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	Admin Admin Group RCSB Owner/Founder	Joined: July/22/2003 United States Posts: 5505 IP Logged
Posted: March/31/2017 at 6:46am		Quote

What is SSL and why do we need it?
You may (or may not) have noticed that http://www.rcscalebuilder.com is now https://www.rcscalebuilder.com and the little green lock in the URL bar of your browser. This is because we are running a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) which basically means all data sent between your browser and the site is encrypted making everything much more secure. Why do we need this? The browser developers and search engine vendors are forcing all site owners to implement this to force higher security on the internet. If we don’t implement SSL you will see a big “UNSECURED” or red padlock in the URL text box at the top of your browser depending on which browser you use and I will get dozens of email asking why the site is insecure. Also, RCSB would drop in the site ranking on Google, Bing, and other search engines if we didn’t move to SSL.

What are the ramifications of this?
So, with SSL being implemented we are going to have to eliminating outside linking of images in posts as of September 1st from external sites like photobucket and unsecured private sites where images are stored as it breaks the SSL certificate and causes the page to be insecure (and pop up annoying warnings) by linking a HTTP url inside a HTTPS page.

Also, after doing some research there are less than 170 threads out of over 11,600 using external image linking and guess what, almost 40% of those have had images missing because the person leaves the site, leaves the hobby and deletes their photobucket account, or deletes the images from their personal site. This is very annoying for someone coming to read about building a specific model only to notice none of the images are there. All current threads will still have the external images linked, but as of September 1st you will no longer be able to link images externally.

So what do I do now if I use photobucket or my personal site in my posts?
Well until September just keep doing what you are doing. Before all this this happens I will be writing more detailed information in the FAQ about how to pre-process your images before they are uploaded making that step as simple as possible on ALL platforms. It is really simple and to many folks try to make it more complex than it needs to be. There are simple tools for every platform (Windows, iOS, and Linux) to batch process images making them web friendly.

I apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause any of you, but this is a necessary step we must take to ensure the long term security and integrity of the site.

Until Next Month,
Mike

__________________
Mike Chilson,
RCSB Owner/Founder
--------------------
My R/C Scale Aircraft Over The Years

	Teus Lifetime Site Supporter Dutch Dawn Patrol	Joined: December/09/2006 Netherlands Posts: 3639 IP Logged
Posted: March/31/2017 at 9:12am		Quote

Thanks Mike for doing all this effort to keep the site up and running in a safe matter, much appreciated

One question regarding linking to non SSL sites in the future:

Is it after the 1st of September still possible to add a link only (non direct photo link) to a non SSL site? For example I supply in one of my threads a link to a directory on Photobucket where everybody can find and download my redrawn WW-I instruments.

__________________
Teus

Building board:
Nieuport-11 + rotary engine

Flying:
1/4 Proctor Fokker E.III
1/3rd Fokker D-VII
1/3rd Nieuport-11

In maintenance:
a 1982 Busa build 1/3rd Sopwith Pup

	Admin Admin Group RCSB Owner/Founder	Joined: July/22/2003 United States Posts: 5505 IP Logged
Posted: March/31/2017 at 9:18am		Quote

Quote: Teus

Thanks Mike for doing all this effort to keep the site up and running in a safe matter, much appreciated

One question regarding linking to non SSL sites in the future:

Absolutely! It is only the "Link Image By URL" that will be going away in September. Those images get embedded in the thread page and break the certificate, where as a regular URL link will just link you to another page on the internet.

Hope that answers your question.

Cheers,
Mike

__________________
Mike Chilson,
RCSB Owner/Founder
--------------------
My R/C Scale Aircraft Over The Years

	Teus Lifetime Site Supporter Dutch Dawn Patrol	Joined: December/09/2006 Netherlands Posts: 3639 IP Logged
Posted: March/31/2017 at 10:25am		Quote

It does Mike, thanks.

__________________
Teus

Building board:
Nieuport-11 + rotary engine

Flying:
1/4 Proctor Fokker E.III
1/3rd Fokker D-VII
1/3rd Nieuport-11

In maintenance:
a 1982 Busa build 1/3rd Sopwith Pup

	dirkske Lifetime Site Supporter	Joined: March/22/2007 Belgium Posts: 199 IP Logged
Posted: March/31/2017 at 10:44am		Quote

Quote: Admin

I apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause any of you, ...

No need, good move. Thanks

	J_Whitney Moderator Group	Joined: November/10/2003 United States Posts: 7412 IP Logged
Posted: March/31/2017 at 10:48am		Quote

Mike, I had some images linked from a FTP site - but I forget which ones! Is there any way to determine which images are from the FTP and which are directly hosted on RCSB?

__________________
Jeff
Castro Valley, CA
The essential paradox of our democracy is that our warriors fight and die for our right to dispute the cause for which they are fighting and dying.
Let me know if I can help

	Admin Admin Group RCSB Owner/Founder	Joined: July/22/2003 United States Posts: 5505 IP Logged
Posted: March/31/2017 at 12:07pm		Quote

Quote: J_Whitney

Mike, I had some images linked from a FTP site - but I forget which ones! Is there any way to determine which images are from the FTP and which are directly hosted on RCSB?

Not really Jeff. But it doesn't matter. This will only apply to images moving forward in after September 1st.

__________________
Mike Chilson,
RCSB Owner/Founder
--------------------
My R/C Scale Aircraft Over The Years

	J_Whitney Moderator Group	Joined: November/10/2003 United States Posts: 7412 IP Logged
Posted: March/31/2017 at 12:10pm		Quote

Thanks!

__________________
Jeff
Castro Valley, CA
The essential paradox of our democracy is that our warriors fight and die for our right to dispute the cause for which they are fighting and dying.
Let me know if I can help

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