The forum is broken

[Lucmove]

The forum is broken. I can post replies but can't start a new topic.

Access Denied
You don't have permission to access "http://forums.virtualbox.org/posting.php?" on this server.

Reference #18.970f2d17.1718001420.1c311e57

https://errors.edgesuite.net/18.970f2d1 ... 0.1c311e57

Ah. Apparently I can start a new topic in this section, but not in the ones I need such as VirtualBox on Linux Hosts or Using VirtualBox.

[likejudo]

The forum is broken because there are hardly any replies to the queries.
I did not get a reply for mine and had to go to reddit to ask there.

[CyberNautilus]

You may not be getting replies because new users' posts are delayed inordinately for moderators' approval

I already had to crawl on my knees to "Delphi" to gain the ear of this 'Oracle' i.e. signing up difficulties. Now I see that my posts and replies are also being held for a confounding long time without any obvious reasons

Makes it look like Oracle is actively discouraging participation at these fora.

[multiOS]

The Forum hasn't had any Volunteer Moderators for some months, despite the effort made to attract further volunteers, and Oracle's Development Team certainly don't have the spare time to actively manage all Forum postings on a regular basis, but I'm certainly seeing plenty of first time posts coming through.

Please be aware that although the Forum is provided/sponsored by Oracle, it is primarily a User-to-User Forum, NOT a direct link to Oracle Support Staff or the VirtualBox Development Team, so 'help' is largely dependent on another user being able to understand the issues posted and also being willing to try to help fellow Virtualbox Users. There's also the option of using the Virtualbox Public Bugtracker for reporting software problems that can't be resolved through Forum discussion, but as VirtualBox is an Open Source 'Free to Use' software project, in common with other Open Source/Freeware software, there is no entitlement to assistance for free users.

[klaus]

Additionally the last weeks were complete hell for the (too small) moderator crew. Takes an insane effort to reject the 20th duplicate of the VirtualBox 6.1.50 breakage (sometimes per day) with the Ubuntu kernel update. Supposedly there is a fixed kernel out there, but the duplicates keep pouring in.

I'm very sorry that this slows down the other new users who have different issues (and/or are not totally illiterate unlike the majority who blissfuly ignore the sticky posts in the relevant forum and complain after a few hours that their totally insufficient 3 line post doesn't get answered within half an hour).

Have even more respect for the work which was done by volunteer moderators for a long time (and if someone wants to help with moderation, send me a message).

[CyberNautilus]

Thank you @multiOS and @klaus

I'd love to help instead of just complaining. Since I'm an a fresh registrant to the board, would I qualify to volunteer as a moderator? Or maybe just assist a moderator? e.g. attending those duplicate posts.

[klaus]

Anyone willing to help others qualifies for 'Volunteer' role. Being a moderator doesn't by itself correlate with how many posts someone has (it's more a question of keeping the sometimes very bubbly community a little under control - ideally avoiding the rejection/deletion of critical posts because we do value other opinions, a long as the discussion is done using respect and acceptable manners). That said, let's wait a little...

[CyberNautilus]

Your point is reasonable @klaus

What do you reckon to be a decent wait time to get any response on a post? For example, @multiOS asked me to provide the log of the faulty VM in the other thread, which I did, on the 22nd of Aug. It'll be nine days tomorrow. But my reply hasn't been viewed yet.

Of course, s/he could be busy, doubtless. So how often should I check in?

I'd also have to analyse the cost benefit of waiting for a reply, factor that in to the actual delay in obtaining a solution, if any. So, in general, would it be reasonable to conclude that since VirtualBox is offered on a no-cost, no-liability basis, the user shouldn't depend on it working at all? or of finding any suggestions on even it's (these) fora?

Please understand that this is not a complaint, but I'm just trying to gather sufficient data to be able to make an informed decision.

[multiOS]

@CyberNautilus,

I've just responded on the other thread. Sorry no-other Forum member picked it up earlier.

I'll try to keep an eye on that thread.