyac), Tuesday, 4 August 2026 20:56 (three minutes ago)

Keith asked me to start it.

I hope feedback/suggestions are welcome. I wondered if maybe some kind of contrast between the background and the posts is possible. Also if there will be a dark mode option?

I actually call it ILX6. Not sure why. I just added a few numbers on. There have been a few aborted attempts over the years.

There is already a dark mode option. Try logging in and go into the settings page.

Constructive, polite feedback is welcome. Not the other kind.

Hm! Looks fun! Am content to roll with all changes.

For somewhat obvious reasons I am wondering why usernames have to be a minimum of 4 characters

Cheers, Ned. I hope you are doing well.

Do they, Dan? TBH I had forgotten that I did that, but I'm sure you're right! LOL.

I will change it to:

if length(userName) < 4 || userName = "DJP" then throw exception

In seriousness, I will look at that. I must've thought it was a good idea at some point.

So maybe you should have let one of them start the thread?

To explain, I asked him to. It was good of him to do so.

You guys should really try posting. It does a nice little bounce.

Oh damn, I got all excited about trying it but it doesn't seem to work on my computer at all - the icons are bigger than my entire screen and the text is all smooshed underneath them and basically inaccessible. Can't even register.

I can take screenshots if that description is too vague and you have an idea of how to troubleshoot, but I think it's probably because my OS is still Mojave (I initially didn't want to change as it would prevent me from playing certain games, and now I'm afraid to change as my mac is too old and crashes every time I try to backup with the time machine, yes I should probably get a new computer, no I can't afford one).

That just sounds like it hasn't downloaded the stuff properly. Sometimes happens on a poor connection. It only has to do it once; at least once unless I upload new software. Try forcing a refresh in the browser... Is it Safari? That would be Command-R.

the icons are bigger than my entire screen and the text is all smooshed underneath them and basically inaccessible. Can't even register.

my guess is the CSS isn't loading properly for you?

Registered, waiting to be allowed in...

Okay, I have OKd you.

Please have a look at the Sandbox ILM, and check out the polls. I've created two using the new ranking system, which lets you rank up to 50 options. One is set to begin after a three-day delay to give people time to suggest additional options before voting opens.
Another voting has started and you can see results in real time as they come in.
I've also created a more light-hearted poll on ILE using the old-school format of one vote per person, with the results only revealed at the end.

You can choose in setting which kind of poll and results you want as well as choosing what kind of poll you want to create.

It's amazingly good, honestly.

I use Firefox rather than Safari. But nope, refreshing isn't working. Deleted it out of my history, tried again, refreshed again - all still the same.

I'll give it another go tomorrow but it may just be my bad computer ;_;

Do you have Javascript turned off or something?

Firefox people sometimes do 🤣. It isn't going to work without Javascript. But yeah Curtis is right it sounds more like the CSS not coming down. Not quite sure how to fix your computer... Try another browser?

Firefox should work though, it works fine on mine. Just worth trying something else.

Emily, I think it is the old setup. Mojave is pinning Firefox to an old version that doesn't support certain things this application does. However, I will look into it—there will be an answer, although it might not be perfect.

Thanks, Keith. I tried it with Safari and had the same problem, but yeah, I think both browsers are legacy versions b/c of the old OS. I think this might be the push I need to actually try updating the OS, but I'll have to make time to get my important files backed up in non-time machine fashion so it won't be for a while!

Hold on for a bit, I may be able to send a reverse tachyon pulse into it.

Give it a shot now, Emily.

will we be able to "switch back" to the old site layout once the switch is made?

No, see above. The current 'site layout' is based on which style you have set. The style set up is totally different—details above.

SAAAAANNNDDDBOX!

it's been 15 years since the last one I think?

thanks coders

It's been there the whole time!

And thank you.

Oop, I'm getting off the computer now so won't sign up/have a proper check until tomorrow but I just peeked and the landing page looks good! Fingers crossed that was the only problem. Thanks so much for working on it, you're a superstar.

ha got it, I used to log on it b/c tehresa used to post there and only there iirc

(xp)

Good stuff, Emily.

Sleeve, there was quite a community of people there for years... They're still there (and probably a little pissed off at the moment), but there was a lot less activity in recent months/years.

Dan, I made it accept three characters JUST FOR YOU.

Being able to click on reply to a user now saves so much faffing about trying to quote.

It does some stuff where if you're replying to something from some way back it quotes a bunch of the text; whereas, if you're replying to something just say 4 posts ago, it just puts the username in.

i hate it because i am old an fear change! but it seems really fast and i'm sure i'll get used to it <3

lol i really don't like this, sorry

Because I am very predictable I look forward to redoing a few thousand radio-button polls with ranked-choice versions.

And I don't think there is a problem with re-running old polls for modern perspectives either. As we used to get told back in the beginning - if we don't like a thread or poll then don't click on it.

why would I want to contribute to a twenty year old conversation?

i mean, that's a personal preference! i'm happy to contribute to a twenty year old conversation. it might become a one-day-old conversation if others join in.

also, when i link to a really old thread, it's not even necessarily "you should join this conversation" but "y'all might enjoy reading this, it's got great posts on this topic." i guess it depends how much you read threads because you want to be in a current, active conversation, versus how much you read threads because you like reading posts about a thing. i imagine we all have a little of both. for me the balance is enough that really old threads have plenty to offer me.

I definitely regret letting kerr kick this off and take some of the heat, but it's just not true to say this is some novel shift from previous committee consensus government to random stet tyranny

well, i didn't say it was new. maybe i should have been clearer. the way this is being handled makes me lot more conscious of the issues i raised.

Stand down lads I was only saying I don’t like it jfc be great if ye took any of my other opinions half as seriously

but also this. none of the serious points are being responded to. people are selectively responding to stuff around the sides. not so much stet, but a few people seem like they wanted to start some personalised flamewar entirely because they have nothing to say in response to people asking the things about five to ten diff people have repeatedly asked for.

like i genuinely think a few people thought cool if i can just make this a flamewar then i'm right in thinking anyone who has a problem with this is just a dickhead, including resultant paste van winkle

Someone upthread said they only wanted to hear from Keith or stet on certain issues, so of course some of us didn't reply to those.

Has anybody informed the Dutch folks over at De Subjectivisten? I just had this vision of Keith switching off the lights and moving everything over to 3.0, only for them to continue posting in a dark basement room like a forgotten child who wonders into the bowels of a shopping mall, only to emerge into the emptiness long after everyone has locked up and gone home

i'm actually on a flight to the netherlands with a briefcase containing a printout of this thread.

the actual test is the next neelakurinji flowering of aeon flux awakening

pick me up some resultant paste

Using a google translator it seems they know

I believe the lads over at de subjectivisten call it “resulterende pasta”

i've got you a jar of the extra strong tulip.

I’m not sure what engagement you want with the “serious” posts so I’m largely engaging with the unserious ones. I’m approaching this whole thing from the tech side so I have absolutely no problems with an overstuffed beta that we can thumbs up/thumbs down on. I have nothing more to add to that part of the conversation, but if we’re raising potential features like “do something about necroposting” even half-seriously, I’m going to also thumbs up/thumbs down those as well if I have a strong enough opinion.

I want to also flag that I'm genuinely travelling from tomorrow and I'm going to be really limited in how much I can keep track of things or give deep engagement. I also think (as discussed) this thread was misbegotten and when things get more concrete we should do a new one.

To that end I reckon later today I'll lock this (though people can start new ones on any topic obv!) because it's not right to have an "official" thread (even if not started by an admin) hanging around without admin attention on it.

In the meantime, the test code will stay on the sandbox and keith is making updates there already based on some of the feedback happening. I would point your feature thoughts there if you are inclined.

but if we’re raising potential features like “do something about necroposting” even half-seriously

We’re not. I made that point repeatedly, but for some reason people seem allergic to parsing the plain English I write in. Just to stop off another avalanche of latecomers crying about it, thanks!

Cool

Will engage with the sandbox next week

We should definitely look at locking this thread and starting a new one, once Keith is done incorporating the feedback xp

I also think (as discussed) this thread was misbegotten and when things get more concrete we should do a new one.

This sounds good to me and I'm going to take it as a cue to stop following this one. But would like to say great posts from a hoy hoy, Fizzles, LG, Dr. C, and others

or i just mean, step back from this discussion somewhat. i'm not saying i will completely disregard this thread now or in the future but yeah

do I want to know what "necroposting" is?

No you don't

It's like posting, but in corpse paint

Propose to repurpose the term for ilx usage from “bumping a thread that’s been dead for years” to “someone who used to post here decides to crawl out of some Facebook message thread to give us a piece of their mind despite not having logged in to the actual site since before the launch of the iPhone 5.

To that end I reckon later today I'll lock this (though people can start new ones on any topic obv!) because it's not right to have an "official" thread (even if not started by an admin) hanging around without admin attention on it.

I think that is a good idea. Just had a look at the "Future of ILX" thread on the sandbox, and people are now having some of the same existential conversations that we've been having here (what is the purpose of ILX, etc.). Seems not ideal for these conversations to be taking place in parallel, especially since Keith is only participating in one of them.

i really hate this thread and the general tenor of ilx atm, like seriously, great job thread starter

would ask that this thread not be locked but left so that i can ask if we ever got this sorted in about a decade

Seems not ideal for these conversations to be taking place in parallel, especially since Keith is only participating in one of them.

Any and all conversations should be here.

On the board I mean, not this thread necessarily.

jaymc otm and it's also less than ideal that you have to follow that philosophical discussion amidst highly specific, technical posts about formatting issues

if Keith is reading this, I'd like to ask that he answer the questions he posed to table. It was, for example, very illuminating to learn Keith thinks of ILX as primarily a music discussion forum, one that has been in decline since 2004, and a community where lurkers are very important (actually that might've been stet, sorry).

necroposting is when you chew up a hula hoop and then post the resultant paste into the hoop of another hula

btw I lurked ILM for a while before ever posting so I'm not anti-lurker or anything, it just helps explain why so much effort has been put into polls, who the audience is for poster stats, why reactions, etc.

Yes, I would also prefer that the conversation take place here, where everyone is already registered and logged in and doesn't have to overcome the hurdles of a different user experience before they can discuss that experience.

well said, I def feel out of my element over there, and iirc some people still haven't been able to register at all

one that has been in decline since 2004

in terms of post quantity, this is just a fact

That's not fair, the quality is okay generally.

(in before the "quality too amirite" gags)

xp dammit!

I am anti-lurker but not in, like, an aggressive way, more so that forums and communities like this one are for activity, lurking by definition is not participating. Is a response to a post that you read but don’t actually write and post actually a response? Not in a meaningful way, and I would argue it doesn’t contribute to the community at all. The people who participate are the ones who keep the site going. You need activity for lurkers to read, after all. To my mind, it is that simple.

I should also note that this is coloured by finding out an ilxor who hasn’t posted in here since pre covid had some negative things to say about me to a webmail to another ilxor. I have never interacted with this person or knowingly seen their username, as far as I can tell. It amused me that they felt so strongly about me that they used my username as a pejorative to a complete stranger. Again, that’s a shrug: you don’t post here, you didn’t put that anywhere I could respond to, and that’s that.

Oh but on that note, direct messaging would be nice but I suspect that would be something that would have been needed to be conceived at the initial design stage.

i'm just trying to me more supercilious than everyone else

It was, for example, very illuminating to learn Keith thinks of ILX as primarily a music discussion forum

That stood out to me, too, and I would be genuinely curious to know some stats comparing traffic/posts/etc. on the various boards of ILX. Just had a look at the 50 most read threads of the past 5 minutes, and if I'm counting correctly, only 14 of them are on ILM: https://www.ilxor.com/ILX/Pages/most-read-threads.jsp

in terms of post quantity, this is just a fact

― c u (crüt), Friday, August 7, 2026 12:31 PM (twelve minutes ago)

yes but why does that matter in terms of the redesign? I don't want to put words into Keith's mouth, but the obvious 2004 fact is that's when Facebook launched—so is that why the redesign is more like social media (can't beat em join em)? IDK

xp gyac, I totally agree with all that (obviously lol) and generally disagree that lurkers should be catered to, especially since their non-participation is uninterpretable so making choices based on some kind of silent majority is pretty dubious.

jaymc: otm, I wish ILM was still the most active part of the site, my mental health might be better

Can I just ask... would a Buffy DVD boxset help this situation at all?

― LocalGarda

lol thank you for this

i really hate this thread and the general tenor of ilx atm, like seriously, great job thread starter

― brimstead, Friday, 7 August 2026 16:09 (forty-two minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

I'm not letting this go. What is your problem? I was only trying to help Keith & Stet. I was asked to. Don't shoot the messenger

jaymc: otm, I wish ILM was still the most active part of the site, my mental health might be better

― rob, Friday, 7 August 2026 bookmarkflaglink

I think I would've had a lot more opinions on Barack Obama, Iraq and the financial crash but I had all this free jazz and Avant garde classical to listen to and opine on

oh and a zillion xps to Trayce, I did realize after posting last night that my sandbox login prob still works but ty for reminding me too

xp I love all yr old posts about weird avant stuff

Thanks. I sorted stopped to read books and watch more films, and then politics made my brain go mad...maybe need to give ILM another crack in the new era

Deems will cry at these comments

I have taken personal vows to stop posting about politics so much and focus on music, but there just isn't the user base and/or the user base taste doesn't overlap with mine as much as it once did

xp deems' old take that ILM was far madder than ILE did use to be otm, but it doesn't make much sense anymore

Lol at whether the user base needs to listen to post. I’ve been updating the wrestling board for years and it must only been bookmarked by like 2 or 3 other people

locking this one as I mentioned bc I'm away — will start a new official admin thread before anything happens to actual ILX. in the meantime the test code is on the sandbox if you want to have a look/explore