The Tortoise Forum App is going to be disabled on Oct 1, 2019

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CarolM

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I know many of you use the TFO Branded App and Tapatalk App and I have tried to keep it working as long as possible. I recently learned that Tapatalk has started to store user information from forums and sell advertising based upon this information. We don't sell your information and I don't like the fact that we can't have control over that aspect to keep others from doing it. Another reason is that we like to have control over site functionality and they don't support the full features of our forum. It leaves for an incomplete experience for some users at times.

As a result I have made the decision to remove Tapatalk support from TFO and remove our app from the app stores. The TFO App will stop functioning on October 1, 2019.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS NOT OUR MOBILE VERSION BUT THE APP VERSION. You can still surf TFO from your phone, tablet, etc. by opening your browser and typing in "tortoiseforum.org". Maybe some of our more tech-savvy members can post some screenshots of how to add a TFO bookmark to your home screen.

I realize there will be some of you who do not like this decision but based on my previous comments we have had to make this hard decision and we are going to stand by it. I wanted to make this announcement and give you time to make alternative plans, if you are a TFO Tapatalk user.

Thanks for your understanding and continued support!
So sad to hear that, however if that is what needs to be done, then that is what needs to be done. I liked the app, as it is much easier to load photos directly from your phone. However I will just have to do it the long way round when I am at work. As I don't have a computer at home to work from.
 

katieandiggy

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Ok I’ve saved the browser as a favourite and while it’s slightly more awkward than the app for me, it is actually functional!
 

JLMDVM

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I use the app but as it seemed like an informative post vs something up for debate so I just accepted it and moved on. I would prefer to continue using it but understand the reasoning and accept the decision made on our behalf by the higher ups!
 

KarenSoCal

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I've always been a Tapatalk user, because for me it works well and looks good.
Trying to use the website is awful. Parts of the page are covered up by other info on the page. The actual post is ok, but the other items, such as "like" or "reply" are so tiny I can barely see them.
In Tapatalk, all the posts of a particular thread are together. In the web version, there are multiple pages of the posts that have to be navigated.
There is too much stuff on each page...it looks jumbled and cluttered, instead of a clean list of posts.
The web is large and unwieldy, with tiny squashed fonts.
 

Moozillion

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Gosh, I'm late to the game, here.
Although I am REALLY BUMMED that we'll lose the app, I absolutely understand and appreciate the reason.
I use the app very heavily, but will be glad to access the forum any way I can!!! TFO ROCKS!!!!![emoji2][emoji173]️
 

dmilam

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I’m just curious but is there a cost associated with the app? Apple and google already have our personal information. I don’t understand what you think they’re going to sell? If it’s money, I’d be willing to contribute towards keeping it. It’s much more convenient than the web page.
 

JoesMum

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I’m just curious but is there a cost associated with the app? Apple and google already have our personal information. I don’t understand what you think they’re going to sell? If it’s money, I’d be willing to contribute towards keeping it. It’s much more convenient than the web page.

It costs a lot of money for a website to have a personalised Tapatalk app and that cost is probably not sustainable for a smaller forum.

You can install native Tapatalk on your device and access the forum through that. Whether that will continue to work after October 31 I don’t know. I shall certainly be trying it.
 

Bee62

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I am an "old dinosaur" without apps, smart phone, taptalk etc. I only use my computer and that`s why I will not miss anything. But I can only speak for myself.
 

K1RK

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Grumble grumble grumble, app being taken away grumble... wait.... app.... I didn’t even know there was one. Well no point in trying it out now lol. Here’s to hope of a better option becoming available for an app in the future.
 

Tom

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@TammyJ beat me to it. What's Tapatalk?

I don't understand what is going away. I go on any device, laptop, desktop or cell phone, and I type in Tortoiseforum.org. If I'm not already logged in, I log in and then use the forum.

So what am I not going to be able to do now?
 

jaizei

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@TammyJ beat me to it. What's Tapatalk?

I don't understand what is going away. I go on any device, laptop, desktop or cell phone, and I type in Tortoiseforum.org. If I'm not already logged in, I log in and then use the forum.

So what am I not going to be able to do now?

Nothing will change for you. There was a separate app that allowed members to access the forum, that is being discontinued.
 

JoesMum

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Tapatalk is an app that talks to the forum instead of the browser you use (Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox)

It presents the website in a clearer format for small screens.

Josh pays Tapatalk for a customised version of Tapatalk which means that a TFO app can be downloaded from the app store. People using the TFO app are generally unaware that actually it is customised Tapatalk.

It is this customised version of Tapatalk that is going.

It won’t affect anyone who uses the forum through the web browser on their mobile device.

Those that use the customised app, like me, can try:
1. Downloading the basic Tapatalk app from the app store and trying to login to TFO through it. This may or may not carry on working.

2. Login to TFO through the web browser on their device.
 

xMario

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Tapatalk is an app that talks to the forum instead of the browser you use (Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox)

It presents the website in a clearer format for small screens.

Josh pays Tapatalk for a customised version of Tapatalk which means that a TFO app can be downloaded from the app store. People using the TFO app are generally unaware that actually it is customised Tapatalk.

It is this customised version of Tapatalk that is going.

It won’t affect anyone who uses the forum through the web browser on their mobile device.

Those that use the customised app, like me, can try:
1. Downloading the basic Tapatalk app from the app store and trying to login to TFO through it. This may or may not carry on working.

2. Login to TFO through the web browser on their device.
I hope that #1 works
 

Tom

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Nothing will change for you. There was a separate app that allowed members to access the forum, that is being discontinued.
Why did we/do we need a separate "app" when the forum works fine on any device already? I thought TFO was an app? How was this separate app different than the regular TFO that I am used to?
 

Blackdog1714

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Tapatalk is getting a little sketchy with the advancements in data analytics so that now you can be tracked over the whole internet. They pay sites like this to gather data so they may track all over the internet and make suggestions for purchases. That is why when you go to some sites it will have something you recently looked at in a window on the side of the browser that links to a seller! Very Scary
 

Maro2Bear

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Tapatalk is getting a little sketchy with the advancements in data analytics so that now you can be tracked over the whole internet. They pay sites like this to gather data so they may track all over the internet and make suggestions for purchases. That is why when you go to some sites it will have something you recently looked at in a window on the side of the browser that links to a seller! Very Scary

Regarding this - That is why when you go to some sites it will have something you recently looked at in a window on the side of the browser that links to a seller! Very Scary.

This happens now, all the time. If i search for a VRBO rental in MD, the next time i log into TFO, the ads are all VRBO cottages in MD.
 
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