Scenery and supporting AI for John's KC-390

[TimC340]

Many of you may not be aware of this, but it looks like the site, including the Hangar, will go offline (possibly permanently) from next week sometime.

Please make sure all your contributions are backed up. I assume the FTP server is held under the same contract, so we'll lose that too.

I have backed up everything I've received. For the short term, until a new website is created, I can probably keep it all available via my OneDrive account. If necessary I can create a free Wix or Ionos (I have accounts with both) website which could host my own creations and, subject to your agreement, yours (in connection with this project), while we await developments. Of course, we'd then be outside the MAIW umbrella and thus permissions for distribution of non-original content can not be assumed.

I have no idea where this is leading or what the outcome will be but I'll keep my fingers crossed that MAIW will survive.

[Delboy99]

Hi Tim. Are you saying that MAIW is going off line next week. That's comes as a bit of a shock. When I click on the your link I get a message saying I'm not authorised to access that forum. Can you share this information with the rest of us. Thanks.

[TimC340]

Ah, it may be that I have access to that thread which isn't general. I had no idea! (I've edited my previous post to reflect the restricted access). However, Greg has asked that we share the info.

In essence, Greg is fighting increasing amounts of malware that is attacking the site. The PHP software it's based on is out of date and no longer supported, and it needs time (which he doesn't have) and expertise (which no-one else has or has volunteered*) to update and secure it. It has reached the point where he can no longer firefight effectively enough, and the only option is to close down pending a site rebuild or recreation.

Creating a new MAIW is a major task, of course, and I suspect that the traffic the site receives post-MSFS makes it hard to justify the effort and cost. However, at the moment I remain hopeful that we're looking at a temporary hiatus.

*that's an over-simplification, but it will do for now.

[jetpilot1980]

So with that being said... Also this is (horrible) news to me as well; where are we supposed to go to get this new great stuff???

[Firebird]

In short, what Greg is saying is that the server PHP that we use needs to be upgraded as does the phpBB, which is the forum, because it has got infected.
That we believe can get sorted out by backing up all the posts and then upgrading the PHP software on the host followed by upgrading the phpBB forum and then recovering back all the posts. So the forum doesn't seem like it will suffer.

The bigger issue is the website and consequently its links to the FTP server. It seems that the Joopla upgrade, is not such a simple thing.
As I understand it what Greg is saying that the website, created in Joopla, is preventing the PHP and phpBB upgrades and is suggesting replacing the website with something simpler like a Wordpress page(s). This would NOT allow access to the FTP server like that, but it would allow the forum to be upgraded.

However, if I understand things correctly, it would allow us time to either get an upgrade to the Joopla website or find another alternative that would allow access to the FTP server. It could mean that the FTP server COULD be shutdown but until that time all the files would still be saved on the FTP server until we finalise the future path.
Whilst it does buy us time that does not mean that it is open ended. Decisions would have to be made in fairly short order if for no other reason than people need to understand what is happening to the files and their access.

I have had a quick google and Wordpress does have an FTP extension capability so it maybe that file access could be solved through that BUT I have no experience of it myself and more investigation needs to be done as to what is involved and any cost that would be needed.

[TimC340]

Thanks for the clarification, Steve.

So with that being said... Also this is (horrible) news to me as well; where are we supposed to go to get this new great stuff???

I believe that I can probably make some of it - the stuff without complex copyright considerations - available via a free site which I can construct with a day or two's work. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of spare time available right now but I'll give it a go. If I succeed I'll try and share a link before MAIW goes offline. The aim of the site would be to allow this particular project to continue while MAIW is down. If we complete the project in that time, I would hope to be able to share the original content for download, either directly or via links. The stuff that needs MAIW's 'permissions' umbrella would have to remain unavailable by that route, but I would hope that much of that may be available via either the other main download sites or by a temporary Download site that the team may be able to put together for the core MAIW content.

I'm in pretty much daily contact with JY, and Ray and Tranquil have their own ways of hosting their own content. Hopefully between us we can make sure all the new stuff we are creating becomes available even if MAIW takes an extended break. If all else fails, we have the option of uploading it to the other major download sites - as of course does MAIW itself for its other content.

We'll get it out somehow!

[Jon]

My paints for this project can be found in this thread at AIG should things go sideways


https://www.alpha-india.net/forums/inde ... ic=33048.0

[TimC340]

Thanks Jon

[f4nutter]

as soon as i get time i will start another web site, i had to close my Weebly one give me a couple of days to design it, hopefully
i can put my work (and Others if they wish) on there.

[TimC340]

Good to know, Ray. I have my OneDrive folder in the meantime, and I have enough storage for everything we have so far. I'll make sure it's up to date by tonight and in the same structure as the FTP. If this site goes down unexpectedly, I'll put details of how to get my stuff on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rubberdogshit/ (no prizes for guessing the relevance of the name!).

[f4nutter]

you based in Hong Kong ?

got my site up and working again
https://rayparkerrepaints.weebly.com/

[TimC340]

Excellent, Ray!

Not based there, but I did a lot of trash-hauling out of there over 45 years of flying!

[jetpilot1980]

you based in Hong Kong ?

got my site up and working again
https://rayparkerrepaints.weebly.com/

No it's because he "just wants to serve his country and be the best fighter pilot in the Navy..." but funny reference no less...

[John Young]

I have the Embraer Airfield (SBGP) ready, apart from the night lighting, which I will do next:





I will place a copy in Tim's folder (the scenery is for both FSX and P3D) after this post, so that contributors to the project can grab it now, just in case the sever goes down. I'll update it as soon as I have done the night lighting.

John

[f4nutter]

nice work John I will defo grab it Now just in case!
talking of the server going down what about your new models?

[TimC340]

The FTP now also has SBBI and SBSM, both modified stock airfields with phototiles and parking for all our supported types relevant to these airfields. I've also uploaded a part-complete traffic file for the Cessna Caravans, and updated the master document.

Now to try and put a website together....!

[John Young]

Ray, my new models (KC-390 and the 145 derivates) are in Tim's FTP folder. They will be part of the same contingency as everything else in the Brazilian project, should the need arise.

John

[TimC340]

All, the website I'm trying to put together to host the Brazil project (hopefully temporarily) is underway. It's at www.rubberdogshit.co.uk.

It's not anywhere near complete, and it may be a week or more before it's set up as I'd like it. Right now, it's a mess and will probably appear very confusing if you visit! The intent is that you'll be able to upload files to it, update your uploads when necessary, and download other files that you might need to help your creations. It will basically include everything in my FTP. Because we haven't released yet and many of our creations use files from other creators, access will be restricted. At the moment the only files on it are (some of) my Brazil airfield creations, and that'll remain the case until I'm happy with the security. The layout may take a bit longer to get right, but the priority is actually storing the files in an accessible database.

If you do visit, and you are a creator involved in this group, please do sign up for membership. That'll help the transition if MAIW goes down between now and when my site goes secure and I can host your files - please do not upload anything yet.

The idea is that we can continue to work on this - and any future - project without interruption while the issues at MAIW are resolved. It's not intended as a replacement for MAIW (I can't afford the storage for that!). With a bit of luck it won't be necessary, and after this episode is over it can simply act as a 'shop window' for my own stuff in the same way as Ray has for his.

[f4nutter]

signed up

[TimC340]

Greg has confirmed that the forum will stay available, but the Hangar and FTP may not. I have no timescale more detailed than was mentioned earlier - within the next week or so. There are currently no viable proposals to replace the Hangar or recreate it on another server. You may want to ensure that you already have everything you are likely to need from there. I have most of it, but far from all.

My website - and Brazil - will get no attention today (I have a lot of other things to attend to) but I hope to tidy it up over the weekend. I will, however, upload the finished Cessna C-98 Caravan traffic file for your delectation. You may also notice SBBI and SBCO have joined the airfield roster.