IPB has a downloads application, a web store application, a gallery application, a blog application, a content application, and a huge modification/ skinning community...
...Now on the other hand, XF itself is a very modern and up to date "forum". But thats all it is, a forum. People these days need more than that.
I would actually argue that forum applications should be judged on the basis of their forum component. Other applications like vB and IPB have fallen into the trap of trying to become whole site solutions. Feature creep galore. Especially vB... all focus for vB5 appears to be on non-forum features. The same was true for vB4. Meanwhile the forum component slowly rots.
I would also go farther and argue that customers who want whole site solutions are wrong in a sense. There are exceptions of course. But it has been my observation that the majority of forum sites gain little by installing peripheral applications. It is usually just an attempt to dress up the forum so that the site appears more complete, when in reality the site is the forum and the extra applications function more as garnish that is largely ignored by the user.
Focus on what matters, the forum application. And if you compare the forum components of XF, vB, and IPB, then XenForo is really holds its own. Big forums especially love XenForo because of its low resource usage. That translates into big savings in server costs. vB and IPB are resource hogs in comparison.
I would agree. The forum should be the strongest asset. vB was a home renovation gone bad. But people asked for a CMS, gallery and blog. People ask here also.I would actually argue that forum applications should be judged on the basis of their forum component. Other applications like vB and IPB have fallen into the trap of trying to become whole site solutions. Feature creep galore. Especially vB... all focus for vB5 appears to be on non-forum features. The same was true for vB4. Meanwhile the forum component slowly rots.
The exceptions are those who don't want bridges, want a uniform appearance and not capable for doing it themselves. I think an analogy could be Mac desktops. At least the older ones. Unlike PCs, you couldn't mix and match or build your own. Apple designed their products with specific components. Few exceptions and the results they worked out of the box for people who didn't want to tinker getting their computer to work. And yes, people add to 'garnish' rather that provide functionality. Not to take away from XenPorta, but that seems to be the first thing people add. Some sites it works, others not so much. For one of my sites, I need a CMS of some sort. My other, vBadvanced is fine as a splash page.I would also go farther and argue that customers who want whole site solutions are wrong in a sense. There are exceptions of course. But it has been my observation that the majority of forum sites gain little by installing peripheral applications. It is usually just an attempt to dress up the forum so that the site appears more complete, when in reality the site is the forum and the extra applications function more as garnish that is largely ignored by the user.
XF does hold it's own but please don't think that everyone likes it or it's the solution for everyone. Forum owners may like it over other products, but it's the members who use the software that count. For me anyway. Not everyone shares that forums are for their members, that's fine. To each their own.Focus on what matters, the forum application. And if you compare the forum components of XF, vB, and IPB, then XenForo is really holds its own. Big forums especially love XenForo because of its low resource usage. That translates into big savings in server costs. vB and IPB are resource hogs in comparison.
I would agree. The forum should be the strongest asset. vB was a home renovation gone bad. But people asked for a CMS, gallery and blog. People ask here also.
The exceptions are those who don't want bridges, want a uniform appearance and not capable for doing it themselves. I think an analogy could be Mac desktops. At least the older ones. Unlike PCs, you couldn't mix and match or build your own. Apple designed their products with specific components. Few exceptions and the results they worked out of the box for people who didn't want to tinker getting their computer to work. And yes, people add to 'garnish' rather that provide functionality. Not to take away from XenPorta, but that seems to be the first thing people add. Some sites it works, others not so much. For one of my sites, I need a CMS of some sort. My other, vBadvanced is fine as a splash page.
I have personally modified John's Forms Add-On to make a mini CCK for a site I have been working on long term, which I will post in the showcase forum, when it's ready. The entire site, with it's various sections runs on Xenforo and it's been a pleasure to work on primarily due to Xenforo's amazing internals.
I would actually argue that forum applications should be judged on the basis of their forum component. Other applications like vB and IPB have fallen into the trap of trying to become whole site solutions. Feature creep galore. Especially vB... all focus for vB5 appears to be on non-forum features. The same was true for vB4. Meanwhile the forum component slowly rots.
Sites that are just forums are dying.
And for good reason, they don't contribute much original content.
This part couldn't be more wrong looking at our site/forum.Sites that are just forums are dying.
And for good reason, they don't contribute much original content.
People and Google search don't care about them anymore.
Reality actually.It seems you are living in wonderland.
I see your point, but its about having options or the ability to integrate a certain application to help make ur site grow. XF has no ability to allow that. IF you want a highly efficient webstore theres not one, if you want a highly efficient content application theres not one, if you want a downloads application, there isnt one. That stuff is a big deal to most forums now a days. Living in the past or what used to work is no longer an option. XF as a forum itself, yes is very nice and one of the best for sure. But its to the point now where that just doesnt work anymore, phpbb is free but its pretty much dead because it didnt evolve with the times. People spend money on things they need, Im just saying look at all points. If your able to broaden your reach, then do it. It has worked very well for IPB.I would actually argue that forum applications should be judged on the basis of their forum component. Other applications like vB and IPB have fallen into the trap of trying to become whole site solutions. Feature creep galore. Especially vB... all focus for vB5 appears to be on non-forum features. The same was true for vB4. Meanwhile the forum component slowly rots.
I would also go farther and argue that customers who want whole site solutions are wrong in a sense. There are exceptions of course. But it has been my observation that the majority of forum sites gain little by installing peripheral applications. It is usually just an attempt to dress up the forum so that the site appears more complete, when in reality the site is the forum and the extra applications function more as garnish that is largely ignored by the user.
Focus on what matters, the forum application. And if you compare the forum components of XF, vB, and IPB, then XenForo is really holds its own. Big forums especially love XenForo because of its low resource usage. That translates into big savings in server costs. vB and IPB are resource hogs in comparison.
And they are doing it more and more via social media, blogs, etc.Forums don't contribute any content. People do.
And they are doing it more and more via social media, blogs, etc.
Not on forums.
Online forum-based communities need better content tools than just threads.
I think XenPorta (a portal) supplements the forums and is a good idea.So if you add peripheral applications like a portal, blog, and gallery then people will post more content?
For my needs, Blog entries shouldn't be about who wrote them, they should be about content. At Xenforo.com, the announcements forum is a blog. Other content that would work for a KAM-directed Xenforo blog would be the "Have you seen" forum.Portals are usually just pulling threads from the forum. Blogs are really very similar to forums except they are more serving one person than an entire community. Galleries are... well OK you would get pictures in a central place which can be a better organization than pictures on a forum.
Blogs are popular. A Wordpress blog is a one man show, with comments sprinkled in. A forum is much more interactive and community-based.Just be mindful that you aren't following an internet fashion. I remember during the web 2.0 era I had people wanting to run blogs instead of forums because blogs are web 2.0 and forums are web 1.0. I was like
Digital Doctor said:Blogs are popular. A Wordpress blog is a one man show, with comments sprinkled in. A forum is much more interactive and community-based.
OMG really? lol..ok Dude how new are u to forums? Cuz thats not something a veteran would say. Thats more of a noobie statement. Actually the pioneer of forums is PHPBB. You need to do your research. Just cuz you like something you dont have to be a blinded fanboy. XF is an awesome forum, but thats all it is, a forum. Nothing more.Any of the software mentioned is widely used.
I agree with Digital Doctor that we need community-driven documentation. Xenforo is the pioneer of Forums!
Uh no sorry bud. Phpbb was a pioneer in the fact it was the first largest forum software used. Phpbb held the title, it was the most advanced at the time. Its what other forums were trying to accomplish, vBulletin finally surpassed it, but it was too late as IPB had already claimed the title and still holds it. I think ur looking at the phpbb3 timeline, the original phpbb came out in the mid 90's. I know because i used it, in 1996 on my first forum. I was around back then and have been in this business since then.First of all: pioneer in what? phpBB like vBulletin was inspired by UBB, how does that make them a pioneer? It's just one of the free solutions written in php. phpBB came after vBulletin which came after Phorum. In other words, phpBB did nothing new, it was a free clone.
Timeline: http://www.forum-software.org/sites.../images/timeline/forum-softwares-timeline.png
I wouldn't call XF a pioneer but it sure did more innovating things than phpBB did when it first started. phpBB is 12y old and XF did everything plus more in one year of development.
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